From the Kill Pile: Time Pact Warlock

So as with all freelancers, I've had some projects that went south for whatever reason.  I figured I would start posting the parts that could be salvaged on here as some of them were pretty cool.  The first up is a Time Pact Warlock build for D&D 4e that I wrote up for a Warlock book for Goodman Games, with Aeryn Rudel being the developer on the book.  Sadly due to 4e not really supporting third party products since everyone was using DDI, this book never saw print (though Joseph Goodman, gentleman that he is, is paying the appropriate kill fees).  Both Aeryn and Joseph are good people and I would love to work with them again.

The Time Pact

Time is one of the fundamental forces of the universe, ever moving on, tearing down peasant and king alike. Time sees mountains turn to dust, kingdoms rise and fall, and even gods come and go.  Some gods claim purview over time, but there are other arbiters of its flow besides the divine.  These rare custodians of time work to make sure everything enters and leaves existence on a proper schedule, which is a lot of work to be sure.  To that end they have sometimes recruited mortals to assist in their duties, granting them powers over time in exchange for help on smaller tasks.  These powers can create the very paradoxes the masters of time hope to avoid, but sometimes allowing smaller problems to exist enables you to deal with larger problems.  Most time pact warlocks are eladrin, elves, or dwarves due to the perspective their already long lifespan gives them, but all races have been called to serve at one time or another. 

You have managed to tap into the fundamental power of time through bargains with the creatures that control it, allowing you to ravage your enemies with the passage of years in a few seconds while you keep yourself safe on borrowed time.  Through the manipulation of time you are able to confuse your enemies, warping their perceptions as they are shunted through time and space. 

Temporal Shock: You know the temporal shock at-will spell. 

Timelost Aura: You have the power to take time from others and use it to your own ends, warping time to aid in your defense. 

When an enemy under your Warlock’s Curse is reduced to 0 hit points or fewer add one to your Timelost Aura.  Your Timelost Aura has a starting value of 0, and it resets to 0 whenever you take a short rest or an extended rest. 

Once per round, you may use your Timelost Aura to take an additional action at any point during your turn. This costs a number of points from your Timelost Aura depending on the action; if you do not have the necessary points in your Timelost Aura for a desired action you cannot take that type of action.  Minor actions require 2 point from your Timelost Aura, while move actions require 4 points, and standard actions 6 points. 

Level 1 At-Will Powers

Temporal Shock                                            Warlock (Time) Attack 1

Time starts and stops around your target according to your whim, making it painful for the target to act. 

At-Will * Arcane, Implement, Psychic

Standard Action                    Ranged 10

Target: One creature

Attack: Charisma vs. Will

Hit: 1d6 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and if the target takes more than a single action during their turn, such as taking a move and a standard action, it suffers an additional 1d6 + Charisma modifier psychic damage. 

Increase damage and extra damage to 2d6 + Constitution modifier at 21st level. 

Level 1 Encounter Powers

Repetitious Assault                                        Warlock (Time) Attack 1

Skipping through time, you launch a pair of attacks by repeating the same seconds twice. 

Encounter * Arcane, Implement

Standard Action                    Personal

Effect: You may make two attacks using your at-will powers. 

Time Pact: Each attack gains a damage bonus equal to your Intelligence modifier. 

Teleport Strike                                              Warlock (Time) Attack 1

You shift your enemy through time and space, moving him across the battlefield. 

Encounter * Arcane, Implement, Psychic, Teleport

Standard Action                    Ranged 10

Target: One creature

Attack: Charisma vs. Will

Hit: 2d8 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and you teleport the target 3 squares. 

Time Pact: You teleport the target a number of squares equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.

Level 1 Daily Powers

Slowstrike                                                      Warlock (Time) Attack 1

Slowing the time stream around the target, you force his movements to slow to a crawl as the world continues around him as a blur. 

Daily * Arcane, Implement, Psychic

Standard Action                    Ranged 10

Target: One creature

Attack: Charisma vs. Will

Hit: 3d8 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, the target is slowed, and suffers a -2 penalty to Reflex defense and AC until the end of your next turn. 

Time Ripple                                                   Warlock (Time) Attack 1

You disrupt the timeline of your target, shocking his system, as the world seems to start and stop around him.  Those caught near the target are caught in the ripples of distorted time this creates, slowing their progress through the time stream.   

