Only to younger folks. Double-spacing after a period was standard par for the course when I, and I'm assuming Tonio, learned how words work. It's a rule of English that was put in place back when typewriters were the writing tool of the day and which has only begun to fade more recently. I do it myself; it looks bizarre to me when I don't see longer-than-usual spacing after a sentence.
Yes, much like other aspects of the English language, laziness is prevailing :( Double space after a period is correct, and the rest of you can get off my lawn.
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Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
APA changed this from 6th to 7th I think, but it is subject to the whims of whomever is accepting the work. Publishers and professors are explicitly allowed to ask for two spaces instead of one in any given submission.
In the end it just doesn't matter. I put two spaces after periods and if people don't like it they don't have to read what I type.
So pact of the chain is awesome. Take the invocation Investment of the Chain Master. This gives your Imp a boost. As a 4th level Lock I take invisibility as a spell. I send the imp out a bit ahead and we both are both invisible and stealth (up to 100 feet I can communicate telepathically). We find a creature and attacks (with surprise) and with a good dex., he and I also get a higher initiative.
Surprise round - I forgo my attack and that allows imp to take a reaction to attack (I remain invisible because I have not attacked or cast a spell). Imp attacks and hits with a sting as Imp has a +5. It hits. Also as my bonus action I can allow the Imp to attack, it hits. 2 Hits in the surprise round! Imp does 1d4+3 damage so average of 5 damage plus creature must make a con. save at a DC of 14 (uses my DC instead of the Imps). Poison damage of 3d6 with failed save, half with success. So an average of 4 (made save) or 9 damage (failed). Lets say with the 2 hits in this surprise round one failed save and one success, that's an average of 23 points of damage and I am still invisible. Now on to 1st round.
1st round - Repeat same as surprise round (with 2 hits, another average of 23 damage). I am still invisible. Lets say the creature hits my Imp with a whopping 16 points of damage. I use my reaction (it was Imp that used reaction not me), and I make the Imp resistant to the damage. Imp only takes 8 points and it is still up (10 Hit Points). I can remain Invisible or attack myself ( I think I will remain Invisible).
2nd round - I have options here, but I will let the Imp attack again same as before and I will remain invisible. With 2 hits, another 23 points damage! That's now a possible 69 points of damage in 2 rounds with just my Imp? Even with a couple misses it's still going to be pretty good damage. But oh no, my Imp gets hit again, even with my reaction, Imp goes down. At least until I cast find familiar again, so no real loss. I am still invisible, now I have options. Do I attack (is creature low enough on Hit points)? Move invisibility back to my party?. How about I cast charm?(creature fails). I come out of invisibility but pretend not to an ally of the Imp ("damn Imps", I say, "follow me you poor creature" and I lead the creature to my waiting party. This all happened. Chain pact boon with invocation Investment of the Chain Master, and I also had stealth with my Lock (and invisibility). Great build!
I am playing a Archfey Pact of Chain warlock (I'm also still very new to the game), but I am having a blast. I am also playing a warlock in the opposite direction I feel most people play them, or at least what i have seen. She is not a brooding, scorned, emo kids. She's a blonde, pink, sparkly child of an Archfey who is helping her train to one day take over for him, and she has a pink and gold psuedodragon named Glitter.
IDK. I have a lot of fun with her. I don't really use Eldritch Blast a whole lot. I use my familiar as a distraction a lot of the time. She's level 5 now so I just took the Chain Master invocation which lets me communicate with him anywhere as long as we're on the same plane. I have a tendency to roll fairly high on initiative so I run in, gain attention from enemies and blast them with Arms of Hadar and then run out to do more ranged damage or fight 1 on 1 with my scythe (flavored spear).
Get an invisible familiar and then have it take the help action each turn. That gives you (or any other one ally) advantage on the next attack against that foe.
I asked this in a different post but if i'm right this is a great combo (so is darkness but this is less intrusive to your party)
You cast Invisibility on yourself, you get your Imp (that is invisible as well) into position beside BBEG. On your next turn you use your Attack Action to have your Imp attack using its reaction (it comes out of invisibility so attacking with advantage). You then have your Imp use its Action to cast Invisibility on itself. Rinse and repeat. Keeping you and your Imp invisible at all times while attacking through your imp.
