Beholden (Class)
Beholden gain power by cheating. Unlike the arcanist who studies and meditates or the priest who must have faith, the beholden has struck a deal with an entity from outside the Mortal plane. An arch-devil, a powerful demon, an elemental lord, or even one of the mysterious and perplexing dwellers in the Dark Beyond. This deal is quid pro quo--a favor for a favor. At minimum, the Patron rips open the beholden's soul, shoving in unearned power. Each beholden is different, but they all learn the ability to shape raw SP into blasts.
Design Discussion: Basically beholden, 3.5-redux. The goal is to move toward the 3e version, with most things tied up in class feature) eldritch blast + blast shapes + essences. Spellcasting will come only via invocations that grant the ability to grab specific spells off of specific full-caster) lists. Only class that will get a familiar. Uses spell points by default.
Class Features
As a beholden, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per beholden level.
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier.
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per beholden level after 1st.
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Simple weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Charisma, Wisdom
Skills: Choose 2 from Arcana, Deception, History, Intimidation, Investigation, Nature, and Religion
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a light crossbow or (b) any simple weapon
- (a) a component pouch an arcane focus or (b) an arcane focus
- (a) a scholar's pack or (b) a dungeoneer's pack
- Leather armor, any simple weapon, and two daggers
| Level | Proficiency | Features | Cantrips | Shapes | Effects | Invocations | Spell Points | Point Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Deflect, Eldritch Blast, Otherworldly Patron | 2 | -- | -- | -- | 4 | 2 |
| 2nd | +2 | Eldritch Invocations, Blast Effects | 2 | -- | 1 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
| 3rd | +2 | Pact Boon | 3 | -- | 1 | 3 | 14 | 3 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 3 |
| 5th | +3 | Blast Shapes | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 27 | 5 |
| 6th | +3 | Otherworldly Patron feature | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 32 | 5 |
| 7th | +3 | Greater Blast Effects | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 38 | 6 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 44 | 6 |
| 9th | +4 | Greater Blast Shapes | 3 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 57 | 7 |
| 10th | +4 | Otherworldly Patron feature | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 57 | 7 |
| 11th | +4 | Mystic Arcanum | 4 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 64 | 9 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 64 | 9 |
| 13th | +5 | Mystic Arcanum | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 73 | 10 |
| 14th | +5 | Otherworldly Patron feature | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 73 | 10 |
| 15th | +5 | Mystic Arcanum | 4 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 83 | 11 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 83 | 11 |
| 17th | +6 | Mystic Arcanum | 4 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 94 | 13 |
| 18th | +6 | -- | 4 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 94 | 13 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 107 | 13 |
| 20th | +6 | Eldritch Master | 4 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 107 | 13 |
Eldritch Blast
The contact with your patron has awoken you to a strange, otherworldly power. Unlike conventional spellcasters, you don't learn or cast regular spells naturally, other than cantrips. Instead, you primarily shape and throw raw SP, molding it into shapes and aspecting it in various ways. This is called an "eldritch blast".
At its most basic, as an action on your turn you can shoot a bolt of raw kinetic energy at a creature or object within 90 ft. of you. Make a ranged spell attack, using Charisma as the ability score. On a hit, the bolt deals 1d12 + your Charisma modifier bludgeoning or piercing your choice) damage to the target. This damage increases by 1d12 at level 5, 11, and 17. This counts as casting a cantrip and the damage is magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance or immunity.
Otherworldly Patron
At 1st level, you have struck a bargain with an otherworldly being of your choice and formed a pact that is shaped by their attitudes and desires for you: Pact of Destruction, Pact of Protection, or Pact of Inquiry, each of which is detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 1st level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.
Spellcasting
Beholden are not traditional spellcasters--they do not inherently get access to any spells above cantrips and do not have a spell list of their own. However, they can gain access to spells via incantations and other means, and do learn cantrips.
Cantrips
You know two cantrips of your choice from any list. You learn additional beholden cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Beholden table.
Spellcasting Ability
Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your beholden spells, so you use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a beholden spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Spell Points
All of your magical effects rely on spending spell points. At first level, you have 4 spell points and gain more as shown on the Spell Points column of the Beholden table. Features such as blast effects and invocations may specify a cost. You can never spend more spell points in a single action than is specified in the Point Limit column of the Beholden table, whether that is to emulate a spell by creating spell slots), enhancing your eldritch blast, or in any other way.
