Need some help optimizing a STR-based Bladelock

[Stone-Ears]

Hey y'all!

So, I'm pretty excited about this new character I'm going to make for a Play by post campaign I might be getting to join.

However, I'm facing a tough choice. I'm going to play as a Variant Human Pact of the Blade Warlock.

I need help choosing between 2 feats but first I will give you guys some more information to work with.

Cantrips: Eldritch Blast, Infestation(chosen for this specific campaign for flavor reasons)

Spells: Armor of Agathys, Hex(too dang good to not take)

Starting attributes below (racial factors already added, +1 to Str and Charisma):

STR: 15
INT: 10
WIS: 8
DEX: 10
CON: 14
CHR: 16

Weapon of choice when I get my pact weapon: Battleaxe (chosen for versatility so I can still cast spells with one hand free)
Patron: Fiend

I want to make sure that my bladelock can actually survive as a kind of a skirmisher. I figure Armor of Agathys will go a long ways to help on survivability.

However I'm having an extremely tough time choosing Invocations and starting feat.

Feats possible choice:

Moderately Armored: +1 to strength and the boost to AC is nice. I have 80 gp to play with and I was thinking of getting the chain shirt. I would not need to waste an invocation on Armor of Shadows for Mage Armor at will

Tough: No boost to Strength but the +2 HP every level would be pretty dang sweet and I wouldn't really have to spend ASIs on Constitution as I already have a decent enough score. However I would be EXTREMELY easy to hit without Armor of Shadows invocation.

Invocations:
Agonizing Blast (If I can't hack what I want, I want to hurt at a distance)
Armor of Shadows/Misty Vision (based on Feat Choice)

As of right now, I'm leaning more towards Moderately armored but Tough is just so good!

Other factors to consider
1.) Starting at level 1 so technically I really don't need to be wading into melee range until about level 3. I plan on just blasting with EB until I get my pact weapon. Melee only if I can't absolutely avoid it.

Y'all's help would be much appreciated as I want to make sure I have a viable build that won't drag the party down. Also, I'm not going to consider switching to DEX based. So that suggestion will be useless. I am going to play a STR based Bladelock and my heart is a wee bit set on that

[Addaran]

I'd definitively go with Moderatly Armored. If you're melee, you'll want to have 16 str right away, only having +4 chance to-hit sucks, especialy when you only have one attack .

I'd probably look into getting heavy armored soon too, since medium armor without dex or shield will give you low AC. Unless you prefer warcaster and get a shield.

Until a bit later, eldritch blast is just straight up better then meleeing in most case if you have agonizing blast. Good to have at first, but eventually, you'll proably want to get rid of it to avoid being tempted always using it and so you can focus those invocations on other stuff.

You also didn't mention your patron. Might change a few futur choices.

[Stone-Ears]

I'd definitively go with Moderatly Armored. If you're melee, you'll want to have 16 str right away, only having +4 chance to-hit sucks, especialy when you only have one attack .

I'd probably look into getting heavy armored soon too, since medium armor without dex or shield will give you low AC. Unless you prefer warcaster and get a shield.

Until a bit later, eldritch blast is just straight up better then meleeing in most case if you have agonizing blast. Good to have at first, but eventually, you'll proably want to get rid of it to avoid being tempted always using it and so you can focus those invocations on other stuff.

You also didn't mention your patron. Might change a few futur choices.

The patron is a fiend. So the temp hp on a kill would be nice when Armor of Agathys runs out on temp hp. I'm considering adding fiendish vigor just for when I need a source of temp HP to keep myself alive a bit longer.

[Expected]

Hey y'all!

So, I'm pretty excited about this new character I'm going to make for a Play by post campaign I might be getting to join.

However, I'm facing a tough choice. I'm going to play as a Variant Human Pact of the Blade Warlock.

I need help choosing between 2 feats but first I will give you guys some more information to work with.

