I’m currently playing my first campaign as a Warlock in a group of random players. We’ve been trying to find our party dynamic for quite some time, but unfortunately things haven’t fully clicked. Recently, my character was attacked by fellow party members, which made me seriously reconsider my survivability.
I am currently level 3, and we are expected to reach level 4 in this or next game.
My main goal right now is simple: survive until level 5. That’s when Eldritch Blast gains its second beam, which feels like a significant power spike. Until then, I’m prioritizing survival over damage, especially since Warlocks have so few spell slots.
My Playstyle
In combat: I stay as far back as possible.
In social encounters: I lean heavily into high Charisma and roleplay.
Recently, I’ve been conserving spell slots in case I need emergency defense - whether against enemies… or companions.
Current Spells
Spells:
Armor of Agathys
Misty Step
Hold Person
Hex
Eldritch Blast (with Agonizing Blast)
Patron: Archfey I recently remembered that I have Fey Presence, which can charm or frighten creatures (Wisdom 13 or lower). Since it doesn’t cost a spell slot, I’m now saving it as a last-resort panic button.
Cantrips:
Mage Hand
Chill Touch
Guidance
Vicious Mockery
(Guidance on myself before initiative or during social moments has been surprisingly helpful.)
Rituals (Book of Ancient Secrets invocation):
Find Familiar
Identify (I have the 100 gp pearl)
Purify Food and Drink (learned from an NPC)
Level 4 Considerations
For my new spell, I’m choosing between:
Mirror Image (no concentration, strong defense)
Invisibility (escape option, repositioning)
For the additional cantrip:
Blade Ward (defensive option against melee)
Friends (offensive/social edge - advantage on Charisma checks if I anticipate conflict)
My thinking with Friends: since the party begins interactions as technically friendly, I could use it before tensions escalate to gain advantage on Charisma checks, potentially increasing the chance that my first decisive action succeeds.
Level 5 Plans
Spell slots upgrade to 3rd level, and I’m strongly considering:
Counterspell - primarily defensive, especially against the party Wizard (who is currently the most dangerous individual in the campaign).
Hypnotic Pattern - battlefield control.
Fear - potentially stronger in forcing enemies to drop weapons and scatter.
Invocation Options at Level 5
Devil’s Sight + Darkness combo (though that requires some changes).
Repelling Blast for pushing threats away.
Eldritch Spear for extreme range and safer positioning.
However, taking new 3rd-level spells may mean replacing something like Armor of Agathys, especially if my playstyle becomes more avoidance-focused with Mirror Image or Invisibility.
Important Clarification
This build is not about killing my party or PVP.
It’s about surviving long enough to disengage - pushing enemies back, disabling them temporarily, turning invisible, escaping, or even going for guards or outside help if needed.
I would really appreciate advice, especially from anyone who has experienced intra-party conflict in their games. What worked for you? What would you prioritize in my situation?
If you want find familiar, the Invocation pact of the chain is way better then the spell itself.
At 3rd level you currently have 3xInvocations. Which ones? It appears you have agonizing blast, but what else? That can go hand and hand with level 5 bump.
Invocation Options at Level 5
Devil’s Sight + Darkness combo (though that requires some changes). Not sure how well this will protect you as if you cast darkness you will not be able to move it. What wants to do you harm needs to wait 10 minutes and it is gone.
Repelling Blast for pushing threats away. How far do they push? Not far enough as their turn they can still move and attack you.
Eldritch Spear for extreme range and safer positioning. The problem with this is how efficient this will be. You are not on a wall of a castle looking at an enemy kilometers away. In a dungeon, almost never are rooms large enough to utilize the range.
Recently, I’ve been conserving spell slots in case I need emergency defense - whether against enemies… or companions.
You only have 2 spell slots, so conserving is good, but it really does not matter as you get but 2. You need the invocations and cantrips to take the place of a reliance on spell slots.
Useful invocations to consider:
Armor of Shadows
You do not say what type of armor you have, realize this gives you mage armor 24/7
Fiendish Vigor
You get 12 temp HPs, that can assist you until getting killed. It allows allows armor of Agythy to last longer. However, this spell doesn't scale well and you might need to drop it. This invocation also does not scale well.
Gaze of Two Minds
This is awesome once you hit 5th level. If you have a familiar, or use an agreeable party member and your spells originate from that being.
