So, I have a character concept in mind, but having trouble coming up with the type of build that fits...
He would be a tiefling, very charismatic and able to perform ( bard instrument ). However, he would have a warlock pact and would have a shadowy motive behind him. He would be able to take souls and gain strength from them, and would also be a bounty hunter of sorts in underground networks ( kind of like a smoother Harry Heck from the Punisher, and more devil like, kind of a devilish pied piper ). I picture him with either a good ranged attack ( eldritch blast + agonizing blast ). Or with a menacing glaive ( hexblade dip ).
Initially I was thinking Lore Bard/Warlock Fiend pact, or hexblade, but I would have to put a lot of Bard abilities on hold if I dip 2 Warlock. I really dont want to dip beyond 1 level in multiclass if at all. I like the spells that the Bards list provides.
Here are the things I like and would want to implement...
* Dark ones blessing type ability ( doesnt have to be that specific ability, but the concept of soul taking to get stronger) * battlefield control spells *skill diversity * performance and charm ability * medium armor and use with the glaive ( or another menacing type weapon ) * good ranged backup ( possible eldritch blast?)
And I picture him as a tiefling, but I guess I could substitute another race if needs be.
I could open to other class/race combos to get this, but dont want to progress too far behind by a huge multiclass dip. Can these implementations even be done without huge multiclass investments?
If you wanted to go hexblade and make use of a halberd, that would require a 3 level investment as part of the blades invocation is f improved pact weapon is what gives the ability to use Charisma with two handed weapons.
hexblade/fiend pact seems nice thematically and mechanically. Hexblade could be good for armor and weapon dedication. Fiend for temp hitpoints if you can reliably find a way to take out MOBs. Agonizing blast/eldritch last with hex makes that pretty easy even though it takes your concentration and bonus action to switch creatures. Since it’s temporary hitpoints it can be safely used at higher HP thresholds without fear of “wasting” the hitpoints if it were actual healing.
Eloquence bard would be wonderful for the smooth talker aspect. Being able to treat 9 or lower for a d20 roll on persuasion/deception as a 10, along with possible expertise. You could also be incredibly impactful for spellcasting by using a bard die to give a penalty to a target creatures next saving throw. This could be against your spell or an allies.
background could be bounty hunter/urchin for useful features and proficiencies.
mountain dwarf/tortle/githyanki/lizard folk/loxodon/warforged/shifter races give various AC boots, proficiencies, or calculation options to help make fiend option more attractive. Especially with the ability to swap attributes around with tashas. Shifters are are a lot more powerful than most people think, their shifting is kind of like the fighters second wind feature available as a racial trait and is also short rest dependent. It also aligns well with the warlocks short rest slot restoration and the bardic die eventually being reset on a short rest too. The fiend patron could be a demon like the demogorgon which is a bit more beastial.
Your character description sounds very much like a warlock which has made a pact with a fiend though I lot of the features you want are hexbalde features. Though the comments that you like the bard spell list and skill diversity implies you want to play a bard. You are right that multiclassing will hold you back on your main class abilities but bear in mind that warlocks can be charming and musical. The warlock spell list also has plenty of battle field control spells.
How attached are to the idea of a glaive? As a two handed weapon you have to have decent strength to attack with it, medium armor requires +2 Dex to be effective but charisma is your primary stat and as a melee attacker you need decent con, so you end up MAD. As a hexblade you would be able to use versatile weapons with charisma (or any other weapon that isn't two handed). If you don't go hexbalde you could dump strength if you used a finesse weapon.
Fiend Warlock
You get dark one's blessing, The warlock spell list has plenty of battlefield control spells and eldritch blast as a ranged back-up.
You do not get proficiency with a glaive but at level 3 you can take the pact of the blade boon and make the blade your pact weapon
Charm ability is probably best met with persuasion, using the custom background rules you could take the entertainer background but swap out accrobatics for persuasion
To get proficiency with medium armor would would need ot either change to a mountain dwarf or multiclass. If going multi-class for armor I would take a single level of fighter first for proficiencyt in heavy armor and con saves. If you use the optionral origin rules in Tasha's by being a mountain dwarf you could also become proficient in the glaive at level 1 (and start with a +2 Cha and +2 Str
Would wouldn't have a huge deiversity of skill proficiencies.
This would be quite MAD, you would need strength to attack with the glaive, charisma for your spell casting, and a +2 to dex to optimise your AC (unless you go heavy armor) as well as decent Con.
Hexblade Warlock
You lose the devil links and the dark one's blessing but allowsyou to be proficient with medium armor and a glaive without multiclassing / becoming a mountain dwarf.
You still have eldritch blast as a ranged option and battlefield control through the warlock spell list.
Note however you can not use charisma as your attack modifier with the glaive as it is two handed, so the MAD issues remain.
Bard
If you want to use a weapon and medium armor as a bard as you really need to go swords or valor.Valor bards get glaive proficiency and sword bards fighting styles are only of use if you fight with a single handed weapon. If you want to use a glaive you rteally need ot go valor. If you want to go lore bard for the extra skill versatility you really need to forget the glaive. Even if you get proficiency elsewhere your weapon damage will quickly become uncompetive without a second attack.
