So we’re just about to start a new campaign and I’d just like an opinion on my new character
I’ve been playing big meat shields up till now but now I have a tabaxi warlock background charlatan
now I want him to be a con man Like the background smooth talker can convince you of anything can act disguise himself into anywhere kinda weird at times just a slippery fun character
now problem I feel he’s not strong enough for combat i really want him to be the all over charlatan character but making him like that I feel gives him less fighting options as he’s not storywise a fighter he can fight obviously but not a primary fighter though he’s the fiend patron spells from that list fireball what not eldritch blast of course I have never played spellcaster in our campaigns should I spring for hexblade warlock weapons armor? instead or am i just being inexperienced playing this way?
Hexblade is a perfectly valid way to go; but if you're going for slippery, I'd recommend getting used to the idea of being a range fighter. Instead of running up to be the tanky frontline, you could fly 30 feet straight up where the wolves can't reach and rain down eldritch horror upon them while they waste rounds attacking your Silent Image of a 15' tall mime with nunchucks. Or farstep, and light them up while they run around in circles just trying to catch you. You don't have to soak up hits to be dangerous in a fight. For what it's worth, it doesn't sound like you're inexperienced, it just sounds like you're looking for a different experience this time? I've never played the fiend patron at high levels, but I really like that Hurl through Hell ability they get at like 14, that just looks mean.
There is so much going on with Warlock at times that it can be hard to get your head around it all, they have lots of options but we'll just break it down into parts which will hopefully make your choices easier.
Patrons
I really like a few options here, because you're a warlock you're already charismatic and can really lean into this, but what subclasses, or Patrons, lend themselves to a trickster theme?
The Archfey - Fey Presence at level 1 immediately allows you to pull off some fun shenanigans, whether in combat or out, and Misty Escape is a great ability if you get caught out. The additional spells are nice too.
The Genie - Genies are known for their trickster nature [citation needed], always trying to turn wishes against the wish caster, and it makes sense that anyone willing to enter a pact with a genie is likely cunning themselves. Hiding in the Genie's Vessel is a great trick, and the Elemental Gift of flight can be used in many ways.
The Great Old One - I love the RP potential of Awakened Mind, say one thing out loud, say something else telepathically, shunt babble into someone's head, or suggestions, you can definitely get a trickster vibe.
Eldritch Invocations
These are the thing I love best about Warlocks, so many options, great variety to really steer you where you want to go, and some really great trickster RP options.
Beast Speech - Speak with animals at will, garner information you might not otherwise have access to, even have them perform mischievous tasks if your DM allows
Beguiling Influence - If you don't already have Deception and Persuasion, look no further!
Devil's Sight - If you're working in the shadows a lot, and like to cast darkness, this can do wonders.
Mask of Many Faces - The ultimate in deception and trickery, at will disguise self? Simply amazing.
Misty Visions - At will silent image for shenanigans, yes please!
One with Shadows - Invisibility can always be fun to toy with people.
There are others, mainly at higher levels, and maybe some I missed, but there are so many fun options here.
Pacts
I'd say that Pact of the Tome or Pact of the Chain are better here, but honestly you can get away with Blade too. Chain gives you a familiar, which is just rife with possibility, so is a good choice. Tome gives lots of versatility, extra cantrips (play around with illusions etc) which is always fun, amazing ritual casting options, so is my personal choice.
I won't talk about spells, but there are good options so you can definitely roll with this theme.
In combat, it can sometimes help to think of a warlock as an archer. You can just hang back and eldritch blast all day. It’s a one-trick build, but it’s a good trick, and no one says it’s weird that all the fighter does is shoot his bow. Pick up the agonizing blast invocation to be even better at it. You’ll be plenty useful. Then for out of combat, take spells that help with trickster and don’t worry about blowing things up.
My first thought is to try and fight your meat shield tendency. Don't take pact of the blade. Don't try to melee. Concentrate on being a spellcaster and a Warlock. Grab Agonizing Blast for your Eldritch Blast. Practice working from range staying out of melee and supporting from the back. Its all too easy to fall into the trap of playing all your characters the same.
