Warlock Pact: Xoriat

[Magrok]

Alignment: non-Lawful
Eldritch Blast Pact Damage: Chaotic (pink)
Pact Damage Save: Will
Pact Save Bonus: Will ("Daelkyr's Insanity")
1st-level spell (level 2): Chaos Bolt
2nd-level spell (level 5): Hypnotic Pattern
First Special Ability (level 6):

• Wondrous Power: (Activation Cost: 10 Spell Points. Cooldown: 1 minute.) Gain an effect from the Potion of Wonder list, using your Caster Level (max 25).

3rd-level spell (level 9): Greater Color Spray
4th-level spell (level 14): Cyclonic Blast
Second Special Ability (level 15):

• Artistic Creation: (Activation Cost: 20 Spell Points. Cooldown: 25 seconds.) Turn yourself or an ally into a Taken, gaining +1d4+1 alchemical bonus to each ability score and +25% Fortification. Lasts 1 minute per Caster Level (max 20 minutes). Hidden Effect: 5% chance it's wearing a hat like in the fashion show!

5th-level spell (level 17): Turn to Frog
6th-level spell (level 19): Prismatic Spray

This was originally going to just be a suggestion for a warlock pact with a pink damage color, but then I realized, given I'm ME, I should really just write up the whole thing.

 

[droid327]

Nice, but i think such a good cc as gcs plus a single spell power for pact (utterdark), blast, and consume/stricken, on a will save, would be too perfect. Plus the only immunities to chaos are slaadi, right?

 

[Magrok]

I kind of felt the special abilities and spells were a bit underpowered, to be honest, which would somewhat compensate for the pact damage type. Then again, I've yet to play a DC caster, so I defer to your expertise on GCS.

 

[Hobgoblin]

thraak hounds? I think

 

[Hobgoblin]

I would switch frog and spray. and add hammer as spell instead of pattern. or add hammer as special 6 ability

 

[droid327]

I would switch frog and spray. and add hammer as spell instead of pattern. or add hammer as special 6 ability

It's already too good and you're like make it better! Lol

A strong aoe helpless cc that affects more mobs than most...an insta kill... And you want to add an AOE damage/slow spell too

 

[Magrok]

I mostly went by spell level compared to other pacts. Prismatic Spray being fine where it is, for instance, is based on it being a 7th-level spell and the other pacts giving [8th/8th/9th/9th/4th/6th]-level spells at Pact 6.

Cyclonic Blast is from Thaarak hounds, yes. If I had to swap out Greater Color Spray, I'd probably replace it with their Acid Breath (making that into a 3rd- or 4th-level spell), and try to find a new Pact 4 so there aren't two spells based on the same Xoriat source.

I did consider Chaos Hammer, but like with e.g. Wildstrike I felt this pact should be kept a bit separate from Wild Mage and not be 2.0. In fact I'd prefer a different Pact 1 so it's not stealing Chaos Bolt. I also considered a save-or-die for the second special ability, but was convinced it would be redundant with Turn to Frog. (My prereader also steered me away from Mass Frog at Pact 6, lol. There is an argument it could be balanced, but I now agree it's a weak one.)

 

[Hobgoblin]

I meant hounds being immune to chaos damage

 

[Magrok]

You'd think Chaos Beholders would as well, but I'm not finding it on the wiki.

How important is it for some monsters to be immune to pact damage?

 

[droid327]

You'd think Chaos Beholders would as well, but I'm not finding it on the wiki.

How important is it for some monsters to be immune to pact damage?

Its not super important, but its just part of comparing pact to pact

Like one of the big problems of Fiend is the prevalence of Fire immunes, and Iron Golems especially are your nemesis. One of the big advantages of GOO is the lack of Acid immunes, and Fey for Sonic.

Its not the only thing - there's Save type, pact spells, Destiny support, different gear options for the various spellpowers, etc. But having a low-immunity pact makes things a lot easier.

 

[l_remmie]

This is FAR FAR too good.

You bypass most resistance in the game.
Radiance spellpower doesn't cost extra gear slots.
You get dmg against will save.
You get 3 of the best spells in the game and cyclonic blast isn't bad either.
You get at least a permanent +2 all stats. You can recast to force a +5 main stat.

