Does the Book of Ancient Secrets Invocation allow Warlocks to add the (few) ritual spells into their spellbook tney might gain as they level up, or is BoAS limited to only copying spells from an external 'found' source like a Wizard's spellbook?
It allows you to choose two 1st level rituals from any spell lists. Then, if you find ritual spells (from spellbooks or scrolls) you can add them (if that spell level is equal or less half your warlock level.
On your adventures, you can add other ritual Spells to your Book of Shadows. When you find such a spell, you can add it to the book if the spell’s level is equal to or less than half your warlock level (rounded up) and if you can spare the time to transcribe the spell.
Does 'finding' a spell include learning a spell through leveling up? Can I learn, for example, Unseen Servant to my normal Known spell list, copy it into my Book of Shadows, and then replace Unseen Servant from my Known spell list when leveling up, and retain the Ritual use of Unseen Servant in my Book of Shadows from the BoAS Invocation?
If you write the spell down on a scroll before "deleting" it from your known spell, I wouls say yes.
The Warlock with his Book of Ancient Secrets, great social skills and Mask of Many Faces should easily be able to beg, borrow or steal ritual spell scrolls and books. Once those rituals are in your possession, time and costs spent copying them is worth it. Then you can return the said scroll or tome and maybe even earn a reward for doing so. Also transcribing a ritual spell, then gaining another Warlock level, it's fine to delete that spell and gain a new one.
I like what Warlocks bring to the table most especially RP wise. One of my most developed characters is a Warlock of reluctance. He started out Fiend pact (due to his family selling children's souls to devils for power), and ran away to learn to fight monsters to try and avoid his fate. Once he finally got his soul back, he had to make a deal for the Undying Light (love that concept) because it was the only way to protect his soul from the fiends reclaiming it. He's currently paying off that debt and finding himself relying more and more on its powers--something he is surprised about and is learning to accept.
He started off Warlock 3, and then on his quest to reclaim his soul ended up with Eldritch Knight 9. Not the usual multiclass, but worked out surprisingly well (and a bit tanky). Fortunately, I rolled fairly good stats that feats could step in and make up the strange class disparity (and fit thematically with the character).
Hexblade Patron for Hexblade's Curse and Hex Warrior.
This gives you 10 HP, +5 to hit with eldritch blast, +5 to hit and +3 damage with any non-two-handed melee weapon, and a bunch of other stuff.
Take the Agonizing Blast, Eldritch Spear, Frost Lance, and Repelling Blast Invocations for ranged combat. Take Lifedrinker and Thirsting Blade for melee. This will take a while.
Take the Pact of the Blade, of course.
Put your first 2 ASIs in Cha and the other 3 in Con.
Your spells and cantrips from Pact Magic, and the remaining 2 Eldritch Invocations, do not matter. Your Dexterity is optimized for medium armor. By 14th level, you are amazing at 1-on-1 melee; your first bonus action is to use Hexblade's Curse, then you use your action to attack; you should be using a longsword or equivalent, so your bonus to hit = your Cha modifier + your proficiency bonus, and your damage per hit (you attack twice because of Thirsting Blade) is 1d8+Cha+proficiency (from Hexblade's Curse)+Cha again as necrotic from Lifedrinker, for an average of 14.5+proficiency(19.5) per attack, or 39 per round, going up to 20.5 per attack or 41 per round at 17th level, at +10 to hit, going up to +11 at 17th level; you should be using half plate and a shield for AC 19, and any time the target cursed by your Hexblade’s Curse hits you, there's a 50% chance for it to miss instead. And then there's ranged combat; by 7th or 9th level, your eldritch blast does 1d10+Cha per beam, knocks the target back 10', and slows them by 10' on their next turn, with a 600' range, ignoring half and 3/4 cover; by 17th level, you're shooting 4 beams per turn. It is worth noting that part of that this build's strength comes from the fact that it does not tie up any of the spells and cantrips you get from your class.
Well, one thing I see this build could use is War Caster. As a Hexblade you will spend a significant amount of time in Melee range. With that the bonuses from War Caster would greatly help you, moreso that the those from Spell Sniper.
Well, one thing I see this build could use is War Caster. As a Hexblade you will spend a significant amount of time in Melee range. With that the bonuses from War Caster would greatly help you, moreso that the those from Spell Sniper.
For melee you have:
Hex Warrior
At 1st level, you gain proficiency with medium armor, shields, and martial weapons. In addition, when attacking with a melee weapon that you are proficient with and that lacks the two-handed property, you can use your Charisma modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls.
Hexblade’s Curse
Starting at 1st level, you gain the ability to place a baleful curse on an enemy. As a bonus action, choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target is cursed for 1 minute. Until the curse ends, you gain the following benefits:
You gain a bonus to damage rolls against the cursed target. The bonus equals your proficiency bonus.
Any attack roll you make against the cursed target is a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the d20.
