Homebrew:The Undying (Remastered): Difference between revisions

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[[file:creeping vine.jpg|right|thumb|500px]]
{{ooc note|This is an implementation of The Undying subclass from [[Tasha's Crucible of Everything Else]] volume 1}}
{{ooc note|This is an implementation of The Creeping Vine subclass from [[Tasha's Crucible of Everything Else]] volume 1}}
__NOTOC__
__NOTOC__
{{base class|warlock|blockquotestyle=width:calc(100% - 510px - 1.4em)}}
{{base class|warlock|blockquotestyle=width:100%}}
Your patron is a magical plant, a powerful primal spirit, or some other grand entity of nature and growth, such as a powerful treant, an ancient green dragon, a totoro, or an archdryad. This being might seek to expand itself and its influence through seed or spore, or it might want to simply perpetuate, accelerate, or otherwise enable the natural cycles of life. In the Forgotten Realms, such beings include the Great Oak of Kuldahar and Zuggtmoy, the Demon Queen of Fungi. In the world of Ebberon, the daelkyr Avassh might be your patron, and in the world of Ravnica, the Selesnya Conclave might be the source of your powers.
This subclass rebalances and reenvisions the Undying Otherworldy Patron found in the ''Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide''.
 
<blockquote><h3>Why These Changes?</h3>
<h4>''A Note from the Designer''</h4>
The original Undying warlock has a unique narrative: you are hard to kill, and when you’re around your allies are hard to kill. You are a master of death, undeath, and life. The issue is that, compared to classes and subclasses with a similar narrative, you aren’t very good at your job.
 
For one example, you learn the ''[[spell:spare-the-dying|spare the dying]]'' cantrip at 1st level. The Grave cleric also learns this cantrip at 1st level, but can cast it as a bonus action with a range of 30 feet. For you, it takes an action and has a range of touch. This means the Grave cleric can contribute to the battle in other ways, in addition to stabilizing dying allies.
 
At higher levels, the original Undying warlock is also significantly weaker than its ''Player’s Handbook'' or ''Xanathar’s Guide to Everything'' counterparts. While the other subclasses get immunity to common conditions (e.g. the Archfey and the charmed condition) or resistance to damage types (e.g. the Fiend, the Great Old One, or the Celestial), Undying warlocks don’t need to eat, drink, or sleep, and can hold their breath as long as they are conscious. While that is certainly useful in some circumstances, it is not as frequently useful as, say, the Fiend’s ability to gain resistance to bludgeoning damage.
 
As for the 14th-level feature, the Undying warlock can regain a number of hit points equal to about 4 + its warlock level. This is similar to casting ''[[spell:cure-wounds|cure wounds]]'' on yourself as a 4th-level spell. The Celestial warlock gets a similar ability at 10th level, but can simultaneously give about half as many temporary hit points to nearby allies. At 14th level, the Fiend warlock gets a feature that is the equivalent of a 6th level damaging spell.
 
This remastered version aims to bring the Undying warlock up to snuff with other warlock subclasses or subclasses with a similar narrative in the following ways:
 
* Empowers your Undying Nature feature to be as useful as most other 10th-level warlock subclass features.
* Minor adjustments to the Among the Dead, Defy Death, and Expanded Spell List features to better enable your ability to keep your allies alive.
* Replaces your Indestructible Life feature with a different mechanic that better fits the narrative that you are very hard to kill.</blockquote>


== Expanded Spell List ==
== Expanded Spell List ==
''1st-level {{PAGENAME}} feature''
''1st-level {{PAGENAME}} feature''


The Creeping Vine lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.
The Undying lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Creeping Vine Expanded Spells
|+ Undying Expanded Spells
!Spell Level !! Spells
!Spell Level !! Spells
|-
|-
|1st || ''[[spell:entangle|entangle]]'', ''[[spell:ensnaring-strike|ensnaring strike]]''
|1st || ''[[spell:false-life|false life]]'', ''[[spell:ray-of-sickness|ray of sickness]]''
|-
|-
|2nd || ''[[spell:pass-without-trace|pass without trace]]'', ''[[spell:spike-growth|spike growth]]''
|2nd || ''[[spell:blindness-deafness|blindness/deafness]]'', ''[[spell:silence|silence]]''
|-
|-
|3rd || ''[[spell:plant-growth|plant growth]]'', ''[[spell:stinking-cloud|stinking cloud]]''
|3rd || ''[[spell:feign-death|feign death]]'', ''[[spell:revivify|revivify]]''
|-
|-
|4th || ''[[spell:evards-black-tentacles|Evard's black tentacles]]'', ''[[spell:grasping-vine|grasping vine]]''
|4th || ''[[spell:aura-of-life|aura of life]]'', ''[[spell:death-ward|death ward]]''
|-
|-
|5th || ''[[spell:tree-stride|tree stride]]'', ''[[spell:wrath-of-nature|wrath of nature]]''
|5th || ''[[spell:legend-lore|legend lore]]'', ''[[spell:raise-dead|raise dead]]''
|}
|}


