D&D 5E Warlock (Hexblade Chain Pact) 4 / Rogue 1

[FrogReaver]

The basic concept is to start leveling as a hexblade.

Warlock nets us these abilities:
1. Ability to use medium armor and shields
2. Ability to use charisma for attacks
3. A melee cantrip like booming blade
4. At will disguise self with an invocation
5. A nice invisible imp familiar
6. The chain pact invocation
7. The ASI goes to the actor feat.
8. Nice utility spells like invisibility or spider climb or suggestion.

The rogue gives us these abilities:
1. Expertise deception and some other skill
2. Sneak attack to help fix our damage.

The basic concept is. Use Imp to scout out a place and observe the people there (this will allow me to disguise myself as any one of them at any time when I try to infiltrate the compound, the actor feat will further allow me to sound just like them when I do so). This should basically be enough to get me past guards and into many places I otherwise shouldn't be. My spells give me a nice safety net of a way out if things go wrong.

For example, I can change into a guard to get into the gate. I can change into the king and command the guards do something dumb. I can then transform into the kings most trusted advisor and try to persuade him to punish the guards for their trachery. I can then transform into the guard captain as I go to the castle dungeons to demand important prisoner #1 be released into my custody.

All because I have an invisible flying IMP that I can see through and at will disguse self and the actor feat with a great deception skill.

Will this character concept work? Any issues or concerns?

 

[neogod22]

The basic concept is to start leveling as a hexblade.

Warlock nets us these abilities:
1. Ability to use medium armor and shields
2. Ability to use charisma for attacks
3. A melee cantrip like booming blade
4. At will disguise self with an invocation
5. A nice invisible imp familiar
6. The chain pact invocation
7. The ASI goes to the actor feat.
8. Nice utility spells like invisibility or spider climb or suggestion.

The rogue gives us these abilities:
1. Expertise deception and some other skill
2. Sneak attack to help fix our damage.

The basic concept is. Use Imp to scout out a place and observe the people there (this will allow me to disguise myself as any one of them at any time when I try to infiltrate the compound, the actor feat will further allow me to sound just like them when I do so). This should basically be enough to get me past guards and into many places I otherwise shouldn't be. My spells give me a nice safety net of a way out if things go wrong.

For example, I can change into a guard to get into the gate. I can change into the king and command the guards do something dumb. I can then transform into the kings most trusted advisor and try to persuade him to punish the guards for their trachery. I can then transform into the guard captain as I go to the castle dungeons to demand important prisoner #1 be released into my custody.

All because I have an invisible flying IMP that I can see through and at will disguse self and the actor feat with a great deception skill.

Will this character concept work? Any issues or concerns?

This is pretty dope. Also, you can have the imp perform assassinations on low level NPCs. I used to do that all the time with my imp. Since I was never in the room when it happened, there was never an implication I was involved.

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[jaelis]

It seems like a great build for a solo game, it might be a little weird with a group.

Would you keep going as rogue? Two levels seems pretty solid, but past that I'd be tempted to stay with warlock for the better spells and invocations. Plus accursed specter seems really cool.

 

[neogod22]

You also want to take expertise in acting. I like this heavy Roleplay character.

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[neogod22]

You also want to take expertise in acting. I like this heavy Roleplay character.

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Performance*

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[FrogReaver]

It seems like a great build for a solo game, it might be a little weird with a group.

Would you keep going as rogue? Two levels seems pretty solid, but past that I'd be tempted to stay with warlock for the better spells and invocations. Plus accursed specter seems really cool.

I was leaning toward rouge, but eldritch blast scales well enough and you get an extra invocation at level 5 for it if you want. Really either works. I like the rogue feel for it. Alternatively I could multiclass into bard if I wanted even heavier skill focus. Lore Bards ability with bardic inspiration makes him unstoppable in social situations.

 

[ClaytonCross]

I am sure you know this, but I would actually make the first level Rogue for the 4 skills + Thieves tools + Dex/Int saves, instead of 2 skills + Wis/Cha saves.
Though this is partly because I really enjoy the rogue skill options best of all the classes, however I have listed them here and would say performance and Persuasion would be way better for a disguise based build, since both have Deception.

Rogue skills - I would use the underlined options. Though Insight is a good one for knowing if you have been made, I would see
Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Performance. Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth

Warlock skills
Arcana, Deception, History, Intimidation, Investigation, Nature, and Religion

Maybe you were doing that anyway but generally I list my first level class first, Rogue 1/Warlock (Hexblade Chain Pact) 4 so this may not be a new consideration. Just a recommendation in case you had not thought of it.

If you take the Charlatan background, and take insight for the rogue skill instead of Deception, get Disguise Kit, Forgery Kit, and the False Identity feature which seems to fit your character design goal pretty spot on. Anyway, looks like fun. Enjoy. I hope it works out for you.

 

[FrogReaver]

I am sure you know this, but I would actually make the first level Rogue for the 4 skills + Thieves tools + Dex/Int saves, instead of 2 skills + Wis/Cha saves.
Though this is partly because I really enjoy the rogue skill options best of all the classes, however I have listed them here and would say performance and Persuasion would be way better for a disguise based build, since both have Deception.

Rogue skills - I would use the underlined options. Though Insight is a good one for knowing if you have been made, I would see
Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Performance. Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth

Warlock skills
Arcana, Deception, History, Intimidation, Investigation, Nature, and Religion

Maybe you were doing that anyway but generally I list my first level class first, Rogue 1/Warlock (Hexblade Chain Pact) 4 so this may not be a new consideration. Just a recommendation in case you had not thought of it.

If you take the Charlatan background, and take insight for the rogue skill instead of Deception, get Disguise Kit, Forgery Kit, and the False Identity feature which seems to fit your character design goal pretty spot on. Anyway, looks like fun. Enjoy. I hope it works out for you.

If I was starting at level 5 I would start rogue. However, I expect more a level 3 start and so I'll do warlock because I don't want the fun stuff to be delayed any longer than it has to be.

If I start rogue I won't get the chain pact feature and level 2 spells till character level 4. I won't get the actor feat till level 5. Those are big delays IMO, for a bonus in 1-2 skills that I probably don't need.

False Identity does sound useful though and charlatan and warlock skill lists don't play super nicely together. It's a consideration for sure.

 

[TwoSix]

I like this build quite a bit. After Warlock 4, going Rogue 4 for Swashbuckler (a natural fit considering the Charisma focus, and the fact you might often end up fighting alone if things go south) and the ASI seems like the best approach. After that, whatever feels fun, since your base is so robust.

 

[ClaytonCross]

If I was starting at level 5 I would start rogue. However, I expect more a level 3 start and so I'll do warlock because I don't want the fun stuff to be delayed any longer than it has to be.

If I start rogue I won't get the chain pact feature and level 2 spells till character level 4. I won't get the actor feat till level 5. Those are big delays IMO, for a bonus in 1-2 skills that I probably don't need.

False Identity does sound useful though and charlatan and warlock skill lists don't play super nicely together. It's a consideration for sure.

Level 1 I the absolute best time to take a 1 level dip because it is the most efficient least impact on your character for a permanent 2 skills. You have to realize this levels don't progress at the same speed, so taking even a 1 level dip in rogue delays your progress a lot more after level 4. You might go though one session getting your from level 4 - level 5 for the Actor feet (and still get the 2 skills), or if you do it your way you permanently loose 2 skills so that you can change class after 4 and have feat you were going to get anyway in likely one session.... That's the cost of lose of patience I guess. Its your decision but I would not take a permanent lose for a 1 session delay...