I asked this in a different post but if i'm right this is a great combo (so is darkness but this is less intrusive to your party)
You cast Invisibility on yourself, you get your Imp (that is invisible as well) into position beside BBEG. On your next turn you use your Attack Action to have your Imp attack using its reaction (it comes out of invisibility so attacking with advantage). You then have your Imp use its Action to cast Invisibility on itself. Rinse and repeat. Keeping you and your Imp invisible at all times while attacking through your imp.
The Imp’s attack only does 1d4+3 damage, the 3d6 poison damage would only happen if the BBE were to fail a paltry DC 11 Con save. So you could use your entire Action to do 5 (4-7) damage most of the time (keep in mind, the Imp still only has a +5 attack modifier), or you can instead just use your action. Most of the time just leaving your Imp invisible and having it take the Help action to give you advantage on an eldritch blast that will likely have a higher attack modifier and does more damage. By 5th level you will will have a second eldritch blast, and then it goes up from there. That doesn’t even take any of the Eldritch Invocations that boost eldritch blast into account.
So, while your idea would technically work, it’s not a very efficient use of your action.
I asked this in a different post but if i'm right this is a great combo (so is darkness but this is less intrusive to your party)
You cast Invisibility on yourself, you get your Imp (that is invisible as well) into position beside BBEG. On your next turn you use your Attack Action to have your Imp attack using its reaction (it comes out of invisibility so attacking with advantage). You then have your Imp use its Action to cast Invisibility on itself. Rinse and repeat. Keeping you and your Imp invisible at all times while attacking through your imp.
The Imp’s attack only does 1d4+3 damage, the 3d6 poison damage would only happen if the BBE were to fail a paltry DC 11 Con save. So you could use your entire Action to do 5 (4-7) damage most of the time (keep in mind, the Imp still only has a +5 attack modifier), or you can instead just use your action. Most of the time just leaving your Imp invisible and having it take the Help action to give you advantage on an eldritch blast that will likely have a higher attack modifier and does more damage. By 5th level you will will have a second eldritch blast, and then it goes up from there. That doesn’t even take any of the Eldritch Invocations that boost eldritch blast into account.
So, while your idea would technically work, it’s not a very efficient use of your action.
If you have Investment of the Chain invocation the DC it uses is your own. So my Warlock has a 14 DC, not amazing but better than an 11. So at minimum its hitting at 10 dmg, at maximum hitting at 15 on average. Considering my Eldritch Blast with Agonizing blast is 1d10 (5.5 average) +4 modifier is 9.5, its doing better dmg than my average EB. Because the Imp is coming out of Invisibility each time its attacking with advantage as well. And since it goes invisible right after the attack, both myself and the Imp being attacked with disadvantage.
But you're right at higher levels this falls off. I guess I should have mentioned i'm a level 3 Hexblade Warlock, so only 1 EB at a time right now. But ya at lvl 5 and up I wouldn't be using this type of attack situation.
I think as you move into Tier 2 and higher of play, the imp familiar is less of a combat option and more of use for utility. I'm playing a level 7 chainlock, and the imp is all sorts of useful out of combat. Essentially free scrying; which has uses through level 20. Need help on skills like Stealth, Insight, Persuasion? Your imp has proficiency and can do the Help action. Imps also can do the things your Mage Hand can't because of range limitations. The invocation I like is Gift of the Ever-living Ones. The max healing dice keeps your warlock upright most of the time.
In combat, I find moving the invisible imp adjacent to a single target is a good option just for the Opportunity Attack. But other than that the imp stays out of harm's way in most cases. At our table, the DM pretty much has the mindset that if your familiar is assisting in combat it is going to be a target. And for campaign RP reasons, having to re-summon the familiar is not to be taken lightly. These reasons have rolled back how much combat the imp sees.
I think as you move into Tier 2 and higher of play, the imp familiar is less of a combat option and more of use for utility. I'm playing a level 7 chainlock, and the imp is all sorts of useful out of combat. Essentially free scrying; which has uses through level 20. Need help on skills like Stealth, Insight, Persuasion? Your imp has proficiency and can do the Help action. Imps also can do the things your Mage Hand can't because of range limitations. The invocation I like is Gift of the Ever-living Ones. The max healing dice keeps your warlock upright most of the time.
In combat, I find moving the invisible imp adjacent to a single target is a good option just for the Opportunity Attack. But other than that the imp stays out of harm's way in most cases. At our table, the DM pretty much has the mindset that if your familiar is assisting in combat it is going to be a target. And for campaign RP reasons, having to re-summon the familiar is not to be taken lightly. These reasons have rolled back how much combat the imp sees.
