DnD 5E has some confusing terminology but if you’ve wanted to play a Warlock, played in a game with a Warlock, or just browsed your Player’s Handbook (PHB) you’ve probably come across Warlock Patrons. In this article, we’ll explain what a patron is, what it gives you, and provide a list of all the currently published patrons, along with their features.
What are Warlock Patrons?
Warlocks draw their magic from making a bargain with a powerful entity that isn’t a deity. A Warlock’s patron acts as their subclass, imparting their features and a lot of the flavor of playing that particular Warlock. A patron may ask their Warlocks to act in certain ways or do certain tasks, but a Warlock is not bound to follow their patron. In fact, some Warlocks actively work against evil patrons, turning their own power against them.
You choose your patron at 1st level and gain features from it at 1st, 6th, 10th, and 14th levels. Your patron also gives you access to an expanded list of spells, these spells are not on the Warlock spell list, but still contribute towards your allowance of spells known as shown in the Warlock class table (PHB, p. 106).
