D&D 5E (2024) Pact Of Chain Warlock is really powerful now.

[Ancalagon]

I think the real power of PotC is that you can now have more than one pact! If you wanted to be a "sword warlock" in the past, it usually meant pact of the blade. Now you can do both. So the "opportunity cost" has been reduced.

 

[Charlaquin]

I think the real power of PotC is that you can now have more than one pact! If you wanted to be a "sword warlock" in the past, it usually meant pact of the blade. Now you can do both. So the "opportunity cost" has been reduced.

I do have a hard time picturing myself playing a warlock that doesn’t take all three pact boons now. Not for powergaming reasons, but because if I’m playing a witch and I have the option to take a special familiar, a book of shadows, and a souped-up athame, of course I’m going to take all of those options!

 

[Zardnaar]

I think the real power of PotC is that you can now have more than one pact! If you wanted to be a "sword warlock" in the past, it usually meant pact of the blade. Now you can do both. So the "opportunity cost" has been reduced.

Except you probably don't have enough invocations to be good at each one.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Except you probably don't have enough invocations to be good at each one.

Having played a Celestial Bladelock up to like...I think it was level 12?

You can do more than one, but Blade is the most hungry of the lot, so it eats up a lot of space. You can basically get one other thing alongside Blade: I went for "Tome + utility stuff". You could easily have done Chain instead.

 

[Zardnaar]

Having played a Celestial Bladelock up to like...I think it was level 12?

You can do more than one, but Blade is the most hungry of the lot, so it eats up a lot of space. You can basically get one other thing alongside Blade: I went for "Tome + utility stuff". You could easily have done Chain instead.

Yeah I would do chain and tome.

I'm not a fan of Pact of the Blade. Wifes playing one. It is invocation heavy and you're basically a bad Paladin. Tomes great for utility especially early on.

Class kinda seems to top out at level 11/12 as well. And its front loaded.

Im not even convinced Pact of Anything is the best approach. pact of all/lots the origin feats for example is very good. Think I would double down on control and eh on striker now.

 

[mellored]

Class kinda seems to top out at level 11/12 as well. And its front loaded.

Agreed.

But it still multiclasses well after that.

Sorcerer for quicken Eldritch Blast.
Paladin or Fighter for armor and masteries.
Barbarian for Rage + Armor of Agathys.
Rogue for sneak attack and skills.
Bard for support.

 

[Zardnaar]

Agreed.

But it still multiclasses well after that.

Sorcerer for quicken Eldritch Blast.
Paladin or Fighter for armor and masteries.
Barbarian for Rage + Armor of Agathys.
Rogue for sneak attack and skills.
Bard for support.

Yeah I think my wife is eyeing up Paladin. Game will probably finish at 12, 13 max. She liked her 3rd 5th level spell slot at 11 but mystic arcanum isn't to exciting for her (I think its fine).

Bladelock at least is good in theory but I keep thinking I would rather have a lvl 10 or 11 Paladin. I don't think I would do bladelock myself unless an OP weapon dropped early.

 

[mellored]

Yeah I think my wife is eyeing up Paladin. Game will probably finish at 12, 13 max. She liked her 3rd 5th level spell slot at 11 but mystic arcanum isn't to exciting for her (I think its fine).

Bladelock at least is good in theory but I keep thinking I would rather have a lvl 10 or 11 Paladin. I don't think I would do bladelock myself unless an OP weapon dropped early.

Bladelock is best at 12, when you can get a 3rd attack and heavy weapon master (assuming you got 20 Cha first).
Which is better than Paladin 11.
Though I would still dip Paladin or Fighter 1 first to get armor.

But then there's nothing past that until you hit. Foresight at 17.

I could maybe see going 13 for forcecage, but only if your DM provides a lot of ruby dust.