D&D (2024) The bladelock two-weapon fighter: fundamentally unsound?

[Kurotowa]

Except this tactic will never work for the Bladelock. The Putrid Spirit takes its turn immediately after you finish your turn. The paralyzed condition only lasts until the end its (the targets) next turn. Meaning the Bladelock will never get a swing at it while it is paralyzed. Depending on initiative rolls your party may get some swings at it, which can still be great, just not the Bladelock.

You are, I fear, absolutely correct. I hadn't fully gamed out the interaction of durations and initiative orders. The Warlock can never personally benefit by attacking a Paralyzed foe, outside of Readied Action gimmicks, and even allies only get it if their turn lands between the Warlock and the foe.

So it's still a powerful action denial, but it's a lot trickier to use to set up melee attackers for easy crits than I'd first thought.

 

[Clint_L]

You are, I fear, absolutely correct. I hadn't fully gamed out the interaction of durations and initiative orders. The Warlock can never personally benefit by attacking a Paralyzed foe, outside of Readied Action gimmicks, and even allies only get it if their turn lands between the Warlock and the foe.

So it's still a powerful action denial, but it's a lot trickier to use to set up melee attackers for easy crits than I'd first thought.

Also, by level 11 (your character) and above a whole lot of your serious foes are immune to poison. This is from first-hand experience playing a Mercy monk. It’s still great when it works but I wouldn’t build around it.

 

[ECMO3]

For example, a Bladelock who takes Chain Pact for a Quasit familiar and slots Summon Undead: Putrid Spirit as their Concentration spell of choice. If the Quasit hits it applies a no-save Poisoned condition, and the Putrid Spirit has an aura that applies the Poisoned condition on a failed save. That helps with your weaker AC. But then if the Putrid Spirit hits a Poisoned target it applies a no-save Paralyzed condition, and now your melee attacks have Advantage and are auto-crits. Hey, maybe that makes Eldritch Smite worth taking, doesn't it?

You can make this workable in theory, but to do it you need the undead to ready an action to attack the bad guy after his turn. In practice that is hard to do with movement.

I don't think building around this will work well as a Bladelock. I think this makes more sense as a controller where you are giving allies attacks against a paralyzed enemy.

 

[Zardnaar]

Think I was looking at pact of chain+ alert feat but couldnt be bothered putting it togather. Summon undead paralysis.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Aside from the double bladed scimitar, what about Polearm Master?

 

[Kurotowa]

Aside from the double bladed scimitar, what about Polearm Master?

Not amazing, but not entirely out of the picture. It's a non-Cha feat, so you're either delaying Cha progression or taking it late. It's a Bonus Action attack, and a Warlock can already get that with Investment of the Chain Master. Not to mention the competition with any Bonus Action buff spells.

It's not as fundamentally flawed as trying to dual wield as a Bladelock, but it's still not an easy fit.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

a Warlock can already get that with Investment of the Chain Master.

I have a feeling that using a familiar to attack every round is going to result in the deaths of a lot of familiars.

 

[Kurotowa]

I have a feeling that using a familiar to attack every round is going to result in the deaths of a lot of familiars.

That's why I think the first Chain Pact familiar I want to try is the Skeleton. It has so many unique qualities, among them a ranged attack.

 

[ECMO3]

I have a feeling that using a familiar to attack every round is going to result in the deaths of a lot of familiars.

Not as much as you think as familiars Imp and Quasit have been buffed with more hit points, add that you can give them resistance to any damage with your reaction and they are actually pretty survivable for a battle.

Also it is only an action to summon them, so as long as you buy plenty of incense, sacrificing a familiar every battle is a viable tactic. In fact if you are playing a Quasit in terms of optimization you probably want it to resummon it every fight since when you summon a new one its Scare ability will be recharged.

 

[Adamant]

The Shillelagh (Club) idea is something I may have to try at some point, just to see how practical it is. The only other way I know of to dual wield with a Charisma based bladelock is to be a Hexblade, since Hex Warrior and Pact of the Blade should be able to be put on 2 different weapons. I just wish Hexblade had better flavor than "a mysterious force from the shadowfell is your patron."