Hi all,
I'd be interested in getting your thoughts on where I might take my character, having just hit level 4 after taking three levels of Fiend (Tome) Warlock.
I rolled decent stats, after half-elf racial modifiers (despite me realising after the fact I could have set them at 18 Dex/18 Char), which stand at:
Str 8
Dex 17
Con 16
Int 11
Wis 12
Char 19
The intention was always to get Warlock 4 to even up the Dex and Char and then look at Warcaster at level 8. I'm aware that mechanically there are some perceived drawbacks to going full Warlock but I've been a fan of the class since 3.5 and hoped it wouldn't be too much of a problem to have one spell slot per short rest after the Hex tax. Although 5th level (and the extended duration of Hex) will help that, having received clearance from my DM that UA Favoured Soul would be allowed as a multiclass option down the road (and some character beats towards making efforts at redemption via Sune / Life Domain), I began looking at the multiclass in earnest.
A little background:
At present, I play a predominantly blaster role with EB+AB+Hex. We're a large party (7 - Monk, Bearbarian, Land Druid, Transmuter Wizard, Arcane Trickster Rogue, Vengeance Paladin), so combats have gone by reasonably quickly, and the blasting, though repetitive, has certainly worked out so far. I've had a few chances to assist out of combat but as we're playing LMoP there's not been as much social-tier play, although I suspect we're coming up on the end, at which point things are expected to go fairly sandbox. Spell list is EB, Minor Illusion, Shillelagh/Message/Bloodbridge (updated earlier edition cantrip allowed by the DM via Tome; somewhat nerfed but fun quasi-homebrew), plus Command, Hex, Hold Person, and Blindness/Deafness.
I liked the idea of the out of combat utility of certain Invocations, but with the tax of AB and at this level switching Fiendish Vigor/False Life to Repelling Blast, I wouldn't have access to many more until I hit the high single digit levels (Book of Ancient Secrets is less appealing in the short term given the wizard, druid and bear barb, which has covered pretty much all of our ritual needs to date).
In the meantime, mechanically, a sorc multiclass would give a plethora of cantrips that might help fill things out, plus more spell slots. Thematically, I'm fond of FS/Life - my character has been trying (with limited success) to downtime-train shield proficiency, so shield prof from the first level of FS would solve that problem, as well as the potentially interesting story hooks that a Fiendlock/FS might generate. We lack a cleric, so being able to assist the paladin and druid on healing duty appeals as well.
Key points for the next few levels:
-If I take a fourth and fifth level of Warlock, I get access to another Invocation (likely Devil's Sight), and Fireball and Hunger of Hadar (taking and then swapping Shatter at fourth level, and swapping Command for Suggestion as well at fourth), as well as boosting stats with the ASI.
-3 levels of Sorc/FS after that give me plenty of 1st level slots to burn on Hex while keeping 3rd level Warlock slots free for Fireballs and Hunger of Hadar, or upcasting Hex if I feel HoH or other concentration spells aren't appropriate.
- Level 1 and 2 utility and support spells from the Sorc list (hello, Shield and Misty Step) plus Cure Wounds, Bless (via level 3 Warlock slots for good party coverage), and the concentration-free Spiritual Weapon.
- Level 1 and 2 slots to melt down into more SP if I need or making extra level 2 slots as necessary and general short-rest Pact Magic shenanigans.
- Metamagic (likely Quicken and Subtle, the latter for social situations and Quickened because it would be a while before I'd get my hands on Twinnable gamebreakers and the inability to Twin EB; Quickened EB should add to the combat damage output well enough, though regrettably it'll compete with moving Hex around).
After the third level in Sorc, it feels like a fourth to get the ASI would make sense, but then 5th level after that gives me third-level Sorc spells (plus revivify) - which includes Haste and Fly.
At this point, I'd be a level away from getting a third beam on EB - level six Warlock gets me Dark One's luck - very handy - while level 6 FS gets me extra attack - although I'm not melee-focussed, Greenflame Blade, Shield prof and high dex (mage armour optional) means I'd be able to hold my own at close range; Dark One's Blessing has given me plenty of temp HP if I can a kill early in combat or avoid getting damaged between fights; quickened GFB plus two attacks for three rounds before I need to burn any slots certainly doesn't sound too shabby with Shillelagh, although obviously the deeper I go into Sorc the more d6 HD I'll have.
