I'm not really sure how I ever came across "Testament: Roleplaying in the Biblical Era," which was a 3e supplement in the Mythic Vistas line from Green Ronin Publishing by Scott Bennie, copyright date of 2003. I wasn't really role-playing with any regularity at that time, and actually didn't really do much of anything with 3e until Pathfinder came around. So I came to it late, but completely loved that setting, which was basically doing 3e D&D in the Old Testament, with a variety of eras to choose from. I adapted a bunch of it and even ran what I think might be the only published adventure for the setting in 5e around a decade ago at the beginning of the 5e era when there wasn't a ton of stuff for the new edition yet. When I saw recently that pretty much the whole Mythic Vistas line plus a ton of other Green Ronin books were available through a Bundle of Holding offering I snapped them up, as it seemed like a good value with the only product in it that I already had was Testament, which I still think is awesome. So I've been going though the various books from that bundle lately.
One of the books is the Medieval Player's Guide, also in the Mythic Vistas line, by David Chart and published in 2004. It basically presents the setting of a Church dominated Medieval Europe, particularly England and Normandy in the century and a half or so after the Norman Conquest of England. It does some interesting things, such as presenting a number of new classes and systems of magic to allow for a lower magic setting with more historical flavor than typical for D&D. Mostly I wasn't wild about it, and for the most part I don't really want to learn (multiple) alternate pathways for using magic in the game.
However, there was a class amongst the various new types of priests and magic users that I thought was kind of interesting and not quite covered by the other options you can find in 5e. It is the "Cunning Man Core Class" on page 24 of that book, which reads to me as sort of a village wise man/woman, who creates various minor magical trinkets to help themselves and others, basically practicing sort of a natural white magic that usually flies under the notice of the church authorities and other practitioners of magic. Also seems to know a lot about lots of stuff, and have extraordinary healthy living and healing abilities. Skills are ok, so is the d8 hit die (most of the classes in this book get a d4 hit die), simple weapons but no armor or shields. Main ability is learning to construct various charms, which otherwise in this alternate magic system can be learned much more slowly by others as feats. Then some random things unlocked as they level up that seem to be related to having a deep understanding of nature and healthy living - weather and nature/survival abilites, plus low light vision and immunities to disease, poison, and aging, and at very high levels damage resistance. Also some interesting flavor text here about how they are all super competitive with one another as they really seem to want to seem like the smartest guy in the village and shut out any potential competition for their services, other than with an apprentice they can teach the "right" way to do things to.
So then I started thinking how this might fit into 5e. My immediate thought was this was somebody who makes some fairly basic magic items to help themselves and the people of their community, so kind of a basic artificer, maybe even more so than the alchemist. Also a little bit of a white witch or warlock here, but not seeing a really obvious pact relationship. So I think artificer is something I should explore further, but maybe later - I seem to have misplaced my copy of Tasha's. Instead, I'm going to try and build a 5e warlock, for the 2014 rules - maybe I'll come back and do it for the new warlock as well. Thinking for both leaning a bit into the druid might make the most sense.
Updated a couple times, added the herbalism tool proficiency at first level as warlocks don't get a tool proficiency and this leans in a little more to the druid and proto-artificer themes. Altogether we maybe have a first level warlock who is a better druid than a first level druid, but first level druids using the 2014 rules are kind of terrible (they don't wait long to become great at 2nd level with wildshape) and probably will at least be a better healer than this warlock who only gets access to goodberry for healing at first level. I'm open to reconsidering some of the expanded spell list, happy with levels 1 and 2 but less sure on what comes after. Also initially thought of limiting the 14th at will casting ability to just fire and cold but thought that was a little underwhelming - protection from energy still requires concentration, after all.
Otherworldly Patron - The Local Nature Spirits
Every village has a healer, shaman, or wise man or woman who provides rustic wisdom, advice, and sometimes healing and other forms of magical assistance. For some of these cunning folk, their ministrations are empowered by one or more local nature spirits who form a close pact-like bond with the villager. Unlike the fey, these nature spirits primarily make their home on the material plane. The motivations of these patrons are usually to ensure the humanoids of the community the warlock comes from respect the spirits and the natural order of the locale.
Expanded Spell List
The Local Nature Spirits let you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.
Local Nature Spirits Expanded Spells
1st: Create or Destroy Water, Goodberry
2nd: Barkskin, Lesser Restoration
3rd: Plant Growth, Speak with Plants
4th: Dominate Beast, Stone Shape
5th: Awaken, Greater Restoration
Naturalist
At first level, you learn the druidcraft cantrip, or another cantrip from the Druid spell list if you already know druidcraft. You also learn one of either the Nature or Survival skills and gain tool proficiency with the herbalism kit or another tool proficiency if you already have proficiency with herbalism kits.
One with Nature
At 6th level, you gain darkvision 60', or double the range of your darkvision from another source. You also gain immunity to disease.
Poison Immunity
At 10th level, you gain immunity to poison.
The Wind Blows Hot and Cold
At 14th level you gain the ability to cast Protection from Energy at will without expending a spell slot.
