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View Full Version : [4e epic destiny + powers] Pact Breaker



Kalir
2009-04-14, 02:13 AM
So here's the story. I made a character (who has yet to run in any games) who is a half-elven star warlock. Thing is, when he got his warlock powers, they came from a cursed artifact, a mask with a star pattern. While it did grant him warlock powers... well, y'know how most people have a face? Yeah.

Anyway, I figured he'd want to get rid of this pact, more than anything. It would probably be a great epic destiny, right? So I look for one, can't find it. This is my homebrew version of such an epic destiny. I know the 26th level powers are pretty crazy, but I really do like them. If you have any ideas for them, do tell.

Pact Breaker

Long ago, you pledged fealty to fell entities for power. You have since grown older and wiser, and now begin to turn away from these entities.

Prerequisite: 21st level warlock

When you first became a warlock, you made a pact with some manner of powerful being: maybe demonic overlords, maybe masters of the Feywild, and maybe unknowns from beyond the stars. The costs exacted by these beings have proven to be far higher than the benefits of the pact, and now you aim to escape this pact. It has taken a long time, but your spirit is strong enough to even challenge these beings, even if it is through mere insubordination. It's not an easy path by any means, but you took the easy road once, long ago, and you've learned from your error.
Your abilities draw from fell sources, but you have begun to wean yourself from them, shifting their powers to draw from your own abilities. It has changed their nature ever-so-slightly, but the change is welcome, and you'll need it to deal with the agents of your "beneficiary". Perhaps you do this to help your allies without their suspicions of your abilities, or maybe you care not for their opinions and only want a way out, but either way, you're prepared to do what it takes to reverse the effects of your pact.

The Final Outcome
At this point, you're unsure of what will await you in the end. Naturally, the powers you have made a pact with are loathe to renege on the deal, and their agents will move swiftly to deal with you. Assuming you succeed, you'll finally be free from their torment.
Upon completion of your final quest, your warlock powers disappear completely. The pact is dissolved, and either the agents of your pact master cease to harass you or your independent abilities are enough to deal with them. Whatever the case, you're completely free from their orders.
As far as fame goes, you might not be known for much other than settling down and living a simple life afterwards. Lands that once spurned you for your malevolent powers now openly welcome you. Word may even spread that it is possible to break free of warlock pacts, to the great relief of some and to the disgusted pity of others who have no intention of relinquishing their powers. Whatever occurs to the world at large does not worry you, as you have finally earned rest.

Pact Breaker Features:
All pact breakers have the following features.
Pact Subversion (21st level): Upon taking this destiny, you begin to subvert the nature of your pact, which changes the nature of your abilities tied to your pact.

Fey (Mind): You lose the Eyebite at-will power, and instead gain the Oracle's Gaze at-will power. You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls and an additional 2d6 Warlock's Curse damage against creatures of the Fey origin under the effect of your Warlocks' Curse.
Infernal (Body): You lose the Hellish Rebuke at-will power, and instead gain the Flame of Vigor at-will power. You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls and an additional 2d6 Warlock's Curse damage against creatures with the Devil or Demon subtypes under the effect of your Warlock's Curse.
Star (Soul): You lose the Dire Radiance at-will power, and instead gain the Stellar Soul at-will power. You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls and an additional 2d6 Warlock's Curse damage against creatures of the Aberrant origin under the effects of your Warlock's Curse.

In addition, when placing a Curse upon a foe, you can choose to reduce the number of damage dice associated with your Curse. If you do so, your Pact Boon benefit is granted to you and a number of allies equal to the number of damage dice you sacrificed when the target of the curse is reduced to 0 hitpoints or fewer, instead of just to you.
Pact Denial (24th level): Once per encounter, you may forego one of your non-utility encounter warlock powers. If you do so, you gain +4 to two ability scores depending on your pact until the end of the encounter (or for 5 minutes). Infernal pact breakers gain this to Intelligence and Constitution, fey pact breakers gain this to Intelligence and Charisma, and star pact breakers gain this to Constitution and Charisma.
Pact Resistance (26th level): You gain the utility power appropriate for your pact.

Fey (Mind): Gain the Crystalline Mind utility power.
Infernal (Body): Gain the Tenacious Might utility power.
Star (Soul): Gain the Solar Spirit utility power.

Pact Independence (30th level): Once per encounter, you may forgo one of your non-utility daily warlock powers. If you do so, you gain an action point. These daily powers cannot be recovered except by taking an extended rest.

Pact Breaker Powers:

Oracle's Gaze
Pact Breaker (Mind) Attack 21
You close your eyes, yet they illuminate brightly all the same. You peer into the mind of your foe, and mentally clear away all obstructions, both of their mind and your view.
At-Will: Arcane, Charm, Implement, Psychic
Standard Action, Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Charisma vs. Will
Hit: 2d6 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and you may disregard all cover and concealment the target has until the end of your next turn.

