D&D 5E Warlocks and high level play

[EroGaki]

Therein lies what I see as the essential oddity of the Favored Soul. Better armor, but no hit points to go with it. That being said, even though it is displeasingly messy, I think it helps balance against the PHB subclasses. (Well, assuming you ignore the Elemental Affinity errata and let them use it on all damage rolls related to a spell.)

Well, the Favored Soul averages two or three hp less per level than a fighter. If I were going to role one up and was looking just for numbers, I'd pick a Hill Dwarf for the extra one hp per level, and then get the Tough feat once I hit fourth level. That would roughly get a Favored Soul on par with a traditional warrior.

 

[Mephista]

Don't forget the Favored Soul is still in testing, so final version may have more HP in the final. As well, don't forget the Shield spell. Who needs HP when you can raise your AC out of range of being smacked?

 

[TrippyHippy]

It's worth noting that Warlocks who follow The Fiend and Blade options can get extra temporary HP by killing hostile creatures (which last indefinitely as far as I can see), can have semi-permanent Mage armour cast at will, and can be proficient in any bladed weapon they choose (for any damage type). With careful consideration of the combinations on offer, they can be as dangerous a warrior as any in the game.

Combine a Dark Elf with a Warlock of the Blade and they are pretty effective too.

 

[Arial Black]

That is to say, if you procure an intelligent magical weapon, you can convert it into your own personalised Warlock weapon.

Moreover, your Warlock blade is magical already, while the various Invocations - Thirsting Blade, Lifedrinker - as well as The Fiend's abilities - Dark One's Blessing, Dark One's Own Luck, Hurl Through Hell - perfectly mirror the types of abilities that Stormbringer possessed.

As a point of roleplaying, who is to say that the Warlock Blade you keep summoning doesn't have some sort of malevolent intelligence that is covertly guiding you to hell and oblivion.......

The quote on p108 goes on to say:-

"You can't affect an artifact or a sentient weapon in this way."

Meaning, that although you certainly can convert a magic weapon that you find into your pact weapon, you can't turn either an artifact or a sentient weapon into your pact weapon.

Stormbringer is almost certainly an artifact although there is room for debate. However, it is certainly sentient!

This means that Stormbringer cannot become your pact weapon, therefore cannot benefit from Thirsting Blade, therefore limiting a single-class warlock version of Elric from getting two attacks per round.

In the books, Elric was the second best swordsman on Melnibone even before he found Stormbringer. In his combats, he fights with weapons to defeat his enemies most of the time, and only occasionally does he summon sorcerous aid (although it's devastating when he does). Trying to re-create Elric in 5E, a single-classed warlock doesn't result in a close enough resemblance to be satisfying.