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View Full Version : Please Critique my Build - Drow L3 Warlock (for a new group I'm joining)



Endal
2017-12-19, 06:48 PM
Name: Valas Hune
Class/Level: Warlock 3
Race: Drow
Background: Shade Fanatic
Alignment: Chaotic Evil

(roll 4d6, drop lowest)
Str: 9 (-1)
Dex: 16 (3)
Con: 15 (2)
Int: 10 (0)
Wis: 15 (2)
Cha: 17 (3)

Skill Proficiencies: Stealth, Arcana, Perception, Deception, Intimidation

Patron: The Undying
L1) Among the Dead: Spare the Dieing cantrip, Advantage on Disease saves, When undead attacks me, they must make a will save, on a fail they miss or must redirect the attack elsewhere, on a save they hit and cannot have this affect them for 24h
L6) Death Defying: Regain hit points equal to 1d8 + your Con when you succeed on a death saving throw or when you stabilize a creature with spare the dying.
10) Undying Nature: Hold breath indefinitely, don't require food, water, or sleep (must still rest to recover), Age 10x slower, unaffected by magically age affects
14) Indestructible Life: Bonus Action, regain 1d8 + Warlock Lvl HP, Severed body parts reattach (Must rest between heals)

Pact: Pact of the Tome
Gain a Book of Shadows: Grants 3 extra cantrips from any spell school (must have book to cast)

Eldritch Invocations
Mask of Many Faces: You can cast Disguise Self at will, without expending a spell slot.
Book of Ancient Secrets: Adds two rituals to book of shadows, able to scribe new rituals into book of shadows

Spells:
Cantrips: Eldritch Blast, Thaumaturgy, Spare the Dieing, Dancing Lights, Friends, Minor Illusion, Guidance
1st: False Life, Charm Person, Faerie Fire
2nd: Silence, Mirror Image
Rituals: Find Familiar, Identify

Spell Save DC: 13
Spell Attack Bonus: +5

Equipment
Studded Leather Armor: Base AC 12+Dex
Light Crossbow, Att +5, Dam 1d6+3
Dagger (x3), Att +5, Dam 1d4+3
Quarterstaff, Att +1, Dam 1d6-1 (roleplay item mostly)
Components Pouch
Backpack
- Book of Lore
- Bottle of Ink
- Ink Pen
- Parchment Sheet (10)
- Bag of Sand
- Bedroll
- Tattoo Needle
- Tattoo Ink


We are playing in the Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting and the group that I'm playing with is pretty mixed up with the Clasp. Before now I was playing a Eldritch Knight who is more lawful than their chaotic styles, so I'm trying to bow him out and bringing Vales here in. When last we left we were being surrounded and coerced to go back to town, the EK has no reason to go back, but I'm thinking that this Warlock could be the leader of the party bringing them back to town (still running it by the DM).

The reasons for the Tattoo ink/needle is because this character's Tome is written on his flesh. As he learns new spells and rituals he will tattoo the spells directly on his skin in an arcane symbol that will allow him to cast the spell. I had seen this done with Wizards before and I think that it would fit great with this guy's style.

ShadowSandbag
2017-12-19, 09:08 PM
Looks pretty good to me! Not entirely sure if you need the crossbow if you have Eldritch Blast, but it could be nice to have back-up.

Malifice
2017-12-19, 11:00 PM
The group (its a new group) down with CE PCs?

You sure this isnt going to cause problems?

Endal
2017-12-19, 11:26 PM
Short answer is yes, they're fine with CE

Long answer is that I'm not going to let them know my true nature for a while. They will definitely know I'm chaotic, but they won't figure I went full Evil. This is the whole reason that I'm taking Mask of Many Faces on my character. When the meet me and for most of the adventure they will always think I am a human. I travel the world in disguise and wreck havoc by leading others into destructive paths. Basically the whole premise of this character is that he is one huge deception that only the DM is aware of.

So far in the adventure with my current character that I'm retiring out to bring this one in, they have nearly totaled a Casino, set loose a giant mechanical horse through a public area, and incited dozens of urchins to go pick-pocketing at the Casino above (it was all part of a diversion to get into the vault). My current character is LN and the actions just aren't fitting. CE should be a nice addition to this group.

So far as the party knows, I'm one of the members of the Clasp and am a white haired elf with intricate blue tattoos. The tattoos are my spells and I cast them through my flesh (WARLOCK!! WOOO!).

