D&D 5E New to D&D. Warlock - Sorcerer Multiclass

[bkwrm79]

I'm hoping to play a Tomelock in my first game and I'm actually thinking the effectiveness of Hex + Eldritch Blast opens up a lot of possibilities. If those (with Agonizing Blast) guarantee basic combat effectiveness, it means I can play around with whatever seems coolest for all my other choices, with those to fall back on. Just theory at this point but I'm looking forward to the experiment.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

I'm hoping to play a Tomelock in my first game and I'm actually thinking the effectiveness of Hex + Eldritch Blast opens up a lot of possibilities. If those (with Agonizing Blast) guarantee basic combat effectiveness, it means I can play around with whatever seems coolest for all my other choices, with those to fall back on. Just theory at this point but I'm looking forward to the experiment.

Yes, that is very much how it works. Eldritch blast and Agonizing Blast by themselves keep you on the high end* of at-will damage, and if you choose to use your concentration to include hex you shoot way up there with the the best of the best. The rest of the class is extremely customizable. With the strong effects of invocations, warlock feels the most like a "build your own class" class to me out of all of the core classes.

*I mean the high end without heavy optimization and party synergy and all that.

 

[mellored]

I'm hoping to play a Tomelock in my first game and I'm actually thinking the effectiveness of Hex + Eldritch Blast opens up a lot of possibilities. If those (with Agonizing Blast) guarantee basic combat effectiveness, it means I can play around with whatever seems coolest for all my other choices, with those to fall back on. Just theory at this point but I'm looking forward to the experiment.

Yup.

You could try a half-elf rogue 1/knowlage cleric 1/warlock 2 (agonizing blast and beguiling influence)/lore bard 3.

4 all da skillz.

 

[Lethol]

There are some questions you need to have answers to before the advice you get here will be very useful.
1) How long is this campaign intended to last?
2) How much do you care about using the rules correctly?
3) What is your goal with this character?
4) Is your group okay with having widely different power levels between the characters?

For #1, I think many people are assuming you are going to be playing one short campaign after another, because that's the playstyle they are familiar with. The advice to play something simpler first comes from that perspective and is excellent advice. I'd go even further and say set aside your Player's Handbook and play through the Lost Mine of Phandelver with only the Basic Rules. On the other hand, if this is going to be the same character you are going to be playing for years, play what you want!

Yes, it will be one short campaign after another, but with the same character and we will keep the levels). We have two persons willing to be DM, as far as I know. We will play a few rounds with pre-made characters before we start with our own, just to get the feeling of it. I intend to really learn the mechanics of the character I choose to play. So yes, I plan to stick with the same for long . I have been working on a warlock/sorcerer, with only 3 sorcerer levels because of the metamagic mostly. If we are two spellcasters I think that it may be a good option. But if I am the only one I want to be able to do more AoE damage.

For #2, I can see that there are a lot of elements of the rules that you are still working on. If your group cares about using the rules by the book, go with a simpler start, but the more complexity you involve (such as the more advanced classes from the PHB) the more stuff is going to get messed up on the rules. If not, it doesn't matter what you play.

I care very much bout the rules, I think it is very important to learn to play a game as it is intended to be played. But I am willing to tweak them a little because of other reasons. For example, I wanted my warlock/sorcerer to have a faerie dragon as my Chain of the Pact familiar, just for fun. DM but was denied because he thinks he is to overpowered. Even though I pointed that I did not have in mind to use it for attacks, just for the RP elements it would bring to the character. I do see the little good aligned trickster as a possible way to eventually point out the way for my chaotic neutral warlock, who is tempted but tries to hold on the middle. And the faerie dragon would be a excellent scout. I am certain that it could bring a lot of fun to the campaign. We had a lengthy discussion about this.

I am thinking about proposing to the DM that a part of the Pact with the familiar can be that it has a requirement not to be forced to use it’s own spells in combat if not for saving it’s own life. Then it can be up to the DM when and how to use the spells. I really don’t need it’s combat power... Not more than the deliver a few touch spells now and then. So yes, the camping will be “by the book”.

I know that Pact of the Tome has its mechanical benefits, it may be that I will have it instead. But I am having this “great idea”.

For #3, are you just going for a character that isn't subpar, or are you trying to "break the game", or something in-between? Do you care about how your character fits into the world's lore and/or believability, or are you thinking in terms of mechanical benefits first?

I want to hold on to lore. I also want have a character that can to more than to repatingly cast Eldritch Blast. I will use it a lot, but I want other, good options also... I want to wreak havoc among my enemies within those limits. I care very much about the mechanical benefits, I am a power gamer (with a big heart for RP) , I would enjoy being the who are are able to deliver the highest amount of damage. But the most important aspect for me is the fun factor, both for me and the party. I want my shining star to benefit the party more than to steal all the kills =).

#4 is important, because we can tell you how to make a warlock/sorcerer of any power level. There is no issue with simply being effective with that combo--the issue is whether you want to be silly good or not. And if you are silly good and the rest of your group is subpar, is that going to be an issue or is everyone going to laugh about it and have fun?

We haven’t talked about it, but I don’t think it will be a problem if I am silly good. I know the people I will play with quite well. If I outshine them, they will laugh about it. But silently they will try to figure out how to turn the table. But I don’t want to make it easy for them =). I am open for suggestions, but I want to be able to use both pact magic (level 3 warlock) and meta magic. I see great benefits in these options, because of the utility.

Zardnaar[/MENTION] described, but it takes an understanding of the rules that is going to take a while (as the game in general does, hence the suggestion of trying something very simple at first--unless you are going to be locked into a character for a year or more).

The solution that sounds best to me is the idea you had of playing with a group on Roll20 for a bit. Find a group that is experienced with the rules (unless you don't care about doing them by the book) and is willing to help you learn them, play a character of no more than moderate complexity, and hopefully by the time your group gets together you'll be ready to do a more complex character according to whatever your answers to those questions are.

I am thinking about Roll20, I hope people have patience with a new player. It is not easy to learn, but I have wanted to do this for a long time. I am trying to specify how I am thinking about these things. I have ideas about how I want the character to be. And I am trying to learn how to make this true. Thank you for your guidance!

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

...and yet, no matter how many cantrips the multiclass Warlock has, every problem is solved with Eldritch Blast.

Eldritch blast isnt the answer... "Eldritch Blast?" is the question. The answer is "YES!"

 

[mellored]

If you want to have a big impact without out shinning others, do buffs. Twin greater invisibility, haste, bless, Paladin aura, or Bard's inspiring dice. Give your allies advantage and you do lots of damage, but they get to roll the dice.