Warlock Patron Based on Fullmetal Alchemist [PEACH]

Due to the release of the Japanese live-action version of Full Metal Alchemist, I thought I'd release this idea for some feedback.

Gate of Truth Patron
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/.../9/94/Gate.png
You have made a pact with the Truth itself, the guardian of the metaphysical Gate of Truth, the source of all alchemy, which exists outside the planes. Having passed through the gate, and paid a toll, you have unlocked alchemical secrets that can be performed in unnatural ways

Expanded Spell list

1. Absorb Elements, Earth Tremor
2. Maximillian's Earthen Grasp, Enhance Ability
3. Meld into Stone, Erupting Earth
4. Stone Shape, Freedom of Movement
5. Wall of Stone, Transmute Rock

1. Bonus Cantrips
At 1st level, you learn the Mending and Shillelagh cantrips. They count as warlock cantrips for you, but they don’t count against your number of cantrips known.
1. Leaden Plating
At 1st level, you gain the ability to imbue magic into a weapon or armor, increasing it's heft and durability as though plating it with lead. At the end of a long rest, touch one nonmagical object that is a suit of armor or a simple or martial weapon. Until the end of your next long rest, the object becomes a magic item, granting a +1 bonus to AC if it's armor or a +1 bonus to attack rolls if it's a weapon.
6. Equivalent Exchange
At 6th level, You can cast Fabricate as a ritual. If you do this more than once per short rest, you gain one level of exhaustion. This increases to twice per short rest at level 12
10. Molecular Manipulation
At 10th level, you learn to alchemically augment your clothing and armor against physical attacks. At the end of each short or long rest, you can choose between slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning damage. You gain resistance to that damage type until you choose a different one with this feature.
In addition, your attacks or spells that deal damage (other than poison or psychic damage) can also effect and target objects and structures. If your attacks or spells miss the intended target, they will deal damage to the surrounding area.
14. Philosopher's Stone
Starting at 14th level, you can capture the soul of a person you slay, creating a philosopher's stone, or adding a charge to an existing philosopher's Stone. You can only have one philosopher's stone at a time. If you create a new philosopher's stone, the previous one ceases to function.

• When you cast Fabricate or a ritual spell you know, you may spend a soul charge to change the casting time to 1 action for this casting.
• As an action, you may spend 2 soul charges to cast Bones of the Earth using a warlock spell slot.
• You may spend any number of soul charges to break the laws of alchemy and cast Creation, without material components and as an action, instead of casting a Mythic Arcanum spell. However, the object created is not an illusion, but completely real. The duration that object remains real for is based on the number of soul charges spent (for example, 2 soul charges spent creating gems will make the gems last for 20 minutes). You can also make magical items of rarity of uncommon or lower with this spell, although any magical items created in this way have the duration of gems (10 minutes per soul charge spent).

If the number of charges drops to zero, your philosopher's stone is destroyed and can’t be remade until you finish a long rest.

Spoiler: Previous Versions

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Expanded Spell list

1. Absorb Elements, Earth Tremor
2. Maximillian's Earthen Grasp, Enhance Ability
3. Meld into Stone, Erupting Earth
4. Stone Shape, Blight Freedom of Movement
5. Wall of Stone, Transmute Rock

1. Bonus Cantrips
At 1st level, you learn the Mending and Shillelagh cantrips. They count as warlock cantrips for you, but they don’t count against your number of cantrips known.
1. Certified State Alchemist 1. Leaden Plated
At 1st level, you have completed the training necessary to be recognized as a State Alchemist and gain the ability to (New:) you gain the ability to imbue magic into a weapon or armor, increasing it's heft and durability as though plating it with lead. At the end of a long rest, touch one nonmagical object that is a suit of armor or a simple or martial weapon. Until the end of your next long rest, the object becomes a magic item, granting a +1 bonus to AC if it's armor or a +1 bonus to attack rolls if it's a weapon.
6. Equivalent Exchange
At 6th level, You can cast Fabricate as a ritual. If you do this more than once per short rest, you gain one level of exhaustion. This increases to twice per short rest at level 12
10. Return to Dust Molecular Manipulation
(New:) At 10th level, you learn to alchemically augment your clothing and armor against physical attacks. At the end of each short or long rest, you can choose between slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning damage. You gain resistance to that damage type until you choose a different one with this feature.
In addition, your attacks or spells that deal damage (other than poison or psychic damage) can also effect and target objects and structures. If your attacks or spells miss the intended target, they will deal damage to the surrounding area.
14. Philosopher's Stone
Starting at 14th level, you can capture the soul of a person you slay, creating a philosopher's stone, or adding a charge to an existing philosopher's Stone. You can only have one philosopher's stone at a time. If you create a new philosopher's stone, the previous one ceases to function.

