D&D 5E [5E] Shadow Monk multiclass options - Warlock, Gloom Stalker, or neither?

Ah. I see. I overlooked that portion of the Invocations text.

RogueJK said:

Ah. I see. I overlooked that portion of the Invocations text.

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Easy to do. It is also a bit unlucky that you have to give up an invokation shortly after you just got it.

To your former post: I as a DM don't think it is cheasy at all to cast long duration spells and rest afterward. Maybe your party doesn't love you for never preparing breakfast or help breaking the camp.

If you go with warlock, fey might be the best patron. You have a matching patron and the first level ability is quite useful.

He doesn't have to drop it, but this is a dip ultimately for him it seems like. So if he takes warlock to 3, he needs to decide which invocation is more important for his ultimate vision for the PC.

Even if you don't do Book of Ancient Secrets, Pact of the Tome will still get you 3 cantrips from any class which is awesome.

Guidance, Spare the Dying (if you don't have a cleric in the group), + another damaging cantrip or mending or something. Pact of the Tome gives better utility than the Magic initiate feat almost since you get a 3rd cantrip vs. 2 cantrips and a 1/Long Rest 1st level spell with the Feat.

Basically Pact of the Tome = a Feat (3 cantrips vs. 2 + 1 1st). Book of Ancient Secrets = Feat+ (Ritual spells from all classes vs. Ritual spells from a specific class). So at 3rd level Warlock you can both or just one and keep your more combat/darkness related ones. Depends on what you want to do.

I probably wouldn't stick with Shadowmonk past 6 anyway if I'm considering a multiclass, unless you really want more ki or speed or unarmed strike damage. I'd probably go Shadowmonk 6 and then Warlock 3. if your game continues past that, you could go Ranger after that! Or just keep advancing as a Warlock. You don't HAVE to take spells that require attacks or saves!

A basic hex comparison

So basic 4 round play by play just looking at Current monk resources:
Level 6 Pure Monk
Round 1: Attack 2x + Flurry of blows
Round 2: Attack 2x + Flurry of blows
Round 3: Attack 2x + Flurry of blows
Round 4: Attack 2x + Flurry of blows
= 16d6 + 64 = 120. (everything scales the same with chance to hit)

Monk 5 Warlock 1
Round 1: Attack 2x + Hex
Round 2: Attack 2x + Flurry of Blows
Round 3: Attack 2x + move Hex
Round 4: Attack 2x + Flurry of blows

8d6+16 + 16d6 + 32 = 132 (likely will be a little less because it's likely an enemy dies before you attack it 6 times with hex, meaning you lose a few d6 due to the hex chain ending early due to failed concentration or the monster that is hexed dying early).

The hex version is less resource intensive and slightly more damaging as long as you aren't fighting enemies that die in one round. Hex also does a lot more on bosses (though stunning strike is usually the way to go there).

All in all hex is likely something you want later at some point but it's not something that is particularly more powerful early. It will help a lot if you are having issues sustaining ki for damage output in long adventuring days. If not then leveling up monk more is likely better than any low level invocations a warlock gets. Things like evasions an extra ASI, ability to end charm and frightened conditions, bigger weapon damage dice, more movement speed, moving along vertical surfaces without falling, a better ability to reduce damage against ranged attacks.

I see no reason to ever take warlock on this character beyond level 2