Greetings all. I am toying with the idea of a Tiefling Warlock and would like your input on what the best languages and spells would be best to start with.
I have not played since v3.5 so these two are very new to me and is the reason for creating this character. Is there a way I can link my character sheet to this post?
Languages are more of a flavor choice than an optimization question. Most DMs don't really use languages anyway because most important NPCs speak Common. You recieve Common and Infernal from your race. You can choose languages based on your pact, such as Abyssal (fiend), Deep Speech or Undercommon (Great Old One), Elvish or Sylvan (archfey), and so on.
Spells, on the other hand, are a key decision, and in 5th edition, some of them are must-have spells while others are completely useless. Most, however, fall between these two extremes. The only real must-have for a 1st-level warlock is Eldritch Blast, which is a good main damage option unless you have a much better damage output from your weapon attacks. Other than that, I suggest taking spells that you like the description of and work well with your character. I'd like to warn you, though, the PHB recommends Witch Bolt for warlocks in the "quick build" section, but that spell is a trap and doesn't deal enough damage to make it worth taking. The best spells for warlocks are ones with effects that last a long time, because of your limited spell slots. The spells Hex, Armor of Agathys, and Charm Person are some pretty good options if you're stuck.
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Panda-wat (I hate my username) is somehow convinced that he is objectively right about everything D&D related even though he obviously is not. Considering that, he'd probably make a great D&D youtuber.
"If I die, I can live with that." ~Luke Hart, the DM lair
Greetings all. I am toying with the idea of a Tiefling Warlock and would like your input on what the best languages and spells would be best to start with.
Warlocks subclass at level 1, so you should tell us your subclass so we can answer this as intelligently as possible. You should also tell us how many languages you're picking (as we don't know your background).
The most broadly useful languages are those spoken by a wide array of creatures you are likely to want to converse with, so it's campaign-dependent. Here are the languages that will get you reasonably far:
Common (everyone)
Undercommon (if and only if your campaign includes the Underdark, everyone in the Underdark speaks this)
Draconic (Dragons)/Primordial (Elementals, some Beasts)/Sylvan (Fae, some Beasts)
As for spells, the most traditional/generic answer I can give you at level one, without knowing your subclass, is Eldritch Blast, Create Bonfire (this is so when you pick up Repelling Blast you can guarantee you have a battlefield hazard to push your enemies into), Hex, and Armor of Agathys. But Create Bonfire especially can be swapped out for plenty of potentially compelling cantrips, depending on what you're going for.
I have not played since v3.5 so these two are very new to me and is the reason for creating this character. Is there a way I can link my character sheet to this post?
Yes, linking us will work. Use the share button up at the top of your sheet to get a working link. Here's one for a character of mine: https://ddb.ac/characters/56075684/qgaRg0
In terms of languages it really depends on your campaign setting and want kind of races you are most likely to encounter so its best to have a chat with your DM beforehand to get a feel of what the world will be like.
Warlock spells are a little bit tricky since the spells you pick at the beginning will most likely be swapped out later due to their increasing spell slot levels, but a good spell that stays solid throughout the campaign is Armor of Agathys. I would suggest starting with that and Hex as your level 1 picks. Cantrips wise Eldritch Blast is a warlock staple and Minor Illusion is a good one to pair with it because of its versatility.
Your most pressing decision is what subclass to pick as that will determine what domain spells you have access to (some of them have quite good level 1 spells). And then a little later on at level 3 what Pact you go with will also help determine what spells to pick for your character.
Languages are very campaign dependent. For example I am in a campaign where only a few dwarves and elves speak common but they is unusual. More commonly dwarvish and elvish can come in very handy when finding books or enscriptions in dungeons.
Regarding spells look out for concentration. A spell like Hex is great in that it lasts an hour so you can use it for multiple battles, however it requires concentration which mean if you had previously cast hex and you then cast create bonfire then hex goes. So if you plan on using hex a lot you dont ant ot take create bonfire.
Swapping out cantrips is very limited. There is an optional rule that allows you to swap out a cantrip when you reach level 4 (and 8, 12, 16 and 19) but those are far apart, and being optional might not be allowed at all. Having said that as a new player if a spell isn't working for you ask your DM and they might let you change it.
