You gain proficiency in the Deception and Persuasion skills.
Beguiling Influence: Charming AF
Review by Sam West, Twitter:@CrierKobold
Deception, Intimidation, Persuasion, Performance: the tools a party’s face uses to navigate social encounters. As a warlock, you’re already packing a solid Charisma modifier. If you’ve been tasked with leading the party in these encounters, but for some reason lack Deception, Intimidation, Persuasion, or Performance, Beguiling Influence is technically a way you can add those skills to your character sheet. I never would, nor would I recommend it to anyone, but if you’re really desperate for Persuasion or Deception, Beguiling Influence offers both.
Two skill proficiencies is just… boring. Warlock invocations highlight a relationship between a character and otherworldly powers. These are supposed to be highly magical tools that set you apart from the mundane. Beguiling Influence implies an air of mystery, of unnatural charm. Any completely mundane rogue can out do you in these two departments, no magic needed.
When I see Beguiling Influence, I expect charms or magical subterfuge. I expect a tool that opens up doorways that regular words couldn’t quite match. Even just offering expertise in a Charisma skill at least would feel somewhat unnatural; an unearned expertise in charming a socialite at least sounds somewhat mystical, borrowing fey magics to charm the pants off of any mundane creature. Just proficiency isn’t it.
There really isn’t that much more to say here. Beguiling Influence is just two skill proficiencies on characters likely with enough Charisma skill proficiencies. You’re not going to often need both, and you probably already have one. This leaves it as an invocation not really for anyone. Two skill proficiencies is certainly not worth one of your critical invocation selections.
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