The title is a bold statement, and there are a few caveats to it. This being said, I think that this invocation might actually be one of the best options available with some thought put into it.
I know what some of you are likely thinking upon initially reading this, something along the lines of "Oh this person must have been in some sort of social campaign where the DM was happy to role play animals as silly sources of information and investigation" and while that IS true of many campaigns I'm in it's actually because this invocation can bolster your damage far more than Agonizing Blast.
"Blasphemy, how can an invocation that lets you talk to random animals be better than the biggest damage bonus you can apply to an Eldritch Blast?" Simple, an oft overlooked cantrip called Magic Stone. This spell has two key features that makes it quite broken, the first being only a bonus action to cast, and the second that anyone can throw it and it uses the spellcasters statistics rather than the thrower. Technically Beast Speech isn't STRICTLY required, you could also gain access to the spell as a ritual using Book of Ancient Secrets or the feat Ritual Caster, or as a more proper spell with Magic Initiate or multiclassing, it's even for our purposes a racial feature for a few odd races.
So why does all this matter? With some squirrel type animals up your sleeves, you can reasonably cast magic stone as a bonus action and have them throw them for you. This means that you have up to three more attacks per round as a bonus action limited by your animal count that you have on your person. Compared to the minor damage bonus you might get from a Hex, it's far more impressive even if it continuously requires your bonus action.
This is also all accessible at level 2, and scales reasonably well until tier 3.
A quick average damage comparison. I'll be assuming each attack hits with a Level 2/5/11 Custom Origin with starting 18 Charisma (highest starting charisma with point buy, reasonably accessible with rolled stats) and hitting 20 with a level 4 ABI Eldritch Blast with Hex vs Eldritch Blast + Magic Stones.
It is also worth noting that these options DO stack somewhat. Hex is limited to only ever giving yourself a bonus to damage, but if you are willing to sacrifice your bonus action and not throwing rocks then you can also get that extra d6 of damage on each Eldritch Blast. On top of that, it's also possible to have already precasted your Magic Stones since they last for a whole minute. This means that it's viable for you to have your pets readying an action to throw rocks as soon as they see you attacking something, then once they have taken their reaction in the middle of your turn you can get a second volley off by spending your bonus action for the turn. It is worth noting that by RAW the animals' initiatives are individual and all over the place, but if you want to have that many minions most DMs are happy to just have them either as one initiative or part of yours to simplify things in combat. This tactic is also limited by the fact the cantrip's range is only 60 feet, and it isn't a cantrip affected by things like the Distance Spell Metamagic or the feat Spell Sniper.
The only flaws with this plan is that most AOE spells like Shatter or Fireball will instantly roast your furry critters hidden inside your clothes, and your ability to actually replenish your supply of willing animals. Speak with Animals doesn't make them totally loyal to you, but reasonably DOES let you use that impressive Charisma to social check them to help you.
Special note is that you can help improve your animal's durability with the Feat Inspiring Leader, or if you are a Mark of Hospitality Halfling the Aid cheese. Either or both of these might mean that they can live through one or even two AOE spell attacks.
TLDR Enlist a squadron of woodland creatures to pelt your enemies with pebbles since they will end up doing more damage than you with your laser beams.
I might have disagreed, were it not for my experience in playing with a totem barbarian who made good use of his spirit seeker feature. But man, we played in an urban fantasy setting, and he used that feature to talk to strays and pigeons. He decided he wanted to rule over them, and went on a whole adventure that led to him fighting a lycanthrope at a junkyard for the title "king of the dogs." Our party even adopted stray chihuahua because of him. None of that would have happened were it not for his ability to talk to animals, so I definitely see how this invocation is a real contender for being the best.
Not too sure I'd agree that being able to talk to them means being able to convince them to risk their lives fighting for you, though!
Its useful, but combat is well outside the scope of they may be willing to do you a small favor. Small favor is like they chew through the ropes binding you. And even if you were able to convince them to, the creature needs the ability to throw to throw a magic stone.
