#warlock help

My warlock has hit level 2 so naturally I’m thinking about their pact boon. Since I’m usually a dm I’d love to get the chance to have a pseudodragon familiar with pact of the chain. However our cleric doesn’t have spare the dying so pact of the tome would make the most sense to pick up for utility’s sake. Should I follow my heart or head on this one?

Party composition is:

Fighter, Barbarian, Stars Druid, War Cleric/Ranger, Celestial Warlock

There is an aspect to Dungeons and Dragons that I feel is grossly overlooked by the community, and that’s Weird Magic. This concept is closely tied to hags, stemming from their ancient knowledge forgotten by everyone else, but there’s no reason that Asmodeus or Demogorgon couldn’t also be familiar with certain practices. It mimics some other types of magic, like being able to create beacons of light, create and destroy diseases, or create a wall of blades in front of the caster.

I hope you can see where I’m going with this. Ancient magic known only by incredibly old patrons that offer power a person could only dream of sounds like the sort of thing a disgraced scholar or lost wizard might sell their services for. I know I certainly would in that sort of scenario.

Now, Dungeon Masters, this is a wonderful opportunity for you to be creative! Try to expand on the idea and give it some flavor. Hags use Weird Magic to turn a human child into a changeling, or to strip a lycanthrope of their free will to create an invincible thrall. Let your players, namely your warlocks, have some wiggle room in your world because for the duration of your game, they live in it too. Especially at higher levels. While the wizard is fighting gods and the druid is becoming immortal, let your party’s fiendlock have their own unique niche, something no other class can achieve. It is also a solid plot hook: what do they have to do to earn this knowledge? Do they have to serve a Night Hag for a year and a day? Do they have to officially join the legions of the Nine Hells after death? Do they have to eat seven souls to please Orcus?

Run. It was the main word that had kept repeating in her head the last few months, though tonight it had repeated more so in a short few hours than it had in weeks. It all started when she woke to the sound of wolves howling. She knew that the full moon was happening, but for some reason her mind thought that no wolves would be out tonight. However, it seemed her thought was wrong. Which was why she had spent the next hours running through the woods before coming to what seemed like a clearing. She knew that she had some scraps on her from the trees, but it was the exhaustion she felt that was more concerning to her. Her feet lead her to a building she had spotted as her eyes looked around to see if anyone was in the area. She felt her body relax some after she had leaned against the building. From what she had been able to see, it looked like she was alone. Her mind soon filled with thoughts about how she might have overreacted a little to the sound of the howls, but she knew it was that odd fear inside her that had caused her to feel the need to run.

Part of her was starting to dislike that fear since she knew that at some point she would need to try to settle down. Besides, she knew that she couldn’t keep running. Especially not with a baby on the way. Maybe that was why she had figured that Belle Haven would be a good city to try in. She had heard that it was a safe city and that was something she knew she would need. A sigh came from her seconds before she sat on the ground, her mind telling her that she needed to rest for just a few minutes before she went to look around town. What she hadn’t counted on doing was dozing off and it wasn’t until she felt her body shake some that her eyes opened again.

3rd Level Abjuration (Cleric, Paladin, Warlock, Wizard)

You create a 10-foot-radius, 20-foot-tall cylinder of magical energy centered on a point on the ground that you can see within range. Glowing runes appear wherever the cylinder intersects with the floor or other surface.

Choose one or more of the following types of creatures: celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, or undead. The circle affects a creature of the chosen type in the following ways:

The creature can’t willingly enter the cylinder by nonmagical means. If the creature tries to use teleportation or interplanar travel to do so, it must first succeed on a Charisma saving throw.

The creature has disadvantage on attack rolls against targets within the cylinder.

Targets within the cylinder can’t be charmed, frightened, or possessed by the creature.

When you cast this spell, you can elect to cause its magic to operate in the reverse direction, preventing a creature of the specified type from leaving the cylinder and protecting targets outside it.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the duration increases by 1 hour for each slot level above 3rd.

Magic Circle is much like Hallow, which I touched on recently, in that it is designed as a control spell. They function in much the same way- Keeping specific entities where you want them and putting the power on your side. However, as this spell is a little bit weaker and has a shorter casting time, it is used for a different niche.

Magic Circle’s primary purpose is to create a small area, namely a ten foot radius circle, in which extraplanar entities either can’t enter or can’t leave. If you’re a fan of Supernatural, then this spell works both as a Devil’s Trap and a salt line.

This spell is used very effectively in the event of a summoning, or if the party is dealing with an extraplanar creature (devils, demons, angels, genies, elementals, etc.). If you find that your target can’t realistically be killed by the current party’s capabilities, then Magic Circle can be a great boon for you all.

