D&D (2024) ENworld Warlock Builds.

[Zardnaar]

Simple thread. Share you warlock builds. I've vaguely remembered a couple other have posted please speak up if they're yours or if I have built them wrong.

1. Pact of Nothing.
My build for warlock. Basically you don't take any pacts and aim at lots of secrets of the ancients. Various ways to do it but pact tone and magic initiate X3 can be taken by level 2. Either way lots of utility either your favorite 4 or 5 Origin feats level 2.

2. Devoted Angel.
Built around true strike. Not my build but I woukd start as Paladin, next 6 levels celestial Warlock, then 2 more levels of devoted paladin. Stack Agonizing blast, true strike, shillagh etc into one big attack. Eldritch smite and smiles as well.

3. Putrid Quasit
Summon a "ghoul" via summon undead. By itself it can paralyze stiff using your spell DC. Pact of the Chain quasit rend inflicts poisoned condition as well. No save paralyzed. Alert feat and possibly inspiring leader?

 

[Worrgrendel]

Simple thread. Share you warlock builds. I've vaguely remembered a couple other have posted please speak up if they're yours or if I have built them wrong.

1. Pact of Nothing.
My build for warlock. Basically you don't take any pacts and aim at lots of secrets of the ancients. Various ways to do it but pact tone and magic initiate X3 can be taken by level 2. Either way lots of utility either your favorite 4 or 5 Orin feats level 2.

2. Devoted Angel.
Built around true strike. Not my build but I woukd start as Paladin, next 6 levels celestial Warlock, then 2 more levels of devoted paladin. Stack Agonizing blast, true strike, shillagh etc into one big attack. Eldritch smite and smiles as well.

3. Putrid Quasit
Summon a "ghoul" via summon undead. By itself it can paralyze stiff using your spell DC. Pact of the Chain quasit rend inflicts poisoned condition as well. No save paralyzed. Alert feat and possibly inspiring leader?

On your Putrid Quasit build, you do know that your character will never be able to take advantage of the Paralyzed condition on your target right? The Putrid Spirit acts on your initiative count but immediately after you. The Paralyzed condition ends at the start of the target’s next turn. So depending on initiative order, anywhere from none of your party to all of your party but you, will be able to take advantage of it. Also, weirdly, the familiar rolls it’s own initiative so applying the Poisoned condition could be out of whack for a turn but it at least lasts until the start of the Quasit’s next turn. Not entirely sure if the part where you can sacrifice one of your attacks on your turn to give your familiar an attack happens on your turn (I think it would) or on your familiar’s next turn.

 

[Worrgrendel]

Semi related to this topic, one of my gaming groups is wrapping up Call of the Netherdeep soon and will be starting up Vecna: Eve of Ruin after and we kinda on purpose but started as a joke ended up with an “Oops, all Warlocks” party. 5 players, don’t know exact deets on each individual Warlock but I have some information. Starts at level 10 going to 20. Party consists of:
Paladin Oath of the Noble Djinni/Warlock Genie Patron (7/3 start; ends as 8/12; Pact of the Blade; my character)
Bard College of Swords/Warlock Archfey Patron (5/5 start;??? ends; Pact of the Blade)
Warlock Celestial Patron (no multiclass; focusing on healing and support)
Warlock custom Patron subclass based on one of player’s favorite anime books (not sure on multiclass; subclass themed around Pact of Chain and elemental damage)
Warlock Fiend Patron (no multiclass and Pact of the Blade)
It should be… interesting at least.

 

[mellored]

Quiet Death

Goo warlock/illusionist 3.
Pact of the Chain, Gaze of Two Minds, Agonizing Blast (Mind Sliver), Eldrich Spear (Mind Sliver), Visions of a Distant Realm, Mask of Many Faces, Ghostly Gaze.

Bonus action Minor Illusion to make a distraction.
Action to silently cast mind sliver.
Suggestion is also great to cast, or just concentrate on Hex for 24 hours.

While you hide 2 rooms away looking like you belong.

 

[Zardnaar]

On your Putrid Quasit build, you do know that your character will never be able to take advantage of the Paralyzed condition on your target right? The Putrid Spirit acts on your initiative count but immediately after you. The Paralyzed condition ends at the start of the target’s next turn. So depending on initiative order, anywhere from none of your party to all of your party but you, will be able to take advantage of it. Also, weirdly, the familiar rolls it’s own initiative so applying the Poisoned condition could be out of whack for a turn but it at least lasts until the start of the Quasit’s next turn. Not entirely sure if the part where you can sacrifice one of your attacks on your turn to give your familiar an attack happens on your turn (I think it would) or on your familiar’s next turn.

