D&D General Warlocks: Charisma vs Intelligence

[Xeviat]

I see this discussion come up every now and then, but it's reared its head in my brain and I'd like to poll the ENWorld community and chat about it.

What's your opinion on the Warlock's casting stat? Do you prefer Intelligence or Charisma?

I'm currently leaning Intelligence. The balance of caster stats is off. An Intelligence Warlock would allow the stats to be balanced:

• Intelligence gets Warlocks and Wizards as primary Int casters, while Artificers are secondary Int casters
• Wisdom gets Clerics and Druids as primary casters, while Rangers are secondary Wis casters
• Charisma gets Bards and Sorcerers as primary casters, while Paladins are secondary Cha casters

For my own games, I've included the Mystic as an Int primary caster and tweaked the Warlock and Monk into half-casters (warlock is functionally half sorcerer, monk is half mystic; artificer is half-wizard, and wielder is half-bard). Int Warlock still achieves balance for me.

But, I know people like Charisma Warlocks. Jeremy Crawford (twitter link) says they originally intended for the Warlock to be Int, but players balked and wanted Cha. But is that where this group stands? Warlock is varied and can mean different things. The nature of their pack (pact... keeping that typo because it made me smile) is up to the player. An Intelligence Warlock could have delved forbidden knowledge and learned too much, or they could have wrote an amazing contract for power. A Wisdom Warlock could have seen beyond and gained understanding of their patron. A Charisma Warlock could have charmed the pa...ct out of their Patron.

But, I'm a weird class purist and like character class to mean something in the world. I don't like excessive (in my opinion) reflavoring of things; I'd rather just make something new (no, you can't choose wizard with a gun and describe your spells as special ammo... but that's a sick idea, why not use Artillerist Artificer and we can make some tweaks... that really is a sick idea). Generally speaking, I like it when your character class says something, and people can kind of figure out your class if they interact with you ("Gim is a good guy, he's an honorable warrior and a hero. Aron though... I don't trust him... I think he's one of those there Rangers...")

So what do you think? Vote and say why. No fighting. No insults. I'm especially curious if you would choose to not play a Warlock if your DM said they were Int in their game. My wife used to say she wanted it to be int, but now that Half-Elf doesn't give her an extra +2 to Charisma she cares a lot less.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

In my current campaign world you can as a warlock choose from Con Int Wis or Cha

 

[FrogReaver]

Being given power doesn’t scream intelligence to me. And definitely not wisdom in the case of the warlock either.

Charisma makes the most sense imo, even though not great.

 

[cbwjm]

I'm fine with Charisma but would prefer a choice and my reasoning has nothing to do with balancing the caster stats between classes.

One of my ideas for the warlock is an occultist, someone who doesn't make a pact with some other entity but instead delves into forbidden lore and knowledge, which fits well with intelligence. I go back and forth around if I want the occultist to have a spellbook and be a proper caster class rather than using pact magic.

Another class I'd like to make Int based as an option is the bard, I've wanted to make an investigator using loremaster with high intelligence. This is mostly to make it easy on DnDbeyond, took a bit of time to change every known spell to int and you have to update it when your int of prof bonus goes up.

 

[Mirrorrorrim]

I got excited at the idea of variable ability scores for a Warlock. Most martial characters can choose between Str/Dex, and I thought Int/Cha could be an interesting, dynamic choice for a Warlock. But if the choices within the class are to be meaningful, it seems like only certain powers/class ability options would be available/effective with certain Ability Score focuses. I'm not sure if I like segregating ability-focused powers/choices like they did in 4E.

I think Int-based Artificers could be interesting if they were built on the Warlock chassis. Invocations can be Infusions instead.

I would also be interested in a Divine 4E-Invoker themed class built on the Warlock chassis that has their own exclusive Invocations, and can also use some appropriately-themed Warlock Invocations, but in a product that also adds some new other Invocations available to both the Warlock and Invoker.

 

[Scribe]

Constitution.

 

[Mirrorrorrim]

In my current campaign world you can as a warlock choose from Con Int Wis or Cha

I completely understand the theme of a Con-based caster. But that is so Single-Ability-Dependent with the most powerful Ability. That one ability would cover their Spell Power, HP, Con Saves, and Concentration? It's a no-brainer. Theoretically someone might choose Int or Wis or Cha over Con, but that would not be the norm.

 

[Steampunkette]

A5e split it out to let you choose between the three, which I totally get.

Charisma for being witty and charming to make deals with Fey or to try and play hard to get with Fiends.

Intelligence to make your pacts through researching ancient entities and minor godlings and the like.

Wisdom to hold onto one's sanity or answer the questions of a Celestial or whatever...

But I always felt like Intelligence was the way to go. You don't have to be smart to sign a contract... but you -do- have to be smart to negotiate one where you come out well enough. You do have to be smart to research how to summon the entity to make that pact. You do have to be smart enough to remember all the relevant clauses in your fiendish contract to avoid winding up a Dretch or Lemure for failing to uphold your end to the letter.

Y'know?

 

[ezo]

INT - Wizard, Warlock secondary (fine, Arties too if you insist... but they all die immediately in my games! )
WIS - Druids, Rangers secondary
CHA - Clerics, Paladins secondary
CON - Sorcerers (nice to stand out, huh?)

Bards secondary, player chooses at creation INT, WIS, or CHA.

EK can do INT or CON
AT can do DEX or INT

That is my perfect ideal and what I do for house-ruled games.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Constitution.

Actually, I like that. The pact's integrity is connected to the physical condition of the warlocks body. That works for me.