So I was thinking about how a pact of the blade warlock would function without hex blade in current one dnd. I especially like the idea of a blade celestial warlock (cuz I think the celestial subclass is cool). Any thoughts?
I’m in the exact same boat. Just reversed? I started out with Celestial Warlock after Divine Soul/Hexblade, but found the 24 Pact of the Blade to be the better path.
it’s more of a gish I’ll admit, but I think they are all meant to be with access to Eldritch Blast. Let me know what you think, if you wouldn’t mind!
i should warn you though i use an old background and the old species ability score improvement. It just resonated with me more than the new stuff. Still, it should play approximately the same.
That's a really cool build! Thanks for sharing! It's almost exactly what I'm looking for minus the fighter level and using old species and old backgrounds. Other than that it's awesome.
That's a really cool build! Thanks for sharing! It's almost exactly what I'm looking for minus the fighter level and using old species and old backgrounds. Other than that it's awesome.
Thank you!
The old background/species I get, but I would strongly consider starting as a fighter for the weapon proficiencies since you are going pact of the blade. It offers so much else too! Plus, the Warlock capstone is just a slight improvement on the level 2 warlock feature added in 24. Up to you though!
That's a really cool build! Thanks for sharing! It's almost exactly what I'm looking for minus the fighter level and using old species and old backgrounds. Other than that it's awesome.
Thank you!
The old background/species I get, but I would strongly consider starting as a fighter for the weapon proficiencies since you are going pact of the blade. It offers so much else too! Plus, the Warlock capstone is just a slight improvement on the level 2 warlock feature added in 24. Up to you though!
The other incentive to take a 1 level dip into Fighter is to get armor proficiencies. Being a Charisma-based gish character in only light armor can be dicey, since your AC will only around 15 or lower. Taking a single level in Fighter would give you Medium Armor and Shields, so with only 14 in Dexterity you can have an AC of 19 with Half-Plate and a Shield. It will help keep you much safer on the front lines as you are attacking with your weapon.
Pact of the Blade basically replaces out all the best improvements of Hexblade from 2014... so gish builds are much more viable now in 2024. While Celestial works fine, I would say Archfey is likely the best with the ability to misty step as a reaction on taking damage, it gives more ways to get out of bad situations, and to inflict damage when you do so.
In terms of multiclass, 1 level of fighter does give some good benefits and starting with 1 level of fighter gives constitution saving throw proficiency and heavy armor. But I think Paladin 3/Warlock 17 is slightly better than Fighter 1/Warlock 19. You would lose 1 feat but the channel divinity options of Oath of Devotion or Oath of Vengeance make up for it, and you get 3 1st level spell slots to alleviate the pact magic slots just a bit. 3 levels of fighter isn't bad either, with battle master or champion level 3 features.
I should note (in case you didn’t pick up on it) that I used all 5 asi/feat bonuses (even with starting 1 in fighter) to maximize my constitution as well as my charisma. I also used Lessons of the First Ones to gain the Tough feat, but if you have access to custom background homebrew you could get it that way also. The reasons for this is Celestial Vengeance at level 14 in Warlock (15 total in my case) and the Boon of Recovery at 19 (20 in my case) allow you to recover half of your hit points. More total HP means more hit points back.
If you aren’t really interested in this feature or maximizing your Constitution, perhaps you should consider going Archfey or something else.
I should also note if you take more than one level in fighter or paladin it will be impossible normally to both maximize two stats AND gain an epic boon feat at the same time.
So, yeah, if you go with R3sistance’s advice go 3/17 in a multiclass build I personally wouldn’t necessarily go Celestial Warlock due to the HP regaining features not being completely maximized to their full potential.
I wasn't specifically comparing the build, I saw a note of multiclass, for a paladin multiclass it would need 13 strength, which means less initiative (than dexterity) but does mean the ability to use heavy weapons and getting 15 strength (assuming Paladin is taken at first level) makes plate armor significantly a better choice.
I also don't think planning multiple levels of a character around a feat you only get at level 20 is worthwhile, (since I assume you're not holding back the 1 level fighter dip til 20). Unless you're trying to tank as a Warlock, I don't think it's worth it to go with recovery either, boon of dimensional travel means you can escape after taking the attack action or boon of combat prowess means you miss less often. Theorycrafting a character at 20 really mostly just works if the character starts at 20. With the Design 2024, unless you're only planning to take 1 feat that increases your primary attribute, I'd avoid ASIs and take more half-feats. I'd only use an ASI to get primary attribute (charisma in this case) to 20. I find the half-feats are more interesting and give better options than just having multiple +5s.
I suppose. I guess it just depends whether or not the player is going strength or not. Either way, they at least have access to medium armor and shields.
I Wouldn’t call it built around the two abilities (Warlock 14 and the Epic Boon) as Con is still good on a Warlock whether you are tanking or not. I just thought it was close enough that it was worth getting the most out of Searing Vengeance and by extension the Boon of Recovery. Same goes with starting as fighter; it’s just good all around. I don’t mind the idea of being a tanky Warlock, but that wasn’t necessarily my intention.
