For an up and coming Ghosts of Saltmarsh Campaign thought I'd play as a shipwrecked survivor except the ship was a nautiloid traversing the elemental plains that got destroyed by a sea monster.
A Khan of the Dao Court made a pact with me, my freedom for his help in finding who betrayed me to the Illithids.
I will have a ring of disguise - to conseal my githiness from the townsfolk which, at the moment, I am thinking will also be the genie vessel.
By Level 5 I will have innate knowledge of Mage hand, shield spell and detect thoughts.
I plan on taking Investment of the chain master & gift of the ever-living ones
But I hadn't yet settled on spells.
We also get a free lvl 1 feat. As a former pscionicist and arcarnist, I was considering Mage initiate or Telekinesis.
So this reads as a little bit of a illusionist style character. Some spells that Are my go to for this type of warlock are Invisibility (Great as an upcast option). Nothing on the dao list that really jumps out at me except spike growth and phantasmal force. But other great spells at 5th level are pick 2 of hypnotic pattern, dispel magic, counter spell, fear, and/or fly, shadow spawn, with one of those being a go too combat spell. Lower level spells that I think are good at this are again invisibility, I like charm person, distort value is a fun out of pocket utility spell, maybe a hold person. Once you have your one or 2 combat tricks it comes down to diversify rather than specialize. Look at some niche spells that you think will be fun the few times they come up and grab them
So this reads as a little bit of a illusionist style character. Some spells that Are my go to for this type of warlock are Invisibility (Great as an upcast option). Nothing on the dao list that really jumps out at me except spike growth and phantasmal force. But other great spells at 5th level are pick 2 of hypnotic pattern, dispel magic, counter spell, fear, and/or fly, shadow spawn, with one of those being a go too combat spell. Lower level spells that I think are good at this are again invisibility, I like charm person, distort value is a fun out of pocket utility spell, maybe a hold person. Once you have your one or 2 combat tricks it comes down to diversify rather than specialize. Look at some niche spells that you think will be fun the few times they come up and grab them
Thanks.
I am currently playing an Enchanter Wizard in a Netherdeep Campaign whose combat strategy is locking down enemies.
Fun. Though not looking to repeat. But this time the story I came up with for the pact is born out of desperation with an earth elemental so I want it to reflect that "Earthy" quality to it (spike growth as crystal needle shards that shatter as enemies walk into them) plus want to lean into the Githzerai as a psionicist / arcanist Mindflayer hunter (sort of a gith Inquisitor) so the phantasmal spells are a good shout.
I was considering making a non-eldritch blast warlock (currently also playing a Celestial Aasimar Warlock in a Strahd Campaign so feels a bit repetitious) was thinking of cantrips like magic stone and spells like catapult for flinging terrain at enemies. Hypnotic Pattern, Fear, Dispel magic and Invisibility for the auto upcast are solid picks too. I am hoping to use the Imp (reflavoured as a Mud Mephit) as my pact creature, so might lean into the genie - granted summoner angle too.
I see him as a hunter of mind flayers so he should be adept at finding and fighting them. Only now because of the crash he is isolated and beholden so the inverse power dynamic is what he pateon deigns to give him.
So this reads as a little bit of a illusionist style character. Some spells that Are my go to for this type of warlock are Invisibility (Great as an upcast option). Nothing on the dao list that really jumps out at me except spike growth and phantasmal force. But other great spells at 5th level are pick 2 of hypnotic pattern, dispel magic, counter spell, fear, and/or fly, shadow spawn, with one of those being a go too combat spell. Lower level spells that I think are good at this are again invisibility, I like charm person, distort value is a fun out of pocket utility spell, maybe a hold person. Once you have your one or 2 combat tricks it comes down to diversify rather than specialize. Look at some niche spells that you think will be fun the few times they come up and grab them
Thanks.
I am currently playing an Enchanter Wizard in a Netherdeep Campaign whose combat strategy is locking down enemies.
Fun. Though not looking to repeat. But this time the story I came up with for the pact is born out of desperation with an earth elemental so I want it to reflect that "Earthy" quality to it (spike growth as crystal needle shards that shatter as enemies walk into them) plus want to lean into the Githzerai as a psionicist / arcanist Mindflayer hunter (sort of a gith Inquisitor) so the phantasmal spells are a good shout.
I was considering making a non-eldritch blast warlock (currently also playing a Celestial Aasimar Warlock in a Strahd Campaign so feels a bit repetitious) was thinking of cantrips like magic stone and spells like catapult for flinging terrain at enemies. Hypnotic Pattern, Fear, Dispel magic and Invisibility for the auto upcast are solid picks too. I am hoping to use the Imp (reflavoured as a Mud Mephit) as my pact creature, so might lean into the genie - granted summoner angle too.
I see him as a hunter of mind flayers so he should be adept at finding and fighting them. Only now because of the crash he is isolated and beholden so the inverse power dynamic is what he pateon deigns to give him.
In this case I think I definitely like Dispel Magic, Invisibility, Spike Growth, Phantasmal Force, unfortunately catapult isn't on the warlock list, but You already have solid combat options with spike growth and phantasmal force, a good blast option available would be Shatter or thunder step to pair with spike or phantasmal force. To go with the psychic thing is Major image or intellect fortress if you don't take thunder step.
