Can a warlock be a decent healer?

[RyanBeans]

Hello! Completely new here, and completely new to D&D. Given that, this seemed like the best place to resolve something me and my friends were planning earlier.
Basically we've been playing D&D for all of two weeks now, great fun but we're not exactly talented- for context, I died earlier today. Mourning aside, I was our only healer, a druid elf with miserable stats, so inevitably we're building me another character.
Long story short, I'd really like to make a character as different as possible from my old one without losing the healing role. Quite like the look of warlocks but they don't seem to specialise in healing too much- do you think it could be managed? Not too picky on background or race (though gnomes are cute ^^) so they could be bent to make the character as effective a healer as possible.
Thanks very much, hope I'm not screaming 'noob' too loud.

[SharkForce]

not as a warlock, really.

you could heal with feats, however. but it would have absolutely nothing to do with you being a warlock. well, maybe if you use inspiring leader as pseudo-healing, it would be tangentially related (presumably you have a high charisma as a warlock).

but yeah, warlock as a healer? nah. you could pull it off with a multiclass i guess, but you only get 2 spells per short rest, who wants to waste that on healing?

if you really have your heart set on healing, then i really do recommend the healer feat. but i also have to add, your party shouldn't need a dedicated full-time healer in 5e under normal circumstances.

[JellyPooga]

A multiclass Warlock/Life Cleric can be a very effective healer indeed.

Just a 1-level dip in Life Cleric puts Cure Wounds on your spell list and increases the healing by 2+spell level hp.

You also gain access to some fairly decently scaling spells to use with your Pact Magic. A Warlock 9/Cleric 1 can be looking at;
- Inflict Wounds : 7d10 necrotic touch attack
- Guiding Bolt : 8d6 radiant ranged attack
- Healing Word : 5d4+Wis+7 healing
- Cure Wounds : 5d8+Wis+7 healing
- Bane/Bless : up to 7 targets

Bearing in mind that you can use any two of these every Short Rest.

[Douche]

Would be cool if you could cast healing spells using Warlock spell slots, but someone on this forum yelled at me for suggesting such things. Can only use spell slots of a class to cast spells on that classes spell list.

That being said, doesnt the Undying Light warlock have a pretty sweet self heal?

[Falcon X]

To pull off the concept, you will want to multiclass somewhere or go with something of similar flavor. At the very least, you take a one level dip into Cleric or Bard just to get the Cure Wounds spell. However, I would recommend getting more sophisticated with it.

Some ideas:

Paladin/Warlock multiclass is a classic. Go for bladelock. You could be a fallen paladin (Blackguard from DMs Guide) who then made a pact with something dark. Or just flavor away as needed.

Ur-Priest: They haven't made an official class/subclass of it, but if your DM allows it, it could just be a reflavored cleric. The idea is a person who does not pray for his spells, but has instead found a way to steal spell power from the gods (or other beings), siphoning off slight, unnoticible amounts every day.

Githyanki: This is complete homebrew, but it's a solid one that any DM should allow if they allow extraplanar characters. Play a Ghustil Bard, which is a focus on healing. The flavor comes from your devotion to the Lich Queen, and you could even reflavor it into a Warlock-type relationship.
http://tribality.com/2015/03/02/richs-gameroom-the-infamous-gith-bonus-the-way-of-zerthimon/

[Foxhound438]

Would be cool if you could cast healing spells using Warlock spell slots, but someone on this forum yelled at me for suggesting such things. Can only use spell slots of a class to cast spells on that classes spell list.

That being said, doesnt the Undying Light warlock have a pretty sweet self heal?

no. not even close. PHB 164, spellcasting; pact magic: "... you can use the spell slots you gain from the pact magic feature to cast spells you know or have prepared from classes with the spellcasting..."

you might be referring to the fact that you can't learn or prepare spells from a class unless your levels in that class would give you slots of that level.

Anyways, for the OP i would suggest going some combo of warlock+paladin or warlock+bard if you really want to be a healing warlock. There's the UA patron that gives some stuff you might like, but that's not official material. i'd recommend 6 in bard, go lore college. Grab aura of vitality or mass healing word, plus whatever else you want (or both).

[RickAllison]

no. not even close. PHB 164, spellcasting; pact magic: "... you can use the spell slots you gain from the pact magic feature to cast spells you know or have prepared from classes with the spellcasting..."

you might be referring to the fact that you can't learn or prepare spells from a class unless your levels in that class would give you slots of that level.

