Hypothetically, assuming that you're a full caster with the ability to learn Shield or Armor of Agathys and you won't be able to change which after choosing and you're going all the way to level 20 which would you choose and why?
(I should probably give context to why I'm asking this so basically I'm playing a sorcerer but I'm taking 3 levels of warlock, so in essence it'll be a full caster but I just thought some context might be helpful. Here's the sheet so far if you're wondering and basically I'm leveling up the last level of warlock that I'm going to do :3)
Shield, Armor of Agathys only works on melee attacks while Shield can be used on ranged and spell attacks. Not to mention you could block a whole lot more damage by raising your AC to prevent a hit than just upcasting temporary hit points. Armor of Agathys is more specialized for casters who will spend a lot of time on the front line for some reason.
Gut reaction, if you are a warlock I'd do armor since you have limited casts but they are all your max spell level. Other casters I'd lean toward shield since it will be consistently useful without burning high level spell slots.
Shield better it more versetile and doesn't cost action it prevent you from taking damage. You a caster you should prevent being in close combat. Armor of agathas damage only trigger if you get damaged in melee range and the temp hp bonus not that great either.
I'm going to agree with most others and say Shield. It's a great spell. Level 1 reaction casting for +5 AC, now that's what I call breaking bounded accuracy 🙂
Armor of Agathys is also a great spell, but it's really only great on full warlocks who have no choice but to upcast their spells. A fifth level Armor of Agathys gives a lot of temp hp and does a good deal of damage.
Why not grab Armor of Shadows Eldritch Inv. and have a permenant +3 to ac since it's mage armor cast at will, then you can use shield on top of it
Because mage armor doesn't give a +3 to AC, it gives you a different way to calculate your AC. Also, given the choices in the op it would seem that the three warlock levels are hexblade meaning that the character will have access to medium armor.
I'm playing a Hexblade front line fighter and do agree shield is good. but if your a warlock dont waste your fourth level slot on shield, a spell that doesn't upcast well. Agathys works well for me (I picked it as my 6th level mystical arcanum) but I wouldn't consider Hexblades as true full casters. I have to tank because the rest of my party is a druid, artificer, and wizard so I picked Agathys instead of shield. So my conclusion is if your front line fighting pick Agathys but if your a ranged spell slinger pick shield.
I’d lean towards Shield because at higher levels Armor of Agathys will only give you 10 temp HP which isn’t as useful as it is at lower levels.
Incorrect. It scales at 5 temp hp per level. So, at the highest level that a warlock can cast (5th level) you would have 25 temporary hit points.
Also, it deals some nice damage when someone hits you.
The OP only wanted to take 3 levels in Warlock.
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The nice thing about Shield is, for an Arcane caster, it gives you something with high utility in-combat to use with your first level spell slots, even into the late game. Right around the time you get to level 10 or so, your first level spell slots don't quite have the Punch to move the needle in combat in terms of pure damage. A lot of players find themselves mostly using them for utility stuff (casting "Detect Magic" in moments where you don't have enough time to ritual cast, drop a mage armor, etc.), but Shield is a flat, potent spell that can save you in combat that doesn't benefit from upcasting, so you never feel like you're missing out by casting it at its lowest level. Armor of Agathys is really nice especially at higher levels... but if you're spending a 5th level spell slot to cast AoA, that's one less 5th level slot for stuff like Hold Monster or Dominate Person.
If you're a Sorlock - get all 3. Mage Armor, Shield and Armor of Agathys all stack together.
Use Warlock slots for Sorc Points and your Sorc Slots for casting.
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I know you might have meant this already, but just because I want to weigh in a little, if you go Sorlock I'd get Mage Armor via the Invocation; saves both a spell slot and a spell known.
As a Sorcerer i'd favor Shield over Armor of Agathys as you generally will use it to avoid being hit entirely and will be useful 1st-level slot your entire aventuring career.
But if you're melee oriented caster, then Armor of Agathys should be more worthed to you.
