0 of 0
About this mod
A ground-up overhaul for the Warlock class meant to improve formerly weak aspects, promote build variety, and provide a better overall experience.
- Requirements
- Permissions and credits
-
Translations
- Russian
- Mandarin
- French
- Changelogs
Pactbound is intended as a comprehensive overhaul to the Warlock class. Adjusted spell lists, revamped subclasses, improved Eldritch Invocations, and greater build diversity and identity. Many of the changes introduced are RAW from the new 2024 PHB or inspired by it, alongside a lot of my own homebrew meant to address aspects of Warlocks that just didn't feel great or fell behind other options.
IMPORTANT: All abilities of levels 13-20 require unlocked level curve mods, and spells of Level 7 and above require 5e Spells.
Spellcasting:
Warlocks retain their Pact Magic feature and their Vanilla spell slot progression, but Warlock spell lists have received an overhaul, including some additions and some removals, with specific information being provided in the following section. The big change for Warlock spells comes down to expanded spells through their subclasses. Instead of subclasses unlocking expanded spell selections for the player to choose from, leading to an extremely limited spell repertoire, subclass-specific spells are now directly added to the player's list of known spells upon reaching new spell levels. This change drastically increases a Warlock's magical options both in and out of combat.
Full Warlock spell list information can be found in the following section:
Cantrips:
- Blade Ward
- Booming Blade
- Bursting Sinew
- Chill Touch
- Eldritch Blast
- Friends
- Mage Hand
- Minor Illusion
- Poison Spray
- Toll the Dead
- True Strike
- Armor of Agathys
- Arms of Hadar
- Bane
- Charm Person
- Expeditious Retreat
- Hellish Rebuke
- Hex
- Protection From Evil and Good
- Speak With Animals
- Tasha's Hideous Laughter
- Witch Bolt
- Cloud of Daggers
- Crown of Madness
- Darkness
- Enthrall
- Hold Person
- Invisibility
- Mirror Image
- Misty Step
- Ray of Enfeeblement
- Shadow Blade
- Counterspell
- Fear
- Fly
- Gaseous Form
- Hunger of Hadar
- Hypnotic Pattern
- Remove Curse
- Vampiric Touch
- Banishment
- Blight
- Dimension Door
- Summon Aberration
- Hold Monster
- Planar Binding
- Arcane Gate
- Circle of Death
- Create Undead
- Eyebite
- Planar Ally
- Finger of Death
- Dominate Monster
- Feeblemind
- Mind Blank
- Foresight
- Power Word: Kill
All subclasses have received substantial changes, but the core identity and feel of each should hopefully remain intact.
The Archfey:
This subclass continues to place a great emphasis on battlefield control and an overall trickery vibe, but with a new element of greatly expanded mobility and utility.
Patron Spells:
- Level 1: Faerie Fire, Sleep
- Level 3: Calm Emotions, Misty Step, Phantasmal Force
- Level 5: Blink, Plant Growth
- Level 7: Dominate Beast, Greater Invisibility
- Level 9: Dominate Person, Seeming
- Mystic Arcanum Unique Option: Wall of Thorns
Abilities and Passives:
- Level 3: Steps of the Fey - You can cast Misty Step without using a spell slot a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier. Additionally, after using Misty Step, you gain access to additional free actions.
- Refreshing Step - Grant yourself or an allied creature 8 Temporary Hit Points
- Taunting Step - On a failed Wisdom saving throw, force enemies within 2m to attack only you, giving them Disadvantage when attacking other targets.
- Level 6: Misty Escape - Upon taking damage, you can use your Reaction to go invisible. On the following turn, you can cast Misty Step as a free action. Additionally, you gain access to new actions after using Misty Step
- Disappearing Step - You gain Invisibility for one turn.
- Dreadful Step - Creatures within 2m take 2d10 Psychic damage on a failed Wisdom saving throw.
- Level 10: Beguiling Defenses - You are immune to the Charmed condition. Once per Long rest, upon being hit with an attack, you can use your Reaction to halve the damage taken. If the attacker fails a Wisdom saving throw, they take Psychic damage equal to twice your Warlock level.
- Level 14: Bewitching Magic - When you cast an Enchantment or Illusion spell of Level 1 or higher, you can cast Misty Step for no cost.
This subclass functions as a supportive blaster, akin to the Light Cleric. It possesses a great deal of support and utility, but can also serve to deal respectable damage when needed.