Anyways, for the OP i would suggest going some combo of warlock+paladin or warlock+bard if you really want to be a healing warlock. There's the UA patron that gives some stuff you might like, but that's not official material. i'd recommend 6 in bard, go lore college. Grab aura of vitality or mass healing word, plus whatever else you want (or both).

This person has it. This is why a 1-level dip into another caster (*coughSorcerercough*) can be very useful for a Warlock as it doubles the number of slots, even if they are only at long-rest and for level 1.

[Corran]

Since you just started playing recently, I suggest you avoid complex multiclass builds, and instead play a single class that excels in healing-support. And since your last character was druid and you want to go with sth different, cleric is the best in the menu. If you really want to focus on your healing powers, you can choose the healing domain, which aside from making your healing powers better, it offers you with some very good proficiencies (heavy armor) which will make you ough and durable (not wantint to die again, ey?). Have a look at the other domains and dont be afraid to try a domain other than the healing one, if it looks cool to you. You will still be a cleric and you will still manage to heal and support your allies, even if you dont want to go with the healing domain. Finally, have a look at the cleric guides on this forum, you will find very good advice.

ps: Life domain, not healing domain, my bad.

[RickAllison]

If you get to around level 14, going with Undying Light as a pure 'Lock gives you the healing you might want without complex multi-classing. Pact of the Chain for an invisible familiar to use Help action, Eldritch Blast with invocations for damage and control. At that level, your character would be useful in many areas, but just wouldn't have a particular specialty.

[SpawnOfMorbo]

Since you just started playing recently, I suggest you avoid complex multiclass builds, and instead play a single class that excels in healing-support.

I just wanted to reiterate this.

===

But anyways...

Nothing slows down, hurts, and causes more problems than biting off more than you can chew.

Definitely look into it, but play single class for now.

Though, I'm a fan of switching spell lists as a base houserule. Sorcerers with Druid spells, Clerics with Wizard spells, Wizards with cleric spells...

I would allow a warlock to switch their spell list (this also takes away bonus spells from pacts most likely) with that of a cleric. If for no other reason than the fun of it.

Warlocks wouldn't have the flexibility of the cleric, being able to pick new spells each day, but they could get some interesting options without multiclassing.

I've actually found switching spell lists to be an easier way to get a multiclass character (not always) than to actually multiclass.

[Segev]

Would be cool if you could cast healing spells using Warlock spell slots, but someone on this forum yelled at me for suggesting such things. Can only use spell slots of a class to cast spells on that classes spell list.

That being said, doesnt the Undying Light warlock have a pretty sweet self heal?

As others have said, you can absolutely use your warlock slots to cast cleric spells. IT says so specifically in the multiclass rules.

And I don't think Life Cleric 1/Warlock X is overly complicated. It just expands your spells available. Sounds like a good build for a warlock with moderate to strong healing power, honestly.

[RyanBeans]

Thanks very much everyone! Honestly didn't expect such a good response ^^ I'll definitely look into the multiclass thing a little more, I'm mainly in it for the lore so the warlock backstory is what appeals to me most, but all else fails cleric could be fun. In life I was easily the weakest, but also the most valuable amongst four tanks.

[eastmabl]

I'm mainly in it for the lore so the warlock backstory is what appeals to me most, but all else fails cleric could be fun.

From a backstory standpoint, a warlock and a cleric can have pretty similar backgrounds.


A warlock makes a deal with a higher being called a patron who grants her magical powers beyond the commoner's scope. The patron expects the warlock to act in the world on his behalf.
A cleric makes a deal with a higher being called a deity who grants her magical powers beyond the commoner's scope. The deity expects the cleric to act in the world on his behalf.


In the second sentence, I only changed "cleric" and "deity."

[SpawnOfMorbo]

From a backstory standpoint, a warlock and a cleric can have pretty similar backgrounds.


A warlock makes a deal with a higher being called a patron who grants her magical powers beyond the commoner's scope. The patron expects the warlock to act in the world on his behalf.
A cleric makes a deal with a higher being called a deity who grants her magical powers beyond the commoner's scope. The deity expects the cleric to act in the world on his behalf.


In the second sentence, I only changed "cleric" and "deity."

I really wished they gave the cleric the same casting style as the warlock.

