D&D 5E [GUIDE] Pacts, Patrons, and Power, a Warlock guide

Asgorath · Apr 30, 2018

mellored, you mention Devil's Sight in the Hunger of Hadar rating. Jeremy Crawford has clarified that Devil's Sight does not work with HoH:

https://www.sageadvice.eu/2016/04/09/can-a-warlock-with-devils-sight-see-within-hunger-of-hadar/

Not sure if that changes the spell's rating at all, but it's probably worth mentioning in the guide itself.

dc_in_sf · Jun 7, 2018

I know I sort of mentioned this before, but beginning to think that Warcaster is semi-mandatory for any blaster-lock who carries a shield (e.g. Hexblade, Moderately Armored, Multiclass), at least in any campaign with magic items.

Rod of the Pact Keeper, Wand of the War Mage, Staff of Power/Magi all give bonus to spell attack rolls while they are held. If you want to cast Eldritch Blast while holding one of these items and a shield, you are going to need Warcaster.

Obviously could wait until you actually got one of these items to take warcaster, and not carry the shield in the interim, but I think it does bump the desirability of the feat up for anyone with a shield.

intently · Jun 11, 2018

Thinking of building an EK/warlock multi class character. Going fighter 6, and then 2 levels of warlock, then the rest fighter. However, considering warlock 3 for darkness.

My question is, in practice, how often can you actually deploy darkness in combat? How often does it screw over your party or cause other problems? How often can you cast it before rolling init so it doesn’t waste your first turn in an average 3-4 round combat?

Darkness + devils sight seems good in theory, but difficult to actually use.

gyor · Jun 14, 2018

I noticed that the guide hasn't been updated to reflect the Gith and Elf and Tiefling subraces from MTOFs.

Eldarin get +1 Charisma and 1/rest teleport with Seasonal Kicker, Shadar Kai get +1 Con, a 1/ long rest teleport with resistance to everything, necro resistance, Sea Elves also get +1 to Con, Sea Elf Weapon Prof, Water Breathing, Swim Speed, talk to beast with a swim speed. All are good for Warlocks, but especially the Eladarin which screams Feylock.

For Tieflings Levitus with it's +2 Charisma, +1 Con, and cold spells stands out, Zariel for more Gish minded Bladelocks, Fierna for more Social builds.

Ancalagon · Jun 24, 2018

[MENTION=6801209]mellored[/MENTION] : any comment on multicasssing with bard:college of swords? Lots of synergy with hexblade...

Atticon · Jul 3, 2018

For a tomelock, would Primal Savagery be as good as Toll the Dead as an alternative to Shillelagh + Booming Blade/Green-flame Blade?
I'd like to have a melee range option to complement Eldritch Blast, but not willing to waste two cantrip slots on it.

dc_in_sf · Jul 5, 2018

Atticon said:
For a tomelock, would Primal Savagery be as good as Toll the Dead as an alternative to Shillelagh + Booming Blade/Green-flame Blade?
I'd like to have a melee range option to complement Eldritch Blast, but not willing to waste two cantrip slots on it.

Because EB + Agonizing blast does so much damage compared to any other cantrip, it is actually competitive with melee options at low to mid armor classes even with disadvantage.

The break-even point is whatever Armor Class gives a chance to hit equal to the ratio of the melee cantrip damage to EB+AB

So for example at L5 with an 18 CHA and a 3 Proficiency Bonus

Primal Savagery = 2d10 = 11
Staff + Shillelagh + BB = 1d8 + 4 + 1d8 = 13
EB + AB = 2d10 + 2x4 = 19

So the points where EB+AB is roughly equivalent to each melee cantrip option are:

PS = 11/19 = 57% ~16AC
Staff+ Shill+ BB = 13/19 = 68% ~14AC

For Primal Savagery to be better than just blasting with EB+AB you need to be fighting 17AC enemies. Below that, EB+AB is as good or better even with disadvantage. PS honestly does not seem to be worth it unless you are in melee range a lot with high AC enemies.

Shillelagh + BB is more interesting since it kicks in at a lower AC, and the damage rider on BB can boost its effectiveness. The thing to remember is getting Shillelagh off is a bonus action which can compete with Hex (casting or moving). Whether it is worth two cantrip is another question.

If you have repelling blast, EB+AB is potentially even better, since if you hit at least once you effectively get a free disengage, and your GM *may* allow you to make your subsequent EB attacks after the first hit not at disadvantage.