Citadel97501
2020-04-01, 12:44 AM
Hello all, I was just wondering if anyone else has taken a look at making a Warlock summoner (single class)? I personally see 2 main methods of doing this, and I will note them below. Feel free to give your own ideas of doing or point out anything I may have missed?
Well lets start off why, I am thinking of Warlock for the good old fashioned summoner style of play. Quite simply, its due to the short rest spell slots and the fewer spells known. I think that these two design elements lead to a playstyle where you will be casting a summoning spell every battle, while also supporting them through cantrips and invocations.
Unfortunately we come to a major issue, the lack of good summoning spells for the Warlock. This is a major issue and can only be dealt with currently in two methods.
Official Stuff
Patron: Fiend, this seems to be thematic to me and can be thought of you seeking your own minions with a similar contract as the one you signed with your own patron.
Pact Options: Tome, since your designed around being more of a spell caster this seems to be a good choice, and will also provide you with a few more ritual summoning spells that aren't normally available for Warlocks. Another solid option would be Pact of the Chain as it would give you a minion from the planes either in the form of a Quazit or an Imp, this might help out early on with the themes.
Guildmaster's Guide to Eberron
Mark of Handling: Human with +2 wisdom/+1 any other?:
-Conjure Animals and a few others are added to your spell list
Mark of Storm: Half-Elf with +2 Charisma, +1 Dexterity, Resistance to Lightning
-Great spell additions in Conjure Minor Elementals, and Conjure Elemental, and the attribute bonuses are nearly perfect.
Mark of Warding: Dwarf +2 constitution, +1 Intelligence
-Odd but Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound isn't awful for this although the duration is very long, it is not a concentration spell, but is immobile though so this is more of a weird almost blasting style of summoner but could be very interesting for an eldritch blaster, as you remain in place and blast anyone that comes close with the hounds eating them if they stay there.
Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica: The backgrounds provided here seem to be one of the few ways to reliably access good summoning spells, and those included here are real doozies, but at least one of them is completely ridiculous fluff wise.
-The Gruul clan background would have access to Conjure Animals. However this background for a Warlock makes almost no sense to me due to the idea of anarchy, and the service to a higher power that the warlocks engage in.
-Izzet Engineer: This one is a lot more interesting but is still very weak until 9th level since the initial spell provided at 7th is junk, and only becomes viable at 9th and higher. It should be noted that Conjure Minor Elementals is a very bad spell, as Conjure Elemental is only 1 spell slot higher but EXTREMELY more powerful. A CR 2 elemental, vs a CR 5+. It should also be noted that there are some very nice CR 7's in the Princes of the Apocalypse book.
Spells for everyone:
Conjure Lesser Demons
Conjure Greater Demon
Spells depending on Race or Background
Conjure Minor Elementals
Conjure Elemental
Conjure Animals: This spell is incredibly good for sheer dpr due to wolf packs being extremely deadly, although as your not a Shepherd Druid their attacks aren't magical, and they don't have a lot of health.
Unearthed Arcana
Here is where the new stuff comes in, and frankly some of these are very nice and thematic for any type of Warlock.
Patron: Any but hexblade, although that might even work with Summon Shadow Spirit.
Pact: Tome or Chain works here for the same reasons, however Talisman also from the Unearthed Arcana can definitely find some use as well.
New Spells
3rd Level
-Summon fey spirit (conjuration)
-Summon shadow spirit (conjuration)
-Summon undead spirit (necromancy)
4th Level
-Summon aberrant spirit (conjuration)
6th Level
-Summon fiendish spirit (conjuration)
Well lets start off why, I am thinking of Warlock for the good old fashioned summoner style of play. Quite simply, its due to the short rest spell slots and the fewer spells known. I think that these two design elements lead to a playstyle where you will be casting a summoning spell every battle, while also supporting them through cantrips and invocations.
Unfortunately we come to a major issue, the lack of good summoning spells for the Warlock. This is a major issue and can only be dealt with currently in two methods.
Official Stuff
Patron: Fiend, this seems to be thematic to me and can be thought of you seeking your own minions with a similar contract as the one you signed with your own patron.
Pact Options: Tome, since your designed around being more of a spell caster this seems to be a good choice, and will also provide you with a few more ritual summoning spells that aren't normally available for Warlocks. Another solid option would be Pact of the Chain as it would give you a minion from the planes either in the form of a Quazit or an Imp, this might help out early on with the themes.
Guildmaster's Guide to Eberron
Mark of Handling: Human with +2 wisdom/+1 any other?:
-Conjure Animals and a few others are added to your spell list
Mark of Storm: Half-Elf with +2 Charisma, +1 Dexterity, Resistance to Lightning
-Great spell additions in Conjure Minor Elementals, and Conjure Elemental, and the attribute bonuses are nearly perfect.
Mark of Warding: Dwarf +2 constitution, +1 Intelligence
-Odd but Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound isn't awful for this although the duration is very long, it is not a concentration spell, but is immobile though so this is more of a weird almost blasting style of summoner but could be very interesting for an eldritch blaster, as you remain in place and blast anyone that comes close with the hounds eating them if they stay there.
Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica: The backgrounds provided here seem to be one of the few ways to reliably access good summoning spells, and those included here are real doozies, but at least one of them is completely ridiculous fluff wise.
-The Gruul clan background would have access to Conjure Animals. However this background for a Warlock makes almost no sense to me due to the idea of anarchy, and the service to a higher power that the warlocks engage in.
-Izzet Engineer: This one is a lot more interesting but is still very weak until 9th level since the initial spell provided at 7th is junk, and only becomes viable at 9th and higher. It should be noted that Conjure Minor Elementals is a very bad spell, as Conjure Elemental is only 1 spell slot higher but EXTREMELY more powerful. A CR 2 elemental, vs a CR 5+. It should also be noted that there are some very nice CR 7's in the Princes of the Apocalypse book.
Spells for everyone:
Conjure Lesser Demons
Conjure Greater Demon
Spells depending on Race or Background
Conjure Minor Elementals
Conjure Elemental
Conjure Animals: This spell is incredibly good for sheer dpr due to wolf packs being extremely deadly, although as your not a Shepherd Druid their attacks aren't magical, and they don't have a lot of health.
Unearthed Arcana
Here is where the new stuff comes in, and frankly some of these are very nice and thematic for any type of Warlock.
Patron: Any but hexblade, although that might even work with Summon Shadow Spirit.
Pact: Tome or Chain works here for the same reasons, however Talisman also from the Unearthed Arcana can definitely find some use as well.
New Spells
3rd Level
-Summon fey spirit (conjuration)
-Summon shadow spirit (conjuration)
-Summon undead spirit (necromancy)
4th Level
-Summon aberrant spirit (conjuration)
6th Level
-Summon fiendish spirit (conjuration)