Warlock Legacy This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore. Learn More Class Details
With a pseudodragon curled on his shoulder, a young elf in golden robes smiles warmly, weaving a magical charm into his honeyed words and bending the palace sentinel to his will.
As flames spring to life in her hands, a wizened human whispers the secret name of her demonic patron, infusing her spell with fiendish magic.
Shifting his gaze between a battered tome and the odd alignment of the stars overhead, a wild-eyed tiefling chants the mystic ritual that will open a doorway to a distant world.
Warlocks are seekers of the knowledge that lies hidden in the fabric of the multiverse. Through pacts made with mysterious beings of supernatural power, warlocks unlock magical effects both subtle and spectacular. Drawing on the ancient knowledge of beings such as fey nobles, demons, devils, hags, and alien entities of the Far Realm, warlocks piece together arcane secrets to bolster their own power.
Sworn and Beholden
A warlock is defined by a pact with an otherworldly being. Sometimes the relationship between warlock and patron is like that of a cleric and a deity, though the beings that serve as patrons for warlocks are not gods. A warlock might lead a cult dedicated to a demon prince, an archdevil, or an utterly alien entity—beings not typically served by clerics. More often, though, the arrangement is similar to that between a master and an apprentice. The warlock learns and grows in power, at the cost of occasional services performed on the patron’s behalf.
The magic bestowed on a warlock ranges from minor but lasting alterations to the warlock’s being (such as the ability to see in darkness or to read any language) to access to powerful spells. Unlike bookish wizards, warlocks supplement their magic with some facility at hand-to-hand combat. They are comfortable in light armor and know how to use simple weapons.
Delvers into Secrets
Warlocks are driven by an insatiable need for knowledge and power, which compels them into their pacts and shapes their lives. This thirst drives warlocks into their pacts and shapes their later careers as well.
Stories of warlocks binding themselves to fiends are widely known. But many warlocks serve patrons that are not fiendish. Sometimes a traveler in the wilds comes to a strangely beautiful tower, meets its fey lord or lady, and stumbles into a pact without being fully aware of it. And sometimes, while poring over tomes of forbidden lore, a brilliant student’s mind is opened to realities beyond the material world and to the alien beings that dwell in the outer void.
Once a pact is made, a warlock’s thirst for knowledge and power can’t be slaked with mere study and research. No one makes a pact with such a mighty patron if he or she doesn’t intend to use the power thus gained. Rather, the vast majority of warlocks spend their days in active pursuit of their goals, which typically means some kind of adventuring. Furthermore, the demands of their patrons drive warlocks toward adventure.
Creating a Warlock
As you make your warlock character, spend some time thinking about your patron and the obligations that your pact imposes upon you. What led you to make the pact, and how did you make contact with your patron? Were you seduced into summoning a devil, or did you seek out the ritual that would allow you to make contact with an alien elder god? Did you search for your patron, or did your patron find and choose you? Do you chafe under the obligations of your pact or serve joyfully in anticipation of the rewards promised to you?
Work with your DM to determine how big a part your pact will play in your character’s adventuring career. Your patron’s demands might drive you into adventures, or they might consist entirely of small favors you can do between adventures.
What kind of relationship do you have with your patron? Is it friendly, antagonistic, uneasy, or romantic? How important does your patron consider you to be? What part do you play in your patron’s plans? Do you know other servants of your patron?
How does your patron communicate with you? If you have a familiar, it might occasionally speak with your patron’s voice. Some warlocks find messages from their patrons etched on trees, mingled among tea leaves, or adrift in the clouds — messages that only the warlock can see. Other warlocks converse with their patrons in dreams or waking visions, or deal only with intermediaries.
QUICK BUILD
You can make a warlock quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the charlatan background. Third, choose the eldritch blast and chill touch cantrips, along with the 1st-level spells charm person and witch bolt.
The Warlock Table
| Level | Proficiency | Features | Cantrips | Spells | Spell | Slot | Invocations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1st | — | |
| 2nd | +2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1st | 2 | |
| 3rd | +2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2nd | 2 | |
| 4th | +2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2nd | 2 | |
| 5th | +3 | — | 3 | 6 | 2 | 3rd | 3 |
| 6th | +3 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 3rd | 3 | |
| 7th | +3 | — | 3 | 8 | 2 | 4th | 4 |
| 8th | +3 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 4th | 4 | |
| 9th | +4 | — | 3 | 10 | 2 | 5th | 5 |
| 10th | +4 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 5th | 5 | |
| 11th | +4 | Mystic Arcanum (6th level) | 4 | 11 | 3 | 5th | 5 |
| 12th | +4 | 4 | 11 | 3 | 5th | 6 | |
| 13th | +5 | Mystic Arcanum (7th level) | 4 | 12 | 3 | 5th | 6 |
| 14th | +5 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 5th | 6 | |
| 15th | +5 | Mystic Arcanum (8th level) | 4 | 13 | 3 | 5th | 7 |
| 16th | +5 | 4 | 13 | 3 | 5th | 7 | |
| 17th | +6 | Mystic Arcanum (9th level) | 4 | 14 | 4 | 5th | 7 |
| 18th | +6 | — | 4 | 14 | 4 | 5th | 8 |
| 19th | +6 | 4 | 15 | 4 | 5th | 8 | |
| 20th | +6 | 4 | 15 | 4 | 5th | 8 |
Class Features
As a warlock, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per warlock level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per warlock level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Simple weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
Skills: Choose two skills from Arcana, Deception, History, Intimidation, Investigation, Nature, and Religion
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
- (a) a component pouch or (b) an arcane focus
- (a) a scholar’s pack or (b) a dungeoneer’s pack
- Leather armor, any simple weapon, and two daggers
Otherworldly Patron
At 1st level, you have struck a bargain with an otherworldly being of your choice: the Fiend, which is detailed at the end of the class description, or one from another source. Your choice grants you features at 1st level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.