• When you cast Fabricate or a ritual spell you know, you may spend a soul charge to change the casting time to 1 action for this casting.
• As an action, you may spend 2 soul charges to cast Bones of the Earth using a warlock spell slot.
• You may spend any number of soul charges to break the laws of alchemy and cast Create Homunculus Creation, without material components and as an action, instead of casting a Mythic Arcanum spell. (New:) However, the object created is not an illusion, but completely real. The duration that object remains real for is based on the number of soul charges spent (for example, 2 soul charges spent creating gems will make the gems last for 20 minutes). You can also make magical items of rarity of uncommon or lower with this spell, although any magical items created in this way have the duration of gems (10 minutes per soul charge spent).

If the number of charges drops to zero, your philosopher's stone is destroyed and can’t be remade until you finish a long rest.

This is perfect timing, for me, honestly. I just got into FMA (watching FMA:B currently) about 2 weeks back, and was thinking of making my own brew relating to it. Anyways, criticism time!

Expanded Spell List
I like the spell list, but Blight is already a Warlock spell.

Bonus Cantrips
Not bad at all. Could be nice to let shillelagh target gloves or gauntlets or something, to mimic some stuff in the anime, but it doesn't need that.

Certified State Alchemist
Looks good to me.

Equivalent Exchange
Looks real nice.

Return to Dust
I honestly really like this feature. I don't think it's unbalanced or anything, either.

Philosopher's Stone
Very nice, and very interesting.

Honestly, the only criticism I'd give this is that it doesn't really fit how warlock subclasses are officially designed (such as 10th level feature being more defensive), but I don't think sticking specifically to the way they're officially done is always a good idea. I'd totally use this.

My only quibble is with Return to Dust, as at some tables the environment might take damage anyway. Still, otherwise I quite like this subclass. Incidentally, I'm watching FMAB myself, and I'm on part five right now.

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Originally Posted by Blackbando

Expanded Spell List
I like the spell list, but Blight is already a Warlock spell.

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DERP. Okay, back to scouring the tables for another 4th level spell that would fit. Maybe Freedom of Movement?

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Originally Posted by Blackbando

Bonus Cantrips
Not bad at all. Could be nice to let shillelagh target gloves or gauntlets or something, to mimic some stuff in the anime, but it doesn't need that.

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I was a bit on the fence about Shillelagh (it was originally Mending & mold earth, but that really didn't give much), but it was a common pickup for low-level Tomelocks pre-hexblade, and it really felt right to be included

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Originally Posted by Blackbando

Honestly, the only criticism I'd give this is that it doesn't really fit how warlock subclasses are officially designed (such as 10th level feature being more defensive), but I don't think sticking specifically to the way they're officially done is always a good idea. I'd totally use this.

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Yeah, the 10th level is supposed to be a simple passive defensive ribbon, but I just couldn't think of a way to work that in. I thought of maybe a resistance to force damage, or maybe from Slashing & Bludgeoning damage (as a nod to Ed & Al's armored parts). Definitely not piercing damage, as that's definitely Lust's MO lol.

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Originally Posted by Protato

My only quibble is with Return to Dust, as at some tables the environment might take damage anyway. Still, otherwise I quite like this subclass. Incidentally, I'm watching FMAB myself, and I'm on part five right now.