Recently one of my fellow players who always plays meat shields played a rogue. He builds it with Sentinel to get off multiple sneaks, and in the first encounter he gets hit by multiple guys and nearly goes down. He was playing a rogue like a meat shield. Next campaign he is playing a Warlock pact of the blade. He charges up to help the meat shield who charged ahead. He gets surrounded and his brain gets eaten.
On my end I historically played rogues so I am skilled in the art of ducking in and out of combat. So I was playing a Ranger and I ducked out of combat when people were expecting me to stand my ground and meat shield (I even had the best AC in the party). The monk got chomped for a lot and asked what I was doing. Now I am playing an EB+AB Warlock and learning the ranged game vs. the in and out striker. Point is mix up your play styles.
For damage EB+AB is good damage (and you can add hex). You will be on average only putting out less than the Great Weapon Fighters and Sharpshooters. Play up the flavor of your warlock. I am really enjoying Celestial Pact with the Tome. It gave me Sacred Flame with a Cha bonus to damage. Now if the enemy has cover it gets holy radiant damage that doesn't care about its cover. They come in too close I have Word of Radiance. Shocking Grasp if I want to run away after hitting.
There is so much going on with Warlock at times that it can be hard to get your head around it all, they have lots of options but we'll just break it down into parts which will hopefully make your choices easier.
Patrons
I really like a few options here, because you're a warlock you're already charismatic and can really lean into this, but what subclasses, or Patrons, lend themselves to a trickster theme?
The Archfey - Fey Presence at level 1 immediately allows you to pull off some fun shenanigans, whether in combat or out, and Misty Escape is a great ability if you get caught out. The additional spells are nice too.
The Genie - Genies are known for their trickster nature [citation needed], always trying to turn wishes against the wish caster, and it makes sense that anyone willing to enter a pact with a genie is likely cunning themselves. Hiding in the Genie's Vessel is a great trick, and the Elemental Gift of flight can be used in many ways.
The Great Old One - I love the RP potential of Awakened Mind, say one thing out loud, say something else telepathically, shunt babble into someone's head, or suggestions, you can definitely get a trickster vibe.
Eldritch Invocations
These are the thing I love best about Warlocks, so many options, great variety to really steer you where you want to go, and some really great trickster RP options.
Beast Speech - Speak with animals at will, garner information you might not otherwise have access to, even have them perform mischievous tasks if your DM allows
Beguiling Influence - If you don't already have Deception and Persuasion, look no further!
Devil's Sight - If you're working in the shadows a lot, and like to cast darkness, this can do wonders.
Mask of Many Faces - The ultimate in deception and trickery, at will disguise self? Simply amazing.
Misty Visions - At will silent image for shenanigans, yes please!
One with Shadows - Invisibility can always be fun to toy with people.
There are others, mainly at higher levels, and maybe some I missed, but there are so many fun options here.
Pacts
I'd say that Pact of the Tome or Pact of the Chain are better here, but honestly you can get away with Blade too. Chain gives you a familiar, which is just rife with possibility, so is a good choice. Tome gives lots of versatility, extra cantrips (play around with illusions etc) which is always fun, amazing ritual casting options, so is my personal choice.
I won't talk about spells, but there are good options so you can definitely roll with this theme.
I love most of this but would make a few additional suggestions:
You mention no EB but I would make a case for it:
Agonizing Blast will make you feel in line with most martials....you get to add CHA to your eldritch blast so you are going to be doing just fine and its just one invocation to make it happen.
Repelling Blast is another one that gives you a lot of battlefield control so you can help push things into position.
Otherwise you could go full bladelock and hexblade which you could use a polearm or heavy weapon for and do some good damage....but you will have a high invocation tax to do.
alright then thank you for the answers! Your plenty right i just really need to get used to playing something ranged this time and not go running into the heat of battle like I always did elf liked your examples thank you ok coooll i think I’ll stay as is but add the eldritch blast invocations talked about thanks again fellow adventures!!!