Pact Magic
Your arcane research and the magic bestowed on you by your patron have given you facility with spells. See Spells Rules for the general rules of spellcasting and the Spells Listing for the warlock spell list.
Cantrips
You know two cantrips of your choice from the warlock spell list. You learn additional warlock cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Warlock table.
Spell Slots
The Warlock table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your warlock spells of 1st through 5th level. The table also shows what the level of those slots is; all of your spell slots are the same level. To cast one of your warlock spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a spell slot. You regain all expended Pact Magic spell slots when you finish a short or long rest.
For example, when you are 5th level, you have two 3rd-level spell slots. To cast the 1st-level spell witch bolt, you must spend one of those slots, and you cast it as a 3rd-level spell.
Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher
At 1st level, you know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the warlock spell list.
The Spells Known column of the Warlock table shows when you learn more warlock spells of your choice of 1st level and higher. A spell you choose must be of a level no higher than what’s shown in the table’s Slot Level column for your level. When you reach 6th level, for example, you learn a new warlock spell, which can be 1st, 2nd, or 3rd level.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the warlock spells you know and replace it with another spell from the warlock spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
Spellcasting Ability
Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your warlock spells, so you use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a warlock spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier
Spellcasting Focus
You can use an arcane focus (see the Adventuring Gear section) as a spellcasting focus for your warlock spells.
Eldritch Invocations
In your study of occult lore, you have unearthed eldritch invocations, fragments of forbidden knowledge that imbue you with an abiding magical ability.
At 2nd level, you gain two eldritch invocations of your choice. Your invocation options are detailed at the end of the class description. When you gain certain warlock levels, you gain additional invocations of your choice, as shown in the Invocations Known column of the Warlock table.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the invocations you know and replace it with another invocation that you could learn at that level.
If an eldritch invocation has prerequisites, you must meet them to learn it. You can learn the invocation at the same time that you meet its prerequisites. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class.
Agonizing Blast
Prerequisite: eldritch blast cantrip
When you cast eldritch blast, add your Charisma modifier to the damage it deals on a hit.
Armor of Shadows
You can cast mage armor on yourself at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.
Ascendant Step
Prerequisite: 9th level
You can cast levitate on yourself at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.
Beast Speech
You can cast speak with animals at will, without expending a spell slot.
Beguiling Influence
You gain proficiency in the Deception and Persuasion skills.
Bewitching Whispers
Prerequisite: 7th level
You can cast compulsion once using a warlock spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Book of Ancient Secrets
Prerequisite: Pact of the Tome feature
You can now inscribe magical rituals in your Book of Shadows. Choose two 1st-level spells that have the ritual tag from any class’s spell list (the two needn’t be from the same list). The spells appear in the book and don’t count against the number of spells you know. With your Book of Shadows in hand, you can cast the chosen spells as rituals. You can’t cast the spells except as rituals, unless you’ve learned them by some other means. You can also cast a warlock spell you know as a ritual if it has the ritual tag.
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. For each level of the spell, the transcription process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp for the rare inks needed to inscribe it.
Chains of Carceri
Prerequisite: 15th level, Pact of the Chain feature
You can cast hold monster at will — targeting a celestial, fiend, or elemental — without expending a spell slot or material components. You must finish a long rest before you can use this invocation on the same creature again.
Devil’s Sight
You can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 120 feet.
Dreadful Word
Prerequisite: 7th level
You can cast confusion once using a warlock spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Eldritch Sight
You can cast detect magic at will, without expending a spell slot.
Eldritch Spear
Prerequisite: eldritch blast cantrip
When you cast eldritch blast, its range is 300 feet.
Eyes of the Rune Keeper
You can read all writing.
Fiendish Vigor
You can cast false life on yourself at will as a 1st-level spell, without expending a spell slot or material components.
Gaze of Two Minds
You can use your action to touch a willing humanoid and perceive through its senses until the end of your next turn. As long as the creature is on the same plane of existence as you, you can use your action on subsequent turns to maintain this connection, extending the duration until the end of your next turn. While perceiving through the other creature’s senses, you benefit from any special senses possessed by that creature, and you are blinded and deafened to your own surroundings.
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).
Mask of Many Faces
You can cast disguise self at will, without expending a spell slot.
Master of Myriad Forms
Prerequisite: 15th level
You can cast alter self at will, without expending a spell slot.
Minions of Chaos
Prerequisite: 9th level
You can cast conjure elemental once using a warlock spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Mire the Mind
Prerequisite: 5th level
You can cast slow once using a warlock spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Misty Visions
You can cast silent image at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.
One with Shadows
Prerequisite: 5th level
When you are in an area of dim light or darkness, you can use your action to become invisible until you move or take an action or a reaction.
