D&D 5E Warlocks and high level play

[CapnZapp]

Okay, so you're not quite a high level spellcaster.

But how's your melee prowess? Can you dish out significant every-round-of-the-day damage like fighters? Can you survive being attacked better than the squishy mages?

Just wondering if you feel you get something in return for that lack of high level spell shenanigans?

Or perhaps you were sturdier at low levels and now pay the price at high levels?

Or is the warlock simply inferior in campaigns reaching the higher levels...?

 

[Celtavian]

As a DM running a few warlocks, he sure seems real useful if he's not in the group to be the utility caster. Warlock seems like a caster that class that acts as a damage dealer with a bit extra. I'm surprised at how effective the Chain Pact warlock is. I sorely underestimated the warlock's special familiar. Familiars like an imp or quasit are quite effective in the scouting and aiding department. The warlock deals out consistent damage at the high range of PC capabilities. They seem like an effective and fun class. Perhaps not the absolutely best in one particular area, but good in a few different, very effective areas.

 

[JackOfAllTirades]

As a DM running a few warlocks, he sure seems real useful if he's not in the group to be the utility caster. Warlock seems like a caster that class that acts as a damage dealer with a bit extra. I'm surprised at how effective the Chain Pact warlock is. I sorely underestimated the warlock's special familiar. Familiars like an imp or quasit are quite effective in the scouting and aiding department. The warlock deals out consistent damage at the high range of PC capabilities. They seem like an effective and fun class. Perhaps not the absolutely best in one particular area, but good in a few different, very effective areas.

Exactly this. The Warlock plays well as an arcane specialist. They have a lot of specialties to choose from, but once they've made that choice it's hard to change; they're not as flexible as the wizard. Or even the sorcerer.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

The impression my analysis gives me is that they are almost as good at at-will damage as the top tier at-will damagers, and they are almost as effective at being casters as are full casters. Plus, they get a lot of extra coolness from invocations and other features.

That seems pretty powerful/cool to me. Almost as good at the best in two different categories, plus your own special abilities to boot.

I think where they will seem weak is if one is trying to mimic either a top tier at-will damager, or a full caster. If they could compete on the same level with either (or both!) of them, they would be unbalanced due to everything else they also have going for them.

Other thoughts. As far as flexibility, while a particular warlock isn't all that flexible (compared to a full caster at least), the character building options the class provides are extremely flexible. Pact of the Tome or Pact of the Chain both provide a lot of flexibility in different ways--take your pick. Then your choice of invocations can completely change the way your character operates. I'm not even bringing up spell selection or patron choice, since subclasses and spell choices aren't unique to warlock, but they have that too.

 

[EroGaki]

That's exactly what I'm wondering. The more traditional classes have clearly defined roles, and their capabilities are well known. The warlock is, to me, an unknown variable, with no definite role in or out of combat.

 

[EroGaki]

As a DM running a few warlocks, he sure seems real useful if he's not in the group to be the utility caster. Warlock seems like a caster that class that acts as a damage dealer with a bit extra. I'm surprised at how effective the Chain Pact warlock is. I sorely underestimated the warlock's special familiar. Familiars like an imp or quasit are quite effective in the scouting and aiding department. The warlock deals out consistent damage at the high range of PC capabilities. They seem like an effective and fun class. Perhaps not the absolutely best in one particular area, but good in a few different, very effective areas.

So would you say that the chain pact is primarily useful for scouting?

I kind of got the sense that the idea behind it was supposed to be a combination of summoner and scout, but warlocks have basically no summoning ability.

 

[Celtavian]

So would you say that the chain pact is primarily useful for scouting?

I kind of got the sense that the idea behind it was supposed to be a combination of summoner and scout, but warlocks have basically no summoning ability.

Here is how the warlock uses his imp:

1. Scouting: Imp can turn invisible as well. So it is an excellent scout. Imp can turn into a beast as well.

2. Granting advantage on attacks using the Help action while invisible. Help action doesn't break invisibility. So the imp can do this over and over again with little danger. He is also immune to fire, so you can launch a fireball into an area with an imp.

3. Imp can fly. So can scout just about anywhere. Imp can use Help action to grant advantage against flying creatures as well.

So Chain Pact does have some combat utility.

 

[EroGaki]

Here is how the warlock uses his imp:

1. Scouting: Imp can turn invisible as well. So it is an excellent scout. Imp can turn into a beast as well.

2. Granting advantage on attacks using the Help action while invisible. Help action doesn't break invisibility. So the imp can do this over and over again with little danger. He is also immune to fire, so you can launch a fireball into an area with an imp.

3. Imp can fly. So can scout just about anywhere. Imp can use Help action to grant advantage against flying creatures as well.

So Chain Pact does have some combat utility.

Imps seem to be pretty amazing. How would you say the other familiars hold up? I don't think most people would consider using an imp, due to the evil alignment.

 

[Celtavian]

Imps seem to be pretty amazing. How would you say the other familiars hold up? I don't think most people would consider using an imp, due to the evil alignment.

The imp is a bastard. He likes to play jokes on the party and laugh at their misfortune.

I think the quasit is comparable. Sprite seems like it could be useful, but is very squishy.

Pseudodragon is weak because it can't turn invisible. I'd stay away from the pseudodragon. It's an example of the game designers providing an option without making it comparable to the other available options.

 

[EroGaki]

The imp is a bastard. He likes to play jokes on the party and laugh at their misfortune.

I think the quasit is comparable. Sprite seems like it could be useful, but is very squishy.

Pseudodragon is weak because it can't turn invisible. I'd stay away from the pseudodragon. It's an example of the game designers providing an option without making it comparable to the other available options.

It seems as if they intentionally made the evil options amazing and the good options lame. Sprite and Pseudodragon vs Imp and Qausit? Really?