D&D 5E Please help me understand this build.

[Mistwell]

They also said you would be dishing out 4d10 + 4d6 +10 damage each round with Eldritch Blast and Hex.

This doesn't make sense to me. Don't these two spells rely on Warlock level, not character level?

It's character level (spellcasting level essentially). So it's 4 blasts at the highest levels, each at d10. Hex gives each a +1d6 to each attack, so total +4d6. With Agonizing Blast as an invocation, it's +charisma to each of the four blasts. Not sure what the +10 is. If they have a +2 Charisma bonus that's +8. If +3 that's +12. If +4 that's +16, and +5 it's +20 (depending on Chr). So as much as average 56 damage at highest levels.

 

[Rocksome]

If you're looking at 20th level characters it's also a little pointless going warlock anyway. A straight abjurer get's 2 x 1st level at-will spells and 1x2nd at 18th level anyway, obviating the need for warlock altogether.

Admittedly, it's a lot later than the multi-class build but since you were talking about a 20th level build it's worth pointing out.

 

[krunchyfrogg]

The abjurer's Arcane Ward has hit points equal to twice your wizard level plus your Int modifier. So, assuming Int 20, it has 41 hp. Each time you cast an abjuration spell of 1st level or higher, it "regains" hit points equal to twice the spell level. You can't regain something you never had, so I would read this to mean it tops out at 41 hp. (Also, why waste levels on warlock? You can just use the wizard's Spell Mastery to get shield at will, and have a ward with a 45-hp cap.)

So, you can give yourself a buffer of up to 45 hit points, which you can restore by spamming shield for a couple minutes.

At 20th level.

Whoop-de-frickin'-doo.

They're right about eldritch blast and hex--they're spells, not class features, and as such they key off your character level. Not that it matters much. Any respectable martial character at that level can dish out similar damage. It isn't even a minor exploit, it's just standard damage output for that level. If you want a real damage exploit, play a sorlock. A sorlock can lay down 4d10+4d6+16 at 5th level (albeit with somewhat limited use, but as you gain levels, your usage expands rapidly, until it might as well be at-will).

How'd you do that?

 

[krunchyfrogg]

If you're looking at 20th level characters it's also a little pointless going warlock anyway. A straight abjurer get's 2 x 1st level at-will spells and 1x2nd at 18th level anyway, obviating the need for warlock altogether.

Admittedly, it's a lot later than the multi-class build but since you were talking about a 20th level build it's worth pointing out.

I'm actually most interested in levels 5- maybe 10

 

[krunchyfrogg]

And I prefer simplicity in my builds. I like Tempest Clerics, I like Lore Bards, I like Moon Druids. I like Eldritch Knights. I like the idea of a Barbarian 2/Rogue X, and I like the Fighter 11/Rogue. The Warlock intrigues me, but I've never tried one. Same with Paladins (I want to try the nature one).

 

[Dausuul]

How'd you do that?

Play a warlock 2/sorcerer 3. (Notice how warlock keeps cropping up in these builds?) Get hex and eldritch blast as warlock spells, plus Agonizing Blast to add your Cha bonus to each eldritch blast bolt. At this point, you're dealing 2d10+2d6+8.

Now, get the Quickened Spell metamagic option. For 2 sorcery points, you can cast eldritch blast as a bonus action. Of course, per the spell rules, when you cast a spell as a bonus action, you can't cast another spell that round unless it's a cantrip. No problem. Just cast eldritch blast again.

At this level, of course, it's kind of a one-shot weapon since you only have 3 sorcery points, and not a lot of spell slots to recharge them with. But as you gain levels, you get a whole lot more slots to burn. By level 10 (warlock 2/sorcerer 8), you can do it four rounds in a row, then burn some slots to recharge.

 

[PnPgamer]

This character gets a bit MAD as it requires two different casting stats.

 

[transtemporal]

Casting Mage Armor 20 times isn't something you're going to do in the middle of a fight, though, so at most it's something like 40 hp or so of warding at the beginning of an encounter.

Mage Armor? Not so much. But Shield, Counterspell, Dispel Magic, Protection from Energy, Banishment, Symbol you might cast a few times.

 

[Coredump]

The missed the best part of the combo.... you also cast Armor of Agathys and Blade Ward. Then run around letting people hit you. (You can keep an absorb elements available if you want)

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Mage Armor? Not so much. But Shield, Counterspell, Dispel Magic, Protection from Energy, Banishment, Symbol you might cast a few times.

Symbol, maybe not so much, at a thousand gold pieces per Symbol. Great spell but not really for spamming.