Hello, everyone! Today’s article is a revamp of an older subclass, the Magpie Patron. The Magpie was one of my first subclasses designed for a project intended to follow Primordial Power, a guide to designing characters and campaigns for city adventures, which didn’t quite take off due to the 2020 of it all. One of my favorite aspects of this subclass was a focus on a Warlock Patron who doesn’t necessarily have sinister motivations – the Magpie just wants to gather shiny things, and who can’t relate to that collector’s urge?

Making every subclass begin at third level has proven one of the most abrasive changes for me in 5e’s newest rules. When your character pledges to a Warlock Patron, becomes a Cleric of a deity, or swears a Paladin Oath, this defines your life and abilities as an adventurer through a campaign. Delaying your choice of subclasses like this feels like a shortsighted attempt to make player options more consistent.

Magpie Patron

Find the Shiniest Treasures

While most spirits shy away from crowded towns and cities, Magpie spirits revel in their splendor – so many things for the taking! A Magpie spirit’s ultimate goal is to gather the shiniest things it can into a grand collection. It almost solely judges its collection on each item’s luster. The Magpie might collect precious jewels or coins, but they’ll just as happily gather metal scraps when they catch the right light.

You may have pacted with the Magpie to collect things your patron wouldn’t appreciate, or you may simply enjoy delivering interesting baubles to a generally benevolent spirit. The Magpie has little interest in the motivations of its warlocks, so long as you remember to whom the prettiest treasures belong.

Level 3: Magpie Spells

The magic of your patron ensures you always have certain spells ready; when you reach a Warlock level specified in the Magpie Spells table, you thereafter always have the listed spells prepared.

Magpie Spells

Warlock Level | Spells
3 | Color Spray, Darkvision, Faerie Fire, Light, Moonbeam
5 | Blink, Daylight
7 | Confusion, Greater Invisibility
9 | Animate Objects, Mislead

Level 3: Something Lost, Something Found

You gain proficiency in the Sleight of Hand skill. Whenever you complete a Long Rest, you find a random trinket on your person. When you are reduced to 0 Hit Points but not killed outright, this trinket crumbles to dust and you instead drop to 1 Hit Point.

The trinket loses its potency if it has not been used by the start of your next Long Rest.

Level 6: Trinkets’ Tale

When you succeed on a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check to pick someone’s pocket and take an object from them, you have Advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks to discern their motives. As long as you’re holding the stolen item, you can visualize the path that the previous owner took within the 24 hours leading up to when you stole the item. Additionally, any Critical Hit against you from an attack made by the stolen item’s owner becomes a normal hit while the stolen item is in your possession.

These effects last up to 24 hours, at which point you can extend the effect for another 24 hours using a Warlock spell slot.

Level 10: Magpie Nest

By emulating your patron and surrounding yourself with treasures, you recover from harm more quickly. When you take a Long Rest in a bed decorated with at least 50 GP worth of shiny material (such as coins, gems, or glass), it takes half of the time to gain the benefits of a Long Rest. At the end of the Long Rest, you also gain Temporary Hit Points equal to 1d10 + your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1 Temporary Hit Point).

Level 14: Spirit Charm

You imbue a coin or other shiny object with a subtle magical beacon. As a Bonus Action, you may attempt a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check opposed by a target creature’s passive Perception to slip the imbued object onto their person without notice. While a creature is unaware of the imbued object on their person, you have Advantage on all of your attack rolls against them. Once per turn, when you hit a creature unknowingly carrying an imbued object with a melee weapon attack, you also deal an additional 4d6 Psychic damage.

A creature may attempt a Wisdom (Perception) check to discover the imbued object at the end of each of its turns.

The Source of Trinkets

Trinkets that “appear” around warlocks bonded to a Magpie spirit are usually insignificant knick-knacks, but seldom appear out of nowhere. A pretty costume necklace from a bazaar stall might appear in their backpack, or a smooth pebble from a geologist’s collection might make its way onto their pillow after a night’s rest.

A trinket which appears as a result of Something Lost, Something Found is never worth more than 1 gold piece, but it may have sentimental value to someone who lost it. Game Masters should consider a trinket’s origin from when describing it to a player – sometimes, losing something small can lead to much bigger consequences.

Eldritch Invocation Options

In addition to the Eldritch Invocation options that appear elsewhere, these options are available to warlocks, listed in alphabetical order.

Glisten Spark

When you use a Warlock spell slot to cast a spell, the next attack made against you is made at Disadvantage.

Midnight Dart

While you are in Dim Light or Darkness, your walking speed increases by 10 feet.

Radiant Courage

Prerequisite: Level 2+ Warlock

While you are in Bright Light, you can cast Heroism once without expending a spell slot. The spell ends immediately if the target enters Dim Light or Darkness. You regain the ability to cast it in this way again when you finish a Long Rest.

Wings of Dawn

Prerequisite: Level 3+ Warlock

While you are in Bright Light, you have a Fly speed equal to your walking speed.

Umbral Grace

Prerequisite: Level 2+ Warlock

While you are in Dim Light or Darkness, you can cast Feather Fall once without expending a spell slot. The spell ends immediately if you enter Bright Light. You regain the ability to cast it in this way again when you finish a Long Rest.