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I really wanted some way for Eldritch Blast to deal damage to objects, which it can't do now. I think that fire spells with a ignition rider are awesome, and the lack of similar riders for force damage seemed dumb. I'll make it more focused.

This seems interesting, and I may suggest this to a friend who hasn't watched the show, just to see if I'm looking at it through rose colored lenses.

I've made some changes and updates from your critiques!

A note for the Philosopher Stone effect is that Homonculi in D&D are basically a Familiar with an ego. Nothing like the FMA version. You'd have to generalize to all Constructs, probably with something like 2 charges and 1,000 GP, +1 charge and 5,000 GP per CR of the Construct. Then you can introduce some new Constructs to capture the feel of the FMA Homunculi, without the baggage of the existing version's absolute difference.

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Originally Posted by Morphic tide

A note for the Philosopher Stone effect is that Homonculi in D&D are basically a Familiar with an ego. Nothing like the FMA version. You'd have to generalize to all Constructs, probably with something like 2 charges and 1,000 GP, +1 charge and 5,000 GP per CR of the Construct. Then you can introduce some new Constructs to capture the feel of the FMA Homunculi, without the baggage of the existing version's absolute difference.

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While that's true, I was going after the flavor without trying to homebrew-overhaul the whole construct classes, and make this Patron ridiculous. Part of me wants these alchemists to be able to use their Philo stone as the materials for life-restoration spells like Resurrection and Revivify, personally, but I feel that may get a much larger reaction.

This is a pretty sweet idea. I'm not a fan of the final ability given that in the show the stone exists inside of the Homunculi's body when it is created and it fuels their regenerative abilities. Honestly I would like to see something more along the lines of enhancing your current alchemist abilities over creating Homunculi.

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Originally Posted by thegreatone5224

This is a pretty sweet idea. I'm not a fan of the final ability given that in the show the stone exists inside of the Homunculi's body when it is created and it fuels their regenerative abilities. Honestly I would like to see something more along the lines of enhancing your current alchemist abilities over creating Homunculi.

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Interesting. What would you prefer?

I toyed with Move Earth (although they seem to use Bones of the Earth in the series more) or something like Delayed Blast Fireball (a la Roy Mustang) or even some transformation stuff, but it didn't really feel correct for a base of the archetype.

EDIT:

Spoiler: Delayed Blast Fireball

Show

http://gifimage.net/wp-content/uploa...ood-gif-14.gif

I'm not sure how well balanced it would be but the stone generally allows you to ignore the idea of equivalent exchange to some extent allowing something to be created from nothing. I think that in the 5e universe this would allow you to break the rules to obtain a greater benefit as long as you expend enough souls.

Given the focus on Fabricate here, maybe it can be used on magical objects or a certain grade of lower. Maybe you are able to create some from nothing but it only lasts a short period of time.

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Originally Posted by thegreatone5224

I'm not sure how well balanced it would be but the stone generally allows you to ignore the idea of equivalent exchange to some extent allowing something to be created from nothing. I think that in the 5e universe this would allow you to break the rules to obtain a greater benefit as long as you expend enough souls.

Given the focus on Fabricate here, maybe it can be used on magical objects or a certain grade of lower. Maybe you are able to create some from nothing but it only lasts a short period of time.

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That's a great idea. I've taken that idea, and made the last Philo stone ability that, stealing the concept and wording from the 14th-level Illusionist Wizard ability. I wish there was a Major Creation in this edition...

First of all, I love this class.

How is your opinion on letting Shillelagh be str/dex/cha based? State certification has nothing to do with the patron and is likely a homebrew background feature (from its name).

I would rather give it a feature that represents what you had to sacrifice to the Truth. Think a feature like oracle curses. Basically a situational or minor+RP drawback for a single advantage (Izumi Curtis) or a major drawback (lost limb, blind) for two advantages (Mustang, Edward).

Example:

Internal organs: You lost the ability to conveive children. You have disadvantage on saves vs. poison. If you receive a constant advantage from any other source, these features cancel out.

Instead, once per short rest you get advantage on any strength check (be it attack roll, ability roll or strength save).