Otherworldly Leap
Prerequisite: 9th level
You can cast jump on yourself at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.
Repelling Blast
Prerequisite: eldritch blast cantrip
When you hit a creature with eldritch blast, you can push the creature up to 10 feet away from you in a straight line.
Sculptor of Flesh
Prerequisite: 7th level
You can cast polymorph once using a warlock spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Sign of Ill Omen
Prerequisite: 5th level
You can cast bestow curse once using a warlock spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Thief of Five Fates
You can cast bane once using a warlock spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a 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.
Visions of Distant Realms
Prerequisite: 15th level
You can cast arcane eye at will, without expending a spell slot.
Voice of the Chain Master
Prerequisite: Pact of the Chain feature
You can communicate telepathically with your familiar and perceive through your familiar’s senses as long as you are on the same plane of existence. Additionally, while perceiving through your familiar’s senses, you can also speak through your familiar in your own voice, even if your familiar is normally incapable of speech.
Whispers of the Grave
Prerequisite: 9th level
You can cast speak with dead at will, without expending a spell slot.
Witch Sight
Prerequisite: 15th level
You can see the true form of any shapechanger or creature concealed by illusion or transmutation magic while the creature is within 30 feet of you and within line of sight.
Pact Boon
At 3rd level, your otherworldly patron bestows a gift upon you for your loyal service. You gain one of the following features of your choice.
Pact of the Blade
You can use your action to create a pact weapon in your empty hand. You can choose the form that this melee weapon takes each time you create it (see the Weapons section for weapon options). You are proficient with it while you wield it. This weapon counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Your pact weapon disappears if it is more than 5 feet away from you for 1 minute or more. It also disappears if you use this feature again, if you dismiss the weapon (no action required), or if you die.
You can transform one magic weapon into your pact weapon by performing a special ritual while you hold the weapon. You perform the ritual over the course of 1 hour, which can be done during a short rest. You can then dismiss the weapon, shunting it into an extradimensional space, and it appears whenever you create your pact weapon thereafter. You can’t affect an artifact or a sentient weapon in this way. The weapon ceases being your pact weapon if you die, if you perform the 1-hour ritual on a different weapon, or if you use a 1-hour ritual to break your bond to it. The weapon appears at your feet if it is in the extradimensional space when the bond breaks.
Pact of the Chain
You learn the find familiar spell and can cast it as a ritual. The spell doesn’t count against your number of spells known.
When you cast the spell, you can choose one of the normal forms for your familiar or one of the following special forms: imp, pseudodragon, quasit, or sprite.
Additionally, when you take the Attack action, you can forgo one of your own attacks to allow your familiar to make one attack with its reaction.
Pact of the Tome
Your patron gives you a grimoire called a Book of Shadows. When you gain this feature, choose three cantrips from any class’s spell list (the three needn’t be from the same list). While the book is on your person, you can cast those cantrips at will. They don’t count against your number of cantrips known. If they don’t appear on the warlock spell list, they are nonetheless warlock spells for you.
If you lose your Book of Shadows, you can perform a 1-hour ceremony to receive a replacement from your patron. This ceremony can be performed during a short or long rest, and it destroys the previous book. The book turns to ash when you die.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.
Mystic Arcanum (6th level)
At 11th level, your patron bestows upon you a magical secret called an arcanum. Choose one 6th-level spell from the warlock spell list as this arcanum.
You can cast your arcanum spell once without expending a spell slot. You must finish a long rest before you can do so again.
At higher levels, you gain more warlock spells of your choice that can be cast in this way: one 7th-level spell at 13th level, one 8th-level spell at 15th level, and one 9th-level spell at 17th level. You regain all uses of your Mystic Arcanum when you finish a long rest.
Mystic Arcanum (7th level)
At 13th level, your patron bestows upon you a magical secret called an arcanum. Choose one 7th-level spell from the warlock spell list as this arcanum.
You can cast your arcanum spell once without expending a spell slot. You must finish a long rest before you can do so again.
At higher levels, you gain more warlock spells of your choice that can be cast in this way: one 8th-level spell at 15th level, and one 9th-level spell at 17th level. You regain all uses of your Mystic Arcanum when you finish a long rest.
Mystic Arcanum (8th level)
At 15th level, your patron bestows upon you a magical secret called an arcanum. Choose one 8th-level spell from the warlock spell list as this arcanum.
You can cast your arcanum spell once without expending a spell slot. You must finish a long rest before you can do so again.
At 17th level, you gain a 9th-level warlock spell of your choice that can be cast in this way. You regain all uses of your Mystic Arcanum when you finish a long rest.
Mystic Arcanum (9th level)
At 17th level, your patron bestows upon you a magical secret called an arcanum. Choose one 9th-level spell from the warlock spell list as this arcanum.
You can cast your arcanum spell once without expending a spell slot. You must finish a long rest before you can do so again.
You regain all uses of your Mystic Arcanum when you finish a long rest.
Eldritch Master
At 20th level, you can draw on your inner reserve of mystical power while entreating your patron to regain expended spell slots. You can spend 1 minute entreating your patron for aid to regain all your expended spell slots from your Pact Magic feature. Once you regain spell slots with this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can do so again.
Otherworldly Patrons
The beings that serve as patrons for warlocks are mighty inhabitants of other planes of existence—not gods, but almost godlike in their power. Various patrons give their warlocks access to different powers and invocations, and expect significant favors in return.
