I'm running a rogue, and through backstory shenanigans, he has a patron residing in his soul. I want to multiclass into warlock to bring this out, and the way I see it, I have two main options.
1. Soul Knife Rogue 14 Fiend Warlock 6
Rogue 14 gets me a 7d6 sneak attack and the invis soul knife ability at 13. Fiend warlock 6 gets me dark one's own luck and a few eldritch invocations.
Since I have pretty low level spell slots, this build would be more rogue focused, using warlock spells for utility.
2. Soul Knife Rogue 11 Fiend Warlock 9
Rogue 11 only sacrifices 1 sneak attack d6, leaving me at 6d6. In return, I get more eldritch invocations and higher level spells with warlock. With 9 levels in it, I could run a pact of the blade sneak attack set up, using the thirsting blade, eldritch smite, and life drinker invocations, and maybe armor of shadows for an AC of 18. (If i do choose this one, Im planning to ask the DM if my patron, the God of Violence, could have some sort of divine weapon that I channel with pact of the blade. I doubt it would be a broken magic weapon, but it would still be fun for lore reasons.)
Which multiclass option would be better? If there are any other better splits, please let me know.
In general it really depends on where you want to go with the character. To accomplish your goal you could probably go 2 or 3 levels of Warlock and stop and collect your winnings from multiclassing. Regardless I like to think more about the HOW you get there and then figure out how many levels. I generally recommend 1, 2, 3, 5th level as stopping points. In general levels 6-10 for warlock are difficult enough for a warlock. At that point while you get higher level slots, only having 2 per short rest is very difficult to work as a caster. In your particular instance getting to level 15 rogue at level 20 gets you save proficiency in Wisdom and Cha. That is plenty strong.
Level 1 Warlock - 1 slot/sr, Hex, ritual casting, Eldritch blast for ranged combat that scales with character level, true strike if charisma based, 1 invocation (pact of the blade for charisma based attacks, pact of the chain for exploration) Level 2 Warlock - 2 slot/sr recover 1 with magical cunning, 2 more invocations strongly suggest lessons of the first ones Level 3 Warlock - subclass, upgrade to 2nd level slots, going fiend gives you a reliable way to get temp hp and increase sturdiness Level 5 Warlock - pact of the blade extra attack, 3rd level slots, 2 more invocations
Assuming you are locked into Rogue soul knife, you may want GOO warlock subclass instead, not know much about soul knife, I am not sure if it compliments or duplicates soul knife. Both are about psychic damage.
For the warlock due to ASI feats, either do 1 4 or 8 levels.
At 5th and 7 level warlock does get decent add on free spells from the sub class.
Being a soul knife rogue, depending on the DM, your class energy weapon may not qualify for pact of the blade. Assuming it does not, do not go the route of pact of the blade. Follow the soul knife weapon path. That does leave you more invocations to use for buffs to rogue skills.
Ask your DM how a familiar (Pact of the Chain) will work as an ally. An invisible "imp" by RAW is an ally within a few feet, but not for RAI interpretation. Using an "imp" or devils sight you can cast darkness and see inside to provide you with some sort of cover to hide you. There is an invocation to turn invisible (with conditions) Gaze of two minds allow you to use a point of contact other than you to cast spells. There are two types of disguise oriented invocations.
The flow for pact of the blade requires a few invocations and because of a limited amount, it is hard to mix the blade path with the other non blade path.
For Warlock, I'd be looking hard at GOO (Psychic Spells FTW, especially on a Rogue), and then go Pact of the Tomb (for utility rituals - you don't have enough spell slots) and Pact of the Chain. You don't need to go Blade at all... you have combat covered already with Rogue. Imp, Quasit and Pseudo Dragon bring a lot to the table in and out of combat, and the Sphinx is great out of it...