Its useful, but combat is well outside the scope of they may be willing to do you a small favor. Small favor is like they chew through the ropes binding you. And even if you were able to convince them to, the creature needs the ability to throw to throw a magic stone.
I'm not a fan of that line in the spell. "You might be able to persuade a beast to perform a small favor for you, at the GM's discretion." Should be obvious, you are now able to talk to the animal as an NPC so of course you can convince it to do something for you like any other NPC. It also doesn't limit the spell, it's just a weird inspiration for what you could do with the spell, which is just "make a common social check with a non-typical creature" thanks WoTC. Also on top of that, people have trained animals to do things for them that are dangerous for millennia, so the "wouldn't be willing to fight" doesn't really hold much water to me. Throwing the rock is also, at least to me, not too limiting a factor if you are taming creatures with forearms like squirrels or other rodents, but I do agree something like a cat would be out as an option.
With some squirrel type animals up your sleeves, you can reasonably cast magic stone as a bonus action and have them throw them for you
"Reasonably" is doing an awful lot of heavy lifting in that sentence
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
There is a ton of DM fiat that would allow this to work at all. And as you mentioned, there are multiple ways to get this spell without burning an invocation. Hard pass for me.
I think you are also forgetting frightful presents. Any fear effect is going to make your furry friends not helpful. Eh should be given double values since it’s range is much greater. I get a shot before you are in range and when you are in range.
Beast speech is good, but your use seems to have a lot of downsides. I can see better uses of it. It should effectively end about half of all battles involving beasts, allowing you to either Persuade or Intimidate.
As a Warlock you should have high Charisma, so basically Calvary of any type should be come worthless against you. Especially if you carry common foods. Carrots, apples, etc. could turn an entire charging line of enemy knights into something more like allies.
That's also very farfetched. Neither beast speech nor persuasion/intimidation do anything to that degree. It's not a charm effect. It lets you literally only talk to them. That's like suggesting that you can end about half of all battles with fiends just because you are proficient in Infernal and such.
Being fair with that, fiends are actually quite intelligent and reasonably willing to sign mortals into infernal contracts for their souls so persuasion mid battle might be somewhat viable. Better comparison would just be talking down bandits in the middle of robbing you.
I don't think it's that far fetched to convince/train what would be fairly simple animals even if it might take a bit of time. Just convince a few to come with you on your travels and you'll feed them and over a few days train them to throw rocks or something. Considering how many parties get away with kidnapping a recently orphaned goblin/kobold/animal baby and training it I don't think it would be much different.
I did not say it was a complete win. I specifically mentioned ending about half the battles. Fiends beat humans because they are often smarter than us. Humans beat animals because we are all smarter than they are, by a lot. [REDACTED].
Here are some examples I think you could win.
If you happen across a beast but are not hunting it, just crossing it's territory to get someplace else. Should be easy enough to bribe a pride of lions for example offering to give them some food (Create Food & water is a third level spell, easier to cast 1 such spell and solve the problem.)
You infiltrate the enemy camp and talk to their mounts, offering freedom. Bribe them with carrots and lead them away.
Surprised by a pair of charging knights. You kill one mount with fire and tell the others they are next.
Notes: All users are expected to be civil in their postings
well if you wait until 13th level and take finger of death as your 7th level nystic arcanum then you can create slowly a zombie horde that obey your verbal commands.
Animate dead uses a BA to command them ... [edit] so they can carry on obeying the same command so "if i give you stones throw them at the creature I attack" could do then for an option at lower level than 13th.
The zombies can then use slings or throw your stones. Attack bonus would be your CHA +2 as magic stone only uses your spellcasting mod not your prof bonus, still with a maxed CHA that is +7 to hit and 1d6+5 damage three times as a bonus action.
Not quite as acceptable by your average medieval/fantasy village standards committee but effective enough, and they are tougher than squirrels, and you save an eldritch invocation.
mind you prob works just as well as a wizard necromancer.
