The lantern warlock subclass from Obojima: Tales from the Tall Grass is a radiant blend of spirit magic, support casting, and battlefield utility. These warlocks form a pact with a powerful spirit and channel its essence through a mystical lantern that acts as both a focus and a conduit.
This bond grants a unique array of abilities—from granting allies saving throw bonuses to using the lantern as a spiritual weapon or a remote viewing tool. Whether you’re seeking a support-oriented warlock or a versatile spellcaster with an eerie glow, the lantern warlock shines as a brilliant and flavorful choice among the otherDungeons & Dragonssubclasses.
Lantern Warlock Highlights
The core of a lantern warlock is, as you might expect,their lantern. They use their lantern’s lightto control the battlefieldin various ways, be itaiding allies, harming foes, or the literal illumination of dark areas; this isn’t your dark and brooding warlock.
The Lantern
The lantern for these warlocks is as key to their featuresas a spellbook is for a wizard, but there are no specifications for what happens if the lantern is lost or destroyed. Ideally, it should work like many other key items found in Invocations or other classes:you may make a new one during a short rest, destroying the previous one if it was still around.
Lantern warlocks gain no new spells, so consider the features of the lantern carefully before committing to the subclass.
The Obojima subclasses are made forthe 2014 rules of Dungeons & Dragons, but adapting the lantern features for the 2024 rules isn’t really an issue. Simplyhave your character gain all the level one features at level three, and then you can gain the rest of the features as normal.
1
Illuminating Aura
Give a bonus to saving throws to anyone standing in your bright light, or deal radiant damage to enemies failing saves on your dim light.
Your light reveals invisible creatures and objects.
6
Oracle Illumination
You can cast Clairvoyance further than one mile, but the target needs to be a light source.
10
Deal area radiant damage from your lantern and blind enemies.
14
Brighter Still
Improved Illuminating Aura, and you can cast Find the Path for free.
Best Eldritch Invocations
The different Pactsare now Invocationswith the updated 2024 rules, meaning thatyou can combine them at your leisure. However,Pact of the Blade is not recommended, since you need to keep your enemiesbetween 20 and 40 feet from youso your lantern is most effective.
Pact of the Chain gives youan additional unit to control the battlefield, and Pact of the Tome grants youseveral spells, something notably lacking from the subclass. To deal with enemies that get dangerously close,Repelling Blast can easily push them backinto the dim light of your lantern.
Best Species Options
To improve your spellcasting abilities, especially if youdon’t take the Pact of the Tome Invocation, a species such asHigh Elfcan make up for what you’re lacking. Fora more Obojima-centric choice, the nakudama can easily reposition themselves around the battlefieldwith a bonus action, key to keeping your allies and enemies under your light.
Best Stat Placements
Charisma, Dexterity and Constitutionare the main stats you should focus on, since they are what you need toattack, avoid damage, and survive, respectively. Your Wisdomshould be at least ten, so you can have average saves against most negative ailments.
Best Spells For Lantern Warlocks
You shouldn’t feel obligated to useEldritch Blast as your main cantrip, at least not with the 2024 Player’s Handbook in mind. This is because the Agonizing and Repelling Blast Invocationscan be used on other cantripswith the updated rules, andToll the Dead is ideal for lantern warlockswho want their enemies to be failing saving throws.
When choosing overall spells, consider things thathelp you better position yourselforcontrol enemies’ movement, such as Expeditious Retreat or Hold Person. Once you have access to level three spells,the Undead Spirit can greatly aid youat both dealing damage and controlling the battlefield, at least on its putrid variant.
Best Starting Equipment
If you arestarting as a lantern warlock(either by using the 2014 rules or by starting at level three with the 2024 ones), thenyou don’t have a use for much of the starting equipment.Your lanternis your arcane focus, and the Scholar’s Pack gives you a regular lanternthat you don’t need.
You’ll be better offtaking the 100 gold piecesand buying leather armor;you won’t need melee weaponswhen you have your harmful cantrips. You might want to take some rations, but that strongly depends on the type of campaignyour character is about to go through.
Best Feats And Backgrounds
If you’re using the 2024 Player’s Handbook, thenyour background choice is crucial for your stats. Charlatan is perfectfor nearly all warlocks, since it gives access to upgraded Charisma, Dexterity and/or Constitution.
As for feats,if you choose the nakudama speciesthen you may take one of their exclusive feats, particularlythe Nakudama’s Toxin Bloodline. This feat lets you spit poison in an area,forcing a saving throwfrom all enemies in the area, something thatsynergizes perfectlywith your lantern features.
Best Multiclassing Options
It isn’t advised to multiclassas a lantern warlock, since the lantern itselfwill feel lacklusterwithout all of its upgrades later on. At level ten, however,the lantern peaks in utility, so that is a good point to invest in something widely different,like monks or rangers, due to their mobility.
With the 2014 rules, however, you could takea single level of warlockto gain the initial lantern features, and combine itwith a multitude of classes. Druids are ideal here, sincethey can Wild Shapeinto any number of creatures that canstill hold the lanternwhile casting their spells.
