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

[mellored]

I've noticed you didn't do a write up for the SCAG options. Booming Blade, Green-Flame Blade, Lighting Lure, and Sword Burst are all intended to be default cantrip options for warlocks (mostly to give Bladelocks a bone, I presume) but you don't have to waste your Tome features in picking them up, if you don't want to.
The Undying patron is some kind of pseudo-healer who can prevent the party from bleeding out or dropping below 0 hps (almost as good as raw healing imo), but lacks access to restoration abilities.

I'll get them. Still going through the PHB at the moment.

 

[Leatherhead]

I'll get them. Still going through the PHB at the moment.

Fair enough.

 

[DarkTechnomancer]

Armor of Agathys only lasts for one hour, and I am fairly certain that "You gain 5 temporary hit points for the duration" means that they disappear when the spell ends.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Why wouldn't a bladelock use dex instead of strength? Seems like you boost AC, lessen need for medium armor, leave more room for high con, boost more skills, boost both dex and con saves by being able to dump strength....all at the price of small amounts of damage difference, all told.

i think the cloak of midnight we worked out works even better, but as far as RAW options, I'm missing what makes str so good here.

 

[mellored]

Armor of Agathys only lasts for one hour, and I am fairly certain that "You gain 5 temporary hit points for the duration" means that they disappear when the spell ends.

You're correct. I will fix that.

 

[mellored]

Why wouldn't a bladelock use dex instead of strength? Seems like you boost AC, lessen need for medium armor, leave more room for high con, boost more skills, boost both dex and con saves by being able to dump strength....all at the price of small amounts of damage difference, all told.

Dex bladelock is 22 damage.
Dex chainlock with booming blade is 19/29 damage (24 if they move half the time).

So you trade away 2 damage, 2 invocations, and an invisible familiar for not being able to be disarmed.
That's a trap option.

Cha with Eldritch Blast is 28 damage.
Str Great Weapon Master bladelock is 33. About 15% more damage, 50% more than Dex bladelock. Higher with polearm master. You're still trading some good stuff away, but at least you get something for it.


*level 12 estimates.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Dex bladelock is 22 damage.
Dex chainlock with booming blade is 19/29 damage (24 if they move half the time).

So you trade away 2 damage, 2 invocations, and an invisible familiar for not being able to be disarmed.
That's a trap option.

Cha with Eldritch Blast is 28 damage.
Str Great Weapon Master bladelock is 33. About 15% more damage, 50% more than Dex bladelock. Higher with polearm master. You're still trading some good stuff away, but at least you get something for it.


*level 12 estimates.

Right, so, more damage, but also significantly more MAD and less defense and less important skills boosted, and a greater need for better armor and thus MC/feat or houseruling.
And if you're gonna MC, rogue is a great choice. And if you're houseruling, many groups ignore stat prereqs for MC, so dex based paladin dip is fine.

I mean, it's your guide, you do you. I just definately don't think it's as simple as "bladelocks should use Str."

 

[mellored]

Right, so, more damage, but also significantly more MAD and less defense and less important skills boosted, and a greater need for better armor and thus MC/feat or houseruling.

You don't need to be blade to be a dex based warlock.

All warlocks can use daggers and booming blade to deal nearly the same damage as blade does when he spends 2 invocations.

And if you're gonna MC, rogue is a great choice. And if you're houseruling, many groups ignore stat prereqs for MC, so dex based paladin dip is fine.

Multi-classing makes booming blade even more valuble since it scales by character level. A warlock2/rogue 3 would get the extra d8s.

Paladin/blade may have a little more going for it. Dualist and smites are better with multi-attack than booming blade. But only at certain levels since paladin 5 get's multi-attack anyways.

 

[Ovarwa]

Hi,

I think the damage comparison should include the normal case of not having advantage. This will happen rather often, especially in parties where DarkNDevil isn't a great idea.

I also suspect that a comparison against a higher but reasonable AC would also help people decide which warlock works best for their game.

Anyway,

Ken

 

[mellored]

Hi,

I think the damage comparison should include the normal case of not having advantage. This will happen rather often, especially in parties where DarkNDevil isn't a great idea.

I also suspect that a comparison against a higher but reasonable AC would also help people decide which warlock works best for their game.

Anyway,

Ken

If you want to math that all out, i'll put it up there.