D&D 5E [GUIDE] Pacts, Patrons, and Power, a Warlock guide

[mellored]

Drow come with Faerie Fire, gives everyone advantage to hit affected creatures, and Darkness, each once per day.

True, but they also have sunlight sensitivity. Which has a real impact on eldrich blast.

Still a good race, and you can avoid sunlight, possibly with darkness or in an underdark campaign, but it keeps them from being a top choice.

 

[Asgorath]

Jeremy Crawford confirmed that truesight (and blindsight) see through Shadow of Moil:

https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/943256098869469184

 

[mellored]

Jeremy Crawford confirmed that truesight (and blindsight) see through Shadow of Moil:

https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/943256098869469184

Noted. Thanks

 

[Patryn13]

Thinking about building a Variant Human Polearm Master Hexblade Warlock / Divine Soul Sorcerer. Using your guide as a base I was planning out the following. Any thoughts? Would like opinions on spell selections and invocations. I'm wondering if Cloak of Flies is worth picking up over Ascendent Step. Thinking about trying to fit Misty Step, Fear, and Charm Person/Monster in somewhere during Warlock progression. Also debating which is better to pick up first: Cone of Cold or Synaptic Static.

1 | +Eldritch Blast, +Booming Blade, +Shield, +Hex | Polearm Master | Warlock 1
2 | +Hellish Rebuke | +Agonizing Blast, +Devil’s Sight | Warlock 2
3 | -Hellish Rebuke, +Darkness, +Suggestion | Warlock 3
4 | +Minor Illusion, +Hold Person | +Great Weapon Master | Warlock 4
5 | -Hex, +Invisibility, +Hypnotic Pattern | +Thirsting Blade | Warlock 5
6 | +Fly | Warlock 6
7 | -Darkness, + Shadow of Moil, +Banishment | +Mask of Many Faces | Warlock 7
8 | +Dimension Door | +2 Charisma | Warlock 8
9 | -Hold Person, +Hold Monster, +Cone of Cold | +Ascendent Step | Warlock 9
10 | +Friends | Warlock 10
11 | -Suggestion, +Blink, +Synaptic Static | +Mass Suggestion | Warlock 11
12 | +Lifedrinker | +2 Charisma | Warlock 12
13 | +Summon Greater Demon | +Forcecage | Warlock 13
14 | Warlock 14
15 | -Invisibility, +Banishing Smite, +Phantasmal Killer | +Dominate Monster | -Devil’s Sight, +Vision of Distant Realms, +Shroud of Shadow | Warlock 15
16 | +Warcaster | Warlock 16
17 | -Shadow of Moil, + Elemental Weapon, +Counterspell | +Foresight | Warlock 17
18 | +Guidance, +Mage Hand, +Green-Flame Blade, +Prestidigitation, +(Divine Magic), +Absorb Elements, +Healing Word | Sorcerer 1
19 | +Command | Sorcerer 2
20 | -(Divine Magic), +Misty Step, +Mirror Image | +Quickened Spell, +Extend Spell |Sorcerer 3

 

[mellored]

Thinking about building a Variant Human Polearm Master Hexblade Warlock / Divine Soul Sorcerer. Using your guide as a base I was planning out the following. Any thoughts?

Seems fine. But it depends on you party. While it's good to have a plan, it's better to play first and adapt. No need to stress out over level 20 if your campaign stops at level 6.

How many allies can take advantage of hold person? Hexblade crits are nothing special as most of the damage boost is not dice.

You might also want to keep devils sight. You don't have darkvision, or a light cantrip. Unless your ally does it for you.

Cone of Cold or Synaptic Static.

Since your in melee, might as well go with cone of cold.

 

[BlueMoonX79]

Spell/invocation suggestions for a Half-Elf Fighter 2/Hexblade 7, anyone?

My DM just had me finish a side plot where I become the warrior for the Raven Queen over the Fiend I had before, so he's letting me reset my spells and invocations as I wish before next session.

Note: I took the Dueling fighting style, and thus have a shield and wear plate mail for now.

 

[starryknight64]

Booming Blade: A weapon cantrip that allows Dex based Warlocks to deal decent damage. Works superb with warcaster to have a nasty OA. Also works well with darkness + devils sight, since you need to see the enemy in or order to OA, you can hit and run, making them trigger the secondary damage.

Newby here... what's OA in this context? A Google search yielded Oriental Adventures? But that's for Advanced DnD. Is that right in this context?

 

[pdegan2814]

Newby here... what's OA in this context? A Google search yielded Oriental Adventures? But that's for Advanced DnD. Is that right in this context?

OA = Opportunity Attack.

 

[Yunru]

A Hexblade's F1 works with a Hand Crossbow, for those more unconventional bowlocks.

 

[mellored]

A Hexblade's F1 works with a Hand Crossbow, for those more unconventional bowlocks.

Yes, but you still need imporved pact weapon to get multi-attack with it.