I just got locked into soul knife, I'm at level 3 rogue. I think i decided in my backstory that the god was a fiend already, so i kind of locked my warlock subclass in too, but I think dark one's blessing and the fiend spells are still worth it anyway. Honestly, the campaign isn't too difficult combat wise, so I was looking for which would be more thematic for the patron, a homebrewed god of violence. If I take pact of the chain, I have a mischievous little gremlin imp who keeps asking for blood and murder, and if i take pact of the blade, I get to channel the god's divine weapon, which could be cool.
I think i decided in my backstory that the god was a fiend already, so i kind of locked my warlock subclass in too,
As you are level 0 warlock, you can still tweak it so by level 3 warlock the god might be fiend, but the actual patron is a GOO. That god is working with/for/?? the GOO.
...and if i take pact of the blade, I get to channel the god's divine weapon,
Two things, can the soul knife weapon be the god's divine weapon?
If you have pact of the blade, chances are that will "fight" the soul knife weapon. Either you choose one or the other. Not sure dual wield the two weapons is even feasible.
You will need to discuss with the DM how these two weapons can be used together. If they can't then going warlock (pact of the chain) might make you a much weaker character. There are about 5 invocations (which allow a spell to be cast every turn/segment (6 second interval) available at 3rd level that can boost your rogue. Spells that give you Jump/disguise self/add temporary HP/Pick a feat/120' darkvision in magical darkness.
Picking the two Pacts limits your options. At 5 level it can get worse as you want that 2nd attack so one new invocation is for a 2nd attack. the other is better have your Familiar attack/ alter self/invisible/Gaze=casting spells from someone or another creature and those previously mentioned that you do not have.
To repeat earlier, Pact of the chain sucks up the majority of the invocations if you choose that path. Having soul knife eliminates the need for that path opening you up to get more magic from the warlock side. Which means more magic = more Rogue buffs.
My DM said okay to using the imp to activate sneak attack, so I think I'm probably going with the pure chain path. That gives me 3 other invocations if I go to level 5, and 4 if i go to level 7. I want to be able to take an epic boon, which means i either go warlock 3 and then 19 and 20 get warlock 5 or i go warlock 7 and take rogue 12 and 13 last. It doesn't seem like higher spell slots help out much with utility spells, so should i just go for warlock 5? That would mean that my familiar gets buffed really late though.
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I'm running a rogue, and through backstory shenanigans, he has a patron residing in his soul. I want to multiclass into warlock to bring this out, and the way I see it, I have two main options.
1. Soul Knife Rogue 14 Fiend Warlock 6
Rogue 14 gets me a 7d6 sneak attack and the invis soul knife ability at 13. Fiend warlock 6 gets me dark one's own luck and a few eldritch invocations.
Since I have pretty low level spell slots, this build would be more rogue focused, using warlock spells for utility.
2. Soul Knife Rogue 11 Fiend Warlock 9
Rogue 11 only sacrifices 1 sneak attack d6, leaving me at 6d6. In return, I get more eldritch invocations and higher level spells with warlock. With 9 levels in it, I could run a pact of the blade sneak attack set up, using the thirsting blade, eldritch smite, and life drinker invocations, and maybe armor of shadows for an AC of 18. (If i do choose this one, Im planning to ask the DM if my patron, the God of Violence, could have some sort of divine weapon that I channel with pact of the blade. I doubt it would be a broken magic weapon, but it would still be fun for lore reasons.)
Which multiclass option would be better? If there are any other better splits, please let me know.
In general it really depends on where you want to go with the character. To accomplish your goal you could probably go 2 or 3 levels of Warlock and stop and collect your winnings from multiclassing. Regardless I like to think more about the HOW you get there and then figure out how many levels. I generally recommend 1, 2, 3, 5th level as stopping points. In general levels 6-10 for warlock are difficult enough for a warlock. At that point while you get higher level slots, only having 2 per short rest is very difficult to work as a caster.
In your particular instance getting to level 15 rogue at level 20 gets you save proficiency in Wisdom and Cha. That is plenty strong.