A glaive wielding bard is just as MAD as a glaive wielding warlock taking your first level in fighter would reduce the amount of choice of skill you are proficient (a bard gets any 3, a fighter gets 2 from a list of 8 and then you get a third when you take your first level in bard)
Bardlock
A bard with a splash of warlock can be great for flavor and it does give you a ranged option of eldritch blast but as you say it does put you behind on the bard class features and spells.
A warlock with a splash of bard gets a couple of first level spell slots that can be used for things like faerie fire and feather fall which would be a waste of a pact slot and an extra skill proficiency at the cost of being behind on your warlock class.
Do keep in mind that hexblade does have the ability to get a mini THP from Hexblade's Curse, and you don't have to be the one to kill the target to get the THP.
You could use the Fiendish Vigor invocation to give you the mechanics that would back that feel otherwise and at will. You can flavor it as your weapon or arcane focus catching the souls of those that die and consuming it when you use the invocation.
Honestly, the biggest problem lies with the Glaive bot meshing well with the devil aspect. Using a glaive either entails a MAD build or a Pact of the Blade Warlock to get hex warrior to apply to the glaive via your pact weapon. The best way that I can think of to get a non fiendlock warlock to have a devil feel to it is to choose Flames of Phlegethos for a Tiefling. The best way to ensure that the flames show up at will is through Produce Flame, since it is a cantrip that deals fire damage, but it doesn't require that you make an attack with it. This means that you can trigger the flames while using the non attack aspect of the cantrip (though YMMV, since some DMs may require the attack for Flames of Phlegethos to trigger). However, you need to be a Druid, a pact of the Tome warlock, or use magical secrets (at least level 10 bard to get unless you are a Lore Bard, then it's level 6 bard) to get it under most circumstances. Magic initiate Druid also works, spell sniper might work, and going with either the Izzet or the Gruul backgrounds from the Ravnica book are other ways to get Produce Flame. The Rakdos background would be a better fit for your character, who would almost assuredly be part of the Cult of Rakdos if they lived on Ravnica.
The Performer Background (or another background granting proficiency in musical instruments) seems like a natural fit background wise for your character.
Therefore getting everything involves using a lot of resources to get the 1)devil feel, 2) the glaive, and 3) the musical proficiencies. Going with a Trident would relieve some of that pressure.
Meanwhile, [Tooltip Not Found] have excellent aspects to use to compliment the devil feel. Thaumaturgy is innate for several Tieflings and prestidigitation is accessible via warlock.
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So, I have a character concept in mind, but having trouble coming up with the type of build that fits...
He would be a tiefling, very charismatic and able to perform ( bard instrument ). However, he would have a warlock pact and would have a shadowy motive behind him. He would be able to take souls and gain strength from them, and would also be a bounty hunter of sorts in underground networks ( kind of like a smoother Harry Heck from the Punisher, and more devil like, kind of a devilish pied piper ). I picture him with either a good ranged attack ( eldritch blast + agonizing blast ). Or with a menacing glaive ( hexblade dip ).
Initially I was thinking Lore Bard/Warlock Fiend pact, or hexblade, but I would have to put a lot of Bard abilities on hold if I dip 2 Warlock. I really dont want to dip beyond 1 level in multiclass if at all. I like the spells that the Bards list provides.
Here are the things I like and would want to implement...
* Dark ones blessing type ability ( doesnt have to be that specific ability, but the concept of soul taking to get stronger)
* battlefield control spells
*skill diversity
* performance and charm ability
* medium armor and use with the glaive ( or another menacing type weapon )
* good ranged backup ( possible eldritch blast?)
And I picture him as a tiefling, but I guess I could substitute another race if needs be.
I could open to other class/race combos to get this, but dont want to progress too far behind by a huge multiclass dip. Can these implementations even be done without huge multiclass investments?
The being able to take souls and use them made me think of phantom rogue and their trinkets. A bard/rogue MC might work
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
If you wanted to go hexblade and make use of a halberd, that would require a 3 level investment as part of the blades invocation is f improved pact weapon is what gives the ability to use Charisma with two handed weapons.
hexblade/fiend pact seems nice thematically and mechanically. Hexblade could be good for armor and weapon dedication. Fiend for temp hitpoints if you can reliably find a way to take out MOBs. Agonizing blast/eldritch last with hex makes that pretty easy even though it takes your concentration and bonus action to switch creatures. Since it’s temporary hitpoints it can be safely used at higher HP thresholds without fear of “wasting” the hitpoints if it were actual healing.
Eloquence bard would be wonderful for the smooth talker aspect. Being able to treat 9 or lower for a d20 roll on persuasion/deception as a 10, along with possible expertise. You could also be incredibly impactful for spellcasting by using a bard die to give a penalty to a target creatures next saving throw. This could be against your spell or an allies.
background could be bounty hunter/urchin for useful features and proficiencies.
mountain dwarf/tortle/githyanki/lizard folk/loxodon/warforged/shifter races give various AC boots, proficiencies, or calculation options to help make fiend option more attractive. Especially with the ability to swap attributes around with tashas. Shifters are are a lot more powerful than most people think, their shifting is kind of like the fighters second wind feature available as a racial trait and is also short rest dependent. It also aligns well with the warlocks short rest slot restoration and the bardic die eventually being reset on a short rest too. The fiend patron could be a demon like the demogorgon which is a bit more beastial.