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Hypothetically, assuming that you're a full caster with the ability to learn Shield or Armor of Agathys and you won't be able to change which after choosing and you're going all the way to level 20 which would you choose and why?
(I should probably give context to why I'm asking this so basically I'm playing a sorcerer but I'm taking 3 levels of warlock, so in essence it'll be a full caster but I just thought some context might be helpful. Here's the sheet so far if you're wondering and basically I'm leveling up the last level of warlock that I'm going to do :3)
Shield, Armor of Agathys only works on melee attacks while Shield can be used on ranged and spell attacks. Not to mention you could block a whole lot more damage by raising your AC to prevent a hit than just upcasting temporary hit points. Armor of Agathys is more specialized for casters who will spend a lot of time on the front line for some reason.
Gut reaction, if you are a warlock I'd do armor since you have limited casts but they are all your max spell level. Other casters I'd lean toward shield since it will be consistently useful without burning high level spell slots.
I’d lean towards Shield because at higher levels Armor of Agathys will only give you 10 temp HP which isn’t as useful as it is at lower levels.
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Shield better it more versetile and doesn't cost action it prevent you from taking damage. You a caster you should prevent being in close combat. Armor of agathas damage only trigger if you get damaged in melee range and the temp hp bonus not that great either.
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I'm going to agree with most others and say Shield. It's a great spell. Level 1 reaction casting for +5 AC, now that's what I call breaking bounded accuracy 🙂
Armor of Agathys is also a great spell, but it's really only great on full warlocks who have no choice but to upcast their spells. A fifth level Armor of Agathys gives a lot of temp hp and does a good deal of damage.
Why not grab Armor of Shadows Eldritch Inv. and have a permenant +3 to ac since it's mage armor cast at will, then you can use shield on top of it
Because mage armor doesn't give a +3 to AC, it gives you a different way to calculate your AC. Also, given the choices in the op it would seem that the three warlock levels are hexblade meaning that the character will have access to medium armor.
I'm playing a Hexblade front line fighter and do agree shield is good. but if your a warlock dont waste your fourth level slot on shield, a spell that doesn't upcast well. Agathys works well for me (I picked it as my 6th level mystical arcanum) but I wouldn't consider Hexblades as true full casters. I have to tank because the rest of my party is a druid, artificer, and wizard so I picked Agathys instead of shield. So my conclusion is if your front line fighting pick Agathys but if your a ranged spell slinger pick shield.
Incorrect. It scales at 5 temp hp per level. So, at the highest level that a warlock can cast (5th level) you would have 25 temporary hit points.
Also, it deals some nice damage when someone hits you.
The OP only wanted to take 3 levels in Warlock.
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny.
Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
The nice thing about Shield is, for an Arcane caster, it gives you something with high utility in-combat to use with your first level spell slots, even into the late game. Right around the time you get to level 10 or so, your first level spell slots don't quite have the Punch to move the needle in combat in terms of pure damage. A lot of players find themselves mostly using them for utility stuff (casting "Detect Magic" in moments where you don't have enough time to ritual cast, drop a mage armor, etc.), but Shield is a flat, potent spell that can save you in combat that doesn't benefit from upcasting, so you never feel like you're missing out by casting it at its lowest level. Armor of Agathys is really nice especially at higher levels... but if you're spending a 5th level spell slot to cast AoA, that's one less 5th level slot for stuff like Hold Monster or Dominate Person.
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If you're a Sorlock - get all 3. Mage Armor, Shield and Armor of Agathys all stack together.
Use Warlock slots for Sorc Points and your Sorc Slots for casting.
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Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
I know you might have meant this already, but just because I want to weigh in a little, if you go Sorlock I'd get Mage Armor via the Invocation; saves both a spell slot and a spell known.
As a Sorcerer i'd favor Shield over Armor of Agathys as you generally will use it to avoid being hit entirely and will be useful 1st-level slot your entire aventuring career.
But if you're melee oriented caster, then Armor of Agathys should be more worthed to you.