Daily * Arcane, Implement, Psychic

Standard Action                    Ranged 10

Target: One creature

Attack: Charisma vs. Will

Hit: 3d6 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and the target is dazed and slowed until the end of your next turn. Creatures adjacent to the target are slowed until the end of your next turn.

Level 2 Utility Spells

Through the Veil of the Possible                  Warlock (Time) Utility 2

You only see indistinct shadows of possible futures, but even from these shadows, you can get some idea of what paths you should take. 

Daily * Arcane

Minor Action                         Personal

Effect: For any attack roll, skill check, or saving throw made immediately following the use of this power, you may make two rolls and use the better of the two. 

Slipping Between Seconds                            Warlock (Time) Utility 2

You skip across the battlefield, traveling between the seconds to make yourself a very difficult target to keep up with. 

Daily * Arcane, Teleportation

Move Action                          Personal

Effect: You teleport 3 squares. Then, after your turn, the first time you are targeted with an attack, you can teleport an additional 3 squares as an immediate interrupt. 

Level 3 Encounter Powers

A Rock in the River of Time                        Warlock (Time) Attack 3

You unhook your target from the passage of time for a few seconds, leaving him defenseless as the world continues on around him.  If he does not will himself back to the time stream it only gets worse. 

Encounter * Arcane, Implement, Psychic

Standard Action                    Ranged 10

Target: One creature

Attack: Charisma vs. Willpower

Hit: 2d6 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and the target is stunned until the end of its next turn.  

Time Pact: The target also takes additional damage equal to your Intelligence modifier.

Ravages of Time                                            Warlock (Time) Attack 3

Spinning far forward in the time stream, you unleash the horrors of aging on your target, giving him a preview of his last living days. 

Encounter * Arcane, Implement, Psychic

Standard Action                    Ranged 10

Target: One creature

Attack: Charisma vs. Fortitude

Hit: 2d10 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and the target takes a -2 penalty to Fortitude defense until the end of your next turn. 

Time Pact: The penalty to Fortitude defense is equal to 2 + your Intelligence modifier. 

Level 5 Daily Spells

Temporal Escape                                          Warlock (Time) Attack 5

Time parts ways for you, allowing you to move across the battlefield in the blink of an eye.  Unfortunately, those near where you were standing suffer the temporal backlash this creates. 

Daily * Arcane, Implement, Teleportation

Standard Action                    Close burst 1

Effect: You teleport 6 squares. The burst effect emanates from the square you leave.

Target: Each creature in burst

Attack: Charisma vs. Will

Hit: 2d10 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and the target is dazed until the end of your next turn. 

Tempo of Pain                                               Warlock (Time) Daily 5

You warp time ever so slightly in the body of your enemy, throwing off his internal functions as his body operates out of synch.  If not quelled, it can quickly lead to a heart attack or aneurism. 

Daily * Arcane, Implement, Poison

Standard Action                    Ranged 10

Target: One creature

Attack: Charisma vs. Fortitude

Hit: 3d8 + Charisma modifier poison damage, and the target takes ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends). 

Level 6 Utility Spells

Slowing the Arrow’s Flight                          Warlock (Time) Utility 6

By slowing your perception of time, you are able to avoid attacks that would otherwise strike you.

Encounter * Arcane

Immediate Interrupt             Personal

Trigger: You are targeted by an attack. 

Effect: You apply a -4 penalty to all attack rolls against you until the beginning of your next turn, including the attack that triggered this spell.

Level 7 Encounter Spells

Time Steal                                                      Warlock (Time) Attack 7

You steal some life span from your target and give it to an ally, granting your companion more reserves of stamina to call upon. 

Encounter * Arcane, Healing, Implement, Psychic

Standard Action                    Ranged 10

Attack: Charisma vs. Will

Hit: 2d8 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and one ally adjacent to you regains a healing surge. 

Time Pact: The ally also gains temporary hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier. 

Pushed Outside of Time                               Warlock (Time) Attack 7

Using a temporal prison left beyond time by ancient powers now forgotten, you pull your target from the time stream for a short time.  During this time he is out of synch with the world around him and cannot properly focus on his enemies.   