I agree with Panda about Hex and Armor and Agythis, however Charm Person depends on how the DM deals with it. If you try to use it in combat the save is made at advantage so is likely to do nothing, if they succeed they can't attack you and regard you as a friendly aquaintance, they are theire fore likely to continue attacking the guys who came in with you and started attacking their close friends, though some DMs will have the charmed creature not attack either side and try to get his friends to stop fighting each other. A few DMs will have the charmed creature fight on your side but this is treating it as dominate person a MUCH more powerful spell It can be used out of combat, cast it on a shop keeper to try and get a better deal, but he will know afterwards he was duped so there might be issues if you go into that town again. Some DMs will just le you get the advantages, others will have shopkeepers being wary of spellcasters in their shops for exactly that type of reason and throw you out before you even complate the spell. If you are considering charm person make sure you and the DM agree on what it does.
Warlocks are pretty versatile, so your best bet might be to determine what kind of role you want to play in the party and go from there.
For language choices, go with whatever works for your character's backstory and motivations. There are spells and even a Warlock invocation that can let you get around language barriers if you really need to.
Eldritch Blast is your go-to attack cantrip and you'll really want to have it, possibly even if you go for a melee-oriented Hexblade build. Take a look at the invocations that enhance Eldritch Blast and see what options you might want to take--it can help inform what other cantrips and leveled spells might be good choices. Speaking of leveled spells, keep in mind that while you only get two spell slots, those slots are always the highest possible level. For this reason, spells that you can get more benefit from via upcasting are particularly attractive for maximizing the bang for your buck.
Spells with the ritual tag may look attractive for conserving your spell slots, but warlocks can't actually cast spells as rituals by default. If you want ritual casting, you'll need to take the Pact of the Tome and then select Book of Ancient Secrets as one of your Eldritch Invocations.
Thanks so much guys. Had a questions regarding starting spells. Infernal Legacy reads:
"You know the thaumaturgy cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the hellish rebuke spell as a 2nd-level spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest."
Does this mean already know the Hellish Rebuke spell or must I use one of my level 1 spell choice to learn it?
You automatically learn the spell, and can cast it once per day without expending a spell slot. At your DM's discretion, you might also be able to cast it subsequently with your spell slots.
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Panda-wat (I hate my username) is somehow convinced that he is objectively right about everything D&D related even though he obviously is not. Considering that, he'd probably make a great D&D youtuber.
"If I die, I can live with that." ~Luke Hart, the DM lair
I'd like to warn you, though, the PHB recommends Witch Bolt for warlocks in the "quick build" section, but that spell is a trap and doesn't deal enough damage to make it worth taking.
witch bolt is fine, especially if you have things you can do with your bonus action (Fathomless tentacle, Investment of the Chain Master, that sort of thing) while dealing the d12 auto-damage after a hit
Just because a spell "doesn't do enough damage" to suit optimizers focused only on maxing out DPR doesn't mean it isn't worth taking
Really, the important thing with a warlock is to pick a concept and hammer on it with your spell and invocation choices. If you want to be a damage dealer then sure, combo up your eldritch blast/agonizing blast/Genie patron or whatever. But there are a lot of other paths you can go down that are just as much fun to play
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
I'd like to warn you, though, the PHB recommends Witch Bolt for warlocks in the "quick build" section, but that spell is a trap and doesn't deal enough damage to make it worth taking.
witch bolt is fine, especially if you have things you can do with your bonus action (Fathomless tentacle, Investment of the Chain Master, that sort of thing) while dealing the d12 auto-damage after a hit
It genuinely is not.
Just because a spell "doesn't do enough damage" to suit optimizers focused only on maxing out DPR doesn't mean it isn't worth taking
True but deeply misleading, because we're talking about a damage spell, so what matters is how much damage it deals. As a practical reality anything a warlock would do with witch bolt would be better done with some other spell, potentially reflavoring it if you like Witch Bolt's flavor.
Really, the important thing with a warlock is to pick a concept and hammer on it with your spell and invocation choices.
Yes, but the only concept that fits Witch Bolt is some variant on DPR, and Witch Bolt is bad at that concept.
If you want to be a damage dealer then sure, combo up your eldritch blast/agonizing blast/Genie patron or whatever.