Some patrons collect warlocks, doling out mystic knowledge relatively freely or boasting of their ability to bind mortals to their will. Other patrons bestow their power only grudgingly, and might make a pact with only one warlock. Warlocks who serve the same patron might view each other as allies, siblings, or rivals.
The Fiend Legacy This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore. Learn More
You have made a pact with a fiend from the lower planes of existence, a being whose aims are evil, even if you strive against those aims. Such beings desire the corruption or destruction of all things, ultimately including you. Fiends powerful enough to forge a pact include demon lords such as Demogorgon, Orcus, Fraz’Urb-luu, and Baphomet; archdevils such as Asmodeus, Dispater, Mephistopheles, and Belial; pit fiends and balors that are especially mighty; and ultroloths and other lords of the yugoloths.
Expanded Spell List
The Fiend lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.
Fiend Expanded Spells
| Spell Level | Spells |
|---|---|
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1st |
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2nd |
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3rd |
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4th |
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5th |
Dark One’s Blessing
Starting at 1st level, when you reduce a hostile creature to 0 hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier + your warlock level (minimum of 1).
Dark One’s Own Luck
Starting at 6th level, you can call on your patron to alter fate in your favor. When you make an ability check or a saving throw, you can use this feature to add a d10 to your roll. You can do so after seeing the initial roll but before any of the roll’s effects occur.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Fiendish Resilience
Starting at 10th level, you can choose one damage type when you finish a short or long rest. You gain resistance to that damage type until you choose a different one with this feature. Damage from magical weapons or silver weapons ignores this resistance.
Hurl Through Hell
Starting at 14th level, when you hit a creature with an attack, you can use this feature to instantly transport the target through the lower planes. The creature disappears and hurtles through a nightmare landscape.
At the end of your next turn, the target returns to the space it previously occupied, or the nearest unoccupied space. If the target is not a fiend, it takes 10d10 psychic damage as it reels from its horrific experience.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
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Posted Mar 23, 2020While pure hexblade can be rather mediocre, it can have extremely high nova damage if multiclassed with fighter and/or paladin. Here's an example build:
Fighter 2 paladin 3 warlock 15, with paladin being oath of devotion. Fighter gets you Action Surge and Great Weapon Fighting. Paladin gets you channel divinity which adds cha mod to attack roll, used to turn GWM's -5 to a +1, and divine smite, along with 3 1st level spell slots. Warlock gets you thirsting blade, lifedrinker, and eldritch smite, and 3 5th level spell slots. Along the way, pick up Great Weapon Master. activate channel divinity and hexblade's curse pre combat, and on turn 1, you can deal:
(2d6 reroll 1 or 2 (GWF)+10(GWM)+6(cha mod)+6(lifedrinker)+6(hexblade's curse)+5d8(divine smite off warlock's lvl 5 spell slot))*2(multiattack)+(action surge)(2d6 reroll 1 or 2(GWF)+10(GWM)+6(cha mod)+6(lifedrinker)+6(hexblade's curse)+2d8(divine smite off paladin's lvl 1 spell slot))*2(multiattack)+6d8(eldritch smite off last warlock spell slot)=(8.33+10+3*6+22.5)*2+(8.33+10+3*6+9)*2+27=58.83*2+45.33*2+27=104.16*2+27=235.32 damage. Damage increases to 247.32 damage with a +3 greatsword, enough to one shot Halaster in DotMM, who only has 246 hit points.
If we were to use Kell_Swiftfire's build which increases thirsting blade's attacks to 3 attacks on level 11, then we'd have
(2d6 reroll 1 or 2 (GWF)+10(GWM)+6(cha mod)+6(lifedrinker)+6(hexblade's curse)+5d8(divine smite off warlock's lvl 5 spell slot))*2(multiattack)+(action surge)(2d6 reroll 1 or 2(GWF)+10(GWM)+6(cha mod)+6(lifedrinker)+6(hexblade's curse)+2d8(divine smite off paladin's lvl 1 spell slot))*2(multiattack)+6d8(eldritch smite off last warlock spell slot)+(2d6 reroll 1 or 2 (GWF)+10(GWM)+6(cha mod)+6(lifedrinker)+6(hexblade's curse))*2+2d8(divine smite off last paladin spell slot)=235.32+72.66+9=316.98 damage. With a +3 greatsword the damage increases to 316.66+6*3=334.66 on turn 1. To put that into perspective, an ancient red dragon has 546 hitpoints. On turn 1, you basically took out almost 2/3 of an ancient red dragon's health, all by yourself.
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Posted Mar 21, 2020Is it just me, or the Hexblade the best patron by quite a bit? It works really well with Aldrich blast, as well as letting, say, a sorcerer with one level of hexblade to add extra damage to a spell like Scorching Ray and be able to hit hard with a melee weapons when our of spells? It also allows a warlock to be a formidable melee fighter with only one real required ability score.
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Posted Mar 18, 2020Question on my character creation page I get a patron called the Guardian of the Dragon. What sourcebook is that one in????