The best invocation is misty visions on an illusion wizard with illusory reality. At will silent image is already very good with it basically allowing you to be invisible if you stand still or a variety of other shenanigans but if you combine it with an illusory reality then they gain an at will ability to alter reality in basically any way that doesn't directly deal damage. It doesn't even require concentration and only requires a feat.
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The title is a bold statement, and there are a few caveats to it. This being said, I think that this invocation might actually be one of the best options available with some thought put into it.
I know what some of you are likely thinking upon initially reading this, something along the lines of "Oh this person must have been in some sort of social campaign where the DM was happy to role play animals as silly sources of information and investigation" and while that IS true of many campaigns I'm in it's actually because this invocation can bolster your damage far more than Agonizing Blast.
"Blasphemy, how can an invocation that lets you talk to random animals be better than the biggest damage bonus you can apply to an Eldritch Blast?" Simple, an oft overlooked cantrip called Magic Stone. This spell has two key features that makes it quite broken, the first being only a bonus action to cast, and the second that anyone can throw it and it uses the spellcasters statistics rather than the thrower. Technically Beast Speech isn't STRICTLY required, you could also gain access to the spell as a ritual using Book of Ancient Secrets or the feat Ritual Caster, or as a more proper spell with Magic Initiate or multiclassing, it's even for our purposes a racial feature for a few odd races.
So why does all this matter? With some squirrel type animals up your sleeves, you can reasonably cast magic stone as a bonus action and have them throw them for you. This means that you have up to three more attacks per round as a bonus action limited by your animal count that you have on your person. Compared to the minor damage bonus you might get from a Hex, it's far more impressive even if it continuously requires your bonus action.
This is also all accessible at level 2, and scales reasonably well until tier 3.
A quick average damage comparison. I'll be assuming each attack hits with a Level 2/5/11 Custom Origin with starting 18 Charisma (highest starting charisma with point buy, reasonably accessible with rolled stats) and hitting 20 with a level 4 ABI Eldritch Blast with Hex vs Eldritch Blast + Magic Stones.
EB + Hex Level 2: 1d10 (5.5) +1d6 (3.5) +4 =13
EB + MS Level 2: 1d10 (5.5) +3d6 (10.5) +16 =32
EB + Hex Level 5: 2d10 (11) + 2d6 (7) + 10 = 28
EB + MS Level 5: 2d10 (11) + 3d6 (10.5) + 25 = 47.5
EB + Hex Level 11: 3d10 (16.5) + 3d6 (10.5) + 15 = 42
EB + MS Level 11: 3d10 (16.5) + 3d6 (10.5) + 30 = 57
It is also worth noting that these options DO stack somewhat. Hex is limited to only ever giving yourself a bonus to damage, but if you are willing to sacrifice your bonus action and not throwing rocks then you can also get that extra d6 of damage on each Eldritch Blast. On top of that, it's also possible to have already precasted your Magic Stones since they last for a whole minute. This means that it's viable for you to have your pets readying an action to throw rocks as soon as they see you attacking something, then once they have taken their reaction in the middle of your turn you can get a second volley off by spending your bonus action for the turn. It is worth noting that by RAW the animals' initiatives are individual and all over the place, but if you want to have that many minions most DMs are happy to just have them either as one initiative or part of yours to simplify things in combat. This tactic is also limited by the fact the cantrip's range is only 60 feet, and it isn't a cantrip affected by things like the Distance Spell Metamagic or the feat Spell Sniper.
The only flaws with this plan is that most AOE spells like Shatter or Fireball will instantly roast your furry critters hidden inside your clothes, and your ability to actually replenish your supply of willing animals. Speak with Animals doesn't make them totally loyal to you, but reasonably DOES let you use that impressive Charisma to social check them to help you.
Special note is that you can help improve your animal's durability with the Feat Inspiring Leader, or if you are a Mark of Hospitality Halfling the Aid cheese. Either or both of these might mean that they can live through one or even two AOE spell attacks.
TLDR Enlist a squadron of woodland creatures to pelt your enemies with pebbles since they will end up doing more damage than you with your laser beams.