If you don't want to be a damage dealer you have no business taking Witch Bolt. You should take some other spell that does something that isn't damage.
But there are a lot of other paths you can go down that are just as much fun to play
Agreed. And Witch Bolt is conducive to none of them.
It's worth remembering we're talking about a Warlock. That means spells are known, not prepared, so every spell chosen consumes a very finite resource (since you can't change your mind after a long rest) on top of which with only 2 spell slots at a time, the Warlock wants to make sure any time they use one, it's worth it. There are some very fine and very cool non-damaging spells a Warlock can take to fit a non-damaging concept. Witch Bolt is useless for any such build. You can also build for damage. Witch Bolt is useless at this, too. There's simply no reason for anyone, ever, to take Witch Bolt.
I'd like to warn you, though, the PHB recommends Witch Bolt for warlocks in the "quick build" section, but that spell is a trap and doesn't deal enough damage to make it worth taking.
Really, the important thing with a warlock is to pick a concept and hammer on it with your spell and invocation choices. If you want to be a damage dealer then sure, combo up your eldritch blast/agonizing blast/Genie patron or whatever. But there are a lot of other paths you can go down that are just as much fun to play
By way of example... the warlock I'm currently playing right now has an Undead patron who's the spirit of a mage who may not actually realize yet he's dead. My character, Dane, found his wand by accident (?), starting hearing this voice in his head shouting at him to go fetch some tea or get the components for some unknown spell, and ever since he's been passing himself off (poorly) as a "wizard" as he's discovered he can use magic
As such, I initially wanted spells that were on both the warlock and wizard lists. "Standard" warlocks spells like armor of agathys and hex weren't on both and didn't fit the concept, so I just didn't take them. (The exceptions were eldritch blast, which I claim is a "frosty ray", and hellish rebuke, which of course is just a burning hands spell I happened to have ready. Weirdly, I never seem to cast it on my turn...)
Dane's now level 6. Pact of the Tome and regular shopping trips have loaded him up with wizard-y ritual spells, but my leveled spell selections have taken a more necromantic bent. I still have and use witch bolt though for when I'm not doing spoopier things, mainly because I couldn't initially take chromatic orb -- another spell that gets shunned as 'non-optimal', but which would have fit the theme and has damage that upscales
At some point I'll probably swap witch bolt out on a level-up for something else. raulothim's psychic lance, maybe, when I can access 4th-level spells. Having one leveled spell that can do more damage to a target in one shot than your eldritch blasts is handy, and that's really what you want with your leveled spells because you have limited slots -- different ways to handle/approach more unusual situations, while you lean on your cantrips and invocations to take care of lesser challenges
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
People hate on Witch Bolt a lot, but it's a solid spell for when you're very low level--you don't have much in the way of features to compete for your action, your cantrips aren't as powerful, and your spell slots are very limited. The fact you can hit for more damage automatically for up to nine rounds makes it a very reliable way to continue applying damage to a beefy target. No, it won't be part of your line-up for long, but that's not a problem: it's at level-up that it'll become obselete, and classes that learn their spells (like Warlocks and Sorcerers) can swap out a spell they know at level up. Just swap out Witch Bolt with your new go-to attack spell when the time comes and you're golden.
In the case of a Warlock, you might even choose to retire the spell at level 2, particularly if you take Agonizing Blast as one of your Eldritch Invocations. A spell being useful only at level 1 might be a very short timeframe, but level 1 is also arguably the most dangerous level.
Yeah, Witch Bolt is useful at lower levels for a Warlock, since you have so few spell slots and you can't upcast it or anything. A solid d12 of damage with no roll is a solid use for your one spell slot. But it falls off fast... upcasting it doesn't increase the damage beyond the initial hit, and you've got a bunch of other spells that will have more impact on the battlefield to concentrate on.
Greetings all. I am toying with the idea of a Tiefling Warlock and would like your input on what the best languages and spells would be best to start with.
Warlocks subclass at level 1, so you should tell us your subclass so we can answer this as intelligently as possible. You should also tell us how many languages you're picking (as we don't know your background).
