Gift of the ever-living ones is a chain warlock invocation that allows you to get the maximum value from any dice rolled to heal you as long as your familiar is within 100’. This seems like an awesome invocation, but for a “standard” warlock this invocation doesn't seem that great. Most chain warlocks stay in the back line and shouldn't be taking too much damage. To really get value for gift of the ever-living ones, the warlock needs to be front and center maybe tanking but certainly front line.
The obvious solution is to go hexblade with booming blade or green flame blade, but I don't like it. I've become increasingly annoyed that the answer to every warlock build/multiclass question is hexblade. Likewise, the answer for any melee character with only one melee attack is BB or GFB. These options are very strong, but I'm trying to optimize around gift of the ever-living ones without them.
Possible issues:
Needs to be in melee range so eldritch blast doesn't work without also taking the crossbow expert feat. Reasonably low cost. Maybe also consider warcaster also for EB opportunity attacks. Probably would have to go variant human (another pet peeve of mine but maybe worth it).
Needs some way to get better than light armor unless the build involves maxing dexterity.
What are some reasonable build ideas that would be fun to play at all tiers which utilize gift of the ever-living ones to great effect? I think I would prefer to have the build be mostly warlock, but that's not mandatory.
For race, you could consider loxodon. Loxodon serenity, natural armor (12 + con mod for max of 17 plus shield options), and trunk for potential grappling or other shenanigans. This would let you focus on con and charisma without need to go dex or str. You have a +2 to constitution, +1 to wisdom (may not be useful) so you could standard array something like 13 str (for trunk, with a +1 down the road to get the +2 if you want it and don't want to go 15 or 16 to get the only nonmagical armor that would beat the 17 from natural armor), 8/10/12 for dex depending on preference, 14+2 for constitution, 8/10/12 for intelligence, 8/10/12 + 1 for wisdom (possible 13 for cleric or druid multiclass), & 15 Charisma for a final of 13/(8/10/12)/16/(8/10/12)/(9/11/13)/15 and allow you to max constitution and charisma with 4 ASIs and a half ASI feat for have 18s with 2 ASIs, a half ASI feat, and 2 other feats without going human variant. Grasp of Hadar to pull enemies closer with EB and some sort of AoE for when enemies are around you. Celestial Warlock, Cleric, or Divine Soul to get spirit guardians, cloud of daggers, wizard for fireball, etc... whatever floats your boat. Life cleric */Warlock =>3 could turn a bonus action healing word into 4(d4)+Wis mod (charisma if from celestial)+2+the spells level, which at 4th level would be 8-10 (depending on ability used and ASI usage) for a 1st level slot or 13-15 for a second level slot, while still being able to EB or attack. If you decide to hold off on the strength until you can get Gauntlets of Ogre Power, you could even rearrange for 8/(10/12)/16/(10/12)/14/15 to further increase that synergy if you didn't want to go Celestial Warlock.
Of course, you can do many other things if you do some sort of melee build (Bearbarian */Lock 3 does get a little MAD if you want to use unarmored defense but has the resistance to make that max heal devastatingly effective, Paladin*/Lock3 but not with lay on hands , Fighter/Lock3 includes Second Wind, etc), you're options open up a bit.
This does make the Durable feat pointless and makes Dwarven Fortitude interesting for builds without self heals, not to mention having all Hit Die be max.
It’s easy to take damage when you’re not in melee too, especially when you’re facing intelligent opponents. They’re intelligent enough to know that the spellcasters who are avoiding melee are doing lots of damage and are usually easy to hurt. Unintelligent opponents will focus on whoever is in front of them, but intelligent opponents start by focusing on the arcane casters.
A strategy that I’ve used before as a Warlock was to cast Armor of Agathys on myself and move through melee to draw attacks, do damage to the attackers, and give someone who’s bloodied a chance to withdraw without using a Disengage action so they can still attack. It almost always ends up with my Warlock taking damage too.
How will Vampiric Touch work with Gift of the Ever-Living Ones? That seems like a great synergy depending on how your DM decides the two work together. Will it automatically do max damage since it heals you and healing dice do max healing?
For race, you could consider loxodon. Loxodon serenity, natural armor (12 + con mod for max of 17 plus shield options), and trunk for potential grappling or other shenanigans. This would let you focus on con and charisma without need to go dex or str...
Of course, you can do many other things if you do some sort of melee build (Bearbarian */Lock 3 does get a little MAD if you want to use unarmored defense but has the resistance to make that max heal devastatingly effective, Paladin*/Lock3 but not with lay on hands , Fighter/Lock3 includes Second Wind, etc), you're options open up a bit.
This does make the Durable feat pointless and makes Dwarven Fortitude interesting for builds without self heals, not to mention having all Hit Die be max.
Thanks for putting so much thought into your reply. I hadn't considered loxodon, but I think you are suggesting it mostly for the natural armor. 12+con can be outdone by just going tortle or getting medium armor proficiency. Both of these options tend to make characters less MAD. You suggest a lot of classes, but definitely celestial patron makes the most sense for the warlock.
For some reason I overlooked dwarves for that medium armor proficiency and I totally forgot that dwarven fortitude even existed. That makes the dwarf a strong and unconventional contender for a race; great idea. As a multiclass, I think moon druid makes a lot of sense for the maximized wild shape heals. The familiar could also help with the druid being unable to speak while wild shaped with 4 levels of warlock. This is a build I could be excited to play, but the deep dip into warlock really slows down the wild shape progression.