I actually had a negative experience because of the utility the imp brought-- it was just too good and turned that campaign into a snore fest.
I wanted to build a utility warlock, dao genie, pact of the chain, used the imp. I picked up voice of the chain master, specifically so I could chill somewhere safe while the imp flew around to scout.
Basically, I got away with exploring entire dungeons with impunity. All those potentially fun encounters? We skipped them cause we knew where they were and avoided them as such.
Was there an object we needed to retrieve? Just send the imp. Need to listen in some important conversation between NPCs? Send the imp. Did you forget to turn the stove off at home before you left? SEND. THE. IMP.
It was just too good and took the suspense out of everything.
I actually had a negative experience because of the utility the imp brought-- it was just too good and turned that campaign into a snore fest.
I wanted to build a utility warlock, dao genie, pact of the chain, used the imp. I picked up voice of the chain master, specifically so I could chill somewhere safe while the imp flew around to scout.
Basically, I got away with exploring entire dungeons with impunity. All those potentially fun encounters? We skipped them cause we knew where they were and avoided them as such.
Was there an object we needed to retrieve? Just send the imp. Need to listen in some important conversation between NPCs? Send the imp. Did you forget to turn the stove off at home before you left? SEND. THE. IMP.
It was just too good and took the suspense out of everything.
IDK; your DM would have a ton of tools to mitigate that. But I have seen the imp wreck encounters. We played Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan, and if you know the adventure, the imp pretty much got us past three rooms that would have been a major resource drain. It also staved off a TPK where we took a Cone of Cold and a Fireball that the imp shrugged off and administered a healing potion to our cleric.
I didn't have quite the experience you did, but I will agree the imp can save the party's bacon with its utility. And this is where IMO a chainpact is a solid option. The combat benefits are just gravy at that point.
I think as you move into Tier 2 and higher of play, the imp familiar is less of a combat option and more of use for utility. I'm playing a level 7 chainlock, and the imp is all sorts of useful out of combat. Essentially free scrying; which has uses through level 20. Need help on skills like Stealth, Insight, Persuasion? Your imp has proficiency and can do the Help action. Imps also can do the things your Mage Hand can't because of range limitations. The invocation I like is Gift of the Ever-living Ones. The max healing dice keeps your warlock upright most of the time.
In combat, I find moving the invisible imp adjacent to a single target is a good option just for the Opportunity Attack. But other than that the imp stays out of harm's way in most cases. At our table, the DM pretty much has the mindset that if your familiar is assisting in combat it is going to be a target. And for campaign RP reasons, having to re-summon the familiar is not to be taken lightly. These reasons have rolled back how much combat the imp sees.
I actually had a negative experience because of the utility the imp brought-- it was just too good and turned that campaign into a snore fest.
I wanted to build a utility warlock, dao genie, pact of the chain, used the imp. I picked up voice of the chain master, specifically so I could chill somewhere safe while the imp flew around to scout.
Basically, I got away with exploring entire dungeons with impunity. All those potentially fun encounters? We skipped them cause we knew where they were and avoided them as such.
Was there an object we needed to retrieve? Just send the imp. Need to listen in some important conversation between NPCs? Send the imp. Did you forget to turn the stove off at home before you left? SEND. THE. IMP.
It was just too good and took the suspense out of everything.
Ya I agree with other posters, it feels like your DM has tools at their disposal if they want to stop some of these. I don't think they should stop all of the scouting, its a great tool and half the reason you take Chain of the Pact, but they could still give creatures Truesight and Blindsight and then the Imp would get attacked while scouting. I understand if DM's use a premade or have all the encounters planned out ahead of time and don't want to adjust, but at the same time, they should adapt a bit to the play style of their characters. The DM shouldn't ruin the great advantage the Imp gives, but also not let it run wild and do whatever it wants all the time.
Oh yeah the DM should definitely let the Warlock do stuff with the imp. Completely gutting a characters feature is just terrible DMing. Just as bad as letting it run rampart and completely destroy adventures lol
That’s why I call DMing “juggling smoke and mirrors.”
