recently I started playing with a local AL group and I could use some advice regarding character creation.
At my first AL session I noticed that my Half Elf Bard from a previous RPG heavy homebrew campaign was not up to the job. Waaay to squishy. Although my bard managed to save the party from some deadly encounters I would love to try AL again with a character who can stand her ground in combat a little bit better (my bad. My character had a 10 for Con and only two daggers to defend herself. Lesson learned)
This time I would like to play as an Half Elf Warlock with the Dragon Casualty background. This works the best for my view of the character. However, I'm still in doubt about her Patron and Pact Boon:
I do love the support/healing features of the Celestial Patron, but the Great Old one has some really great features too.
Pact of Tome or Blade? My characters always tend to be a bit wizardy-like (nerds with a hunger for powerfull magic) so a few extra cantrips and spells wouldn't hurt, but Blade gives you a...eh...blade. I thinks this can be useful if there is a lot of combat.
So what are you experiences with Warlock and AL? Is it nessecairy to focus on combat or can I sacrifice some tactical choices for RPG ones? I'm aware that AL is not the perfect place for RPG'ing, but I do like to have some connection with my character.
My experience with AL has been relatively combat heavy, but it can really depend on the module. Just the other day, I played a module that had very little combat (but was still a lot of fun). If you want to sacrifice some tactical choices for RP ones, you should do it. Generally, outside of DDEP modules, I don't think the combat has been that challenging so I wouldn't worry too much about building heavily for combat optimization. I think some of the current adventure authors try to reward characters that have chosen some specialization outside of the combat pillar.
Unless you play with the same group regularly, any connection with your character will likely only exist as part of your head canon. That said, there are many effective ways to make warlocks and it really depends on how you want to play. Both Celestial and GOO can be fun, but be warned GOO is a bit light on features that help in combat. I'm personally not a big fan of Blade pact without a Hexblade patron, but I never considered it before Xanathar's and wonder if I would have felt differently then.
My advice is to check out some warlock build guides online to get better handle on what you want and what sounds fun, but don't feel beholden to them. It's your character.
In my experience at tables Celestial is super common and appreciated by others at the table. Tome is also super common... not for the cantrips, necessarily, but to be able to get ritual spells. It gives you the opportunity do a lot of "Wizardy" non-combat stuff that a lot of players neglect in their focus on combat.
Although I've also pretty exclusively seen Warlock/Sorceror multiclassing. Very few people are willing to put up with the spell slot limitations of Warlock... what seems most common is sticking with Warlock long enough to get some invocations to power up Eldritch Blast, then focusing mostly on Sorcerer.
While not "true" AL, my home game for quite a while ran AL modules. Of importance to a warlock, they seemed to lack good places to take short rests. That may or may not impact your decision. I'd certainly consider playing a warlock in AL, I am playing a celestial tome lock in one of the two home games I am in now. I'm not much of a fan of blade pact unless you're a hexblade. You /can/ make it work, but I don't really feel like a warlock in general gets much out of blade.
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Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
I mostly agree about short rests; lots of modules don't have a "natural" place to take a short rest. If you tell your party that you need a breather they'll usually listen, especially if the party is a bit low on hp. Usually the DM will comply also.
I mostly agree about short rests; lots of modules don't have a "natural" place to take a short rest. If you tell your party that you need a breather they'll usually listen, especially if the party is a bit low on hp. Usually the DM will comply also.
I remember I went out of my way to get Tiny Hut as a Tomelock in order to facilitate short rests in otherwise unsafe locations. For the most part it was allowed, but the one DM who likes to run player-killer dungeons and doesn't allow a lot of room for creativity, and also is kind of the person I had in mind when going out of my way for such a thing, would just state outright, "no, you can't take a short rest here" no matter what the circumstance.
Most modules will have an empty room/location or other moderately safe place to take a short rest. Unless the module has specifically laid out a very tight time line or other deadlines, I've never really found it an issue to take a short rest. Most modules do not have random encounters for characters when taking a short rest so usually it is just a DM call when the players ask for a short rest as to whether it makes sense. However, don't count on more than one short rest typically.
On the other hand, long rests in typical modules are uncommon. A few modules are designed around encounters separated by a day's travel so each is encountered with full resources but those are the exception in my experience.
One of the most popular warlocks in AL is the hexblade since it comes with medium armor and shield proficiencies as well as a couple of other features that make it a good choice if you want to build a blade pact warlock. A celestial tome lock is also a good choice as a more backline support character using agonizing blast for single target damage, a couple of spell slots for support and rituals for utility (especially ones like Comprehend Languages, Detect Magic, Identify, Leomund's Tiny Hut and others). However, expect to be using agonizing blast a lot in combat.
