D&D 5E Blade Pact Warlocks and Conventional Wisdom

[yakuba]

Because Damnit! I did not picture an elf for this character! Suboptimal imagination strikes again!

But you are right... I won't linger on that thought too long or I am back to square one!

I think I would still live...maybe...if we play smart! OK if we don't do anything totally stupid...

I may not understand your goal, but you are proficient in any weapon you summon, and I believe the only stricture is that weapon is one-handed.(no PHB at work)

 

[Corwin]

I may not understand your goal, but you are proficient in any weapon you summon, and I believe the only stricture is that weapon is one-handed.(no PHB at work)

But he wants to do a melee tome pact. Not blade.

 

[yakuba]

But he wants to do a melee tome pact. Not blade.

I see, reading is fundamental.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I loved 4e and played the heck out of it for years. Such a fun system. I'm not sure what you are implying. Are you saying they are largely the same? With similar play processes and expectations? I sure don't.

I've played, and enjoyed, so many different TTRPG systems over the decades. They all have different strengths and weaknesses. Different feels. Different play expectations. I like them all, largely because of those differences. But I don't pretend 4e and 5e approach tabletop play in the same way. That would be naive.

Not implying anything. Just sayin what I said.

 

[Warpiglet]

I may not understand your goal, but you are proficient in any weapon you summon, and I believe the only stricture is that weapon is one-handed.(no PHB at work)

Yeah sorry.

Over the course of this blade pact discussion I may have talked myself into a Tome next who can wield some weapons.

I love blade but like the idea of Thaumaturgy and having a really dark presence. But do not tell the other players: I am probably going Lawful Neutral! Intimidating Lawful Neutral

 

[Warpiglet]

Not implying anything. Just sayin what I said.

I have really enjoyed several editions. Somewhere around third (this is not edition warring!) I (emphasis me!) got into builds to the point of not giving enough time to the character.

The fun options (many still present in 5e) are dazzling and exciting. My main idea though is that you can roleplay and survive and thrive with some of the less optimal? classes and further that some are suboptimal due to groupthink more than reality. Like the blade pact.

I only played 4e a little. No doubt you can customize and roleplay in that edition too.

 

[Caliban]

Yeah sorry.

Over the course of this blade pact discussion I may have talked myself into a Tome next who can wield some weapons.

I love blade but like the idea of Thaumaturgy and having a really dark presence. But do not tell the other players: I am probably going Lawful Neutral! Intimidating Lawful Neutral

The "optimized" move with a Tome warlock is to take Shillelagh as one of your tome cantrips, which means you can use Charisma for you attack/damage stat if you attack with a Quarterstaff (which you are already proficient with). Add in Green-Flame Blade and/or Booming blade and you can do some respectable melee damage when you need too.

This may not fit your concept if you really want a longsword though.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I have really enjoyed several editions. Somewhere around third (this is not edition warring!) I (emphasis me!) got into builds to the point of not giving enough time to the character.

The fun options (many still present in 5e) are dazzling and exciting. My main idea though is that you can roleplay and survive and thrive with some of the less optimal? classes and further that some are suboptimal due to groupthink more than reality. Like the blade pact.

I only played 4e a little. No doubt you can customize and roleplay in that edition too.

Yep. And you could spend your time building CharOp builds based around the combination of feats, items, powers, etc, if you wanted. The system didn't turn you into a god amongst mortals as a reward, though.

So, just like 5e, and for some players moreso in 4e, you could just make the character you envision, without worrying about it not working at the table.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

The "optimized" move with a Tome warlock is to take Shillelagh as one of your tome cantrips, which means you can use Charisma for you attack/damage stat if you attack with a Quarterstaff (which you are already proficient with). Add in Green-Flame Blade and/or Booming blade and you can do some respectable melee damage when you need too.

This may not fit your concept if you really want a longsword though.

I like to reflavor the staff in that build as either a longsword or spear, that has been wreathed in Eldritch energy.

I have also used EB and crossbow expert to make an Eldritch Monk. Fun times.

 

[yakuba]

Over the course of this blade pact discussion I may have talked myself into a Tome next who can wield some weapons.

I love blade but like the idea of Thaumaturgy and having a really dark presence.

Hexblade patron gives you martial weapons (as well as shields and armor) and doesn't conflict with going tome pact. Apparently it's not just for bladelocks