Warlocks don’t get a ton of spell slots, so big, flashy, one-off spells like fireball don’t suite them well. Their main damage output is often eldritch blast, with Agonizing Blast, you’re as solid as any archer out there. I usually take 1-2 Concentration spells for options hex and darkness usually fit the bill, especially with Devil’s Sight added on top of the Tabaxi’s natural Darkvision. It is nice to have something like fireball in case you really really need it, but then the rest of my spells are usually chosen for use outside of combat. I also recommend a solid saving throw based cantrip (just in case), and then the rest of them would be all utility. I also suggest considering something like Magic Initiate or something to help pick up another couple of cantrips.
Whenever I make a Warlock, I try to stay pretty far away from the fray. I would look at Archfey if I were making a con-cat like you described. I would be thinking either Pact of the Chain or Tallisman. You’ll get a lot of use out of Chain. Oh, and avoid any Invocations that require a spell slot, you will never have enough of those.
Try to stay 90 feet away from trouble and blast it with eldritch power and you will not feel lacking for damage output. (Heck, your gonna make the Barbarian jealous.)
I love most of this but would make a few additional suggestions:
You mention no EB but I would make a case for it:
Agonizing Blast will make you feel in line with most martials....you get to add CHA to your eldritch blast so you are going to be doing just fine and its just one invocation to make it happen.
Repelling Blast is another one that gives you a lot of battlefield control so you can help push things into position.
Otherwise you could go full bladelock and hexblade which you could use a polearm or heavy weapon for and do some good damage....but you will have a high invocation tax to do.
Oh definitely, I really should have mentioned Repelling Blast, and to a lesser extent Grasp of Hadar (it annoys me that Repelling is unlimited, yet Grasp is once per turn), and can be extremely useful for positioning shenanigans.
Agonising Blast is hands down the most important feature if you're concerned about damage, there isn't much that can compete.
Niiiice ya i dident even think of the darkness and devils sight combination i could have some fun with that definitely i did fireball manly as a meny target spell thinking maby if we were facing a hoard of something i don’t know i think I’ll stick with the fiend I just like it’s abilitys the archfey was pretty cool but the fiend I think will help keep you alive longer re rolling saving throws extra life resistance that will definitely come in handy your right on the outside of combat choices that’s what I wanted to do but obviously I needed opinions on it thanks everyone
Fiend’s good too. Like I said, I personally tend to be minimalist with instantaneous damage spells on my Warlocks. It’s nice to have 1 or 2, but any spell with a longer duration makes me feel like I’m getting more use out of the spell slot. But that’s just me. I also tend to lean in to a concept, so if I’m doing a Con Artist, I’m less focused on combat and will let on EB+Concentration spell do my heavy lifting, meaning I’m hoping to kite and not need to make so many saves. But that’s also me. And if I wanted to be a con artist, being able to charm everyone in a 10-foot cube a few times/day looks too juicy to skip in my book. Especially since you can frighten too for combat applications. I like multitaskers.
Fiend is a little more combat oriented, so it hedges you for combat. Considering you’re used to bruisers, that makes sense you’re concerned with survivability. If you move-shoot-move, use this turn’s movement to position for next turn’s needs while making yourself a non-target, make smart use of your Tabaxi speed, you’ll realize survivability is only often an issue if you get caught out or the monsters/villains get wise to your threat level and hunt for you specifically. Most of the time you can make yourself a harder target than one of your teammates. (You don’t have to outrun the zombies, just the person next to you. 😜) Especially if you drop that darkness on yourself as mobile obscurement from which you can shoot unimpeded.
But really, when it comes to Warlocks, even the “bad patron” is still pretty good. And the base class is so right that it’s hard to go wrong unless you try to play them as a full caster instead of as a “full caster equivalent.” Just as good, but not the same so you gotta approach it differently for more optimal results. You’ll never really compete with a Wizard, Druid, Cleric, or Bard in terms of castiness. And barely compete with Sorcerers, less now with the new subclasses. I find I do better approaching them more the way I approach Artificers and Paladins. The spells are nice, but it’s all the rest of the class and subclass that shape how it performs and which spells are right for you. Eldritch Blast should have been a class feature for them attached to Pact Magic. (Heck, maybe make that another layer of option between that, an ”Eldritch Strike,” and an “Eldritch Forced Saving Throw” option. That way their 4 cantrips would feel like enough. (And I personally think they could have done with a single long rest spell slot they could use when they needed.)
