Warlock level 4 Build Help

[BlueBiscuit]

So, my groups is going to finish HoTDQ soo-ish, and then we're going to take a break and someone will switch with and GM they're on adventure, as a breather before we go to Rise of Tiamat.

The campaign start at level 4 and for stats we went with 4d6 drop the lowest, in order. what I got was this:
Str 16
Dex 14
Con 14
Int 8
Wis 8
Car 14

Now, I've wanted to play a Warlock for a while, and I really like the Fiend patron, which also pretty campaign appropriate.
Pact of the Blade is where my inclinations go, but looking around for the guides and other discussions on the argument as only confused me on which builds are viable and which are not, which require feats which and what feats are best. I'd also ambivalent on multiclassing.

What do you suggest?

[ImSAMazing]

So, my groups is going to finish HoTDQ soo-ish, and then we're going to take a break and someone will switch with and GM they're on adventure, as a breather before we go to Rise of Tiamat.

The campaign start at level 4 and for stats we went with 4d6 drop the lowest, in order. what I got was this:
Str 16
Dex 14
Con 14
Int 8
Wis 8
Car 14

Now, I've wanted to play a Warlock for a while, and I really like the Fiend patron, which also pretty campaign appropriate.
Pact of the Blade is where my inclinations go, but looking around for the guides and other discussions on the argument as only confused me on which builds are viable and which are not, which require feats which and what feats are best. I'd also ambivalent on multiclassing.

What do you suggest?

Depends. What are the other members going to do? Warlock is great for damage at-will and sometimes / rest doing massive damage. Fiend Bladelock are born for each other, and you got the scores for it. If you don't have an arcane caster however, I suggest going Bard for support and nice spells. If you don't want to, Bladelock is the way to go if you will be on the frontline. If not, go with Chain if you want a very useful familiar or go for tome if you want to be support/utility(what you probably don't want).

[BlueBiscuit]

One of the party members is playing a Mystic Psion (yea I know, but GM allowed it) and the other is playing a Circle of the land Druid.

I've already played a Bard in another campaign, and I had fun with it, but I'm not interested in playing one right now.

[Spacehamster]

One of the party members is playing a Mystic Psion (yea I know, but GM allowed it) and the other is playing a Circle of the land Druid.

I've already played a Bard in another campaign, and I had fun with it, but I'm not interested in playing one right now.

If allowed start with oathbreaker paladin great weapon fighting up to lvl 7, rest fiend bladelock, if you ever get to lvl 19 you will do weapon damage + STR + CHA + CHA. :D and have nice short rest smite slots. ^^

[BlueBiscuit]

I don't think we're going to go beyond maybe lvl 7, so I'm more interested in builds that are viable and fun within that range. Also, as the OP, I'd prefer a non multiclass build over one that hinges on it, although I'm 100% against them.
I'll ask about the Oathbreaker.

[ImSAMazing]

One of the party members is playing a Mystic Psion (yea I know, but GM allowed it) and the other is playing a Circle of the land Druid.

I've already played a Bard in another campaign, and I had fun with it, but I'm not interested in playing one right now.
Allright. Sounds like a Warlock is a solid choice, and you are almost forced to become a Bladelock.


If allowed start with oathbreaker paladin great weapon fighting up to lvl 7, rest fiend bladelock, if you ever get to lvl 19 you will do weapon damage + STR + CHA + CHA. :D and have nice short rest smite slots. ^^
This is indeed great.


I don't think we're going to go beyond maybe lvl 7, so I'm more interested in builds that are viable and fun within that range. Also, as the OP, I'd prefer a non multiclass build over one that hinges on it, although I'm 100% against them.
I'll ask about the Oathbreaker.

Well, go Bladelock! At level 5 grab the invocation that gives 2 attacks with your pact weapon, upgrade your Str and Hex + Attack all day!

[BlueBiscuit]

How 'bout races? I'm thinking:
-Variant Human: The feat is a nice draw, but it doesn't boost my charisma
-Half-Elf: Great all around, but I've played this race with my Bard characters, so I'm looking for a different experience
-Tiefling: Boost charisma, has hellish rebuke 1/day, and flavor is nice.
-Dragonborn: Boost to Str and Cha, breath weapon, damage res, and I'm a cool lizard.

If there is any feat that could really make a difference for a bladelock I might go Variant, but with the starting level being 4 I could always pick the feat there.
Maybe medium armor proficency is worth it?

[Corey]

How 'bout races? I'm thinking:
-Variant Human: The feat is a nice draw, but it doesn't boost my charisma
-Half-Elf: Great all around, but I've played this race with my Bard characters, so I'm looking for a different experience
-Tiefling: Boost charisma, has hellish rebuke 1/day, and flavor is nice.
-Dragonborn: Boost to Str and Cha, breath weapon, damage res, and I'm a cool lizard.

If there is any feat that could really make a difference for a bladelock I might go Variant, but with the starting level being 4 I could always pick the feat there.
Maybe medium armor proficency is worth it?

You want some melee feat for Bladelock. Note that Polearm's 1d4 gets a Hex 1d6 added to it, if you keep Hex up.

You could go Mountain Dwarf for the armor. But yeah, that would leave you with low CHA. Whether you care depends on whether you use spells with save DCs, how much you think you'll use Eldritch Blast, etc.

Or you could just play a Paladin with these stats and play a Bladelock some other time. :)

[BlueBiscuit]

I love Paladins. They are my favourite class. I'm "the Paladin Guy" at my table. Paladin is the first thing that came to my mind when I rolled this stats.
But it's not what I want to play, and because of campaing reasons, paladin and Clerics aren't really a good fit for the PC party (no, we aren't playing an evil party).

[BlueBiscuit]

So, I decided to go Variant Human with Moderately Armored. Now, I'm wondering, for the 4th level, which is better:
taking the ability score, improving either Str to 20 or Charisma to 17, or War caster? Or maybe GWF?

[Tarvil]

So, I decided to go Variant Human with Moderately Armored. Now, I'm wondering, for the 4th level, which is better:
taking the ability score, improving either Str to 20 or Charisma to 17, or War caster? Or maybe GWF?

I strongly suggest to drop this feat and take something like GWF instead. Also, if you don't start as Fighter, Resilient (CON) seems more important than War caster. As Variant human, take STR and CHA stats, then upgrade them to 18 and 16 at lvl 4. Rest is up to you, but I recommend Resilient, CHA, STR and CHA

[BlueBiscuit]

But wouldn't that make me completely reliant on Armor of Shadows for AC? Isn't better to save the Invocation slot for something else?

[Ruslan]

Moderately Armored is great. It immediately ups your AC from 14 (leather+Dex) to 19 (halfplate+shield+dex) or at least 18 if you can't afford the expensive halfplate.

+5 or +4 AC is very significant in a world of bounded accuracy. Our party Warlock got Moderately Armored, and immediately went from "very squishy, constantly in need of protection" to "can hold her own in a fight"

[BlueBiscuit]

Not really though, because Half Plate costs way too much for a level 4 or starting character. Still a pretty good investment I think.

[PoeticDwarf]

You could start 1 fighter and then go bladelock, so you have the weapon profs. and fighting style.