This would probably be my 6 at level 5 going off what you are saying. Dispel Magic and Thunder step as 3rd level spells, and then spike growth, phantasmal force, and invisibility as second level spells and then you need 1 first level spell so probably go with your favorite warlock spell there maybe comprehend languages, unseen servant, charm person, maybe hellish rebuke reflavored as magma that bursts forth from your gaping wound when someone hits you. As you level up you can trade your first level for a gaseous form and intellect fortress or maybe even grab the situational remove curse spell or tongues. 7th level is when you can trade phantasmal force for phantasmal killer and then look at getting stone shape.
If you aren't getting eldritch blast your 5th level invocations open up a bit A good option would be eldritch mind to hold concentration on your spells better fitting both with the power granted by an earth elemental making you tough and the psychic side of things make you mentally tough.
In general my overall tip is try to have spells for as different a situation as you can think of. You don't have a lot of slots in one battle, or for one scenario, so you want the best spell for the situation not a lot of spells that do similar things or handle similar situations. Ask yourself "What scenario am I casting x instead of just casting Y."
For an up and coming Ghosts of Saltmarsh Campaign thought I'd play as a shipwrecked survivor except the ship was a nautiloid traversing the elemental plains that got destroyed by a sea monster.
A Khan of the Dao Court made a pact with me, my freedom for his help in finding who betrayed me to the Illithids.
I will have a ring of disguise - to conseal my githiness from the townsfolk which, at the moment, I am thinking will also be the genie vessel.
By Level 5 I will have innate knowledge of Mage hand, shield spell and detect thoughts.
I plan on taking Investment of the chain master & gift of the ever-living ones
But I hadn't yet settled on spells.
We also get a free lvl 1 feat. As a former pscionicist and arcarnist, I was considering Mage initiate or Telekinesis.
That's the build so far - any thoughts,?
So this reads as a little bit of a illusionist style character. Some spells that Are my go to for this type of warlock are Invisibility (Great as an upcast option). Nothing on the dao list that really jumps out at me except spike growth and phantasmal force. But other great spells at 5th level are pick 2 of hypnotic pattern, dispel magic, counter spell, fear, and/or fly, shadow spawn, with one of those being a go too combat spell. Lower level spells that I think are good at this are again invisibility, I like charm person, distort value is a fun out of pocket utility spell, maybe a hold person. Once you have your one or 2 combat tricks it comes down to diversify rather than specialize. Look at some niche spells that you think will be fun the few times they come up and grab them
Thanks.
I am currently playing an Enchanter Wizard in a Netherdeep Campaign whose combat strategy is locking down enemies.
Fun. Though not looking to repeat. But this time the story I came up with for the pact is born out of desperation with an earth elemental so I want it to reflect that "Earthy" quality to it (spike growth as crystal needle shards that shatter as enemies walk into them) plus want to lean into the Githzerai as a psionicist / arcanist Mindflayer hunter (sort of a gith Inquisitor) so the phantasmal spells are a good shout.
I was considering making a non-eldritch blast warlock (currently also playing a Celestial Aasimar Warlock in a Strahd Campaign so feels a bit repetitious) was thinking of cantrips like magic stone and spells like catapult for flinging terrain at enemies. Hypnotic Pattern, Fear, Dispel magic and Invisibility for the auto upcast are solid picks too. I am hoping to use the Imp (reflavoured as a Mud Mephit) as my pact creature, so might lean into the genie - granted summoner angle too.
I see him as a hunter of mind flayers so he should be adept at finding and fighting them. Only now because of the crash he is isolated and beholden so the inverse power dynamic is what he pateon deigns to give him.
In this case I think I definitely like Dispel Magic, Invisibility, Spike Growth, Phantasmal Force, unfortunately catapult isn't on the warlock list, but You already have solid combat options with spike growth and phantasmal force, a good blast option available would be Shatter or thunder step to pair with spike or phantasmal force. To go with the psychic thing is Major image or intellect fortress if you don't take thunder step.
This would probably be my 6 at level 5 going off what you are saying. Dispel Magic and Thunder step as 3rd level spells, and then spike growth, phantasmal force, and invisibility as second level spells and then you need 1 first level spell so probably go with your favorite warlock spell there maybe comprehend languages, unseen servant, charm person, maybe hellish rebuke reflavored as magma that bursts forth from your gaping wound when someone hits you. As you level up you can trade your first level for a gaseous form and intellect fortress or maybe even grab the situational remove curse spell or tongues. 7th level is when you can trade phantasmal force for phantasmal killer and then look at getting stone shape.
If you aren't getting eldritch blast your 5th level invocations open up a bit A good option would be eldritch mind to hold concentration on your spells better fitting both with the power granted by an earth elemental making you tough and the psychic side of things make you mentally tough.
In general my overall tip is try to have spells for as different a situation as you can think of. You don't have a lot of slots in one battle, or for one scenario, so you want the best spell for the situation not a lot of spells that do similar things or handle similar situations. Ask yourself "What scenario am I casting x instead of just casting Y."
Excellent advice! Thank you.