It’s easy to take damage when you’re not in melee too, especially when you’re facing intelligent opponents. They’re intelligent enough to know that the spellcasters who are avoiding melee are doing lots of damage and are usually easy to hurt. Unintelligent opponents will focus on whoever is in front of them, but intelligent opponents start by focusing on the arcane casters.
A strategy that I’ve used before as a Warlock was to cast Armor of Agathys on myself and move through melee to draw attacks, do damage to the attackers, and give someone who’s bloodied a chance to withdraw without using a Disengage action so they can still attack. It almost always ends up with my Warlock taking damage too.
How will Vampiric Touch work with Gift of the Ever-Living Ones? That seems like a great synergy depending on how your DM decides the two work together. Will it automatically do max damage since it heals you and healing dice do max healing?
Great point on intelligent baddies.
Your comment on Armor of Agathys mixed with Jhfffan's suggestion for a barbearian/warlock in my head. Armor of Agathys on a barbarian/warlock doesn't sound too bad. That's a build that I would probably only take barbarian to level 5-6 for the extra attack and maybe extra rage per day and warlock the rest of the way. The higher level spell slots really beef up Armor of Agathys and the warlock's low number of spell slots matters much less if you are only rarely casting in combat. Probably go celestial warlock again for the healing dice pool. Bonus action healing that isn't spellcasting is great for the barbarian rage.
The interaction with vampiric touch is not exciting. Essentially dice are not being rolled for healing just for damage so there is no roll for gift of the ever-living ones to maximize.
It’s worth checking with your DM on Vampiric Touch. It’s a 3rd level concentration spell so every time you take damage you have to make a concentration check, plus some eldritch invocations are unique. It’s a stretch, but your Dm might let it work.
Well, one great build might be hexblade 3/divine soul sorcerer 17. It isn't MAD, only needing a 14 DEX and focus CHA then CON. 9 cantrips (if I counted right), hex, spirit guardians, spiritual weapon, twinned and/or quickened booming blade and green-flame blade for 2-3 attacks per turn, all the cleric's healing spells. I know you said you wanted to avoid it, but it is a good build.
A celestial warlock that starts 2-5 levels of fighter or paladin can fit pretty well. Celestial warlocks get an ability that is basically healing word without spell slots and a few of the cleric's go-to heal spells. You can also get the fiendish vigour invocation for 8 temp HP as an action without slots.
Well, one great build might be hexblade 3/divine soul sorcerer 17. It isn't MAD, only needing a 14 DEX and focus CHA then CON. 9 cantrips (if I counted right), hex, spirit guardians, spiritual weapon, twinned and/or quickened booming blade and green-flame blade for 2-3 attacks per turn, all the cleric's healing spells. I know you said you wanted to avoid it, but it is a good build.
A celestial warlock that starts 2-5 levels of fighter or paladin can fit pretty well. Celestial warlocks get an ability that is basically healing word without spell slots and a few of the cleric's go-to heal spells. You can also get the fiendish vigour invocation for 8 temp HP as an action without slots.
Because hexblade can turn any MAD build into a SAD build, it's everywhere. I'm trying to avoid hexblade because it's soo good that it's in every build. Maybe I'm being too hipster with my builds, but I like to see variety in the game.
Fighter has some synergy with the second wind, but not much. I think paladin has less synergy except that they can cast healing spells, but honestly when I play paladin I save those slots for smiting. At least both options give a good reason to be up front.
Well, one great build might be hexblade 3/divine soul sorcerer 17. It isn't MAD, only needing a 14 DEX and focus CHA then CON. 9 cantrips (if I counted right), hex, spirit guardians, spiritual weapon, twinned and/or quickened booming blade and green-flame blade for 2-3 attacks per turn, all the cleric's healing spells. I know you said you wanted to avoid it, but it is a good build.
A celestial warlock that starts 2-5 levels of fighter or paladin can fit pretty well. Celestial warlocks get an ability that is basically healing word without spell slots and a few of the cleric's go-to heal spells. You can also get the fiendish vigour invocation for 8 temp HP as an action without slots.
Because hexblade can turn any MAD build into a SAD build, it's everywhere. I'm trying to avoid hexblade because it's soo good that it's in every build. Maybe I'm being too hipster with my builds, but I like to see variety in the game.
Fighter has some synergy with the second wind, but not much. I think paladin has less synergy except that they can cast healing spells, but honestly when I play paladin I save those slots for smiting. At least both options give a good reason to be up front.
Fighter and paladin are mostly to get weapon and armor proficiencies, a fighting style, Extra attack if you want it, then your choice of action surge and second wind, or lay on hands and heal spells.
You can take paladin to level 6 for aura of protection to eventually get +5 on all saves.
A big seller on loxodon is the natural armor. However, loxodon serenity gives advantage on saves against being charmed and frightened. The trunk can be used as a snorkel and can lift items up to 5 times your strength (40-100 lbs) up to five feet above your 6-7 ft frame. Want to help your slim rogue get the sneak on? Additionally, it can be used to grapple and gives you advantage on perception and investigation checks based on scent.
A tortle does start at the 17 max AC that a loxodon can get, but your +2 is to strength and your +1 is to wisdom. Medium armor gives 14+2 if you have a 14 in dex to start and maxes out at 15+2 unless you go magical. Both of those options are fine if you want to go strength or dex as part of your build.