That's why you take alert feat.

But yeah you're helping others out.

 

[Zardnaar]

Semi related to this topic, one of my gaming groups is wrapping up Call of the Netherdeep soon and will be starting up Vecna: Eve of Ruin after and we kinda on purpose but started as a joke ended up with an “Oops, all Warlocks” party. 5 players, don’t know exact deets on each individual Warlock but I have some information. Starts at level 10 going to 20. Party consists of:
Paladin Oath of the Noble Djinni/Warlock Genie Patron (7/3 start; ends as 8/12; Pact of the Blade; my character)
Bard College of Swords/Warlock Archfey Patron (5/5 start;??? ends; Pact of the Blade)
Warlock Celestial Patron (no multiclass; focusing on healing and support)
Warlock custom Patron subclass based on one of player’s favorite anime books (not sure on multiclass; subclass themed around Pact of Chain and elemental damage)
Warlock Fiend Patron (no multiclass and Pact of the Blade)
It should be… interesting at least.

We did that BG 3. Everyone take devils sight, darkness and hunger of hadar just saying.

 

[Zardnaar]

Quiet Death

Goo warlock/illusionist 3.
Pact of the Chain, Gaze of Two Minds, Agonizing Blast (Mind Sliver), Eldrich Spear (Mind Sliver), Visions of a Distant Realm, Mask of Many Faces, Ghostly Gaze.

Bonus action Minor Illusion to make a distraction.
Action to silently cast mind sliver.
Suggestion is also great to cast, or just concentrate on Hex for 24 hours.

While you hide 2 rooms away looking like you belong.

Level 9ish Warlock?

 

[mellored]

Level 9ish Warlock?

The core comes online at level 5, with chain familar + gaze of two minds + silent casting to deal damage around corners.

All the rest is just further supporting that (more range, more scouting, more looking innocent, bonus action distraction. And there are some fun spells to like Modify Memory you can quietly cast from the next room.

I could see going rogue 2 as well, for stealth and deception.

Grabbing Tome to and Viscous Mockery would be funny, but not exactly powerful.

Oh. I know.

Elf, Goo 5/illusionist 5.
Find familiar + Gaze of two minds + Meld into Stone.
You can take long rests without coming out of the stone. Use Dream to prevent enemies from recovering.

Be the haunted statue.

 

[jmartkdr2]

Shadow Blade warlock: (2014 version)

Dex-based build, that's your main ability score. Learn shadow blade at level 3; this is now your main attack and where most of your spell slots will go. It can't be you pact blade so you can't take Thirsting blade for extra attack; you'll be using it with booming blade or greenflame blade every round.

For boon: anything but Blade works, I went with Pact of the Chain so my imp could Aid my attacks. This works most rounds.

Hexblade is the best patron for this mostly because of the armor proficiencies. Hexblade's curse also synchs well since you have a lot of dice to double and frankly it's the most thematically appropriate Patron for this concept.

You can take whatever invocations you want since you don't have any taxes to pay. I went with all the vision-based ones just to have another theme. My current chat avatar was also the character portrait. The Warcaster feat is highly recommended.

Updating for 2024 rules is ongoing since it's a bonus action to make the weapon your pact blade rather than a ten-minute ritual. If you take the blade pact invocation you can fluff that as a cantrip-tier version of the spell (including psychic damage) but it can feel like action taxes if you don't have your weapon out at the start of combat. You will get three attacks per round at some point which is goofy when you're doing 4d8 damage per hit.

 

[jmartkdr2]

With multiclassing: celestial dragon warrior build:

This is based around the fact that Greenflame blade would trigger both a dragon sorcerer's Elemental Affinity and a Celestial Warlock's Radiant Soul feature - which, if combined with a 2024 pact of the blade would result in a 12th-level longsword GFB that does 3d8+(cha mod x 3) to the main target and 2d8+cha to some other target. And thanks to the updated draconic resilience, you're also adding cha to AC.

Build path id dragon sorc 1, then celestial warlock to 6, than sorc to 6, then warlock to 14. Alternatively, you could throw in some paladin for cha to saves and with devotion oath an cha to hit.

This mostly worked in the 2014 rules except you couldn't get cha to attack on a Celestial Blade Pact warlock without homebrew.