I think the problem people bump into is 90% of the imps utility can be gained from pact of the tome once it can cast rituals, so the invocation everyone takes as that is the entire reason they took tome. Yeah unlimited range is snazzy with your invocation but its rare for it to matter that much.(as an aside I think some of the invocations should have been built into the pact, invocations are expensive and spending them on making your pact do what most perceive as its core function kind of sucks). Then you are dealing with the likelihood another player or 2 might have a normal familiar, and now your GM has to not only counter your imp in ways that don't nullify your core feature and stop you from walking over the campaign but do so in a way you feel getting the imp was worth it over tome and a owl.
I think the problem people bump into is 90% of the imps utility can be gained from pact of the tome once it can cast rituals, so the invocation everyone takes as that is the entire reason they took tome. Yeah unlimited range is snazzy with your invocation but its rare for it to matter that much.(as an aside I think some of the invocations should have been built into the pact, invocations are expensive and spending them on making your pact do what most perceive as its core function kind of sucks). Then you are dealing with the likelihood another player or 2 might have a normal familiar, and now your GM has to not only counter your imp in ways that don't nullify your core feature and stop you from walking over the campaign but do so in a way you feel getting the imp was worth it over tome and a owl.
Ya i'd say Pact of the Chain is great up until lvl 8 or maybe lvl 12, and then (thanks to Tasha's rules) it'd be best to switch to Tome likely as its probably not as useful anymore. But at lower levels, I still think its a larger benefit than Tome personally.
I think as you move into Tier 2 and higher of play, the imp familiar is less of a combat option and more of use for utility. I'm playing a level 7 chainlock, and the imp is all sorts of useful out of combat. Essentially free scrying; which has uses through level 20. Need help on skills like Stealth, Insight, Persuasion? Your imp has proficiency and can do the Help action. Imps also can do the things your Mage Hand can't because of range limitations. The invocation I like is Gift of the Ever-living Ones. The max healing dice keeps your warlock upright most of the time.
In combat, I find moving the invisible imp adjacent to a single target is a good option just for the Opportunity Attack. But other than that the imp stays out of harm's way in most cases. At our table, the DM pretty much has the mindset that if your familiar is assisting in combat it is going to be a target. And for campaign RP reasons, having to re-summon the familiar is not to be taken lightly. These reasons have rolled back how much combat the imp sees.
I actually had a negative experience because of the utility the imp brought-- it was just too good and turned that campaign into a snore fest.
I wanted to build a utility warlock, dao genie, pact of the chain, used the imp. I picked up voice of the chain master, specifically so I could chill somewhere safe while the imp flew around to scout.
Basically, I got away with exploring entire dungeons with impunity. All those potentially fun encounters? We skipped them cause we knew where they were and avoided them as such.
Was there an object we needed to retrieve? Just send the imp. Need to listen in some important conversation between NPCs? Send the imp. Did you forget to turn the stove off at home before you left? SEND. THE. IMP.
It was just too good and took the suspense out of everything.
I had the same experience with the same combination. Except that sometimes I got into the vessel and ordered the imp to take me.
In any case, the DM had to set up "flying" traps, monsters with true vision, seals that triggered the faery fire spell, and the like to keep me from exploring the dungeon unopposed. But really all those solutions looked very forced and not very immersive. The DM even asked me not to use the imp, but then the build doesn't make sense. And you're not going to misplay your character on purpose.
In short, a bad gaming experience. Not because the character was bad, but because he was too good at his thing and trivialized exploration. And that was a campaign where exploration was the main theme.
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Yes, much like other aspects of the English language, laziness is prevailing :( Double space after a period is correct, and the rest of you can get off my lawn.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
Definitely double space after a ., otherwise how can you tell when the sentence ends rather than just referencing a . ?
Since 1993!
https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/qanda/data/faq/topics/OneSpaceorTwo.html
APA changed this from 6th to 7th I think, but it is subject to the whims of whomever is accepting the work. Publishers and professors are explicitly allowed to ask for two spaces instead of one in any given submission.
In the end it just doesn't matter. I put two spaces after periods and if people don't like it they don't have to read what I type.
Abide.
So pact of the chain is awesome. Take the invocation Investment of the Chain Master. This gives your Imp a boost. As a 4th level Lock I take invisibility as a spell. I send the imp out a bit ahead and we both are both invisible and stealth (up to 100 feet I can communicate telepathically). We find a creature and attacks (with surprise) and with a good dex., he and I also get a higher initiative.