Lessons of the First Ones
This is nice if you can afford it as it can get you alert or one or two other useful origin feats.
One with Shadows
Does not use a spell slot, but you need to be in a shadow. You can also use this like any other invocation 24 hours a day. So before you bed down, go invisible and just sleep peacefully.
I’m currently playing my first campaign as a Warlock in a group of random players. We’ve been trying to find our party dynamic for quite some time, but unfortunately things haven’t fully clicked. Recently, my character was attacked by fellow party members, which made me seriously reconsider my survivability.
I have to ask: are you enjoying the game? Are you ok with the possibility of more PvP? Did the fighting spring out of roleplay, or just players attacking players for no good reason?
(I know it's not the question you're asking, but if you're not having fun, you are allowed to leave, and/or initiate an out-of game discussion about what people's expectations of the game are, or with some of the group about particular problem players.)
My main goal right now is simple: survive until level 5. That’s when Eldritch Blast gains its second beam, which feels like a significant power spike.
Pretty much everybody gets a power spike at 5.
Friends (offensive/social edge - advantage on Charisma checks if I anticipate conflict)
My thinking with Friends: since the party begins interactions as technically friendly, I could use it before tensions escalate to gain advantage on Charisma checks, potentially increasing the chance that my first decisive action succeeds.
Friends is likely to be counter-productive. Once the spell ends, they know they were charmed by you, which is likely to cause retribution. (It's also much less effective against players. That "sense of friendship" can be ignored, and will likely be. All you really have going for you is the charmed condition.) It might also cause another player to decide to jump in, if there are several inclined toward fighting.
Repelling Blast for pushing threats away.
Eldritch Spear for extreme range and safer positioning.
Repelling ia much better than spear for breaking up fights with other players. Unless you're already at long range, spear doesn't do anything for you, while repelling functionally gives you a free disengage.
I would really appreciate advice, especially from anyone who has experienced intra-party conflict in their games. What worked for you? What would you prioritize in my situation?
Out-of-character conversations. A group where some players are attacking others is almost always unstable.
If it's due to reasonable people making roleplay choices that clash, it can be resolved out of game. (After all, why is this party staying together if things are that strained? Better to have people agree that it's a problem, and have characters leave and be replaced with more compatible personalities. (Unless the players enjoy the dynamic they have, which is possible, but unusual.)
But it's often due to players who get their fun by messing with (or at least being unconcerned with) other people's fun, and that's corrosive to the group. (And no, "it's what my character would do" is not a get out of jail free card. The player makes the character, and if they chose to make somebody with a short temper and no inhibitions about being violent to allies, they can't just hide behind roleplaying.)
The party attacking you seems to be a red flag imo. Unless they were controlled in some way to spark it, confusion style spell, charms from some enemy etc. I'd try to resolve that either by them chilling out, or by you modifying behavior if you instigated it by stealing or something. But that is more a out of playing thing, talking things out with them usually. And if multiple party members decide the want to kill your character, they will most likely succeed it does not matter how survivable you try to build it.
As for your general goals. At level 4 I'd probably swap pact of the tome for pact of the chain and get a imp.(depending on your 3rd invocation which I don't see listed) A imp can almost outfight a fighter at level 4. At level 5 you get 2 invocations I'd consider gaze of two minds and one with shadows. Hiding in shadows and fighting through the imp. Have it perpetually hiding while invisible, in combat since it is hidden and invisible on top of that its action be a readied action to move once you cast a spell through it. You cast spells through it behind 100% cover. Any spells with V components will likely reveal roughly where you are. If/when you get found use your steps of the fey to blip over to a patch of dim light and use one with shadows to turn invisible. Re-hide behind cover and repeat the process. Stock up on the reagents to cast find familiar as even with it being invisible and moving it will still probably die here and there.
At these levels this level of subterfuge and movement will make you pretty survivable.
If you are relying on agonizing blast, I’m surprised no one has mentioned the Spell Sniper Feat for level 4. Not only does it increase your range and eliminate enemy cover, but it allows you to use it at point blank range! …unless I’m wrong. I don’t personally use it, as I’m a Pact of the Blade with a dash of fighter, so I use War Caster. Still, I would think it would be helpful for you to use.
Don't get Blade Ward, it is quite literally useless, and mind sliver is also a good choice, Take mirror image and what invocations do you have already?
