Warlock Magic Question

[Yagyujubei]

Ok I'm confused about warlock magic....

if at 20th level of warlock you only get 4 spell slots of 5th level or lower, and warlock levels don't count towards caster level when multi-classing, why would the warlock spell list have spells up to lvl 9? as far as i know bard is the only class that gets do dip into other classes spell lists, so whats the deal here?

[Yuki Akuma]

Read the Mystic Arcanum class feature. Go on. I'll wait.

[Yagyujubei]

ah word, so that's why warlock gets a seemingly small number of spell slots then

EDIT: oh that and eldritch master...man I only skimmed warlock before but it's seeming super powerful now

[Yuki Akuma]

Remember, their normal spell slots recharge after a short rest. Warlocks have a lot more magical potency than their class table implies, thanks to their once-per-day spells, their at-will invocations, and their per-encounter spells (which they can recharge in only ten rounds at level 20, once per day).

[Yagyujubei]

I'm thinking 6 valor brd 14Lock could be pretty amazing now...

[Naanomi]

I'm thinking 6 valor brd 14Lock could be pretty amazing now...
Funny, my little bit of dinking with character planning makes me think low-level Bard into Warlock might be pretty solid also. I was making a 'perception' themed Warlock; playing around with options and came up with this:

Half-Elf Bard 3/Warlock 17; Sage

STR 10, DEX 12, CON 13, INT 17, WIS 14, CHA 19

Arcana, History; *Investigation*, *Perception*; Nature, Religion, Insight; (3) Deception, Intimidation, Persuasion
Flute, Shawm, Dulcimer
Common, Elven, Draconic, Deep Speech, Primordial

1) Bardic Inspiration (d6); *Mending, *Vicious Mockery, 1*Bane, 1*Dissonant Whispers, 1*Healing Word, 1*Charm Person
2) Jack of All Trades, Song of Rest (d6), *Heroism
3) College of Lore: Cutting Words, Expertize, 2nd
4) Alien Patron: Awakened Mind, *Eldritch Blast, *Magehand, 1*Armor of Aathys, 1*Hex//Counterpell (8)
5) INVC: Devil's Sight, INVC: Eldritch Sight; 1*Expeditious Retreat
6) Pact of the Tome: *Guidance, *Spare the Dying, *Resistance , 2* Mirror Image
7) Feat: Observant, *Prestidigitation, 2* Misty Step//Dispel Magic (10)
8) INVC: Book of Ancient Secrets, 3* Clairvoyance
9) Alien Patron: Entropic Ward, 3* Flight
10) INVC: Eyes of the Runelord, 4* Dimension Door
11) Feat: +1 CHA/CON, 4* Evard's Black Tentacles
12) INVC: Eldritch Spear//Witch Sight (19), 5*Contact Other Plane
13) Alien Patron: Though Shield, *Chill Touch
14) 5* Telekenisis, 6* Trueseeing
15) Feat: Dungeon Delver, INC: Agonizing Blast//Master of Myriad Forms (20)
16) *5 Scrying, *7 Plane shift
17) Alien Patron: Create Thrall
18) Invocation: Visions of Distant Realms, *5 Dominate Person, *8 Demiplane
19) Feat: +2 INT
20) *5 Dream, *9 Foresight


Half-Elf Bard grew up in Elven scholarly community, patronized and mostly ignored because she wouldn't live long enough for 'true scholarly work'; unsupervised and adventurous by nature, she stumbles on a forbidden Tome of Far-Realms Lore and... the rest is history

Mechanically: Passive Investigation of 27-32 means no secret not hidden by the Gods themselves is going to stay hidden; and a boatload of sensory magic (including a big host of always on/at will sensory Invocations) to bolster that roll. Can stack Guidance and Bard-Song to try to push me over 30+ if the Gods did hide something.

Also got enough skills to serve admirably as Loremaster and Party Face; has a big magic role to play with 'all the rituals', all while maintaining decent access to combat utility (basic Blasting, Counter/Dispel, Mobility, and Mind Control)

[Yagyujubei]

I was thinking of taking it to 6 for extra atk, then make my pact weapon a bow, which coupled with thirsting blade would allow for 4 atks per turn.

then with arcane archer I could apply Eldritch blast to each arrow I fired

which would do (1d8+4)+(3d10+4) (with agonizing blast) per shot if I'm reading things right

granted my math is usually horrible, but it seems amazing.


and like you said, you get tons of proficiencies and expertises wich make you great for story and skill check content as well, and bardic(combat) inspiration as well in there

[Naanomi]

I was thinking of taking it to 6 for extra atk, then make my pact weapon a bow, which coupled with thirsting blade would allow for 4 atks per turn.
Multiclass rules forbid stacking Thirsting Blade with other sources of Extra Attack; so no-go there.

Also, it has to be a Melee weapon.

Also, not sure what you mean by Arcane Archer in this edition.

I chose 3/17 as my break off point to still leave me access to Foresight (or, I suppose, another lvl 9 Spell)

[Falka]

OP, mind also that Warlocks regain spellslots with a short rest, rather than a long one.

So provided that you can rest between encounters, you'll notice that the WL is actually quite resilient against fatigue.

It's an awesome class, top 3 among my favorites.

[Yagyujubei]

Multiclass rules forbid stacking Thirsting Blade with other sources of Extra Attack; so no-go there.

Also, it has to be a Melee weapon.

Also, not sure what you mean by Arcane Archer in this edition.

I chose 3/17 as my break off point to still leave me access to Foresight (or, I suppose, another lvl 9 Spell)

ugh....stupid rules against attack stacking. About pact weapon though, I know it says blade at the beginning but then it says you may transform one magic weapon into your pact weapon and it doesn't really say it has to be a blade anywhere there. Again, it's an extreme technicality and a moot point now that I know that thirsting blade doesn't stack but I'm curious about it.

in that case I'll just grab sharpshooter so I can get an extra 10 dmg on both arrows. then it'll still be
(1d8+14) + (3d10+4) x 2. I can use inspiration dice to offset the -5 to atk

EDIT: as you can see I'm determined to make an arcane archer this time around since I love the idea of them and have never been able to before.

[Yorrin]

EDIT: as you can see I'm determined to make an arcane archer this time around since I love the idea of them and have never been able to before.

I dont think that feat made it into the final product...

[Malifice]

Remember, their normal spell slots recharge after a short rest. Warlocks have a lot more magical potency than their class table implies, thanks to their once-per-day spells, their at-will invocations, and their per-encounter spells (which they can recharge in only ten rounds at level 20, once per day).

I totally missed that they recover spells per short rest.

That actually makes the class good now.

[Yagyujubei]

I dont think that feat made it into the final product...

it did if my DM said it's ok to use it lol.

[Yorrin]

it did if my DM said it's ok to use it lol.

Ah. Well that changes things. Carry on.

[Naanomi]

About pact weapon though, I know it says blade at the beginning but then it says you may transform one magic weapon into your pact weapon and it doesn't really say it has to be a blade anywhere there.
For clarification, on Pg. 107; in the description of Pact of the Blade, it says 'You can choose the form that this melee weapon takes each time you create it (see chapter 5 for weapon options).'

[Yagyujubei]

For clarification, on Pg. 107; in the description of Pact of the Blade, it says 'You can choose the form that this melee weapon takes each time you create it (see chapter 5 for weapon options).'

yeah I know that's what it says there, but in the last paragraph if says "You can transform one magic weapon into your pact weapon by performing a special ritual while you hold the weapon"

so like I said if you wanna get super technical once you found a magic bow you could be like "OK I perform my pact ritual this bow is my pact weapon now"

that would be up to DM discretion, but meh.