If you want to be a front line blaster, you don't have to worry about sinking additional resources into those stats with Loxodon. Constitution gives you HP, con saves, and AC and Charisma gives you your attack power. If you did decide to go hexblade, you would have everything you need for combat (minus initiative) in two stats. On standard array, 14 or 15 to con gives 16 or 17 for +3 to con and 15 AC. That would match the 14+1 for scaled armor and 13 dex without disadvantage to stealth or the 45 lbs of encumbrance. Extra bonus, your HP increases faster to give you more to maximize Gift of the Ever-Living Ones, even if you never get a Hit Die larger than 8.
If you do go Barbearian and forgo dex, unarmored defense gets replaced with natural armor, and those d12s really grow the HP base. Forgo strength while looking for Gauntlets of ogre power (19 strength while equipped and attuned and your MAD build becomes less so. It could even be a personal quest that you talk to your DM about. The strength unlocks the trunks grappling ability leaving both arms available to attack, wield a shield, conduct music, cast magic, pick your nose, give your grappled enemy a wedgie, or whatever else you want to do.
The wisdom doesn't help directly, but could give options for your skills. Then you can drop the remaining 15 or 14 into Charisma and use however many ASIs boosting those stats including getting Resilient (Con) for +1 to constitution and proficiency in con saves.
The bottom line about Loxodon is that it gives you some flexibility. In where you put your stats and what skills can be interesting for you. The constitution based bonuses of the class mix well with casters and the Gift of the Ever-Living Ones. If many of those options don't appeal to your character concept, I'd suggest finding another, like the dwarf. But I do think loxodon could fit well in the concept and that's why I suggested it particularly because it gives a lot of flexibility like the human variant but in different ways than the human variant.
If your prepared to multiclass, 2 levels of druid (moon) allows you to spend spell slots to heal in animal form. Normally not great as you dont get your a modifier but heck you can at least get maximum healing, you would have to check if you can spend your warlock slots to heal this way.
Dont forget gift applies to all healing you take, including spending hit dice and potions. This can have an odd effect if you are a paladin*(bard / magical secret) / warlock with a summoned steed. Any healing you receive from a spell you cast is applied to the steed as well, which when filtered through your familiar means your steed may receive maximum hitpoints from the same heal. (although your DM may quite rightly not agree with that specific set of circumstantial shenanigans)
Spell storing (such as a ring) with healing stored is an obvious choice to maximise your healing.
The big question is: Are you trying to offset damage taken or specifically intending to bleed over your opponents and use less healing resources? Taken from that perspective gift is not usually preferable to another invocation, such as voice. The oddly optimal option I have seen proposed is a divine soul sorcerer 3 / warlock 3 (and one continued as preferred) this will allow the sorcerer to have warding bond and share half the damage of the party tank. Normally this is offset by fiendish vigour but maximising your healing with gift would be a perhaps superior long term goal especially if you are a good aligned celestial warlock going forward and so able to heal you or your tank as necessary.
I had a thought. In order to maximize that invocation, you don’t want to build your character to avoid all damage. You want to be a target for your opponents instead of them targeting your friends and either heal yourself or have your friend who has healing spells heal you when you keep getting hurt.
I had a thought. In order to maximize that invocation, you don’t want to build your character to avoid all damage. You want to be a target for your opponents instead of them targeting your friends and either heal yourself or have your friend who has healing spells heal you when you keep getting hurt.
Your goal is to NOT have a super high AC.
Yes I agree. Although having high AC and being a target are not mutually exclusive. The goal should be incentivizing attacking you or not attacking your teammates. A few features that directly do this are things like ancestral protectors and unwavering mark. Less directly sentinel or even aura of conquest can give enemies a good reason to prioritize you. I should probably try to make a more exhaustive list.
The oddly optimal option I have seen proposed is a divine soul sorcerer 3 / warlock 3 (and one continued as preferred) this will allow the sorcerer to have warding bond and share half the damage of the party tank. Normally this is offset by fiendish vigour but maximising your healing with gift would be a perhaps superior long term goal especially if you are a good aligned celestial warlock going forward and so able to heal you or your tank as necessary.
I just reread warding bond and that is a pretty good combination with maximized self healing. I can see why it's an often overlooked spell, but it definitely has niche uses. Even some of the clerics domains could make a good warlock multiclass to take advantage of gift. Nature clerics get dampen elements which gives resistance to a range of damage types and could be used to maybe give yourself resistance to the damage taken from warding bond. They can also take shillelagh as their one druid cantrip to change their attack stat to wisdom.
A cleric 8/warlock 12 build would have some nice variety and nature cleric gives heavy armor at 1st. You could use cleric spells slots for the non upgradeable spells and warlock spell slots for the heals and attack/save spells. You could be an off tank/ blaster using EB primarily until you get mobs in range and then start popping them with your "walking stick". Warding bond does say that you can drop the connection early, and you could always prepare sanctuary as an OS button to help the full healer bring you back up. Hill Dwarf with +2 con +1 wis dwarven toughness for extra hp and not slowing down from 25 without the 13/15 for heavy armor would work well in that environment. That set up could get you 16, 15, 14 or 15, 15, 15 for constitution, charisma, and wisdom. Your main choice for which to start with would be which starting gear you want and which skills you want since birth have wisdom and charisma saves, d8 hit die, and you would get the armor and shield proficiencies from cleric regardless of where you start. If you really were worried about it, a dwarven nature cleric could actually start with a warhammer, a quarterstaff, a shield (potentially with the holy symbol emblazoned on it) and chainmail, which would mean savings down the road. You would only have 3 unique skills to choose from (persuasion, insight, and medicine) versus the wider selection from warlock while both have history and religion available. You could try to get a wizard or druid to cast mold earth to physically channel enemies to you, or anyone that can cast something like minor illusion to mentally channel them to you in addition to natural choke points if in doors.