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Posted Mar 16, 2020I think that like the ranger, the noble genie subclass is powerful very specific situations, but outside that it can be numerically underpowered. For example, with the tether one could cast their witch bolt from the party's barbarian, so the "squishy" spellcaster can cast from the back ranks, even with spells with a range of touch. Of course, if one doesn't use it this way, this subclass falls way behind the rest. Also, the 10th and 14th level features, while not as deadly as those in the PHB, look to be very entertaining to use.
Also, if you have 2 high-level genie patron warlocks, they could tether each other, go on either side of the target monster, nailing it from both sides with spells, forcing it to pick which one to attack, then periodically swapping to spread damage. I just think that this is an incredibly cool combo idea.
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Posted Mar 12, 2020There's a genie UA. Dao for earth, efreeti for fire, djinni for air, and marids for water! Granted, it's stupid to even remotely consider this an elemental Otherworldly Patron option, but by technicality...
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Posted Mar 12, 2020It says up to five creatures. Doesn't limit you to only attacking five.
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Posted Mar 8, 2020With the Lurker in the Deep having potential connections to the Plane of Water, I hope there are pacts for Warlock patrons from the other 3 Elemental Planes in future UA's. Every Warlock player deserves to have whatever elemental theme they want.
Thankfully, my favorite is already Water in the first place, so I'm satisfied :)
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Posted Mar 8, 2020For those mortals engaging in the extensive debate regarding eldrich blast vs pact of the blade warlocks-
A simple way to improve the power available to a PotB warlock would be to allow them to use booming blade/ green flame blade in tandem with the extra attack of thirsting blade. this isn't a perfect solution, and there are several potential ways to *break* it, but it matches the damage scaling of eldritch blast and doesn't use any of your precious eldritch invocations. I also imagine would be much easier to convince a DM to approve this ruling than the ones proposed below.
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Posted Mar 3, 2020Honestly I'm really trying to figure out what niche The Noble Genie patron fills? Tethering is weak and largely pointless, Protective Wish and Collector's call are painfully niche and nearly useless, especially for a caster. Genie's Entertainment is cute and all, but it's about the only thing this patron has going for it.
Suggestion: Completely rework the class to be more a 'Genie's Apprentice' rather than.....whatever it is now. For example;
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1st Level: Your Patron has given you a Vessel that you are now bound to. If lost or destroyed you may perform a 1-hour ritual to summon it.
You may enter your vessel at any time by stepping into it as through a door. No one but you may enter your vessel without permission although they can be invited inside by you at which point they are slurped in through the opening. Anyone can pickup and carry off your vessel while you're inside.
The accommodations within your vessel are equivalent to a Poor Lifestyle.
If your vessel is destroyed while you're inside it you immediately pop out into the nearest vacant square to where your vessel was destroyed.
Your vessel counts as an arcane focus and has 2 spell slots of its own. You can cast spells of any level you can cast from any class's spell list using your vessel's spell slots. Charisma is your spellcast modifier for these spells. These slots are reset after a long rest and spell cast this way always originate from your vessel.
6th Level: Your vessel's number of spell slots is increased to 4.
You gain elemental resistance based on the elemental plane your patron is from.
The accommodations within your vessel are equivalent to a comfortable lifestyle.
10th Level: Your vessel's number of spell slots is increased to 6 and spells cast using your vessel's spell slots now originate from you instead of your vessel.
Your vessel's accommodations are equivalent to a Wealthy Lifestyle
10th Level: On a successful Eldritch Blast instead of rolling damage you may roll on the Wild Magic Table instead. Whatever the result is, is what happens to the creature in place of damage.
14th Level: Your vessel now has 7 spell slots and if you are more than 100 feet away from it you're slurped into it.
16th Level: You may now cast Wish once per day through your vessel. If someone precedes a statement with 'I wish' you may cast any spell you're able to cast (including Wish) to fulfill the statement without spending spell slots or material components. If you are unable to cast a spell to grant the request then the request must go unrealized. You may only do this 3 times for any single character.
If someone cleans or polishes your vessel you have disadvantage on checks/saving throws against any action or spell used to influence your decisions. To end this you must cast a spell to grant their desires 3 times. If the implication of a desire is evident and you can cast a spell to grant it you may grant it regardless of if it was an intentional wish or not. Wishes granted this way do not benefit from the 'I Wish' clause but do count toward a character's 3 wish limit and ending your disadvantage.
Your vessel's accommodations are now equivalent to an Opulent Lifestyle.
==========================================================================================================
Granted this is just a rough draft to put the idea out there, but hopefully it will inspire a little better flavor being added to the patron at some point. It's a cool enough idea but the implementation feels very weak.
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Posted Mar 2, 2020Right!? I was just going to post this. What kind of Genie-in-Training doesn't learn to grant wishes?
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Posted Mar 2, 2020I'm abit confused on this part of the UA noble genie.
When you create a tether with your Collector’s Vessel, the tether takes on a form that reflects your patron’s type of geniekind: swirling mist and wind for a djinni, sand and flecks of rock or gems for a dao, smoke and embers for an efreeti, and foamy water for a marid.
does it just look like or takes its stats.
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Posted Feb 29, 2020You're totally Right Palcot on your math. Same numbers as I got.
In terms of clarification on Fell Smite, that was just an omission on my part. My original intention was to add CHA bonus twice and not touch Base Hex-weapon damage, then when I ran the math on it, I found out it would still be totally OP for other builds, especially when paired with the additional CHA bonus from modified Improved Pact Weapon and Life Drinker.
