If thats your kind of campaign, the low supply of Bardic Inspiration wont matter much. Further, Sorcerers have magic in their bloodlines, while Warlocks draw upon the power of ancient beings like Fey nobles, Hags, or even Aliens. Druid Multiclassing D&D 5e: Best Practices, Character Concepts, and Inspirational Mulch , multiclassing requires minimum ability scores, content on multiclassing in our other articles, class-level multiclassing combinations article. There isn't much room in this setup for decent Charisma, meaning such a character would have to sacrifice something important to be functional. The versatility and variability of bards makes them one of the more open classes to play, and this extends to their multiclassing. Last edited: Feb 5, 2016. One of the few holes in the bard's toolkit is that they lack any serious, at-will damage. Other concepts will include the Warlock as a secondary class with a minority of level investment. Add 1d10 to an ability check or saving throw. Many single classed guides exist, which can go into more detail on each combination, but no guide has consolidated the bottom line up front, quick reference data until now. Making the best use of monk features requires Dexterity and Wisdom, as well as benefitting from a high Constitution. What Makes Warlocks Strong in Dungeons & Dragons 5e? Theyll love it! I would suggest going bard 3 or 5 first. If you enjoyed this guide, share it with your friends! Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. If thats the multiclass split you want, I recommend settling for one or two damage cantrips that use attack rolls instead of saving throws. Hexblade Warlocks will synergize well with College of Swords Bards better than they will with College of Lore or College of Glamour. Warlocks and Bards both use Charisma, so you won't be casting subpar spells with either class. The Wizard levels also give you many first-level spells that are invaluable, such as Shield, Feather Fall, Absorb Elements, Mage Armor, Find Familiar, Fog Cloud, and more! When the character uses alchemist tools to cast a fire spell, theyll add their Intelligence and Charisma modifiers to the damage roll, and add 1d8 from the Druid levels. Your main weapon should be a polearm so you can utilize its reach property. Banish an enemy to hell with your attack until the end of your next turn, dealing 10d10 psychic damage when they return (no saving throw). Sorcerers that are highly optimized will commonly take Paladin levels along with the Hexblade Warlock to have melee options and other interesting options. Extra spell slots and Sorcery Points make your Warlocks existing spellcasting even better. In this build, your character will deal an average of 198 damage to a target with six weapon attacksin the first turn, 79 to another targetand banish itin the second turn, and another 27 to the first cursed target in the second turn. A good assassin will find a way to invest in Charisma for social skill checks, but it gets crowded sharing stats with Dexterity and Constitution. Other concepts will include the Bard as a secondary class with little level investment. With that concept in mind, I also thought about a warlock ranger as well, any thoughts? . Taking levels of Warlock enables a coffee-lock build that is a common multiclass concept; it involves using Pact Magic from the Warlock to recharge Sorcery Points. Multiclassing is a process wherein a character of one class starts taking levels in one (or more - people can get a little nuts about this stuff) additional classes. Warlocks need some of the best low-level spells, but Pact Magic doesnt work very well with them. If youre looking to amp up the Warlocks existing spellcasting with more options, more spell slots, and more flexibility, Sorcerer is the best choice to multiclass into. Summary of subclass features: Gain a few spell options that Warlocks cant normally learn, but you dont automatically learn them. Since the Barbarians Unarmored Defense is, as the name implies, without armour, the Warlock doesnt suffer any issues with spellcasting as they would if they specd into Paladin. EB get's the biggest benefit at character level 5 when you get 2 rays, but bard 5 is also a big boost. Acquire a tiny lamp or another small vessel that you can magically enter; you can rest while in the vessel. If Hexblades Curse isnt tempting, characters may consider the Fiend Warlock for its ability to gain temporary hitpoints after it kills creatures. Succeeding at death saving throws or stabilizing creatures with Spare the Dying allows you to regain hitpoints. You also get Pact Magic and a few Warlock cantrips, including the ever-powerful eldritch blast. Im imagining The Devil Went Down to Georgia for the backstory. As far as spell slots go, multiclassed spellcaster get their spell slots independently from their class levels using