Patron Spells:
- Level 1: Cure Wounds, Guiding Bolt, Light, Sacred Flame
- Level 3: Aid, Lesser Restoration
- Level 5: Daylight, Revivify
- Level 7: Guardian of Faith, Wall of Fire
- Level 9: Greater Restoration, Summon Celestial
- Mystic Arcanum Unique Option: Sunbeam (Level 6), Regenerate (Level 7), Holy Aura (Level 8), Power Word: Heal (Level 9)
- Level 3: Healing Light - You gain the ability to channel celestial energy to heal wounds. As a bonus action, you can heal yourself or a creature within 18m. You have a number of charges equal to 1 + your Warlock level, with each charge restoring 1d6 health. The maximum number of charges you can spend at once equals your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). All charges are restored on Long Rest.
- Level 6: Radiant Soul - You are resistant to Radiant damage. When you cast a spell that deals Fire or Radiant damage, you add your Charisma modifier to the damage.
- Level 10: Celestial Resilience - Whenever you use Magical Cunning, or finish a Short Rest or Long Rest, you can use an ability to gain Temporary HP equal to your Warlock level and your Charisma modifier. Nearby allies gain Temporary HP equal to half of your Warlock level and your Charisma modifier.
- Level 14: Searing Vengeance - Once per Long Rest, when your hit points are reduced to zero, you regain half of your maximum hit points instead of becoming downed. You also release an explosion of celestial energy, dealing 3d8 + your Spellcasting Ability Modifier points of Radiant damage and blinding all enemies within 3 meters.
The Fiend:
The Fiend has always been all about fire and huge spell power, and this remains true. This option changed the least from Vanilla, so if you want a blaster Warlock, you can't go wrong with this subclass.
Patron Spells:
- Level 1: Burning Hands, Command
- Level 3: Enthrall, Scorching Ray
- Level 5: Fireball, Stinking Cloud
- Level 7: Fire Shield, Wall of Fire
- Level 9: Flame Strike, Insect Plague
- Mystic Arcanum Unique Option: Disintegrate
Abilities and Passives:
- Level 3: Dark One's Blessing - Upon killing an enemy, you gain Temporary Hit Points equal to your Charisma modifier plus your Warlock level.
- Level 6: Dark One's Own Luck - When you make an ability check or a saving throw, you can add 1d10 to the roll. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier per Long Rest.
- Level 10: Fiendish Resilience - Once per Short Rest, you can choose one damage type, other than Force, and become Resistant to that damage.
- Level 14: Hurl Through Hell - Once per turn when you hit a creature with an attack roll, you can attempt to banish them to the Lower Planes. Your target must make a Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 8d10 Psychic damage if it is not a fiend and they are banished for 1 turn. This ability can be used once per Long Rest without cost, and can also be used by expending Warlock spell slots.
The Great Old One:
This subclass revolves around debuffs, battlefield control, and disabling your enemies. The core functionality of the Vanilla Great Old One
remains, but shines through in different ways.
Patron Spells:
- Level 1: Dissonant Whispers, Tasha's Hideous Laughter
- Level 3: Detect Thoughts, Phantasmal Force
- Level 5: Hunger of Hadar, Slow
- Level 7: Phantasmal Killer, Summon Aberration
- Level 9: Hold Monster, Telekinesis
- Mystic Arcanum Unique Option: Otto's Irresistable Dance
Abilities and Passives:
- Level 3: Psychic Overflow - When you cast an Enchantment or Illusion spell, enemies within 6m of the target take Psychic damage equal to your Warlock level.
- Level 6: Awakened Mind - As a Bonus Action, you force an enemy to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature has Disadvantage on all attacks against you, and you have Advantage on all attacks against it. You can use this feature once per Short Rest.
- Level 10: Eldritch Hex - You always have the Hex spell prepared. When you cast Hex, you additionally cause the target to have Disadvantage on all saving throws of the chosen ability of the Hex.
- Level 10: Thought Shield - You have Resistance to Psychic damage, and any creature that deals Psychic damage to you takes the same amount of damage.
- Level 14: Create Thrall - You learn Create Thrall, an advanced version of Summon Aberration. The aberration you summon using this spell gains Temporary Hit Points equal to your Charisma modifier + your Warlock level. Additionally, if the aberration damages an enemy afflicted by your Hex spell, it deals additional Psychic damage equivalent to Hex's damage.
The Hexblade:
This subclass is focused on preparing the Warlock to fight in melee combat in the 5E rules, and was largely considered mandatory for that purpose. With the changes made to Pact of the Blade and some of my own homebrew for invocations, I hope that will no longer be the case. To compensate for a lost niche, I wanted to maintain the focus on single-target melee damage and also expand on the feeling of a debuffer that curses their enemies.