I know you said that you didn't like the vampiric touch interaction with gift, but in this build, assuming your DM rules in favor of it maxing the damage because that makes the healing, you could flavor it as more of a drawing of the natural resources within the body thing and only use it as an emergency heal...perhaps your fingers turn into leaches or something. But it's not crucial for what you're trying to accomplish.
I do think that Grasp of Hadar and/or Lance of Lethargy would be great options for your invocations and EB spam, pull one creature 10 ft closer to you, reduce another's speed to 10 until your next turn. That along with battlefield preparations should ensure that you become a high priority target. That's very interesting.
If your going off the deep end: Go moon druid 10, sorcerer 3 warlock 3
At 10th wildshape lasts 5 hours, even as an elemental
Elementals are immune to exhaustion, you can pump iron all day, never sleep never tire. And that is why moon druids never sleep.
Sorcerers covert spell slots to sorcerer spell slots
Warlocks get recoverable spell slots on a short rest, Druids recover wildshape on a short rest, even in wildshape.
So elemental rest, transfer warlock to sorcerer, rest, repeat. It has been misguidingly believed that this wont allow you to stay with the party - WRONG. the other invocation you take is voice of the chain master and the familiar remains invisible with the party whilst you rest. you then force march / dash after them when your on the move, taking out one hour of every 5 to rest and you will still travel twice as far as them in a 'marching day' and have the time to do it again because YOU. NEVER. STOP.
After a day of down time meditating as an earth elemental below the ground you could easily devote half your day for warlock to sorcerer spell conversions. Thats 24 first level spells or 12 second (and sorcery points wasted if your 16th) and a half day (give or take 3 hours for resting) to potter around. Thats per day. You cant cast your spells, but you can use them to heal, maximised and you wont be running out any time soon, you also have your elemental form hitdice to spend, then rest and get a fresh elemental form with FRESH HITDICE to spend.
Thats not enough? Go full one man druid - earth elemental form, below ground, 10' reach, tremor sense, attack from concealment with advantage (you are so very hidden) your enemies can now attack you... through over 5 foot of earth. Thats known as total cover and so disallows attacks, if the 5' of ground wasnt obvious enough, you dont care you burrow and can pass through stone without leaving a trace. Oh? Whats that? you took the sentinel feat as well so the poor little mite cant run from you? Oh well. If you need to see your enemies final pain filled moments and dont simply want to kill 90% of all creatures in the monster manual with impunity, pop your head / sensory rocks and meatbag hammers above ground - thats still 3/4 cover bringing your elemental ac of 17 up to 22. If you do get hit, be a submarine dive, heal and then repeat. You are a gigantic I. WIN. button. You dont need a team you dont need other players, your a siege monster, hiding upstairs in buildings from you just makes the building a piggy bank you smash the foundations of before the xp falls out. Burrowing monsters cant see you if you dont move through stone - why? because you dont disturb natural earth. Your a submarine, except, you know, subterra. Throw warlock maximised healing into this and it gets worse, with a sorcerer as well? Healing spirit, maximised, all day every day. Make it rain hitpoints.
A cleric 8/warlock 12 build would have some nice variety and nature cleric gives heavy armor at 1st. You could use cleric spells slots for the non upgradeable spells and warlock spell slots for the heals and attack/save spells. You could be an off tank/ blaster using EB primarily until you get mobs in range and then start popping them with your "walking stick". Warding bond does say that you can drop the connection early, and you could always prepare sanctuary as an OS button to help the full healer bring you back up. Hill Dwarf with +2 con +1 wis dwarven toughness for extra hp and not slowing down from 25 without the 13/15 for heavy armor would work well in that environment. That set up could get you 16, 15, 14 or 15, 15, 15 for constitution, charisma, and wisdom. Your main choice for which to start with would be which starting gear you want and which skills you want since birth have wisdom and charisma saves, d8 hit die, and you would get the armor and shield proficiencies from cleric regardless of where you start. If you really were worried about it, a dwarven nature cleric could actually start with a warhammer, a quarterstaff, a shield (potentially with the holy symbol emblazoned on it) and chainmail, which would mean savings down the road. You would only have 3 unique skills to choose from (persuasion, insight, and medicine) versus the wider selection from warlock while both have history and religion available. You could try to get a wizard or druid to cast mold earth to physically channel enemies to you, or anyone that can cast something like minor illusion to mentally channel them to you in addition to natural choke points if in doors.
I know you said that you didn't like the vampiric touch interaction with gift, but in this build, assuming your DM rules in favor of it maxing the damage because that makes the healing, you could flavor it as more of a drawing of the natural resources within the body thing and only use it as an emergency heal...perhaps your fingers turn into leaches or something. But it's not crucial for what you're trying to accomplish.