If it got no spells or abilities i'd still pick it every time.

 

[Magrok]

This is FAR FAR too good.

You bypass most resistance in the game.
Radiance spellpower doesn't cost extra gear slots.
You get dmg against will save.
You get 3 of the best spells in the game and cyclonic blast isn't bad either.
You get at least a permanent +2 all stats. You can recast to force a +5 main stat.

If it got no spells or abilities i'd still pick it every time.

Alright, what might you suggest for balancing it? If the only part that's non-negotiable was the chaotic pact damage type.

 

[Hobgoblin]

no frog. add a variant of wild magic that can cast any spell from chaos domain on target

 

[l_remmie]

Your idea is pretty well designed. It is flavorful and would work well. The problem is the comparative powerlvl. All the pacts have major flaws on purpose and half of the spells and abilities are useless.

Chaos dmg is perfectly fitting and requiring a will save is the right choice.
The spray and ray are also perfectly logical. They even made them chaos spells for wildmages. They just happen to both be great spells in game.
There is nothing at all wrong with this as the core for a xoriat pact.

The other pacts need to be buffed and given more options to work with to balance strenght and weaknesses.

Then you can make a new pact for every other dmg type.

 

[droid327]

Alright, what might you suggest for balancing it? If the only part that's non-negotiable was the chaotic pact damage type.

GCS -> Color Spray, but Warlocks already have that so maybe Protection from Lawful, as per Prot from Evil

Cyclonic -> Feeblemind, Warlocks are not supposed to get many nukes, and definitely not AOE nukes

Taken form: Major Form (self-only), grants +2 CHA +2 CON, +25% Fort, 25% Chaos absorption, Nullmagic guard

Frog -> Evolution, in line with your idea for chaotic self-mutation but more balanced

Pris Spray -> Divine Punishment, a mid tier DOT is OK (cf Carceri). Also reduces overlap with WM, and synergy with a /4 WM split, particularly things like Prismatic Mind that would turn two of your spells into AOE nukes

Does it suck? Yeah, pretty much. Its unfortunate but most Warlock bonus spells suck, so to be balanced, you have to give Xoriat a bunch of spells that will only be rarely used and eventually ignored, just for flavor.

And I'm even being nice there because my first instict was to turn Taken Form into Summon Evil Eye, which just summons a worthless Evil Eye that scales poorly like all summons lol

 

[Terranigma]

Others have already noted that this is an inherently strong Pact as written. I'd say it could probably do with something that could be a downside. Some examples to consider for making a pact with the domain of Madness and Revelations:

• While the pact is active, you generate wild magic surges.
• Create random environmental effects like Prison of the Planes.
• You get 1d50 - 25 to your PRR/MRR every 1 minute.
• You periodically generate a random summon from Xoriat, sometimes helpful, sometime hostile.
• All is revealed. Stealth doesn't work for friends and foes alike within your vicinity.

 

[Magrok]

Wait, what're all the issues with existing pacts? Because if the problem is mainly that those're underpowered, I could just do a full revamp of all six.

 

[droid327]

Wait, what're all the issues with existing pacts? Because if the problem is mainly that those're underpowered, I could just do a full revamp of all six.

Immunities, for some, with no practical options for breakers other than Tiefling for Fiend (CM is not practical)

Having to gear for multiple spell powers (at least Light and Pact, and usually Force at endgame)

Evasion mobs can fully negate Reflex pact damage

Lack of good Destiny support for some elements compared to others

Non-Draconic pact elements cant make good use of Ruin+GRuin at endgame

For starters

 

[Magrok]

And @l_remmie what parts of existing pacts are underpowered - which spells and special abilities? I'm assuming droid got most of the systemic issues listed.

 

[l_remmie]

And @l_remmie what parts of existing pacts are underpowered - which spells and special abilities? I'm assuming droid got most of the systemic issues listed.

The spell selection for the whole class is quite poor and the spells selected for the pacts are mostly not top picks either. There is no
Meteor Swarm which is understandable but also no Firestorm or Polar ray.

This isn't a warlock only problem though. DDO needs a massive spell overhaul and many new spells.