Encounter * Arcane, Implement, Psychic, Teleport

Standard Action                    Ranged 10

Attack: Charisma vs. Will

Hit: 2d10 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and the target cannot target you or your allies until the end of your next turn. 

Time Pact: The target gains a bonus to the damage roll equal to your Intelligence modifier. 

Level 9 Daily Spells     

Time Is the Fire in Which We Burn            Warlock (Time) Attack 9

Vastly speeding up time for your target, you send him through the throes of aging before bringing him back at an equally overwhelming pace.  The target is left to weather the vast temporal damage on his own.  

Daily * Arcane, Implement, Psychic

Standard Action                    Ranged 10

Target: One creature

Attack: Charisma vs. Will

Hit: 3d8 + Constitution modifier psychic damage, and the target takes ongoing 5 psychic damage (save ends). 

First Failed Save: The target takes ongoing 10 psychic damage (save ends).

Second Failed Save: The target takes ongoing 10 psychic damage (save ends).

Miss: Half damage, and no ongoing damage. 

Delaying Strike                                              Warlock (Time) Attack 9

Pulling your enemy slightly from the time stream, you push his actions with the flow of time, causing him to miss his best opportunity to attack in the near future.

Daily * Arcane, Implement, Psychic

Standard Action                    Ranged 10

Target: One creature

Attack: Charisma vs. Will

Hit: 2d10 + Constitution modifier psychic damage, and the target loses its standard action on its next turn. 

Miss: Half damage. 

Level 10 Utility

Storm of Curses                                            Warlock (Time) Utility 10

You unleash a hail of curses at your enemies in the space between seconds.

Daily * Arcane

Standard Action                    Area burst 3 within 10 squares

Target: All enemies in burst

Effect: All targets are under the effects of your Warlock’s Curse.  They do not suffer any damage due to magic items normally associated with being cursed.

Level 13 Encounter Spells

Temporal Switch                                           Warlock (Time) Attack 13

Binding two of your enemies together in the time stream, you switch their anchors to time and space, causing them to instantly switch places. 

Encounter * Arcane, Implement, Psychic, Teleport

Standard Action                    Ranged 10

Target: Two creatures within 10 squares of each other

Attack: Charisma vs. Will

Hit: 2d10 + Charisma modifier psychic damage. If both attacks hit, the two targets switch places. 

Time Pact: Each target suffers a penalty to its attack rolls equal to your Intelligence modifier until the end of its next turn. 

Disorienting Timeshift                                  Warlock (Time) Attack 13

You shift time slightly in your vicinity, skewing the perceptions of those you have cursed. 

Encounter * Arcane

Standard Action                    Area burst 3 with 10 squares

Target: All creatures in area that are under the effect of your Warlock’s Curse. 

Attack: Charisma vs. Will

Hit: 2d8 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and the target suffer a -2 penalty to attack rolls and Will defense until the end of your next turn.          

Time Pact: The target suffers a penalty to Will defense equal to 2 + your Intelligence modifier until the end of your next turn. 

Level 15 Daily Spells

Paradox Strike                                              Warlock (Time) Attack 15

You place tangles in the skein of time, causing the target to be assaulted by a number of paradoxes, each of which threatens his existence in the time stream. Unfortunately for you, this causes damage to your own time stream in the process. 

Daily * Arcane, Implement, Psychic

Standard Action                    Ranged 10

Target: One creature

Attack: Charisma vs. Will

Hit: 5d10 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and the target is dazed until the end of your next turn. 

Effect: You take 1d10 psychic damage. 

Sustain Standard:  Make a Charisma vs. Will attack against the target. On a hit the target takes 3d10 + Charisma modifier psychic damage and you take 1d10 psychic damage.  On a miss the spell ends. 

Miss: Half damage, and the target is not dazed. 

Second Chance Strike                                   Warlock (Time) Attack 15

Rearranging the sands of time you take time from your enemy and give it to an ally, allowing them to regain the use of abilities previously expended. 

Daily * Arcane, Implement, Psychic

Standard Action                    Ranged 10

Target: One creature

Attack: Charisma vs. Will

Hit: 3d10 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and the target may only use basic attacks until the end of your next turn.  One adjacent ally regains an encounter power. 

Miss: Half damage, the target may act normally, and no powers are regained. 