Level 1 Warlock - 1 slot/sr, Hex, ritual casting, Eldritch blast for ranged combat that scales with character level, true strike if charisma based, 1 invocation (pact of the blade for charisma based attacks, pact of the chain for exploration)
Level 2 Warlock - 2 slot/sr recover 1 with magical cunning, 2 more invocations strongly suggest lessons of the first ones
Level 3 Warlock - subclass, upgrade to 2nd level slots, going fiend gives you a reliable way to get temp hp and increase sturdiness
Level 5 Warlock - pact of the blade extra attack, 3rd level slots, 2 more invocations
What level are you now?
Assuming you are locked into Rogue soul knife, you may want GOO warlock subclass instead, not know much about soul knife, I am not sure if it compliments or duplicates soul knife. Both are about psychic damage.
For the warlock due to ASI feats, either do 1 4 or 8 levels.
At 5th and 7 level warlock does get decent add on free spells from the sub class.
Being a soul knife rogue, depending on the DM, your class energy weapon may not qualify for pact of the blade. Assuming it does not, do not go the route of pact of the blade. Follow the soul knife weapon path. That does leave you more invocations to use for buffs to rogue skills.
Ask your DM how a familiar (Pact of the Chain) will work as an ally. An invisible "imp" by RAW is an ally within a few feet, but not for RAI interpretation. Using an "imp" or devils sight you can cast darkness and see inside to provide you with some sort of cover to hide you. There is an invocation to turn invisible (with conditions) Gaze of two minds allow you to use a point of contact other than you to cast spells. There are two types of disguise oriented invocations.
The flow for pact of the blade requires a few invocations and because of a limited amount, it is hard to mix the blade path with the other non blade path.
For Warlock, I'd be looking hard at GOO (Psychic Spells FTW, especially on a Rogue), and then go Pact of the Tomb (for utility rituals - you don't have enough spell slots) and Pact of the Chain. You don't need to go Blade at all... you have combat covered already with Rogue. Imp, Quasit and Pseudo Dragon bring a lot to the table in and out of combat, and the Sphinx is great out of it...
I just got locked into soul knife, I'm at level 3 rogue. I think i decided in my backstory that the god was a fiend already, so i kind of locked my warlock subclass in too, but I think dark one's blessing and the fiend spells are still worth it anyway. Honestly, the campaign isn't too difficult combat wise, so I was looking for which would be more thematic for the patron, a homebrewed god of violence. If I take pact of the chain, I have a mischievous little gremlin imp who keeps asking for blood and murder, and if i take pact of the blade, I get to channel the god's divine weapon, which could be cool.
As you are level 0 warlock, you can still tweak it so by level 3 warlock the god might be fiend, but the actual patron is a GOO. That god is working with/for/?? the GOO.
Two things, can the soul knife weapon be the god's divine weapon?
If you have pact of the blade, chances are that will "fight" the soul knife weapon. Either you choose one or the other. Not sure dual wield the two weapons is even feasible.
You will need to discuss with the DM how these two weapons can be used together. If they can't then going warlock (pact of the chain) might make you a much weaker character. There are about 5 invocations (which allow a spell to be cast every turn/segment (6 second interval) available at 3rd level that can boost your rogue. Spells that give you Jump/disguise self/add temporary HP/Pick a feat/120' darkvision in magical darkness.
Picking the two Pacts limits your options. At 5 level it can get worse as you want that 2nd attack so one new invocation is for a 2nd attack. the other is better have your Familiar attack/ alter self/invisible/Gaze=casting spells from someone or another creature and those previously mentioned that you do not have.
To repeat earlier, Pact of the chain sucks up the majority of the invocations if you choose that path. Having soul knife eliminates the need for that path opening you up to get more magic from the warlock side. Which means more magic = more Rogue buffs.
My DM said okay to using the imp to activate sneak attack, so I think I'm probably going with the pure chain path. That gives me 3 other invocations if I go to level 5, and 4 if i go to level 7. I want to be able to take an epic boon, which means i either go warlock 3 and then 19 and 20 get warlock 5 or i go warlock 7 and take rogue 12 and 13 last. It doesn't seem like higher spell slots help out much with utility spells, so should i just go for warlock 5? That would mean that my familiar gets buffed really late though.