You regain all expended spell points when you finish a long rest.
| Spell Slot | Point Cost | Minimum Level |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 1st |
| 2 | 3 | 3rd |
| 3 | 5 | 5th |
| 4 | 6 | 7th |
| 5 | 7 | 9th |
Note that you cannot create spell slots of 6th or higher level. To cast such spells, you need to use your Mystic Arcanum feature.
Deflect
At first level, when you would be hit by an attack, you can expend 2 spell points as a reaction to attempt to deflect it. When you do so, add your proficiency bonus to your armor class against that attack, possibly converting it into a miss. This does not count as casting a spell. Alternatively, you can use this reaction when you would be hit by magic missile--if you do so, the spell has no effect on you.
Blast Effects
At 2nd level, you have learned to add additional effects to your eldritch blast on hit by spending spell points. These are called Blast Effects, and are detailed at the end of the class entry. You learn 1 blast effect and can apply it to your eldritch blast. You learn additional blast effects as your level increases, as shown in the Blast Effects column of the beholden table. Whenever you learn a new blast effect, you can choose one of the blast effects you know and replace it with another blast effect you could learn at that level. You can only apply a single blast effect to each use of eldritch blast unless the effect says otherwise.
Starting at level 7, you can learn Blast Effects labeled as Greater and the cost of non-greater blast effects is reduced by 1 to a minimum of 0). Expending spell points on Blast Effects increases the effective spell level of the eldritch blast for the purpose of overcoming resistances, immunities, and other effects that care about the spell slot of a spell.
Eldritch Invocations
In your study of occult lore, you have unearthed eldritch invocations, fragments of forbidden knowledge that imbue you with an abiding magical ability. At 2nd level, you gain two eldritch invocations of your choice. Your invocation options are detailed at the end of the class description. When you gain certain Beholden levels, you gain additional invocations of your choice, as shown in the Invocations column of the Beholden table.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the invocations you know and replace it with another invocation that you could learn at that level.
Pact Boon
At 3rd level, your otherworldly patron bestows a gift upon you for your loyal service. You gain one of the following features of your choice.
Pact of the Chain
You make a subsidiary pact with a familiar---an imp, gazer, or pseudodragon, or any Tiny beast. Appearing in an unoccupied space within range, the familiar has the statistics of the chosen form, though it is a celestial, fey, or fiend your choice) instead of its normal type.
Your familiar acts independently of you, but it always obeys your commands. In combat, it acts on your turn. A familiar can't attack except as described below, but it can take other actions as normal.
When you take the Attack action, you can forgo one of your own attacks to allow your familiar to make one attack of its own with its reaction.
When the familiar drops to 0 hit points, it disappears, leaving behind no physical form. You can resummon it by spending 1 hour performing a ritual and expending at least 10 gp of appropriate incense, even if it has disappeared by being reduced to 0 HP
While your familiar is within 100 feet of you, you can communicate with it telepathically. Additionally, as an action, you can see through your familiar's eyes and hear what it hears until the start of your next turn, gaining the benefits of any special senses that the familiar has. During this time, you are deaf and blind with regard to your own senses.
As an action, you can temporarily dismiss your familiar. It disappears into a pocket dimension where it awaits your summons. Alternatively, you can dismiss it forever. As an action while it is temporarily dismissed, you can cause it to reappear in any unoccupied space within 30 feet of you. Items it was wearing or carrying stay behind when it disappears
You can't have more than one familiar at a time. If you perform the summoning ritual while you already have a familiar, you can cause it to adopt a new form. Choose one of the forms from the above list. Your familiar transforms into the chosen creature.
Finally, when you cast a spell with a range of touch, your familiar can deliver the spell as if it had cast the spell. Your familiar must be within 100 feet of you, and it must use its reaction to deliver the spell when you cast it. If the spell requires an attack roll, you use your attack modifier for the roll.