I'd also like to mention that bard's also work really well in AL. Your's probably just needs a few tweaks and since you are free to rebuild your character however you want until 5th level, you aren't stuck with a 10 con. I have a level 14 AL character that is 12 level's of lore bard and 2 levels of hexblade warlock that I really enjoy playing. I find the hexblade warlock features can really complement the bard abilities and gives them a bit more survivability at low levels. Start variant human, take resilient con as a starting feat, take agonizing blast and devil's sight as invocations and at level 5 you can be a level 3 lore bard/ level 2 hexblade warlock with lots of skills, expertise, single target at will damage that is competitive for the whole game, decent armor and shields and a wide range of spells and abilities to fit whatever composition party you might get in AL. Back up healer, ranged single target damage, eventually AoE damage (taking fireball as a magic secret at level 6 lore bard), controller with blindness/hypnotic pattern/suggestion/faerie fire, counterspell (another magical secret)/dispel magic .. bards can do an amazing number of things and most quite well.
Yeah, I read about the Hexblade, but I didn't like it very much. The subclass itself is pretty good for combat situations, but I'm also watching Critical Role and didn't want to create "a copy" of Fjord.
I was thinking about multiclassing to a Lore or Whisper Bard later into the game. It's by far my favourite class with all it's versatility (hey, and works story wise for me too).
Yeah, I read about the Hexblade, but I didn't like it very much. The subclass itself is pretty good for combat situations, but I'm also watching Critical Role and didn't want to create "a copy" of Fjord.
I was thinking about multiclassing to a Lore or Whisper Bard later into the game. It's by far my favourite class with all it's versatility (hey, and works story wise for me too).
There are as many hexblade warlocks out there as there are players who play them :). The differences are in the character. If you start as a hexblade for two levels and then start lore bard you wouldn't be anything like Fjord. Also, you can "spin" the fluff for hexblade in whatever fashion you like to make it fit your character. The only constraint is that your patron is described as "You have made your pact with a mysterious entity from the Shadowfell". It also says that the mysterious entity is "a force that manifests in sentient magic weapons carved from the stuff of shadow." However, if you want, your pact is with the mysterious entity itself and not necessarily with any specific manifestation.
"Because the Raven Queen is known to have forged the first of these weapons, many sages speculate that she and the force are one". So one option is the Raven Queen as patron. However, this is speculation and you can role play your pact to be with any mysterious entity from the shadow fell that fits the description, so don't feel limited to "worshipping" some evil or chaotic sentient weapon for your pact. I have a level 11 character (10 hexblade warlock/1 shadow sorcerer) variant human which has GWM and PAM and can be extremely effective in melee combat.
The character choices are up to you so play what you will like best :). AL is quite focused on mechanics so there are no rules about changing "fluff" or reskinning various aspects of your character for role playing reasons as long as there is no mechanical benefit.
Hey guys,
recently I started playing with a local AL group and I could use some advice regarding character creation.
At my first AL session I noticed that my Half Elf Bard from a previous RPG heavy homebrew campaign was not up to the job. Waaay to squishy. Although my bard managed to save the party from some deadly encounters I would love to try AL again with a character who can stand her ground in combat a little bit better (my bad. My character had a 10 for Con and only two daggers to defend herself. Lesson learned)
This time I would like to play as an Half Elf Warlock with the Dragon Casualty background. This works the best for my view of the character. However, I'm still in doubt about her Patron and Pact Boon:
So what are you experiences with Warlock and AL? Is it nessecairy to focus on combat or can I sacrifice some tactical choices for RPG ones? I'm aware that AL is not the perfect place for RPG'ing, but I do like to have some connection with my character.
Thanks in advance!
My experience with AL has been relatively combat heavy, but it can really depend on the module. Just the other day, I played a module that had very little combat (but was still a lot of fun). If you want to sacrifice some tactical choices for RP ones, you should do it. Generally, outside of DDEP modules, I don't think the combat has been that challenging so I wouldn't worry too much about building heavily for combat optimization. I think some of the current adventure authors try to reward characters that have chosen some specialization outside of the combat pillar.
Unless you play with the same group regularly, any connection with your character will likely only exist as part of your head canon. That said, there are many effective ways to make warlocks and it really depends on how you want to play. Both Celestial and GOO can be fun, but be warned GOO is a bit light on features that help in combat. I'm personally not a big fan of Blade pact without a Hexblade patron, but I never considered it before Xanathar's and wonder if I would have felt differently then.
My advice is to check out some warlock build guides online to get better handle on what you want and what sounds fun, but don't feel beholden to them. It's your character.
In my experience at tables Celestial is super common and appreciated by others at the table. Tome is also super common... not for the cantrips, necessarily, but to be able to get ritual spells. It gives you the opportunity do a lot of "Wizardy" non-combat stuff that a lot of players neglect in their focus on combat.
Although I've also pretty exclusively seen Warlock/Sorceror multiclassing. Very few people are willing to put up with the spell slot limitations of Warlock... what seems most common is sticking with Warlock long enough to get some invocations to power up Eldritch Blast, then focusing mostly on Sorcerer.
