Pact of the Deck
Pact Deck
This pact requires the use of a full deck of 52 playing cards and 2 jokers, for a total deck of 54 cards. Keep the deck face down, and the discard pile face up. Where appropriate, the jack, queen and king cards represent values of 11, 12 and 13 respectively. The ace counts as 1. As flavour, your somatic spells can be cast through the manipulation of your deck, and ranged spells can be cast as thrown cards. They do not stack with the effects of throwing cards as ranged attack.
Pact Boon
Pact of the Deck
You use a deck of cards as your spellcasting focus. This is your pact deck, through which you channel your spells. The deck can be used in place of material components for spells if there is no cost and the materials are not consumed. You apply an additional +5 to all ability checks relating to card games.
Every time you cast a warlock spell of 1st level or higher, including those attained through invocations, draw and discard a number of cards from your pact deck equal to the spell level. If at least two of the cards are aces, you cast the spell without expending a spell slot. If at least one of the cards is a joker, you cast the spell and roll for an effect on the Wild Magic Surge table. Instead of regaining sorcery points on a roll of 99-00, you regain an expended spell slot. Shuffle the discard pile back into the remaining deck after each long rest - this is the only time the two piles are brought together. If you run out of cards, your spellcasting reverts to its original format, and you experience none of the effects granted by your pact deck features that require you to discard cards.
You are proficient with using throwing cards from your pact deck as weapons, separate from your spells. They are one-handed, thrown finesse weapons with a range of 30/60 feet. As a bonus action, you can draw and discard a card from your deck, and make a ranged attack against a target. Its suit and face value determine its effect. You are able to do this a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier, and regain expended uses after a long rest. You do not need to recover the cards after a battle, they simply get transferred to your discard pile.
The face value of the cards 2-10 represent the damage the card deals on a successful hit. The damage type depends on its suit. The ace and the face cards have their own unique effects instead of inflicting damage. On a critical hit, draw and discard two cards, and throw both.
| Suit | Damage Type |
|---|---|
| Spades | Slashing |
| Hearts | Fire |
| Clubs | Force |
| Diamonds | Cold |
You are able to dismiss your pact deck to an extradimensional space, and summon it to your hand at any time. If the deck is destroyed, you can meditate over a traditional deck of cards over a short rest, and roll 1d20. On a roll of 10 or higher, the deck is transformed into your new spell deck. On a roll of 1, the deck is destroyed.
| Value | Effect |
|---|---|
| Ace | The target is vulnerable to a damage type of your choice until the end of your next turn |
| 2-10 | Damage |
| Jack | The target’s movement is halved until the end of its next turn as small spikes appear at its feet |
| Queen | Draw and throw another card, choosing any damage type for the attack |
| King | The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone |
| Joker | Roll for an effect on the Wild Magic Surge table |
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Eldritch Invocations
Blinds Up
Prerequisites: 5th level, Pact of the Deck
As an action and using your concentration for up to 1 minute, you can send cards from your pact deck to spin around the head of a creature within 60 feet, like a zoetrope. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, they do not notice the movement of any creature they can see, instead perceiving it as the creature moving on the spot. A creature reveals its new position if it attacks the target. The target cannot make an opportunity attack against a creature that moves out of its melee range while the effect is active. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. You regain the use of this feature after a short rest.
Bluff
Prerequisites: Pact of the Deck
You can attempt to conceal your spellcasting by performing card flourishes. Make a Charisma (Performance) check to disguise any verbal or somatic components as you cast the spell, against the Passive Perception of each of those who you are attempting to deceive. On a success they are unaware that you have cast a spell. The +5 bonus to card-related checks does not apply to this feature.
Card Sharp
Prerequisites: 12th level, Pact of the Deck
You can arrange your pact deck into a fan of keen-edged cards. As an action, draw five cards from your pact deck and choose a target within 5 feet. The target must make a Charisma saving throw. It takes magical slashing damage equal to the total of the face values (1-13) on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. If at least two aces are drawn, you can use this feature again before a long rest. If at least one joker is drawn, roll for an effect on the Wild Magic Surge table and total the remaining card values to determine damage. Discard the cards once the attack has been made. You regain the use of this feature after a long rest.
Damage Dealer
Prerequisites: 7th level, Pact of the Deck
When you draw a throwing card of face value three or lower, you may draw another and throw the new card instead. Discard both cards.
Diviner
Prerequisites: 5th level, Pact of the Deck
You are able to read your pact deck to predict the actions of your opponents. On your turn in combat, you can slow your movement to 0 feet to take a reading. Draw five cards, and return them in any order to the top of your deck. All opponents have disadvantage on their attacks against you until your next turn. You regain the use of this feature after a long rest.
Fresh Hand
Prerequisites: 7th level, Pact of the Deck
As a bonus action, draw a card from your pact deck. Regain a spell slot by discarding every card of this suit left in your deck. If you draw a joker, you do not regain a spell slot, and must shuffle any discarded jokers back into your deck. You regain the use of this feature after a short rest.
House of Cards
Prerequisites: 5th level, Pact of the Deck
As an action and using your concentration up to 1 minute, you can create a 15-foot cube of cards centred on a creature of size large or smaller, within a range of 60 feet. The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be trapped until the effect ends. The trapped target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. The cards are impenetrable from both the inside and the outside. You regain the use of this feature after a long rest.
Suit of Armour
Prerequisites: 5th level, Pact of the Deck
As a bonus action, you are able to surround yourself with a protective layer of cards. Draw and discard a card from your pact deck. For one hour, you gain temporary hit points equal to the face value of the card (1-13) and resistance to the damage type represented by its suit. If you draw a joker, discard it and draw another card - the effect targets the nearest creature to you. You regain the use of this feature after a short rest.
Swindle
Prerequisites: Pact of the Deck
You can attempt to sneak a card from your discard pile back into your pact deck. As a bonus action, make a Sleight of Hand check against DC 10. Every time you attempt this, the DC increases by 5, and resets to 10 after a long rest. On a success, your patron doesn’t notice your con, and you can move a card of your choice from the discard pile to anywhere in your pact deck. On a failure, you are caught, stunned until the end of your next turn, and your patron compels you to shuffle any jokers in your discard pile back into your pact deck.
Warped Limits
Prerequisites: 9th level, Pact of the Deck
Your spells with a base range of ‘Touch’ can be cast with a range of 60 feet.
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Optional Invocations
On the DM’s decision, the following invocations relating to the Deck of Many Things can be available to the warlock.
Maniac
Prerequisites: 15th level, Deck of Many Things, Pact of the Deck
You are able to throw a random card from the Deck of Many Things at a target, with the same range as your pact throwing cards, and force them to make a Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, or if they choose to, they experience the effect of the card and it returns to the deck. You regain the use of this feature after a long rest.
Marked Cards
Prerequisites: 9th level, Pact of the Deck
You become aware of the precise location of the nearest Deck of Many Things, regardless of the plane you are on. Whenever you draw a card from the deck, you have advantage on saves against effects and creatures summoned by the deck have disadvantage on attacks against you.
Credits
Special thanks to the subscribers of r/DnD for their continued feedback and support
PDF created using Scott Tolksdorf's 'The Homebrewery'
Art by u/saequis
Last edit: 18/3/19
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