A tremendous side of this spell that I would like to draw special attention to is that it doesn’t require concentration. That frees up the caster to use other spells like Dominate Monster, Banishment, or the spell used to summon the creature without losing this great control condition.

However, this spell can’t be used for very long. Depending on the spell slot used, it can only stay up for one to seven hours- meaning that the party can’t use this protection to take a long rest, or to do some worthwhile activities that take up time.

5th Level Evocation (Cleric and Fiend Warlock)

You touch a point and infuse an area around it with holy (or unholy) power. The area can have a radius up to 60 feet, and the spell fails if the radius includes an area already under the Effect a hallow spell. The affected area is subject to the following Effects. First, Celestials, Elementals, fey, Fiends, and Undead can't enter the area, nor can such Creatures charm, frighten, or possess Creatures within it. Any creature Charmed, Frightened, or possessed by such a creature is no longer Charmed, Frightened, or possessed upon entering the area. You can exclude one or more of those types of Creatures from this Effect. Second, you can bind an extra Effect to the area. Choose the Effect from the following list, or choose an Effect offered by the DM. Some of these Effects apply to Creatures in the area, you can designate whether the Effect applies to all Creatures, Creatures that follow a specific deity or leader, or Creatures of a specific sort, such as ores or Trolls. When a creature that would be affected enters the spell's area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it can make a Charisma saving throw. On a success, the creature ignores the extra Effect until it leaves the area. Courage: Affected Creatures can't be Frightened while in the area. Darkness: Darkness fills the area. Normal light, as well as magical light created by Spells of a lower level than the slot you used to cast this spell, can't illuminate the area. Daylight: Bright light fills the area. Magical Darkness created by Spells of a lower level than the slot you used to cast this spell can't extinguish the light. Energy Protection: Affected Creatures in the area have Resistance to one damage type of your choice, except for bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing. Energy Vulnerability: Affected Creatures in the area have vulnerability to one damage type of your choice, except for bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing. Everlasting Rest: Dead bodies interred in the area can't be turned into Undead. Extradimensional Interference: Affected Creatures can't move or Travel using teleportation or by extradimensional or interplanar means. Fear: Affected Creatures are Frightened while in the area. Silence: No sound can emanate from within the area, and no sound can reach into it. Tongues: Affected Creatures can communicate with any other creature in the area, even if they don't share a Common language.

Hallow is one of my favorite spells for a warlock, particularly one with a pact to the Fiend. It isn’t flashy like a fireball or immediately helpful like stripping a target of their sight and hearing. It is old, powerful, and most importantly, it is thematically resonant. It is an insult to the gods that warlocks have turned their backs on as it takes their power, their blessings, and corrupts them.

However, it can also be used to honor good and to insult the being that made the mistake of teaching the power. The spell can turn away the evil, the good, and the benign equally. It can insure that corrupting spirits are held back and their tongues silenced from a mage’s ears.

Cantrip Evocation

A beam of crackling energy streaks toward a creature within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d10 force damage.

At Higher Levels. The spell creates more than one beam when you reach higher levels: two beams at 5th level, three beams at 11th level, and four beams at 17th level. You can direct the beams at the same target or at different ones. Make a separate attack roll for each beam.

Eldritch Blast is one of the few spells afforded only to Warlocks. It has quite the reputation with it, affording some of the highest damage per turn of many spells, and the highest damage per turn of any cantrip in 5e. This all makes it a prize for anyone to take. It is also highly adaptable given its connections to Eldritch Invocations, which I will discuss in a moment.

Given the hinderance of the warlock class at all levels of play, that being too few spell slots, cantrips are an incredibly important choice for these casters to make. Due to this, you would be hard pressed to find a warlock at high levels that doesn’t know this spell better than any other.

Eldritch Blast deals 1d10 force damage per blast, and the caster can send more blasts down range as they level up. Force damage is a great investment for damage as in all of officially released 5e, there are only 9 creatures that resist it and 5 that have immunity to it. This is rare, as fire immunity is incredibly common at later stages of play, much like poison, acid, and cold. Force damage hits hard more often than higher damage spells.

The use of Eldritch Blast coming in multiple attacks as opposed to one attack that gets more powerful comes from the math of Dungeons and Dragons. Without advantage or the Hexblade’s Curse feature, the odds of a critical hit using spells like Firebolt at max level is 1/20. For Eldritch Blast, that probability goes up to roughly 1/5. More attacks means a better chance for a hit. This means that a caster will hit more often each turn and dependably do more damage than a spell that either hits or doesn’t.

Now, let’s talk about the system that makes Eldritch Blast very powerful in the hands of a warlock, as opposed to say a wizard that took the spell with a feat: Eldritch Invocations! There are 5 invocations that can adapt Eldritch Blast at a moment’s notice if need be: Agonizing Blast, Eldritch Spear, Grasp of Hadar, Lance of Lethargy, and Repelling Blast.

