Burnt World of Athas - Warlock Pact Templar

Proposed 5e mechanics for a Warlock Pact Templar.

Defilers of incredable power rule over all but one of the city-states. These formidable sorcerer-kings have clung to their thrones for centuries - so long that no living soul remembers a time before their reign. Some proclaim themselves as gods, others as servants of divine forces. While a few rule with open cruelty, others mask their tyranny behind layers of subtle manipulation. They govern through priesthoods or corrupt bureaucracies of power-hungry templars—lesser defilers who wield the kings’ magic. Only in the city-state of Tyr does a faint hope of freedom remain, though dark forces are on the move to snuff it out.


This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://athas.org/articles/warlock-pact-templar

This looks really great. Good work Sysane!

Thanks! Truly enjoyed making it.

I don’t see whether Templars defile when casting their spells. It was a thing in 4e’s adaptation, IIRC.

I’m glad its not a thing. Thematically it would not make much sense, that the folks who are in charge of land management, water, and the verdant fields of the SKs be defilers.

This is why I like Templar being a job, not a class. A Templar can be a fighter leading a unit of soldier slaves. They can be an expert (NPC class) running the accounting for the taxes. Or they can be a warlock dispensing justice… for a price.

But then again, I also say that a temple would only have a few clerics, with the rest being NPC classes or level 0s. PC classes should be the exceptional, not the norm.

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In 2e terms, Templar should very much be a kit; in 5e, having some be Warlocks makes sense… that the SKs can empower their templars is an important part of the lore… but, on consideration, I’d make them a Background.

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I agree, 4E had themes - and this was a good way to describe them.

2E would be a kit
3E a multi-class Archetype or Prestige class
4E theme
5E Background or Subclass (Although this would be tough to implement)

Although I think for 3E to 5E warlock would also work well with some tweaking

They do not defile when casting spells.

Would be dope to get this in a wiki so that the 5e conversion document can be edited as yall feel it should be canon.