D&D 5E Pact of the chain - how did it work out?

[ClaytonCross]

Every turn?

At level 20 you can "regenerate" 30 hp (5d6) 4 times with 6 left. Per long rest, but #1 its more efficient that that because you can break it down by intervals of 6. So if you only take 8 damage you can just use one to put you a -2 damage and wait for more damage later. That means you can top off without wasting over flow to protect against burst damage. #2 it effects all healing so your Superior healing heals you for Exactly 40 instead of about 28. Your ally casts Cure wounds for 1d8+3, you take 11... every single time, you take a short rest and use hit dice.... that's right you get max. The effect of the Gift of the Ever-Living Ones invocation only ends if your familiar is not within 100ft aka dead but the pact of chain allows for a wisp which is invisible, can fly, and makes no noise on its own. Short an enemy with "see invisible" or blind sight in range of your familiar 90ft away, it is as stronge as the half damage from barbarians rage because the healing light scales like a second set of HP but at 100% max it likely more than warlock gets on average. Depending on the number of rounds of combat, how much damage you are taking, healing potions, and allies heals you may not even need it every round. A 4 round fight at level 20? Yes you heal 30 every round, 9 round fight where you are taking and average 10 damage around (condiering some misses), you heal 5d6 every 3 rounds and your good until the end of the fight. Possible at level 14. I hope that answers the question because its variable so the answer has to also be variable.

The dice granted by the Healing Light ability replenish on a Long Rest...so yeah..."every turn?" is a valid question.

Also why Toll the Dead instead of Sacred Flame? The Radiant Soul ability has no synergy with Toll the Dead.

Sacred Flame would work. I just mentioned toll the dead off the top of my head. Sacred Flame gets a bonus for Radiant Soul but has dex save, Toll the dead has a d12 hit dice and a wisdom save. Nether get disadvantage in 5ft ... I would take and use them both depending on the situation.

It is my current character and I am not level 6 yet so don't get the bonus for Radiant Soul yet so Toll the dead has just been better from level 1-5.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Level 20 builds, eh.

There is a useful synergy between Gift of the Ever-Living Ones and a Celestial warlock. But I would be inclined to use it on a damage transfer healer rather than a tank. The Mark of Sentinel or Lifelong Companion seem the cheapest way to get that without spellslot use.

 

[Weiley31]

Have any of you ever had your familiar teach your PC algebra?

PC: I know how to play the Lute.
Scales: Show me.

 

[ClaytonCross]

Level 20 builds, eh.

There is a useful synergy between Gift of the Ever-Living Ones and a Celestial warlock. But I would be inclined to use it on a damage transfer healer rather than a tank. The Mark of Sentinel or Lifelong Companion seem the cheapest way to get that without spellslot use.

I get that its not optimal. I don't mind that. I like it because its unexpected but it works well enough to meet party minimal requirements for my characters party role. It's also not level 20 build, we started at one and have made it to 5. We rarely make it past 9 or 10 before the GM pulls the campaign. I honestly don't remember ever "finishing a campaign" its more about the journey and hanging out with my friends. The level 20 was in referance to does he heal 30pts every turn. That depends on the damage the character takes, depends characters level, and it depend on the number of turns in the fight. So I gave a level 20 example an a level 14 example to discriminate damage variability and scaling healing. So point out that it is functional even if not optimal from levels 3-20. It's also a cheep investment of one invocations so there is room to play here.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I get that its not optimal. I don't mind that. I like it because its unexpected but it works well enough to meet party minimal requirements for my characters party role. It's also not level 20 build, we started at one and have made it to 5. We rarely make it past 9 or 10 before the GM pulls the campaign. I honestly don't remember ever "finishing a campaign" its more about the journey and hanging out with my friends. The level 20 was in referance to does he heal 30pts every turn. That depends on the damage the character takes, depends characters level, and it depend on the number of turns in the fight. So I gave a level 20 example an a level 14 example to discriminate damage variability and scaling healing. So point out that it is functional even if not optimal from levels 3-20. It's also a cheep investment of one invocations so there is room to play here.

Yes, of course. I was just saying how I would be inclined to use that.

 

[kerbarian]

I have DMed for a Chain warlock, and I am here to tell you, it is a pain. An imp is a Tiny, intelligent, speaking, permanently invisible, flying scout. The party has flawless recon of any space it can get into, which is most of them. It even has hands to open doors with.

Combat-wise, it mostly depends on whether the DM allows the imp to Help with attacks while staying invisible. I don't, but it's legit by RAW. Even without that, though, the scouting alone makes the Chain pact more than worth it.

I've been on the other side of this as a player with a perfect flying, invisible scout / remote agent (with Voice of the Chain Master). It was so good for exploration and non-combat roles that it made the game less fun. I ended up not using the imp much even when I could think of clever ways to do so just because it stole the spotlight and turned the session into a solo adventure while the rest of the party sat around and listened. There's also less tension. If the rogue sneaks ahead and triggers a big trap/ambush then the rest of the party needs to figure out how to rescue them. If it happens to the imp, just poof it away into a pocket dimension or worst case re-summon.

 

[Bigsta]

The best character my wife ever played was a Tabaxi Celestial Chain Warlock named Felinna with an Imp familiar named Luna. Because Felinna got her powers from a unicorn, Luna wore a plush unicorn outfit. As Felinna had eldrich spear, the invocation doubling the range of eldrich bolt, Felinna would set up a sniper nest and send out Luna as her invisible drone to identify targets and provide help on the attacks once her sniping position had been revealed. For emergency situations, Luna wore a Neckless of Fireballs that could be used point blank due to the Imp's fire immunity. Luna was both the team mascot and a very effective survailance and attack drone.

My wife legit got angry at the group because we were always asking Luna to perform various tasks for us, like picking up the groceries in town, and pretty much never asked Felinna for anything other than Unicorn Dice Healing when necessary.

 

[ccs]

I can just imagine the conversations "Luna" has with other imps/familiars when unsummoned.....
Imp1: "Hey, its ______! Where you been?"
Imp2: "Dude, WHAT are you wearing?"
L: "Ugh. Tell me about it. I'm serving as this crazy cat ladies familiar &...."