Your character description sounds very much like a warlock which has made a pact with a fiend though I lot of the features you want are hexbalde features. Though the comments that you like the bard spell list and skill diversity implies you want to play a bard. You are right that multiclassing will hold you back on your main class abilities but bear in mind that warlocks can be charming and musical. The warlock spell list also has plenty of battle field control spells.
How attached are to the idea of a glaive? As a two handed weapon you have to have decent strength to attack with it, medium armor requires +2 Dex to be effective but charisma is your primary stat and as a melee attacker you need decent con, so you end up MAD. As a hexblade you would be able to use versatile weapons with charisma (or any other weapon that isn't two handed). If you don't go hexbalde you could dump strength if you used a finesse weapon.
Fiend Warlock
You get dark one's blessing, The warlock spell list has plenty of battlefield control spells and eldritch blast as a ranged back-up.
You do not get proficiency with a glaive but at level 3 you can take the pact of the blade boon and make the blade your pact weapon
Charm ability is probably best met with persuasion, using the custom background rules you could take the entertainer background but swap out accrobatics for persuasion
To get proficiency with medium armor would would need ot either change to a mountain dwarf or multiclass. If going multi-class for armor I would take a single level of fighter first for proficiencyt in heavy armor and con saves. If you use the optionral origin rules in Tasha's by being a mountain dwarf you could also become proficient in the glaive at level 1 (and start with a +2 Cha and +2 Str
Would wouldn't have a huge deiversity of skill proficiencies.
This would be quite MAD, you would need strength to attack with the glaive, charisma for your spell casting, and a +2 to dex to optimise your AC (unless you go heavy armor) as well as decent Con.
Hexblade Warlock
You lose the devil links and the dark one's blessing but allowsyou to be proficient with medium armor and a glaive without multiclassing / becoming a mountain dwarf.
You still have eldritch blast as a ranged option and battlefield control through the warlock spell list.
Note however you can not use charisma as your attack modifier with the glaive as it is two handed, so the MAD issues remain.
Bard
If you want to use a weapon and medium armor as a bard as you really need to go swords or valor.Valor bards get glaive proficiency and sword bards fighting styles are only of use if you fight with a single handed weapon. If you want to use a glaive you rteally need ot go valor. If you want to go lore bard for the extra skill versatility you really need to forget the glaive. Even if you get proficiency elsewhere your weapon damage will quickly become uncompetive without a second attack.
A glaive wielding bard is just as MAD as a glaive wielding warlock taking your first level in fighter would reduce the amount of choice of skill you are proficient (a bard gets any 3, a fighter gets 2 from a list of 8 and then you get a third when you take your first level in bard)
Bardlock
A bard with a splash of warlock can be great for flavor and it does give you a ranged option of eldritch blast but as you say it does put you behind on the bard class features and spells.
A warlock with a splash of bard gets a couple of first level spell slots that can be used for things like faerie fire and feather fall which would be a waste of a pact slot and an extra skill proficiency at the cost of being behind on your warlock class.
Do keep in mind that hexblade does have the ability to get a mini THP from Hexblade's Curse, and you don't have to be the one to kill the target to get the THP.
You could use the Fiendish Vigor invocation to give you the mechanics that would back that feel otherwise and at will. You can flavor it as your weapon or arcane focus catching the souls of those that die and consuming it when you use the invocation.
Honestly, the biggest problem lies with the Glaive bot meshing well with the devil aspect. Using a glaive either entails a MAD build or a Pact of the Blade Warlock to get hex warrior to apply to the glaive via your pact weapon. The best way that I can think of to get a non fiendlock warlock to have a devil feel to it is to choose Flames of Phlegethos for a Tiefling. The best way to ensure that the flames show up at will is through Produce Flame, since it is a cantrip that deals fire damage, but it doesn't require that you make an attack with it. This means that you can trigger the flames while using the non attack aspect of the cantrip (though YMMV, since some DMs may require the attack for Flames of Phlegethos to trigger). However, you need to be a Druid, a pact of the Tome warlock, or use magical secrets (at least level 10 bard to get unless you are a Lore Bard, then it's level 6 bard) to get it under most circumstances. Magic initiate Druid also works, spell sniper might work, and going with either the Izzet or the Gruul backgrounds from the Ravnica book are other ways to get Produce Flame. The Rakdos background would be a better fit for your character, who would almost assuredly be part of the Cult of Rakdos if they lived on Ravnica.
The Performer Background (or another background granting proficiency in musical instruments) seems like a natural fit background wise for your character.
Therefore getting everything involves using a lot of resources to get the 1)devil feel, 2) the glaive, and 3) the musical proficiencies. Going with a Trident would relieve some of that pressure.
Meanwhile, [Tooltip Not Found] have excellent aspects to use to compliment the devil feel. Thaumaturgy is innate for several Tieflings and prestidigitation is accessible via warlock.