Flame of Vigor
Pact Breaker (Body) Attack 21
You strike out with a clenched fist, which sends a brilliantly glowing flame to strike foes. The flame is tied to your life, burning brightly alongside your vitality.
At-Will: Arcane, Fire, Implement
Standard Action, Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Constitution vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d6 + Constitution modifier fire damage. If you do not take damage before the end of your next turn, the target takes an extra 2d6 + Constitution modifier fire damage.

Stellar Soul
Pact Breaker (Soul) Attack 21
Although none can perceive it but you and your foe, you glow with an intense light, bright as the sun, that seems to hound and chase down your enemy should they run.
At-Will: Arcane, Fear, Implement, Radiant
Standard Action, Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Constitution vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2d6 + Constitution modifier radiant damage. If the target moves away from you on its next turn, it takes an extra 2d6 + Constitution modifier radiant damage.

Tenacious Might
Pact Breaker (Body) Utility 26
In a sudden burst of determination, you cast aside your demonic powers, bring your fists or weapon forward, and prepare to prove yourself as a powerful foe, infernal powers be damned!
Daily: Stance
Minor Action, Personal
Effect: You may use your Constitution score to determine attacks and damage for basic melee attacks, instead of Strength. You gain 20 temporary hit points, +1 to all defenses, an additional +2 to AC, and an extra healing surge. Your unarmed attack increases by one die, and you may use the enchantment bonus of your warlock implement (if any) to add to unarmed attacks instead. You may not use warlock spells.

Solar Spirit
Pact Breaker (Soul) Utility 26
You wrench your mind free from the grip of the icy depths of the night sky, bringing forth a brilliant radiance that revitalizes your allies. It comes with the temporary cost of your fell powers, but the respite is welcome.
Daily: Stance
Minor Action, Personal
Effect: Allies within 10 squares of you gain regeneration equal to either your Charisma or Constitution score and +1 to all defenses. You may use a standard action to grant either your Charisma or Constitution modifier as a bonus to the next d20 attack roll an ally within 10 squares makes. You may use a standard action to teleport an ally within 10 squares to any other square within 10 squares. You may not use warlock spells.

Crystalline Mind
Pact Breaker (Mind) Utility 26
Your mind pulses with unrestrained power, freeing yourself from both the trickeries of your fey masters and the material concerns of the battle around you. Even as your body lifts and your spells leave you, your mind roams free, immortal and unstoppable.
Daily: Stance
Minor Action, Personal
Effect: You deal psychic damage equal to twice your Charisma modifier to enemies within 10 squares at the end of your turn. You gain a speed of fly 8, +2 to all defenses, and become invisible. You may not use warlock spells.

Roderick_BR
2009-04-14, 06:57 AM
I don't know much about epic destinies to PEACH your rules, but I like the fluff a lot.
A warlock powerful and experient enough to break free from his pact could fit well with the "epic destiny" concept.
Heh, it now reminded me of Thundercat's Muun-ra, from the comic, where he not only stopped being servant to the "ancient evil spirits" but ended their master.

Shadow_Elf
2009-04-14, 09:38 PM
Pact Denial is the first thing that jumps out at me. This is great for Infernalocks, great for Feylocks and terrible for Starlocks, who make use of neither INT nor DEX.

My suggestion:
Infernal Pact: +4 CON/INT
Fey Pact: +4 CHA/INT
Star Pact: +4 CHA/CON

But I'm not sure that's balanced, even then. Sacrificing any Warlock Encounter power for +4 to two stats for an encounter? That's pretty nice, but maybe in line with other ED features (the balance of these things is so hard to judge, since they get so ridiculous...). Maybe note that it has to be their highest level warlock encounter power?

Second, the Warlock's Curse benefits and such are weirdly worded in Pact Subversion. This is what I would say:

Consult the following table:

Fey Pact - You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls and an additional 2d6 Warlock's Curse damage against creatures of the Fey origin under the effect of your Warlocks' Curse.
Infernal Pact - You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls and an additional 2d6 Warlock's Curse damage against creatures with the Devil or Demon subtypes under the effect of your Warlock's Curse.
Star Pact - You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls and an additional 2d6 Warlock's Curse damage against creatures of the Aberrant origin under the effects of your Warlock's Curse.
In addition, when placing a Curse upon a foe, you can choose to reduce the number of damage dice associated with your Curse. If you do so, your Pact Boon benefit is granted to you and a number of allies equal to the number of damage dice you sacrificed when the target of the curse is reduced to 0 hitpoints or fewer, instead of just to you.

Finally, make Solar Spirit key off of the user's choice of CON or CHA, since INT is very tertiary to Star Pact Warlocks. Otherwise, looks about right for an Epic Destiny. Just don't try too hard for the "stat symmetry" - it doesn't work mechanically.

Kalir
2009-04-14, 10:19 PM
Heh, you make a good point. Can't believe no warning lights popped up in my head when I looked at my 13 Int star warlock. I'll fix that up when I get a chance, as I'm a tad busy right now, but thanks much for the feedback!

ocato
2009-04-14, 10:44 PM
I think it might be a little anticlimactic for an Epic character to complete his or her destiny quest to become completely normal/powerless. Your friends have become Demigods, beings of Elemental Arcane, or the very shadows themselves, and you became a L1 commoner.

