Wizard/Sorcerer/Warlock

[XanOfFiveHills]

Hi guys,

Starting to build a character for a game and I have been asked to build a Wizard, Sorcerer or Warlock. I'll be very attack minded with spells magic user.

Can anyone recommend a good build?

Cheers

[Nibenay]

What level are we talking about? A sorc/warlock has decent spellpower by feeing his metamagic with easily regained warlock slots. Our 3/3 caster in our group easily matches the damage output of the lvl 8 fighters for several rounds using quickened agonizing eldritch blasts.

[eastmabl]

I don't think that the OP is looking to multi-class - but I could be wrong.

As a blaster mage, you wouldn't do bad with a straight wizard (evoker) or sorcerer (dragonic heritage).

[EvilAnagram]

Evocation Wizards are decent blasters, but I think Sorcerers and Warlocks shine in that arena. With Warlocks, Eldritch Blast will be your reliable damage source, with a couple spells there to help you. A Fiend Warlock with Chain Pact can do a lot of serious damage. Sorcerers are all about using metamagic to improve their spells, and all the archetypes accomplish this very well. I'm a fan of Wild Magic, but the others are still solid.

[gfishfunk]

Hi guys,

Starting to build a character for a game and I have been asked to build a Wizard, Sorcerer or Warlock. I'll be very attack minded with spells magic user.

Can anyone recommend a good build?

Cheers

I think Sorcerers are generally better blasters than Wizards, though Wizards can do it really well as well. Here is my take:

1. Warlocks: very simple blaster. If you don't like complex, go Warlock and realize that you are supposed to spam cantrips.
2. Sorcerer: Most spells are geared towards damage, and metamagic can mess with the effects.
3. Wizards: Most complex, but you can really build towards doing a lot of in combat and out of combat utility.

[Temperjoke]

I think Sorcerers are generally better blasters than Wizards, though Wizards can do it really well as well. Here is my take:

1. Warlocks: very simple blaster. If you don't like complex, go Warlock and realize that you are supposed to spam cantrips.
2. Sorcerer: Most spells are geared towards damage, and metamagic can mess with the effects.
3. Wizards: Most complex, but you can really build towards doing a lot of in combat and out of combat utility.

I want to add to this that all of them have potential to be complex, but at their basic level this is a good description. It all depends on your subclass choice and what you want to get out of it.

[Segev]

A warlock with spell sniper and eldritch spear has a range of 600 ft. with a d10-per-attack cantrip that suffers no disadvantage at that range and does more attacks per use at higher level (starting with a second one at level 5).

And it's force damage.

[Nicodiemus]

I played a Wizard (evocation) with a soldier background. The concept was he'd seen too many comrades killed by enemy magic and wanted to turn that power against his enemies. To this extent his choices were all very tactical in nature. The real plus of evocation is the ability to leave friendlies out of an AoE like fireball. And they only get nastier as the level ratchets up.

[Foxhound438]

you could always go necromancer wiz for armies of fodder, mooks are actually really powerful. I also like abjuration, even though it's not really damage focused.

for warlock i'd usually recommend going 1 fighter into warlock for heavy armor (don't need asi investment for AC above 16) and shields, stand there with AC 21 no problem spamming eldritch blast sounds okay. Eventually go fighter 2 for action surge, or maybe 3 for good stuff (better than an 8th invocation).

sorcorer shines most with 2 levels of warlock for agonizing blast on quickens. Otherwise draconic sorcerer for free mage armor effect is good, just make sure to pick a heritage type that will power up a useful cantrip for you, probably being fire or cold. quicken is always good, as is twin, both will effectively double your cantrip dpr as a pure sorc.

[PoeticDwarf]

Hi guys,

Starting to build a character for a game and I have been asked to build a Wizard, Sorcerer or Warlock. I'll be very attack minded with spells magic user.

Can anyone recommend a good build?

Cheers

Have been asked? So you may not decide what you play yourself.

If you have to play these all, I would say two levels warlock for good base DPR. You could go 3 sorcerer for metamagic but 3 points don't help that much and then wizard X because they can use base magic the best. Go for highest stat cha (this is your base attack/damage) 0-2 points lower int, then a decent con and dex and you could jump strength.

[Dimolyth]

Well, each of them can make decent character and decent blaster - if that is what you particulary seek. The difference is in game style, not their total efficiency.

blaster-warlocks: gives you ONE awesome trick. You will use it 70% of your time minimum. The trick is equivalent of "magic archer" style. You do have back up magic flexibility (2 times per shot rest) - of utility, area damage, control, etc.

blaster-sorcerers: has "one theme" tendences. That is more "fire mage" style. They boost their spells by one theme (fire, or thunder, or whatever). Metamagic says: I can cast my spells at that unique way nobody else can. Even, several unique ways nobody else can. But you will have to choose your known spells carefully - their quantity is the largest limit for sorcerer.

blaster-wizards: you are generally good and your spells are tactic-friendly. Any wizard is magical toolbox - they are made to prepared to most in-game situations - either in or out combat. You switch your prepared spells each day, you are extremly flexible. Though, less specialized.

That is up to you - what kind of style you want to play.
(And for clarification - in 5e clerics, druids and even bards can become blasters - though, not mainly blasters).

[Toadkiller]

I went tome fiend warlock. We have another sorcerer with warlock levels that had kind of wandered into my role a bit. So, I took a level of favoured soul. It broadened my spells and best of all gave me more cantrips. With all the ones from tome I now have a huge amount, 10 I think.

This gives me so many options of what to do that I only e-blast when I want to, not as my only useful choice. It's hard to explain, but that has allowed his caster to go one way and mine another, despite having similar builds.

Neither are "optimal" but they are both fun and I always feel like I have something I can do. My GM let me have the FS armor proficiencies when I multiclassed (perhaps not RAW) so I now can stand on the line for a bit with shillelagh and a shield, blast from the back or have 4 spell slots for other options.

My point being - look at the rest of the party and carve a space to play in. It's way more fun than a blank sheet "optimal" choice.