Warlock Class Color Guide for DnD & Beyond

While some are born with magic, and others study to master it, the warlock instead finds it in forbidden places through entities willing to share a fraction of their power. These beings lie in spaces few have tread, touch realities hardly a soul has witnessed or hold domain over places most dare not go. These entities are not quite gods but no where near mortal and whether through pursuit, coincidence or deception the warlock comes into contact with these beings and is granted magic in return. Of course nothing is freely given, there is always a price to pay in one form or another, and thus the Pact is born. In a lot of ways this pact is what makes it fun to play a warlock, as it adds an extra layer to your roll playing.

Just like the Cleric the Pact you choose can say a lot about your character, and yet you don't want this sole aspect to dictate the entirety of your character and so building an interesting warlock can be a challenge. In this article we will cover three varieties of warlock with the color pie as our guide, as well as decide on a core color for the class, the color you will most often associate the with the class and finally I will end the article with an explanation on how each color is reflected in the warlock, that way you can mix and match to craft your own. With the help of this article, and the use of the color pie, I am confident that you will have the to tools you need to craft a more interesting and dynamic Warlock for your dungeons and dragons campaigns.

At the heart of your typical Warlock is the pursuit of power through alternative means. It's magic granted from an outside source typically through a deal made which benefits both parties involved, even if the warlock might not realize that the deal favors the entity more than them, as it's rare for an eternal being to grant such magic if it didn't serve their own purposes first. This informs us that the Warlock is willing to take risks and depend on its cunning to reach for that forbidden magic, which already tells us a lot about the core color of the warlock. Before we continue I want to take a look at what Wizards of the coast chose as the color for the warlock in the set adventures in the forgotten realms and decide if we agree with their choice or not.

Pulling up the card we see that they decided on mono Black for the Warlock and for the most part I agree with this assumption. For one Black takes the straightest route forward to what it desires, and in this case makes a deal or pact in order to circumvent traditional means of acquiring its abilities. A pact, while similar to a cleric's devotion is different in that it's less subservient and more a product of the warlock getting what it desires in exchange for what it can bring to the table for its Patron. While some may stumble into this arrangement or pact, it none the less requires a willingness to follow through on the deal in order to maintain their power.

This idea also shows that the warlock believes itself clever, perhaps foolishly perceiving an end to its service. The presence of Black also tells us that the warlock would rather not lean on studying or at least in traditional routes toward magic, but rather it will grasp at power that others would consider forbidden all with the goal of gaining what it wants. This idea is at the heart of the base warlock and thus I am comfortable with choosing this as its core color. Black is the color who resists servitude and yet is willing to do what it takes to gain what it wants, this is why we see Black characters lean into things like criminal organizations. Groups where each member would grasp for control if it were possible but will work within a structure if it means they get what they want out of it as well.

If you noticed I did say that I I mostly agree with Black as the core color for the warlock, but in the case of this class I would posit that there is a secondary core color as well and for that I would choose blue. In some cases where Black is not present Blue takes over as a core color in that Blue searches for answers and is the color that does not fear where those answers come from. In that it may hear of beings outside of reality whose whispers may cause madness and it would be intrigued not repelled. Also no knowledge can be considered forbidden or out of reach and in that way the warlock may come into contact with a Patron out of curiosity and a desire to understand the unknown rather than be driven by a hunger for power. With all of that said I believe you could consider bother Black and Blue to be core colors for the warlock but not so much in a way that the warlock is black blue but rather in how it would be blue or black and indeed sometimes both. Now let's get into some examples of Warlocks and I think you will begin to understand what I mean, starting with the Black Green Blue Warlock

Black Green Blue

There are beings out there beyond our comprehension, ancient ones who hold sway over our realm and yet most are unaware of their presence. These otherworldly beings hold on to lost knowledge of a time before time and of the space between reality. You could see how this would spark curiosity in some, and in the case of our first Warlock this is what we find. Our warlock in this case was a simple person with a curious and investigative mind. One who heard of dark whispers in shadowy corners and followed them to a town where things just didn't seem right. Our Warlock has an extensive knowledge when it comes to history and lore and has spent their life looking into tales of such beings. One night while combing through some books they hear a whisper in a tongue they don't quite recognize and yet holds similarities to a language lost, one they have studied.

