5 D&D Warlock Patrons as Fictional Characters
Your warlock’s patron determines what their powers are and where they come from, but what does that look like in popular media?
Okay we all know that Warlock Patrons are one of the coolest parts about playing a Warlock, especially since there are many different ways to interpret exactly who your patron is. You might swear an oath to an Archfey or a Unicorn or an Infernal beast–but take a look at some of these more familiar options for flavoring your patrons…
Archfey
“Your patron is a lord or lady of the fey, a creature of legend who holds secrets that were forgotten before the mortal races were born. This being’s motivations are often inscrutable, and sometimes whimsical, and might involve a striving for greater magical power or the settling of age-old grudges. Beings of this sort include the Prince of Frost; the Queen of Air and Darkness, ruler of the Gloaming Court; Titania of the Summer Court; her consort Oberon, the Green Lord; Hyrsam, the Prince of Fools; and ancient hags.”
Marinette Dupain-Cheng / Ladybug: If you haven’t seen Miraculous Ladybug, I can only describe it as more Sailor Moon than Sailor Moon. It’s delightfully cheesy and follows Marinette and sometimes a few of her classmates as they are gifted magic powers by tiny ancient creatures called Kwamis so that they can save Paris and presumably the world on a weekly basis. While not the Fey Court that you’re imagining, Kwamis are effectively fairies choosing patrons for reasons that aren’t always immediately obvious to the characters (The audience is usually pretty aware, it’s not a deep show.) and allowing them to take on super human personas and master otherworldly feats.
Fiend
“You have made a pact with a fiend from the lower planes of existence, a being whose aims are evil, even if you strive against those aims. Such beings desire the corruption or destruction of all things, ultimately including you. Fiends powerful enough to forge a pact include demon lords such as Demogorgon, Orcus, Fraz’Urb-luu, and Baphomet; archdevils such as Asmodeus, Dispater, Mephistopheles, and Belial; pit fiends and balors that are especially mighty; and ultroloths and other lords of the yugoloths.”
Eleven: Pretty much every sentence of that description struck an “El” chord for me. Her powers were groomed and grown using the evil of a “lower” plane and though she’s so deeply connected to it she is constantly fighting against corruption and destruction from that plane. A little on the nose since they mentioned the Demogorgon? Perhaps. But I think the writers of the show knew what they were doing.
Great Old One
“Your patron is a mysterious entity whose nature is utterly foreign to the fabric of reality. It might come from the Far Realm, the space beyond reality, or it could be one of the elder gods known only in legends. Its motives are incomprehensible to mortals, and its knowledge so immense and ancient that even the greatest libraries pale in comparison to the vast secrets it holds. The Great Old One might be unaware of your existence or entirely indifferent to you, but the secrets you have learned allow you to draw your magic from it.”
Gideon Gleeful: If you’re willing to say that Bill Cypher can be considered a Great Old One comparable with the more classic and mainstream eldritch horrors – which I am – then Gideon’s pact with him in season one would make him fit this description to a T. He ends up not wanting to work for an evil triangle god, no matter how good the benefits might have been, but it’s a long road of evil deals and bodily possessions to get there.
Hexblade
“You have made your pact with a mysterious entity from the Shadowfell – a force that manifests in sentient magic weapons carved from the stuff of shadow. The mighty sword Blackrazor is the most notable of these weapons, which have been spread across the multiverse over the ages. The shadowy force behind these weapons can offer power to warlocks who form pacts with it. Many hexblade warlocks create weapons that emulate those formed in the Shadowfell. Others forgo such arms, content to weave the dark magic of that plane into their spellcasting.”
Adora / Shera: A mysterious pact? Magic weapons that have been around the multiverse for ages and give the user powers? These descriptions fit a lot of characters, but She-Ra is probably one of my favorites. While Hexblade sounds a little more dark and foreboding on paper, characters who use their mysterious shadowy magic for good and happiness is perfectly exemplified in Adora.
Celestial
“Your patron is a powerful being of the Upper Planes. You have bound yourself to an ancient empyrean, solar, ki-rin, unicorn, or other entity that resides in the planes of everlasting bliss. Your pact with that being allows you to experience the barest touch of the holy light that illuminates the multiverse.”
It’s time to d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-duel!
Yugi Mutou: Having your patron borrow your body to get you through trials, tribulations, and extra difficult games of cards is one of the most Celestial Warlock things I can think of. While it turns out Yami Yugi was more of a hitchhiking ghost than a god, the powers and assistance were undeniable.
Which warlock patron is your favorite? Who would you have chosen for each type? Let us know in the comments!
Happy Adventuring!
