What's the better route for a Melee Warlock

[Bolares]

I was thinking of building a melee fiendlock, and my first thought was to go the Blade route. But then I started thinking, maybe going book and getting GFB, Booming Blade and shillelagh would be better. What are your toughts about this?

[Jamesps]

I was thinking of building a melee fiendlock, and my first thought was to go the Blade route. But then I started thinking, maybe going book and getting GFB, Booming Blade and shillelagh would be better. What are your toughts about this?

Bladelock can do more net damage (use a maul, proc hex twice at 5th level, add charisma to damage at 12), but the cantrip melee sort will have much better defenses and you'll be able to invest in feats on account of only needing charisma. You'll want some better armor, either through medium armor mastery (shield plus half-plate) or by taking a level of fighter right off (con saves!).


So basically it's power versus tanky versatility.

[Kryx]

Exactly what James said - a Bladelock can do great damage (generally more than EB), but they must invest a lot to do so.

1 figher 19 bladelock is a pretty great build. If you want those cantrips go Wizard imo. Lack of charisma to damage really hurts.

[Bolares]

Other thing I think that comes to play is that with de cantrips you don't have a invocation tax, taking de darkness +Wichsight and/or agonizing blast earlier. I think I'm going for versatility + defenses +advantage other than straight damage. and as the levels grow GFB or booming blade will do more damage than a single extra attack (I guess, didn't run the math)

[MrStabby]

So bb or gfb are by themselves weaker if you would add hex. However, not adding hex is an option. If I remember ok, they are better for damage till warlock 12 if hex is not added.

Effectively getting one extra spell per short rest is not a bad bonus.

I have played a feypact tomelock/arcane trickster as a melee fighter and found it really good and a lot of fun as well.

[Easy_Lee]

Tome lock does overall comparable damage, but should stay out of melee since there's not reason to go there.

Delicious Cheese for Bladelock: Variant Human Polearm Master Fighter 1 / Warlock 19 with quarterstaff. Check the damage on Hex + Lifedrinker + 2 attacks + bonus action attack, add plate armor and shield, and you'll see what's up. Your DM may not appreciate this.

The I don't care about AC build: Pure fiend bladelock with GWM and a greatsword, hex, armor of agathys, hellish rebuke, and misty escape. Temp HP for days, and you'll make creatures regret attacking you. Misty escape covers your spacing.

[JakOfAllTirades]

My personal favorite is to go DEX instead of STR and take 3 levels in Swashbuckler. You get to add your CHA (which is awesome) to your Initiative, avoid opportunity attacks like a fool, and Sneak Attack practically at will. Not to mention all the other Rogue features you get at levels 1 and 2.

[Addaran]

Not sure if it's too late, but i did go the Tome Melee warlock route, as a variant human with moderately armored.

First lvl, i played mostly like a normal warlock (DM absolutly wanted me to have starting gear, so no armor...) with EB and prestigitation. 2nd lvl, i missed the game due to work.

Lvl 3, finaly! You get shillelagh. I decided to wait for the SCAG cantrips since i could always take them as warlock cantrips, instead of the special tome-cantrips. I was doing the most consistant damage in melee, with +5 to-hit and 1d8+3 while wearing a shield for 17 AC. (party of monk, melee-bard and war cleric) I used my spells for aoe with shatter, but you could up further your damage with hex or your durability with AoA or Protection from Good/Evil.

Lvl 4, took GFB and warcaster (to avoid annoying drawing-redrawing for spells) I still do good damage and an automatic 3 fire damage to a nearby enemie. Was exceptionnally good against the swarms we fought, since i by-passed the resistance with both damage.

Can't wait for lvl 5 where i'll always had fire damage to my main target. =D


Especialy with point-buy, where you can't have mega-stats everywhere (enabling insane bladelock damage) it's great to have basically everything tied to cha. I took 14 dex for the AC but i'll never have to up it more. You have lots of points left to go for your secondary role. (got int since i'm the knowledge guy) Since you don't need the two EB invocations (EB is still great for ranged attack, it's that or firebolt) you can have all the fun invocations you want. And since you don't need to go for PAM and/or GWM, your feats are also a lot free-er.

[NickDanger]

There is a pretty badass guide for a melee bladelock. search for "optimal dragonborn warlock for dpr ac with blade pact and fiend patron".

I have a post restriction so I can't provide a link