Where to go with this drow bard/warlock

[Willie the Duck]

Hi, I'm looking for some advice on where next to go with this character.

We are running a drow campaign. Characters are evil, but we're all family, so we have a vested interest in each others' success (somewhat). Only core books plus SCAG and Volo's. Characters have to be drow (unless you enjoy being cannon fodder) and worship Lolth (unless you want to go up on the sacrificial alter). Very underdark-centric, but rangers and druids are allowed (paladins are not). It is something of a Monty Haul campaign, although the DM is also known to just double the number of opponents because it sounded fun at the time. We are 8th level
My character is a male NE Drow Bard (lore) 6 Warlock (fiend) 2.
Stats (rolled + some boosters)
S10
D20
C14
I12
W12
Ch23 (don't ask)
HP: 55
Bard spells:Healing Word, Heat Metal, Hold Person, Hypnotic Pattern, Invisibility, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation, See Invisibility, Silent Image, Stinking Cloud, Suggestion, and Vicious Mockery.
Magic secrets: Fireball and Prayer of Healing (I know Counterspell is the supposed best choice, but these have turned out amazingly good).
Warlock spells: Comprehend Languages, Eldritch Blast, Greenflame Blade, Hex, and Mage Hand.
Invocations: Agonizing Blast and One with Shadows
Magic Items: cloak of the bat, rapier+1, ring of protection, ring of spell turning, and studded leather+1

What do you think the next step should be? Go back to bard and work toward the high level spells (and if so, what level 10 magic secrets to take?), or advance in warlock and choose between chain, tome, and blade and advance along those lines? Thematically it king of works either way.

Thanks in advance for any and all advice!

[BestPlayer]

I would go for warlock 3 so you can get the pact feature and 2nd level warlock spells. Then I would go back to bard.

[JAL_1138]

I wouldn't go Warlock 3 if the campaign will run to high level--you lose the last Magical Secrets, which can be used for 9th-level spells. In the short run I wouldn't want to delay bard features and Spells Known any further either, but that's just me. Warlock 3 has a lot to offer. The higher-level Bard spells bring great healing, control, and utility, and more slots to use them with.

Prayer of Healing was kind of a waste--Aura of Vitality is much stronger for only slightly-higher cost. I might trade it out for another 2nd-level Bard spell like Silence and nab Aura of Vitality as a level 10 pick instead.

Level 10 Magical Secrets--Whether you do or don't grab Aura of Vitality, pick up Counterspell since you didn't nab it at 3rd. With 23 Cha and Jack of All Trades, you can practically shut down Elminster until you run out of slots. Circle of Power, Banishment, and Haste are other good choices.

[Willie the Duck]

I wouldn't go Warlock 3 if the campaign will run to high level--you lose theblast Magical Secrets, which can be used for 9th-level spells. In the short run I wouldn't want to delay bard features and Spells Known any further either, but that's just me. Warlock 3 has a lot to offer. The higher-level Bard spells bring great healing, control, and utility, and more slots to use them with.

Warlock 3 has some clearly interesting things, but do any of them particularly benefit this build? I'm not really worried about my level 20 abilities, so if there's an immediate benefit that outweighs the slowed advancement in bard abilities, I'm open to the option. I just don't see enough benefit from a familiar, more cantrips, or summoning a weapon.

Prayer of Healing was kind of a waste--Aura of Vitality is much stronger for only slightly-higher cost. I might trade it out for another 2nd-level Bard spell like Silence and nab Aura of Vitality as a level 10 pick instead. [/QUOTE]

Boy has my experience differed from this. Prayer of healing gives back 15 hp avg for 2nd level or 19.5 for a 3rd level spell. All to up to 6 creatures (and we always have 6 creatures). Aura of vitality is 7 hp/rnd for up to 1 min. if you can keep your spell up, and have a bonus action available. Am I missing something that makes AoV that much better (yes, in combat, but isn't that what Healing Word is for?)?

(And yes, silence is in the list of upcoming pick-ups)


Level 10 Magical Secrets--Whether you do or don't grab Aura of Vitality, pick up Counterspell since you didn't nab it at 3rd. With 23 Cha and Jack of All Trades, you can practically shut down Elminster until you run out of slots. Circle of Power, Banishment, and Haste are other good choices.

I will consider all of these. Thanks!

[JAL_1138]

Warlock 3 has some clearly interesting things, but do any of them particularly benefit this build? I don't think it's worth the tradeoff/delay in Bard abilities, personally, and don't recommend it. But the pact features can be nifty (Chain especially--familiars are quite useful), and it bumps your Warlock slots up to 2nd level, so it's not worthless.


Boy has my experience differed from this. Prayer of healing gives back 15 hp avg for 2nd level or 19.5 for a 3rd level spell. All to up to 6 creatures (and we always have 6 creatures). Aura of vitality is 7 hp/rnd for up to 1 min. if you can keep your spell up, and have a bonus action available. Am I missing something that makes AoV that much better (yes, in combat, but isn't that what Healing Word is for?)?

(And yes, silence is in the list of upcoming pick-ups)



I will consider all of these. Thanks!

Aura of Vitality works out of combat too. I wouldn't suggest using it in-combat at all. AoV averages 70 HP, and rolls enough dice it's going to be closer to average more often, which can be applied either to a single target (such as your party's frontliners or someone who got KO'd) or spread around, whereas Prayer of Healing can only be spread around. If you've got a few people who are really badly hurt, you can focus it mostly on them and give them a greater amount. That versatility is what makes it much stronger.

It also works a bit faster--you may not have ten minutes for a breather in a dungeon (odds are that you will, but I've been in and have run dungeons/scenarios where you couldn't stand around for ten minutes), but one minute away from danger is quite a bit easier to come by.

EDIT: For instance, say you've got a Barbarian and a Wizard who get KO'd during combat, but you and the Rogue are pretty much fine. You can funnel 70-ish into the Barb on one casting, 50-ish into the Wizard on casting no. 2, and spread the last 20 between yourself and the Rogue if you need it. Two lvl 3 slots, two minutes. You'd need to cast Prayer of Healing three times at third level, taking half an hour, to get 60-ish hp into the Barbarian and Wizard.

[Willie the Duck]

Those are all good arguments. I will consider it, along with Circle of Power, Banishment, and Haste as possible options to take alongside counterspell at level 12 (bard 10)