Pact of the Blade
You can use your eldritch blast to create a magical weapon of solidified SP in your hand. It takes the form and statistics of any melee weapon. You have proficiency with this weapon even if you normally would not. You can use your Charisma as the ability modifier for attacks, but you add your Strength modifier or Dexterity for finesse weapons if you choose) to the damage as usual. You can apply blast effects to it by expending spell points as normal. The first time you hit with this weapon on a turn, the damage dealt is equal to your eldritch blast damage instead of the normal weapon damage if this would be greater.
Your pact weapon disappears if it is more than 5 feet away from you for 1 minute or more. It also disappears if you use this feature again, if you dismiss the weapon no action required), or if you die.
You can transform one magic weapon into your pact weapon by performing a special ritual while you hold the weapon. You perform the ritual over the course of 1 hour, which can be done during a short rest. You can then dismiss the weapon, shunting it into an extradimensional space, and it appears whenever you create your pact weapon thereafter. You can't affect an artifact or a sentient weapon in this way. The weapon ceases being your pact weapon if you die, if you perform the 1-hour ritual on a different weapon, or if you use a 1-hour ritual to break your bond to it. The weapon appears at your feet if it is in the extradimensional space when the bond breaks.
Pact of the Tome
Your patron gives you a grimoire called a Book of Shadows. When you gain this feature, choose three cantrips from any class's spell list the three needn't be from the same list). Choose one first level spell from any list. While the book is on your person, you can cast those cantrips at will and cast the spell by expending the requisite amount of spell points. They don't count against your number of cantrips known. Regardless of what list they came from, Charisma is your spellcasting modifier for these spells. When you gain a level, you can replace the known spell with another that costs less than your spell point limit.
If you lose your Book of Shadows, 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 book. The book turns to ash when you die.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2 or two ability scores by 1 each. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Alternatively, you can take a feat that you qualify for.
You can also pick a Skill Trick but you must meet the prerequisites for skill tricks learned in this way. See Skill Tricks for that list. You can swap out a known skill trick for another you can learn when you gain another skill trick.
Blast Shapes
When you reach 5th level, you learn to modify the shape of your eldritch blast in various ways. You learn one Blast Shape detailed at the end of the class entry) and can apply it by spending the indicated amount of spell points. You must choose the shape when you use your eldritch blast feature and before you know whether it hits or not. You learn additional blast shapes as your level increases, as shown in the Blast Shapes column of the Beholden table. Whenever you learn a new blast shape, you can choose one of the blast shapes you know and replace it with another blast shape you could learn at that level.
Starting at level 9, you can learn Greater Blast Shapes, and the cost of non-greater blast shapes is reduced by 1 to a minimum of 0). Expending spell points on Blast Shapes increases the effective spell points of the eldritch blast for the purpose of overcoming resistances, immunities, and other effects that care about the level of the spell.
Mystic Arcanum
At 11th level, your patron bestows upon you a magical secret called an arcanum. Choose one 6th level spell from any list as this arcanum. It becomes a Beholden spell for you and uses Charisma as its spellcasting ability.
You can cast any of your arcanum spells once without expending spell points. You must finish a long rest before you can do so again.
At higher levels, you gain more spells of your choice that can be cast in this way: one at 13th level, one at 15th level, and one at 17th level. You regain all uses of your Mystic Arcanum when you finish a long rest. At 13th level, you can pick a 6th or 7th level spell; at 15th level, you can pick a 6th, 7th, or 8th level spell. At 17th level you can pick a spell of 6th, 7th, 8th, or 9th level.
When you gain a level in this class, you can exchange one arcanum spell you know for another that you could choose at that level.
Eldritch Master
At 20th level, you can draw on your inner reserve of mystical power while entreating your patron for at least one minute. When you do so, you can either regain spell points equal to your level or regain one expended use of a mystic arcanum.
Eldritch Invocations
If an eldritch invocation has prerequisites, you must meet them to learn it. You can learn the invocation at the same time that you meet its prerequisites. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class.
Armor of Shadows
You can cast mage armor on yourself at will, without expending spell points or material components.
Ascendant Step
Prerequisite: 9th level
You can cast levitate on yourself at will, without expending spell points or providing normal components for the spell.
Beast Speech
You can cast speak with beasts at will without expending spell points or material components.