If the cursed target dies, you regain hit points equal to your warlock level + your Charisma modifier.
You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.
Armor of Hexes
At 10th level, your hex grows more powerful. If the target cursed by your Hexblade’s Curse hits you with an attack roll, roll a d6. On a 4 or higher, the attack instead misses you.
Master of Hexes
Starting at 14th level, you can use your Hexblade’s Curse again without resting, but when you apply it to a new target, the curse immediately ends on the previous target.
Thirsting Blade
Prerequisite: 5th level, Pact of the Blade feature You can attack with your pact weapon twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Lifedrinker
Prerequisite: 12th level, Pact of the Blade feature When you hit a creature with your pact weapon, the creature takes extra necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).
You aren't going to use spells in melee combat.
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"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
I would greatly disagree with that. Even though I multiclassed, with so much melee fighting I often had Protection from Good & Evil or Blur up, both spells require concentrating and War Caster is exactly why I could survive being piled on by demons even if one managed to hit me. Not to mention being able to cast cantrips without dropping my shield for the somatic components. Casting a spell or needing advantage on concentration (like for the spell Hex) comes up a lot more than you'd think as a melee Warlock.
I would greatly disagree with that. Even though I multiclassed, with so much melee fighting I often had Protection from Good & Evil or Blur up, both spells require concentrating and War Caster is exactly why I could survive being piled on by demons even if one managed to hit me. Not to mention being able to cast cantrips without dropping my shield for the somatic components. Casting a spell or needing advantage on concentration (like for the spell Hex) comes up a lot more than you'd think as a melee Warlock.
Okay, if you want to spellcast in melee, go right ahead, take War Caster at 12th to make it easier to hold concentration in the unlikely event that you get hit, whatever you want.
Although, the theory is that you have eldritch blast for combat, Hexblade and Blade-Pact in case eldritch blast won't work, and the last 2 Invocations, the last 3 ASIs, and full warlock spellcasting for noncombat and/or backup combat versatility.
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"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Fiend is always fun because you can sell your mortal soul to Satan and their level 14 ability (Hurl through Hell) deals some really major psychic damage. They also get access to decent damage spells.
Well, one thing I see this build could use is War Caster. As a Hexblade you will spend a significant amount of time in Melee range. With that the bonuses from War Caster would greatly help you, moreso that the those from Spell Sniper.
For melee you have: ...
You aren't going to use spells in melee combat.
Yes I did know of all of these, but I disagree with your supposition that you will not be using spells. There are quite a few options that you will want to have access to in combat. First is the fallback spell Hex. Then you have access to other damage enhancing and defensive spells such as Elemental Weapon, Wrathful Smite, or Mirror Image. There are a lot of still useful spells that a Hexblade could use. If the plan is to ignore the spellcasting side of the class, then what is the point, just play a melee class.
Also, lest not forget, the advantage on concentration is not the only advantage of War Caster.
I love the warlock in concept. I just wish it was more diverse. I feel like I should have more warlocks of the fiend pact, but the fiend pact heavily implies devils. Need a Demonic Pact. Even though they are much rarer than devil pacts I feel they should still exist.
True, demonic pacts could be fun, but it would be a lot harder to fit inside a non-evil campaign. While both demons and devils are evil, demons are chaotic in nature and devils are more towards to lawful end of the spectrum. Devils might let some goody warlock slide if in the long run their actions are going against another devil. The Archfey goes on with whims, can be good as well as evil. Great Old Ones have motives outside of the possible grasp of any mortals. Undying feels about wanting to dodge death in general.
While fitting in a patron within a campaign is both a work of the player and the DM, a demonic patron, given his chaotic nature would take quite a bit of work. Their nature to not have long term desires and plans would make it difficult on the demon side to uphold a pact.
That being said, with a very creative DM and player, a demonic pact could be quite awesome, even with very odd requests to RP and do, the Warlock having to explain certain strange behaviors if the campaign is with good aligned players !
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"I have the heart of an innocent little girl...in a jar...on my desk..."
I think the Fiend patron should be considered chaotic in alignment. Demons will manipulate the player character to get whatever they want. For example your character is a bounty hunter. Your patron tells you to bring someone to justice. The player knows the NPC is innocent, but it doesn't matter because of the pact with the Fiend. The Fiend has their reasons for commanding the NPC be brought to justice and probably engineered the warrant in the first place. It might not even have anything to do with the NPC, but it sets the stage for something the Fiend wants which might not even be an evil outcome. The Fiend might manipulate good or evil player characters towards a chaotic bent, but the fiend will get their way or no magic for you.
Imagine a Fiend similar to Azazel in the movie Fallen for extra fun in campaigns. That is some creepy stuff and it makes the DMs job easier with NPCs.