When paired with Thirsting Blade, all of them combined (worst case scenario) dealt an average 80+ damage per round (4d10+64 (84)) which was... absurd/not what I was going for. Basically, each one of those buffs in isolation/maybe with 1 other was enough to 'nudge' Hexblade damage above EB+AB damage.
I agree 100% on your math --it's the exact numbers I came out with btw. Yay math! :D
I've actually re-condensed/summarized/named Krieghexe Lite on the following forum and paid particularly close attention to making sure I didn't 'lump' in options that were fine individually, but hyper OP combined. I'll have Krieghexe Full out soon.
And yeah, in a nutshell, I agree 100% with your Analysis Palcot! It was really useful as when I saw it I was like "yeah I know, that's what would happen when you combine A, B and Z, but that's not what I said to do..... oh... yeah, it is. Okay oops."
Once we get these polished up again I'd be 100% down to submit to Jeremy. Not sure how to go about that, but sound like you have some experience there ;)
https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/dungeons-dragons-discussion/homebrew-house-rules/58830-how-to-fix-hexblades-yes-they-need-it
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Posted Feb 29, 2020No problem Kell_Swiftfire.
So clarification on Fell Smite...
The hexblade class already uses Charisma for Hexblade damage, I thought you were just adding it to the Pact weapon as well... which at Charisma 20 would be +5.
Does Fell Smite make that +10? Or are we just adding it the the other pact weapons, so they also use Charisma mod?
So with Life drinker, are we applying the CHA mod twice or three times? Three times adds like 120p6r and means that your mod would be 3(Magic Weapon) + 1(Tome of Leadership) + 5(Charisma mod) + 5 (Fell Smite) +5(Life Drinker) +5 (IPW) 6(Hexblades Curse). That's a total of +30 damage at level 20.
I like attacking three times, so my revision doesn't have fell smite. It has regular charisma mod, and that is now added to the extended Pact Weapons, like the ranged ones. Improved Pact Weapon doesn't add an extra Charisma mod either other than what it does in vanilla. I think the overall goal should be to do as much, and ONLY as much, damage it takes to have a level 20 choose the Hexblade over Eldritch Blast. That seems balanced in play. Which, although it seems like a slim margin, that much difference in damage is just enough to sway people away from relying only on Eldritch Blast, which is all I am trying to do.
So let's do another break down (but a lighter version that is easier to read, I AM NOT BREAKING IT DOWN AGAIN DANG IT. Just trust me on the math.) for the different versions of the Overhaul.
Kell_Swiftfire's Overhaul Lite
(4d12 + 4d6 + 4d8 + 80) 3 rounds
147 pr
795 p6r for the first six combat rounds.
720 p6r/120pr after you've run out of Smites.
Kell_Swiftfire's Larger Overhaul
(2d12 + 2d6 + 4d8 + 60) 6 rounds
98 pr
588 p6r
Palcot's Overhaul
(3d12 + 3d6 + 4d8 + 60) 6 rounds.
110 pr
662 p6r
Base Hexblade
(2d12 + 2d6 + 4d8 + 42) 3 rounds
86 pr before smite runs out
480 p6r on the first round, smite runs out halfway.
444 p6r/74 pr after smite runs out
Base EB + AB + RB
(4d10 + 8d6 + 48) Forever.
91 pr
544 p6r
So after looking at that, Kell_Swiftfire, your simple revision might still need a few debuffs to it, and your Larger overhaul looks like it only does a smidge more damage than a fully invocated cantrip.
So there are the overhauls in just math form so you can compare and decide what is right for you.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE: Although the Lite Overhaul has the most damage over time, it ALSO USES ALL OF YOUR PACT MAGIC SLOTS. That build will encourage you to smite less often... just fyi.
ALSO, if you think my build is WAY overpowered, just consider the fact that I have to hit ALL THREE TIMES to do as much damage as his two attacks. With a haste spell, he'd do more damage with that extra attack than I would. My overhaul only does about 12pr more.
So it's fairly balanced out, pick your poison.
I'm going to do some level testing and see which build is the most fun with the most power ups along the way. That would be the next question to answer, then we could submit this to Jeremy Crawford and watch in horror as he rejects it outright. LOL. Sage Advice has hurt me too many times.
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Posted Feb 29, 2020For the Noble Genie Warlock, is anybody else confused that it doesnt have Wish added to the Level 9 spell options for Warlock??
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Posted Feb 28, 2020I do just wanna clarify that I omitted a few key points for upgrading Hexblades in my original post. The wording at the time WOULD, absolutely, make them overpowered. It primarily had to do with my forgetting to highlight 'don't use this with that' type of wording.
The TLDR is:
Overhaul Lite:
Larger Overhaul:
I'm actually running an 'Overhauled' Hexblade in a campaign right now and it deals less damage on average (statistically) than our Rogue (arcane trickster), and more than our Paladin (with less burst damage). Feels very balanced.
I'll be releasing a clearer, even further rebalanced revision in the Homebrew Forums soon (with dedicated post) and in the Homebrew Classes as well. Thanks all for your comments here (especially Palcot for your numbers breakdown. We both ran the same math, when I recognized how the original post was worded, but you beat me to the revision, and I think your additional compromise is great/balanced really similarly to my upcoming Krieghexe). and stay tuned for more! :)
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Posted Feb 28, 2020I think their are a few issues with this:
TL;DR: I've crunched the numbers at every level. EB+AB Warlocks outperform or tie with Hexblades at every level after level 1, but hexblades have to invest 2-4 (depending on level) times as many class features to 'keep up' that remain free for other warlocks.
