I'm making an Arcane Archer character, but I was considering having him multiclass into Warlock. I'm thinking spells like Faerie Fire and Hex would be helpful in raising damage output...but I'm mostly trying this because I think it's cool. I know Melee fighters can do pretty well with multiclassing into Warlock, using things like Blade Ward and Hellish Rebuke, but I'm not sure if this is quite as viable as I'm imagining. I'm just a little concerned that they both use different spellcasting abilities, but depending on what spells I choose, I may not even have to worry about save DCs for one of the classes (since neither Hex nor Bursting Shot require a save). I'm also not 100% sold on Arcane Archer itself, so if a different Martial Archetype might work better, I'm also open to that idea.
Honestly, I'm not too sure. I planned on starting with using him in Adventurer's League to feel it out and then maybe adapt it for a homebrew game if I like it, but my guess is the highest he'd go would be level 15, if that. So I guess the range would be 1-15 roughly.
Okay so I've done a little more thinking about this and I have a few more options I'm considering. But first, let me explain why I even want an Arcane Archer / Warlock.
What I'm imagining is an attack sequence one would be able to pull off about as early as 4th level, with 3 levels in fighter and 1 in warlock. After casting Hex on a previous turn, he would fire bursting shot from a longbow, dealing 1d8 piercing + 1d6 necrotic. When bursting shot goes off, it deals an additional 2d6 force + 1d6 necrotic. He can do this at least twice per battle, since both his warlock spell slots and his arcane shot slots are regained after short rests.
The only part of this plan that seems to rely on the warlock class, though, is the spell Hex. Would it just make more sense to take the Magic Initiate feat and not multiclass out of fighter?
Multi classing into warlock is cool and all but you have to think of how he gets involved with the patron you chose. Depending on how the DM has you playing, you'll have to roleplay into warlock class. If the game isn't roleplay heavy and the DM doesn't care then there isn't much of an issue. It's a great roleplay idea to have an Arcane Archer find a patron to grant them more power. If you read the Magic Initiate feat you'll see that you can only cast your first level spell once per long rest so it limits how effective your Hex spell will be. If you don't care or want to roleplay into the warlock, I'd stick with straight Arcane Archer and not worry about the spell Hex because you have better options with your Arcane Shot. I wouldn't multi class into warlock just for the Hex spell, but I'd do it for the roleplay aspect and some of the warlock abilities. If you multi class, you need to take at least 3 levels of warlock so you can get your invocations and pact boon.
In your example of the attack sequence, you would only do 1d8 piercing + 2d6 force + 1d6 necrotic. The necrotic damage wouldn't be applied twice because all that damage is dealt in a single attack and the necrotic damage is only applied once per attack damage. That is how I would interrupt the damage being done, but you could always ask your DM on how they would have the damage done.
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The roleplay aspect was actually my primary reason for wanting to multiclass. It's a long story, but effectively, this character was once companions with someone who sought to consort with deities to borrow their power. It ends up going badly (for reasons I'm still working out), and the companion ends up being consumed by the being whose powers they sought to wield. This has had a lasting effect on my character (so haunted one background seems fitting), and makes them terrified of seeking power beyond mortal means, but he is tricked into a contract with an archfae and becomes a warlock. Basically, he's terrified of being consumed in the same way his companion once was.
As far as damage goes, based on the description of bursting shot, I believe it describes the burst as a separate attack that occurs some time after the initial arrow hit, and it would activate Hex a second time.
This actually brings up a second question I had, which was if I should consider a different fighter subclass while still being an archer. I was considering champion as well, since doubling crit chance sounds pretty nice to me.
It also begs the question of whether or not multiclassing at all would make sense, as I'm pretty sure straight warlocks of the same level can deal more damage with hex and Eldridge Blast.
That's an interesting idea for a backstory. I once was making a ranger that made a pact with the archfey so he was a ranger/warlock. I never got to deep into his backstory for the group I was playing in at the time didn't really care about backstories or did much roleplaying. It was mostly fighting.
You really want to have fun, you can make him a rogue dipped into warlock. Hex a target that is engaged with a party member and then you get sneak attack if he is still engaged the next round. In the beginning you would be a extremely deadly. I also think that this would be fun to roleplay out as well.
As for my opinion on the combo you proposed, I did say that it is ultimately up to the DM on the ruling. It doesn't say that it's a separate attack but just damage that happens after. That is a tricky one for DM to rule on. I'd think most DMs would say that you only get your hex damage once per attack.
In the end it's your character, and you make him how you want to. Multiclassing can be fun, but if not done right can be deadly to the character. The best way to find the best fit for you is to make him up and play him and tweak him to fit how you want to play him. Adventure League is great but generally doesn't have much roleplaying going on from what I've seen. The groups that I have played in run the modules and most of them don't have much roleplaying in them. To get the most out of your character for roleplaying you'd be better off finding a group that plays the roleplaying aspect of the game more than the modules.
Well, I wish you luck and have fun with whatever you decide to play.
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Remember this is a game and it's suppose to be fun for everybody. Let's all have fun and kill monsters.