Cantrips: Eldritch Blast, Infestation(chosen for this specific campaign for flavor reasons)

Spells: Armor of Agathys, Hex(too dang good to not take)

Starting attributes below (racial factors already added, +1 to Str and Charisma):

STR: 15
INT: 10
WIS: 8
DEX: 10
CON: 14
CHR: 16

Weapon of choice when I get my pact weapon: Battleaxe (chosen for versatility so I can still cast spells with one hand free)
Patron: Fiend

I want to make sure that my bladelock can actually survive as a kind of a skirmisher. I figure Armor of Agathys will go a long ways to help on survivability.

However I'm having an extremely tough time choosing Invocations and starting feat.

Feats possible choice:

Moderately Armored: +1 to strength and the boost to AC is nice. I have 80 gp to play with and I was thinking of getting the chain shirt. I would not need to waste an invocation on Armor of Shadows for Mage Armor at will

Tough: No boost to Strength but the +2 HP every level would be pretty dang sweet and I wouldn't really have to spend ASIs on Constitution as I already have a decent enough score. However I would be EXTREMELY easy to hit without Armor of Shadows invocation.

Invocations:
Agonizing Blast (If I can't hack what I want, I want to hurt at a distance)
Armor of Shadows/Misty Vision (based on Feat Choice)

As of right now, I'm leaning more towards Moderately armored but Tough is just so good!

Other factors to consider
1.) Starting at level 1 so technically I really don't need to be wading into melee range until about level 3. I plan on just blasting with EB until I get my pact weapon. Melee only if I can't absolutely avoid it.

Y'all's help would be much appreciated as I want to make sure I have a viable build that won't drag the party down. Also, I'm not going to consider switching to DEX based. So that suggestion will be useless. I am going to play a STR based Bladelock and my heart is a wee bit set on that

In the interest of optimization, I will suggest that you ask your DM to allow you to use the new Unearthed Arcana Eldritch Invocation allowing Warlocks to ignore armor proficiencies (especially since you are not a Hexblade--which despite creating a disparity in power between Warlock patrons, is the strongest option). If your DM does allow UA, then I'd take the scores as follows, assuming 27 point buy:

16-8-14-8-10-16 (Str-Dex-Con-Int-Wis-Cha)

A battleaxe is not as optimized as wielding a 2h weapon (Halberd/Glaive) for a Bladelock. Take PAM as your level 1 feat and Agonizing Blast + Devil's Sight (to balance VHuman's lack of Darkvision and for Darkness + Devil's Sight). Take Sentinel and GWM for improved DPR and reliable use of reactions, in addition to PAM's reaction. Try to obtain Gauntlets of Ogre Power/Belt of Giant's Strength and if it's not possible, then account for that with your ASI/feat choices so you can get 20 Str. Take Pact of the Blade and the relevant Eldritch Invocations (Lifedrinker, Thirsting Blade, Improved Pact Weapon--swap this out if you get a +1-3 weapon).

I do not suggest Moderately/Heavily Armored unless the DM does not allow UA or you are not a Hexblade (which you aren't). If your scores are rolled and not point buy, then Heavily Armored is a good choice to balance out Str for a +3 modifier and heavy armor proficiency--it just pales in comparison to point buy and PAM at level 1.

It's important to note that you can cast spells while wielding a 2h weapon, hence why polearms are useful for Bladelocks. I suggest taking Shield--it competes with you reaction, but it can save your life in a difficult situation and it's only one spell known.

