At level 7 I took a level of Bard. It seemed like a perfect spot to grab that first level dip. You get to stay SAD using CHA, so no issues there. You are getting the inspiration dice, access to spells like Healing Word, and ritual casting. And with three levels you can decide on which subclass adds enough.
I can see the allure or Sorcerer, and other combos (like Paladin if playing a hexblade) can slot nicely. But for a standard build where you don't have high enough stats to make that secondary class shine, you can never go wrong with a Bardlock.
I am awfully fond of adding a level or two of cleric to mix with my warlocks. Imagine two levels of trickery. Generally you get medium armor, shields, and maybe a fun channel divinity. The levels also supply some 1st level spells making you more versatile in the day, and some rituals to cast.
Stat wise you need to manage the 13 wisdom and not using it for saves, while character wise you need to manage having two masters and how that works. For the stats you no longer need to max out dex since you can wear medium armor, and that buys a couple of points.
I am generally in favor of multi classing to shore up deficiencies in other areas that a class generally lacks, but in this case I don't think it's all that needed.
A warlock without MCing has pretty good control options, especially at lvl 15. Hypnotic pattern is always a fantastic choice for most situations. At lvl 11, you can take mass suggestion, at 13, force cage.
Being the face means having proficiency in skills, and expertise in the crucial ones. Taking skill expert is generally enough, while allowing you to boost your main stat.
If you need more expertise, one lvl in rogue will do it for you. But, if you need even more face power, go 3 lvls of eloquence bard. You get more expertise AND what's essentially a rogue's reliable talent for persuasion and deception.
This build probably will be hampered in control as spell progression lags with up to four levels in something else. However, you're still a good blaster with EB. You still have high CHA and social skills. If those things make you happy, then this is the build for you.
I am generally in favor of multi classing to shore up deficiencies in other areas that a class generally lacks, but in this case I don't think it's all that needed.
If you need more expertise, one lvl in rogue will do it for you. But, if you need even more face power, go 3 lvls of eloquence bard. You get more expertise AND what's essentially a rogue's reliable talent for persuasion and deception.
I am going with the Fiend Chainpact, and a sprinkle of three levels of Eloquence Bard. We just hit level 7 and I took the first Bard level at 6. The long play is that the Eloquence Bard's bonuses to Persuasion and Deception rolls are so strong in a political campaign with plenty of RP. I like having a couple of level 1 spell slots to play around with by level 6, and being the backup healer. Since the Warlock capstone ability is kinda weak, I can find a good spot to grab the other two levels. 3/17 Bardlock is not a bad plan at all, and doesn't require exotic allocation of stats to make it work.
You don't say why you want to multclass and what areas you feel the party is lacking.
To improve yourself as a face it has been mentioned three levels of eloquence bard will greatly improve skill checks in social encounters, but if you are going to level 15 warlock first casting glibness gets you an upgraded silver tongue for an hour. An alternative approaches are a few levels of sorcerer to get subtle spell, enabling you to cast things like suggestion in social encounters safely (this is DM dependent some DMs devalue subtle spell by allowing this to happen without subtle spell).
To increase your blasting, again a splash or sorcerer works for getting quicken spell would allow you to make 8 attacks (at level 17+) for for an average or 10.5 damage on a hit assuming you have agonising blast (14 each if they are hexxed).
Twinning is probably a bad option as you wont have the sorcery points to twin your warlock spells much and you will want ot use most of your sorcerer spell slots for getting sorcery points..
A few levels of bard or sorcerer gives you low level spell slots so you don't need to use your warlock slots for things like hex or darkness (if you have eldritch sight), if you are wantimg this I would go bard as sorcerer multi class does little for you aprat from metamagic.
Any reason why you want to multiclass at warlock 15? I agree you don't get much benefit after level 17, but I wouls have thought a 4th spell slot and a 9th level spell such as foresight would make it worth sticking out to 17.
The real question is are you just looking to add a class dip for power or does your characters concept and theme warrant a dip? What is your character concept, motivations, etc? Why did they make a warlock pact to begin with?
Building an Archfey warlock to be the face of the party and act as control with some added blasting.
Ideally looking to go to lvl 15 with warlock.
If you were to multiclass which 5 lvls or less would you take in another class?
It all depends on what you're trying to accomplish by multiclassing. What capabilities are you trying to enhance that the high Warlock levels won't give you?
So I'm thinking of taking 5 levels in warlock then 5 levels in bard and the remaining levels then in warlock.
I will take the College of Eloquence for the silver tongue to effectively never fail at persuasion/deception checks which tie in perfectly with Mask of many faces + Actor feat I plan to take at lvl 2 & 4 respectively. This will be further bolstered by Expertise in Persuasion & Deception.
Unsettling words as a bonus action is great for those save and suck spells which I will have a lot of as I intend to focus mostly on control through enchantments.
I will get access to 8 additional spells which at lvl 10 gives me 4 lvl 1 slots, 3 lvl 2, and 4 at lvl 3 broken down as 2 lock/2 bard.
For Warlock Spells up to lvl 5 I'm going to take: Faerie Fire, Sleep, Charm Person, Hold Person, Suggestion, Counter Spell, Hypnotic Pattern, Fly. I will drop sleep and charm person along the way.
Then for bard, I intend to take: Dissonant Whispers, Healing word, Hideous Laughter, Heat Metal, Mirror Image, Invisibility, Slow, and Bestow Curse.