The most broadly useful languages are those spoken by a wide array of creatures you are likely to want to converse with, so it's campaign-dependent. Here are the languages that will get you reasonably far:
Common (everyone)
Undercommon (if and only if your campaign includes the Underdark, everyone in the Underdark speaks this)
Draconic (Dragons)/Primordial (Elementals, some Beasts)/Sylvan (Fae, some Beasts)
As for spells, the most traditional/generic answer I can give you at level one, without knowing your subclass, is Eldritch Blast, Create Bonfire (this is so when you pick up Repelling Blast you can guarantee you have a battlefield hazard to push your enemies into), Hex, and Armor of Agathys. But Create Bonfire especially can be swapped out for plenty of potentially compelling cantrips, depending on what you're going for.
I have not played since v3.5 so these two are very new to me and is the reason for creating this character. Is there a way I can link my character sheet to this post?
Yes, linking us will work. Use the share button up at the top of your sheet to get a working link. Here's one for a character of mine: https://ddb.ac/characters/56075684/qgaRg0
I don't think there are any mechanical errors in your character sheet. It looks ready to play.
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Panda-wat (I hate my username) is somehow convinced that he is objectively right about everything D&D related even though he obviously is not. Considering that, he'd probably make a great D&D youtuber.
"If I die, I can live with that." ~Luke Hart, the DM lair
I don't think there are any mechanical errors in your character sheet. It looks ready to play.
As far as equipment and spells? I do recall reading I can cast Hellish Rebuke at 2nd level but deos it add it automatically once I reach 2nd level? I chose is as one if the 2 1st level spells so I can remind myself that. What do I do in this situation?
The wording of the "Infernal Legacy" trait means that you can cast Hellish Rebuke as a second-level spell once per day for free once your character reaches level 3. Therefore, you learn it from Infernal Legacy at 3rd level, not 2nd.
Also, a note about your equipment: I'd equip your daggers, not your sickles, in this case. Daggers will deal more damage because you can attack using your higher Dexterity modifier.
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Panda-wat (I hate my username) is somehow convinced that he is objectively right about everything D&D related even though he obviously is not. Considering that, he'd probably make a great D&D youtuber.
"If I die, I can live with that." ~Luke Hart, the DM lair
The wording of the "Infernal Legacy" trait means that you can cast Hellish Rebuke as a second-level spell once per day for free once your character reaches level 3. Therefore, you learn it from Infernal Legacy at 3rd level, not 2nd.
So I do learn it at 3rd. So is it considered a "bonus" spell?
Also, a note about your equipment: I'd equip your daggers, not your sickles, in this case. Daggers will deal more damage because you can attack using your higher Dexterity modifier.
I wanted to use dual sickles as it would look really cool. So you're saying the daggers would be more practical since they are a finesse weapon?
About the daggers, yes, they would be. Sickles need to use Strength since they are a melee weapon which lacks the Finesse property. Therefore, you must use your low Strength score of 10 to attack with them. Daggers, on the other hand, are Finesse, which means you can add your Strength or Dexterity modifier, whichever is higher. Your Dexterity is 14, so daggers would have a +4 bonus to hit for 1d4 + 2 damage. This is as opposed to sickles, which have a measly +2 bonus to hit and deal only 1d4 damage if they do. Mathematically, there is absolutely no reason to be using sickles with your character.
About Hellish Rebuke, I don't know what you're trying to say. Were "bonus spells" a mechanic in 3.5e? If they were, you should know that that doesn't have a mechanical meaning in 5e. In short, Hellish Rebuke doesn't count against the number of spells you know, and you can't cast it with your warlock spell slots. It is completely separate from your spellcasting as a warlock.
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Panda-wat (I hate my username) is somehow convinced that he is objectively right about everything D&D related even though he obviously is not. Considering that, he'd probably make a great D&D youtuber.
"If I die, I can live with that." ~Luke Hart, the DM lair
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Greetings all. I am toying with the idea of a Tiefling Warlock and would like your input on what the best languages and spells would be best to start with.
I have not played since v3.5 so these two are very new to me and is the reason for creating this character. Is there a way I can link my character sheet to this post?
Thank you all in advance.
