Heyo! Anybody got an XP in heading into the frontline as a Tomelock once your party tanks all bail in the game?
We've been left with Druid, Sorcerer and my Warlock, and while our Druid DOES go full-bear occasionally, it's looking like I'm the frontliner for a bit.
Any ideas on how to best tackle this? I have Find Familiar Owl in order to Help in combat, and my STR is +3 so I'm doing ok so far, but I can't seem to get my AC or combat choices in a good place.
I would recommend the Armor of Shadows invocation to help your AC. I would think you would want DEX over STR, as I dont see the benefit of STR on a Warlock. Otherwise, get some good touch spells or save spells (cantrips preferably since you don't have many slots). Ask your DM if he will let you switch out your Tome cantrips to help you frontline better?
Yeah it was a build borne of character rather than min-max and now I'm paying for it! But leads to some fun work-arounds.
A cantrip that can help you out a lot is Booming Blade. It will help you compensate for the extra attacks of real martials, en lock down enemies. Armor of Shadows can also help with AC.
If you are open to multiclass, one level in fighter can really help out. Giving you Medium Armor, a Shield and some martial weapons like a Warhammer or Longsword to work with. Also Second Wind for a little extra health every short rest. Also there is a bunch of fun fighting styles, but Defense giving you an extra point of AC is great for some tanking.
Yeah 1 Lvl in Fighter is what I'm thinking, with Misty Step, Hex and all that jazz. I found a +2 Longsword so it makes sense! Any thoughts on how many levels to take? I'll go fighter 1 next level then maybe stick with Warlock the rest of the way, unless you think a Fighting Style would be great to have.
Lvl 2 fighter is good, but get it when you have at least 5 lvls of Warlock so that you can cast third level spells. The power boost from lvl 2 to lvl 3 in spells is nothing to sneeze at. lvl 4 is a bit less important, so you can afford to be behind a spell level at that point.
Lvl 2 fighter is amazing for one reason, Action Surge. Action Surge is an amazing ability to have, and it recharges on short rest.
Just to add, most end game Fighter lock builds are 17 levels warlock and 3 levels fighter. Since if you have 2 levels in fighter already, lvl 18 warlock is not that great. Level 18 warlock gives you one extra invocation. lvl 3 Fighter gives you a whole subclass.
But that's some real late game stuff that you probably don't need to worry about Since you wouldn't take that 3rd fighter level till after character level 15. Or you'd fall behind on spell power.
Yeah 1 Lvl in Fighter is what I'm thinking, with Misty Step, Hex and all that jazz. I found a +2 Longsword so it makes sense! Any thoughts on how many levels to take? I'll go fighter 1 next level then maybe stick with Warlock the rest of the way, unless you think a Fighting Style would be great to have.
If you have 13 Wisdom an alternative to the 1 level Fighter Multiclass would be a 1 level Cleric dip with something like War Domain which gives you proficiency with Heavy Armor and Martial Weapons. Since you have a +3 STR mod you can easily wear plate armor and wield a shield.
If you don't have 13 Wisdom then 1 level of Fighter would be a good choice, however if you plan or getting more than a 1 level multiclass dip then perhaps even Paladin may become a viable option.
Ah perfect yeah I'm at 5 Warlock now. Thanks for the breakdown; my concern was defintely keeping up spell levels to some degree. This is really damn helpful!
I did consider the Paladin multiclass, especially getting the spells to a nice level, but character and story-wise it'd be a stretch. Not writing it off just yet though!
I'd forget about martial melee and keep firing eldritch blasts. if you have Repelling Blast, you can keep foes off of you and it's going to be your best damage (assuming you also have Agonizing Blast).
Add Spirit Shroud and use a combo of Repelling Blast and your movement to do 2d8 extra FOR EACH Eldritch Blast. On a turn where you hit twice with EB, you'd do 2d8+2d10+CHA Bonus.
I would skip Armor of Shadows and get studded armor. You can also use a shield without proficiency, it just gives you Disadvantage on STR/DEX checks.
Spirit shroud needs you to be within 10 ft to do extra damage. And you can't be within 5 ft or get disadvantage on spell attacks without Crossbow expert or gunner. So that would be a very, very difficult way to get extra damage. If you employ repelling blast you should not be able to get spirit shroud on the 2nd EB either. While you can break up your move during your turn you can't interrupt a spell to move.
I'd forget about martial melee and keep firing eldritch blasts. if you have Repelling Blast, you can keep foes off of you and it's going to be your best damage (assuming you also have Agonizing Blast).
Add Spirit Shroud and use a combo of Repelling Blast and your movement to do 2d8 extra FOR EACH Eldritch Blast. On a turn where you hit twice with EB, you'd do 2d8+2d10+CHA Bonus.
I would skip Armor of Shadows and get studded armor. You can also use a shield without proficiency, it just gives you Disadvantage on STR/DEX checks.
Sorry, but I've offered the OP exactly what they asked for: "Anybody got an XP in heading into the frontline as a Tomelock once your party tanks all bail in the game?"
This is how I play my tomelock when the tanks aren't available or go down in battle or whenever I want to be closer to the frontline. I don't think it's the only answer, but it is AN answer and it works well for me.
Depending on how many sessions you've been level 5 and when the tanks bailed, you could ask your DM to retcon what you did at 4th level. Under Tasha's rules, you could've switched your pact from Tome to Blade, which would open up the Thirsting Blade invocation for two attacks per turn. Could also switch your ASI/Feat choice to Moderately Armored to bulk up the AC.