A Hexblade at Level 20, who has optimized every possible class feature for weapon damage (1 Boon + 3 invocations) deals (longsword/longbow) 2d8+12 (20) damage --the same as they dealt at level 12. With EB+AB a Warlock deals 4d10+20 (40) damage per round, while only investing a single, level 2 invocation, and 0 Boon.
Mathematically, Hexblade (who doesn't ditch his weapons) is highly inferior to other Warlocks due to the opportunity cost of continually investing in further invocations which mathematically never 'catch up' to EB+AB damage --to say nothing of the additional benefits other Warlocks gain from having their Boon and 2 additional invocation slots.
So at near-max, to maximum level, a Hexblade who has invested Pact, + 3(!) invocation slots.... does less average Damage Per Round than any other Warlock who has invested 0 Pact and 1 invocation slot....
The reason Hexblade is in such a bad spot is that the lost opportunity cost is just astronomic the 'cost' to maintain damage is so high, where it's 'free' for other Warlocks. Mathematically, you would be much better as a Warlock to take a Fiend or Celestial, take a medium armor feat, and EB + AB, than bother as a Hexblade. Again, at every level past 2, your 1 single invocation will guarantee you out-DPS any standard Hexblade, while you maintain your Boon, and additional invocation slots to further empower your caster far beyond what the Hexblade can do.
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Posted Feb 28, 2020A lot of people are responding to Kell_Swiftfire's post saying that Hexblade is actually balanced without the overhaul.
You are wrong about that.
This Chart will explain why. I took into account magical weapons and items and invocations, all other things etc.
However, Kell_Swiftfire's Overhaul is still broken. So I provided a new compromise that seems to work out better.
Damage Output Comparison
This chart is a comparison of average damage output for Warlocks at level 20.
I got the averages from 3 random rolls, so the averages MAY NOT be accurate.
I’m going to refer to per round as pr. And per 6 round as p6r.
I think it is important to compare the damage done over 6 rounds, because no combat usually lasts longer than that. If it does, the dm is buffing the enemies. So in real terms this is how much damage a Warlock could do in 42 seconds (add one turn for setting up Hex’s).
I’m calculating damage as if the warlock got BOTH Hex and Hexblade’s curse on the creatures it is killing. This takes one action to set up but only one bonus action to move BOTH around after you get Master of Hexes.
This warlock has taken the Spell Sniper Feat and the Eldritch Spear invocation, a +3 longsword, and 22 charisma assuming that he found a tome of leadership and influence. I’m giving the MOST POSSIBLE POINTS to the warlock.
Regular Hexblade
One round hit calculation =
(1d10 + 1d6(hex) + 9(weapon damage) + 6(Hexblade’s curse) + 6(Lifedrinker))times 2(Thirsting Blade) + 4d8(Eldritch Smite)*
*Subtract Eldrict Smite from last three rounds
Average hit per round = 90 (first three rounds) + 70 (Last three rounds)
6 round damage dealt = 390
Heal on kill = 26
EB + AB
One round hit calculation =
(1d10 + 1d6(Hex) + 1d6(If enemy hits wall) + 6(Agonizing Blast) + 6(Hexblade’s Curse))times 4 bolts.
Average damage per round = 95 damage
6 round damage = 570
Heal on kill = 26
EB + AB Long Range
One round hit calculation =
(1d10 + 1d6(x*)(If enemy hits wall) + 6(Agonizing Blast))times 4 bolts
Average damage per round = 57
6 round damage = 340
*x = 1 per 10 feet fallen
Kell_Swiftfire’s Buffed Hexblade
(1d12* + 1d6(hex) + 9(weapon damage) + 6(Hexblade’s curse) + 6(Lifedrinker)**)times 4(Thirsting Blade)***) + 4d8 (Eldritch Smite)****
*Pact Blade/Hexblade damage is now a d12 for versatile wielding.
**Lifedrinker now heals you 6 points (willing to compromise to 3 hit points)
***Thirsting Blade now hits 4 times
****Eldritch Smite is now based on Proficiency and not spell slots. Can cast up to 6 times per long rest with spending spell slots at level 20.
Average Damage per Round = 147
6 round damage = 882
Heal on Kill = 26
Healing per hit = 6
Healing per round = 24
Healing max in six rounds = 300
My Compromise
(1d10* + 1d6(hex) + 9(weapon damage) + 6(Hexblade’s curse) + 6(Lifedrinker)**)times 3(Thirsting Blade)***) + 4d8 (Eldritch Smite)****
*Normal hit for longsword
**Lifedrinker now heals you 3 points
***Thirsting Blade now hits 3 times
****Eldritch Smite is now based on Proficiency and not spell slots. Can cast up to 6 times per long rest without spending spell slots. (I want to keep this)
Average hit per round = 114
6 round damage = 684
Healing per kill = 26
Healing per hit = 4
Healing per round = 12
Healing max per 6 rounds = 228
Now for my opinion
I’m not sure who designed the Hexblade but they need to be punished. A blastlock Warlock is the best base warlock if they use the hexblade curse on Eldritch Blast.