The Warlock with his Book of Ancient Secrets, great social skills and Mask of Many Faces should easily be able to beg, borrow or steal ritual spell scrolls and books. Once those rituals are in your possession, time and costs spent copying them is worth it. Then you can return the said scroll or tome and maybe even earn a reward for doing so. Also transcribing a ritual spell, then gaining another Warlock level, it's fine to delete that spell and gain a new one.
I like what Warlocks bring to the table most especially RP wise. One of my most developed characters is a Warlock of reluctance. He started out Fiend pact (due to his family selling children's souls to devils for power), and ran away to learn to fight monsters to try and avoid his fate. Once he finally got his soul back, he had to make a deal for the Undying Light (love that concept) because it was the only way to protect his soul from the fiends reclaiming it. He's currently paying off that debt and finding himself relying more and more on its powers--something he is surprised about and is learning to accept.
He started off Warlock 3, and then on his quest to reclaim his soul ended up with Eldritch Knight 9. Not the usual multiclass, but worked out surprisingly well (and a bit tanky). Fortunately, I rolled fairly good stats that feats could step in and make up the strange class disparity (and fit thematically with the character).
I think I just found the ultimate warlock build.
Your spells and cantrips from Pact Magic, and the remaining 2 Eldritch Invocations, do not matter. Your Dexterity is optimized for medium armor. By 14th level, you are amazing at 1-on-1 melee; your first bonus action is to use Hexblade's Curse, then you use your action to attack; you should be using a longsword or equivalent, so your bonus to hit = your Cha modifier + your proficiency bonus, and your damage per hit (you attack twice because of Thirsting Blade) is 1d8+Cha+proficiency (from Hexblade's Curse)+Cha again as necrotic from Lifedrinker, for an average of 14.5+proficiency(19.5) per attack, or 39 per round, going up to 20.5 per attack or 41 per round at 17th level, at +10 to hit, going up to +11 at 17th level; you should be using half plate and a shield for AC 19, and any time the target cursed by your Hexblade’s Curse hits you, there's a 50% chance for it to miss instead. And then there's ranged combat; by 7th or 9th level, your eldritch blast does 1d10+Cha per beam, knocks the target back 10', and slows them by 10' on their next turn, with a 600' range, ignoring half and 3/4 cover; by 17th level, you're shooting 4 beams per turn. It is worth noting that part of that this build's strength comes from the fact that it does not tie up any of the spells and cantrips you get from your class.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
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Well, one thing I see this build could use is War Caster. As a Hexblade you will spend a significant amount of time in Melee range. With that the bonuses from War Caster would greatly help you, moreso that the those from Spell Sniper.
You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.
Thirsting Blade
Prerequisite: 5th level, Pact of the Blade feature
You can attack with your pact weapon twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Lifedrinker
Prerequisite: 12th level, Pact of the Blade feature
When you hit a creature with your pact weapon, the creature takes extra necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).
You aren't going to use spells in melee combat.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
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"You aren't going to use spells in melee combat."
I would greatly disagree with that. Even though I multiclassed, with so much melee fighting I often had Protection from Good & Evil or Blur up, both spells require concentrating and War Caster is exactly why I could survive being piled on by demons even if one managed to hit me. Not to mention being able to cast cantrips without dropping my shield for the somatic components. Casting a spell or needing advantage on concentration (like for the spell Hex) comes up a lot more than you'd think as a melee Warlock.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
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Just an average metalhead who plays DnD in his spare time.
PbP Character: Roberta Thalan, Void Beyond the Stars Otherside
PbP Character: Primus Eidolon, Eotha 2
PbP Character: Usmor Illiqai, Tomb of Corrosion
PbP Character: "Templar" Danver, You're the Villains
Homebrew stuff
Fiend is always fun because you can sell your mortal soul to Satan and their level 14 ability (Hurl through Hell) deals some really major psychic damage. They also get access to decent damage spells.
Just an average metalhead who plays DnD in his spare time.
PbP Character: Roberta Thalan, Void Beyond the Stars Otherside
PbP Character: Primus Eidolon, Eotha 2
PbP Character: Usmor Illiqai, Tomb of Corrosion
PbP Character: "Templar" Danver, You're the Villains
Homebrew stuff
"I have the heart of an innocent little girl...in a jar...on my desk..."
I think the Fiend patron should be considered chaotic in alignment. Demons will manipulate the player character to get whatever they want. For example your character is a bounty hunter. Your patron tells you to bring someone to justice. The player knows the NPC is innocent, but it doesn't matter because of the pact with the Fiend. The Fiend has their reasons for commanding the NPC be brought to justice and probably engineered the warrant in the first place. It might not even have anything to do with the NPC, but it sets the stage for something the Fiend wants which might not even be an evil outcome. The Fiend might manipulate good or evil player characters towards a chaotic bent, but the fiend will get their way or no magic for you.
Imagine a Fiend similar to Azazel in the movie Fallen for extra fun in campaigns. That is some creepy stuff and it makes the DMs job easier with NPCs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC-ykURLzSg
The question is can your DM play a Didgeridoo?