Beguiling Influence
You gain proficiency in the Deception and Persuasion skills and gain one skill trick of your choice that relies on one of those skills.
Book of Ancient Secrets
Prerequisite: Pact of the Tome feature
You learn two common incantations (see incantations for details) of your choice and can perform them without needing a Ritual Scroll in hand.
Special: you can take this invocation more than once, learning a new incantation each time. If you take it when you are 5th level or above, you can learn an uncommon incantation instead. At 9th level or above you can learn a rare incantation.
Devil's Sight
You can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 120 feet.
Dreadful Word
Prerequisite: 7th level
You can cast confusion once without using spell points. You can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Eldritch Sight
You are continually under the effect of the detect magic spell while you are conscious. This does not require concentration, but is a magical effect equivalent to a first level spell. If dispelled or suppressed, it comes back when you finish a short or long rest.
Eyes of the Rune Keeper
You can read all writing.
Fiendish Vigor
You can cast false life on yourself at will, without expending spell points or material components. When you reach 5th level, it acts as if you spent a 2nd level slot on it. At 9th level, you get the benefit of casting it with a 3rd level slot.
Gaze of Two Minds
You can use your action to touch a willing humanoid and perceive through its senses until the end of your next turn. As long as the creature is on the same plane of existence as you, you can use your action on subsequent turns to maintain this connection, extending the duration until the end of your next turn. While perceiving through the other creature's senses, you benefit from any special senses possessed by that creature, and you are blinded and deafened to your own surroundings.
Lifedrinker
Prerequisite: 12th level, Pact of the Blade feature
When you hit a creature with your pact weapon, the creature takes extra necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier minimum 1).
Mask of Many Faces
You can cast disguise self at will without expending spell points.
Master of Myriad Forms
Prerequisite: 9th level
You can cast alter self at will without expending spell points.
Minions of Chaos
Prerequisite: 9th level You can cast conjure elemental as an action once without using spell points. You can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Mire the Mind
Prerequisite: 5th level You can cast slow once without using spell points. You can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Misty Visions
You can cast silent image at will, without expending spell points or material components.
One with Shadows
Prerequisite: 5th level When you are in an area of dim light or darkness, you can use your action to become invisible until you take an action or a reaction.
Otherworldly Leap
Prerequisite: 3rd level You can cast jump on yourself at will, without expending spell points or material components.
Stolen Knowledge
You learn one spell from the bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, or wizard list. You must be able to cast it without exceeding your spell point limit. You can cast any spells you know this way using spell points as normal; your casting ability is Charisma. Special: you can select this invocation more than once. Each time, pick a different spell. Each time you gain an invocation choice, you can also switch one spell you know via this invocation.
Sculptor of Flesh
Prerequisite: 7th level
You can cast polymorph once without using spell points. You can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Sign of Ill Omen
Prerequisite: 5th level
You can cast bestow curse once without using spell points. You can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Thief of Five Fates
You can cast bane once without using spell points. You can't do so again until you finish a long rest.
Thirsting Blade
Prerequisite: 5th level, Pact of the Blade feature
You can attack with your pact weapon twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. Additional hits after the first only deal the weapon's normal damage instead of the eldritch blast damage.
Visions of Distant Realms
Prerequisite: 12th level
You can cast arcane eye at will, without expending SP.
Uncanny Skill
Prerequisite: 4th level
You learn a skill trick that you otherwise qualify for.
Special: You can pick this invocation multiple times, each time learning a new skill trick.
Voice of the Chain Master
Prerequisite: Pact of the Chain feature
You can communicate telepathically with your familiar and perceive through your familiar's senses as long as you are on the same plane of existence. Additionally, while perceiving through your familiar's senses, you can also speak through your familiar in your own voice, even if your familiar is normally incapable of speech.
Whispers of the Grave
Prerequisite: 5th level
You can cast speak with dead at will without expending spell points or requiring material components.
Witch Sight
Prerequisite: 15th level You can see the true form of any shapechanger or creature concealed by illusion or shape-changing magic while the creature is within 30 feet of you and within line of sight.