This means that Hexblade Warlocks are ENCOURAGED if not downright FORCED to rely on Eldritch blast and ignore their main feature which is the hexblade.
At level 20, with magic items, a Hexblade does 390p6r. That is terrible damage output.
Comparatively, if a hexblade ONLY invests in Eldritch blast… they do 570p6r at close range… and 340p6r at 600 feet away. That is FREE DAMAGE at NO COST for 20 turns for most humanoids. Not to mention, that humanoid is being FLUNG BACKWARD 10 feet every turn. A blastlock warlock at 600 feet is unbeatable in my opinion. That being said, I don’t think you’ll be in that situation very often where you have eyes on someone that far away. However, this is one of the most powerful builds if you do have eagle vision. You can add other buffs to eldritch blast too, like moving them forward instead of back, or slowing them down a good bit.
The buffed version of Hexblade might be a little too buff. 882p6r is more than double the regular version of Hexblade. You’re basically an assassin at that point. Not to mention, unlike the assassin, a warlock can spread the damage around between four enemies. Also unlike the assassin, you are healing yourself 6 points every time you hit something. So potentially earning 24 free points of healing every round. That is stupid good.
My compromise is still pretty good, but it accomplishes the goal of being better than a blastlock warlock without being so broken. You do 684p6r instead. I accomplished this by reducing the attacks to 3 for thirsting blade, and making the damage normal for a longsword. If you pair this with the sniper feats I talked about, you’ll do about twice the damage up close as you do far way. This makes for an AWESOME damage output build. If you can get close, you’ll want to, but you can also just hang back and blast away if you want to play the long game. You also only get 4 hit points per hit. I feel this is more balanced. 12 hit points (potentially 38) per round is enough to work with, without being too good. 24 (potentially 50) felt broken. You recover a fifth of your health every round? Potentially almost half if you kill someone? No. 38 feels a lot less like I’m cheating.
I’m not sure that they thought these rules through all that well before making the Warlock. Whomever made the blastlock Warlock was min maxing and it shows… so now Hexblades, which are balanced considering other fighters, feel very weak compared to Baseline Blastlock warlocks. Not to mention that the blastlock build is a total SNOOZEFEST. What am I gonna do this round? Eldritch blast… howabout this round? Eldritch blast… perhaps I could use a spell slot-ELDRITCH BLAST DOES MORE DAMAGE AND COSTS NOTHING!! Howabout an invocation TOO RISKY ELDRITCH BLAST!!!
I hate the monotony of that. Having higher close range damage, middling mid range, lower long range damage is a MUCH more interesting prospect. Long range, Eldritch blast with no hex, Mid range, Hex, then Eldritch Blast, Close Range, Hex, then time for some big hits. You might even use a spell with this build if you are mid ranging because you aren’t saving them for Eldritch Smite.
Last point, I know this seems like a broken build, but take in mind this is level 20. This is a fully scaled comparison. While you are leveling up, so for most of play, the benefits between Hexblade and Eldritch blast kind of trade off. So at level 2 for instance, Eldritch blast is the better option, and then at level 3, the Hexblade gets a lot better because of Pact Boon. Then, as you get eldritch invocations, you give Eldritch blast a big boost here, making it the better option, and then Hexblade becomes better because you pick eldritch smite and your proficiency bonus goes up. Basically you trade off most of the way up the scale until you get to level 12 and get the buffed Lifedrinker. So for the most part, this is balanced, until it pulls away at higher levels. The goal was to make the Hexblade come out in the end as the better damage dealing option instead of an inferior one and that goal is accomplished with my compromise or with Kell_Swiftfire's option. If you are a dm and you think Kell_Swiftfire's overhaul is too good, this might work for you and your player.
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Posted Feb 24, 2020I don't know what the guy is referring to with "Ultimate Pact Weapon Invocation", but I think he's just assuming at level 20 you should have a +3 magic weapon, which is reasonable. If he hadn't said something, I would have, Hexblade is probably the strongest Warlock subclass, so the overhaul seems really unnecessary.
Edit: Also I think no one else even mentioned Hex Blade's Curse, a very strong subclass features
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Posted Feb 24, 2020I'm glad to see someone saying Pact of the Blade isn't inferior to eldritch blast, though I'm curious as to where you're getting +3 from? The improved pact weapon invocation only gives +1 to the attack roll/damage right?
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Posted Feb 22, 2020"When you can cast a spell, you can deliver the spell from your space or the bound creature’s space."
Wait.... let's say I have a flying invisible imp. It can deliver touch spells, but that breaks invisibility.
This feature allows me to cast spells from my space or my imp's space. The imp ain't casting, so whichever spells I select, it stays invisible...
Can I now cast shield as a reaction on my imp?
What about sending my invisible imp secretly into a group of mobs, and casting Spirit Guardians? Bam, they all take damage when they try to do something, and they cannot target the imp directly.
How about hiding, and using my Invisimp™ to cast Vampiric Touch on a faraway mob, they take damage, and I get healz?
If Spirit Guardians is viable, would Armor of Agathys work too now, for my Imp?
Intellect Fortress on my Imp?
Shadow of Moil on it?
Arms of Hadar?
Burning Hands?
Cone of Cold?
Sword Burst?
Poison Spray?
Lightning Lure?