D&D 5E Warlock contacting other planes/madness

[wicked cool]

I have never used this ability in 5th edition but saw it in action this weekend at Pax East. The penalty for a bad dice role seems severe with no reversal? I haven't checked on the rule as it was yesterday but it was Perkins stating the ruling so it seemed genuine. Plus how much information do you actually get from this ritual (how much discretion does the DM have)

 

[MechaTarrasque]

I have never used this ability in 5th edition but saw it in action this weekend at Pax East. The penalty for a bad dice role seems severe with no reversal? I haven't checked on the rule as it was yesterday but it was Perkins stating the ruling so it seemed genuine. Plus how much information do you actually get from this ritual (how much discretion does the DM have)

It isn't so bad if you have a friendly cleric on hand, but this is a pretty hazardous spell (safer for wizards, since they tend to have high int scores). It seems pretty iconic to warlocks in a popular culture sense (Ouija board, which also explains the risks). Basically, the PC asks some entity 5 questions that should be answered with 1 word (short phrases are also possible). Other than that, there is no restriction on what the PC can ask (although the entity might not know the answer; the spell doesn't imply that you can be lied to, so "unclear" is the DM's option if you don't want the party to know something via this spell). I think it works best if the party has some information, and needs to sort out the best option (is it safer to go over the mountains or under them through the mines?) or if you are trying to find something/someone too far away for locate spells to work.

 

[wicked cool]

what can the cleric do to help after a bad roll?

 

[variant]

A failure on the saving throw only makes the caster insane until he finishes a long rest.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

what can the cleric do to help after a bad roll?

Greater restoration ends the madness without having to wait for the long rest. I forgot that bards and druids also get the spell, so having any of them on hand could mean the only consequence is a pair of 5th level spells spent for no information and 6d6 psychic damage.