In the revamped Dungeons & Dragons, warlocks have received significant attention. Their unique type of magic, which is often obtained through deals, borrowing, or theft, offers rich storytelling possibilities that go beyond the classic bookish wizard or the privileged sorcerer. Not only are they enjoyable to roleplay, but they also prove to be a powerful class in both combat and social interactions.
Creating a warlock might seem daunting due to the wide range of choices available, leaving players worried about crafting a character that is both entertaining and engaging in the narrative. This guide aims to walk you through the essential decisions and explain how to weave them into a cohesive story.
How to Choose a Warlock Patron
Your subclass in warlock is dictated by your patron, and while you won’t receive unique features until level three, it’s essential to have a clear concept in mind from the beginning. This ensures that your character remains thematically coherent, guiding how you choose to play them.
The pact you select can dramatically influence your gameplay experience beyond the basic abilities of the warlock. Each subclass has a distinct role and brings specific strengths and weaknesses that influence how you operate in various situations.
| Patron | Class Identity | Playstyle | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archfey | Survivability | This patron excels in spells that help avoid damage and punish enemies targeting you. If your DM plays intelligent foes who focus their attacks on spellcasters, then the Archfey is an excellent choice. | Limited resources per day mean you depend heavily on your pool of Misty Steps to activate your features. |
| Celestial | Team Player | This class strays furthest from the warlock’s core identity, focusing on healing and temporary hit points. The Celestial warlock swaps personal power for helping their allies stay in the fight. In games utilizing gritty realism rules, this subclass transitions from a damage dealer to an outstanding healer while still capable of delivering damage. | You must carefully balance the resources committed to dealing damage and healing your team. Sometimes, it makes tactical sense to empower others instead of increasing your own power. |
| Fiend | Combat All-Star | The Fiend emphasizes personal survivability through temporary hit points, damage resistances, and strong saving throw options, combined with offensive spells. | Keeping track of your abilities is crucial: while choosing a daily damage resistance is powerful, it requires planning ahead and proactive use. |
| Great Old One | Roleplaying and Intrigue | Much of this subclass is left to flavor unless your DM integrates your pact into the narrative. Unfortunately, campaigns utilizing these themes are more likely to feature creatures resistant to psychic damage. |
Best Races for a Warlock
Your race choice will provide a mix of abilities that enhance your class and influence roleplay possibilities. While all options are viable mechanically, some races are particularly advantageous for warlocks:
- Orcs are thematically and mechanically suited for warlocks. Their abilities like Adrenaline Rush and Relentless Endurance pair well with the survivability of more fragile spellcasters.
- Goliaths offer versatile subtypes; Cloud Goliaths gain an extra pool of Misty Steps ideal for a fey warlock, while Stone Goliaths excel at tanking damage.
- Aasimars possess flight for a limited time without needing concentration, allowing for offensive and defensive play and bypassing agility challenges from your DM.
- Humans benefit from double origins, enhancing their character’s flexibility. The value of their Resourceful trait varies with how frequently your DM gives out inspiration.
- Dwarves gain Tremorsense, countering most invisibility or stealth maneuvers. This ability may lead to debates about what terrain is valid for its activation, but their toughness is a nice bonus.
Best Backgrounds for a Warlock
Your chosen background influences your starting ability scores and origin feat. Here are the top contenders, but any option granting a Charisma boost is a strong choice:
- Acolyte offers the necessary Charisma boost along with the Cleric Initiate feat. Access to Healing Word is invaluable if your party’s primary healer goes down in battle.
- Charlatan provides a Charisma bonus and allows a choice between Dexterity or Constitution, creating a solid combination of three useful ability scores. The Skilled feat may not stand out, but it’s never a disadvantage.
- Hermit‘s lore aligns perfectly with a great old one warlock, while its healing boost complements a celestial patron well.
- Wayfarer’s Lucky feat helps avoid critical failures, paired with Charisma and Dexterity boosts, which are both significant advantages.
If your DM permits a wider selection of ability scores beyond origins, choosing a scribe can be on theme. However, without a Charisma boost, it’s tough to justify.
How to Choose Eldritch Invocations
Eldritch invocations allow you to shape a significant portion of your class features by selecting options that resonate with your desired playstyle. This customized approach lets you create a warlock tailored to your vision rather than a one-size-fits-all character.
To maximize your effectiveness, consider the strengths of certain choices while staying true to the character concept you envision. Here’s a look at different activation types:
| Invocation Type | Examples | Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Damage Upgrades | Pact of the Blade
Agonizing Blast |
These invocations provide essential bonuses, making it nearly impossible for a warlock to fulfill their role without the added damage or accuracy. |
| Specializations | Lifedrinker
Thirsting Blade |
Some warlock playstyles necessitate certain invocations to function efficiently. Pact of the Blade warlocks must select related invocations when available. |
| Party Synergies | Repelling Blast | These invocations provide new tactical options that rely on teamwork. Repelling Blast can set up extra attacks for a polearm master or help an ally avoid disengagement, while Eldritch Smite can knock enemies prone, enabling a rogue’s Sneak Attack. |
| Problem Solvers | Otherworldly Leap
Mask of Many Faces |
These solve specific challenges typical in many campaigns. Otherworldly Leap is perfect for navigating terrain and altitude—eliminating the need for repeated Misty Steps. Mask of Many Faces is useful in campaigns focused on intrigue, provided you can impersonate effectively. |
| Versatility | Lessons of the First Ones
One With Shadows Gift of the Depths |
These options allow you to tackle areas where your class struggles, often in non-combat situations. For instance, if your rogue misses a session, One With the Shadows enables you to scout for the party. |
| Fun | Whatever you like! | Is there a practical reason to mix Lightning Lure and Repelling Blast? Not particularly, but it’s visual fun to imagine tossing foes back and forth like a magical yo-yo. |
Multiclassing for a Warlock
Warlocks have ample multiclassing opportunities due to a variety of Charisma-based classes, along with the dynamic capabilities of the Blade Pact, which lets them substitute Strength or Dexterity for martial class requirements.
Even if you don’t rely on Strength or Dexterity to wield weapons or armor, you’ll still need to meet the stat requirements for any multiclasses you wish to pursue.
- Bards can endow warlocks with skill expertise without hindering spellcasting. Keep track of which spells you acquire and from which class, since some invocations may only work with true warlock spells.
- A draconic sorcerer provides Unarmored Defense that scales with Charisma, enhancing durability. Metamagic also adds versatility, especially given the warlock’s limited spell slots.
- A one-level dip into fighter offers mastery of your pact weapon and Medium Armor Proficiency. If armor isn’t a priority, taking a rogue can grant weapon mastery, Expertise, Thieves’ Cant, and Sneak Attack instead.
- Both druid and wizard gain access to the spell Conjure Minor Elementals, which increases damage for all attacks you conduct in a turn. An Eldritch Blast warlock can enhance their damage but must deeply invest in the other class.
- One level of cleric offers Heavy Armor Proficiency but may need some storyline justification.