Surprise round - I forgo my attack and that allows imp to take a reaction to attack (I remain invisible because I have not attacked or cast a spell). Imp attacks and hits with a sting as Imp has a +5. It hits. Also as my bonus action I can allow the Imp to attack, it hits. 2 Hits in the surprise round! Imp does 1d4+3 damage so average of 5 damage plus creature must make a con. save at a DC of 14 (uses my DC instead of the Imps). Poison damage of 3d6 with failed save, half with success. So an average of 4 (made save) or 9 damage (failed). Lets say with the 2 hits in this surprise round one failed save and one success, that's an average of 23 points of damage and I am still invisible. Now on to 1st round.
1st round - Repeat same as surprise round (with 2 hits, another average of 23 damage). I am still invisible. Lets say the creature hits my Imp with a whopping 16 points of damage. I use my reaction (it was Imp that used reaction not me), and I make the Imp resistant to the damage. Imp only takes 8 points and it is still up (10 Hit Points). I can remain Invisible or attack myself ( I think I will remain Invisible).
2nd round - I have options here, but I will let the Imp attack again same as before and I will remain invisible. With 2 hits, another 23 points damage! That's now a possible 69 points of damage in 2 rounds with just my Imp? Even with a couple misses it's still going to be pretty good damage. But oh no, my Imp gets hit again, even with my reaction, Imp goes down. At least until I cast find familiar again, so no real loss. I am still invisible, now I have options. Do I attack (is creature low enough on Hit points)? Move invisibility back to my party?. How about I cast charm?(creature fails). I come out of invisibility but pretend not to an ally of the Imp ("damn Imps", I say, "follow me you poor creature" and I lead the creature to my waiting party. This all happened. Chain pact boon with invocation Investment of the Chain Master, and I also had stealth with my Lock (and invisibility). Great build!
I am playing a Archfey Pact of Chain warlock (I'm also still very new to the game), but I am having a blast. I am also playing a warlock in the opposite direction I feel most people play them, or at least what i have seen. She is not a brooding, scorned, emo kids. She's a blonde, pink, sparkly child of an Archfey who is helping her train to one day take over for him, and she has a pink and gold psuedodragon named Glitter.
IDK. I have a lot of fun with her. I don't really use Eldritch Blast a whole lot. I use my familiar as a distraction a lot of the time. She's level 5 now so I just took the Chain Master invocation which lets me communicate with him anywhere as long as we're on the same plane. I have a tendency to roll fairly high on initiative so I run in, gain attention from enemies and blast them with Arms of Hadar and then run out to do more ranged damage or fight 1 on 1 with my scythe (flavored spear).
Current Characters:
Inara, Changeling, Level 3 Ranger/Gloomstalker
Oraine Bramblebrand, Level 5 Monk/Way of Ascendant Dragon
Get an invisible familiar and then have it take the help action each turn. That gives you (or any other one ally) advantage on the next attack against that foe.
I asked this in a different post but if i'm right this is a great combo (so is darkness but this is less intrusive to your party)
You cast Invisibility on yourself, you get your Imp (that is invisible as well) into position beside BBEG. On your next turn you use your Attack Action to have your Imp attack using its reaction (it comes out of invisibility so attacking with advantage). You then have your Imp use its Action to cast Invisibility on itself. Rinse and repeat. Keeping you and your Imp invisible at all times while attacking through your imp.
The Imp’s attack only does 1d4+3 damage, the 3d6 poison damage would only happen if the BBE were to fail a paltry DC 11 Con save. So you could use your entire Action to do 5 (4-7) damage most of the time (keep in mind, the Imp still only has a +5 attack modifier), or you can instead just use your action. Most of the time just leaving your Imp invisible and having it take the Help action to give you advantage on an eldritch blast that will likely have a higher attack modifier and does more damage. By 5th level you will will have a second eldritch blast, and then it goes up from there. That doesn’t even take any of the Eldritch Invocations that boost eldritch blast into account.
So, while your idea would technically work, it’s not a very efficient use of your action.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
If you have Investment of the Chain invocation the DC it uses is your own. So my Warlock has a 14 DC, not amazing but better than an 11. So at minimum its hitting at 10 dmg, at maximum hitting at 15 on average. Considering my Eldritch Blast with Agonizing blast is 1d10 (5.5 average) +4 modifier is 9.5, its doing better dmg than my average EB. Because the Imp is coming out of Invisibility each time its attacking with advantage as well. And since it goes invisible right after the attack, both myself and the Imp being attacked with disadvantage.
