I came across Create Thrall when I was making my character for Curse of Strahd. I decided to go with Goolock for thematic reasons, and made a list of every way to incapacitate someone in 5e, even knowing the campaign doesn’t get to level 14. Hypnotic Gaze still stands out to me as the clear winner for being recyclable and also a really strong ability on its own, as well as not (RAW) breaking Sanctuary.
I still think Goolock is weak (this can’t affect non-humanoids, which I find a little disappointing), but nowhere near as weak as before. Honestly, this could make a GREAT villain.
Again, true. That’s part of why I selected Hypnotic Gaze as the ability that’s an ideal combo, since you can also incapacitate them indefinitely, provided you forego an action each turn. Can’t do any support or AOE if they can’t act.
But then it’s not a combo. You’re just using Hypnotic Gaze. No point in Charming them if you’re keeping them incapacitated.