 

[Yunru]

Yes, but you still need imporved pact weapon to get multi-attack with it.

Depends on if you manage to acquire a magical (cross)bow before level 5 or not I guess.

 

[Nikioko]

Elven Accuracy (half-elf): With an odd Cha score (example: 9 str, 13+1 Con, 13+1 Dex, 8 Int, 14 Wis, 15+2 Cha). Warlocks have good ways to get advantage (darkness + devils sight / shadows of moil / foresight). On top of advantage, this will add about +2.5 (including the Cha boost ) to-hit with eldritch blast, and +3.5 with great weapon master/sharpshooter. This doesn't mean all warlocks should be half-elfs, but if you are one then take this feat. If you have even Cha, it's still a pretty good feat and you should try to work it in (example: elven accuracy, +1Cha/+1Con, resilient Con). Also, take scouting spells/invocations, so you don't waste your first turn casting darkness.

Sorry, can't see an advantage in this over raising CHA by 2, thus increasing spell casting ability (and therefore spell save DC and spel attack bonus) by 1.
My starting ability score for the half-elf warlock is STR 8 (0 points), DEX 13+1 (5 points), CON 15+1 (9 points), INT 10 (2 points), WIS 12 (4 points), CHA 14+2 (7 points)
So, with an even DEX score, it is better to raise DEX by 2 on your Level 12 ability score improvement (provided that you raised CHA to 20 at Level 4 and 8), unless you have an item (like Boots of Dex) which improves your DEX to an odd number .

 

[Yunru]

Sorry, can't see an advantage in this over raising CHA by 2, thus increasing spell casting ability (and therefore spell save DC and spell attack bonus) by 1.

You don't see the advantage of +1 Cha and triple advantage, over +2 Cha? *headscratch*

Well lucky you, someone made something to do it for you!
http://anydice.com/program/1e0a

As you can see, Elven Accuracy adds on average +2 to spell attacks, much better than a measly +1 (which you may still already get, given EA comes with +1 Cha).

 

[Nikioko]

You don't see the advantage of +1 Cha and triple advantage, over +2 Cha? *headscratch*

Well lucky you, someone made something to do it for you!
http://anydice.com/program/1e0a

As you can see, Elven Accuracy adds on average +2 to spell attacks, much better than a measly +1 (which you may still already get, given EA comes with +1 Cha).

First, Elven Accuracy gives you +1 DEX, not +1 CHA.
Second, yes, you get triple advantage. Provided that you have advantage at all. To get advantage, you have to cast the cantrip True Strike, for example, which has three cons: 1. you have to use an action so that you can only attack every second round. 2. The True Strike only affects the first attack roll, so if you cast multiple Eldritch Blasts, you have advantage on the first one only. 3. This quite useless cantrip permanently blocks one of your valuable cantrip solts, even if you have the Book of Secrets invocation. See the problem?

 

[mellored]

First, Elven Accuracy gives you +1 DEX, not +1 CHA.
Second, yes, you get triple advantage. Provided that you have advantage at all. To get advantage, you have to cast the cantrip True Strike, for example, which has three cons: 1. you have to use an action so that you can only attack every second round. 2. The True Strike only affects the first attack roll, so if you cast multiple Eldritch Blasts, you have advantage on the first one only. 3. This quite useless cantrip permanently blocks one of your valuable cantrip solts, even if you have the Book of Secrets invocation. See the problem?

It's +1 to dex, int, or cha. You can choose. This was changed from the UA.

Also, darkness + devil's sight, shadows of moil, and foresight all give advantage. Not to mention other stuff like hold person, or a friendly monk stunning people.

Granted the first 2 options take an action to cast, which can lower your damage if you do it on the first turn of combat, but if you can cast it before battle then it's great. And it's fairly common to know there is an enemy on the other side of a door before you kick it down. Particularly if you grab some scouting invocation.

 

[Nikioko]

It's +1 to dex, int, or cha. You can choose. This was changed from the UA.

Also, darkness + devil's sight, shadows of moil, and foresight all give advantage. Not to mention other stuff like hold person, or a friendly monk stunning people.

Granted the first 2 options take an action to cast, which can lower your damage if you do it on the first turn of combat, but if you can cast it before battle then it's great. And it's fairly common to know there is an enemy on the other side of a door before you kick it down. Particularly if you grab some scouting invocation.

Greater Invisibility also gives you an advantage, but like Darkness and Shadow of Moil, this is a concentration spell so that you can't cast Hex which means you do without that 1d6 necrotic extra damage on every blast which is not worth it. additionally, Darkness also affects your fellow party members in melee and the zone of darkness can often be easily left. And finally, these consume one of your scarce spell slots and don't last very long, effectively for one fight, or even shorter if you are hit and miss the CON check. This rules out the first two options.