Patron Spells:
- Level 1: Shield, Wrathful Smite
- Level 3: Branding Smite, Magic Weapon
- Level 5: Bestow Curse, Blinding Smite
- Level 7: Confusion, Staggering Smite
- Level 9: Banishing Smite, Contagion
- Mystic Arcanum Unique Option: Blade Barrier
Abilities and Passives:
- Level 3: Hexblade's Curse - Your patron's power has allowed you to curse an enemy once per Short Rest. When dealing damage to the cursed target, you deal additional damage equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and the number you need to roll a Critical Hit against them is reduced by 1. If the cursed target dies, you regain health equal to your Warlock level and Charisma modifier.
- Level 3: Hexed Weapon - Attacks made with your Pact Weapon have a chance to apply your Hexblade's Curse.
- Level 3: Eldritch Warfare - You may select a Fighting Style of your choice between Defence, Duelling, Great Weapon Fighting, or Two-Weapon Fighting.
- Level 6: Accursed Spectre - Once per Short Rest, when you or an ally slay a creature that is afflicted with your Hexblade's Curse, you can raise an Accursed Spectre that will fight alongside you for a short period of time. The spectre's strength varies depending on the size of the slain creature.
- Level 10: Armor of Hexes - Your curse grows in power. If an enemy affected by your Hexblade's Curse hits you with an attack roll, you can use your reaction to roll a d6. On a 4 or higher, the attack misses.
- Level 14: Master of Hexes - Attacks made with your Pact Weapon against enemies afflicted with your Hexblade's Curse are made with Advantage, and afflicted enemies have Disadvantage on all saving throws made against you.
Magical Cunning:
A new ability unlocked at Level 2, this action can be used while out of combat, and restores half of your Warlock spell slots, rounded up, once per Long Rest. So, at levels 2-10, you restore 1 slot, and at 11-12 you restore 2. This is a relatively small boon to your spellcasting, but can come in handy when you're out of rests. Upon reaching Level 20, you gain the Eldritch Master passive, allowing your Magical Cunning to restore all of your Warlock spell slots.
Eldritch Invocations:
Invocations are meant to allow customization for your Warlock into any number of builds and options. However, both 5E and BG3 have numerous invocation options that are extremely subpar, niche, or borderline useless in comparison to others. I'm looking at you "Cast this only okay spell using an already limited number of spell slots" invocations. Not only are some invocations arguably useless, but you also don't even get to choose enough to begin with.
This mod aims to improve the power of previously weak invocations, or replace them with options that provide greater functionality. In addition, brand new invocations, a combination of my own homebrew and the 2024 updated handbook, have been added, expanding your array of options. Pact-specific invocations offer paths to build around in order to achieve the fantasy of the martial warrior with magic, the powerful backline spellcaster, or actually having a friend to hang out with.
Eldritch Invocations can be gained at the following levels and in the following quantities:
- 1 selection at Level 1
- 2 selections at Level 2
- 2 selections at Level 5
- 2 selections at Level 7
- 1 selection at Level 9
- 1 selection at Level 12
- 1 selection at Level 15
- 1 selection at Level 18
- 1 selection at Level 20
- Agonising Blast (Level 2+): Add your Charisma modifier to the damage of your Eldritch Blast.
- Ancient Secrets (Level 12+, Tome Only): You can use Magical Cunning a second time per long rest
- Armour of Shadows: When not wearing armor, add your Charisma modifier to your Armour Class.
- Ascendence (Level 5+): You can cast Grant Flight at will without expending a spell slot.
- Chains of Carceri (Level 9+, Tome Only): You can cast Hold Monster once per day without expending a spell slot.
- Chain Master's Dominance (Level 7+, Chain only): Your familiar adds its Proficiency Bonus to its Armour Class and damage rolls.
- Chain Master's Gift (Level 12+, Chain only): Your familiar gains new and unique skills and abilities.
- Chain Master's Protection (Level 5+, Chain only): Your familiar gains bonus health equal to twice your Warlock level.
- Chain Master's Teachings (Level 9+, Chain only): Your familiar deals additional Necrotic, Psychic, or Radiant damage with melee attacks equal to your Charisma modifier.
- Devil's Sight (Level 2+): You can see normally in darkness, both magical and non-magical.
- Devouring Blade (Level 12+, Blade Only): Gain a third attack with your pact weapon.
- Eldritch Aftershock (Level 15+, Blade Only): After striking a creature with Eldritch Smite, your weapon attacks deal additional Force damage equal to your Charisma modifier.
- Eldritch Mind: You have advantage on concentration saving throws.
- Eldritch Smite (Level 5+, Blade Only): Once per turn, you can expend a warlock spell slot to deal 1d8 + 1d8 per slot level on a hit with your pact weapon, as well as knock the target prone if it is Huge or smaller.