I will take the fey touched (Charisma) Feat as well to get Misty Step and Command.
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Building an Archfey warlock to be the face of the party and act as control with some added blasting.
Ideally looking to go to lvl 15 with warlock.
If you were to multiclass which 5 lvls or less would you take in another class?
At level 7 I took a level of Bard. It seemed like a perfect spot to grab that first level dip. You get to stay SAD using CHA, so no issues there. You are getting the inspiration dice, access to spells like Healing Word, and ritual casting. And with three levels you can decide on which subclass adds enough.
I can see the allure or Sorcerer, and other combos (like Paladin if playing a hexblade) can slot nicely. But for a standard build where you don't have high enough stats to make that secondary class shine, you can never go wrong with a Bardlock.
I am awfully fond of adding a level or two of cleric to mix with my warlocks. Imagine two levels of trickery. Generally you get medium armor, shields, and maybe a fun channel divinity. The levels also supply some 1st level spells making you more versatile in the day, and some rituals to cast.
Stat wise you need to manage the 13 wisdom and not using it for saves, while character wise you need to manage having two masters and how that works. For the stats you no longer need to max out dex since you can wear medium armor, and that buys a couple of points.
I am generally in favor of multi classing to shore up deficiencies in other areas that a class generally lacks, but in this case I don't think it's all that needed.
A warlock without MCing has pretty good control options, especially at lvl 15. Hypnotic pattern is always a fantastic choice for most situations. At lvl 11, you can take mass suggestion, at 13, force cage.
Being the face means having proficiency in skills, and expertise in the crucial ones. Taking skill expert is generally enough, while allowing you to boost your main stat.
If you need more expertise, one lvl in rogue will do it for you. But, if you need even more face power, go 3 lvls of eloquence bard. You get more expertise AND what's essentially a rogue's reliable talent for persuasion and deception.
This build probably will be hampered in control as spell progression lags with up to four levels in something else. However, you're still a good blaster with EB. You still have high CHA and social skills. If those things make you happy, then this is the build for you.
I am going with the Fiend Chainpact, and a sprinkle of three levels of Eloquence Bard. We just hit level 7 and I took the first Bard level at 6. The long play is that the Eloquence Bard's bonuses to Persuasion and Deception rolls are so strong in a political campaign with plenty of RP. I like having a couple of level 1 spell slots to play around with by level 6, and being the backup healer. Since the Warlock capstone ability is kinda weak, I can find a good spot to grab the other two levels. 3/17 Bardlock is not a bad plan at all, and doesn't require exotic allocation of stats to make it work.
What are the pros and cons of multi classing into sorcerer vs bard.
Sorcerer is a blaster, Bard is more rounded and has healing spells.
You don't say why you want to multclass and what areas you feel the party is lacking.
To improve yourself as a face it has been mentioned three levels of eloquence bard will greatly improve skill checks in social encounters, but if you are going to level 15 warlock first casting glibness gets you an upgraded silver tongue for an hour. An alternative approaches are a few levels of sorcerer to get subtle spell, enabling you to cast things like suggestion in social encounters safely (this is DM dependent some DMs devalue subtle spell by allowing this to happen without subtle spell).
To increase your blasting, again a splash or sorcerer works for getting quicken spell would allow you to make 8 attacks (at level 17+) for for an average or 10.5 damage on a hit assuming you have agonising blast (14 each if they are hexxed).
Twinning is probably a bad option as you wont have the sorcery points to twin your warlock spells much and you will want ot use most of your sorcerer spell slots for getting sorcery points..
A few levels of bard or sorcerer gives you low level spell slots so you don't need to use your warlock slots for things like hex or darkness (if you have eldritch sight), if you are wantimg this I would go bard as sorcerer multi class does little for you aprat from metamagic.
Any reason why you want to multiclass at warlock 15? I agree you don't get much benefit after level 17, but I wouls have thought a 4th spell slot and a 9th level spell such as foresight would make it worth sticking out to 17.
The real question is are you just looking to add a class dip for power or does your characters concept and theme warrant a dip? What is your character concept, motivations, etc? Why did they make a warlock pact to begin with?
It all depends on what you're trying to accomplish by multiclassing. What capabilities are you trying to enhance that the high Warlock levels won't give you?
So I'm thinking of taking 5 levels in warlock then 5 levels in bard and the remaining levels then in warlock.
I will take the College of Eloquence for the silver tongue to effectively never fail at persuasion/deception checks which tie in perfectly with Mask of many faces + Actor feat I plan to take at lvl 2 & 4 respectively. This will be further bolstered by Expertise in Persuasion & Deception.
Unsettling words as a bonus action is great for those save and suck spells which I will have a lot of as I intend to focus mostly on control through enchantments.
I will get access to 8 additional spells which at lvl 10 gives me 4 lvl 1 slots, 3 lvl 2, and 4 at lvl 3 broken down as 2 lock/2 bard.
For Warlock Spells up to lvl 5 I'm going to take: Faerie Fire, Sleep, Charm Person, Hold Person, Suggestion, Counter Spell, Hypnotic Pattern, Fly. I will drop sleep and charm person along the way.
Then for bard, I intend to take: Dissonant Whispers, Healing word, Hideous Laughter, Heat Metal, Mirror Image, Invisibility, Slow, and Bestow Curse.
I will take the fey touched (Charisma) Feat as well to get Misty Step and Command.