But you're right at higher levels this falls off. I guess I should have mentioned i'm a level 3 Hexblade Warlock, so only 1 EB at a time right now. But ya at lvl 5 and up I wouldn't be using this type of attack situation.
I think as you move into Tier 2 and higher of play, the imp familiar is less of a combat option and more of use for utility. I'm playing a level 7 chainlock, and the imp is all sorts of useful out of combat. Essentially free scrying; which has uses through level 20. Need help on skills like Stealth, Insight, Persuasion? Your imp has proficiency and can do the Help action. Imps also can do the things your Mage Hand can't because of range limitations. The invocation I like is Gift of the Ever-living Ones. The max healing dice keeps your warlock upright most of the time.
In combat, I find moving the invisible imp adjacent to a single target is a good option just for the Opportunity Attack. But other than that the imp stays out of harm's way in most cases. At our table, the DM pretty much has the mindset that if your familiar is assisting in combat it is going to be a target. And for campaign RP reasons, having to re-summon the familiar is not to be taken lightly. These reasons have rolled back how much combat the imp sees.
I actually had a negative experience because of the utility the imp brought-- it was just too good and turned that campaign into a snore fest.
I wanted to build a utility warlock, dao genie, pact of the chain, used the imp. I picked up voice of the chain master, specifically so I could chill somewhere safe while the imp flew around to scout.
Basically, I got away with exploring entire dungeons with impunity. All those potentially fun encounters? We skipped them cause we knew where they were and avoided them as such.
Was there an object we needed to retrieve? Just send the imp. Need to listen in some important conversation between NPCs? Send the imp. Did you forget to turn the stove off at home before you left? SEND. THE. IMP.
It was just too good and took the suspense out of everything.
IDK; your DM would have a ton of tools to mitigate that. But I have seen the imp wreck encounters. We played Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan, and if you know the adventure, the imp pretty much got us past three rooms that would have been a major resource drain. It also staved off a TPK where we took a Cone of Cold and a Fireball that the imp shrugged off and administered a healing potion to our cleric.
I didn't have quite the experience you did, but I will agree the imp can save the party's bacon with its utility. And this is where IMO a chainpact is a solid option. The combat benefits are just gravy at that point.
Ya I agree with other posters, it feels like your DM has tools at their disposal if they want to stop some of these. I don't think they should stop all of the scouting, its a great tool and half the reason you take Chain of the Pact, but they could still give creatures Truesight and Blindsight and then the Imp would get attacked while scouting. I understand if DM's use a premade or have all the encounters planned out ahead of time and don't want to adjust, but at the same time, they should adapt a bit to the play style of their characters. The DM shouldn't ruin the great advantage the Imp gives, but also not let it run wild and do whatever it wants all the time.
That’s why I call DMing “juggling smoke and mirrors.”
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
I think the problem people bump into is 90% of the imps utility can be gained from pact of the tome once it can cast rituals, so the invocation everyone takes as that is the entire reason they took tome. Yeah unlimited range is snazzy with your invocation but its rare for it to matter that much.(as an aside I think some of the invocations should have been built into the pact, invocations are expensive and spending them on making your pact do what most perceive as its core function kind of sucks). Then you are dealing with the likelihood another player or 2 might have a normal familiar, and now your GM has to not only counter your imp in ways that don't nullify your core feature and stop you from walking over the campaign but do so in a way you feel getting the imp was worth it over tome and a owl.
Ya i'd say Pact of the Chain is great up until lvl 8 or maybe lvl 12, and then (thanks to Tasha's rules) it'd be best to switch to Tome likely as its probably not as useful anymore. But at lower levels, I still think its a larger benefit than Tome personally.
I had the same experience with the same combination. Except that sometimes I got into the vessel and ordered the imp to take me.
In any case, the DM had to set up "flying" traps, monsters with true vision, seals that triggered the faery fire spell, and the like to keep me from exploring the dungeon unopposed. But really all those solutions looked very forced and not very immersive. The DM even asked me not to use the imp, but then the build doesn't make sense. And you're not going to misplay your character on purpose.
In short, a bad gaming experience. Not because the character was bad, but because he was too good at his thing and trivialized exploration. And that was a campaign where exploration was the main theme.