Malifice
2017-12-19, 11:48 PM
Short answer is yes, they're fine with CE

Long answer is that I'm not going to let them know my true nature for a while. They will definitely know I'm chaotic, but they won't figure I went full Evil. This is the whole reason that I'm taking Mask of Many Faces on my character. When the meet me and for most of the adventure they will always think I am a human. I travel the world in disguise and wreck havoc by leading others into destructive paths. Basically the whole premise of this character is that he is one huge deception that only the DM is aware of.

So far in the adventure with my current character that I'm retiring out to bring this one in, they have nearly totaled a Casino, set loose a giant mechanical horse through a public area, and incited dozens of urchins to go pick-pocketing at the Casino above (it was all part of a diversion to get into the vault). My current character is LN and the actions just aren't fitting. CE should be a nice addition to this group.

So far as the party knows, I'm one of the members of the Clasp and am a white haired elf with intricate blue tattoos. The tattoos are my spells and I cast them through my flesh (WARLOCK!! WOOO!).

Cool man. As long as the group supports it.

Had a fair few evil parties myself and they're a hoot. You do need to be 100 percent everyone is on board though. Always hard with a new group.

Legendairy
2017-12-20, 01:20 AM
Valas Hune was a ranger tho :smalltongue: probably a horizon walker in this edition. I mean he teleported due to his trinkets and lit a giant up pretty well.

He also used kukris.

Be sure the DM is cool with it and really flesh out more of his goals. Evil is fun and all but the deceptive party member Schlick can go wrong in a lot of ways. Try to have a reason to not completely screw over your team and make yourself a valuable member. The big “deceptive” evil guy can be a bit tricky to pull off and make it fun.

Endal
2017-12-20, 10:04 AM
HAH! I didn't know that about Valas Hune, I went to the Drow Name Generator and this was the only one that wasn't too absurd (and that I could remember). My DM doesn't seem to know about the name though, so I don't think it would be a problem. I may change the name, though... perhaps have his disguise name and his true name kinda' thing.

I'm going to play the character as True Neutral for the most part and only have my machinations of evil appear in how I plan events.

Legendairy
2017-12-20, 12:17 PM
Yeah playing him a true neutral-ish with an evil inclination can work pretty well.

Yeah, Valas is the ranger that leads a group of drove through the underdark and to the demonweb pits in the ‘War of the Spider Queen’ novels.

Whenever I play a character similar I try to generate about 5 names and keep track of them on a flash card (each with its own card) that way you can write down the race-gender-personality and the location and notable NPC’s for that persona. Have 1 that you typically play as, your most used name for the party or something, then your true name, and gen the rest. Also maybe one with some throw away names.

Unoriginal
2017-12-20, 12:22 PM
Any reason why you're using a quarterstaff rather than a rapier or another finesse weapon?

Endal
2017-12-20, 02:32 PM
I don't plan on being melee when I can help it, and the Quarterstaff is just part of the character's starting gear. Useful for RP to have it, so I went with the staff.

Unoriginal
2017-12-20, 02:46 PM
I don't plan on being melee when I can help it, and the Quarterstaff is just part of the character's starting gear. Useful for RP to have it, so I went with the staff.

Well the thing is, "when I can help it" isn't really a solution when you'll have NPCs trying to make sure you can't help it. It'll never be your main strength, sure, but being able to land a good hit in melee can save your life. Or at least avoid getting hurt more than you should.

If I were your DM, I'd probably have some people advise you to pick a better weapon if they watch you fight.

Speaking of noticing things:



Studded Leather Armor: Base AC 12+Dex (max 2)

5e's Studded Leather Armor has no max Dex limit. It's just 12 + dex mod, so for your character it'd be 15.

Endal
2017-12-20, 05:36 PM
Nice on the armor! Thanks for the catch!

I figure if I need to do melee damage I've got my daggers, only a 1 point difference than the rapier and it doesn't break the RP. I may also take something like Shocking Grasp as a cantrip which would also work for me for melee, but like I said I'm going to do my best to stay away from direct combat.

From my available Cantrips I can change, any suggestions on which one I should drop for Shocking Grasp? Friends, Minor Illusion or Guidance.

Legendairy
2017-12-20, 08:06 PM
Actually 2 points average damage. Rapier is d8 avg 4 dagger is d4 avg 2. Also with high dex the threshold is up quite a bit. D8+4 is 8 average to 12 potential, dagger + dex is 6avg up to 8.