I do think that Grasp of Hadar and/or Lance of Lethargy would be great options for your invocations and EB spam, pull one creature 10 ft closer to you, reduce another's speed to 10 until your next turn. That along with battlefield preparations should ensure that you become a high priority target. That's very interesting.
I think there's some good synergy here. It's a bit MAD, but not terrible. I tend to avoid having multiple attack stats. It's a shame that nature clerics don't get two druid cantrips because then you could eschew EB altogether and take thorn whip instead. Maybe there's a way to work that in.
I think the text of vampiric touch is quite clear. I would be embarrassed to even ask a DM to give it max damage.
If your going off the deep end: Go moon druid 10, sorcerer 3 warlock 3
At 10th wildshape lasts 5 hours, even as an elemental
Elementals are immune to exhaustion, you can pump iron all day, never sleep never tire. And that is why moon druids never sleep.
I definitely think this is off the deep end, not necessarily in a bad way. It's certainly a build I would never do partly because it comes online soo late. I do like your take on the coffeelock, but I think this would work fairly well without gift of the ever-living ones. This is the build for the player that wants to just be an elemental.
Edit: It might be worth it to reconsider divine soul sorcerer because twinning warding bond sounds legit (unless there's a large AoE). Just need to figure out how to reduce damage or gain resistance.
Having two attack stats is a bit of a problem, but if you are ignoring strength because you have the dwarf, it's no different than getting strength up to 15 or 16 for the armor normally and using it for melee. The flip side is you could focus wisdom, grab toll the dead from cleric as a main attack and have warlock cantrips and spells that are primarily buffs.
Edit: It might be worth it to reconsider divine soul sorcerer because twinning warding bond sounds legit (unless there's a large AoE). Just need to figure out how to reduce damage or gain resistance.
You can't twin warding bond, it targets two creatures (you and the creature you touch.) Still, warding bond is probably the best bet for funneling damage to yourself.
Blade Ward would get you resistance to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing if you don't have anything better to do with your action. You can gain a decent number of common resistances by being a tiefling with Infernal Constitution; that buys you fire, cold and poison. Alternatively, you could take 1 level in any cleric domain that grants heavy armor proficiency and take Heavy Armor Master.
Edit: It might be worth it to reconsider divine soul sorcerer because twinning warding bond sounds legit (unless there's a large AoE). Just need to figure out how to reduce damage or gain resistance.
You can't twin warding bond, it targets two creatures (you and the creature you touch.) Still, warding bond is probably the best bet for funneling damage to yourself.
Blade Ward would get you resistance to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing if you don't have anything better to do with your action. You can gain a decent number of common resistances by being a tiefling with Infernal Constitution; that buys you fire, cold and poison. Alternatively, you could take 1 level in any cleric domain that grants heavy armor proficiency and take Heavy Armor Master.
I disagree about warding bond.
This spell wards a willing creature you touch and creates a mystic connection between you and the target until the spell ends. While the target is within 60 feet of you, it gains a +1 bonus to AC and saving throws, and it has resistance to all damage. Also, each time it takes damage, you take the same amount of damage.
The spell ends if you drop to 0 hit points or if you and the target become separated by more than 60 feet. It also ends if the spell is cast again on either of the connected creatures. You can also dismiss the spell as an action.
I bolded the relevant sections. The spell text always differentiates between the caster and the target. Based on that I think there is only one target and it isn't the caster so a sorcerer should be able to twin cast it.
I've never considered taking blade Ward on a character, but this seems a good time for it.
Gift of the ever-living ones is a chain warlock invocation that allows you to get the maximum value from any dice rolled to heal you as long as your familiar is within 100’. This seems like an awesome invocation, but for a “standard” warlock this invocation doesn't seem that great. Most chain warlocks stay in the back line and shouldn't be taking too much damage. To really get value for gift of the ever-living ones, the warlock needs to be front and center maybe tanking but certainly front line.
The obvious solution is to go hexblade with booming blade or green flame blade, but I don't like it. I've become increasingly annoyed that the answer to every warlock build/multiclass question is hexblade. Likewise, the answer for any melee character with only one melee attack is BB or GFB. These options are very strong, but I'm trying to optimize around gift of the ever-living ones without them.
Possible issues:
Needs to be in melee range so eldritch blast doesn't work without also taking the crossbow expert feat. Reasonably low cost. Maybe also consider warcaster also for EB opportunity attacks. Probably would have to go variant human (another pet peeve of mine but maybe worth it).
Needs some way to get better than light armor unless the build involves maxing dexterity.
What are some reasonable build ideas that would be fun to play at all tiers which utilize gift of the ever-living ones to great effect? I think I would prefer to have the build be mostly warlock, but that's not mandatory.
