Build idea sanity check, Dhampir Hexblade/Sorcerer

[IsaacsAlterEgo]

I'm considering trying this character out for a small campaign a friend of mine is running. My plan is to start as a Dhampir Warlock, hit level 2, and then immediately start taking sorcerer levels for the rest of the campaign.
My main combat strategy will be to run onto a ceiling/wall/up a tree using Spider Climb, then Eldritch Blast with Grasp of Hadar to pull people straight up to deal an extra 1d6 and render them prone. Once I get sorcerer levels, when I need to nova, I'll quicken the eldritch blast so that when they drop and fall prone, I can fall on top of the enemy to deal some additional fall damage to them, and use my main action to Booming Blade with advantage since they are prone.

This only really works single target, and takes a lot of set up, but feels like it might be pretty strong as far as a single target nova goes without using any actual spell slots, just sorcery points for quickening.

One issue I'm wondering about is the order of actions regarding falling and eldritch blasts. Once I get multiple blasts, am I allowed to blast, pull someone up, then fire the remainder of the blasts while they're still in mid-air, or do they have to wait until they've fallen back to the ground and gone prone? If so, is there any way of avoiding the disadvantage from that, or is that a huge hole in my plan? I really want to try a "pull enemies towards me and let them fall" kind of build, or really anything that capitalizes on Spider Climb, and this is the best I could come up with, so I'd love to hear any suggestions or possible problems.

[Mastikator]

Remember prone = disadvantage on ranged attacks, so at level 5 you'll want to apply it on the last blast, however there's no guarantee which will be the last that hits. So some rounds you'll just miss and not get this benefit.

[tiornys]

To me it makes sense to have all beams of Eldritch Blast happen at the same time, which would let you pull them into the air without worrying about disadvantage during that casting of Eldritch Blast (but on the flip side, you have to declare which creatures are targeted by how many beams before knowing the result of any beam). Check with your DM because they may want to run the spell such that each beam resolves before the next applies.

[Enceladus]

One other thing to consider also is if the creature's size plays a factor.

I had used a similar strategy on a few occasions but via a combination of Far Step with EB where some of the targets were of large and bigger sizes. DM's on a few occasions ruled that they were to big or needed a concentration check to pull off the movement granted by Grasp of Hadar. By RAW it should work, but DM's do have a final say so double check with yours.

[Keravath]

Remember that you can only use Grasp of Hadar once/turn. It also moves the target 10' towards you so if you are in a typical room with 10' ceilings, there is a good chance you wouldn't do any additional damage since they wouldn't be falling 10'.

ANY Hexblade/sorcerer build is really strong in terms of flexibility and damage. EB + quickened EB combined with the agonizing blast invocation is likely among the single most effective damage builds in the game - especially as the character gets to high enough levels that they have enough sorcery points to quicken EB through a few combats by replenishing SP from spell slots. A really effective version is hexblade 2/aberrant mind sorcerer X for example.

However, with only 2 invocations, I personally don't find Grasp of Hadar to be worth it considering that you will only occasionally be able to do an extra d6 damage once per turn by moving to a location above a target in an environment allowing you to get at least 15' above the target while agonizing blast will add +cha to every eldritch blast (4 of them at level 5 with AB + quickened AB which with 18 charisma and assuming they all hit would be an extra 16 damage compared to an average 3.5 from one extra d6 some of the time).

[IsaacsAlterEgo]

I suppose I'll ask my DM if all the beams fire off at the same time, thanks y'all.

As for Grasp of Hadar, I don't think my DM will require me to roll a check or anything to pull something big, since they tend to go by RAW unless it's something that causes a major issue with balance. I will have agonizing blast as well, since I don't particularly need any of the other invocations, so there's no real opportunity cost there. I feel like Hadar's not a waste because an extra D6 plus advantage from prone for a booming blade is a pretty significant boost when I can get it, in addition to the situations where it may allow pulling an enemy into a harmful area. Though it is a lot of moving parts for the "ideal" nova turn, I admit.