TL;DR because my word, this has gone on for a while:
- 3rd level Tomelock wants more flexibility in and out of combat, but rituals alone won't do it
- Favoured Soul (Life) seems a likely multiclass candidate due to class synergies and character direction
- Is waiting till I've got 5 levels of Warlock just to get my hands of Fireball and Hunger of Hadar (plus third level slots) a sensible investment?
- After taking three levels of Favoured Soul, should I stick it out for a fourth for the ASI (as this seems like a good plan). Given that we have a wizard and druid in the party for utility support (and who will have level 4 spells of their own by then), is there much need to rush to third-level Sorc spells at this point, or should I push on with Warlock levels to up my original class features, improved HD, and to balance renewable Pact Magic slot levels with my SP total?
- What are the potential effective level splits for a theoretical level 20 character?
- Warlock 11/Sorc 9 gives me a level 6 Mystic Arcanum, 3 level 5 Pact Magic slots, and Sorc level 5 slots, plus a reasonable SP reservoir, Death Ward and Raise Dead, but no third metamagic option, no Hurl Through Hell. Dropping one level of sorc costs level 5 Sorc spells but gains an ASI.
- Warlock 14/Sorc 6 gives the aforementioned HTH, a Level 7 MA, and extra attack, but a diminished Sorc spell list - plus revivify, but no further, from FS.
- Warlock 6/Sorc 14 gives Dark One's Luck and level 3 Pact Magic, but only 3 invocations total. Instead, Level 7 Sorc slots will pack a decent punch, a third Metamagic option, and hey, wings. Not bad!
- Warlock 3/ Sorc 17 turns my starting class into a dip (in which case I should have gone Sorc first for prof: constitution saves, but I digress). Ninth level spells, but Pact Magic renewable slots are a drop in the ocean of my 17 SP reserves, I'm effectively building a classic Sorlock for EB cheese. I'd like to avoid it - the breakpoints for the other options seem more interesting to me. There is a lot of advice for Sorlocks out there, but I'd like to try and build a Warcerer out of this character.
It feels like Warlock has access to the more interesting or unique abilities, but the more levels I can put into Sorc, the stronger and more flexible my combat and exploration options will be. At present, I'm most tempted by Warlock 11/Sorc 9 - I'm willing to sacrifice the higher-level spellcasting and allow the druid and wizard to do their thing while I handle middle-tier magic and utility options as effectively as possible - but I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.
If you've read this far: thank you!
I'd be interested in getting your thoughts on where I might take my character, having just hit level 4 after taking three levels of Fiend (Tome) Warlock.
I rolled decent stats, after half-elf racial modifiers (despite me realising after the fact I could have set them at 18 Dex/18 Char), which stand at:
Str 8
Dex 17
Con 16
Int 11
Wis 12
Char 19
The intention was always to get Warlock 4 to even up the Dex and Char and then look at Warcaster at level 8. I'm aware that mechanically there are some perceived drawbacks to going full Warlock but I've been a fan of the class since 3.5 and hoped it wouldn't be too much of a problem to have one spell slot per short rest after the Hex tax. Although 5th level (and the extended duration of Hex) will help that, having received clearance from my DM that UA Favoured Soul would be allowed as a multiclass option down the road (and some character beats towards making efforts at redemption via Sune / Life Domain), I began looking at the multiclass in earnest.
A little background:
At present, I play a predominantly blaster role with EB+AB+Hex. We're a large party (7 - Monk, Bearbarian, Land Druid, Transmuter Wizard, Arcane Trickster Rogue, Vengeance Paladin), so combats have gone by reasonably quickly, and the blasting, though repetitive, has certainly worked out so far. I've had a few chances to assist out of combat but as we're playing LMoP there's not been as much social-tier play, although I suspect we're coming up on the end, at which point things are expected to go fairly sandbox. Spell list is EB, Minor Illusion, Shillelagh/Message/Bloodbridge (updated earlier edition cantrip allowed by the DM via Tome; somewhat nerfed but fun quasi-homebrew), plus Command, Hex, Hold Person, and Blindness/Deafness.
I liked the idea of the out of combat utility of certain Invocations, but with the tax of AB and at this level switching Fiendish Vigor/False Life to Repelling Blast, I wouldn't have access to many more until I hit the high single digit levels (Book of Ancient Secrets is less appealing in the short term given the wizard, druid and bear barb, which has covered pretty much all of our ritual needs to date).
In the meantime, mechanically, a sorc multiclass would give a plethora of cantrips that might help fill things out, plus more spell slots. Thematically, I'm fond of FS/Life - my character has been trying (with limited success) to downtime-train shield proficiency, so shield prof from the first level of FS would solve that problem, as well as the potentially interesting story hooks that a Fiendlock/FS might generate. We lack a cleric, so being able to assist the paladin and druid on healing duty appeals as well.