Agonizing Blast allows the caster to add their Charisma modifier to the damage of each and every hit with eldritch blast. With a maxed charisma, this can mean up to 20 additional damage every turn. Compare this to abilities like Empowered Evocation or Elemental Affinity which allow the modifier to be added to one damage roll for a spell. This means that with one evocation, this spell can now compete with the fighter’s longsword or the ranger’s longbow. This is the invocation that I would recommend most highly.

Eldritch Spear takes the normal range of the spell, 120ft, and more than doubles it to 300ft. With one simple addition, this cantrip can now compete with martial ranged weapons like the longbow or the heavy crossbow; weapons that require proficiency for other classes to get this kind of range for engagement. When going up against fast opponents like a monk or the fey Quickling, this ensures that the target can’t simply get out of range every round. If your warlock is a bit ruthless, this invocations is also a great boon.

Grasp of Hadar acts like a lasso, pulling the target up to 10ft closer to the caster. This is particularly useful if the player is a Hexblade tank for the party, or if the warlock uses the Pact of the Blade and wants their victim to be constantly within range of their pact weapon. This invocation is reminiscent of the monk’s Open Hand Technique that also allows the player to keep the opponent where they want them. However, a monk must use Ki points to use this feature, whereas a warlock doesn’t use any resources.

Lance of Lethargy is used as a debuff, knocking the target’s speed down by 10ft until the end of your next turn. In the same light as Grasp of Hadar or Eldritch Spear, this is best used to keep the enemy in range and maintaining constant damage going down range. Once again, this is best used on quick opponents or in tandem with the Sentinel Feat.

Repelling Blast is the opposite of Grasp of Hadar. Instead of pulling the target closer, it pushes them back. This is useful for an inverse reason, keeping targets away from the squishy, d8 hit die warlock. If your warlock is more of an intellectual caster, it is best to keep say the half dragon warlord away and using spells like fireball to do damage from a good distance.

I can’t recommend taking all five of these invocations as even at Level 20, there is a maximum of eight or nine with a feat. Given the fact that you can only use each of the final three once per turn, it isn’t useful for pushing or pulling something more than ten feet, or knocking a target’s speed to 0. It simply comes down to the logistics of the game.

5th Level Illusion (Bard, Druid, Warlock, Wizard)

This spell shapes a creature’s dreams. Choose a creature known to you as the target of this spell. The target must be on the same plane of existence as you. Creatures that don’t sleep, such as elves, can’t be contacted by this spell. You, or a willing creature you touch, enters a trance state, acting as a messenger. While in the trance, the messenger is aware of his or her surroundings, but can’t take actions or move.

If the target is asleep, the messenger appears in the target’s dreams and can converse with the target as long as it remains asleep, through the duration of the spell. The messenger can also shape the environment of the dream, creating landscapes, objects, and other images. The messenger can emerge from the trance at any time, ending the effect of the spell early. The target recalls the dream perfectly upon waking. If the target is awake when you cast the spell, the messenger knows it, and can either end the trance (and the spell) or wait for the target to fall asleep, at which point the messenger appears in the target’s dreams.

You can make the messenger appear monstrous and terrifying to the target. If you do, the messenger can deliver a message of no more than ten words and then the target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, echoes of the phantasmal monstrosity spawn a nightmare that lasts the duration of the target’s sleep and prevents the target from gaining any benefit from that rest. In addition, when the target wakes up, it takes 3d6 psychic damage.

If you have a body part, lock of hair, clipping from a nail, or similar portion of the target’s body, the target makes its saving throw with disadvantage.

Dream is another one of my favorite spells for use outside of combat. A great use for 5th level spells to act as a bridge between groups. Say, for instance, a warlock is part of a group that is actively aiding in a revolution, but they have been separated from their group and the revolutionaries. With a single name, the warlock can communicate with anyone on the same plane of existence.

Or, for more malicious purposes, if a witch gets their hands on a lock of a victim’s hair, they can become a living Freddy Krueger, haunting their dreams until they keel over. A victim, should the caster use this spell for violent ends, can not gain the benefits of a long rest, growing more and more exhausted as the spell is used. In the hands of a warlock who only needs half an hour to regain use of the spell, this could mean never ending torment. Inside of a week, the victim will die.

Maybe your patron is in a static place at the moment and can only communicate in dreams, like Cthulu or Tharizdun. A spell like dream is a wonderful opportunity to communicate with your patron, even if they don’t want to speak with you.

The very nature of the spell is reminiscent of the origins for the term ‘nightmare.’ It refers to a creature, typically a witch, that sucks out positive dreams at night and leaves a person terrified. It’s where night hags get a good chunk of their lore and power in 5e.