How does this level 4 build look?

[Rfkannen]

Hiya!

So I was planning my character till level 4, and was wondering if you think I should make any changes! Currently level 2. (we level fairly slowly) Already said im doing tome. Magic items, +1 rod of the pact keeper. equitment: dagger and studded leather armor.

So I am the parties only healer, we do have a debuffing wizard and a battlefield control bard though, and I think I can mostly keep up with my patron feature and cure wounds. Right now we only have 1 character who can fight in melee, the dex based barbarian, so I thought it would be good if I gained some melee power to act as an off melee.

Race tiefling, class warlock, patron celestial, boon tome. inspiring leader feat (dm ruled it stacks with level 10 feature)

stats 5 str, 17 dex, 10 con, 14 int, 11 wis, 20 cha.

class cantrips, eldritch blast, mage hand, true strike (this third one im not sure on.)

race cantrips: thaumaturgy

patron cantrips: sacred flame and light.

pact cantrips: green flame blade(picked over booming blade because of level 6 patron feature adding charisma damage), guidance, spare the dying (not sure if nececary considering I can heal)

Invocations: agonizing blast and book of ancient secrets

1st level spells. Hex, cure wounds, armor of agathys

2nd level spells, lessor restoration, hold person.

racial spell, helish rebuke.

rituals: find familiar, comprehend languages, identify (replacing one of these with ceremony would make character sense, but they all seem pretty nececary)

familiar: owl

So what do you think? Should I change anything?

edit: our party has a necromancer wizard in it, does that make tome bad? Tome makes a lot of sense for the character, but if it doesn't work I could change it to chain I suppose.

[djreynolds]

If possible take a level of draconic sorcerer. Get draconic armor, the shield spell, quickened and twinned metamagic, you can turn your pact spells into sorcery points as they are short rest.
1 to 2 levels when you can.

[Easy_Lee]

I think it's fine. Sorcerer is a good multiclass if you want to multiclass, but it sounds like you'd get more benefit from having the warlock features sooner.

[rbstr]

If you want to beef up your melee you might consider taking Moderately Armored, rather than inspiring leader at level 4. That'll get you medium armor and a shield for a good bump in AC.
You could also grab shillelagh as a tome cantrip to use your Cha for hit/damage with a staff which would mean you don't need to get more dex.
Also, then, hex isn't a great spell for you. You only hit once per round with GFB, you're in melee and much more likely to lose concentration. Think about it this way you could do 3d6 over 3 rounds to one target or use Burning Hands for 3d6 damage to a few targets.

If you plan on standing back more, though, I think things are pretty good.

Except true strike is simply bad. Get something else.

[KorvinStarmast]

Stick with Inspiring Leader.
Help the party. Good play, Mr Charisma.
Have fun, tell us how it goes! :smallbiggrin:
(True strike, though, is a cantrip that is far too often not apt for a situation).

[Waterdeep Merch]

If you want to beef up your melee you might consider taking Moderately Armored, rather than inspiring leader at level 4. That'll get you medium armor and a shield for a good bump in AC.
You could also grab shillelagh as a tome cantrip to use your Cha for hit/damage with a staff which would mean you don't need to get more dex.
Also, then, hex isn't a great spell for you. You only hit once per round with GFB, you're in melee and much more likely to lose concentration. Think about it this way you could do 3d6 over 3 rounds to one target or use Burning Hands for 3d6 damage to a few targets.

If you plan on standing back more, though, I think things are pretty good.

Except true strike is simply bad. Get something else.
There's a strong argument that true strike is the worst spell in the entire game, as it's noticeably worse than not casting it at all in almost every circumstance. The exceptions involve surprise rounds, rogues in featureless rooms without allies, and possibly high level eldritch knights that don't mind taking an inferior option. Switch it for booming blade, lightning lure, or sword burst depending on whether you'd prefer alternative damage types, a grab move, or an AoE. I'd recommend the AoE.

Hex is still useful with eldritch blast, though people are starting to win me on the fact that numbers say hex just isn't a very good use of limited casting slots.

While the rest is sound, I think you're going to realize rather early that warlock without hexblade or blade pact isn't going to be all that effective in melee. You'll shine better as a ranged blaster and healer, though your defense appears pretty solid. What really hurts you right now is wielding a shield while carrying a weapon- without the war caster feat, you're going to have some trouble switching in and out of casting and melee modes. Ask if you can use your rod like a club.

[Rfkannen]

Oh btw, this was brought up soomewhere else, we have a wizard in the party, does that make tomee a lot less good?


If possible take a level of draconic sorcerer. Get draconic armor, the shield spell, quickened and twinned metamagic, you can turn your pact spells into sorcery points as they are short rest.
1 to 2 levels when you can.

That sounds interesting, I could probably reflavor it somehow, maby as an angel bloodline to represent his pact changing him physically? Not sure how to reflavor the unarmered defense though.

When would you take it though? I don't see a good point for it that wouldn't put me behind the power level of the class. Also don't you not get metamagic until level 3?



There's a strong argument that true strike is the worst spell in the entire game, as it's noticeably worse than not casting it at all in almost every circumstance. The exceptions involve surprise rounds, rogues in featureless rooms without allies, and possibly high level eldritch knights that don't mind taking an inferior option. Switch it for booming blade, lightning lure, or sword burst depending on whether you'd prefer alternative damage types, a grab move, or an AoE. I'd recommend the AoE.

Hex is still useful with eldritch blast, though people are starting to win me on the fact that numbers say hex just isn't a very good use of limited casting slots.

While the rest is sound, I think you're going to realize rather early that warlock without hexblade or blade pact isn't going to be all that effective in melee. You'll shine better as a ranged blaster and healer, though your defense appears pretty solid. What really hurts you right now is wielding a shield while carrying a weapon- without the war caster feat, you're going to have some trouble switching in and out of casting and melee modes. Ask if you can use your rod like a club.

all right ill switch out true strike. Still not sure which one though, as sword burst seems better but an grab sounds useful...

I think ill mostly stay in the back eldritch blasting, it is just that only one character in our party can fight in melee at all, and I think it would be useful in some situations to have a melee option just in case.

[djreynolds]

Take it whenever, a level here or there. Each level gives a good perk.