Key points for the next few levels:
-If I take a fourth and fifth level of Warlock, I get access to another Invocation (likely Devil's Sight), and Fireball and Hunger of Hadar (taking and then swapping Shatter at fourth level, and swapping Command for Suggestion as well at fourth), as well as boosting stats with the ASI.
-3 levels of Sorc/FS after that give me plenty of 1st level slots to burn on Hex while keeping 3rd level Warlock slots free for Fireballs and Hunger of Hadar, or upcasting Hex if I feel HoH or other concentration spells aren't appropriate.
- Level 1 and 2 utility and support spells from the Sorc list (hello, Shield and Misty Step) plus Cure Wounds, Bless (via level 3 Warlock slots for good party coverage), and the concentration-free Spiritual Weapon.
- Level 1 and 2 slots to melt down into more SP if I need or making extra level 2 slots as necessary and general short-rest Pact Magic shenanigans.
- Metamagic (likely Quicken and Subtle, the latter for social situations and Quickened because it would be a while before I'd get my hands on Twinnable gamebreakers and the inability to Twin EB; Quickened EB should add to the combat damage output well enough, though regrettably it'll compete with moving Hex around).
After the third level in Sorc, it feels like a fourth to get the ASI would make sense, but then 5th level after that gives me third-level Sorc spells (plus revivify) - which includes Haste and Fly.
At this point, I'd be a level away from getting a third beam on EB - level six Warlock gets me Dark One's luck - very handy - while level 6 FS gets me extra attack - although I'm not melee-focussed, Greenflame Blade, Shield prof and high dex (mage armour optional) means I'd be able to hold my own at close range; Dark One's Blessing has given me plenty of temp HP if I can a kill early in combat or avoid getting damaged between fights; quickened GFB plus two attacks for three rounds before I need to burn any slots certainly doesn't sound too shabby with Shillelagh, although obviously the deeper I go into Sorc the more d6 HD I'll have.
TL;DR because my word, this has gone on for a while:
- 3rd level Tomelock wants more flexibility in and out of combat, but rituals alone won't do it
- Favoured Soul (Life) seems a likely multiclass candidate due to class synergies and character direction
- Is waiting till I've got 5 levels of Warlock just to get my hands of Fireball and Hunger of Hadar (plus third level slots) a sensible investment?
- After taking three levels of Favoured Soul, should I stick it out for a fourth for the ASI (as this seems like a good plan). Given that we have a wizard and druid in the party for utility support (and who will have level 4 spells of their own by then), is there much need to rush to third-level Sorc spells at this point, or should I push on with Warlock levels to up my original class features, improved HD, and to balance renewable Pact Magic slot levels with my SP total?
- What are the potential effective level splits for a theoretical level 20 character?
- Warlock 11/Sorc 9 gives me a level 6 Mystic Arcanum, 3 level 5 Pact Magic slots, and Sorc level 5 slots, plus a reasonable SP reservoir, Death Ward and Raise Dead, but no third metamagic option, no Hurl Through Hell. Dropping one level of sorc costs level 5 Sorc spells but gains an ASI.
- Warlock 14/Sorc 6 gives the aforementioned HTH, a Level 7 MA, and extra attack, but a diminished Sorc spell list - plus revivify, but no further, from FS.
- Warlock 6/Sorc 14 gives Dark One's Luck and level 3 Pact Magic, but only 3 invocations total. Instead, Level 7 Sorc slots will pack a decent punch, a third Metamagic option, and hey, wings. Not bad!
- Warlock 3/ Sorc 17 turns my starting class into a dip (in which case I should have gone Sorc first for prof: constitution saves, but I digress). Ninth level spells, but Pact Magic renewable slots are a drop in the ocean of my 17 SP reserves, I'm effectively building a classic Sorlock for EB cheese. I'd like to avoid it - the breakpoints for the other options seem more interesting to me. There is a lot of advice for Sorlocks out there, but I'd like to try and build a Warcerer out of this character.
It feels like Warlock has access to the more interesting or unique abilities, but the more levels I can put into Sorc, the stronger and more flexible my combat and exploration options will be. At present, I'm most tempted by Warlock 11/Sorc 9 - I'm willing to sacrifice the higher-level spellcasting and allow the druid and wizard to do their thing while I handle middle-tier magic and utility options as effectively as possible - but I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.
If you've read this far: thank you!