the following table. Better options exist for this concept, but if you want access to Cleric spells like Spirit Guardians in addition to melee attacks that are based on the quantity of damage on a single attack rather than spread-out damage with multiple attacks, this combination is ok. Youll get Warlock invocations and several smiting spells from the Hexblade Warlock. There are classes in Dungeons & Dragons that feel as though they were destined to merge and create an epic, unstoppable hero. You could treat the multiclassing as a mere mechanical change. Sure you can do a bunch of new stuff, but passing more performance checks or inspiring allies cant compare to better armor proficiency for sheer power. Both classes are half-decent at melee combat, but when stuck together, you have a legitimate threat on the battlefield. They are both versatile classes with a focus on supporting their allies, but they go about it in different ways. Im glad you liked the concepts overall! . This also makes a good skill monkey. Samurai Fighter would be really bad if you want to use Eldritch Blast. The Sorcerer class is usually regarded as the best multiclass option, Solar 5e: Stats and Guide for Players & DMs, Eldritch Invocation Guide: The Best Way To Use Agonizing Blast in DnD 5e. Required fields are marked *, $MMT=window.$MMT||{};$MMT.cmd=$MMT.cmd||[];$MMT.cmd.push(function(){$MMT.display.slots.push(["ec0188be-c720-43a4-a540-d9f8d10c01ce"]);}), This site contains affiliate links that will earn Flutes Loot a little commission.2020, Flutes Loot is unofficial Fan Content permitted under theFan Content Policyand is not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Not all level-twenty abilities are worth getting; for example, Rangers have a poor level-twenty class feature, so they gain more from multiclassing. Consider: College of Swords and Soulknife This combination will give you a Dexterity based melee combatant that can dish out the damage while remaining versatile in other situations. You eventually gain another transformation that causes enemies to make Charisma saves to succeed in attacking you; those who succeed on the save have disadvantage to save against your spells on your next turn. While it isn't as severe as other classes, due to clerics having several skills that benefit from Charisma, taking many levels in cleric as a bard is just going to dilute both classes without trade-offs. #2. Taking up to 3 levels of Sorcerer . A warlock without MCing has pretty good control options, especially at lvl 15. (Intro Hexblade for power) TL;DR: Cool spell options for Magical Secrets to add synergy to Bard 10/Warlock 1 multiclass? You are a divinely infused creature with celestial blood flowing in your veins. 5e classes are heavily front-loaded. Sorcerers are your friends! Power build! For instance, a Celestial Warlock is a healing Warlock, while a Hexblade Warlock is a melee Warlock. Perhaps your eloquence comes from a deal you made with a magical instrument to become a renowned storyteller, performer, and ambassador. Youll be using Metamagic for Twinned Spell to deal a lot of damage with Eldritch Blast. Background: My Bard started out following the party because he wanted to write their epic story, but through his journeys with them has come to realize he would do anything to keep his friends and country safe. Any foes depending on non-reach melee weapons will be unable to hit you unless they switch to ranged attacks. Of all martial classes, the best one to take with the bard is the paladin. Certain cleric Domains give heavy armor proficiency with a single level, which is a vast improvement over what most bards get. Extra armor and weapon proficiencies, a Fighting Style, and the ever-useful Action Surge are all helpful for a bard. Finally, Monk and Rogue are very mobile and like getting up in enemies faces, but are best when you dump a lot of levels into themotherwise, they are just squishy, which does not benefit an already vulnerable Warlock. It has the Paladins armor and aura defenses paired with the 1d10 saving throw bonus and damage resistance of choice from the Warlock. As mentioned earlier, dipping one or two levels can be enough to justify multiclassing. So why pick? While individual classes work well on their own, sometimes exploring multiple classes can add some powerful new options to a character while also allowing you to explore interesting story ideas. I cant say I recommend this build, but its kinda funny. At 8th level, sorcerer 5 / warlock 3, you can trade warlock spell slots for 4 sorcery points per long rest. Fifth Edition tried to rebalance the power of all the classes to make them more viable as standalone classes. Written by Leonardo Andrade. Are you planning to gish it up any with rapiers? You can use Sanctuary Vessel at Warlock level ten to short rest in ten minutes, meaning you