New Warlock Patron

Hey Game Fans, we're back with a new idea for 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons. This is a new homebrew patron for Warlock players representing a pact made with an arcane power of some type. There are some examples in the opening paragraph, but there are tons of interesting options that can fuel this kind of a Warlock patron. Now, we haven't playtested this at all, and honestly aren't completely sold on all of the abilities. Below the body of the article we'll toss out some of the ideas we had considered for it. Grab ten minutes and take a look at the Grand Arcana

Otherworldly Patron : Grand Arcana

Magic is a tremendously powerful force in the cosmos, and even the most wizened of sages know very little about its origins. What we do know is that now there are limitations to its power, schools that define its essence and rules that limit our understanding of how it works. There are rumors and stories of ancient magics that predate our modern understanding...Mythals, the Moons of Magic, the Rain of Colorless Fire, and Spellfire to name just a few. These are forces that few know, and fewer understand.

Grand Arcana Expanded Spell List

Spell Level             Spells
     1st                      Magic Missile, Mage Armor
     2nd                     Enhance Ability, Phantasmal Force
     3rd                     Blink, Nondetection
     4th                     Arcane Eye, Mordenkainen’s Private Sanctum
     5th                     Planar Binding, Teleportation Circle

1st Level Patron Feature: Arcanain the Brain

You have expertise with the Arcana Skill (You double your proficiency bonus with Arcana Checks). You can also attune to an additional number of magical items equal to your proficiency bonus.

6th level Patron Feature: Arcana in the Bones

Your familiarity with magic allows you to resist spells more effectively. As a reaction, you can give yourself advantage on a saving throw against a spell or magical effect. Further if you pass the saving throw you take no damage from the spell or effect. You regain the use of this ability after a short or long rest.

10th level Patron Feature: Arcana in the Blood

You gain a number of benefits from your Arcane Pact. First, you no longer set off glyphs or symbols. Secondly, you use your Charisma modifier in place of your Constitution modifier for determining how many hit points you have (this will trigger some recalculation). Finally, you have resistance to Force damage.

14th level Patron Feature: Arcana in the Soul

Your connection to magic allows you to use a bonus action when you cast a spell to remove the energy type of the spell you’re casting. (for example, you can cast an Eldritch Blast and make the damage untyped, allowing it to bypass resistance or immunity from the creature targeted). Further, you add your charisma bonus to the total damage caused by a spell you cast. (if the spell rolls individual damage to targets, like eldritch blast, pick one target to receive the extra damage).

Discussion

So what does this patron do?  Well, it represents a precursor to modern understandings of magic.  It defies the typically accepted limitations of magic and turns them on their heads by allowing the Warlock to do things that are normally impossible for Warlocks (and are hard for other arcanists).

Now I'm not completely sold on the abilities and i am considering the following changes.  

Expanded Spell List

1st level       Magic Missile, (pick 1 from any spell list)

2nd level      Phantasmal Force, (pick 1 from any spell list)

3rd level       Blink, (pick 1 from any spell list)

4th level       Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum, (pick 1 from any spell list)

5th level       Planar Binding, (pick 1 from any spell list)

Rationale:

Grand Arcana is designed to empower and give the Warlock options that other spellcasters don't have.  

1st level feature

Arcana in the mind:  Once per day, you can swap out a number of spells known equal to your charisma modifier.  Further, you can change the spells out on your Expanded Spell list for the Grand Arcana Patron, (if that expanded spell list is in play)  This replaces the attunement benefit ability from the 1st level Patron benefit.

Rationale:  The ability to have up to 6 additional magical items attuned to the Warlock seems like it could be overpowered, and this version of the ability is usable at 1st level.  

Concerns:  Could allow for some exceptional tailoring options to deal with specific threats, especially with the optional expanded spell list.  

6th level feature

Arcana in the Bones:  (You can use this ability a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, after that you must take a short or long rest to recover it).  

Rationale:  More uses of the ability make it more likely to be used because the player isn't concerned about necessarily saving it for "the one."

Concerns:  Monsters only get 3 uses of legendary resistance per day (the ones that have it).  This might be OP.

10th level feature

Arcana in the Blood:  As a bonus action, expend a number of hit dice equal to your highest level spell slot to recover a spell slot you've already cast.  (This replaces the immunity to symbol and glyph of warding spells).  

Rationale:  This allows the Warlock to trade recovered vitality for more power, something that magic is more than happy to give.  

Concerns:  Might not fit the exact theme of the class, could feel like Arcane Recovery from the Wizard, but better.

Conclusions

That's where i am going to leave off with this for now, and like i said, we haven't play tested this at all.  If you have the time and feel like taking it for a whirl, feel free and let us know what happened.  Game On, Game Fans.