It’s interesting you bring up half feats vs. ASI, as I have a level 6 Barbarian with sentinel I’m playing as that I’m not sure whether to max its’ Constitution (14) and then top it’s strength off (19) with the epic boon or just take a bunch of half-feats. Would you recommend doing the same with the Barbarian as the Warlock, or is this a different situation?
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So I was thinking about how a pact of the blade warlock would function without hex blade in current one dnd. I especially like the idea of a blade celestial warlock (cuz I think the celestial subclass is cool). Any thoughts?
I’m in the exact same boat. Just reversed? I started out with Celestial Warlock after Divine Soul/Hexblade, but found the 24 Pact of the Blade to be the better path.
It’s pretty straightforward what to do/take if you choose this route, but here’s a copy of my character sheet if you are interested in using any ideas of mine: www.dndbeyond.com/sheet-pdfs/Actionsparda_150088777.pdf
it’s more of a gish I’ll admit, but I think they are all meant to be with access to Eldritch Blast. Let me know what you think, if you wouldn’t mind!
i should warn you though i use an old background and the old species ability score improvement. It just resonated with me more than the new stuff. Still, it should play approximately the same.
That's a really cool build! Thanks for sharing! It's almost exactly what I'm looking for minus the fighter level and using old species and old backgrounds. Other than that it's awesome.
Thank you!
The old background/species I get, but I would strongly consider starting as a fighter for the weapon proficiencies since you are going pact of the blade. It offers so much else too! Plus, the Warlock capstone is just a slight improvement on the level 2 warlock feature added in 24. Up to you though!
The other incentive to take a 1 level dip into Fighter is to get armor proficiencies. Being a Charisma-based gish character in only light armor can be dicey, since your AC will only around 15 or lower. Taking a single level in Fighter would give you Medium Armor and Shields, so with only 14 in Dexterity you can have an AC of 19 with Half-Plate and a Shield. It will help keep you much safer on the front lines as you are attacking with your weapon.
Pact of the Blade basically replaces out all the best improvements of Hexblade from 2014... so gish builds are much more viable now in 2024. While Celestial works fine, I would say Archfey is likely the best with the ability to misty step as a reaction on taking damage, it gives more ways to get out of bad situations, and to inflict damage when you do so.
In terms of multiclass, 1 level of fighter does give some good benefits and starting with 1 level of fighter gives constitution saving throw proficiency and heavy armor. But I think Paladin 3/Warlock 17 is slightly better than Fighter 1/Warlock 19. You would lose 1 feat but the channel divinity options of Oath of Devotion or Oath of Vengeance make up for it, and you get 3 1st level spell slots to alleviate the pact magic slots just a bit. 3 levels of fighter isn't bad either, with battle master or champion level 3 features.
I should note (in case you didn’t pick up on it) that I used all 5 asi/feat bonuses (even with starting 1 in fighter) to maximize my constitution as well as my charisma. I also used Lessons of the First Ones to gain the Tough feat, but if you have access to custom background homebrew you could get it that way also. The reasons for this is Celestial Vengeance at level 14 in Warlock (15 total in my case) and the Boon of Recovery at 19 (20 in my case) allow you to recover half of your hit points. More total HP means more hit points back.
If you aren’t really interested in this feature or maximizing your Constitution, perhaps you should consider going Archfey or something else.
I should also note if you take more than one level in fighter or paladin it will be impossible normally to both maximize two stats AND gain an epic boon feat at the same time.
So, yeah, if you go with R3sistance’s advice go 3/17 in a multiclass build I personally wouldn’t necessarily go Celestial Warlock due to the HP regaining features not being completely maximized to their full potential.
I wasn't specifically comparing the build, I saw a note of multiclass, for a paladin multiclass it would need 13 strength, which means less initiative (than dexterity) but does mean the ability to use heavy weapons and getting 15 strength (assuming Paladin is taken at first level) makes plate armor significantly a better choice.
I also don't think planning multiple levels of a character around a feat you only get at level 20 is worthwhile, (since I assume you're not holding back the 1 level fighter dip til 20). Unless you're trying to tank as a Warlock, I don't think it's worth it to go with recovery either, boon of dimensional travel means you can escape after taking the attack action or boon of combat prowess means you miss less often. Theorycrafting a character at 20 really mostly just works if the character starts at 20. With the Design 2024, unless you're only planning to take 1 feat that increases your primary attribute, I'd avoid ASIs and take more half-feats. I'd only use an ASI to get primary attribute (charisma in this case) to 20. I find the half-feats are more interesting and give better options than just having multiple +5s.
I suppose. I guess it just depends whether or not the player is going strength or not. Either way, they at least have access to medium armor and shields.
I Wouldn’t call it built around the two abilities (Warlock 14 and the Epic Boon) as Con is still good on a Warlock whether you are tanking or not. I just thought it was close enough that it was worth getting the most out of Searing Vengeance and by extension the Boon of Recovery. Same goes with starting as fighter; it’s just good all around. I don’t mind the idea of being a tanky Warlock, but that wasn’t necessarily my intention.
It’s interesting you bring up half feats vs. ASI, as I have a level 6 Barbarian with sentinel I’m playing as that I’m not sure whether to max its’ Constitution (14) and then top it’s strength off (19) with the epic boon or just take a bunch of half-feats. Would you recommend doing the same with the Barbarian as the Warlock, or is this a different situation?