Pact of the Fiend
A Warlock patronage of a named infernal power, with fire and necrotic resistance, draining psychic damage, command of lesser fiends, an ember aura, and a fiend form.
Identity
The Pact of the Fiend is the Warlock patronage of a specific infernal entity with a court and a sigil. The patron has a name, and the name is written somewhere the Warlock cannot get to. The pact is rarely subtle: the Warlock burns hotter than they used to, sleeps poorly, and gradually finds their reflection's mouth out of sync with their own. The patron enjoys the theater of a fight and rewards showmanship over efficiency, so its Warlocks grow more comfortable with violence than they intended.
Features
- L3 Hellish Resistance
You gain resistance to fire damage and to necrotic damage. You have advantage on saving throws against being set on fire by nonmagical sources, and you can sleep comfortably in atmospheric temperatures up to 60 degrees Celsius.
- L7 Soul-Bleed
When a creature within Close range fails a saving throw against one of your spells, you can use your reaction to drain it. The target takes an extra 2d8 psychic damage, and you gain temporary hit points equal to the damage dealt, to a maximum of twice your Warlock level. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. At Warlock level 13, the extra damage increases to 3d8.
- L11 Infernal Authority
You learn the registered authority phrasing of your patron's court. As an action, you can try to compel a fiend within Close range that has a Power Rating of 5 or lower and is of a type your patron has jurisdiction over (the GM decides which types qualify). The fiend makes a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, the fiend treats you as a senior agent of its court for 1 minute. It obeys one reasonable command per round, does not knowingly harm you, and retreats instead of attacking you if you order it to. On a success, the fiend is hostile to you. Once per long rest, you can use Infernal Authority without taking an action, as an opening move when you first encounter a hostile fiend.
- L15 Crown of Embers
While you are conscious, a halo of infernal embers burns around your head and sheds dim light in a 10-foot radius. Hostile creatures that start their turn within 10 feet of you take 2d8 fire damage, or 3d8 against fiends, undead, and creatures of Power Rating 1/2 or lower. You can suppress or restore the crown as a free action. While the crown is active, you have advantage on saving throws against being Charmed. The crown is easy to see, so hiding your nature while it burns takes a hood, baffles, ambient firelight, or an evening costume cut wide enough to swallow the glow.
- L18 Infernal Form Capstone
Once per long rest, as a bonus action, you assume your patron's bequeathed form for 1 minute. Your skin reddens or darkens, your hands grow infernal claws, you grow ash-veined wings, and the air around you heats. While in this form: You have a flying speed of 50 feet. Your unarmed strikes deal 1d8 + your Strength, Dexterity, or Charisma modifier (chosen when you enter the form) slashing damage, plus 1d8 fire damage. If you have Pact of the Blade, they count as monk weapons for it. Once per turn, when you hit with a claw, you can force the target to make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, it is set on fire and takes 1d6 fire damage at the start of each of its turns. The burning creature can use its action to put the fire out, and the fire ends after 1 minute. Once during the duration, as an action, you can breathe fire in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in the cone makes a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC, taking 6d6 fire damage on a failure or half as much on a success. The form ends early if you fall Unconscious or end it as a free action.