I mean, I understand the draw for some people, but I think an option to instead become the master of your own power instead of drawing it from a pact might be more of an incentive. You throw off your debt to Infernal Demons, the Lords of the Fey, or unmentionable creatures from beyond the stars (or the creatures of the darkness, whatever comes out in Arcane Power, etc.) and gain the ability to draw your power from yourself and even grant it to fresh-faced young warlocks with a pact of your own.


The idea is neat, but I guess an epic destiny that results in becoming the antithesis of epic might not to appeal to

Alteran
2009-04-14, 10:53 PM
Pact Denial is the first thing that jumps out at me. This is great for Infernalocks, great for Feylocks and terrible for Starlocks, who make use of neither INT nor DEX.

...since INT is very tertiary to Star Pact Warlocks.

That's not really true. Looking through the PHB, I see a lot of Starlock powers that use intelligence modifiers. Examples include: Dreadful Word, Frigid Darkness, Sign of Ill Omen, Coldfire Vortex, Strand of Fate, Dark Transport, and Banish to the Void. That's most Starlock encounter powers. Intelligence is about as important to Starlocks as it is to the other pacts, and that's the reason why Starlocks have a bit of an ability score disadvantage. However, I still agree with your suggestion of giving the Starlocks Con/Cha for pact denial, since Dex is of very little use to them, and it would be hard to pick one primary stat to boost.

The ED itself seems interesting to me, but I haven't looked over it well enough to give a proper analysis.

Kalir
2009-04-15, 12:35 AM
I think it might be a little anticlimactic for an Epic character to complete his or her destiny quest to become completely normal/powerless. Your friends have become Demigods, beings of Elemental Arcane, or the very shadows themselves, and you became a L1 commoner.

I mean, I understand the draw for some people, but I think an option to instead become the master of your own power instead of drawing it from a pact might be more of an incentive. You throw off your debt to Infernal Demons, the Lords of the Fey, or unmentionable creatures from beyond the stars (or the creatures of the darkness, whatever comes out in Arcane Power, etc.) and gain the ability to draw your power from yourself and even grant it to fresh-faced young warlocks with a pact of your own.

You are very right here, captain. A point brought up when I first thought of the class was that the warlock class, as written, doesn't actually have terrible drawbacks that one would expect from dealing with fell entities, and since some characters may not suffer any negative drawbacks whatsoever (oddly enough, my friend is DMing a game with a kobold rogue with a star pact multiclass who falls under this category) this whole epic destiny is really kind of pointless from an RP standpoint.

You seem to be describing a different RP direction here, though. My response to this is the same response to when people ask for a ninja class, namely that it's not very difficult to reflavor this for a given character. As far as epic destinies go, this one isn't really that tough to do so with either. You can change the utility stances into "aspect" powers where you take the form of an appropriate being for a short time, the pact denial and independence features represent more mutability within your domain, and you could probably go without the new at-wills, too.

As far as not being "epic", I think that if the powers that be can lure so many people into horrible bargains for power, yet it takes this long to actually break free of them, that you'd surely be known in tales and whispers for years to come, not unlike a vampirism cure or something. And as for settling down as a level 1 commoner... Bill Watterson did just that, I believe, and I'd be hard-pressed to see someone not call him epic.

I know, it sounds like a cop-out answer, but a reflavor for a given character sounds the easiest way to go here. I can put it up there if you really want me to, though.

Inyssius Tor
2009-04-15, 06:11 AM
The Redeemed Drow epic destiny ends with you finally winning freedom for your line, casting off the crushing burden of Lolth's malignant stain, transcending your mortal chains at long last to become...

...wait for it...

...a totally unimportant baby elf born to normal elf parents somewhere unimportant in the Prime or the Feywild.



So it doesn't break precedent, no.

ocato
2009-04-15, 08:01 PM
You are very right here, captain. A point brought up when I first thought of the class was that the warlock class, as written, doesn't actually have terrible drawbacks that one would expect from dealing with fell entities, and since some characters may not suffer any negative drawbacks whatsoever (oddly enough, my friend is DMing a game with a kobold rogue with a star pact multiclass who falls under this category) this whole epic destiny is really kind of pointless from an RP standpoint.

You seem to be describing a different RP direction here, though. My response to this is the same response to when people ask for a ninja class, namely that it's not very difficult to reflavor this for a given character. As far as epic destinies go, this one isn't really that tough to do so with either. You can change the utility stances into "aspect" powers where you take the form of an appropriate being for a short time, the pact denial and independence features represent more mutability within your domain, and you could probably go without the new at-wills, too.

As far as not being "epic", I think that if the powers that be can lure so many people into horrible bargains for power, yet it takes this long to actually break free of them, that you'd surely be known in tales and whispers for years to come, not unlike a vampirism cure or something. And as for settling down as a level 1 commoner... Bill Watterson did just that, I believe, and I'd be hard-pressed to see someone not call him epic.

I know, it sounds like a cop-out answer, but a reflavor for a given character sounds the easiest way to go here. I can put it up there if you really want me to, though.

I would have to say that that's the opposite of a cop-out answer. Well put.