How would you make a summoner warlock?

[Rfkannen]

I always liked the idea of a warlock as a summoner, but the idea wasn't really supported until tasha's. But now tasha's makes the summoner warlock seem like a TON of fun! The new chainpact invocation means you always have a combat ready summoned buddy by your side, and the new summon spells seem like a FANTSATIC use of warlocks limited spell slots!

How would you build a summoner warlock? Any different patrons seem especially good for it? Any invocations? What would be your familiar of choice? What summoning spells would you use?

[MaxWilson]

I always liked the idea of a warlock as a summoner, but the idea wasn't really supported until tasha's. But now tasha's makes the summoner warlock seem like a TON of fun! The new chainpact invocation means you always have a combat ready summoned buddy by your side, and the new summon spells seem like a FANTSATIC use of warlocks limited spell slots!

How would you build a summoner warlock? Any different patrons seem especially good for it? Any invocations? What would be your familiar of choice? What summoning spells would you use?

I've had fun with a House Lyrandar (Mark of Storms) Hexblade Chainlock. Nice armor, nice attack (Agonizing Repelling Eldritch Blast), use Summon Greater Demon or Conjure Minor Elementals or Conjure Elemental to generate tons of meat shields, hide behind meat shields while you attack. Nice intel from Chainlock familiar (if playing with Tasha's, consider taking Investment of the Chain Master on a Sprite familiar to poison enemies with your bonus action although IMO it's not a high priority, maybe a 4th or 5th invocation).

Shadow Demons, Barlguras, and Chasmes are good meaty demons (Dybbuks and Vrocks for special occasions). Earth Elementals, Fire Elementals, Air Elementals are all good tanks (Fire is best against mobs, Earth and Air are better against small groups). Smoke Mephits are pretty good too for their blinding breath weapon, and they have lots of aggregate HP although their AC is crummy.

At low levels before summoning comes online at level 7, play like a standard Hexblade blastlock. Make good use of Expeditious Retreat and Agonizing Repelling Blast, Booming Blade, Blur, Hypnotic Pattern, Fear, etc.

Once you hit 7th level then you've got a Sprite (2 HP), potentially a Specter (from Hexblade, 22 HP), and an elemental squad (8 smoke mephits, 176 HP, 8d4+16 damage) or demon (Shadow Demon, 66 HP, resistance, 4d6+3 damage), and your own blasting (50ish HP, 2d10+8ish damage) to bring to the party. If all the mephits die, well, cast another or summon a demon. If THAT elemental squad dies, all you need is a short rest and then you can cast another. It's a lot of HP and a lot of DPR.

[Kane0]

For the fully thematic take:

Eladrin (Spring) Chain Pact Feylock
Spells: Primarily Summon Fey and Summon Shadowspawn but others like Counterspell/Dispel, Banishment/Imprisonment, Contact Other Plane/Planeshift and Dimension Door/Arcane Gate are all appropriate.
Invocations: Investment of the Chain Master, Voice of the Chain Master, Eldritch Mind, Beguiling Influence, optionally Minions of Chaos or Undying Servitude before going over to the Eldritch Blast boosters
ASIs: Fey Touched, Shadow Touched, Resilient, +2 Cha, Metamagic Adept, Inspiring Leader or Ritual Caster. Telepathic is a good substitute

You have room to take alternative summons like Undead, Aberrations and Demons but it comes down to taste. I like the duality of fey and shadow for this particular concept. I really like the extra teleports.

[Rfkannen]

I've had fun with a House Lyrandar (Mark of Storms) Hexblade Chainlock. Nice armor, nice attack (Agonizing Repelling Eldritch Blast), use Summon Greater Demon or Conjure Minor Elementals or Conjure Elemental to generate tons of meat shields, hide behind meat shields while you attack. Nice intel from Chainlock familiar (if playing with Tasha's, consider taking Investment of the Chain Master on a Sprite familiar to poison enemies with your bonus action although IMO it's not a high priority, maybe a 4th or 5th invocation).

Shadow Demons, Barlguras, and Chasmes are good meaty demons (Dybbuks and Vrocks for special occasions). Earth Elementals, Fire Elementals, Air Elementals are all good tanks (Fire is best against mobs, Earth and Air are better against small groups). Smoke Mephits are pretty good too for their blinding breath weapon, and they have lots of aggregate HP although their AC is crummy.

At low levels before summoning comes online at level 7, play like a standard Hexblade blastlock. Make good use of Expeditious Retreat and Agonizing Repelling Blast, Booming Blade, Blur, Hypnotic Pattern, Fear, etc.

Once you hit 7th level then you've got a Sprite (2 HP), potentially a Specter (from Hexblade, 22 HP), and an elemental squad (8 smoke mephits, 176 HP, 8d4+16 damage) or demon (Shadow Demon, 66 HP, resistance, 4d6+3 damage), and your own blasting (50ish HP, 2d10+8ish damage) to bring to the party. If all the mephits die, well, cast another or summon a demon. If THAT elemental squad dies, all you need is a short rest and then you can cast another. It's a lot of HP and a lot of DPR.

That character seems like a ton of fun!! I hadn't considered the hexblade for this, I normally associate that with gish builds, but that specter does help you feel like a summoner!



For the fully thematic take:

Eladrin (Spring) Chain Pact Feylock
Spells: Primarily Summon Fey and Summon Shadowspawn but others like Counterspell/Dispel, Banishment/Imprisonment, Contact Other Plane/Planeshift and Dimension Door/Arcane Gate are all appropriate.
Invocations: Investment of the Chain Master, Voice of the Chain Master, Eldritch Mind, Beguiling Influence, optionally Minions of Chaos or Undying Servitude before going over to the Eldritch Blast boosters
ASIs: Fey Touched, Shadow Touched, Resilient, +2 Cha, Metamagic Adept, Inspiring Leader or Ritual Caster. Telepathic is a good substitute

You have room to take alternative summons like Undead, Aberrations and Demons but it comes down to taste. I like the duality of fey and shadow for this particular concept. I really like the extra teleports.

I really like this build! that seems like a character who would be a TON of fun! I feel like at high levels this character would feel like an archfey which would be cool!

[Syjyl4488]

And for flavor, just use Jason’s phrase for summoning his other self. “Gone, gone the form of man. Rise the demon Etrigan”!!