Blast Effects
Each blast effect has a cost listed after the name. Applying that blast effect requires expending the listed SP cost. If the cost is listed with a + sign, you can expend additional spell points (up to your limit) to increase the effect. SP is an abbreviation for Spell Points
Beckoning Blast: 1+ SP
Targets hit by your eldritch blast are pulled 5 feet toward you for every SP spent. If they are more than two sizes larger than you are, they can make a Strength saving throw to halve the distance they are moved.
Blinding Blast: 3 SP
Targets of your eldritch blast must make a Constitution saving throw or take the damage as necrotic damage and be blinded until the end of your next turn. On a successful saving throw, targets take half damage. This Constitution saving throw replaces the attack.
Draining Blast: 5 SP, greater
Your eldritch blast deals necrotic damage. Targets hit your eldritch blast take additional necrotic damage equal to your Charisma bonus and you regain hit points equal to half the necrotic damage dealt. If this affects multiple creatures, each creature takes the damage but you only heal once.
Elemental Blast: 1 SP
When you finish a long or short rest, choose one damage type from the following list: acid, cold, fire, lightning. When you use your eldritch blast, you can choose to deal the chosen damage type instead of bludgeoning.
Frightening Blast: 3 SP
Targets of your eldritch blast must make a Wisdom saving throw instead of you making an attack roll. On a failed save, they are frightened of you until the end of your next turn and take the full damage. On a successful save they take half damage as psychic damage and are not frightened.
Hellfire Blast: 5 SP, greater
Your eldritch blast deals fire damage. Targets hit by your eldritch blast take additional fire damage equal to twice your Charisma bonus and the same amount again at the start of their next turn. This damage pierces resistance and immunity to fire damage.
Repelling Blast: 1+ SP
Targets hit by your eldritch blast are pushed 5 feet away from you for every SP spent. If they are more than two sizes larger than you are, they can make a Strength saving throw to halve the distance they are moved.
Clinging Lightning Blast: 5 SP, greater
Your eldritch blast deals lightning damage and deals additional damage equal to twice your Charisma bonus, and requires a Dexterity saving throw instead of an attack roll. On a failed save, targets take the full damage and are paralyzed until the end of your next turn. On a successful save, targets take half damage and are not paralyzed.
Blast Shapes
Blast shapes alter the form of the eldritch blast and may alter it from a spell attack to a saving throw. As above, SP is an abbreviation for Spell Points.
Eldritch Arc: 3 SP
When you use your eldritch blast, you can instead choose to make it take the shape of a circular arc with a 10 ft radius centered on you. All creatures within the area must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, they take damage equal to the eldritch blast damage and are affected by any blast effects. On a success, they take half damage and are not affected by the non-damaging blast effects. Damaging blast effects apply the additional damage (halved on a success) to all targets in the area.
Eldritch Cone: 4 SP, greater
When you use your eldritch blast, you can instead choose to make it take the shape of a 30 ft cone. All creatures in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, they take damage equal to the eldritch blast damage and are affected by any blast effects. On a success, they take half damage and are not affected by the non-damaging blast effects. Damaging blast effects apply the additional damage (halved on a success) to all targets in the area.
Eldritch Spear: 1 SP
The range of your eldritch blast doubles. Additionally, you do not have disadvantage on ranged attacks with it against prone targets and it does not provoke opportunity attacks from creatures within 5 feet.
Eldritch Sphere: 6 SP, greater
When you use your eldritch blast, you can instead choose to make it take the shape of a spherical orb that erupts from a point of your choice within the spells' normal range. All creatures within a 20 ft radius of the chosen point must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, they take damage equal to the eldritch blast damage and are affected by any blast effects. On a success, they take half damage and are not affected by the non-damaging blast effects. Damaging blast effects apply the additional damage (halved on a success) to all targets in the area. Blast effects that push or pull the target use the center point of the effect as the reference point.
Eldritch Claws: 1 SP
Make an unarmed attack using Charisma as your weapon attack modifier. On a hit, add your eldritch blast damage to the normal unarmed damage. This counts as slashing damage from a magical weapon.
Split Bolts: 2 SP
When you use your eldritch blast, you can choose to split the attack into a number of separate attacks equal to the number of damage dice. If you do, make separate attack rolls for each one. On a hit, each bolt deals 1d12 damage of the appropriate attacks. The additional damage from your Charisma modifier only applies to one of them. Blast effects affect all targets hit. This cannot be used with blast effects that replace the attack roll by a saving throw.