== Biome ==
== Among the Dead ==
''1st-level {{PAGENAME}} feature''
''1st-level {{PAGENAME}} feature''


You gain one of the following features, based on a biome of your choice.
You learn the ''[[spell:spare-the-dying|spare the dying]]'' cantrip, which counts as a warlock cantrip for you. It does not count against the number of warlock cantrips you know. For you, it has a range of 30 feet, and you can cast it as a bonus action.


;Arid
Additionally, undead have difficulty harming you. If an undead targets you directly with an attack or a harmful spell, that creature must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC (an undead needn’t make the save when it includes you in an area effect, such as the explosion of fireball). On a failed save, the creature must choose a new target or forfeit targeting someone instead of you, potentially wasting the attack or spell. On a successful save, the creature is immune to this effect for 24 hours. An undead is also immune to this effect for 24 hours if you target it with an attack or a harmful spell.
:You retain scarce resources like a cactus retains water. When you expend a Pact Magic spell slot on a spell that targets only one creature, and that spell has no effect on the target, you regain the spell slot.
;Boreal
:Like a pine tree in the taiga, you can enter a state of hibernation. As an action, you can turn yourself and your equipment to solid wood. You are petrified in a special way. You have all the traits of the petrified condition, except you remain conscious of your surroundings, you can perceive through your senses as normal, and your weight remains the same. You float in water, you are inflammable, and you do not need to eat, breathe, drink, or sleep. You can’t benefit from short or long rests while in this form. You can exit this state at any time (no action required), but no sooner than 1 hour after entering it. Once you have used this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
;Jungle
:You can entangle and ensnare your foes in creepers and vines. You learn the ''[[spell:thron-whip|thorn whip]]'' cantrip. It counts as a warlock spell for you but doesn’t count against the number of cantrips you can know. When you cast it, you can make one melee weapon attack as a bonus action. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.


== Defensive Growth ==
== Defy Death ==
''6th-level {{PAGENAME}} feature''
''6th-level {{PAGENAME}} feature''


As a reaction when a Huge or smaller creature makes a melee attack against you, you can summon spectral vines to entangle it immediately before it strikes you. The creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw or become restrained until the end of your next turn. Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
You can restore vitality when you cheat death. When you succeed on a death saving throw or stabilize a creature with ''[[spell:spare-the-dying|spare the dying]]'', you can choose for yourself or the stabilized creature to regain hit points equal to 1d8 + your warlock level.


== Flora Speaker ==
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
''10th-level {{PAGENAME}} feature''


You can imbue limited sentience and animation to plants within 5 feet of you, giving them the ability to communicate with you. You can question plants about events in the area within the past day, gaining information about creatures that have passed, weather, and other circumstances.
== Undying Nature ==
 
== Natural Defense ==
''10th-level {{PAGENAME}} feature''
''10th-level {{PAGENAME}} feature''


You can adapt your form to become plant-like, making you resilient against certain types of damage. Whenever you finish a long rest, choose one of the following plant types to emulate.
You do not need to breathe, eat, drink, or sleep, although you may still do so if you wish. Your body ages only 1 year for every 10 years that pass, and you are immune to being magically aged. You can reattach any of your severed body parts at will, and you are immune to poison.


;Algae
== Indestructible Life ==
:You gain resistance to slashing damage.
;Leaf
:You gain resistance to bludgeoning damage.
;Wood
:You gain resistance to piercing damage.
 
== Force of Nature ==
''14th-level {{PAGENAME}} feature''
''14th-level {{PAGENAME}} feature''


As an action, you can cast the awaken or wall of thorns spell once without expending a spell slot and without material components. When you cast awaken in this way, the awakened plant returns to mundanity after 8 hours.
You partake of some of the true secrets of the Undying. If you die, another creature can attempt a DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check on your corpse within 24 hours. On a success, you are revived with 1 hit point. If your head or heart is missing, the check automatically fails. Any other missing body parts slowly regrow over the course of 7 days. If you are missing any vital body parts besides your heart and head, such as your blood or lungs, the magic of everlasting life sustains you while they regrow. Once you have been revived in this way, you can’t be so again for 7 days.
 
Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.


[[category:homebrew warlock subclasses]]
[[category:homebrew warlock subclasses]]

Revision as of 06:39, 13 November 2023

(OOC: This is an implementation of The Undying subclass from Tasha's Crucible of Everything Else volume 1)

Base Class: Warlock

This subclass rebalances and reenvisions the Undying Otherworldy Patron found in the Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide.

Why These Changes?

A Note from the Designer

The original Undying warlock has a unique narrative: you are hard to kill, and when you’re around your allies are hard to kill. You are a master of death, undeath, and life. The issue is that, compared to classes and subclasses with a similar narrative, you aren’t very good at your job.

For one example, you learn the spare the dying cantrip at 1st level. The Grave cleric also learns this cantrip at 1st level, but can cast it as a bonus action with a range of 30 feet. For you, it takes an action and has a range of touch. This means the Grave cleric can contribute to the battle in other ways, in addition to stabilizing dying allies.

At higher levels, the original Undying warlock is also significantly weaker than its Player’s Handbook or Xanathar’s Guide to Everything counterparts. While the other subclasses get immunity to common conditions (e.g. the Archfey and the charmed condition) or resistance to damage types (e.g. the Fiend, the Great Old One, or the Celestial), Undying warlocks don’t need to eat, drink, or sleep, and can hold their breath as long as they are conscious. While that is certainly useful in some circumstances, it is not as frequently useful as, say, the Fiend’s ability to gain resistance to bludgeoning damage.

As for the 14th-level feature, the Undying warlock can regain a number of hit points equal to about 4 + its warlock level. This is similar to casting cure wounds on yourself as a 4th-level spell. The Celestial warlock gets a similar ability at 10th level, but can simultaneously give about half as many temporary hit points to nearby allies. At 14th level, the Fiend warlock gets a feature that is the equivalent of a 6th level damaging spell.

This remastered version aims to bring the Undying warlock up to snuff with other warlock subclasses or subclasses with a similar narrative in the following ways:

  • Empowers your Undying Nature feature to be as useful as most other 10th-level warlock subclass features.
  • Minor adjustments to the Among the Dead, Defy Death, and Expanded Spell List features to better enable your ability to keep your allies alive.
  • Replaces your Indestructible Life feature with a different mechanic that better fits the narrative that you are very hard to kill.

Expanded Spell List

1st-level The Undying (Remastered) feature

The Undying lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.

Undying Expanded Spells
Spell Level Spells
1st false life, ray of sickness
2nd blindness/deafness, silence
3rd feign death, revivify
4th aura of life, death ward
5th legend lore, raise dead

Among the Dead

1st-level The Undying (Remastered) feature

You learn the spare the dying cantrip, which counts as a warlock cantrip for you. It does not count against the number of warlock cantrips you know. For you, it has a range of 30 feet, and you can cast it as a bonus action.

Additionally, undead have difficulty harming you. If an undead targets you directly with an attack or a harmful spell, that creature must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC (an undead needn’t make the save when it includes you in an area effect, such as the explosion of fireball). On a failed save, the creature must choose a new target or forfeit targeting someone instead of you, potentially wasting the attack or spell. On a successful save, the creature is immune to this effect for 24 hours. An undead is also immune to this effect for 24 hours if you target it with an attack or a harmful spell.

Defy Death

6th-level The Undying (Remastered) feature

You can restore vitality when you cheat death. When you succeed on a death saving throw or stabilize a creature with spare the dying, you can choose for yourself or the stabilized creature to regain hit points equal to 1d8 + your warlock level.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Undying Nature

10th-level The Undying (Remastered) feature

You do not need to breathe, eat, drink, or sleep, although you may still do so if you wish. Your body ages only 1 year for every 10 years that pass, and you are immune to being magically aged. You can reattach any of your severed body parts at will, and you are immune to poison.

Indestructible Life

14th-level The Undying (Remastered) feature

You partake of some of the true secrets of the Undying. If you die, another creature can attempt a DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check on your corpse within 24 hours. On a success, you are revived with 1 hit point. If your head or heart is missing, the check automatically fails. Any other missing body parts slowly regrow over the course of 7 days. If you are missing any vital body parts besides your heart and head, such as your blood or lungs, the magic of everlasting life sustains you while they regrow. Once you have been revived in this way, you can’t be so again for 7 days.

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