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fellow follower of JEFF!!!! and a fan of BotW titles include:Beastmaster Extraordinaire,Wizened Beholder of the West Wind,Salvatore's Secret Archivist, Bladesong Smith
Co-cult leader of the cynophobia cult
Archivist of the kingdoms and Crowns thread, Percy Jackson thread, Mechanicus and Realm of Dragons,MDDTG,The Academy threads Admin of the Academy
Hello everyone,
I’m currently playing my first campaign as a Warlock in a group of random players. We’ve been trying to find our party dynamic for quite some time, but unfortunately things haven’t fully clicked. Recently, my character was attacked by fellow party members, which made me seriously reconsider my survivability.
I am currently level 3, and we are expected to reach level 4 in this or next game.
My main goal right now is simple: survive until level 5. That’s when Eldritch Blast gains its second beam, which feels like a significant power spike. Until then, I’m prioritizing survival over damage, especially since Warlocks have so few spell slots.
My Playstyle
In combat: I stay as far back as possible.
In social encounters: I lean heavily into high Charisma and roleplay.
Recently, I’ve been conserving spell slots in case I need emergency defense - whether against enemies… or companions.
Current Spells
Spells:
Armor of Agathys
Misty Step
Hold Person
Hex
Eldritch Blast (with Agonizing Blast)
Patron: Archfey
I recently remembered that I have Fey Presence, which can charm or frighten creatures (Wisdom 13 or lower). Since it doesn’t cost a spell slot, I’m now saving it as a last-resort panic button.
Cantrips:
Mage Hand
Chill Touch
Guidance
Vicious Mockery
(Guidance on myself before initiative or during social moments has been surprisingly helpful.)
Rituals (Book of Ancient Secrets invocation):
Find Familiar
Identify (I have the 100 gp pearl)
Purify Food and Drink (learned from an NPC)
Level 4 Considerations
For my new spell, I’m choosing between:
Mirror Image (no concentration, strong defense)
Invisibility (escape option, repositioning)
For the additional cantrip:
Blade Ward (defensive option against melee)
Friends (offensive/social edge - advantage on Charisma checks if I anticipate conflict)
My thinking with Friends: since the party begins interactions as technically friendly, I could use it before tensions escalate to gain advantage on Charisma checks, potentially increasing the chance that my first decisive action succeeds.
Level 5 Plans
Spell slots upgrade to 3rd level, and I’m strongly considering:
Counterspell - primarily defensive, especially against the party Wizard (who is currently the most dangerous individual in the campaign).
Hypnotic Pattern - battlefield control.
Fear - potentially stronger in forcing enemies to drop weapons and scatter.
Invocation Options at Level 5
Devil’s Sight + Darkness combo (though that requires some changes).
Repelling Blast for pushing threats away.
Eldritch Spear for extreme range and safer positioning.
However, taking new 3rd-level spells may mean replacing something like Armor of Agathys, especially if my playstyle becomes more avoidance-focused with Mirror Image or Invisibility.
Important Clarification
This build is not about killing my party or PVP.
It’s about surviving long enough to disengage - pushing enemies back, disabling them temporarily, turning invisible, escaping, or even going for guards or outside help if needed.
I would really appreciate advice, especially from anyone who has experienced intra-party conflict in their games. What worked for you? What would you prioritize in my situation?
Thank you in advance.
If you want find familiar, the Invocation pact of the chain is way better then the spell itself.
At 3rd level you currently have 3xInvocations. Which ones? It appears you have agonizing blast, but what else? That can go hand and hand with level 5 bump.
Invocation Options at Level 5
Devil’s Sight + Darkness combo (though that requires some changes). Not sure how well this will protect you as if you cast darkness you will not be able to move it. What wants to do you harm needs to wait 10 minutes and it is gone.
Repelling Blast for pushing threats away. How far do they push? Not far enough as their turn they can still move and attack you.
Eldritch Spear for extreme range and safer positioning. The problem with this is how efficient this will be. You are not on a wall of a castle looking at an enemy kilometers away. In a dungeon, almost never are rooms large enough to utilize the range.
You only have 2 spell slots, so conserving is good, but it really does not matter as you get but 2. You need the invocations and cantrips to take the place of a reliance on spell slots.