I might have disagreed, were it not for my experience in playing with a totem barbarian who made good use of his spirit seeker feature. But man, we played in an urban fantasy setting, and he used that feature to talk to strays and pigeons. He decided he wanted to rule over them, and went on a whole adventure that led to him fighting a lycanthrope at a junkyard for the title "king of the dogs." Our party even adopted stray chihuahua because of him. None of that would have happened were it not for his ability to talk to animals, so I definitely see how this invocation is a real contender for being the best.
Not too sure I'd agree that being able to talk to them means being able to convince them to risk their lives fighting for you, though!
Its useful, but combat is well outside the scope of they may be willing to do you a small favor. Small favor is like they chew through the ropes binding you. And even if you were able to convince them to, the creature needs the ability to throw to throw a magic stone.
I'm not a fan of that line in the spell. "You might be able to persuade a beast to perform a small favor for you, at the GM's discretion." Should be obvious, you are now able to talk to the animal as an NPC so of course you can convince it to do something for you like any other NPC. It also doesn't limit the spell, it's just a weird inspiration for what you could do with the spell, which is just "make a common social check with a non-typical creature" thanks WoTC. Also on top of that, people have trained animals to do things for them that are dangerous for millennia, so the "wouldn't be willing to fight" doesn't really hold much water to me. Throwing the rock is also, at least to me, not too limiting a factor if you are taming creatures with forearms like squirrels or other rodents, but I do agree something like a cat would be out as an option.
"Reasonably" is doing an awful lot of heavy lifting in that sentence
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
There is a ton of DM fiat that would allow this to work at all. And as you mentioned, there are multiple ways to get this spell without burning an invocation. Hard pass for me.
I think you are also forgetting frightful presents. Any fear effect is going to make your furry friends not helpful. Eh should be given double values since it’s range is much greater. I get a shot before you are in range and when you are in range.
Beast speech is good, but your use seems to have a lot of downsides. I can see better uses of it. It should effectively end about half of all battles involving beasts, allowing you to either Persuade or Intimidate.
As a Warlock you should have high Charisma, so basically Calvary of any type should be come worthless against you. Especially if you carry common foods. Carrots, apples, etc. could turn an entire charging line of enemy knights into something more like allies.
Being fair with that, fiends are actually quite intelligent and reasonably willing to sign mortals into infernal contracts for their souls so persuasion mid battle might be somewhat viable. Better comparison would just be talking down bandits in the middle of robbing you.
I don't think it's that far fetched to convince/train what would be fairly simple animals even if it might take a bit of time. Just convince a few to come with you on your travels and you'll feed them and over a few days train them to throw rocks or something. Considering how many parties get away with kidnapping a recently orphaned goblin/kobold/animal baby and training it I don't think it would be much different.
I did not say it was a complete win. I specifically mentioned ending about half the battles. Fiends beat humans because they are often smarter than us. Humans beat animals because we are all smarter than they are, by a lot. [REDACTED].
Here are some examples I think you could win.
well if you wait until 13th level and take finger of death as your 7th level nystic arcanum then you can create slowly a zombie horde that obey your verbal commands.
Animate dead uses a BA to command them ... [edit] so they can carry on obeying the same command so "if i give you stones throw them at the creature I attack" could do then for an option at lower level than 13th.
The zombies can then use slings or throw your stones. Attack bonus would be your CHA +2 as magic stone only uses your spellcasting mod not your prof bonus, still with a maxed CHA that is +7 to hit and 1d6+5 damage three times as a bonus action.
Not quite as acceptable by your average medieval/fantasy village standards committee but effective enough, and they are tougher than squirrels, and you save an eldritch invocation.
mind you prob works just as well as a wizard necromancer.
Life's hard - get a helmet!
The best invocation is misty visions on an illusion wizard with illusory reality. At will silent image is already very good with it basically allowing you to be invisible if you stand still or a variety of other shenanigans but if you combine it with an illusory reality then they gain an at will ability to alter reality in basically any way that doesn't directly deal damage. It doesn't even require concentration and only requires a feat.