Hi! I'm building a Tielfing Hexblade/Oath of Vengeance mutliclass for an upcoming CoS campaign, and I'll be the "tank." Looking for some advice for building the class.
My DM is starting us off with a Feat, and at level 3. So, I was thinking of taking the Warcaster Feat.
Stats are:
15, 9, 15, 9, 10, 17
Leveling Thoughts
Level 3 (2 paladin, 1 Warlock)
Options:
Go to level 2 Warlock for invocations (eldritch blast), and level 3/4/5 Paladin for oath of vengeance for bane, hunter’s mark, frighten, and adv. Versus target, ASI, and extra attack?
(path – Warlock at 4, paladin at 5, 6, 7)
Go to level 3 Warlock for invocations (devils sight to see in darkness, and thirsting blade for extra pact weapon attack, which means I don't need it from paladin?), gain pact of blade, gain 2 level spell of Darkness to pair with devil’s sight. Go paladin for Oath and ASI.
First of all, are those the stats without the racial score improvement? If yes, choosing human as your race sounds broken.
Now for the main part. I believe it is a waste to play a paladin and not go full melee. So from the top of my head a melee character must check the following boxes:
High HIT POINT maximum
Relatively high ARMOR CLASS
Being able to attack multiple times
Dealing lots of damage
Good thing you get it all by starting as a paladin and taking hexblade for your patron.
Two possible builds pop into my mind
Build 1: PaladinX/Warlock1
1 level hexblade Warlcok for Hex Warrior (since your Charisma is your strongest stat), Hex Curse, plus you get access to the spell Shield.
Lets assume that you go paladin for the next 5 levels. You get a fighting style, Divine Smite (nice), an ASI and extra attack.You also have 6 spell slots to spend as you please (mainly for smitting foes).
If you have levels to spare maybe you can take another level warlock for the invocations.
I strongly suggest your first level be Palading for the extra Hit Points
With this build you can help your allies in combat since you have more spell options and resources, you deal more than enough damage to spread fear in your opponents heart and most certainly you can take a hit or two.
Build 2: Paladin 2/WarlockX
Go X levels hexblade Warlock, pact of the blade. At level 5 you have three invocations Improved Pact Weapon, Thirsting Blade, Eldritch Smite. (keep in mind that you must be 5 level warlock to benefit from Eldritch Smite and Thirsting Blade)
Take 2 levels Paladin for the Divine Smite and a fighting style at any point.
When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack you can apply both Divine Smite and Eldtrich Smite for buckets of damage.
Unfortunately with this build you have limited resources but you can end a fight with a single Boss before it even starts.
Now as much as powerful the Darkness/Devil's Sight combo is, most of the times it backfires since your allies probably will not be able to see and act in the Darkness area of effect. You are free to try it and go fishing for those sweet crits but I think it takes the fun from the rest of the party and you can get more relevant invocations.
Thank you! This is very helpful! Yeah I’m digging that first build, and I was debating if I should do 2/2 split early to get access to everything except oath and pact boon/2nd level spells, but then go Paladin again my level 5/6/7 (for oath, asi, extra attack), and then warlock at level 8/9/10(for pact boon/asi/ bonus invocations)
to be honest though, I’m not sure if the campaign will get us higher than 7, the DM may be in a rush to finish before winter break.
OR should I shoot for getting Paladin stuff first, and wait until my level 7 to get innovations? (Another thought is take the invocation feat instead of warcaster, take eldritch adept, then I can do Paladin 5/warlock 1 —- but warcaster seems good for the reactions and all the concentration)
so I’m thinking whatever does stuff first haha. (He’s also very RP oriented, so. Was thinking with invocation I take the disguise self and false life invocations for some flexibility with the first build)
Warcaster perfectly suits you. You will have cantrips like booming blade to abuse with your opportunity attacks and almost every paladin spell require concentration. Getting the paladin goodies early on in a campaign like CoS is a winning strategy.
I am currently playing CoS with my group. DM said that depending how much we explore, the campaign will last around 7-9 levels so you are correct. CoS is a cool adventure and your character is solid for this setting, no matter how much you invest in each class. I hope you enjoy it!
SOOO I’m trying to make a decision and it will affect my build substantially. I can either take warcaster feat (whatever it’s called that lets me cash somatic with both hands full, use spells as a reaction, and have advantage on concentration saves). This build is do long sword and shield.
Pros: 2AC, and I get to free up my invocations.
Cons: less damage and control, more static
BUT everyone I’m talking to and listened to has recommended either polarm master and eventually sentinel, OR great weapon fighting + polarm master/sentinel
Pros: Wider reach and protection of others, way more damage.
Cons: I have to take eldritch mind for concentration help, and bless. I won’t get bonus asi until level 9 probably, which means I’ll be stuck at 17 for charisma, and 15 con until then.
If i do the second, I’d probably do a glaive and shield, and in situations where I really need the bonus ac, I pull out the shield and another weapon (though it wouldn’t be my pact weapon).
Level 3 warlock though (level 5) I can summon any weapon as my pact weapon, so it’d be less of an issue.
Thoughts? Do I need to worry about being tanky and the bonus’s asi?
I’m also planning on taking shield spell, defense fighting style, and fiendish vigor
Yes you will lose the shield +2 bonus but instead you get the sweet Shield spell that is +5 (essentially it functions as a plus +3 magic shield that requires no hands). As a warlock you have two reusable spell slots between rests so it makes for a viable tank.
I would say that a ASI is needed to get your STR to at least 16 if you are planing to go with the glaive build. Glaives are two handed weapons and Hex Warrior does not work with them.
It is worth noting that you can go sword and board with a longsword, then lose the shield, hold the longsword with two hands (it is versatile) and benefit from Hex Warrior. It will make your build less MAD.