As for foresight: Yes, you can choose this as your Mystic Arcanum on level 17 if you have come that far. The problem is: you can cast it once per day for 8 hours. What are you doing the rest of the time? Plus, this spell has a casting time of 1 minute, so it must be cast in advance and cannot be cast when the battle starts.
So, if you raised CHA to 20 at level 12, you actually can take this on your ability score improvement on level 16, but that is a far way to go if you ever come that far. And in that case you will have fellow party members that inflict a lot more damage than you.

Hold Person doesn't work on monsters (and Hold Monster is a Level 5 spell which you therefore can pick at Level 9), and both again are concentration spells that drain your few spell slots and prevent you from casting Hex.
And as for the monk: For stunning strike, he has to spend a ki point everytime to do so, and those aren't unlimited.

 

[Yunru]

Greater Invisibility also gives you an advantage, but like Darkness and Shadow of Moil, this is a concentration spell so that you can't cast Hex which means you do without that 1d6 necrotic extra damage on every blast which is not worth it.

Incorrect. Even with regular advantage, Greater Invisibility increases damage more than hex against most targets.

 

[mellored]

Greater Invisibility also gives you an advantage, but like Darkness and Shadow of Moil, this is a concentration spell so that you can't cast Hex which means you do without that 1d6 necrotic extra damage on every blast which is not worth it.

It is worth it.

level 12.

Eldrich Blast, 20 Cha, Agonizing Blast (31.5 damage, .65 to hit)
= 20.475
+advantage (.8775)
= 27.64125
+Elven accuracy (.957125 to hit)
= 30.1494375
+ hex (42 damage).
= 27.3

You not only do more damage, you also get a big defense boost with darkness.

Greater invisibility is also good, but only available to fey, and at level 7 instead of 3.

additionally, Darkness also affects your fellow party members in melee and the zone of darkness can often be easily left.

Not being able to see usually goes both ways. So other party members get both advantage (enemey can't see them) and disadvantage (they can't see the enemy). This means all attacks are normal.

Also, most warlocks will stand in the back.

Though yes, in some parties i could be a problem. Such as if you are a hexblade, and your ally casts spells that they need to see the target.
But shadows of moil still works.

And finally, these consume one of your scarce spell slots and don't last very long, effectively for one fight, or even shorter if you are hit and miss the CON check. This rules out the first two options.

The only spell that lasts more than 1 fight is hex. And that is even easier to disrupt since enemies can hit you easier.
And warlock spells recharge on a short rest, which is usually enough 1 spell each fight.

But yes, sometimes you will want to cast another spell instead. Hex still has the advantage of being a bonus action to cast, in case you get suprised. Or possibly greater invisbility on the fighter instead.

As for foresight: Yes, you can choose this as your Mystic Arcanum on level 17 if you have come that far. The problem is: you can cast it once per day for 8 hours. What are you doing the rest of the time? Plus, this spell has a casting time of 1 minute, so it must be cast in advance and cannot be cast when the battle starts.

8 hours is long enough to last most days.
And you still have shadows of moil if neccicaray.

So, if you raised CHA to 20 at level 12, you actually can take this on your ability score improvement on level 16, but that is a far way to go if you ever come that far. And in that case you will have fellow party members that inflict a lot more damage than you.

You generally take elven accuracy at 4.

For instance, a half-elf with 15 Cha from point buy, +2 from racial = 17. Then add +1 from elven accuracy and your at 18.
Then level 8 you boost Cha to 20.

 

[Ogre Mage]

Any build advice for a single class Hexblade who relies on eldritch blast? I realize the sorlock is stronger for this, but I want to stay single class. I will probably be half-elf with a stat spread of something like

Str 10
Dex 14
Con 14
Int 10
Wis 12
Cha 17

And then I will take elven accuracy at 4th level. But other than that not sure about invocation choices, spell choices, pact of chain vs. pact of tome, etc.

 

[FullCaster]

Any build advice for a single class Hexblade who relies on eldritch blast? I realize the sorlock is stronger for this, but I want to stay single class. I will probably be half-elf with a stat spread of something like

Str 10
Dex 14
Con 14
Int 10
Wis 12
Cha 17

And then I will take elven accuracy at 4th level. But other than that not sure about invocation choices, spell choices, pact of chain vs. pact of tome, etc.

If you are picking elven accuracy at 4th level then you should go with the Half Elf Drow variant from the SCAG. Doing that will give you access to two additional spells that grant advantage. For invocations you should definitely pick Agonizing blast, Repelling blast and Devil's Sight(to see through your Darkness spell you get from being a Drow variant Half Elf). Also go pact of the tome and pick up Book of Ancient secrets. Tome offers more than Chain and Chain just seems a bit lackluster to be honest.

Also you should strongly consider going for this stat array:

Str 8
Dex 14
Con 16
Int 8
Wis 12
Cha 17

Putting points in Str and Int are useless to a Warlock.

For spell choices, just read this guide and pick the best rated choices. You can't go wrong with that.