Languages are more of a flavor choice than an optimization question. Most DMs don't really use languages anyway because most important NPCs speak Common. You recieve Common and Infernal from your race. You can choose languages based on your pact, such as Abyssal (fiend), Deep Speech or Undercommon (Great Old One), Elvish or Sylvan (archfey), and so on.
Spells, on the other hand, are a key decision, and in 5th edition, some of them are must-have spells while others are completely useless. Most, however, fall between these two extremes. The only real must-have for a 1st-level warlock is Eldritch Blast, which is a good main damage option unless you have a much better damage output from your weapon attacks. Other than that, I suggest taking spells that you like the description of and work well with your character. I'd like to warn you, though, the PHB recommends Witch Bolt for warlocks in the "quick build" section, but that spell is a trap and doesn't deal enough damage to make it worth taking. The best spells for warlocks are ones with effects that last a long time, because of your limited spell slots. The spells Hex, Armor of Agathys, and Charm Person are some pretty good options if you're stuck.
Panda-wat (I hate my username) is somehow convinced that he is objectively right about everything D&D related even though he obviously is not. Considering that, he'd probably make a great D&D youtuber.
"If I die, I can live with that." ~Luke Hart, the DM lair
Warlocks subclass at level 1, so you should tell us your subclass so we can answer this as intelligently as possible. You should also tell us how many languages you're picking (as we don't know your background).
The most broadly useful languages are those spoken by a wide array of creatures you are likely to want to converse with, so it's campaign-dependent. Here are the languages that will get you reasonably far:
As for spells, the most traditional/generic answer I can give you at level one, without knowing your subclass, is Eldritch Blast, Create Bonfire (this is so when you pick up Repelling Blast you can guarantee you have a battlefield hazard to push your enemies into), Hex, and Armor of Agathys. But Create Bonfire especially can be swapped out for plenty of potentially compelling cantrips, depending on what you're going for.
Yes, linking us will work. Use the share button up at the top of your sheet to get a working link. Here's one for a character of mine: https://ddb.ac/characters/56075684/qgaRg0
In terms of languages it really depends on your campaign setting and want kind of races you are most likely to encounter so its best to have a chat with your DM beforehand to get a feel of what the world will be like.
Warlock spells are a little bit tricky since the spells you pick at the beginning will most likely be swapped out later due to their increasing spell slot levels, but a good spell that stays solid throughout the campaign is Armor of Agathys. I would suggest starting with that and Hex as your level 1 picks. Cantrips wise Eldritch Blast is a warlock staple and Minor Illusion is a good one to pair with it because of its versatility.
Your most pressing decision is what subclass to pick as that will determine what domain spells you have access to (some of them have quite good level 1 spells). And then a little later on at level 3 what Pact you go with will also help determine what spells to pick for your character.
Languages are very campaign dependent. For example I am in a campaign where only a few dwarves and elves speak common but they is unusual. More commonly dwarvish and elvish can come in very handy when finding books or enscriptions in dungeons.
Regarding spells look out for concentration. A spell like Hex is great in that it lasts an hour so you can use it for multiple battles, however it requires concentration which mean if you had previously cast hex and you then cast create bonfire then hex goes. So if you plan on using hex a lot you dont ant ot take create bonfire.
Swapping out cantrips is very limited. There is an optional rule that allows you to swap out a cantrip when you reach level 4 (and 8, 12, 16 and 19) but those are far apart, and being optional might not be allowed at all. Having said that as a new player if a spell isn't working for you ask your DM and they might let you change it.
I agree with Panda about Hex and Armor and Agythis, however Charm Person depends on how the DM deals with it.
If you try to use it in combat the save is made at advantage so is likely to do nothing, if they succeed they can't attack you and regard you as a friendly aquaintance, they are theire fore likely to continue attacking the guys who came in with you and started attacking their close friends, though some DMs will have the charmed creature not attack either side and try to get his friends to stop fighting each other. A few DMs will have the charmed creature fight on your side but this is treating it as dominate person a MUCH more powerful spell
It can be used out of combat, cast it on a shop keeper to try and get a better deal, but he will know afterwards he was duped so there might be issues if you go into that town again. Some DMs will just le you get the advantages, others will have shopkeepers being wary of spellcasters in their shops for exactly that type of reason and throw you out before you even complate the spell.
If you are considering charm person make sure you and the DM agree on what it does.
