D&D 5E Warlock, Pact of the Blade, Melee

[flametitan]

The same goes for dual wielding, if you don't have Warcaster, you won't be able to cast the majority of your spells.

Not really. If you're casting a spell, you aren't twfing that turn anyway, meaning you can stow a weapon with your free object interaction, and then draw it next turn. You lose a point of AC doing so, but you don't need warcaster.

 

[neogod22]

Not really. If you're casting a spell, you aren't twfing that turn anyway, meaning you can stow a weapon with your free object interaction, and then draw it next turn. You lose a point of AC doing so, but you don't need warcaster.

I have a question, what are you trying to dual wield? You do realize that warlocks are not proficient in martial weapons right, and that your pact blade only gives you proficiency with your pact blade right? So you will have to take a level in something else, use a feat. To gain proficiency with the weapons you want, play a certain race which I'm assuming would be drow, and take the dual wield feat.

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[flametitan]

I have a question, what are you trying to dual wield? You do realize that warlocks are not proficient in martial weapons right, and that your pact blade only gives you proficiency with your pact blade right? So you will have to take a level in something else, use a feat. To gain proficiency with the weapons you want, play a certain race which I'm assuming would be drow, and take the dual wield feat.

Simple. I've not been working under the assumption that it's a sinlge class warlock. Everybody here's been using a level of fighter. I've preferred a few levels of rogue. SA goes a long way to close the damage gap between blade and EB, to within a couple DPR.

 

[Balfore]

2 EK in my group, both do the -5 on every attack.
They both can do (when they hit) roughly 70 to 75 dpr.
STR+5
-5 for +10
+ 2d6 (great sword)

If you add in the free attack if they kill someone and/or the action surge... it's crazy damage... plus they can shield.
A crazy, ninja blender tank.

The other guy, is an archer, and gets an additional +2 from bracers of archery, his damage is closer to 20 to 24 per hit. Additionally, he can shoot from over 100 feet away, and never gets hit. (Shoot, duck, cover)
Crazy damage for a melee caster type without multiclassing

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[neogod22]

Simple. I've not been working under the assumption that it's a sinlge class warlock. Everybody here's been using a level of fighter. I've preferred a few levels of rogue. SA goes a long way to close the damage gap between blade and EB, to within a couple DPR.

I don't multiplies. If it made sense to my character concept, I might do it, but the bottom end abilities of a new class, usually don't outweigh the the end game abilities you get staying true to your class. Also the push back usually makes your character weaker anyway.

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[Ahrimon]

I'm not sure if I've posted here since it's a necro, but the blade-lock I've been planning is very reliant on spells and abilities that aren't available to other classes. He'll start as a F1 specifically for heavy armor and the great-weapon style. 2nd wind fits thematically too. Then warlock until the game ends. His first feat will be heavy armor mastery. Using a re-flavored fiend pact he'll gain temp HP every time he kills an opponent, and the heavy armor mastery will keep those temp HP going longer. Armor of Agythis combined with heavy armor mastery should greatly increase his damage output. Beyond that, I'm going to be playing it by ear. He may not be king of the DPS, but I think it will be a very flavorful warrior that will still hold his own in combat, have good survive ability, and do well in the social and exploration tiers.

 

[neogod22]

I'm not sure if I've posted here since it's a necro, but the blade-lock I've been planning is very reliant on spells and abilities that aren't available to other classes. He'll start as a F1 specifically for heavy armor and the great-weapon style. 2nd wind fits thematically too. Then warlock until the game ends. His first feat will be heavy armor mastery. Using a re-flavored fiend pact he'll gain temp HP every time he kills an opponent, and the heavy armor mastery will keep those temp HP going longer. Armor of Agythis combined with heavy armor mastery should greatly increase his damage output. Beyond that, I'm going to be playing it by ear. He may not be king of the DPS, but I think it will be a very flavorful warrior that will still hold his own in combat, have good survive ability, and do well in the social and exploration tiers.

I've pretty much posted this in my original post, without going into specifics of how to play, because I think people should already be able to read spells and figure out what works for a bladelock. What I don't recommend is multi-classing. The reason is, warlocks, like all casters still rely on their magic, and the short term gain you get from starting abilities of another class, usually turns into long term misery, since every level you take in another class, pushes everything in warlock back that many levels, and closes you off to your end game abilities. For example taking 2 levels of fighter first means, you don't get your first ability score improvement until lvl 6, and you can't take Thirsting Blade or get 3rd lvl slots until 7. You can't get life drinker until 14 and you lose master warlock and your last feat. If you take 4 lvls of fighter, you lose your ability to ever get a 9th lvl spell slot, and everything is pushed way back.

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[neogod22]

Someone mentioned multi-classing into rogue, that's actually kind of interesting, especially if your focus will be more on being a rogue with a pact blade. I'll have to look into it and see how that can work.

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[neogod22]

Plenty of the warlock spells do require material components. I'm playing a warlock and many do - armour of agathys, witch bolt, invisibility, hex, protection from evil to name a few. To pick on the most obvious, warcaster does not let you cast hex in combat while using a weapon and shield or two weapons.

The phb gives a specific example of sheathing a sword as an interaction so I would say a DM ignoring that is being a bit harsh. Dropping a weapon is arguably not an action at all and so you could use your interaction to pick up the weapon after casting the spell.

You're right, usually when I drop a weapon it's to draw another, so I was thinking about that, not putting a weapon away to cast a spell.

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[Ashrym]

Considering characters at the moment and one option is the Warlock. Looks pretty cool. Anyway, I notice Pact of the Blade, which immediately appealed, but the problem I'm having now is I can't see why I'd do that over and above spamming Eldritch Bolt?

I'm generally not very good at the build crafting, so I may be missing something, but there doesn't seem a way to enhance that summoned weapons damage beyond spreading your stats out to STR? While oddly, there is Eldritch Blasting enhancing options within the class.

So...is Pact of the Blade viable without multi-classing?

Make a dwarf for armor or pick up the proficiency via feat, and go for pole arm master with a halberd etc. With the exception of eldritch blast getting a 3rd bolt one level before lifedrinker becomes available the blade pact will be ahead the entire game with the eldritch blaster playing catch up to even become competitive on that fourth bolt later on. Adding in great weapon master, darkness, and devil's sight can give brutal damage and pretty early. Fey patron also gives warlocks access to greater invisibility as a spell option although fiend tends to be more popular and gives damage resistance, temp hp, and dark one's luck so works well with blade pact.

It's totally viable. It's not as simple or straight forward planning it out compared to eldritch blasting.