Otherworldly Patrons
The beings that serve as patrons for beholden are mighty inhabitants of other planes of existence—not necessarily gods, but almost godlike in their power. Various patrons give their beholden access to different powers and invocations, and expect significant favors in return. Some gods choose both beholden and clerics--the two serve different purposes and often do not see eye to eye.
Some patrons collect beholden, doling out mystic knowledge relatively freely or boasting of their ability to bind mortals to their will. Other patrons bestow their power only grudgingly, and might make a pact with only one beholden. Beholden who serve the same patron might view each other as allies, siblings, or rivals.
Breaking your pact
A patron's secrets, once given, cannot be withdrawn by an act of will or by losing favor with the patron. This separates them from a cleric, whose patron can withdraw their support at any time.
If a beholden falls out of favor with their patron, DMs may decide that the beholden cannot progress further unless they find a new patron willing to swear the same sort of pact. Alternatively, the beholden can take steps to regain favor. This should not happen lightly or arbitrarily--this should further the narrative and be decided between player and DM and not used as a punishment.
Pact of Destruction
Patrons who proffer pacts of Destruction do so for many reasons, but all of them desire to see their enemies (which list may include all creation) crushed before them. Some do so out of a desire to see new systems grow in the wake of the consuming fire; others desire power or just want to see the world burn. Their servants are warriors, their goals are to reduce their enemies to ash.
Pact Spells
The Pact of Destruction grants some particular spells to its beholden at specific points in your career. These spells count as beholden spells you know and you can cast them using spell points.
| Beholden Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | Burning hands, thunderwave |
| 3rd | Flaming sphere, ray of enfeeblement |
| 5th | Dispel magic, vampiric touch |
| 7th | Black tentacles, wall of fire |
| 9th | cloudkill, dispel evil and good |
Destroyer's Blessing
Starting at 1st level, when you reduce a hostile creature to 0 hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier + your beholden level (minimum of 1).
Alternatively, when a hostile creature within 60 feet of you is reduced to 0 hit points by someone else, you can spend your reaction to gain the temporary hit points. You can use this alternative reaction a number of times equal to half your proficiency bonus, regaining expended uses when you finish a long or short rest.
Eldritch Backlash
Starting at 6th level, you learn an additional Blast Effect that does not count against your limit of known blast effects:
Eldritch Backlash: 1+ SP When you hit a target with your Eldritch Blast, a lingering aura of warped aether surrounds them until the end of your next turn. If they cast a spell or use a magical ability while the field surrounds them, they take psychic damage equal to 1d10 per SP spent.
Resilience
Starting at 10th level, you can choose one damage type when you finish a short or long rest. You gain resistance to that damage type until you choose a different one with this feature.
Retribution
Starting at 14th level, when you take damage from an attack or ability, you can force the caster to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes damage equal to being hit by two of your eldritch blasts. You can apply any single blast effect you know to this damage without expending SP; the creature counts as having failed any required saving throws. On a success, the creature takes half as much damage and is considered to have succeeded on any requisite saving throw (the damage is not halved again).
Pact of Protection
Those Patrons who proffer Protection Pacts want agents to act in defense of what the Patron holds to be important. That might be an Ascendant wanting to protect their faithful, high-ranking angels of the Celestial Legions looking for hands to ward against corruption (whether demonic or Beyond), archfey looking to protect the wilds, or even many of the Lucian (aka devil) dons looking to protect their "investments". Protection is not good, inherently---even the demon cults have protectors and defenders.
Pact Spells
The Pact of Protection grants some particular spells to its beholden at specific points in your career. These spells count as beholden spells you know and you can cast them using SP.
| Beholden Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | Cure wounds, shield of faith |
| 3rd | Calm emotions, prayer of healing |
| 5th | Beacon of hope, revivify |
| 7th | Death ward, mass cure wounds |
| 9th | Antilife shell, wall of stone |
Steadfast Protection
When a creature you can see within 60 ft takes damage, you can use your reaction to grant them resistance to the damage. If you do so, you take the same amount of damage they did. You can still apply any applicable damage resistances or immunities you may have to reduce the transferred damage further. This transferred damage does not cause Concentration saving throws.