I think if you want to go for a charlatan-type character, trying to build your warlock for melee doesn't make a lot of sense Charlatans are about trickery and generally don't rely on good armour like what the hexblade would provide. As others mentioned, look into building more of a ranged spellcaster. You could go for full ranged dps. However, keep in mind that having a lot of utility doesn't make you weaker in combat. You might be sacrificing some raw damage but that doesn't make you less effective if you have other tricks to make up for it.
Agonizing blast alone can give the warlock quite a bit of damage, so you can look to some more utility/trickster invocations for your other slot(s). Warlocks don't get many spell slots, so I like the idea of invocations that give you spells you can cast at will. They essentially give you 1st (or higher in some cases) level spells as cantrips. As an example, Misty Visions can provide a lot of versatility if you're creative with it. If you're being chased, you can use it to turn a corner and dip into a doorway, then use it to make that doorway look like just another section of wall. If you're setting a pitfall trap, misty visions can make a flawless cap to it. It'll look like just another part of the floor, and there's no chance that it won't collapse when someone walks over it. In combat, you could even use it to break line of sight for some cover.
It was a suggested option before but take another look at genie if you guys are using Tashas. Level 1, you have massive storage accessible once a day, con/rob people of their stuff, hide it away. It is also a place you can short rest in secret at level 1, as a short rest based class being able to steal an extra short rest while the party continues traveling is pretty solid. Level 6, resistance to paired damage and a flight power. level 10, your whole party can hide in it, quick short rest option, by then can do a long rest as well. Level 14 limited wish, which is just dope and fits a sort of charlatan miracle worker vibe.
Personally I prefer Dao for its spell list and parts of it fit a charlatans aconcept pretty well. Sanctuary is kind of like a con to get people not to attack you, spike growth are near invisible caltrops and meld into stone for hiding but for a con artist like character djinni and marid are solid choices thematically as well, a bit more so.
Now then level 3 pact of the chain. You have access to a invisible flying creature than is decent at stealth, can hold your genie container while you hide or at 10th your party hides in it, fly you to a destination allowing you to leap out unexpectedly. I don't know that screams charlatan to me.
It was a suggested option before but take another look at genie if you guys are using Tashas. Level 1, you have massive storage accessible once a day, con/rob people of their stuff, hide it away. It is also a place you can short rest in secret at level 1, as a short rest based class being able to steal an extra short rest while the party continues traveling is pretty solid. Level 6, resistance to paired damage and a flight power. level 10, your whole party can hide in it, quick short rest option, by then can do a long rest as well. Level 14 limited wish, which is just dope and fits a sort of charlatan miracle worker vibe.
Personally I prefer Dao for its spell list and parts of it fit a charlatans aconcept pretty well. Sanctuary is kind of like a con to get people not to attack you, spike growth are near invisible caltrops and meld into stone for hiding but for a con artist like character djinni and marid are solid choices thematically as well, a bit more so.
Now then level 3 pact of the chain. You have access to a invisible flying creature than is decent at stealth, can hold your genie container while you hide or at 10th your party hides in it, fly you to a destination allowing you to leap out unexpectedly. I don't know that screams charlatan to me.
Yep, I've just started my Genie (Marid) game and I'm really waiting for the opportunity for my vessel to get thrown at an unsuspecting enemy then bursting forth and laying the beat down. So many cool things you can do with it.
Not saying this fits the Charlton thing perfectly, but the genie lock gets a bit more legs out of undying servitude at 14th level. I generally consider it a trash invocation due to it being once a long rest so you never can really benefit from the more undead when reasserting control part unless your GM is really generous and lets you back to back long rests. But you could up cast animate dead to a 6th level spell with limited wish animating 4 humanoids, then use undying servitude to reassert control over those 4. 4 skeleton bodyguards in plate mail might be worth a invocation. And Djinni genie locks get seeming, so those undead can look like normal guards for 8 hours at least, or can look like other party members hopefully confusing an enemy, or look like you, 5 of you standing in the back, who do they attack?.