[Stone-Ears]

In the interest of optimization, I will suggest that you ask your DM to allow you to use the new Unearthed Arcana Eldritch Invocation allowing Warlocks to ignore armor proficiencies (especially since you are not a Hexblade--which despite creating a disparity in power between Warlock patrons, is the strongest option). If your DM does allow UA, then I'd take the scores as follows, assuming 27 point buy:

16-8-14-8-10-16 (Str-Dex-Con-Int-Wis-Cha)

A battleaxe is not as optimized as wielding a 2h weapon (Halberd/Glaive) for a Bladelock. Take PAM as your level 1 feat and Agonizing Blast + Devil's Sight (to balance VHuman's lack of Darkvision and for Darkness + Devil's Sight). Take Sentinel and GWM for improved DPR and reliable use of reactions, in addition to PAM's reaction. Try to obtain Gauntlets of Ogre Power/Belt of Giant's Strength and if it's not possible, then account for that with your ASI/feat choices so you can get 20 Str. Take Pact of the Blade and the relevant Eldritch Invocations (Lifedrinker, Thirsting Blade, Improved Pact Weapon--swap this out if you get a +1-3 weapon).

I do not suggest Moderately/Heavily Armored unless the DM does not allow UA or you are not a Hexblade (which you aren't). If your scores are rolled and not point buy, then Heavily Armored is a good choice to balance out Str for a +3 modifier and heavy armor proficiency--it just pales in comparison to point buy and PAM at level 1.

It's important to note that you can cast spells while wielding a 2h weapon, hence why polearms are useful for Bladelocks. I suggest taking Shield--it competes with you reaction, but it can save your life in a difficult situation and it's only one spell known.

I'm not quite sure, but how does that new eldritch invocation read? Does this mean if I took that invocation, I could wear Heavy armor for the cost of 1 invocation? If so, that's definitely an invocation choice I would want to make as that makes it WAY harder to murder me dead and isn't as feat heavy would be traditional. It would also eliminate one of the most popular multiclass options (no multiclassing in this campaign unfortunately) for 1 Fighter/X Warlock and the heavy armor proficiency would come into play only 1 level later. I'll definitely ask him about that. I've played with the DM before and if I remember correctly, he likes UA a lot.

You are right, a 2 handed weapon does not prevent me from casting a spell or cost me an extra action so my choice of battleaxe definitely isn't optimal. I always thought since Warcaster was a thing that I needed to take a Versatile weapon in order to cast spells and attack with 2 hands, depending on which one is more appropriate.

I completely forgot that for some lame reason, every race except for humans have darkvision which makes Devil's sight almost necessary for me. Depends on how the DM wants to play it with vision and all.

[Expected]

I'm not quite sure, but how does that new eldritch invocation read? Does this mean if I took that invocation, I could wear Heavy armor for the cost of 1 invocation? If so, that's definitely an invocation choice I would want to make as that makes it WAY harder to murder me dead and isn't as feat heavy would be traditional. It would also eliminate one of the most popular multiclass options (no multiclassing in this campaign unfortunately) for 1 Fighter/X Warlock and the heavy armor proficiency would come into play only 1 level later. I'll definitely ask him about that. I've played with the DM before and if I remember correctly, he likes UA a lot.

You are right, a 2 handed weapon does not prevent me from casting a spell or cost me an extra action so my choice of battleaxe definitely isn't optimal. I always thought since Warcaster was a thing that I needed to take a Versatile weapon in order to cast spells and attack with 2 hands, depending on which one is more appropriate.

I completely forgot that for some lame reason, every race except for humans have darkvision which makes Devil's sight almost necessary for me. Depends on how the DM wants to play it with vision and all.

Here's the link so you can show your DM:
https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/unearthed-arcana/class-feature-variants

The Unearthed Arcana states

Eldritch Armor
Prerequisite: Pact of the Blade feature
As an action, you can touch a suit of armor that isn’t being worn or carried by anyone and instantly don it, provided you aren’t wearing armor already. You are proficient with this suit of armor until it’s removed.

Humans don't get Darkvision but it's not a problem as a Warlock because of Devil's Sight.

[Stone-Ears]

Eldritch Armor
Prerequisite: Pact of the Blade feature
As an action, you can touch a suit of armor that isn’t being worn or carried by anyone and instantly don it, provided you aren’t wearing armor already. You are proficient with this suit of armor until it’s removed.

I like it. I've brought it up to my DM for approval. See what he thinks!