Half drow Hexblade warlock bow or reach weapon (spear for example)

[LionHeadVillain]

Hello,

I am newish to D&D and want to try playing the new Xanathar's Hexblade warlock, we will be starting at 3rd level and will be running the curse of Strahd campaign.

I want to be more of a mid range character.
My group has a Goliath Barbarian, Orc storm cleric, Human bard, aarakocra rogue and a homebrew mousefolk witchdoctor.
I am leaning more towards pact of the blade and will be using improved pact weapon if i use a bow.

The reason I am posting this is that I need some help with optimizing it to be at least a bit decent in combat.
(my DM will most likely be trying hard to kill us).
The build doesn't need to be fully meta gamed, at the base of it I only need to know it it can work.

Any input will be much appreciated and I am happy to take any suggestions.

Summary:
Half Drow?
Hexblade warlock
Pact of the blade?
Bow or pole-arm of some kind
I can take feats and can multiclass
Point buy system

[Unoriginal]

Is half Drow an homebrew?

[LionHeadVillain]

Im using D&D beyond and its an option on there as a half elf drow you gain the normal half elf stuff but get drow magic.

[Aett_Thorn]

Is half Drow an homebrew?

It's an option that came about in the SCAG.

[Master O'Laughs]

The half-drow is from SCAG, it lists it under the elven heritage blurb for half-elves. You give up your 2 skill proficiencies and pick an elven heritage to better exemplify. Woof elves gets you either increased movement or hide in foliage abilities, high-elf gets you a free cantrip, eladrin might be listed and you get the misty step ability, and drow gets you drow spell casting I believe.

Take all the above with a grain of salt for I am AFB currently.

[Aett_Thorn]

Woof elves

You mean we can finally merge elves with dogs?! Yes! Loyal and long-lived!


But back to the topic at hand, OP: First off, play what you like. It's hard to truly underpower or screw yourself over in 5e, so if you want to play something, go for it.

That being said, with your party composition, I would suggest going with the bow, or even going with another Hexblade or any other Patron type and mainly using Eldritch Blast at range (heck, fluff it as an Arcane Bow and have fun). I'm not sure what the Witchdoctor can do, but going Tomelock opens up some extra cantrips and eventually the ability to cast rituals for some added utility that your party is lacking now.

[Dudewithknives]

Hello,

I am newish to D&D and want to try playing the new Xanathar's Hexblade warlock, we will be starting at 3rd level and will be running the curse of Strahd campaign.

I want to be more of a mid range character.
My group has a Goliath Barbarian, Orc storm cleric, Human bard, aarakocra rogue and a homebrew mousefolk witchdoctor.
I am leaning more towards pact of the blade and will be using improved pact weapon if i use a bow.

The reason I am posting this is that I need some help with optimizing it to be at least a bit decent in combat.
(my DM will most likely be trying hard to kill us).
The build doesn't need to be fully meta gamed, at the base of it I only need to know it it can work.

Any input will be much appreciated and I am happy to take any suggestions.

Summary:
Half Drow?
Hexblade warlock
Pact of the blade?
Bow or pole-arm of some kind
I can take feats and can multiclass
Point buy system

A few things to keep in mind, as I am currently playing a character almost exactly like this:

1. Curse of Strahd, is a great game, but it maxes out at level 10, so do not plan anything for late game.

2. Because you are going hex blade, Charisma is your stat from pretty much everything. So it is by far the primary stat.

3. I am not sure how you are doing starting gear for your game but keep in mind you can make and summon your own weapons so you do not have to spend gold on them.

4. If you choose to make a pact bow, which works amazingly by the way, you still have to carry plenty of arrows, because the pact makes the weapon but not the ammo.

5. Keep a shield anyway, you never know when you might have to get defensive.

6. It really depends on if you plan to take Devil's Sight or not. It is a great resource for you as a half-drow, and even better against when enemies use darkness. However, nothing makes the group more angry than when a party member gives them disadvantage on things.

For level 3, I went like this:

Half Elf: +2 Cha, +1 Dex, +1 Con

(After racial)

Str: 9
Dex: 14
Con: 14
Int: 10
Wis: 14
Cha: 16

(If you plan to take a +1 Cha feat at 4, drop Wis to 12, and boost STR to 10 and Cha to 17, if you do pick a +1 Cha feat Elven Accuracy is great but some of the others are fine too depending on how you play the guy.)

