The warlock is a unique kind of spellcaster. It regains its spell slots when it finishes a short or long rest, and casts those spells at the highest spell level (to a maximum of 5th level). It gains the ability to cast 6th through 9th level spells at the same rate as other full spellcasters, although it lacks the versatility the other classes have with those slots. Its different way of gaining spell slots, is only a part of the uniqueness of the warlock. It s a highly customizable class with access to Eldritch Invocations that grant it a host of options to tweak and enhance its gameplay, alongside its Pact Boon feature, that can shift the warlock’s approach to combat. While the warlock is more combat focused than other spellcasters, its invocations grant it a range of utility options, and when provided sufficient short rests, the warlock can be less sparing of its spell slots.

The warlock is the best class because it is highly customizable and has a range of subclass options that can propel it to take on many different roles, giving a warlock player a lot of leeway in how the character fits in with the party. Pact Magic is a fantastic take on spellcasting, allowing the warlock to function at full power without needing to work about managing multiple spell slots, and regain its expended spells with only a short rest, fitting it in with the fighters and monks that may be in its party.

Optional Class Features

The warlock class receives new features and subclasses in this section. You gain class features in the Player’s Handbook when you reach certain levels in your class. This section offers additional features you can gain as a warlock. Unlike features in the Player’s Handbook, you don’t gain the features here automatically. Consult with your DM on whether you gain a feature in this section if you meet the requirements. These features can be selected separately from one another; you can use some, all, or none of them.

If you take a feature that replaces another feature, you gain no benefit from the replaced feature and don’t qualify for anything in the game that requires it.

Eldritch Longevity

1st-level warlock feature which modifies the Pact Magic Feature

You longer regain all of your pact magic slots when you finish a long rest and don’t gain pact slots as indicated on the Warlock table. Instead you gain a number of pact magic spell slots equal to half of your warlock level (rounded up), and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Additionally, you regain one expended pact magic slot when you finish a short rest.

Occult Leanings

1st-level warlock feature

You choose your occult leaning from the options below.

Arcanist. You uncover rituals from study of forbidden or forgotten tomes and other esoteric sources. You use Intelligence instead of Charisma for your spellcasting ability and for your warlock features.

Petitioner. You contact a powerful entity of some sort via rituals and forged a pact with it for the promise of power. You use Charisma for your spellcasting ability and for your warlock features.

Multiclass Leanings

Warlocks who take the Arcanist leaning must still meet the 13 Charisma score requirement to multiclass.

Pact Boon Option

When you choose your Pact Boon feature, the following option is available to you.

Pact of the Lens

Your patron gives you a jeweled lens which can be worn over an eye or affixed to your forehead like a third eye. While wearing it, you have a heightened sense of awareness. You can tell when any psionic power or spell is being manifested or cast, even if it lacks detections or components, provided you can see the manifester or spellcaster.

In addition, after finishing a long rest, choose one skill proficiency you lack; you can add half your proficiency bonus to checks you make with the chosen skill.

If you lose the lens, you can perform a 1-hour ceremony to receive a replacement from your patron. This ceremony can be performed during a short or long rest, and it destroys the previous lens. The lens turns to ash when you die.

Eldritch Invocation Options

When you choose eldritch invocations, you have access to these additional options.

Call of the Wild

You can possess a beast you can see within 60 feet of you. It must succeed on a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC or become possessed by you. Your body enters a state of suspended animation, and you can control the creature as you see fit, using its statistics. After 1 hour or if you choose to release the beast, the possession ends and you return to your body.

Once you possess a beast this way, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

Earthen Traversal

Prerequisite: 7th-level warlock

You gain a burrowing speed equal to half your walking speed.

Expert Spell Craft

Prerequisite: 9th-level warlock, Practiced Spell Craft invocation

You gain one 3rd level spell slot which you can use to cast any of your spells. This spell slot doesn’t scale with your Pact Magic feature. When expended, you regain this spell slot when you finish a long rest.

In addition, choose one 3rd-level spell from the wizard list. This spell counts as a warlock spell for you, but can’t be cast using your Pact Magic spell slots. The spell doesn’t count against the number of warlock spells you can know.

Master Spell Craft

Prerequisite: 12th-level warlock, Expert Spell Craft invocation

You gain one 4th level spell slot which you can use to cast any of your spells. This spell slot doesn’t scale with your Pact Magic feature. When expended, you regain this spell slot when you finish a long rest.

In addition, choose one 4th-level spell from the wizard list. This spell counts as a warlock spell for you, but can’t be cast using your Pact Magic spell slots. The spell doesn’t count against the number of warlock spells you can know.

Piercing the Veil

Prerequisite: 9th-level warlock, Pact of the Lens feature

You perceive the auras of creatures and objects and can see a spiritfont, such as a haunting or poltergeist. Perceiving an aura allows you to see invisible creatures and objects.

Practiced Spell Craft

Prerequisite: 7th-level warlock, Rudimentary Spell Craft invocation

You gain one 2nd level spell slot which you can use to cast any of your spells. This spell slot doesn’t scale with your Pact Magic feature. When expended, you regain this spell slot when you finish a long rest.

In addition, choose one 2nd-level spell from the wizard list. This spell counts as a warlock spell for you, but can’t be cast using your Pact Magic spell slots. The spell doesn’t count against the number of warlock spells you can know.

Psionic Spells

You can manifest a warlock spell you know as a psionic power. It no longer requires verbal and somatic components; instead it has the gesture and glow detections. It has a maintenance time equal to its duration and requires concentration if it isn’t instantaneous. Once you cast a spell this way, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

Psychic Blast

Prerequisite: eldritch blast cantrip

You can choose to manifest eldritch blast as a psionic power without spell components, but with the beam detection.

Rudimentary Spell Craft

Prerequisite: 5th-level warlock

You gain one 1st level spell slot which you can use to cast any of your spells. This spell slot doesn’t scale with your Pact Magic feature. When expended, you regain this spell slot when you finish a long rest.

In addition, choose one 1st-level spell from the wizard list. This spell counts as a warlock spell for you, but can’t be cast using your Pact Magic spell slots. The spell doesn’t count against the number of warlock spells you can know.

Third Eye

Prerequisite: 12th-level warlock, Pact of the Lens feature

You can cast true seeing without using a spell slot. Once you do so, you can’t cast it this way again until you finish a long rest.

Tactical Vision

Prerequisite: Pact of the Lens feature

You are hyperaware of threatening foes. A hostile creature can’t benefit from having an ally within 5 feet of you.

Temporal Reinstatement

Prerequisite: Pact of the Blade feature

Your pact weapon automatically produces ammunition, or it returns to your hand after throwing it.

Psionic Manifestations

The Psionic Spells and Psychic Blast invocations allow the warlock to manifest a warlock spell as a psionic power, consistent with the rules presented in The Psychic and Spiritual Handbook. If you aren’t using psionic powers, these effects can be simplified to make them act as spells without verbal and somatic spell components.

Pact of the Chain Option

When you choose a familiar’s form, the chaos wisp is added to the special forms you can select.

Chaos Wisp

Tiny Elemental, chaotic neutral

Armor Class 13
Hit Points 10 (3d4 + 3)
Speed 20 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)

Damage Resistance bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities poison and the damage type from your Elemental Weave feature
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses blindsight 30 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages understands Common and Primordial
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2

Illumination. The wisp sheds bright light in a 10-foot radius sphere and dim light in an additional 10 feet. The light acts as if cast by a 1st-level spell.

Actions

Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) acid, cold, fire, or lightning damage (you choose when you summon the wisp).