Useful invocations to consider:
Armor of Shadows
You do not say what type of armor you have, realize this gives you mage armor 24/7
Fiendish Vigor
You get 12 temp HPs, that can assist you until getting killed. It allows allows armor of Agythy to last longer. However, this spell doesn't scale well and you might need to drop it. This invocation also does not scale well.
Gaze of Two Minds
This is awesome once you hit 5th level. If you have a familiar, or use an agreeable party member and your spells originate from that being.
Lessons of the First Ones
This is nice if you can afford it as it can get you alert or one or two other useful origin feats.
One with Shadows
Does not use a spell slot, but you need to be in a shadow. You can also use this like any other invocation 24 hours a day. So before you bed down, go invisible and just sleep peacefully.
I have to ask: are you enjoying the game? Are you ok with the possibility of more PvP? Did the fighting spring out of roleplay, or just players attacking players for no good reason?
(I know it's not the question you're asking, but if you're not having fun, you are allowed to leave, and/or initiate an out-of game discussion about what people's expectations of the game are, or with some of the group about particular problem players.)
Pretty much everybody gets a power spike at 5.
Friends is likely to be counter-productive. Once the spell ends, they know they were charmed by you, which is likely to cause retribution. (It's also much less effective against players. That "sense of friendship" can be ignored, and will likely be. All you really have going for you is the charmed condition.) It might also cause another player to decide to jump in, if there are several inclined toward fighting.
Repelling ia much better than spear for breaking up fights with other players. Unless you're already at long range, spear doesn't do anything for you, while repelling functionally gives you a free disengage.
Out-of-character conversations. A group where some players are attacking others is almost always unstable.
If it's due to reasonable people making roleplay choices that clash, it can be resolved out of game. (After all, why is this party staying together if things are that strained? Better to have people agree that it's a problem, and have characters leave and be replaced with more compatible personalities. (Unless the players enjoy the dynamic they have, which is possible, but unusual.)
But it's often due to players who get their fun by messing with (or at least being unconcerned with) other people's fun, and that's corrosive to the group. (And no, "it's what my character would do" is not a get out of jail free card. The player makes the character, and if they chose to make somebody with a short temper and no inhibitions about being violent to allies, they can't just hide behind roleplaying.)
The party attacking you seems to be a red flag imo. Unless they were controlled in some way to spark it, confusion style spell, charms from some enemy etc. I'd try to resolve that either by them chilling out, or by you modifying behavior if you instigated it by stealing or something. But that is more a out of playing thing, talking things out with them usually. And if multiple party members decide the want to kill your character, they will most likely succeed it does not matter how survivable you try to build it.
As for your general goals. At level 4 I'd probably swap pact of the tome for pact of the chain and get a imp.(depending on your 3rd invocation which I don't see listed) A imp can almost outfight a fighter at level 4. At level 5 you get 2 invocations I'd consider gaze of two minds and one with shadows. Hiding in shadows and fighting through the imp. Have it perpetually hiding while invisible, in combat since it is hidden and invisible on top of that its action be a readied action to move once you cast a spell through it. You cast spells through it behind 100% cover. Any spells with V components will likely reveal roughly where you are. If/when you get found use your steps of the fey to blip over to a patch of dim light and use one with shadows to turn invisible. Re-hide behind cover and repeat the process. Stock up on the reagents to cast find familiar as even with it being invisible and moving it will still probably die here and there.
At these levels this level of subterfuge and movement will make you pretty survivable.
If you are relying on agonizing blast, I’m surprised no one has mentioned the Spell Sniper Feat for level 4. Not only does it increase your range and eliminate enemy cover, but it allows you to use it at point blank range! …unless I’m wrong. I don’t personally use it, as I’m a Pact of the Blade with a dash of fighter, so I use War Caster. Still, I would think it would be helpful for you to use.
By all means, correct me if I’m wrong!
Don't get Blade Ward, it is quite literally useless, and mind sliver is also a good choice, Take mirror image and what invocations do you have already?
fellow follower of JEFF!!!! and a fan of BotW titles include:Beastmaster Extraordinaire,Wizened Beholder of the West Wind,Salvatore's Secret Archivist, Bladesong Smith
Co-cult leader of the cynophobia cult
Archivist of the kingdoms and Crowns thread, Percy Jackson thread, Mechanicus and Realm of Dragons,MDDTG,The Academy threads Admin of the Academy
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