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So we’re just about to start a new campaign and I’d just like an opinion on my new character
I’ve been playing big meat shields up till now but now I have a tabaxi warlock background charlatan
now I want him to be a con man Like the background smooth talker can convince you of anything can act disguise himself into anywhere kinda weird at times just a slippery fun character
now problem I feel he’s not strong enough for combat i really want him to be the all over charlatan character but making him like that I feel gives him less fighting options as he’s not storywise a fighter he can fight obviously but not a primary fighter though he’s the fiend patron spells from that list fireball what not eldritch blast of course I have never played spellcaster in our campaigns should I spring for hexblade warlock weapons armor? instead or am i just being inexperienced playing this way?
Hexblade is a perfectly valid way to go; but if you're going for slippery, I'd recommend getting used to the idea of being a range fighter. Instead of running up to be the tanky frontline, you could fly 30 feet straight up where the wolves can't reach and rain down eldritch horror upon them while they waste rounds attacking your Silent Image of a 15' tall mime with nunchucks. Or farstep, and light them up while they run around in circles just trying to catch you. You don't have to soak up hits to be dangerous in a fight. For what it's worth, it doesn't sound like you're inexperienced, it just sounds like you're looking for a different experience this time? I've never played the fiend patron at high levels, but I really like that Hurl through Hell ability they get at like 14, that just looks mean.
There is so much going on with Warlock at times that it can be hard to get your head around it all, they have lots of options but we'll just break it down into parts which will hopefully make your choices easier.
Patrons
I really like a few options here, because you're a warlock you're already charismatic and can really lean into this, but what subclasses, or Patrons, lend themselves to a trickster theme?
Eldritch Invocations
These are the thing I love best about Warlocks, so many options, great variety to really steer you where you want to go, and some really great trickster RP options.
There are others, mainly at higher levels, and maybe some I missed, but there are so many fun options here.
Pacts
I'd say that Pact of the Tome or Pact of the Chain are better here, but honestly you can get away with Blade too. Chain gives you a familiar, which is just rife with possibility, so is a good choice. Tome gives lots of versatility, extra cantrips (play around with illusions etc) which is always fun, amazing ritual casting options, so is my personal choice.
I won't talk about spells, but there are good options so you can definitely roll with this theme.
In combat, it can sometimes help to think of a warlock as an archer. You can just hang back and eldritch blast all day. It’s a one-trick build, but it’s a good trick, and no one says it’s weird that all the fighter does is shoot his bow. Pick up the agonizing blast invocation to be even better at it. You’ll be plenty useful. Then for out of combat, take spells that help with trickster and don’t worry about blowing things up.
My first thought is to try and fight your meat shield tendency. Don't take pact of the blade. Don't try to melee. Concentrate on being a spellcaster and a Warlock. Grab Agonizing Blast for your Eldritch Blast. Practice working from range staying out of melee and supporting from the back. Its all too easy to fall into the trap of playing all your characters the same.
Recently one of my fellow players who always plays meat shields played a rogue. He builds it with Sentinel to get off multiple sneaks, and in the first encounter he gets hit by multiple guys and nearly goes down. He was playing a rogue like a meat shield. Next campaign he is playing a Warlock pact of the blade. He charges up to help the meat shield who charged ahead. He gets surrounded and his brain gets eaten.
On my end I historically played rogues so I am skilled in the art of ducking in and out of combat. So I was playing a Ranger and I ducked out of combat when people were expecting me to stand my ground and meat shield (I even had the best AC in the party). The monk got chomped for a lot and asked what I was doing. Now I am playing an EB+AB Warlock and learning the ranged game vs. the in and out striker. Point is mix up your play styles.