For race, you could consider loxodon. Loxodon serenity, natural armor (12 + con mod for max of 17 plus shield options), and trunk for potential grappling or other shenanigans. This would let you focus on con and charisma without need to go dex or str. You have a +2 to constitution, +1 to wisdom (may not be useful) so you could standard array something like 13 str (for trunk, with a +1 down the road to get the +2 if you want it and don't want to go 15 or 16 to get the only nonmagical armor that would beat the 17 from natural armor), 8/10/12 for dex depending on preference, 14+2 for constitution, 8/10/12 for intelligence, 8/10/12 + 1 for wisdom (possible 13 for cleric or druid multiclass), & 15 Charisma for a final of 13/(8/10/12)/16/(8/10/12)/(9/11/13)/15 and allow you to max constitution and charisma with 4 ASIs and a half ASI feat for have 18s with 2 ASIs, a half ASI feat, and 2 other feats without going human variant. Grasp of Hadar to pull enemies closer with EB and some sort of AoE for when enemies are around you. Celestial Warlock, Cleric, or Divine Soul to get spirit guardians, cloud of daggers, wizard for fireball, etc... whatever floats your boat. Life cleric */Warlock =>3 could turn a bonus action healing word into 4(d4)+Wis mod (charisma if from celestial)+2+the spells level, which at 4th level would be 8-10 (depending on ability used and ASI usage) for a 1st level slot or 13-15 for a second level slot, while still being able to EB or attack. If you decide to hold off on the strength until you can get Gauntlets of Ogre Power, you could even rearrange for 8/(10/12)/16/(10/12)/14/15 to further increase that synergy if you didn't want to go Celestial Warlock.
Of course, you can do many other things if you do some sort of melee build (Bearbarian */Lock 3 does get a little MAD if you want to use unarmored defense but has the resistance to make that max heal devastatingly effective, Paladin*/Lock3 but not with lay on hands , Fighter/Lock3 includes Second Wind, etc), you're options open up a bit.
This does make the Durable feat pointless and makes Dwarven Fortitude interesting for builds without self heals, not to mention having all Hit Die be max.
It’s easy to take damage when you’re not in melee too, especially when you’re facing intelligent opponents. They’re intelligent enough to know that the spellcasters who are avoiding melee are doing lots of damage and are usually easy to hurt. Unintelligent opponents will focus on whoever is in front of them, but intelligent opponents start by focusing on the arcane casters.
A strategy that I’ve used before as a Warlock was to cast Armor of Agathys on myself and move through melee to draw attacks, do damage to the attackers, and give someone who’s bloodied a chance to withdraw without using a Disengage action so they can still attack. It almost always ends up with my Warlock taking damage too.
How will Vampiric Touch work with Gift of the Ever-Living Ones? That seems like a great synergy depending on how your DM decides the two work together. Will it automatically do max damage since it heals you and healing dice do max healing?
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Thanks for putting so much thought into your reply. I hadn't considered loxodon, but I think you are suggesting it mostly for the natural armor. 12+con can be outdone by just going tortle or getting medium armor proficiency. Both of these options tend to make characters less MAD. You suggest a lot of classes, but definitely celestial patron makes the most sense for the warlock.
For some reason I overlooked dwarves for that medium armor proficiency and I totally forgot that dwarven fortitude even existed. That makes the dwarf a strong and unconventional contender for a race; great idea. As a multiclass, I think moon druid makes a lot of sense for the maximized wild shape heals. The familiar could also help with the druid being unable to speak while wild shaped with 4 levels of warlock. This is a build I could be excited to play, but the deep dip into warlock really slows down the wild shape progression.
Great point on intelligent baddies.
Your comment on Armor of Agathys mixed with Jhfffan's suggestion for a barbearian/warlock in my head. Armor of Agathys on a barbarian/warlock doesn't sound too bad. That's a build that I would probably only take barbarian to level 5-6 for the extra attack and maybe extra rage per day and warlock the rest of the way. The higher level spell slots really beef up Armor of Agathys and the warlock's low number of spell slots matters much less if you are only rarely casting in combat. Probably go celestial warlock again for the healing dice pool. Bonus action healing that isn't spellcasting is great for the barbarian rage.
The interaction with vampiric touch is not exciting. Essentially dice are not being rolled for healing just for damage so there is no roll for gift of the ever-living ones to maximize.
It’s worth checking with your DM on Vampiric Touch. It’s a 3rd level concentration spell so every time you take damage you have to make a concentration check, plus some eldritch invocations are unique. It’s a stretch, but your Dm might let it work.
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Well, one great build might be hexblade 3/divine soul sorcerer 17. It isn't MAD, only needing a 14 DEX and focus CHA then CON. 9 cantrips (if I counted right), hex, spirit guardians, spiritual weapon, twinned and/or quickened booming blade and green-flame blade for 2-3 attacks per turn, all the cleric's healing spells. I know you said you wanted to avoid it, but it is a good build.
A celestial warlock that starts 2-5 levels of fighter or paladin can fit pretty well. Celestial warlocks get an ability that is basically healing word without spell slots and a few of the cleric's go-to heal spells. You can also get the fiendish vigour invocation for 8 temp HP as an action without slots.
Because hexblade can turn any MAD build into a SAD build, it's everywhere. I'm trying to avoid hexblade because it's soo good that it's in every build. Maybe I'm being too hipster with my builds, but I like to see variety in the game.
Fighter has some synergy with the second wind, but not much. I think paladin has less synergy except that they can cast healing spells, but honestly when I play paladin I save those slots for smiting. At least both options give a good reason to be up front.
Fighter and paladin are mostly to get weapon and armor proficiencies, a fighting style, Extra attack if you want it, then your choice of action surge and second wind, or lay on hands and heal spells.
You can take paladin to level 6 for aura of protection to eventually get +5 on all saves.