Eldritch Shield
Starting at 6th level, you learn an additional Blast Effect that does not count against your limit of known Blast Effects:
Eldritch Shield: 1+ SP When you hit a target with your eldritch blast, you can choose one creature other than yourself per SP spent within 30 feet of the target. That creature gains temporary hit points equal to your Charisma bonus + your proficiency.
Aether Ward
Starting at 10th level, you can call on your patron to shield allies from magical abilities. As a reaction when a creature you can see casts a spell or uses a magical ability that requires a saving throw, you can cause all targets of that spell or effect to make the saving throw at advantage and gain resistance to any damage caused by the effect. You can do so after seeing the initial roll but before any of the roll's effects occur.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Legendary Effect: Globe of Invulnerability
At 14th level, you learn the globe of invulnerability spell and can use it once per day. Unlike the normal effect, you can choose to target any creature you can see within 30 feet of you instead of only yourself. If you already know this spell via your Mystic Arcanum, you can use it twice instead of once per day and the additional effect still applies.
Pact of Inquiry
Those Patrons who proffer Inquiry Pacts want clients to go out into the world in search of new things. Information, peoples, events, magics---each Patron has different interests, but many are rather universal. The entity most associated with this Pact on Quartus is Leviathan, the one mind in many bodies that rules the depths of the sea and considers itself the keeper of all knowledge in its endless self-directed song. Its creations (now often rebellious) the mkhulu and comiedai both often form these pacts with mortals, seeking agents to go into the world on their behalf. There are devils and others who seek for knowledge--the devils of Leutis are most associated with this. But even some of the Ascendants themselves prefer to form Inquiry Pacts rather than empower priests or clerics---Yogg-Magus, Lord of Magic among them. It's important to note that information is a two-edged blade---gathering information requires deception. Thus, beholden of Inquiry are often very good at appearing other than they truly are.
Pact Spells
The Pact of Inquiry grants some particular spells to its beholden at specific points in your career. These spells count as beholden spells you know and you can cast them using SP.
| Beholden Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | Charm person, disguise self |
| 3rd | Detect thoughts, see invisibility |
| 5th | Clairvoyance, major image |
| 7th | Arcane eye, greater invisibility |
| 9th | Mislead, true seeing |
Deceptive Charm
When a creature you can see targets you with an attack or an ability that causes damage, you can spend your reaction to force them to make a Charisma saving throw against your Spellcasting DC. On a failed save, they must target someone else if possible. If no other targets are valid (in range, etc.), they can continue with the effect regardless. This has no effect on targets immune to charm. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier, regaining expended uses when you finish a long or short rest.
Eldritch Interrogation
At 6th level you learn the Whispers of the Grave invocation. It does not count against your normal limit of Invocations known. When you target a corpse with this invocation, the corpse is required to speak truthfully and answer the questions to the best of its ability even if it recognizes you as an enemy.
If you already know that invocation, you can pick a different invocation to learn instead. The additional effect from this feature still applies.
Psychometry
Starting at 10th level, your pact gives you the power to read the environment and reconstruct the events of the past. As an action, you touch an object and state a query about an event in its history. As an example, you could touch a bloodied dagger and ask "Where did this blood come from".
A ghostly scene unfolds around you, centered on the object. It includes up to 10 minutes before and after the event in question. You can walk around this scene, which is visible to everyone within sight of it. At your discretion (no action required), you can pause the scene, rewind the action, or fast forward it. You can dismiss the scene as an action; if you do not, it fades 30 minutes after it was created, even if paused the whole time.
This counts as divination magic, so creatures under the effect of mind blank and similar magics are invisible. Additionally, the psychometric effect has no special senses---it acts as if you, personally, were present and uses your ability scores, senses, and proficiencies if relevant. The scene is video only, no sound, smell or other sensory information is present.
Once you use this ability you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.
Legendary Effect: Mind Blank
At 14th level, you learn the mind blank spell and can use it once per long rest. In addition, it provides immunity to psychic damage. If you already know this spell via Mystic Arcanum, you can use that arcanum twice instead of once per long rest and the additional effect applies.