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I'm making an Arcane Archer character, but I was considering having him multiclass into Warlock. I'm thinking spells like Faerie Fire and Hex would be helpful in raising damage output...but I'm mostly trying this because I think it's cool. I know Melee fighters can do pretty well with multiclassing into Warlock, using things like Blade Ward and Hellish Rebuke, but I'm not sure if this is quite as viable as I'm imagining. I'm just a little concerned that they both use different spellcasting abilities, but depending on what spells I choose, I may not even have to worry about save DCs for one of the classes (since neither Hex nor Bursting Shot require a save). I'm also not 100% sold on Arcane Archer itself, so if a different Martial Archetype might work better, I'm also open to that idea.
How high level will you start at and plan to play to?
I stole my pfp from this person: https://mobile.twitter.com/xelart1/status/1177312449575432193
Honestly, I'm not too sure. I planned on starting with using him in Adventurer's League to feel it out and then maybe adapt it for a homebrew game if I like it, but my guess is the highest he'd go would be level 15, if that. So I guess the range would be 1-15 roughly.
If you are going to use Arcane Archer, I would recommend to fighter 3 levels, Warlock 3 levels, 4 more fighter, then the rest ‘lock.
I stole my pfp from this person: https://mobile.twitter.com/xelart1/status/1177312449575432193
Okay so I've done a little more thinking about this and I have a few more options I'm considering. But first, let me explain why I even want an Arcane Archer / Warlock.
What I'm imagining is an attack sequence one would be able to pull off about as early as 4th level, with 3 levels in fighter and 1 in warlock. After casting Hex on a previous turn, he would fire bursting shot from a longbow, dealing 1d8 piercing + 1d6 necrotic. When bursting shot goes off, it deals an additional 2d6 force + 1d6 necrotic. He can do this at least twice per battle, since both his warlock spell slots and his arcane shot slots are regained after short rests.
The only part of this plan that seems to rely on the warlock class, though, is the spell Hex. Would it just make more sense to take the Magic Initiate feat and not multiclass out of fighter?
Multi classing into warlock is cool and all but you have to think of how he gets involved with the patron you chose. Depending on how the DM has you playing, you'll have to roleplay into warlock class. If the game isn't roleplay heavy and the DM doesn't care then there isn't much of an issue. It's a great roleplay idea to have an Arcane Archer find a patron to grant them more power. If you read the Magic Initiate feat you'll see that you can only cast your first level spell once per long rest so it limits how effective your Hex spell will be. If you don't care or want to roleplay into the warlock, I'd stick with straight Arcane Archer and not worry about the spell Hex because you have better options with your Arcane Shot. I wouldn't multi class into warlock just for the Hex spell, but I'd do it for the roleplay aspect and some of the warlock abilities. If you multi class, you need to take at least 3 levels of warlock so you can get your invocations and pact boon.
In your example of the attack sequence, you would only do 1d8 piercing + 2d6 force + 1d6 necrotic. The necrotic damage wouldn't be applied twice because all that damage is dealt in a single attack and the necrotic damage is only applied once per attack damage. That is how I would interrupt the damage being done, but you could always ask your DM on how they would have the damage done.
Remember this is a game and it's suppose to be fun for everybody. Let's all have fun and kill monsters.
The roleplay aspect was actually my primary reason for wanting to multiclass. It's a long story, but effectively, this character was once companions with someone who sought to consort with deities to borrow their power. It ends up going badly (for reasons I'm still working out), and the companion ends up being consumed by the being whose powers they sought to wield. This has had a lasting effect on my character (so haunted one background seems fitting), and makes them terrified of seeking power beyond mortal means, but he is tricked into a contract with an archfae and becomes a warlock. Basically, he's terrified of being consumed in the same way his companion once was.
As far as damage goes, based on the description of bursting shot, I believe it describes the burst as a separate attack that occurs some time after the initial arrow hit, and it would activate Hex a second time.
This actually brings up a second question I had, which was if I should consider a different fighter subclass while still being an archer. I was considering champion as well, since doubling crit chance sounds pretty nice to me.
It also begs the question of whether or not multiclassing at all would make sense, as I'm pretty sure straight warlocks of the same level can deal more damage with hex and Eldridge Blast.
That's an interesting idea for a backstory. I once was making a ranger that made a pact with the archfey so he was a ranger/warlock. I never got to deep into his backstory for the group I was playing in at the time didn't really care about backstories or did much roleplaying. It was mostly fighting.
You really want to have fun, you can make him a rogue dipped into warlock. Hex a target that is engaged with a party member and then you get sneak attack if he is still engaged the next round. In the beginning you would be a extremely deadly. I also think that this would be fun to roleplay out as well.
As for my opinion on the combo you proposed, I did say that it is ultimately up to the DM on the ruling. It doesn't say that it's a separate attack but just damage that happens after. That is a tricky one for DM to rule on. I'd think most DMs would say that you only get your hex damage once per attack.
In the end it's your character, and you make him how you want to. Multiclassing can be fun, but if not done right can be deadly to the character. The best way to find the best fit for you is to make him up and play him and tweak him to fit how you want to play him. Adventure League is great but generally doesn't have much roleplaying going on from what I've seen. The groups that I have played in run the modules and most of them don't have much roleplaying in them. To get the most out of your character for roleplaying you'd be better off finding a group that plays the roleplaying aspect of the game more than the modules.
Well, I wish you luck and have fun with whatever you decide to play.
Remember this is a game and it's suppose to be fun for everybody. Let's all have fun and kill monsters.