Watch Crits for Breakfast, an adults-only RP-Heavy Roll20 Livestream at twitch.tv/afterdisbooty
And now you too can play with the amazing art and assets we use in Roll20 for our campaign at Hazel's Emporium
While not "true" AL, my home game for quite a while ran AL modules. Of importance to a warlock, they seemed to lack good places to take short rests. That may or may not impact your decision. I'd certainly consider playing a warlock in AL, I am playing a celestial tome lock in one of the two home games I am in now. I'm not much of a fan of blade pact unless you're a hexblade. You /can/ make it work, but I don't really feel like a warlock in general gets much out of blade.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
I mostly agree about short rests; lots of modules don't have a "natural" place to take a short rest. If you tell your party that you need a breather they'll usually listen, especially if the party is a bit low on hp. Usually the DM will comply also.
I remember I went out of my way to get Tiny Hut as a Tomelock in order to facilitate short rests in otherwise unsafe locations. For the most part it was allowed, but the one DM who likes to run player-killer dungeons and doesn't allow a lot of room for creativity, and also is kind of the person I had in mind when going out of my way for such a thing, would just state outright, "no, you can't take a short rest here" no matter what the circumstance.
Watch Crits for Breakfast, an adults-only RP-Heavy Roll20 Livestream at twitch.tv/afterdisbooty
And now you too can play with the amazing art and assets we use in Roll20 for our campaign at Hazel's Emporium
Most modules will have an empty room/location or other moderately safe place to take a short rest. Unless the module has specifically laid out a very tight time line or other deadlines, I've never really found it an issue to take a short rest. Most modules do not have random encounters for characters when taking a short rest so usually it is just a DM call when the players ask for a short rest as to whether it makes sense. However, don't count on more than one short rest typically.
On the other hand, long rests in typical modules are uncommon. A few modules are designed around encounters separated by a day's travel so each is encountered with full resources but those are the exception in my experience.
One of the most popular warlocks in AL is the hexblade since it comes with medium armor and shield proficiencies as well as a couple of other features that make it a good choice if you want to build a blade pact warlock. A celestial tome lock is also a good choice as a more backline support character using agonizing blast for single target damage, a couple of spell slots for support and rituals for utility (especially ones like Comprehend Languages, Detect Magic, Identify, Leomund's Tiny Hut and others). However, expect to be using agonizing blast a lot in combat.
I'd also like to mention that bard's also work really well in AL. Your's probably just needs a few tweaks and since you are free to rebuild your character however you want until 5th level, you aren't stuck with a 10 con. I have a level 14 AL character that is 12 level's of lore bard and 2 levels of hexblade warlock that I really enjoy playing. I find the hexblade warlock features can really complement the bard abilities and gives them a bit more survivability at low levels. Start variant human, take resilient con as a starting feat, take agonizing blast and devil's sight as invocations and at level 5 you can be a level 3 lore bard/ level 2 hexblade warlock with lots of skills, expertise, single target at will damage that is competitive for the whole game, decent armor and shields and a wide range of spells and abilities to fit whatever composition party you might get in AL. Back up healer, ranged single target damage, eventually AoE damage (taking fireball as a magic secret at level 6 lore bard), controller with blindness/hypnotic pattern/suggestion/faerie fire, counterspell (another magical secret)/dispel magic .. bards can do an amazing number of things and most quite well.
Thank you all for your replies. It is really helpful to know about the frequency of long and short rests, something I haven't even be thinking about.
Yeah, I read about the Hexblade, but I didn't like it very much. The subclass itself is pretty good for combat situations, but I'm also watching Critical Role and didn't want to create "a copy" of Fjord.
I was thinking about multiclassing to a Lore or Whisper Bard later into the game. It's by far my favourite class with all it's versatility (hey, and works story wise for me too).
A quick way to play a Hexblade Warlock that isn't a copy of Fjord is to just actually fight things melee instead of relying on Eldritch Blast :P
Watch Crits for Breakfast, an adults-only RP-Heavy Roll20 Livestream at twitch.tv/afterdisbooty
And now you too can play with the amazing art and assets we use in Roll20 for our campaign at Hazel's Emporium
There are as many hexblade warlocks out there as there are players who play them :). The differences are in the character. If you start as a hexblade for two levels and then start lore bard you wouldn't be anything like Fjord. Also, you can "spin" the fluff for hexblade in whatever fashion you like to make it fit your character. The only constraint is that your patron is described as "You have made your pact with a mysterious entity from the Shadowfell". It also says that the mysterious entity is "a force that manifests in sentient magic weapons carved from the stuff of shadow." However, if you want, your pact is with the mysterious entity itself and not necessarily with any specific manifestation.
"Because the Raven Queen is known to have forged the first of these weapons, many sages speculate that she and the force are one". So one option is the Raven Queen as patron. However, this is speculation and you can role play your pact to be with any mysterious entity from the shadow fell that fits the description, so don't feel limited to "worshipping" some evil or chaotic sentient weapon for your pact. I have a level 11 character (10 hexblade warlock/1 shadow sorcerer) variant human which has GWM and PAM and can be extremely effective in melee combat.
The character choices are up to you so play what you will like best :). AL is quite focused on mechanics so there are no rules about changing "fluff" or reskinning various aspects of your character for role playing reasons as long as there is no mechanical benefit.