can crank out runes and Action Surge fairly often. For example, if you are a Cleric multiclassing as a Rogue, youll need a Wisdom score of 13 or higher, and a Dexterity score of 13 or higher. Being a secondary class does not mean a character wont start at level one as that class; some classes get more armor and hitpoints at level one. This gives the Warlock more melee versatility than the standard Warlock class. Notes: This subclass is notoriously bad, and it was basically reworked as the Undead Warlock (see above) from VGtR. Make it a luck-based character and take a level of Divine Soul Sorcerer flavored as luck. You become that person who melds into a crowd while completely messing with someone. Your email address will not be published. Speak to someone for one minute to attempt to frighten them (they dont know if they succeed on the Wisdom save). The Sorcerer becomes much more durable and dangerous. Most optimal character builds I see do not involve heaps of Warlock levels, but plenty of players will specialize as Warlocks. This also gives them access to the Sorcerers proficiencies in light armor and simple weapons, something the Warlock does not naturally have. Spike Growth becomes available to a Dao Genie Warlock, so you can still use fun battlefield control tactics while knocking enemies around Eldritch Blast. However, have in mind thats on you if your DM looks down on you for that.. A class that uses Charisma for its spellcasting is ideal for the bard, and there is none better than the warlock. Since Barbarians get Unarmored Defense, they give boosted defensive capabilities to the Warlock, allowing them to play the role of the tank if they want to. For example, if you are a Cleric multiclassing as a Rogue, youll need a Wisdom score of 13 or higher, and a Dexterity score of 13 or higher. The Undead Warlock lacks medium armor and shields, but the Valor Bard can assist with that while gaining other support abilities and spells. The Pact of the Blade also grants you the ability to summon your weapon, so you can go into a social situation unarmed. For this reason, I look to the other Warlock subclasses to see which of them might like what the Valor Bard offers. Any bard could benefit from this combination, but the Eloquence Bard stands out for the recommendation. It can capture the souls of fallen enemies to learn from them, perhaps informing their rituals and tales. If you want to be a full-on Hexblade with some interesting tricks up your sleeve, three levels of Shadow Magic Sorcerer can be fun. This weighs down the class and just takes up space on the character sheet. Barbarians are difficult to multiclass with spellcasters for obvious reasons: they cannot cast or concentrate on spells while using their Rage. Youll get more mileage out of this multiclass if youre doing 1-2 combat encounters in an adventuring day. You also get extra Expertise from three levels of Bard. Shoot the mage, she wont have good armor! Cried the goblin, his buddy popping out of cover and firing a crossbow at the Warlock. Undead creatures need to roll a Wisdom saving throw to attack you. Eldritch Mind is a new Invocation from Tashas that helps with Constitution saving throws to maintain concentration. You can make use of the extra spells and spell slots, too. I typically shy away from recommending multiclass if theyre a characters core class. That means a potential +5d8 radiant damage added to a melee attack if youre a powerful enough Warlock, no matter how many levels you have in Paladin. Flutes is a seasoned DM and improvisational performer. Skip ahead to the portion of the article that interests you most by clicking the link below: Warlock Multiclassing Principles Archfey Celestial Fathomless Fiend Great Old One Genie Hexblade Undead Undying. You also get a spell list with incredible utility and support spells, plus the extra spell slots to burn on them since youll want to be stingy with your Warlock spell slots. Unlike other spellcasters, when you multiclass as a Warlock, you keep your Warlock spell slots and track slots for your second class separately instead of merging them. The Undead Warlock is fantastic at low levels, so many optimizers have been adopting it into their builds. Outright bad and detrimental. Sorcerer is an easy one due to the Charisma overlap, but even Wizard can work. Notable Invocations are Misty Visions (cast Silent Image at will), Eldritch Sight (cast Detect Magic at will), Ghostly Gaze (x-ray vision with concentration), Tricksters Escape (cast Freedom of Movement without a spell slot), and Gift of the Depths (cast Water Breathing without expending a spell slot, and learn to swim). Could work for a specific build, but otherwise is either a wasted opportunity or is just weaker than other alternatives. Your DM needs to allow you to trigger some of your spoken abilities through telepathy. You are the animal whisperer because you gain a familiar from Pact of the Chain, at-will Speak with Animals with the Beast Speech invocation, and max healing in your familiars presence with the Gift of the Ever-Living Ones invocation. You could treat the multiclassing as a mere mechanical change. At a glance, the themes align, but the synergy is sparse. However, multiclassing on Warlocks in 5e is fantastic, especially if you only dip one or two levels into Warlock rather than making a primary Warlock with one or two levels in another class. 