A type of [[Warlock]] that draws power from [[The Ancient Magician]] through a deck of magical [[Duel Monsters]] cards: [[The Shadow Deck]], focusing on laying traps and summoning monsters. ![[List of Pact of the Ancient Magician Warlocks]] --- # Features ## Level 3 - Shadow Deck **Shadow Deck**. You gain control of [[The Shadow Deck]], which counts as an [[Arcane Focus]] for your Warlock Spells. If you lose your deck, you may summon it to your hand with an action. **Preparing the Deck.** Instead of preparing spells normally, you prepare spells by building a deck of cards, with each card representing a Warlock Spell of Level 1 or higher that you know. The size of the deck increases as the number Known Spells number in the Warlock Features table increases. **Drawing Cards.** The Shadow Deck is eternally eager for new challenges, and comes to life at the first sign of combat. Draw 5 cards when you roll initiative. Draw an additional card at the beginning of each of your turns. **Playing Cards.** You may cast a Warlock Spell only if the card representing that spell is in your hand. To play a card, you must still satisfy the material, somatic, and verbal components of the spell and expend an appropriate spell slot. Once you fulfill the requirements of the spell, the spell is cast and the card is discarded. Cantrips and Spells that you may cast "at-will", such as certain spells granted by Eldritch Invocations, are not represented as cards, and you may to continue to cast them at-will. **End of Combat.** Cards still in your hand are shuffled back into your deck at the end of combat. **Renewing the Deck.** Whenever you finish a [[Long Rest]], shuffle all discarded cards back into the deck and begin anew. **Modifying in your Deck.** Whenever you gain a Warlock level, you can replace one spell in your shadow deck with another Warlock spell of an eligible level. ## Level 3 - Realm Tear [[The Ancient Magician]]'s summons come from [[The Shadow Realm]] and must therefore return. When you intentionally end concentration on one of your summons or one of your summons dies, you can choose to trigger a realm tear causing your summon to fold into darkness and perish. Each creature within 5-feet of the realm tear must make a Dexterity Saving Throw where the DC equals your spellcasting save DC. On a failure, creatures within range take xd8 damage where x equals the current spell level of the summon. On a success, creatures take no damage. If your summon spell allows you to summon multiple units, divide the damage dealt by this effect by the number of summons from the spell. You can only use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per [[Long Rest]]. ## Level 3 - Yellow Luster Shield The Ancient Magician bestows those who channel his magic with stronger summons. When you cast a summon spell, you and your summons gain Temporary Hit points equal to your Warlock level plus the level of the spell. ## Level 3 - Ancient Spells The magic of your patron ensures you always have certain spells ready; when you reach a Warlock level specified in the Ancient Spells table, you thereafter always have the listed spells prepared. ##### Ancient Spells | Warlock Level | Spells | | ------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 3 | [[Compelled Duel]], [[Unseen Servant]], [[Shatter]], [[Magician's Crescent Blade (Spell)\|Magician's Crescent Blade]] | | 5 | [[Conjure Animals]], [[Phantom Steed]] | | 7 | [[Giant Insect (Spell)\|Giant Insect]], [[Guardian of Faith]] | | 9 | [[Dispel Evil and Good]], [[Summon Draconic Spirit\|Summon Dragon]] | ## Level 6 - You've Activated My Trap Card The Ancient Magician was known to be mischievous and discovered some of the first reactionary spells, which used to be called traps, such as [[Counterspell]]. When you roll initiative and finish drawing your starting cards, you may lay a Trap. First, decide what perceivable circumstance will trigger the Trap. Then, choose a card in your hand to cast as a reaction to the trigger. Finally, when the circumstance is triggered, cast the spell as a Reaction without using a spell slot. _You must declare out loud **"You've activated my trap card!"_** ## Level 10 - Heart of the Cards You channel the heart of the cards to make your summons stronger. On your turn, you may skip your draw step and instead choose one of your active summons and increase its spell cast level, updating the summon's statistics accordingly for the duration of the spell. Alternatively, at the beginning of your turn, you can choose to draw an additional number of cards equal to half your Proficiency Bonus (minimum 1). This feature can only be used a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per [[Long Rest]]. ## # Level 14 - Omniscient Summons You have discovered new ancient secrets of [[The Shadow Deck]] that allow you to simultaneously maintain concentration on two summon spells. While maintaining concentration in this way, you can't use actions except to direct your summons and your movement speed is halved. Additionally, you cannot gain advantage on concentration checks and you roll concentration checks for each summon individually.