Another thing to consider is how you plan on using your reaction. It will depend on the situation, but both Sentinel and Shield use your reaction.
In the end it all comes down to how much damage you want to deal.
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Hi! I'm building a Tielfing Hexblade/Oath of Vengeance mutliclass for an upcoming CoS campaign, and I'll be the "tank." Looking for some advice for building the class.
My DM is starting us off with a Feat, and at level 3. So, I was thinking of taking the Warcaster Feat.
Stats are:
15, 9, 15, 9, 10, 17
Leveling Thoughts
Level 3 (2 paladin, 1 Warlock)
Options:
I'd appreciate any help our thoughts!
Hi there!
First of all, are those the stats without the racial score improvement? If yes, choosing human as your race sounds broken.
Now for the main part. I believe it is a waste to play a paladin and not go full melee. So from the top of my head a melee character must check the following boxes:
Good thing you get it all by starting as a paladin and taking hexblade for your patron.
Two possible builds pop into my mind
Build 1: PaladinX/Warlock1
1 level hexblade Warlcok for Hex Warrior (since your Charisma is your strongest stat), Hex Curse, plus you get access to the spell Shield.
Lets assume that you go paladin for the next 5 levels. You get a fighting style, Divine Smite (nice), an ASI and extra attack.You also have 6 spell slots to spend as you please (mainly for smitting foes).
If you have levels to spare maybe you can take another level warlock for the invocations.
I strongly suggest your first level be Palading for the extra Hit Points
With this build you can help your allies in combat since you have more spell options and resources, you deal more than enough damage to spread fear in your opponents heart and most certainly you can take a hit or two.
Build 2: Paladin 2/WarlockX
Go X levels hexblade Warlock, pact of the blade. At level 5 you have three invocations Improved Pact Weapon, Thirsting Blade, Eldritch Smite. (keep in mind that you must be 5 level warlock to benefit from Eldritch Smite and Thirsting Blade)
Take 2 levels Paladin for the Divine Smite and a fighting style at any point.
When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack you can apply both Divine Smite and Eldtrich Smite for buckets of damage.
Unfortunately with this build you have limited resources but you can end a fight with a single Boss before it even starts.
Now as much as powerful the Darkness/Devil's Sight combo is, most of the times it backfires since your allies probably will not be able to see and act in the Darkness area of effect. You are free to try it and go fishing for those sweet crits but I think it takes the fun from the rest of the party and you can get more relevant invocations.
Thank you! This is very helpful! Yeah I’m digging that first build, and I was debating if I should do 2/2 split early to get access to everything except oath and pact boon/2nd level spells, but then go Paladin again my level 5/6/7 (for oath, asi, extra attack), and then warlock at level 8/9/10(for pact boon/asi/ bonus invocations)
to be honest though, I’m not sure if the campaign will get us higher than 7, the DM may be in a rush to finish before winter break.
OR should I shoot for getting Paladin stuff first, and wait until my level 7 to get innovations? (Another thought is take the invocation feat instead of warcaster, take eldritch adept, then I can do Paladin 5/warlock 1 —- but warcaster seems good for the reactions and all the concentration)
so I’m thinking whatever does stuff first haha. (He’s also very RP oriented, so. Was thinking with invocation I take the disguise self and false life invocations for some flexibility with the first build)
Warcaster perfectly suits you. You will have cantrips like booming blade to abuse with your opportunity attacks and almost every paladin spell require concentration. Getting the paladin goodies early on in a campaign like CoS is a winning strategy.
I am currently playing CoS with my group. DM said that depending how much we explore, the campaign will last around 7-9 levels so you are correct. CoS is a cool adventure and your character is solid for this setting, no matter how much you invest in each class. I hope you enjoy it!
Thank you very much for that! Boosts my confidence in the build! I appreciate your feedback, and I’m very excited for this!!
SOOO I’m trying to make a decision and it will affect my build substantially. I can either take warcaster feat (whatever it’s called that lets me cash somatic with both hands full, use spells as a reaction, and have advantage on concentration saves). This build is do long sword and shield.
Pros: 2AC, and I get to free up my invocations.
Cons: less damage and control, more static
BUT everyone I’m talking to and listened to has recommended either polarm master and eventually sentinel, OR great weapon fighting + polarm master/sentinel
Pros: Wider reach and protection of others, way more damage.
Cons: I have to take eldritch mind for concentration help, and bless.
I won’t get bonus asi until level 9 probably, which means I’ll be stuck at 17 for charisma, and 15 con until then.
If i do the second, I’d probably do a glaive and shield, and in situations where I really need the bonus ac, I pull out the shield and another weapon (though it wouldn’t be my pact weapon).
Level 3 warlock though (level 5) I can summon any weapon as my pact weapon, so it’d be less of an issue.
Thoughts? Do I need to worry about being tanky and the bonus’s asi?
I’m also planning on taking shield spell, defense fighting style, and fiendish vigor
I like the polarm master/ sentinel buil!
Yes you will lose the shield +2 bonus but instead you get the sweet Shield spell that is +5 (essentially it functions as a plus +3 magic shield that requires no hands). As a warlock you have two reusable spell slots between rests so it makes for a viable tank.
I would say that a ASI is needed to get your STR to at least 16 if you are planing to go with the glaive build. Glaives are two handed weapons and Hex Warrior does not work with them.
It is worth noting that you can go sword and board with a longsword, then lose the shield, hold the longsword with two hands (it is versatile) and benefit from Hex Warrior. It will make your build less MAD.
Another thing to consider is how you plan on using your reaction. It will depend on the situation, but both Sentinel and Shield use your reaction.
In the end it all comes down to how much damage you want to deal.