Hi. I’m designing a level 20 Celestial Warlock and have enough room to raise two stats to 20. One obviously should be Charisma, but I’m not sure what else. Constitution for HP? Dexterity for dodging? Any friendly advice would be appreciated. Thank you.
CON will give you a few extra HP, but 10 extra HP at level 10 will disappear in less than one hit on you.
DEX will give you +1 on reflex saves and AC, negating all the damage from those attacks - and helps with ranged weapon attacks if you ever find yourself unable unable to cast eldritch blast (or other cantrip).
If feats are allowed in your game (they are an optional rule those in my experiance most games allow them) then you will almost certainly gain more from feats like resiliant (con), warcaster, lucky, eldritch adept, alert, crossbow expert (so you can use edritch blast at close range without disadvantage) and inspiring leader than from ASIs in anything other than intelligence.
If feats arn't an option:
CON: While increasing con gives you a few extra hit points its biggest benefit IMO is that is increases con save modifier, increasing your likelyhood to maintain concentration on your spells. It is nothing like as effective as warcaster or resiliant con at this if your table doesn'rt allow feats if does make increases in con a viable option
DEX: Farling had most of the benefits here (though "reflex saves" is a term from older editions in 5e they are called dexterity saves). I would add that dex can help with finesse weapon attacks as well as ranged. Not being able cast eldritch blast is extremely rare in my experience but it is quite common to need to attack a creature within 5 feet of you. There may be occassions when when you want ot use eldritch blast at disadvantage because the reduced chance to hit is more than compensated for by the extra damage or you might have an extra kicker on your eldritch blast like repelling blast but they might also be occassions when you would prefer to hit them with a short sword. Improved dex also improves your initiative.
Comparing the two
a +1 to con saves is worth quite a bit more to you than +1 to dex saves
Improved initiative and AC is worth quite a bit more than the extra hit points
the improvement to ranged and finess weapon attacks is virtually useless but improved AC
Increasing dex will improve your stealth, acrobatics and slight of hand normally no skil checks are linked ot con.
Overall I would probably go with dex, though I might prefer 18 in each at level 20 to having 20 dex and 16 con.
Concur with looking at feats, and that DEX is probably second, but also: what is your role in the party? There might be a case for something other than Dex or Con, like maybe Wisdom or Intelligence. If you're dragonborn CON gets a boost because it helps the save on your breath weapon. If the game is RP-heavy and you are the primary Face, might go Wisdom to have the insight to back up your formidable CHA, or, if you are the main scholar, INT for those knowledge skills. In terms of feats, the suggestions already made are the combat-focused ones, I'd add that for a high-CHA character who isn't a primary damage-dealer, Inspiring Leader isn't bad, especially with a large party. Nothing wrong with 25 extra temporary HP each per day with no spell slot use! Alert, keen mind, observant, and lucky all have their uses depending on party composition and game.
If you are dead set on those ASI (which I wouldn't be, I'd pick up a feat or two), then I'd recommend DEX or CON. Both will increase your survivability, one by giving you a bonus to your AC and DEX saves, the other by increasing your HP.
i forgot to mention I was a Verdan (+2 Cha, +1 Con) with a blaster-like build.
I’ll try using feats instead, but at least i have a backup plan. I’m looking at actor, fey touched, and shadow touched, Resilient (Con), and inspiring leader. Although, I'm pretty sure Inspiring Leader doesn’t stack with my Celestial Warlock ability. Does it?
i forgot to mention I was a Verdan (+2 Cha, +1 Con.)
I will look into using feats. Some I’ve had my eyes on are Actor, Fey Touched, Shadow Touched, Resilient (Con), and Inspiring Leader. Although, I don’t think Inspiring Leader stacks with my Celestial Warlock’s Celestial Resilience, does it?
i forgot to mention I was a Verdan (+2 Cha, +1 Con.)
I will look into using feats. Some I’ve had my eyes on are Actor, Fey Touched, Shadow Touched, Resilient (Con), and Inspiring Leader. Although, I don’t think Inspiring Leader stacks with my Celestial Warlock’s Celestial Resilience, does it?
Your right you can't stack temporary hit points from celestial resiliance and inspiring leader. While you could give an inspiring leader speach after the temp HP from celestial resiliance have gone down if you can spare 10 minutes you can usually take another short rest so insiring leader is a bad feat for you (I forgot about celestial resiliance when I suggested it)
As long as you are using most of your pact slots on concentration spells I would prioritise something to boost your concentration. While at low levels warcaster helps this more than resiliant con by level 9 they are about equal and from level 13 resiliant con helps more. On top unless you have difficulties casting spells due to your hands being full (given you have got this far that is probably not the case) the other features of resiliant con are better:
Resiliant affects on constitution saves, things like poisoning are pretty common and warcaster does't help with these
+1 to Con if your con is odd this is as good as an ASI in con by itself if your con is odd consider something like skill expert as your next feat to boost your con and get something else (expertise in persuasion can be great for the face).
