D&D 5e: Warlock
Ban started another D&D 5e campaign, his 3rd time as a game master (GM) after one Ironclaw and one 5e.
Because he intends for this campaign to last long enough fort our characters to hit level 12 (from 3), his mad husband scoured the player's handbook and looked at every single class and subclass for its feature up to that level 😅 I managed to trim the list down to 'only' 18 subclasses 😄:
(1) Barbarian: Berserker (maybe)
(2) Barbarian: Totem Warrior (maybe)
(3) Bard: Lore
(4) Bard: Valor (maybe)
(5) Cleric: Life (if get Shillelagh via Magic Initiate)
(5) Cleric: Light *
(6) Druid: Moon
(7) Monk: Open Hand
(8) Monk: Shadow
(9) Paladin: Devotion
(10) Paladin: Veangence
(11) Rogue: Assassin (maybe)
(12) Rogue: Arcane Trickster
(13) Sorceror: Draconic *
(14) Warlock: Fiend *
(15) Warlock: Great Old One
(16) Wizard: Abjuration
(17) Wizard: Conjuration
(18) Wizard: Divination
* denotes the 3 subclasses that made the cut.
As always, I got Ban's help to go through the list. He asked some questions, and with how well he knows my favoured playstyle, he suggested warlock with Fiend patron, a patron who gives access to the spell Fireball. Yes, Ban somehow thinks I'm obsessed with Fireball. Maybe I am, given the 3 subclasses have access to the spell hehehe.
Although I love the Pact of the Chain's Imp plus Voice of the Chain Master invocation shenanigan, Ban convinced me that Pact of the Tome is superior generally. Only reason to choose Chain is absence of a scout in the party, which isn't the case.
Tome is great because of its associated invocation i.e. Book of Ancient Secrets which enables inscribing of ritual spells from any classes into the Book of Shadow. Its usefulness is dependent on GM (same for Wizard). Ban assured me that he would make them available by a few means e.g. sale, loot. Upon choosing this Pact Boon and the mentioned invocation, the Warlock immediately chooses three cantrips and two 1st-level ritual spells. Ritual spells are useful for spell slot starved Warlock since no slots are expended when casting them.
By the way, I myself independently researched and got other people's views on Warlock builds. This includes choice of race. I chose Tiefling because of two reasons: (1) a useful cantrip and daily spells that do not expend spell slots (awesome!), and (2) thematically synergises with Fiend patron.
Here's what I wrote for my character's background (Ban helped with key ideas):
" Agrael's parents were killed since young, leaving him traumatised. Along with a younger brother (Raelag), Agrael became a street urchin in the worst part of Halarahh, the capital of Halruaa.
One day, they were kidnapped by a wizard who experimented on them, including cutting off Agrael's horns. At the sight of his brother being tortured close to death, he was initially traumatised once again, with flashback of his parents' death.
Suddenly time seem to stop when a succubus, Biara, appeared. Searching for Asmodeus's "offsprings", she offered Asmodeus's patronage to Agrael and thus granting him power. In return, the souls of those he kills shall belong to the Lord of the Nine Hells. To sweeten the deal, Biara offered to kill the wizard, who she alleged to have killed Agrael's parents in a botched attempt to abduct them, to save Raelag as well as the first "payment". Agrael agreed immediately to save his brother.
Halarahh's citizens and rulling wizards were aghast and severely embarrassed at this illegal experiment conducted by one of their own (there was ample evidence in his lab). Possibly as a PR exercise or to atone for such travesty or both, they offered to take care of the two young tieflings.
Agrael had been conflicted with the pact he made, as he later realised what it was. He knows that the power granted is helpful to him as means to protect his brother and himself directly and indirectly. On the other hand, he has always resented the infernal bloodline that curses his entire race. In the end, he consoles himself with the fact that only the "deserving" ones shall have their souls be sent to Asmodeus.
Oloma, a magehound, was assigned to investigate the illegal experiment and the death of the perpetrator. After some coaxing and assurance of safety, Agrael told her the truth. Fearing what Asmodeus might do, she was assigned to oversee Agrael to keep him in line. Overtime, they developed a rather comfortable relationship, especially after Agrael further revealed his thoughts and feelings about the the pact he had to make with Asmodeus. "
I'm excited to play!
Because he intends for this campaign to last long enough fort our characters to hit level 12 (from 3), his mad husband scoured the player's handbook and looked at every single class and subclass for its feature up to that level 😅 I managed to trim the list down to 'only' 18 subclasses 😄:
(1) Barbarian: Berserker (maybe)
(2) Barbarian: Totem Warrior (maybe)
(3) Bard: Lore
(4) Bard: Valor (maybe)
(5) Cleric: Life (if get Shillelagh via Magic Initiate)
(5) Cleric: Light *
(6) Druid: Moon
(7) Monk: Open Hand
(8) Monk: Shadow
(9) Paladin: Devotion
(10) Paladin: Veangence
(11) Rogue: Assassin (maybe)
(12) Rogue: Arcane Trickster
(13) Sorceror: Draconic *
(14) Warlock: Fiend *
(15) Warlock: Great Old One
(16) Wizard: Abjuration
(17) Wizard: Conjuration
(18) Wizard: Divination
* denotes the 3 subclasses that made the cut.
As always, I got Ban's help to go through the list. He asked some questions, and with how well he knows my favoured playstyle, he suggested warlock with Fiend patron, a patron who gives access to the spell Fireball. Yes, Ban somehow thinks I'm obsessed with Fireball. Maybe I am, given the 3 subclasses have access to the spell hehehe.
Although I love the Pact of the Chain's Imp plus Voice of the Chain Master invocation shenanigan, Ban convinced me that Pact of the Tome is superior generally. Only reason to choose Chain is absence of a scout in the party, which isn't the case.
Tome is great because of its associated invocation i.e. Book of Ancient Secrets which enables inscribing of ritual spells from any classes into the Book of Shadow. Its usefulness is dependent on GM (same for Wizard). Ban assured me that he would make them available by a few means e.g. sale, loot. Upon choosing this Pact Boon and the mentioned invocation, the Warlock immediately chooses three cantrips and two 1st-level ritual spells. Ritual spells are useful for spell slot starved Warlock since no slots are expended when casting them.
By the way, I myself independently researched and got other people's views on Warlock builds. This includes choice of race. I chose Tiefling because of two reasons: (1) a useful cantrip and daily spells that do not expend spell slots (awesome!), and (2) thematically synergises with Fiend patron.
Here's what I wrote for my character's background (Ban helped with key ideas):
" Agrael's parents were killed since young, leaving him traumatised. Along with a younger brother (Raelag), Agrael became a street urchin in the worst part of Halarahh, the capital of Halruaa.
One day, they were kidnapped by a wizard who experimented on them, including cutting off Agrael's horns. At the sight of his brother being tortured close to death, he was initially traumatised once again, with flashback of his parents' death.
Suddenly time seem to stop when a succubus, Biara, appeared. Searching for Asmodeus's "offsprings", she offered Asmodeus's patronage to Agrael and thus granting him power. In return, the souls of those he kills shall belong to the Lord of the Nine Hells. To sweeten the deal, Biara offered to kill the wizard, who she alleged to have killed Agrael's parents in a botched attempt to abduct them, to save Raelag as well as the first "payment". Agrael agreed immediately to save his brother.
Halarahh's citizens and rulling wizards were aghast and severely embarrassed at this illegal experiment conducted by one of their own (there was ample evidence in his lab). Possibly as a PR exercise or to atone for such travesty or both, they offered to take care of the two young tieflings.
Agrael had been conflicted with the pact he made, as he later realised what it was. He knows that the power granted is helpful to him as means to protect his brother and himself directly and indirectly. On the other hand, he has always resented the infernal bloodline that curses his entire race. In the end, he consoles himself with the fact that only the "deserving" ones shall have their souls be sent to Asmodeus.
Oloma, a magehound, was assigned to investigate the illegal experiment and the death of the perpetrator. After some coaxing and assurance of safety, Agrael told her the truth. Fearing what Asmodeus might do, she was assigned to oversee Agrael to keep him in line. Overtime, they developed a rather comfortable relationship, especially after Agrael further revealed his thoughts and feelings about the the pact he had to make with Asmodeus. "
I'm excited to play!
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