warlock2/ sorc the rest did I screw up?

[dev6500]

I decided I wanted to play a sorcerer but still wanted eldritch blasts with the agonizing blast and repelling blast invocations so I multiclassed. So far I am warlock2/ sorc 1. For now its a little weaker than everyone else because I only have level 1 spells but once I hit lvl 5 I can quicken eldritch blasts. Is the 2 level delay in my regular spell casting going to be a huge hit? Is aiming for the best cantrip character foolish since I lose out on higher level abilities or atleast receive them later?

[Logical DM]

I decided I wanted to play a sorcerer but still wanted eldritch blasts with the agonizing blast and repelling blast invocations so I multiclassed. So far I am warlock2/ sorc 1. For now its a little weaker than everyone else because I only have level 1 spells but once I hit lvl 5 I can quicken eldritch blasts. Is the 2 level delay in my regular spell casting going to be a huge hit? Is aiming for the best cantrip character foolish since I lose out on higher level abilities or atleast receive them later?

Nope, it's a great single target build. It's a little less good than it could be because both sorcerer subclasses are crap, but being able to double blast each round deals great single target damage.

[GWJ_DanyBoy]

You'll likely be feeling the delay at it's worst at level 4, since you'll still be stuck at 1st level spells and lack the key feature of Metamagic. This is the sacrifice you made in order to get some great at-will ranged damage.

After that things get much better, as metamagic and higher level spells come online.

[Felvion]

One party member in a game i'm in is considering to make the same dip but he's worried about the consequences. I'd love to see some feedback from ingame experience...

[Myzz]

Twinned Eldritch Blasts sound fun =)

[Oscredwin]

It might play better to make the character Sorc3/Warlock2/SorcerorX, but that is just to make levels 3-4 better.

[Myzz]

For RP reasons, I prefer to add warlock onto a pre-existing class... You want to be an adventurer, but your too lazy or whatever to advance in your base class so you cheat and sell your soul to X to get warlocky stuff...

Starting as a warlock, is possible but boils down to being a nobody (no class levels) and wanting power and somehow having found a way to gain it without going into anywhere dangerous to do so... There are a billion ways to do this I know, but all seem vaguely similar and I dont usually like em... its just a preference thing...

That being said... I think EB as soon as possible is the best way to go. Why fling other cantrips leveling up when you could have EB...

So I'd likely go Sorc 1, Warlock 2, Sorc the rest

If your sticking Lock 2, presumably because you want your level 18 sorc feature???

I'd go Lock 3, Tome Lock and then put all the ritual spells you can get in there... AND never learn any of the rituals except maybe detect magic...

That helps offset the fact that Sorcs have so few spells known.

[miburo]

Not to mention, starting Sorcerer gives you Con save instead of Wis. If you plan on using Concentration spells a lot (say, Twinned Haste) then that Con proficiency can come quite in handy.

Tome Lock 3 only allows you to take 1st and 2nd level rituals, btw (1/2 your Warlock level, rounded up). I'm not sure that's worth the trade-off of being yet another level behind in Sorc spell progression. And you already have a ton of cantrips between the two classes.

[asorel]

Twinned Eldritch Blasts sound fun =)

Not to be a wet blanket, but, RAW, EB is a multi-target spell past 5th level, and thus can't be twinned.

[Easy_Lee]

Not to be wet blanket, but, RAW, EB is a multi-target spell past 5th level, and thus can't be twinned.

Yep, would have to be quickened depending on interpretation of multi-targeting. After all, acid globe is in the same boat.

[xyianth]

In my opinion, warlock and sorcerer are one of the few cases where multiclassing early is very well worth the delayed spell progression. Whenever I build one of these, I always use the same progression: sorcerer 1/warlock 3/sorcerer X.

Starting as a sorcerer gets you constitution proficiency and 4 cantrips (always use one of these on shocking grasp, it's the only melee tool you will ever need) Personally, I think dragon sorcerers are way better than wild sorcerers for this concept since permanent mage armor and flight are hard to compete with. (It should at least be noted that some DMs will allow at-will invocations to trigger wild magic rolls, effectively providing an ability to generate huge numbers of random effects if that is something you want to achieve.) If you choose draconic origin, some form of fire dragon (red, gold, or brass) is probably best since fire spells are very numerous and effective. Lightning and cold dragons are probably runners-up.

The next 3 levels are taken in warlock. At ECL 2, you pick up the eldritch blast cantrip, the hex spell, and 1 pact magic slot. Each pact magic slot refreshes every short rest, and the game is balanced around 2 short rests and 1 long rest per day. This means every pact magic slot is worth approximately three daily slots. A sorcerer 2 character has 4 cantrips, 3 1st level spells known, 3 1st level slots per day, and 2 sorcery points per day. A sorcerer 1/warlock 1 character has 6 cantrips, 4 1st level spells known, ~5 1st level slots per day, and 0 sorcery points per day. Since neither has metamagic yet, those sorcery points can only be used to create spell slots (2 = +1 extra 1st level slot). In every category, your multiclass character is stronger at ECL 2.

At ECL 3, you gain another pact magic slot, another 1st level spell known, and 2 invocations. I'm going to assume you select agonizing blast as one of them. The other one can be anything you like, but it will be traded out next level. This is the first level where you will feel a little behind non-multiclassed casters. A sorcerer 3 character has 4 1st level slots per day and 2 2nd level slots per day. They also gain metamagic effects, and will likely use their sorcery points to fuel them, so I'll stop counting those toward slot creation. A sorcerer 1/warlock 2 character has ~8 1st level slots per day. They do however get their casting stat to damage with eldritch blast, so cantrips are better for the multiclass character. Personally, I think the two characters are roughly even in capability, with the multiclass character having better endurance and the sorcerer having better alpha strike capability.

At ECL 4, you gain the tome pact and swap the other invocation to book of ancient secrets. Your pact magic slots upgrade to 2nd level, you gain any 3 cantrips, and you gain 2 ritual spells + the best form of ritual casting in the game. A sorcerer 4 character gets an ASI, a cantrip, and a 2nd level slot. The sorcerer has a total of 5 cantrips, 4 1st level slots and 3 2nd level slots per day. The sorcerer 1/warlock 3 character has a total of 9 cantrips, 2 1st level slots per day, and ~6 2nd level slots per day. The multiclass character is clearly stronger again at ECL 4.

From here you go back to sorcerer. At ECL 5, you gain font of magic, which has a special bonus for you over the sorcerer. You can convert warlock slots into sorcery points, and warlock slots refresh every short rest. You just gained the sorcerer capstone ability at ECL 5, and yours is even better since it works every short rest, not once per day.

You will be behind in maximum spell level, but your flexibility, cantrip damage, and utility magic (in the form of ritual casting) will far outweigh a single classed sorcerer. And you will still gain 9th level spellcasting by 20th.

[Theodoxus]

Agreed. And if you're really hooked on rituals, grab Ritual Caster and take Wizard. Sorcerer's only get two rituals past level 2: Water Breathing and Water Walking. Wizards get the most - though Cleric might edge them out on utility depending on what you're looking for (although finding/capturing a spellbook is probably easier than finding scrolls...)

Definitely a flavorful, well rounded caster that adds depth over pure casting power - being 3 levels behind can be hurtful, but sorcerer is sufficiently front loaded to make that ok; the cycling of warlock slots for sorcery points more than makes up for it, if there game has 2+ short rests per adventuring day.