I can't really think of a better way of using Spiderclimb in combat other than just playing Rogue and hiding behind stalactites and chandeliers on the ceiling, which doesn't seem as powerful as actively pulling people up for an automatic prone. I guess if I have a lot of ranged allies that may prove to be a problem, and I'll have to rethink the character, though.

[Skrum]

Dhampir is flavor-wise one of my favorite races, and I've made several of them. So, IMO, I don't recommend you "build" around any particular thing they get. Their bite is just....not good....and spider climb, while excellent, is extremely terrain dependent.

I think you're going to have a more satisfying time if you just make a good character, and use the dhampir powers as situational "perks." Spider climb gives you great mobility options. Rather than sinking resources into a strategy that relies on having walls and ceilings, play a solid build that, every once in awhile, can pull off something really really cool. Boots of Speed (or other speed enhancing effects) are worth a look, as they are useful even if there's no favorable terrain.

Anyway, that is my general advice. As far as this specific build, it looks fun, but yeah, kinda niche. You're also going to be 2 levels behind on spell progression. What spells were you planning on taking? Did you have a particular reason to go sorcerer? Might be worth it to just stick with warlock, especially if the game isn't going to 10+.

[IsaacsAlterEgo]

Dhampir is flavor-wise one of my favorite races, and I've made several of them. So, IMO, I don't recommend you "build" around any particular thing they get. Their bite is just....not good....and spider climb, while excellent, is extremely terrain dependent.

I think you're going to have a more satisfying time if you just make a good character, and use the dhampir powers as situational "perks." Spider climb gives you great mobility options. Rather than sinking resources into a strategy that relies on having walls and ceilings, play a solid build that, every once in awhile, can pull off something really really cool. Boots of Speed (or other speed enhancing effects) are worth a look, as they are useful even if there's no favorable terrain.

Anyway, that is my general advice. As far as this specific build, it looks fun, but yeah, kinda niche. You're also going to be 2 levels behind on spell progression. What spells were you planning on taking? Did you have a particular reason to go sorcerer? Might be worth it to just stick with warlock, especially if the game isn't going to 10+.

Sorcerer was to grab Quicken so that I can both pull with Eldritch Blast and then booming blade in the same turn.

I'm honestly kind of reflavoring Dhampir for this character because what I'm trying to build is a kind of "magical ninja" who is so good at stealth he might as well be invisible (using Invisibility), and so agile he can run straight up walls (from Spiderclimb), as well as various other ninja magics. Eldritch Blast I'll be flavoring as a kind of spectral Kusarigama that he uses to pull people in mortal kombat style before slashing them with a blade.
I'm not TOO worried about being behind in spell progession, the game is going from 5-7, mostly I was focused on dishing out tons of damage on single targets, using my spell slots just to fuel my sorcery points so I can keep pulling off the quicken EB+BB combo unless I have a particularly good reason to use Invisibility.

[da newt]

Sounds fun to me. I think using GoH to lift and drop folks prone could be quite handy - at the least you have halved their movement for one round, but hopefully you've set things up so a party member has a turn to curb stomp them while prone, although you'd need to be in a place that allows you to be at least 15' above the ground so that you have 10' of unoccupied space to pull the target into.

As for the 2nd attack, running down the ceiling/wall or jumping down off the ceiling so you can BB might not leave you enough remaining movement to get away (and you'll trigger an OpAtt at DISADV) then you'll only be doing d8+Cha damage with the chance for the rider's damage IF they chose to move somewhere on their next turn (standing is not moving) vs using your second attack to EB another target and stay up out of reach of melee attacks (more damage and another prone target). Once you get above 4th lvl for multiple EB/attack it becomes even more favorable to blast.

BTW, while I'm a huge sucker for spider climb (I get completely irrational joy from playing a PC who never walks on the ground when there is a wall or ceiling available), maybe a flying race might be preferable.