That was one of the first things I said when I played my first 5e cleric.

[MrStabby]

I don't want to say no to the idea of a life cleric warlock build, but I do see it differently. I see it as a powerful bladelock type character, possibly with even a touch more Cleric - but not a dedicated healer

Life cleric gives you heavy armour for close combat, by level 6 you can have 2 attacks and heavy armour, the ability to use your level 1 slots for spells like hex and keep your scaling slots for fireball or whatever. The deference to healing being things like healing word cast from a level 1 slot.

If you were to delve more into a dual class rather than a dip you get additional benefits. 3 cleric levels can get you spiritual weapon - a great use of a bonus action and a nice supplement to damage in long fights when cast out of higher level spell slots. 5 levels gets you spirit guardians, which is all-round awesome.

There are some tricks you could pull - the spell that lets you take damage instead of a team - mate, but coupled with fiendish temporary hitpoints and recovering hitpoints from healing others.


All in all though I think you might be better off going bard. You have more impact on between combat hitpoint recovery without using spell slots, you do get healing spells, you can use magical secrets to get the best cleric and/or warlock spells for your theme and the ASI you would probably lose from multiclassing you can spend to get heavy armour if you want.

[SpawnOfMorbo]

I don't want to say no to the idea of a life cleric warlock build, but I do see it differently. I see it as a powerful bladelock type character, possibly with even a touch more Cleric - but not a dedicated healer

Life cleric gives you heavy armour for close combat, by level 6 you can have 2 attacks and heavy armour, the ability to use your level 1 slots for spells like hex and keep your scaling slots for fireball or whatever. The deference to healing being things like healing word cast from a level 1 slot.

If you were to delve more into a dual class rather than a dip you get additional benefits. 3 cleric levels can get you spiritual weapon - a great use of a bonus action and a nice supplement to damage in long fights when cast out of higher level spell slots. 5 levels gets you spirit guardians, which is all-round awesome.

There are some tricks you could pull - the spell that lets you take damage instead of a team - mate, but coupled with fiendish temporary hitpoints and recovering hitpoints from healing others.


All in all though I think you might be better off going bard. You have more impact on between combat hitpoint recovery without using spell slots, you do get healing spells, you can use magical secrets to get the best cleric and/or warlock spells for your theme and the ASI you would probably lose from multiclassing you can spend to get heavy armour if you want.

I always like the idea of a Half-Orc Life Cleric that can enter melee... I might need to see what I can do with warlock added into the mix.

Yeah I'm a life cleric, and I'll be taking yours to add to my collection >:D

[PandaPhobia]

a celestial pact warlock with the pact of the tome would be a fitting healer that could work fairly well.

[sophontteks]

a celestial pact warlock with the pact of the tome would be a fitting healer that could work fairly well.
Yeah, if I could hazard a guess the celestial warlock wasn't out in feb 2016...

[GlenSmash!]

a celestial pact warlock with the pact of the tome would be a fitting healer that could work fairly well.


Yeah, if I could hazard a guess the celestial warlock wasn't out in feb 2016...

Indeed. this thread predates the Celestial Warlock.

[Theodoxus]

I played the Life 1/Celestial X. It's ok. I prefer Bard over Warlock for added healing (Aura of Vitality, specifically).

The 2 slots really kills any kind of sustained healing (a pure cleric of the same level has vastly more versatility with healing).

The ranged d6 heal is great for picking up fallen allies - which is probably the only really innovative thing they get. But a grave domain cleric is even better, gaining maximized heals on fallen comrades (and a decent roll on a life cleric blows even that away).

As support for a main healer, or if you've got a high AC/Damage reducing tank that takes the majority of hits, allowing you to blast - a celestial warlock can shine... but primary healing? After trying it, I give it a hard pass.

Full Disclosure: I played the combo in AL from 1 to 4. (Life 1/Warlock 3). I swapped to full cleric before level 5 because I simply needed more healing capability. If I could, I would have gone Cleric 3/Warlock 3 for the added spell slots (6 long rest slots would definitely help the issue). But I couldn't keep the front liners up with only 4 slots (2 long, 2 short). And not having the Channel Divinity from Life definitely hurt as well.

[Foxhound438]

Yeah, if I could hazard a guess the celestial warlock wasn't out in feb 2016...


Indeed. this thread predates the Celestial Warlock.

now we just need a warlock that's a good necromancer *badumtss*