Warlocks are pretty versatile, so your best bet might be to determine what kind of role you want to play in the party and go from there.
For language choices, go with whatever works for your character's backstory and motivations. There are spells and even a Warlock invocation that can let you get around language barriers if you really need to.
Eldritch Blast is your go-to attack cantrip and you'll really want to have it, possibly even if you go for a melee-oriented Hexblade build. Take a look at the invocations that enhance Eldritch Blast and see what options you might want to take--it can help inform what other cantrips and leveled spells might be good choices. Speaking of leveled spells, keep in mind that while you only get two spell slots, those slots are always the highest possible level. For this reason, spells that you can get more benefit from via upcasting are particularly attractive for maximizing the bang for your buck.
Spells with the ritual tag may look attractive for conserving your spell slots, but warlocks can't actually cast spells as rituals by default. If you want ritual casting, you'll need to take the Pact of the Tome and then select Book of Ancient Secrets as one of your Eldritch Invocations.
Thanks so much guys. Had a questions regarding starting spells. Infernal Legacy reads:
"You know the thaumaturgy cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the hellish rebuke spell as a 2nd-level spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest."
Does this mean already know the Hellish Rebuke spell or must I use one of my level 1 spell choice to learn it?
You automatically learn the spell, and can cast it once per day without expending a spell slot. At your DM's discretion, you might also be able to cast it subsequently with your spell slots.
Panda-wat (I hate my username) is somehow convinced that he is objectively right about everything D&D related even though he obviously is not. Considering that, he'd probably make a great D&D youtuber.
"If I die, I can live with that." ~Luke Hart, the DM lair
witch bolt is fine, especially if you have things you can do with your bonus action (Fathomless tentacle, Investment of the Chain Master, that sort of thing) while dealing the d12 auto-damage after a hit
Just because a spell "doesn't do enough damage" to suit optimizers focused only on maxing out DPR doesn't mean it isn't worth taking
Really, the important thing with a warlock is to pick a concept and hammer on it with your spell and invocation choices. If you want to be a damage dealer then sure, combo up your eldritch blast/agonizing blast/Genie patron or whatever. But there are a lot of other paths you can go down that are just as much fun to play
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
It genuinely is not.
True but deeply misleading, because we're talking about a damage spell, so what matters is how much damage it deals. As a practical reality anything a warlock would do with witch bolt would be better done with some other spell, potentially reflavoring it if you like Witch Bolt's flavor.
Yes, but the only concept that fits Witch Bolt is some variant on DPR, and Witch Bolt is bad at that concept.
If you don't want to be a damage dealer you have no business taking Witch Bolt. You should take some other spell that does something that isn't damage.
Agreed. And Witch Bolt is conducive to none of them.
It's worth remembering we're talking about a Warlock. That means spells are known, not prepared, so every spell chosen consumes a very finite resource (since you can't change your mind after a long rest) on top of which with only 2 spell slots at a time, the Warlock wants to make sure any time they use one, it's worth it. There are some very fine and very cool non-damaging spells a Warlock can take to fit a non-damaging concept. Witch Bolt is useless for any such build. You can also build for damage. Witch Bolt is useless at this, too. There's simply no reason for anyone, ever, to take Witch Bolt.
By way of example... the warlock I'm currently playing right now has an Undead patron who's the spirit of a mage who may not actually realize yet he's dead. My character, Dane, found his wand by accident (?), starting hearing this voice in his head shouting at him to go fetch some tea or get the components for some unknown spell, and ever since he's been passing himself off (poorly) as a "wizard" as he's discovered he can use magic
As such, I initially wanted spells that were on both the warlock and wizard lists. "Standard" warlocks spells like armor of agathys and hex weren't on both and didn't fit the concept, so I just didn't take them. (The exceptions were eldritch blast, which I claim is a "frosty ray", and hellish rebuke, which of course is just a burning hands spell I happened to have ready. Weirdly, I never seem to cast it on my turn...)