- Eldritch Spear (Level 2+): The range of Eldritch Blast is doubled.
- Eldritch Ward (Level 7+, Blade only): After striking a creature with Eldritch Smite, you add your Charisma modifier to your Armour Class.
- Eldritch Warrior: You gain proficiency with Medium Armour and Shields.
- Fiendish Vigor (Level 2+): You can cast False Life on yourself at will without expending a spell slot.
- Gift of the Protectors (Level 7+, Tome Only): You can cast Death Ward once per day without expending a spell slot.
- Lessons of the First Ones (Level 2+): You gain proficiency in three skills of your choice.
- Lifedrinker (Level 9+, Blade Only): When striking an enemy with your pact weapon, you deal an additional 1d6 Necrotic, Psychic, or Radiant damage, and regain 1d6 health.
- Mask of Many Faces (Level 2+): You can cast Disguise Self on yourself at will without expending a spell slot. While disguised, you gain Expertise in Deception.
- One With Shadows (Level 5+): You can cast One With Shadows on yourself while obscured. This effect now functions identically to the Invisible spell, and no longer is removed upon movement.
- Otherworldly Leap (Level 2+): You can cast Enhance Leap and Feather Fall at will without expending a spell slot.
- Pact of the Blade: You can bind or summon a weapon to yourself, gaining proficiency with the weapon and using your Charisma modifier instead of Dexterity or Strength for attacks. You may also have your weapon deal Necrotic, Psychic, or Radiant damage instead of its regular damage. At Level 5, you gain an extra attack with this weapon.
- Pact of the Chain: You can cast the Find Familiar spell once per short rest without expending a spell slot, and can also choose to summon an Imp or Quasit. These familiars scale as you level. At Level 5, your familiar gains an extra attack.
- Pact of the Tome: You learn three cantrips and two Level 1 Ritual spells of your choice. At Level 5, you can cast Call Lightning, Haste, and Slow once per day without expending a spell slot.
- Ravening Blade (Level 20, Blade only): Gain a fourth attack with your pact weapon.
- Repelling Blast (Level 2+): Your Eldritch Blast can knock enemies back
- Undying Servitude (Level 5+, Tome Only): You can cast Animate Dead once per day without expending a spell slot. You can cast Speak With Dead at will without expending a spell slot.
Pacts:
Pact options are no longer received at level 3, but instead are now chosen through the Eldritch Invocation system, and can be selected as early as level 1. You can also choose any number of Pacts using your invocation options, and are no longer limited to just one. The Pacts remain relatively intact from Vanilla, instead receiving new abilities and customization as your character grows.
- Pact of the Blade: I felt that Blade already had a strong identity and usefulness throughout the game, so it is still very much the same "melee and magic" option as before, only with new toys.
- Pact of the Chain: While I really enjoy this option in tabletop, where the utility and flexibility of familiars can shine, BG3 is a significantly more combat-focused game and the familiars offered just cannot compete at all past the very early game. In order to combat this, your familiars now natively scale in health and stats as you level, similar to Beastmaster Ranger pets, though not to the same heights. The real power of familiars is unlocked through brand new invocations, amplifying familiar health, survivability, damage, and unlocking entirely new skills and abilities.
- Pact of the Tome: Honestly a rather lackluster option in the Vanilla game, offering you only three pre-selected cantrips of varying degrees of usefulness when you first choose the Pact. This mod instead allows you to select your three cantrips from any spell list available, as well as letting you learn two Level 1 Ritual spells of your choice. The level 5 spell additions are definitely an improvement and help mitigate the previously discussed spell slot scarcity issue, and I wanted to expand on this. New invocations exclusive to Pact of the Tome offer the player new spells that can be cast once per day, as well as allowing another use of your Magical Cunning ability per day. These changes greatly expand a Warlock's ability to cast more spells and do so more often.
Compatibility and Conflicts
This mod is intended to be an all-encompassing overhaul for Warlocks, which means it is going to adjust a lot of records and entries for Warlocks. There will absolutely be conflicts between this mod and anything else that manually adjusts Warlock progression, spell lists, passives, and others. Conflicts and inconsistency are bound to occur when being used alongside other mods for Warlocks. I will be providing compatibility patches for mods that I personally use as time goes on and the Patch 8 kinks are worked out. If additional conflicting mods are brought to my attention, I may create compatibility patches if permissions allow.
Installation
Please save yourself the hassle and just use the BG3 Mod Manager to install. A new game is not strictly necessary for Pactbound to function properly, but it is highly recommended for the best experience and consistency. This mod is definitely unsafe to uninstall during a playthrough, and I will be unable to provide troubleshooting support if you decide to do so.