This character follows the gripping tendrils of this voice and is lead to a cave where odd hand paintings can be found decorating the stone. The whisper becomes louder and it feels as if it directed at them, and so they move deeper and deeper inside. Then they are hit with something, a vision and yet its more than a vision because it feels all to real, because it is real. Where they stand now there is no footing to be found, just space and in some way time. A figure looms overhead, larger than anything they have seen before, once again it speaks to them in that odd language and yet they can now understand every word. The entity makes a pact with them, stating they will allow them a fraction of their power, but at a cost. There is something they need the warlock to do for them. It doesn't take much convincing when your in the presence of something so grand and all together horrifying, something you have spent years searching for. This night changes the warlock forever, granting them magic beyond reality. Let's discuss the colors to learn more about who this warlock is and why they would consider such a deal.

For one we can look to Black which makes the pact with its new Patron possible. Most people would be struck with fear and recoil at working with such a being and yet with Black present this isn't an issue. Black is willing to do what it takes to get what it wants and doesn't have any problem taking orders from beings with bad intentions, so long as those intentions facilitate their own goals. Then there is Blue, the driving force to even seek out what is hidden. At the heart of this character is the desire to understand the unknown and that has lead them to encounter such a Patron. If it weren't for their Blue side they would never have gone down that path.

Finally we have Green an interesting factor into all of this but a valid addition none the less. Green doesn't see things in such simple terms and is instead accepting of that which has always been, and of the existences outside of our scope which influence the world around them. Green is also fascinated with ancient lore and the history that ties all peoples together. Green in many ways is the appreciation of such an entity and of the acceptance of its role in the grander scheme of things. I could spend a lot of time talking about this sort of character because I find it so interesting but in the interest of keeping this concise lets move onto the next warlock example. For this we will remove Blue and Green and add in Red.

Black Red

Sometimes power for its own sake is enough motivation for a warlock and that is the case with the Black Red warlock. They hunger for what is not theirs and will take any path to get it, even if that means making deals with Demons. Some who study magic are patient, curious and devoted but there are some who want it all right away and that is the case with this character. When they were young they tried, oh they tired and nothing would stick. Their lessons would go nowhere and their mentor began to lose faith in them. One night this character decided to run away, they couldn't take this schooling anymore; the rigid structures and tough lessons were stifling and what's more is that they were getting nothing in return.

It's hard to say what takes for a mortal catch a demons eye but they do look for particular souls. Ones with nothing to lose and everything to gain and in the case of our Red Black warlock nothing could be a better description. It's out in this late evening with the sun setting and the sky turning black, save for the stars dotting the sky, where our warlock is taken away to a realm like no other. Darkness is complete here, no stars in the sky to light the way, just a single fire and a throne of bone in the distance. This warlock, still young is somehow not afraid, as if they expected something like this to happen. They knew they had greatness in them and it was a matter of time before their confidence in themselves were to manifest in some way. They march forward without a second thought, a pact is made, and power is granted.

Let us now take a closer look at our character and their colors to understand where the Red and Black come from and the function they serve. Black and Red when combined is the least patient of all color combination. They don't want to sit around and wait for life to come to them they wish instead to grip life by the horns and pull it in, wrestle it to their will. In this way we see why our character was unable to focus on their studies and in turn not gain magic in the traditional sense, instead opting for the fast route. Black is the wrestles ambition in this situation and Red, well Red is the haste at the heart. The desire to act instead of sit, to enjoy life and everything that comes with it. As well with Red present they do not second guess an offer from a being who obviously has bad intentions, they got what they wanted and that's what matters. This combination leads to a warlock who is rash, confident and self-fulfilling. Now I want to strip away Black and add in Green and Blue for a warlock to turn to a design that's a bit different from our typical idea of the class.

