Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer Creatures
Frozen Sick
D&D Beyond Basic Rules
Basic Rules (2014)
Sign in to view your library & saved favorites.
Sign in- Marketplace
Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer CreaturesFrozen SickD&D Beyond Basic RulesBasic Rules (2014)Sign in to view your library & saved favorites.
Sign in
I couldn't understand why some awesome third party books, with dark, warlocky flavour were releashed with zero invocations in them. Even the new Ravenloft book had none. But now the "magic" book, the book that will feel like Xanathar's/Tasha's doesn't have ANY invocations?
Wizards ... why no love? Locks need some interesting, use on demand powers to make up for their weak spell casting and the fact that there are no feats that increase damage on eldritch blast (just look at the eldritch blast damage assessments ... it needs love).
Thanks!
They have a unique design which makes creating content for them not generally applicable. so they produce less for them. Heck like look at that path of the lich stuff in unearthed arcana arcane restoration caps at 4th level spells. Maybe an oversight, they should have said a pact slot or a spell of x level calculation. But it stops warlocks from using it once they get 5th level slots. Not giving them content, a horrific spell list, invocations that peter out at a pretty low level, oversights like arcane restoration in the end makes it feel like they do not like warlocks.
Reminder. Via lessons of the first ones all origin feats are warlock invocations. That has generally been more than enough power creep for me.
What? The spell that, with one invocation, does more damage than a 20th level fighter with a longbow at 17th level, and with another invocation, pushes enemies back up to 40 feet, on a class with up to 4 fifth level spell slots per day, isn't good enough?
Marun ... you should check your math. Tons of videos online ... EB is weak.
Eldritch Blast does the same damage as a heavy crossbow and is considered one of the best cantrips in the game, especially when paired with the right invocations, and the fact that you also get 2 beams at 5th, 3 at 11th, and 4 at 17th level. Warlocks are NOT underpowered.
Playing D&D since 1982
Have played every version of the game since Basic (original Red Box Set), except that abomination sometimes called 4e.
It's probably a good idea to get your information about things like this from actually playing the game than from videos online.
pronouns: he/she/they
Also, even if the math does say that fully kitted out EB does less damage than something else, that doesn't make it weak in actual play.
And EB is just fine in actual play.
EB when compared to other ranged options manages itself rather well against other single class optimization. Throughout tier 1 2 and early 3 it is similar or exceeds. Tier 3 and 4 require some finesse in how you manage your other spells, but it is still reasonable. You get beat by things like high level fighters and true strike rogues. I wouldn't recommend comparing it to melee damage optimization, but melee has more defensive risks.
Moreover it provides a floor for what the warlock can do for damage. That floor is rather high with a single invocation investment. Its also extremely simple. Take EB, take AB, max out charisma, and do anything else you want with your character.
The floor is not fairly high though. Sure it beats out other cantrips but it falls behind all martials by a solid margin as it has no way to juice its damage past AB and maybe if you want to use a bad spell hex. like at level 11 it may spike up a bit with its 3rd attack but other classes bring things in quickly that outpace it by a solid margin. It is not terrible but when they started handing out forced movement like candy and nerfed EB movement options it lost its place as a lower damage but solid control option. Now that level of control is everywhere and they do more damage.
And this is in play, this is not from white board math. A warlocks damage falls behind pretty hard, they have maybe the worst defense in the game, they have the worst spell list outside of 1/2 casters. They may not be weak but they could use some love.
I just don't see the other big ranged martial damage dealers who are crushing the floor of EB+AB. Fighters can do it with adding in some optimization with GWM and the EK grabbing HM/Hex. Rogue can get there eventually. Ranger can't and lets not talk too much about bow using barbarians, paladins, and monks (lack of dedicated weapon, kensei, and focused aim ruined them).
The melee builds do much more damage and if your point is you shouldn't bother going ranged with the new ruleset then I get your point. Ranged still has defensive and positional options that are just better than melee. In 5.0 you didn't have to be stuck with a lower DPR at Range, but in 5.5 you generally do.
I do agree they need some love. I think they are getting some sneakily via "Lessons of the First Ones", but particularly at high level they could use some toys there.