A big seller on loxodon is the natural armor. However, loxodon serenity gives advantage on saves against being charmed and frightened. The trunk can be used as a snorkel and can lift items up to 5 times your strength (40-100 lbs) up to five feet above your 6-7 ft frame. Want to help your slim rogue get the sneak on? Additionally, it can be used to grapple and gives you advantage on perception and investigation checks based on scent.
A tortle does start at the 17 max AC that a loxodon can get, but your +2 is to strength and your +1 is to wisdom. Medium armor gives 14+2 if you have a 14 in dex to start and maxes out at 15+2 unless you go magical. Both of those options are fine if you want to go strength or dex as part of your build.
If you want to be a front line blaster, you don't have to worry about sinking additional resources into those stats with Loxodon. Constitution gives you HP, con saves, and AC and Charisma gives you your attack power. If you did decide to go hexblade, you would have everything you need for combat (minus initiative) in two stats. On standard array, 14 or 15 to con gives 16 or 17 for +3 to con and 15 AC. That would match the 14+1 for scaled armor and 13 dex without disadvantage to stealth or the 45 lbs of encumbrance. Extra bonus, your HP increases faster to give you more to maximize Gift of the Ever-Living Ones, even if you never get a Hit Die larger than 8.
If you do go Barbearian and forgo dex, unarmored defense gets replaced with natural armor, and those d12s really grow the HP base. Forgo strength while looking for Gauntlets of ogre power (19 strength while equipped and attuned and your MAD build becomes less so. It could even be a personal quest that you talk to your DM about. The strength unlocks the trunks grappling ability leaving both arms available to attack, wield a shield, conduct music, cast magic, pick your nose, give your grappled enemy a wedgie, or whatever else you want to do.
The wisdom doesn't help directly, but could give options for your skills. Then you can drop the remaining 15 or 14 into Charisma and use however many ASIs boosting those stats including getting Resilient (Con) for +1 to constitution and proficiency in con saves.
The bottom line about Loxodon is that it gives you some flexibility. In where you put your stats and what skills can be interesting for you. The constitution based bonuses of the class mix well with casters and the Gift of the Ever-Living Ones. If many of those options don't appeal to your character concept, I'd suggest finding another, like the dwarf. But I do think loxodon could fit well in the concept and that's why I suggested it particularly because it gives a lot of flexibility like the human variant but in different ways than the human variant.
If your prepared to multiclass, 2 levels of druid (moon) allows you to spend spell slots to heal in animal form. Normally not great as you dont get your a modifier but heck you can at least get maximum healing, you would have to check if you can spend your warlock slots to heal this way.
Dont forget gift applies to all healing you take, including spending hit dice and potions. This can have an odd effect if you are a paladin*(bard / magical secret) / warlock with a summoned steed. Any healing you receive from a spell you cast is applied to the steed as well, which when filtered through your familiar means your steed may receive maximum hitpoints from the same heal. (although your DM may quite rightly not agree with that specific set of circumstantial shenanigans)
Spell storing (such as a ring) with healing stored is an obvious choice to maximise your healing.
The big question is: Are you trying to offset damage taken or specifically intending to bleed over your opponents and use less healing resources? Taken from that perspective gift is not usually preferable to another invocation, such as voice. The oddly optimal option I have seen proposed is a divine soul sorcerer 3 / warlock 3 (and one continued as preferred) this will allow the sorcerer to have warding bond and share half the damage of the party tank. Normally this is offset by fiendish vigour but maximising your healing with gift would be a perhaps superior long term goal especially if you are a good aligned celestial warlock going forward and so able to heal you or your tank as necessary.
Enjoy your gaming regardless and have fun!
I had a thought. In order to maximize that invocation, you don’t want to build your character to avoid all damage. You want to be a target for your opponents instead of them targeting your friends and either heal yourself or have your friend who has healing spells heal you when you keep getting hurt.
Your goal is to NOT have a super high AC.
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Yes I agree. Although having high AC and being a target are not mutually exclusive. The goal should be incentivizing attacking you or not attacking your teammates. A few features that directly do this are things like ancestral protectors and unwavering mark. Less directly sentinel or even aura of conquest can give enemies a good reason to prioritize you. I should probably try to make a more exhaustive list.
I just reread warding bond and that is a pretty good combination with maximized self healing. I can see why it's an often overlooked spell, but it definitely has niche uses. Even some of the clerics domains could make a good warlock multiclass to take advantage of gift. Nature clerics get dampen elements which gives resistance to a range of damage types and could be used to maybe give yourself resistance to the damage taken from warding bond. They can also take shillelagh as their one druid cantrip to change their attack stat to wisdom.
A cleric 8/warlock 12 build would have some nice variety and nature cleric gives heavy armor at 1st. You could use cleric spells slots for the non upgradeable spells and warlock spell slots for the heals and attack/save spells. You could be an off tank/ blaster using EB primarily until you get mobs in range and then start popping them with your "walking stick". Warding bond does say that you can drop the connection early, and you could always prepare sanctuary as an OS button to help the full healer bring you back up. Hill Dwarf with +2 con +1 wis dwarven toughness for extra hp and not slowing down from 25 without the 13/15 for heavy armor would work well in that environment. That set up could get you 16, 15, 14 or 15, 15, 15 for constitution, charisma, and wisdom. Your main choice for which to start with would be which starting gear you want and which skills you want since birth have wisdom and charisma saves, d8 hit die, and you would get the armor and shield proficiencies from cleric regardless of where you start. If you really were worried about it, a dwarven nature cleric could actually start with a warhammer, a quarterstaff, a shield (potentially with the holy symbol emblazoned on it) and chainmail, which would mean savings down the road. You would only have 3 unique skills to choose from (persuasion, insight, and medicine) versus the wider selection from warlock while both have history and religion available. You could try to get a wizard or druid to cast mold earth to physically channel enemies to you, or anyone that can cast something like minor illusion to mentally channel them to you in addition to natural choke points if in doors.