Invocations:

Improved Pact Weapon: I have no idea if you will ever come across a magic bow in CoS so why take chances, also it is amazing once you get eldritch smite at level 5.
Devils Sight: It is just that good, defensively and then later


At level 5 drop devils sight for Elditch Smite, and take Thirsting Blade with your normal invocation at level 5.

Shoot the bow most of the time, due to party makeup.
The Barbarian is going to be melee.
The Storm Cleric will be melee with spell backup.
The Rogue will most likely get pissed when he realizes that flying and rogues are not great combinations. He can get a sneak attack by shooting into melee, but he will have trouble getting advantage like most rogues due to much harder to hide if you are flying.
Depending on the sub race the bard could be anything, but it is probably going to be a primary caster for debuffs and control. It could be melee if he went blades, or maybe an archer if he went valor but If he did go weapon based it is probably melee.
I have no idea what a witchdoctor would do but i am assuming it is a primary caster that debuffs, and damages with spells.

Eldritch Archers are going to be pretty common now.

[LionHeadVillain]

Thanks for the information, I'm thinking of using a bow primarily and switching when needed/wanted.

Do you have any recommendations for spells and cantrips.

I'm assuming like most warlocks i'm going to want to take eldritch blast.

I was considering taking minor illusion as the 2nd cantrip and for spells hellish rebuke, hex, misty step and share the burden.

[Dudewithknives]

Thanks for the information, I'm thinking of using a bow primarily and switching when needed/wanted.

Do you have any recommendations for spells and cantrips.

I'm assuming like most warlocks i'm going to want to take eldritch blast.

I was considering taking minor illusion as the 2nd cantrip and for spells hellish rebuke, hex, misty step and share the burden.

If you are primarily an archer, you don't really need Eldritch Blast.

For the second Cantrip I would either take Minor Illusion or Booming Blade.

For normal spells, keep something in mind. For now they will be used as normal, but once you hit level 5 most of your spells are going to be used to smite. Especially if the enemy is flying or if you critical hit.

Hex is great for messing with an enemy's perception check or some other skill check, the damage is good but after level 5, just smite someone with he spell slot, VERY few fights last more than 3 rounds anyway so the damage is better.

I like Armor of Agathys. No concentration, solid extra HP, and if you are fighting lots of little things who attack a lot but for small damage, it can kill the whole group for you.

Warlock spell slots are completely dependent on the DM letting you get short rests.

If you have a dm who tries to cheat you out of rests, or just never really uses them, be very careful, or honestly just play something else.

[Cwyll]

the bow is unlikely to do more damage than your cantrip (base 1d8 vs 1d10); but a bow does allow a 'little' more range.
Otherwise agree pretty much with Dudewithknives.
Also don't get suckered into blowing your spell slots until you've got a good handle if the campaign with differentiate between short and long rests.
No short rests, and arguably the main benefit of the warlock over another caster type is gone...

[Dudewithknives]

the bow is unlikely to do more damage than your cantrip (base 1d8 vs 1d10); but a bow does allow a 'little' more range.
Otherwise agree pretty much with Dudewithknives.
Also don't get suckered into blowing your spell slots until you've got a good handle if the campaign with differentiate between short and long rests.
No short rests, and arguably the main benefit of the warlock over another caster type is gone...

To use the bow he would need Improved Pact Weapon invocation which makes it a +1 weapon.

EB would be Cha + Prof to hit, and 1d10 + Cha to damage.
Bow would be Cha + Prof + 1 to hit and 1d8 + cha + 1 damage.

Bow has slightly better range, saves an invocation, has fighting style, and magic item backup, especial with the cheap Bracers of archery that give a flat +2 damage a shot and have +1 bonuses to damage from just magic weapons where as a rod of the pact keeper only adds to hit. Also, you can just make it a +1 any kind of weapon so if you are in a more crowded situation just make it a +1 longsword instead.

I do not know how common magic items are in CoS, but with this you will always have a +1 weapon on hand, regardless if the DM is free with the gear or you can never even find a dagger.

[Vogie]

If you are primarily an archer, you don't really need Eldritch Blast.


Unless you grab something like Repelling blast or Eldrich spear for utility or added range, respectively. But avoid trying to upgrade the damage of the blast.

