Patrons, Powers and Punishments in D&D 5E: So Many Classes Get Their Powers From a Higher Power … But at What Price?

3 Wise DMs

Patrons and punishments have been a part of D&D since 1st Edition’s paladins had to toe the line or get busted down to fighter status by an angry deity. But with so many classes drawing their powers from gods, devils and monsters in 5e — and not really getting any better deal than the wizard who studied, sorcerer who was born with it, barbarian who’s too angry to die, or the bard who just has to rock out with his glockenspiel out — how can the DM handle these patron relationships in a way that feels cool but doesn’t become unfair compared to the other classes?

In this episode, Thorin, Tony and Dave talk about how they’ve played with patrons in past editions and how they treat them now in 5E — including mistakes they’ve made, tricks they’ve used, and the redemption stories that came about as characters tried to get back in a higher being’s good graces.

2:00 A Reader Question: How do you DM patrons that gift powers to PCs?

3:00 How much control does the patron have over the character, especially when comparing older editions to what players and the game expect today?

5:00 In the Name of Fun: How WotC closed the power delta that justified stripping powers from some classes for roleplay

7:00 Handling patron/deity behavior violations with roleplay and adventure fodder

11:00 What does the patron get from the PC’s service?

19:00 “I just want to play an infernal pact warlock; I don’t want a deal with a devil!” When players are not down with patron play

24:00 Are warlock, cleric, or paladin powers worth the risk when other classes get theirs for free?

31:00 What is the best way to take powers away if the character transgresses?

39:00 Redemption arcs: How our Curse of Strahd characters overcame their fall in the Amber Temple

43:00 The punishment has to fit the crime: How does a fallen character redeem themselves?

54:00 How do you create a patron for a character that wants to multiclass into a patronage mid-game

64:00 Final thoughts