Level 16 Utility Spells

Time Slip                                                        Warlock (Time) Utility 16

You slow time for a short time, giving your allies extra time while your enemies lose precious seconds at the cost of their mental stamina. 

Daily * Arcane

Standard Action                    Close burst 3

Target: All allies in burst

Effect: Each ally can take a standard action as an immediate reaction.  This actions does not provoke attacks of opportunity.  An ally who chooses to take this action takes 1d10 psychic damage. 

Level 17 Encounter Spells

Stasis                                                               Warlock (Time) Attack 17

Freezing your target in time, you make it impossible for your target to attack or be attacked.  The strain on keeping a target locked in the time stream for long is immense. 

Encounter * Arcane, Implement, Psychic

Standard Action                    Ranged 10

Target: One creature

Attack: Charisma vs. Will

Hit: 3d10 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and the target is in stasis until the beginning of your next turn.  While in stasis, the target can take no actions but also is immune to all forms of attack and damage.  While in stasis, the target does not make saving throws and any ongoing effects still affect the target until it leaves stasis.

Time Pact: After the target is out of stasis, the target suffers a penalty to its Will defense equal to your Intelligence modifier until the end of its next turn. 

Shield of Time                                               Warlock (Time) Attack 17

By stealing a few seconds from your enemy, you build up a storehouse of precious seconds you can use to defend yourself from the target’s attacks in the future. 

Encounter * Arcane, Implement, Psychic

Standard Action                    Ranged 10

Target: One creature

Attack: Charisma vs. Will

Hit: 3d8 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and the target is dazed until the end of your next turn.  Before the encounter ends, you can force the target to reroll one attack roll as an immediate interrupt. 

Time Pact: The target takes a penalty to the rerolled attack equal to your Intelligence modifier. 

Level 19 Daily Spells

Temporal Assault                                          Warlock (Time) Attack 19

Forcefully drawing time from your opponent, you allow it to spread out from him and into your nearby allies.  This gives them an extra few seconds to strike your opponent. 

Daily * Arcane, Implement, Psychic

Standard Action                    Ranged 10

Target: One creature

Attack: Charisma vs. Will

Hit: 3d10 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and all adjacent allies can make a melee basic attack against the target as a free action. 

Miss: Half damage, and adjacent allies do not get to attack. 

Barrage Through Time                                Warlock (Time) Attack 19

Slowing your passage through time to a crawl, you launch a series of attacks at your enemies, allowing you to spray an area before your enemies have a chance to react. 

Daily * Arcane, Implement

Standard Action                    Area burst 2 within 10 squares

Target: All enemies in area

Effect: You may use an at-will power to attack every target in the area, and the targets may not use immediate interrupt actions in response to your attacks.  All the targets must be attacked with the same at-will power. 

Level 22 Utility Spells

Suffer Without Recourse                             Warlock (Time) Utility 22

You draw out the suffering of those you have cursed, making it difficult for them to throw off the shackles of continuing threats. 

Daily * Arcane

Minor Action                         Area burst 1 within 10 squares

Target: Each enemy in the area affected by your Warlock’s Curse

Effect: The target automatically fails any saving throws made before the end of your next turn. 

Level 23 Encounter Spells

Stolen Time                                                    Warlock (Time) Attack 23

Calling up your timelost aura, you draw in time from all those nearby, charging up your aura. 

Encounter * Arcane, Implement, Psychic

Standard Action                    Close burst 2

Target: All creatures in area

Attack: Charisma vs. Will

Hit: 2d8 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and you gain one point to your Timelost Aura per target hit that is currently affected by your Warlock’s Curse. 

Time Pact: The target suffers additional psychic damage equal to your Intelligence modifier.

Disjointed Interruption                                 Warlock (Time) Attack 25

Decoupling cause and effect for a short time, you make it nigh impossible for your target to react to threats in a timely manner. 

Encounter* Arcane, Implement, Psychic

Standard Action                    Ranged 10

Attack: Charisma vs. Will

Hit: 4d8 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and the target may not use immediate interrupt actions, immediate reaction actions, or make attacks of opportunity until the end of your next turn. 

Miss: Half damage, and the target cannot use immediate interrupt actions, immediate reaction actions, or make attacks of opportunity until the start of your next turn. 