Grabbing improved pact weapon invocation would also allow you to create both bows and crossbows, IIRC

[Dudewithknives]

Unless you grab something like Repelling blast or Eldrich spear for utility or added range, respectively. But avoid trying to upgrade the damage of the blast.

Grabbing improved pact weapon invocation would also allow you to create both bows and crossbows, IIRC

It not only lets you make bows and crossbows, but +1 bows, crossbows and everything else (notably you can't make hand-crossbows), and it is an arcane focus, but then again if you are using a bow the focus is not a problem because you would have a free hand anyway.

[samcifer]

Im using D&D beyond and its an option on there as a half elf drow you gain the normal half elf stuff but get drow magic.

Is there a link to the full page on this? I looked it up and it cuts off after mentioning variants but doesn't say which abilities you get or even naming the variants.

[Dudewithknives]

Is there a link to the full page on this? I looked it up and it cuts off after mentioning variants but doesn't say which abilities you get or even naming the variants.

It is also in the SCAG book.

You lose the bonus 2 skill proficiencies to gain Dancing lights as a cantrip, 1 use of Fairie Fire/LR, and once you hit 5th, 1 use of Darkness/LR.

[LionHeadVillain]

On D&D beyond Half drow get:

All the basic Half elf traits (+2CHA +1 to two others, Dark vision, Fey ancestry) and Drow magic:

You know the dancing lights cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the faerie fire spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the darkness spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

[lunaticfringe]

You mean we can finally merge elves with dogs?! Yes! Loyal and long-lived!


Woof Elf is just the Common name for Lythari.

[Foff]

To use the bow he would need Improved Pact Weapon invocation which makes it a +1 weapon.

EB would be Cha + Prof to hit, and 1d10 + Cha to damage.
Bow would be Cha + Prof + 1 to hit and 1d8 + cha + 1 damage.

Bow has slightly better range, saves an invocation, has fighting style, and magic item backup, especial with the cheap Bracers of archery that give a flat +2 damage a shot and have +1 bonuses to damage from just magic weapons where as a rod of the pact keeper only adds to hit. Also, you can just make it a +1 any kind of weapon so if you are in a more crowded situation just make it a +1 longsword instead.

I do not know how common magic items are in CoS, but with this you will always have a +1 weapon on hand, regardless if the DM is free with the gear or you can never even find a dagger.


on top of all this you really should use darkness/devil sight (which you can cast for free once with your drow magic) for constant advantage and abuse sharpshooter (which you should take at level 4) for an amazing 1d8+cha+1+10 with every shot from your bow, THEN pickup extra attack at lvl 5, forget about eldritch smite, your slots are ever so precious, you won't be using that invocation unless you multiclass into sorcerer or bard, you'll have it, you'll know you have the potential to use it, but most often than not you'll find yourself wanting to cast something else entirely
I played a sword and board single class hexblade (the UA version, so no bows and no 2handers) for most of SKT ( she just died two sessions ago sadly) and I actually dropped out the eldritch smite invocation because with only 2 spellslots I could never find myself in a good position to use it in a fight

[LionHeadVillain]

pickup extra attack at lvl 5


I'm interested in this but can you please explain how I could get this, i'm quite new to d&d so forgive me if i'm missing something obvious.

[Vaz]

I'm interested in this but can you please explain how I could get this, i'm quite new to d&d so forgive me if i'm missing something obvious.

Warlocks, as they level up, have a number of Invocations which they can use to further customize their build. Some of these Invocations are limited by your Warlock level, and possibly by what type of Pact Boon you take. Currently, there are no Invocations requiring a particular patron, nor do any require a particular ability score, although certain Invocations clearly benefit from higher stats (Lifedrinker, or those which allow you to cast particular spells improving their DC for example)

At 5th level a Warlock [Any Patron] with the Boon Pact of the Blade may select an Invocation called "Thirsting Blade"; Warlocks do not normally get the Extra Attack feature, but the Thirsting Blade grants the ability to attack twice with their pact blade instead of once when you make the attack action, which aside from the limitation on your pact blade, is word for word the same effect as the Extra Attack feature. Note that this does not stack with other classes that have the Extra Attack feature through multiclassing; both provide the same benefit.

[LionHeadVillain]

would Elemental Weapon be a good spell to take at higher levels or would it just a waste?

[Dalebert]

You mean we can finally merge elves with dogs?!

Been done. Have you ever read Elfquest?