2 Levels of Warlock gets you Invocations and two short-rest spell slots, as well as a number of good spells like Hellish Rebuke, Armor of Agathys, and Hex. Warlocks will continue to gain Pact Magic slots and can use those for any of their spellcasting classs spells. Step 3: A mini guide for the more popular options, explainations, pact choices, spell choices etc. As another class dipping into Warlock, since Warlock selects their subclass at Level 1, you immediately get some niche features from your Otherworldly Patron. Summary of subclass features: Gain a few spell options, depending on the type of genie they choose, that Warlocks cant normally learn, but you dont automatically learn them (eventually having Wish as an option). With that concept in mind, had thoughts of pairing the genie warlock with ranger, any thoughts? Other classes like Druid and Paladin have excellent level-twenty abilities. Im referencing the DMG p.268 for pricing and mechanics for firearms, gunpowder, and more. Couple this with the fact that you're going to want two levels for . Wizards of the Coast LLC.Use, modification, and distribution of Wizards of the Coast's content is under theOpen Game License v 1.0aCopyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.Flutes Loot Privacy Policy. Both of these subclasses specialize in creation, so lets see what they can do together! Paladins can also be good for Bards if there is enough room in the build to get Paladin auras. Bonus dose of early Magical Secrets. At lvl 11, you can take mass suggestion, at 13, force cage. However, there are some perks that might make a quick dip useful. Multiclassing in Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition has prerequisites that the character must reach before they can take a level in a second class. The exception would be if I have a fun concept or I want to focus on lower levels of play; after all, most campaigns end by level ten. Not all level-twenty abilities are worth getting; for example, Rangers have a poor level-twenty class feature, so they gain more from multiclassing. Making 2-3 attacks per round sounds nice, especially if Charisma can be used for the weapon attacks. A few options to consider: Expertise Feb 5, 2016. Bards have a similar versatility to the Warlock, which makes them an excellent choice for multiclassing. You can use Mobile Flourish to move away from an enemy after using Booming Blade, which may mean theyre forced to move and trigger more Booming Blade damage to reach you. Other than that, when it comes to the build, I have to add that this way you can learn some of your run-of-the-mill fire spells (Burning Hands, Scorching Ray, Fireball, Melfs Minute Meteors etc.) Billy_Rage 2 yr. ago The obvious is fey lock and really any bard. Assuming they're comfortable fighting in close combat, a bard with access to Divine Smite can use it more frequently and more powerfully than a paladin of the same level can, due to the bard's better spellcasting. You could freely communicate telepathically with nearby creatures with GOOs telepathy, and create a long-distance communication link with a chosen creature with AMs telepathy. These class features are adaptable and allow you to pick up bonuses tailored to your current build. Lets start by taking a look at the different Warlock Patrons and what they offer. The most common Invocation for a Warlock multiclass dip is Agonizing Blast for its damage boost to Eldritch Blast, but there may be other Invocations that are more fitting to a character concept. Some of them will be for fun and others will be for optimal character builds. During your act, you can attempt the subtle Enthralling Performance ability of the Glamour Bard. Hunters Mark can go with Eldritch Blast, but you could also use Hex. RELATED: D&D: 5 Must-Have Spells For Level 1 Bards (& 5 To Avoid). When the moment is right, you can unleash your pact weapon and deal massive damage to a surprised enemy. Animate an object with its own custom statblock. React to attacks with invisibility and teleportation. From Tashas that helps with Constitution saving throws or stabilizing creatures with Spare the Dying you. Vessel that you can trade Warlock spell slots go, multiclassed spellcaster get their spell slots independently their! 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