Dane's now level 6. Pact of the Tome and regular shopping trips have loaded him up with wizard-y ritual spells, but my leveled spell selections have taken a more necromantic bent. I still have and use witch bolt though for when I'm not doing spoopier things, mainly because I couldn't initially take chromatic orb -- another spell that gets shunned as 'non-optimal', but which would have fit the theme and has damage that upscales
At some point I'll probably swap witch bolt out on a level-up for something else. raulothim's psychic lance, maybe, when I can access 4th-level spells. Having one leveled spell that can do more damage to a target in one shot than your eldritch blasts is handy, and that's really what you want with your leveled spells because you have limited slots -- different ways to handle/approach more unusual situations, while you lean on your cantrips and invocations to take care of lesser challenges
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
People hate on Witch Bolt a lot, but it's a solid spell for when you're very low level--you don't have much in the way of features to compete for your action, your cantrips aren't as powerful, and your spell slots are very limited. The fact you can hit for more damage automatically for up to nine rounds makes it a very reliable way to continue applying damage to a beefy target. No, it won't be part of your line-up for long, but that's not a problem: it's at level-up that it'll become obselete, and classes that learn their spells (like Warlocks and Sorcerers) can swap out a spell they know at level up. Just swap out Witch Bolt with your new go-to attack spell when the time comes and you're golden.
In the case of a Warlock, you might even choose to retire the spell at level 2, particularly if you take Agonizing Blast as one of your Eldritch Invocations. A spell being useful only at level 1 might be a very short timeframe, but level 1 is also arguably the most dangerous level.
Yeah, Witch Bolt is useful at lower levels for a Warlock, since you have so few spell slots and you can't upcast it or anything. A solid d12 of damage with no roll is a solid use for your one spell slot. But it falls off fast... upcasting it doesn't increase the damage beyond the initial hit, and you've got a bunch of other spells that will have more impact on the battlefield to concentrate on.
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Not sure my character sheet is correct.... Lmk
www.dndbeyond.com/sheet-pdfs/WeeDawgNYC_81698961.pdf
I don't think there are any mechanical errors in your character sheet. It looks ready to play.
Panda-wat (I hate my username) is somehow convinced that he is objectively right about everything D&D related even though he obviously is not. Considering that, he'd probably make a great D&D youtuber.
"If I die, I can live with that." ~Luke Hart, the DM lair
As far as equipment and spells? I do recall reading I can cast Hellish Rebuke at 2nd level but deos it add it automatically once I reach 2nd level? I chose is as one if the 2 1st level spells so I can remind myself that. What do I do in this situation?
The wording of the "Infernal Legacy" trait means that you can cast Hellish Rebuke as a second-level spell once per day for free once your character reaches level 3. Therefore, you learn it from Infernal Legacy at 3rd level, not 2nd.
Also, a note about your equipment: I'd equip your daggers, not your sickles, in this case. Daggers will deal more damage because you can attack using your higher Dexterity modifier.
Panda-wat (I hate my username) is somehow convinced that he is objectively right about everything D&D related even though he obviously is not. Considering that, he'd probably make a great D&D youtuber.
"If I die, I can live with that." ~Luke Hart, the DM lair
So I do learn it at 3rd. So is it considered a "bonus" spell?
I wanted to use dual sickles as it would look really cool. So you're saying the daggers would be more practical since they are a finesse weapon?
About the daggers, yes, they would be. Sickles need to use Strength since they are a melee weapon which lacks the Finesse property. Therefore, you must use your low Strength score of 10 to attack with them. Daggers, on the other hand, are Finesse, which means you can add your Strength or Dexterity modifier, whichever is higher. Your Dexterity is 14, so daggers would have a +4 bonus to hit for 1d4 + 2 damage. This is as opposed to sickles, which have a measly +2 bonus to hit and deal only 1d4 damage if they do. Mathematically, there is absolutely no reason to be using sickles with your character.
About Hellish Rebuke, I don't know what you're trying to say. Were "bonus spells" a mechanic in 3.5e? If they were, you should know that that doesn't have a mechanical meaning in 5e. In short, Hellish Rebuke doesn't count against the number of spells you know, and you can't cast it with your warlock spell slots. It is completely separate from your spellcasting as a warlock.
Panda-wat (I hate my username) is somehow convinced that he is objectively right about everything D&D related even though he obviously is not. Considering that, he'd probably make a great D&D youtuber.
"If I die, I can live with that." ~Luke Hart, the DM lair