For damage EB+AB is good damage (and you can add hex). You will be on average only putting out less than the Great Weapon Fighters and Sharpshooters. Play up the flavor of your warlock. I am really enjoying Celestial Pact with the Tome. It gave me Sacred Flame with a Cha bonus to damage. Now if the enemy has cover it gets holy radiant damage that doesn't care about its cover. They come in too close I have Word of Radiance. Shocking Grasp if I want to run away after hitting.
I love most of this but would make a few additional suggestions:
You mention no EB but I would make a case for it:
Agonizing Blast will make you feel in line with most martials....you get to add CHA to your eldritch blast so you are going to be doing just fine and its just one invocation to make it happen.
Repelling Blast is another one that gives you a lot of battlefield control so you can help push things into position.
Otherwise you could go full bladelock and hexblade which you could use a polearm or heavy weapon for and do some good damage....but you will have a high invocation tax to do.
alright then thank you for the answers! Your plenty right i just really need to get used to playing something ranged this time and not go running into the heat of battle like I always did elf liked your examples thank you ok coooll i think I’ll stay as is but add the eldritch blast invocations talked about thanks again fellow adventures!!!
The EB invocation I am regretting not taking right now is repelling blast as a way to break grapples for friends and battlefield control.
Warlocks don’t get a ton of spell slots, so big, flashy, one-off spells like fireball don’t suite them well. Their main damage output is often eldritch blast, with Agonizing Blast, you’re as solid as any archer out there. I usually take 1-2 Concentration spells for options hex and darkness usually fit the bill, especially with Devil’s Sight added on top of the Tabaxi’s natural Darkvision. It is nice to have something like fireball in case you really really need it, but then the rest of my spells are usually chosen for use outside of combat. I also recommend a solid saving throw based cantrip (just in case), and then the rest of them would be all utility. I also suggest considering something like Magic Initiate or something to help pick up another couple of cantrips.
Whenever I make a Warlock, I try to stay pretty far away from the fray. I would look at Archfey if I were making a con-cat like you described. I would be thinking either Pact of the Chain or Tallisman. You’ll get a lot of use out of Chain. Oh, and avoid any Invocations that require a spell slot, you will never have enough of those.
Try to stay 90 feet away from trouble and blast it with eldritch power and you will not feel lacking for damage output. (Heck, your gonna make the Barbarian jealous.)
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Yeah, I always recommend Repelling Blast, Lance of Lethargy, and Grasp of Hadar. Control is key.
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Oh definitely, I really should have mentioned Repelling Blast, and to a lesser extent Grasp of Hadar (it annoys me that Repelling is unlimited, yet Grasp is once per turn), and can be extremely useful for positioning shenanigans.
Agonising Blast is hands down the most important feature if you're concerned about damage, there isn't much that can compete.
Niiiice ya i dident even think of the darkness and devils sight combination i could have some fun with that definitely i did fireball manly as a meny target spell thinking maby if we were facing a hoard of something i don’t know i think I’ll stick with the fiend I just like it’s abilitys the archfey was pretty cool but the fiend I think will help keep you alive longer re rolling saving throws extra life resistance that will definitely come in handy your right on the outside of combat choices that’s what I wanted to do but obviously I needed opinions on it thanks everyone
Fiend’s good too. Like I said, I personally tend to be minimalist with instantaneous damage spells on my Warlocks. It’s nice to have 1 or 2, but any spell with a longer duration makes me feel like I’m getting more use out of the spell slot. But that’s just me. I also tend to lean in to a concept, so if I’m doing a Con Artist, I’m less focused on combat and will let on EB+Concentration spell do my heavy lifting, meaning I’m hoping to kite and not need to make so many saves. But that’s also me. And if I wanted to be a con artist, being able to charm everyone in a 10-foot cube a few times/day looks too juicy to skip in my book. Especially since you can frighten too for combat applications. I like multitaskers.
Fiend is a little more combat oriented, so it hedges you for combat. Considering you’re used to bruisers, that makes sense you’re concerned with survivability. If you move-shoot-move, use this turn’s movement to position for next turn’s needs while making yourself a non-target, make smart use of your Tabaxi speed, you’ll realize survivability is only often an issue if you get caught out or the monsters/villains get wise to your threat level and hunt for you specifically. Most of the time you can make yourself a harder target than one of your teammates. (You don’t have to outrun the zombies, just the person next to you. 😜) Especially if you drop that darkness on yourself as mobile obscurement from which you can shoot unimpeded.
But really, when it comes to Warlocks, even the “bad patron” is still pretty good. And the base class is so right that it’s hard to go wrong unless you try to play them as a full caster instead of as a “full caster equivalent.” Just as good, but not the same so you gotta approach it differently for more optimal results. You’ll never really compete with a Wizard, Druid, Cleric, or Bard in terms of castiness. And barely compete with Sorcerers, less now with the new subclasses. I find I do better approaching them more the way I approach Artificers and Paladins. The spells are nice, but it’s all the rest of the class and subclass that shape how it performs and which spells are right for you. Eldritch Blast should have been a class feature for them attached to Pact Magic. (Heck, maybe make that another layer of option between that, an ”Eldritch Strike,” and an “Eldritch Forced Saving Throw” option. That way their 4 cantrips would feel like enough. (And I personally think they could have done with a single long rest spell slot they could use when they needed.)
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I think if you want to go for a charlatan-type character, trying to build your warlock for melee doesn't make a lot of sense Charlatans are about trickery and generally don't rely on good armour like what the hexblade would provide. As others mentioned, look into building more of a ranged spellcaster. You could go for full ranged dps. However, keep in mind that having a lot of utility doesn't make you weaker in combat. You might be sacrificing some raw damage but that doesn't make you less effective if you have other tricks to make up for it.
Agonizing blast alone can give the warlock quite a bit of damage, so you can look to some more utility/trickster invocations for your other slot(s). Warlocks don't get many spell slots, so I like the idea of invocations that give you spells you can cast at will. They essentially give you 1st (or higher in some cases) level spells as cantrips.
As an example, Misty Visions can provide a lot of versatility if you're creative with it. If you're being chased, you can use it to turn a corner and dip into a doorway, then use it to make that doorway look like just another section of wall. If you're setting a pitfall trap, misty visions can make a flawless cap to it. It'll look like just another part of the floor, and there's no chance that it won't collapse when someone walks over it. In combat, you could even use it to break line of sight for some cover.
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It was a suggested option before but take another look at genie if you guys are using Tashas. Level 1, you have massive storage accessible once a day, con/rob people of their stuff, hide it away. It is also a place you can short rest in secret at level 1, as a short rest based class being able to steal an extra short rest while the party continues traveling is pretty solid. Level 6, resistance to paired damage and a flight power. level 10, your whole party can hide in it, quick short rest option, by then can do a long rest as well. Level 14 limited wish, which is just dope and fits a sort of charlatan miracle worker vibe.
Personally I prefer Dao for its spell list and parts of it fit a charlatans aconcept pretty well. Sanctuary is kind of like a con to get people not to attack you, spike growth are near invisible caltrops and meld into stone for hiding but for a con artist like character djinni and marid are solid choices thematically as well, a bit more so.
Now then level 3 pact of the chain. You have access to a invisible flying creature than is decent at stealth, can hold your genie container while you hide or at 10th your party hides in it, fly you to a destination allowing you to leap out unexpectedly. I don't know that screams charlatan to me.
Yep, I've just started my Genie (Marid) game and I'm really waiting for the opportunity for my vessel to get thrown at an unsuspecting enemy then bursting forth and laying the beat down. So many cool things you can do with it.
Not saying this fits the Charlton thing perfectly, but the genie lock gets a bit more legs out of undying servitude at 14th level. I generally consider it a trash invocation due to it being once a long rest so you never can really benefit from the more undead when reasserting control part unless your GM is really generous and lets you back to back long rests. But you could up cast animate dead to a 6th level spell with limited wish animating 4 humanoids, then use undying servitude to reassert control over those 4. 4 skeleton bodyguards in plate mail might be worth a invocation. And Djinni genie locks get seeming, so those undead can look like normal guards for 8 hours at least, or can look like other party members hopefully confusing an enemy, or look like you, 5 of you standing in the back, who do they attack?.