Just talking to your DM solves a lot of quandaries. ;-)
You could ask your DM if you could pick up or switch out Shillelagh as one of your Tome cantrips. That will let you use CHA on an attack with something like a quarterstaff. Use Booming Blade and perhaps Spirit Shroud if you don't want Shadow of Moil.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Heyo! Anybody got an XP in heading into the frontline as a Tomelock once your party tanks all bail in the game?
We've been left with Druid, Sorcerer and my Warlock, and while our Druid DOES go full-bear occasionally, it's looking like I'm the frontliner for a bit.
Any ideas on how to best tackle this? I have Find Familiar Owl in order to Help in combat, and my STR is +3 so I'm doing ok so far, but I can't seem to get my AC or combat choices in a good place.
Yeah it was a build borne of character rather than min-max and now I'm paying for it! But leads to some fun work-arounds.
Thanks for the help!
A cantrip that can help you out a lot is Booming Blade. It will help you compensate for the extra attacks of real martials, en lock down enemies. Armor of Shadows can also help with AC.
If you are open to multiclass, one level in fighter can really help out. Giving you Medium Armor, a Shield and some martial weapons like a Warhammer or Longsword to work with. Also Second Wind for a little extra health every short rest. Also there is a bunch of fun fighting styles, but Defense giving you an extra point of AC is great for some tanking.
I am also here.
Am snek.
Yeah 1 Lvl in Fighter is what I'm thinking, with Misty Step, Hex and all that jazz. I found a +2 Longsword so it makes sense!
Any thoughts on how many levels to take? I'll go fighter 1 next level then maybe stick with Warlock the rest of the way, unless you think a Fighting Style would be great to have.
Lvl 2 fighter is good, but get it when you have at least 5 lvls of Warlock so that you can cast third level spells. The power boost from lvl 2 to lvl 3 in spells is nothing to sneeze at. lvl 4 is a bit less important, so you can afford to be behind a spell level at that point.
Lvl 2 fighter is amazing for one reason, Action Surge. Action Surge is an amazing ability to have, and it recharges on short rest.
I am also here.
Am snek.
Just to add, most end game Fighter lock builds are 17 levels warlock and 3 levels fighter. Since if you have 2 levels in fighter already, lvl 18 warlock is not that great. Level 18 warlock gives you one extra invocation. lvl 3 Fighter gives you a whole subclass.
But that's some real late game stuff that you probably don't need to worry about Since you wouldn't take that 3rd fighter level till after character level 15. Or you'd fall behind on spell power.
I am also here.
Am snek.
If you have 13 Wisdom an alternative to the 1 level Fighter Multiclass would be a 1 level Cleric dip with something like War Domain which gives you proficiency with Heavy Armor and Martial Weapons. Since you have a +3 STR mod you can easily wear plate armor and wield a shield.
If you don't have 13 Wisdom then 1 level of Fighter would be a good choice, however if you plan or getting more than a 1 level multiclass dip then perhaps even Paladin may become a viable option.
Ah perfect yeah I'm at 5 Warlock now. Thanks for the breakdown; my concern was defintely keeping up spell levels to some degree. This is really damn helpful!
I did consider the Paladin multiclass, especially getting the spells to a nice level, but character and story-wise it'd be a stretch. Not writing it off just yet though!
I'd forget about martial melee and keep firing eldritch blasts. if you have Repelling Blast, you can keep foes off of you and it's going to be your best damage (assuming you also have Agonizing Blast).
Add Spirit Shroud and use a combo of Repelling Blast and your movement to do 2d8 extra FOR EACH Eldritch Blast. On a turn where you hit twice with EB, you'd do 2d8+2d10+CHA Bonus.
I would skip Armor of Shadows and get studded armor. You can also use a shield without proficiency, it just gives you Disadvantage on STR/DEX checks.
A quickie 5th level build: https://ddb.ac/characters/65016120/t3kcN0
Spirit shroud needs you to be within 10 ft to do extra damage. And you can't be within 5 ft or get disadvantage on spell attacks without Crossbow expert or gunner. So that would be a very, very difficult way to get extra damage. If you employ repelling blast you should not be able to get spirit shroud on the 2nd EB either. While you can break up your move during your turn you can't interrupt a spell to move.
Repelling blast isn’t automatic. It says you CAN move the target, not that you HAVE TO. This technique takes some finesse but it can work.
Once you’re getting +7 or more to hit, Disadvantage isn’t that big a deal on most opponents, IMO.
Sorry, but it's a bit counterproductive when someone asks about advice for a certain build to say: "Just don't play like that."
I am also here.
Am snek.
Sorry, but I've offered the OP exactly what they asked for: "Anybody got an XP in heading into the frontline as a Tomelock once your party tanks all bail in the game?"
This is how I play my tomelock when the tanks aren't available or go down in battle or whenever I want to be closer to the frontline. I don't think it's the only answer, but it is AN answer and it works well for me.
Depending on how many sessions you've been level 5 and when the tanks bailed, you could ask your DM to retcon what you did at 4th level. Under Tasha's rules, you could've switched your pact from Tome to Blade, which would open up the Thirsting Blade invocation for two attacks per turn. Could also switch your ASI/Feat choice to Moderately Armored to bulk up the AC.
Just talking to your DM solves a lot of quandaries. ;-)
You could ask your DM if you could pick up or switch out Shillelagh as one of your Tome cantrips. That will let you use CHA on an attack with something like a quarterstaff. Use Booming Blade and perhaps Spirit Shroud if you don't want Shadow of Moil.