I know you said that you didn't like the vampiric touch interaction with gift, but in this build, assuming your DM rules in favor of it maxing the damage because that makes the healing, you could flavor it as more of a drawing of the natural resources within the body thing and only use it as an emergency heal...perhaps your fingers turn into leaches or something. But it's not crucial for what you're trying to accomplish.
I do think that Grasp of Hadar and/or Lance of Lethargy would be great options for your invocations and EB spam, pull one creature 10 ft closer to you, reduce another's speed to 10 until your next turn. That along with battlefield preparations should ensure that you become a high priority target. That's very interesting.
If your going off the deep end: Go moon druid 10, sorcerer 3 warlock 3
At 10th wildshape lasts 5 hours, even as an elemental
Elementals are immune to exhaustion, you can pump iron all day, never sleep never tire. And that is why moon druids never sleep.
Sorcerers covert spell slots to sorcerer spell slots
Warlocks get recoverable spell slots on a short rest, Druids recover wildshape on a short rest, even in wildshape.
So elemental rest, transfer warlock to sorcerer, rest, repeat. It has been misguidingly believed that this wont allow you to stay with the party - WRONG. the other invocation you take is voice of the chain master and the familiar remains invisible with the party whilst you rest. you then force march / dash after them when your on the move, taking out one hour of every 5 to rest and you will still travel twice as far as them in a 'marching day' and have the time to do it again because YOU. NEVER. STOP.
After a day of down time meditating as an earth elemental below the ground you could easily devote half your day for warlock to sorcerer spell conversions. Thats 24 first level spells or 12 second (and sorcery points wasted if your 16th) and a half day (give or take 3 hours for resting) to potter around. Thats per day. You cant cast your spells, but you can use them to heal, maximised and you wont be running out any time soon, you also have your elemental form hitdice to spend, then rest and get a fresh elemental form with FRESH HITDICE to spend.
Thats not enough? Go full one man druid - earth elemental form, below ground, 10' reach, tremor sense, attack from concealment with advantage (you are so very hidden) your enemies can now attack you... through over 5 foot of earth. Thats known as total cover and so disallows attacks, if the 5' of ground wasnt obvious enough, you dont care you burrow and can pass through stone without leaving a trace. Oh? Whats that? you took the sentinel feat as well so the poor little mite cant run from you? Oh well. If you need to see your enemies final pain filled moments and dont simply want to kill 90% of all creatures in the monster manual with impunity, pop your head / sensory rocks and meatbag hammers above ground - thats still 3/4 cover bringing your elemental ac of 17 up to 22. If you do get hit, be a submarine dive, heal and then repeat. You are a gigantic I. WIN. button. You dont need a team you dont need other players, your a siege monster, hiding upstairs in buildings from you just makes the building a piggy bank you smash the foundations of before the xp falls out. Burrowing monsters cant see you if you dont move through stone - why? because you dont disturb natural earth. Your a submarine, except, you know, subterra. Throw warlock maximised healing into this and it gets worse, with a sorcerer as well? Healing spirit, maximised, all day every day. Make it rain hitpoints.
I think there's some good synergy here. It's a bit MAD, but not terrible. I tend to avoid having multiple attack stats. It's a shame that nature clerics don't get two druid cantrips because then you could eschew EB altogether and take thorn whip instead. Maybe there's a way to work that in.
I think the text of vampiric touch is quite clear. I would be embarrassed to even ask a DM to give it max damage.
I definitely think this is off the deep end, not necessarily in a bad way. It's certainly a build I would never do partly because it comes online soo late. I do like your take on the coffeelock, but I think this would work fairly well without gift of the ever-living ones. This is the build for the player that wants to just be an elemental.
Edit: It might be worth it to reconsider divine soul sorcerer because twinning warding bond sounds legit (unless there's a large AoE). Just need to figure out how to reduce damage or gain resistance.
Having two attack stats is a bit of a problem, but if you are ignoring strength because you have the dwarf, it's no different than getting strength up to 15 or 16 for the armor normally and using it for melee. The flip side is you could focus wisdom, grab toll the dead from cleric as a main attack and have warlock cantrips and spells that are primarily buffs.
You can't twin warding bond, it targets two creatures (you and the creature you touch.) Still, warding bond is probably the best bet for funneling damage to yourself.
Blade Ward would get you resistance to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing if you don't have anything better to do with your action. You can gain a decent number of common resistances by being a tiefling with Infernal Constitution; that buys you fire, cold and poison. Alternatively, you could take 1 level in any cleric domain that grants heavy armor proficiency and take Heavy Armor Master.
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I disagree about warding bond.
I bolded the relevant sections. The spell text always differentiates between the caster and the target. Based on that I think there is only one target and it isn't the caster so a sorcerer should be able to twin cast it.
I've never considered taking blade Ward on a character, but this seems a good time for it.
I agree warding bond could be twinned.
Blade ward is rarely better than the dodge action.