Warcaster allows you to cast a spell as an op attack but most of the time if there is an ememy next to you YOU are the one wanting to run away so this will rarely come up.
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Hi. I’m designing a level 20 Celestial Warlock and have enough room to raise two stats to 20. One obviously should be Charisma, but I’m not sure what else. Constitution for HP? Dexterity for dodging? Any friendly advice would be appreciated. Thank you.
Why bother with two 20s, rather than feats?
CON will give you a few extra HP, but 10 extra HP at level 10 will disappear in less than one hit on you.
DEX will give you +1 on reflex saves and AC, negating all the damage from those attacks - and helps with ranged weapon attacks if you ever find yourself unable unable to cast eldritch blast (or other cantrip).
If feats are allowed in your game (they are an optional rule those in my experiance most games allow them) then you will almost certainly gain more from feats like resiliant (con), warcaster, lucky, eldritch adept, alert, crossbow expert (so you can use edritch blast at close range without disadvantage) and inspiring leader than from ASIs in anything other than intelligence.
If feats arn't an option:
CON: While increasing con gives you a few extra hit points its biggest benefit IMO is that is increases con save modifier, increasing your likelyhood to maintain concentration on your spells. It is nothing like as effective as warcaster or resiliant con at this if your table doesn'rt allow feats if does make increases in con a viable option
DEX: Farling had most of the benefits here (though "reflex saves" is a term from older editions in 5e they are called dexterity saves). I would add that dex can help with finesse weapon attacks as well as ranged. Not being able cast eldritch blast is extremely rare in my experience but it is quite common to need to attack a creature within 5 feet of you. There may be occassions when when you want ot use eldritch blast at disadvantage because the reduced chance to hit is more than compensated for by the extra damage or you might have an extra kicker on your eldritch blast like repelling blast but they might also be occassions when you would prefer to hit them with a short sword. Improved dex also improves your initiative.
Comparing the two
Overall I would probably go with dex, though I might prefer 18 in each at level 20 to having 20 dex and 16 con.
Concur with looking at feats, and that DEX is probably second, but also: what is your role in the party? There might be a case for something other than Dex or Con, like maybe Wisdom or Intelligence. If you're dragonborn CON gets a boost because it helps the save on your breath weapon. If the game is RP-heavy and you are the primary Face, might go Wisdom to have the insight to back up your formidable CHA, or, if you are the main scholar, INT for those knowledge skills. In terms of feats, the suggestions already made are the combat-focused ones, I'd add that for a high-CHA character who isn't a primary damage-dealer, Inspiring Leader isn't bad, especially with a large party. Nothing wrong with 25 extra temporary HP each per day with no spell slot use! Alert, keen mind, observant, and lucky all have their uses depending on party composition and game.
If you are dead set on those ASI (which I wouldn't be, I'd pick up a feat or two), then I'd recommend DEX or CON. Both will increase your survivability, one by giving you a bonus to your AC and DEX saves, the other by increasing your HP.
Doh. Of course I meant DEX saving throws (our group had been playing PF1 up until the pandemic).
One of the few situations where eldritch blast wouldn't work is in anti-magic areas.
True another is if you are in the area of a silence spell and can't get out but they are very rare.(at least in my games)
Thank you all for your help!
i forgot to mention I was a Verdan (+2 Cha, +1 Con) with a blaster-like build.
I’ll try using feats instead, but at least i have a backup plan. I’m looking at actor, fey touched, and shadow touched, Resilient (Con), and inspiring leader. Although, I'm pretty sure Inspiring Leader doesn’t stack with my Celestial Warlock ability. Does it?
Thank you for all your feedback!
i forgot to mention I was a Verdan (+2 Cha, +1 Con.)
I will look into using feats. Some I’ve had my eyes on are Actor, Fey Touched, Shadow Touched, Resilient (Con), and Inspiring Leader. Although, I don’t think Inspiring Leader stacks with my Celestial Warlock’s Celestial Resilience, does it?
Your right you can't stack temporary hit points from celestial resiliance and inspiring leader. While you could give an inspiring leader speach after the temp HP from celestial resiliance have gone down if you can spare 10 minutes you can usually take another short rest so insiring leader is a bad feat for you (I forgot about celestial resiliance when I suggested it)
As long as you are using most of your pact slots on concentration spells I would prioritise something to boost your concentration. While at low levels warcaster helps this more than resiliant con by level 9 they are about equal and from level 13 resiliant con helps more. On top unless you have difficulties casting spells due to your hands being full (given you have got this far that is probably not the case) the other features of resiliant con are better: