Making an Alienist in 5e, should I play a warlock or sorcerer?

[EroGaki]

My group is starting a new game in a few weeks, and I'm set on recreating a character from a previous 3.5 game: a wizard with the Alienist prestige class. Since there are no prestige classes in 5e (poo), I am forced to choose between playing a GOO warlock or an Aberrant Mind sorcerer if I want to get that tentacle goodness.

The game will start at 9th level, so there is a lot of potential for us going all the way to 20th.

Which class would make a better Alienist do you think? I honestly like both, and each has a touch of the eldritch otherworldly horror that I'm looking for. Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

[chainer1216]

Flavorwise I think the warlock mimics the old prestige class more.

Buuuuut... porque no los dos?

Warlock and sorcerer is a well known good combo, even if you're not doing short rest shenanigans. 1, 2 and 3 levels of warlock each has their upsides and downsides, then going the rest sorc. Starting at 9th level means you get to avoid the most painful part of multiclassing.

[Naanomi]

The prestige class was all about summoning, and had charisma penalties so... Wizard?

[Rfkannen]

I would go warlock, mainly because of the invocation "investment of the chain master"

having a weird warped imp running around hitting things in combat really helps sell the fantasy of playing a summoner of weird things. Also warlock casts the tasha's summon spells super well!

[Paeleus]

Not sure how your table feels about Unearthed Arcanas, but there is a Warlock subclass Lurker in the Deep that provides summonable tentacles.

Mayhaps you and your DM could review it and tweak it if it seems a bit too stronk.

[Emongnome777]

Not sure how your table feels about Unearthed Arcanas, but there is a Warlock subclass Lurker in the Deep that provides summonable tentacles.

Mayhaps you and your DM could review it and tweak it if it seems a bit too stronk.

It's in Tasha's and renamed to Fathomless. It's filled with tentacle goodness, but not sure if it fits the bill here outside of that theme. I think it's a cool subclass, looks like fun. Not op, not weak (IMO).

[Paeleus]

It's in Tasha's and renamed to Fathomless. It's filled with tentacle goodness, but not sure if it fits the bill here outside of that theme. I think it's a cool subclass, looks like fun. Not op, not weak (IMO).

Oh dang! I forgot they released it with a new name. Thanks for the correction!

[Kane0]

Fathomless chainlock that takes summon aberration at first opportunity.

Edit: eldritch mind gives you advantage on concentration saves, and there are few other invocations that would work well depending on which particular direction you want to go

[EroGaki]

Flavorwise I think the warlock mimics the old prestige class more.

Buuuuut... porque no los dos?

Warlock and sorcerer is a well known good combo, even if you're not doing short rest shenanigans. 1, 2 and 3 levels of warlock each has their upsides and downsides, then going the rest sorc. Starting at 9th level means you get to avoid the most painful part of multiclassing.

That's... an excellent point. I hadn't considered that. Though I am hesitant about being behind on casting by multiclassing.

[EroGaki]

The prestige class was all about summoning, and had charisma penalties so... Wizard?


That would have been my first choice, but wizards in 5e lack most of the mechanical aspects of being an alienist.

[Naanomi]

That would have been my first choice, but wizards in 5e lack most of the mechanical aspects of being an alienist.
Eh, overwhelmingly the 3.5e alienist abilities don't meaningful transfer to 5e anyways. Have a familiar, cast appropriately flavored summon spells, keep your charisma and wisdom low...

[Segev]

If you go GoO Warlock, your thrall at level 14 could be a summoned pseudonatural creature, fluff-wise.

Aberrant Mind Sorcerer winds up feeling a lot more like a psionic class than a far realms fanboy class, though you can do both. At least to my mind.

While I get the wizardly connection to the 3.5 PrC, too, the 5e Warlock lean-in to the pact with a patron feels more in tune with the notion of an alienist than the wizard with a PrC would. That said, coming up with a wizard subclass that modified summons to be able to impose the Frightened condition, and a couple other ribbons, might work.

[TheBrassDuke]

My group is starting a new game in a few weeks, and I'm set on recreating a character from a previous 3.5 game: a wizard with the Alienist prestige class. Since there are no prestige classes in 5e (poo), I am forced to choose between playing a GOO warlock or an Aberrant Mind sorcerer if I want to get that tentacle goodness.

The game will start at 9th level, so there is a lot of potential for us going all the way to 20th.

Which class would make a better Alienist do you think? I honestly like both, and each has a touch of the eldritch otherworldly horror that I'm looking for. Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

😏 You makin’ Mostin?

He was a Divination Wizard and Alienist. A straight Divination Wizard should do, but you could also go Warlock (Tome; GOO) x/Sorcerer (Aberrant).

[Psyren]

I think a Chain GOOLock who focuses on summon aberration is a brilliant idea for this concept. You can mix Aberrant Mind in there but I'm with Segev on this one, it doesn't add much either flavor or crunch-wise.

[EroGaki]

😏 You makin’ Mostin?

He was a Divination Wizard and Alienist. A straight Divination Wizard should do, but you could also go Warlock (Tome; GOO) x/Sorcerer (Aberrant).

Heh, Mostin was a heavy inspiration for my original character. Mine was a drow abjuration wizard/ alienist in a high level underdark campaign. He was a germaphobe and had a terrible fear of insects.

[Emongnome777]

Aberrant Mind Sorcerer winds up feeling a lot more like a psionic class than a far realms fanboy class, though you can do both. At least to my mind.

I see what you did there. :smallsmile:

Edited to add value:

No idea if this is what you want or if it's remotely usable, but here (https://www.dndbeyond.com/subclasses/89827-alienist)'s a homebrew that specifically states that it's based on the 3.5E Alienist.

[TheBrassDuke]

Heh, Mostin was a heavy inspiration for my original character. Mine was a drow abjuration wizard/ alienist in a high level underdark campaign. He was a germaphobe and had a terrible fear of insects.

I approve! 👍🏼 I am currently playing an Illithid (Custom Lineage, with a few homebrew attacks for the tentacles and some added fluff) Divination Wizard who…well, barring his evil tendencies, is basically my love letter to the Metagnostic.