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Originally Posted by Sporeegg

First of all, I love this class.

How is your opinion on letting Shillelagh be str/dex/cha based? State certification has nothing to do with the patron and is likely a homebrew background feature (from its name).

I would rather give it a feature that represents what you had to sacrifice to the Truth. Think a feature like oracle curses. Basically a situational or minor+RP drawback for a single advantage (Izumi Curtis) or a major drawback (lost limb, blind) for two advantages (Mustang, Edward).

Example:

Internal organs: You lost the ability to conveive children. You have disadvantage on saves vs. poison. If you receive a constant advantage from any other source, these features cancel out.

Instead, once per short rest you get advantage on any strength check (be it attack roll, ability roll or strength save).

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I definitely like these suggestions

It was a good call on the level 1 ability name - I've changed it to something more mundane and less Background Alchemist-y. A State Alchemist certification would presumably be a variant on Soldier/Investigator.

Shillelagh is based on "you can use your spellcasting ability instead of Strength for that weapon", so you can already choose between Strength and Charisma while wielding the club or quarterstaff. I chose that spell as it was a common pickup for Tomelocks who didn't want to be blasters, and as a nod to Ed's common use of a spear. If you wanted to rule that it could apply to Dex, or that it applies to spears (basically a piercing quarterstaff with the thrown property), you certainly can, but I was trying to make it as clean & close to Raw as possible.

I do like the idea of the nod to the oracle curses, but would want it to be relatively balanced, which the curses never were, in my opinion. If I was going to include them, it'd be a format of the Flaws/Quirks that came with the Shadow Sorcerer.

While the Leaden Plating feature is simple one of its feature can not be applied to a Shillelagh weapon. I have an alternate idea.

Transmutation
At 1st level, once after a short or long rest you gain the ability to transmute the shape of a weapon or change the properties of armor, object or construct. You regain the use of this feature after you complete a short or long rest.
•Weapon; you touch one melee weapon, 20 pieces of ammunition, or up to 5 darts. Doing so allows you to change the damage type of the weapon to either bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage. This effect lasts for one minute.
•Armor Resistance; you touch one suit of armor, one object no bigger than a 5ft cube, or one construct giving it resistance to either bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage. This effect last for one minute.
•Vulnerability; you touch one suit of armor, one object no bigger than a 5ft cube, or one construct giving it vulnerability to either bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage. The target of this feature must make a charisma saving through to be affected. This effect last for one minute and requires concentration.
That is my idea, I’m sure you could word it better.

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Originally Posted by Garfunion

While the Leaden Plating feature is simple one of its feature can not be applied to a Shillelagh weapon.

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The feature specifies a nonmagical weapon you touch, while Shillelagh specifically states:

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The wood of a club or quarterstaff you are holding is imbued with nature’s power. For the duration, you can use your spellcasting ability instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of melee attacks using that weapon, and the weapon’s damage die becomes a d8. The weapon also becomes magical, if it isn’t already

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So it would only not work if you (somehow) were holding the weapon without touching it, were somehow able to cast Shillelagh on it (making it magical), then touch it.

Unless you were talking about another party member having a Shillelagh that you are trying to touch after a long rest.

I already give resistance to damage with the Molecular Manipulation feature, so that'd be a bit overkill

Guess I missed the wording on Shillelagh cantrip.

What do you think about the damage type changing?

You should be able to just put "a nonmagical weapon OR one under the influence of your own Sheliegh spell..."

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Originally Posted by Garfunion

What do you think about the damage type changing?

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I don't really see the point. Sure, you'd be able to turn your bludgeoning damage into slashing, but it doesn't have much of an impact outside of a handful of edge cases.

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Originally Posted by Thanatos 51-50

You should be able to just put "a nonmagical weapon OR one under the influence of your own Sheliegh spell..."

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If a weapon is already magical in 5e, it's nearly always +1 or more powerful.

Shillelagh is powerful enough to be picked up by tomelocks since 5e was released, and already works just as well on magical clubs & quarterstaffs. I'm not trying to make this class "Hexblade II: Alchemic Boogaloo".