Green Red Blue

Deep within the forest, far from prying eyes, ancient beings stir. They are not of ill intentions nor of good. They hold court in these hidden places while the halls of man rise and fall. The intentions of such beings are hard to pinpoint, from century old grudges to chaos for its own sake, a person who stumbles into their presence never leaves the same. In the case of our character, a person who often wanders the woods, this will indeed be the case. Perhaps in one such wandering they hear talking in a language they can't quite parse, the sounds of music and the soft glow of candlelight. Instead of fear they feel something else, curiosity.

They follow it through and come upon a space that should not be. A throne of vine and flower and a large table extended from it. They move in closer, feel compelled to bow and ask the being for its name. The entity is charming and beautiful but something seems off, there is a mischievous, or is it devious, look in their eye. None the less our character spends what feels like an eternity in their presence. They talk about everything and nothing, simply enjoying each others company. A pact is made, one of mutual interest and respect. Merriment ensues for what feels like an indistinguishable amount of time and finally rest is had. When this character awakens they are at the mouth the forest and something seems off. They will never be the same again, a Pact has been made, a mission granted and power given.

With all of this covered what do the colors present in this character tell us about their motivations and who they are. For this I want to start with Green. An accepting perspective lends itself to opportunities in places you don't chose to look. Just like how a calm presence can draw an animal in, this way of being can lend itself to the meeting of ancient beings. This character felt one with the woods and wasn't a disrupting force and thus was able to even meet with the soul of that wood. Their magic granted and subsequent pact was more an extension of what they were meant to do. Then there is Red, the mischievous, curious force which drives much of this character. This curious, adventurous and playful spirit is what drives much of this characters motivations. Finally there is Blue, while a minor member of the combination in this case its still present. In conjunction with all of the colors present Blue is less rigid and more of a maker of mysterious and experimental magic. This character is one who steps through life with a light heart and a curious brain.

Conclusion

There are many ways you can build your warlock and even though we only touched on three, you can begin to imagine that the motivations you set up for your character can be quite diverse. Even with that mentioned, you may have noticed one color was missing from our examples and that was White. This isn't to say that white will never be present, its just it wasn't covered in this video, as I took some more straight forward approaches to the class. Let's go through each of the five colors and see how they are reflected in the warlock that way you can piece together your own charterer with the colors that most interest you. Starting with that missing color white. In the case of the warlock this creates an interesting relationship with their pact, it becomes less about making a deal and more about serving a greater power. Of course this can take a dark turn and I could almost see this version as one being part of a cult.

One who worships a being beyond themselves and isn't so much in it for the power, at least not for themselves. They want to do work for this being and that power is a mechanism to do so. This aspect almost twists the warlock into a similar role as cleric, which would be a fun way to play your character. Next is Blue, the color we almost associated with the warlock as a core color, but I would be hesitant to do so. Blue is a great color for this class because it requires a latent wish to find what is hidden. To search in places others might overlook. Blue wishes to learn what is out there and would be inclined to make such a pact if it meant more knowledge and further discovery. Next is Black, a color easily found in most warlocks. Black is the color who grasps at power wherever it can be found and is often impatient when it comes to this aspect of itself. Black might be less inclined to take traditional methods towards magic and will always take the straightest route if it is available.

Then there is Red, the color who rushes into each experience, and in a lot of ways is similar to Black in this way. Red might take a gamble when it comes to making a pact. You could in this way build a character who sort of stumbles into their relationship with their entity and takes a deal before even realizing it. In other ways it could be one who has a playful relationship and simply enjoys everything that comes with their pact, building a relationship with their benefactor through its charm, leaning heavily into its charismatic side. Finally we have Green, the color who understands that there are forces out there who control our reality. It accepts these things and is willing to play its own part in the wider scope of it all, becoming a small piece of a bigger scheme. As you can see the motivations behind your warlock can vary so be sure to research each of the five colors and find a combination that works for you. With everything we discussed today I know it is a challenge you will now be ready for.

Well I hope you enjoyed this article covering the class colors of the warlock. Be sure to check back often for when the next article goes live I am updating this site all of the time. If you are curious for more Dicetry then follow me in the links below! With that friend I will catch you in the multiverse bye!

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