Level 25 Daily Spells

Bound Through the Ages                             Warlock (Time) Attack 25

Linking your time flow with the target, you limit his actions while limiting your own.  This is a painful experience for both of you, but more so for you.

Daily * Arcane, Implement, Psychic 

Standard Action                    Ranged 10

Target: One creature

Attack: Charisma vs. Will

Hit: 2d10 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and the target cannot take a standard action on his next turn. 

Sustain Standard: Make a Charisma vs. Will attack against the target.  If successful you take 1d12 psychic damage and the target may not take a standard action on its next turn.  On a miss the spell ends. 

Sustain Move: Make a Charisma vs. Will attack against the target.  If successful you take 1d10 psychic damage, and the target may not take a move action on its next turn.  On a miss the spell ends. 

Sustain Minor: Make a Charisma vs. Will attack against the target.  If successful you take 1d8 psychic damage, and the target may not take a minor action on its next turn.  On a miss the spell ends. 

Time Pact: Reduce the damage from sustaining this power by your Intelligence modifier. 

Time Drain                                                    Warlock (Time) Attack 25

Boring a hole in the time stream, you create an increasingly large void in the target’s flow of time, making it harder and harder for him to keep up with those around them. 

Encounter * Arcane, Implement, Psychic

Standard Action                    Ranged 10

Target: One creature

Attack: Charisma vs. Will

Hit: 3d10 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and the target loses its minor action each turn  (save ends).

First Failed Save: The target loses its move action each turn, so it can only take one standard action each turn. (save ends all).

Second Failed Save: The target loses its standard action each turn. (save ends all).   

Miss: Half damage, and the target loses its minor action on its next turn.    

Level 27 Encounter Spells

Paradox Field                                    Warlock (Time) Attack 27

Tearing the time stream asunder you damage the timelines of all creatures in your vicinity, causing vast damage to them as their personal histories are rearranged in the wake of your efforts. 

Encounter * Arcane, Implement, Psychic

Standard Action                    Area burst 2 in 10 squares

Target: All creatures in area

Attack: Charisma vs. Will

Hit: 2d10 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and the target is dazed until the end of its next turn. 

Time Pact: The target suffers a penalty to Will defense equal to your Intelligence modifier until the end of your next turn.

The Torture of Better Days             Warlock (Time) Attack 27

Winding back the clock, you flood your target with visions of his life’s most cherished moments, drawing his attention to these past days and away from the battlefield. 

Encounter * Arcane, Implement, Psychic

Standard Action                    Ranged 10

Target: One creature

Attack: Charisma vs. Will

Hit: 3d10 + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and the target is stunned until the end of its next turn.   

Time Pact: The target suffers a penalty to Reflex defense and AC equal to your Intelligence modifier until the end of your next turn. 

Level 29 Daily Spells

Entropic Annihilation                       Warlock (Time) Attack 29

Traveling quickly back in time, you make alterations to the target’s history that threaten to wipe it from existence completely.  This does tie you to the target’s time stream for a short time, so it is not without risks. 

Daily * Arcane, Implement, Psychic

Standard Action                    Ranged 10

Attack: Charisma vs. Will

Hit: 9d10 + Charisma modifier psychic damage.  Both you and the target suffer ongoing 20 psychic damage (save ends).  If either of you make your saving throw the ongoing damage ends for both of you.  You may willingly fail your save.

Miss: Half damage, and no ongoing damage. 

Time Storm                                        Warlock (Time) Attack 29

You tear time and space asunder, sending your enemy teleporting wildly about as he slides through the time space continuum.

Daily * Arcane, Implement, Psychic, Teleportation

Standard Action                                Ranged 10

Target: One creature

Attack: Charisma vs. Will

Hit: 4d10 + Constitution modifier psychic damage, the target teleports 5 squares, and target suffers ongoing 5 psychic damage (save ends).

First Failed Save: The target teleports 7 squares and suffers ongoing 10 psychic damage (save ends).  

Second Failed Save: The target teleports 9 squares and suffers ongoing 15 psychic damage (save ends). 

Each Additional Failed Save: The target teleports 9 squares and suffers ongoing 15 psychic damage (save ends). 

Miss: Half damage, and the target teleports 5 squares. 

Next time will include feats and items for Time Pact Warlocks, plus a prestige class.