D&D 5E [poll] Warlock Satisfaction Survey

[Ninja-radish]

I have a pretty intense distaste for the 5E Warlock, it is a horribly designed class. It has basically one thing going for it: Eldritch Blast and the Agonizing Blast Invocation. I've only ever seen one person play a Warlock past 2nd level, which was me. And I very much regretted that decision.

I have issues with most of the 5E classes. I think that with a few exceptions, most of the classes are extremely restrictive one-trick ponies that forcibly shoehorn you into a very specific style of play. That's great for people who are new to rpgs but awful for people who understand and enjoy mechanics and tactical combat.

However, the Warlock goes above and beyond with the one-trick pony class design. It's so aggressively bad that it actually punishes you for staying with the class longer than 2 levels, as I found out to my dismay.

 

[Caliban]

I have a lvl 15 Warlock that disagrees with you. It may not be to your taste, but that doesn't mean it's true to everyone.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using EN World mobile app

 

[Werebat]

Why no warlocks who can create zombies, or summon demons? I mean, seriously? Why?

 

[The-Magic-Sword]

I like the Warlock, my main input is that really they could have should have reworked pact of the blade to be a bit mroe effective right out of the box. I like the "Eldritch Blade" idea, but even if it just gave extra attack as part of the boon when the character reaches 5 it would probably be enough. Still, I'm pretty happy with the smite invocation we're getting and that whole play style.

 

[Werebat]

I have a pretty intense distaste for the 5E Warlock, it is a horribly designed class. It has basically one thing going for it: Eldritch Blast and the Agonizing Blast Invocation. I've only ever seen one person play a Warlock past 2nd level, which was me. And I very much regretted that decision.

I have issues with most of the 5E classes. I think that with a few exceptions, most of the classes are extremely restrictive one-trick ponies that forcibly shoehorn you into a very specific style of play. That's great for people who are new to rpgs but awful for people who understand and enjoy mechanics and tactical combat.

However, the Warlock goes above and beyond with the one-trick pony class design. It's so aggressively bad that it actually punishes you for staying with the class longer than 2 levels, as I found out to my dismay.

A *CREATIVE* player would find ways to make the class enjoyable to play. You're not an uncreative player, are you?

 

[Werebat]

I like the Warlock, my main input is that really they could have should have reworked pact of the blade to be a bit mroe effective right out of the box. I like the "Eldritch Blade" idea, but even if it just gave extra attack as part of the boon when the character reaches 5 it would probably be enough. Still, I'm pretty happy with the smite invocation we're getting and that whole play style.

What's this smite invocation, and where are we getting it?

 

[MechaTarrasque]

Why no warlocks who can create zombies, or summon demons? I mean, seriously? Why?

Well, technically they can make ghouls with create undead, but in general I agree that more undead and more demons would be a good fit. The first part of the text of planar ally makes me think it was written with warlocks as much as clerics in mind, and I have long considered it an oversight that it wasn't in the warlock 6th level spell mystic arcana list:

"You beseech an otherworldly entity for aid. The being must be known to you: a god, a primordial, a demon prince, or some other being of cosmic power. That entity sends a celestial, an elemental, or a fiend loyal to it to aid you, making the creature appear in an unoccupied space within range. If you know a specific creature's name, you can speak that name when you cast this spell to request that creature, though you might get a different creature anyway (GM's choice). "

I can get why Conjure Barlgura (from the Old Black Magic UA) wasn't added to the warlock list, but the other conjure demon spells were concentration spells, so they didn't lend themselves to abuse.

 

[Aldarc]

What's this smite invocation, and where are we getting it?

It has appeared several times in the Unearthed Arcana supplements.

 

[Irda Ranger]

I am playing a Warlock now and I like it, and I love the class concept, and the spellcasting mechanic feels balanced and different from Wizard, and I enjoy the grid of Pact/Patron/Invocations that make each Warlock unique; ... BUT I also have mixed feelings about the class design. I feel like most of this could have been fixed with a bit more playtesting. I have fixed many of these in my House Rules when I'm the DM, but the DM I'm playing with right now doesn't use them, and honestly it chafes.

My issues:

The Bladelock should be more on par with the Valor Bard in terms of martial ability. The Hexblade basically admitted it should have been. These martial features should be built into the Pact, not a Patron.

Mystic Arcanum should be normal spell slots (that regenerate on LR not SR), so you could cast one of your 1st-5th level spells with them, or cast your 6th level spell 2/day if you wanted (by using a higher level MA slot).

Several Invocations (you know which ones) should be Pact features.

The Invocation list should be re-worked considerably so there are more interesting choices.

The Eldritch Blast Invocations (+CHA damage, long range, pushing, frost lance, etc.) should apply to all Cantrips, while Eldritch Blast should be removed from play (or at least toned down to d8 damage). I don't mind that they're a Cantrip Canon (it's necessary to balance the number of spell slots they get, and it's no less 'boring' than a martial archer or GWM), but I'd like the choice among Cantrips to be less lopsided.

There should be a feature that allows you to "borrow" a spell you don't know from your Patron for one-off casting use. There are so many cool utility spells that just never get picked because, honestly, you need them only once or twice per campaign. Maybe make it a 1/LR thing, or require an expensive focus, I don't know; but something. (I feel the same way about Sorcerers; and requiring PCs to find a caster that knows the spell and pay them to scribe a scroll is a bit too cumbersome IMO)

There should be more Patrons. At least as many as the Cleric has Domains and the Wizard has Schools.

 

[Ninja-radish]

A *CREATIVE* player would find ways to make the class enjoyable to play. You're not an uncreative player, are you?

I'm talking about mechanics, what does creativity have to do with it? My group is 6th level right now and I'm playing a single classed Tomelock. Meanwhile, a friend of mine is playing a Bard who dipped two levels in Warlock, and he's better than my character at basically everything. When a class is better for dipping than playing it straight, that's terrible design.