Vampiring with necromancy, warlocking

Warpiglet · Apr 17, 2018

Hello gang,

Quite by accident I have found a little synergy which might be fun to improve upon...ideas appreciated.

I am playing a hexblade who will primarily melee (no EB invocations).

Due to story he was going to take a level of wizard (for the flavor of a raven familiar). That is when I noticed that 2 levels would get me necromancer. It is a nice fit and very story appropriate.

I noted that the hexblade's curse would net some hit points for downing opponents. Necromancer does as well (at least if spells are used).

Any ideas how to capitalize on this hit point drain? Any ways to increase the numbers? This is a fun sideshow and very Elric/Creepy Warrior-Mage kind of thing...but any ideas about how to make it a defining factor? I note that hex is a spell and that attacking with melee would effectively count for necromancy drain since a spell is also damaging opponents should they die...would love to kick this up a notch.

Spells that would be a good fit for the this would be vampiric touch and blight...but I do not think my low wisdom would allow for any effective use of inflict wounds via magic initiate or otherwise!

neogod22 · Apr 17, 2018

Warpiglet said:
Hello gang,

Quite by accident I have found a little synergy which might be fun to improve upon...ideas appreciated.

I am playing a hexblade who will primarily melee (no EB invocations).

Due to story he was going to take a level of wizard (for the flavor of a raven familiar). That is when I noticed that 2 levels would get me necromancer. It is a nice fit and very story appropriate.

I noted that the hexblade's curse would net some hit points for downing opponents. Necromancer does as well (at least if spells are used).

Any ideas how to capitalize on this hit point drain? Any ways to increase the numbers? This is a fun sideshow and very Elric/Creepy Warrior-Mage kind of thing...but any ideas about how to make it a defining factor? I note that hex is a spell and that attacking with melee would effectively count for necromancy drain since a spell is also damaging opponents should they die...would love to kick this up a notch.

Spells that would be a good fit for the this would be vampiric touch and blight...but I do not think my low wisdom would allow for any effective use of inflict wounds via magic initiate or otherwise!

You would only get the 1d6 from hex, the rest of the damage don't count.

neogod22 · Apr 17, 2018

Warpiglet said:
Hello gang,

Quite by accident I have found a little synergy which might be fun to improve upon...ideas appreciated.

I am playing a hexblade who will primarily melee (no EB invocations).

Due to story he was going to take a level of wizard (for the flavor of a raven familiar). That is when I noticed that 2 levels would get me necromancer. It is a nice fit and very story appropriate.

I noted that the hexblade's curse would net some hit points for downing opponents. Necromancer does as well (at least if spells are used).

Any ideas how to capitalize on this hit point drain? Any ways to increase the numbers? This is a fun sideshow and very Elric/Creepy Warrior-Mage kind of thing...but any ideas about how to make it a defining factor? I note that hex is a spell and that attacking with melee would effectively count for necromancy drain since a spell is also damaging opponents should they die...would love to kick this up a notch.

Spells that would be a good fit for the this would be vampiric touch and blight...but I do not think my low wisdom would allow for any effective use of inflict wounds via magic initiate or otherwise!

Actually no, Hex doesn't work. The spell has to be, level 1 or higher, and it has to,kill the opponent. Hex doesn't kill anyone since it only amplifies damage, not do direct damage. The opponent would die from your melee attack, not from the spell.

neogod22 · Apr 17, 2018

As a warlock with wizard levels, Grim Harvest doesn't work as well as a straight wizard, or a wizard with warlock levels. Simply because you only get 2 spells per fight until level 11, and they really are better spent smiting or defensive spells like Armor of Agythis if you're going with a melee build.

jaelis · Apr 17, 2018

Shadow of moil will be nice once you get there, it can give repeatable necro damage.

But what you really want is a necromantic version of something like flaming sphere or flame blade. Unfortunately I don't think there is one.

neogod22 · Apr 17, 2018

jaelis said:
Shadow of moil will be nice once you get there, it can give repeatable necro damage.

But what you really want is a necromantic version of something like flaming sphere or flame blade. Unfortunately I don't think there is one.

There's shadow blade, but that's an illusion

neogod22 · Apr 17, 2018

jaelis said:
Shadow of moil will be nice once you get there, it can give repeatable necro damage.

But what you really want is a necromantic version of something like flaming sphere or flame blade. Unfortunately I don't think there is one.

Grim Harvest isn't limited to necromantic spells, but works better with them. A fireball on a group of kobolds works better than finger of death to 1 target.

jaelis · Apr 17, 2018

neogod22 said:
Grim Harvest isn't limited to necromantic spells, but works better with them. A fireball on a group of kobolds works better than finger of death to 1 target.

Oh, I was overlooking that. So something like shadow blade could be pretty good.

Warpiglet · Apr 17, 2018

neogod22 said:
As a warlock with wizard levels, Grim Harvest doesn't work as well as a straight wizard, or a wizard with warlock levels. Simply because you only get 2 spells per fight until level 11, and they really are better spent smiting or defensive spells like Armor of Agythis if you're going with a melee build.

Actually grim harvest is related to level of the spell and so if casting a 4th level necromantic warlock spell (blight maybe?) it would garner 12 hit points. To that I would add the hexblade curse if appropriate of warlock level (at least 7 in that case) plus CHR.

As to spells, I would have at least three if not four wizard slots.

Since hex does damage and hex is a spell, it could be argued that it as much as the blade does the killing. DM would have to weigh in on "which" hit points are the fatal ones.

Armor of agathys IS nice and if upcast would net two hit points per spell level secondary to grim harvest.

Remember its the level of the spell that matters here--and the only problem is you will be one spell level behind if you slow down to take two levels of wizard (which will mean 2 or 3 fewer hit points gained for grim harvest).

neogod22 · Apr 17, 2018

Warpiglet said:
Actually grim harvest is related to level of the spell and so if casting a 4th level necromantic warlock spell (blight maybe?) it would garner 12 hit points. To that I would add the hexblade curse if appropriate of warlock level (at least 7 in that case) plus CHR.

As to spells, I would have at least three if not four wizard slots.

Since hex does damage and hex is a spell, it could be argued that it as much as the blade does the killing. DM would have to weigh in on "which" hit points are the fatal ones.

Armor of agathys IS nice and if upcast would net two hit points per spell level secondary to grim harvest.

Remember its the level of the spell that matters here--and the only problem is you will be one spell level behind if you slow down to take two levels of wizard (which will mean 2 or 3 fewer hit points gained for grim harvest).

I know how Grim Harvest works.

With only 2 levels of wizard, you will have 3 1st level long rest spell slots.

No it won't be tricky as to whether or not the Hex damage will actually kill a creature. The solution is to roll the damage separately. You can choose of you want the damage to come before or after by rolling it before or after the melee damage, but you'll have to live with the result. Or your DM could just say no. As a DM, I would just rule no, just because of the intent of the ability vs the nature of the spell. Just to keep it from being an unbalanced, overpowered ability.

Vampiring with necromancy, warlocking

Warpiglet

Adventurer

neogod22

Explorer

neogod22

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neogod22

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jaelis

Oh this is where the title goes?

neogod22

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neogod22

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jaelis

Oh this is where the title goes?

Warpiglet

Adventurer

neogod22

Explorer

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