So, I was thinking over some party configurations, and the idea for a hybrid caster/melee character came to mind. Something with CHA as their primary mental stat, as well. Warlock came to mind.
Pact of the Blade allows the warlock to get Thirsting Blade, which gives an extra attack. Pretty much needed for a dedicated melee character. So with that and the warlock's casting, it seems to work out nicely at first...
Except...
First, this one is stat heavy, need STR or DEX for melee, (but I'm going STR), CHA for the casting. Okay, not the worst split. You can get medium armor proficiency with the sellsword background. However, you need to spend a feat on Raise Shield if you want shield proficiency.
That, and most of your warlock spells won't work if you have a weapon/shield, so you'd need to juggle your equipment. Not the worst thing to do that but it is still annoying.
Pact wise, the Tree seems easily the strongest. Having a kickback shield is pretty decent and you do get some bonus AC later. That and poison and necrotic resistance is handy.
It does seem like a pain to juggle everything, though. Though I'm not sure how much of an asset it is having all of Warlock's spells be keyed to short rests rather than long ones.
So, what do you think? Is a pact of the Blade melee warlock viable?
It's going to be tough for STR as you will want 14 DEX for the medium armor. What you've chosen is very MAD (multiple ability dependent).
Hell ya! I am loving my Tiefling, Pact of the Blade, Fiendish-pact Warlock wearing Heavy Armor and wielding 2H weapons. I selected Sellsword for Medium Armor then took the Might of the Iron Legion feat (@4th) to be able to wear Heavy Armor. At 5th level, I took the Thirsting Blade invocation to grant 2 melee attacks / turn and Follow-up Strike (@8th) for a 3rd attack with a 2H weapon.
Key stats:
STR = 15+ for melee attacks and Plate armor
DEX = 10 (wearing Heavy armor)
CHA = 16+
INT and WIS are dump stats for this character.
Most spells that I selected do not require Concentration, except Malediction, so CON is not critical and I do not plan on taking Flawless Concentration. Note that this character fits more of an Off-Tank or DPS role than a Primary Tank; to use MMO terms.
How good are the spells you get later on? It doesn't seem like warlocks get a lot of casts and they'd need to short rest a lot.
How does it hold up compared to say, a spellsword fighter?
I suppose using a 2-hander instead of a shield helps solve the somatic component problem, so you can keep on eldritch blasts or other spells when needed. Less AC for sure, though. I generally prefer sword+Shield to 2-handers, but the extra damage might be worth it.
Also, for combos, does malediction (bonus action for 1d6 damage/hit) apply for all 3 attacks, including the follow-up strike you get from the feat?
Also, for combos, does malediction (bonus action for 1d6 damage/hit) apply for all 3 attacks, including the follow-up strike you get from the feat?
Yes, it's the same as Hunter's Mark. But Malediction frequently demands your bonus action to cast and switch targets.
Given the implementation in Solasta, I would say the damage is going to lag, but tankyness is potentially very high.
Honestly, in my own opinion. You do whatever is fun to you. However, when it comes to melee, nothing beats a fighter. Seriously the strongest class in any 5th edition party. Hard to hit, gets the most attacks in a round, does the most consistant damage, ect. The warlock in this game (unless im mistaken) is a bit different from the actual 5th edition pact of the blade warlock and isnt as viable as the DnD warlock. In the 5th edition books pact of the blade allows the warlock to use their charisma stat instead of STR or DEX for their melee to hit or damage. I much more highly prefer the wizard or sorcerer for my spell casters. I also much more prefer obviously fighters as #1 for my melee and paladins. However character concept is a huge part of this kind of game.
For example, my table top group is running through a pathfinder campaign right now. Im currently playing a lizardfolk cleric. Who goes around door to door like a LDS preaching the gospal of "The Mighty Gila". Making characters and playing as that character is one of the best parts of this kind of game. So if you want to make your melee guy a warlock, then I suggest the free edit in the stat block part of making your character to set the stats to what you need them to be to make it viable.
The game doesn't have the Improved Pact Weapon invocation. It will work, of course, but a battle priest will easily overshadow this concept. They get their extra attack only on level 8, but their attacking spell choices are far superior AND they can heal. And they can cast spells while holding a shield.
I would use the Unfinished Business mod for this concept for the mentioned invocation.
I used a pact of chain eldritch blaster without medium armor. The pact of chain abilities are very powerful, especially the weapon resistance. Usually I used shocking grasp in melee to flee. She was also my thief with lowlife background.
However I'm curious how this concept work in the practice. And the party composition.
I'm currently running a Tiefling warlock with Pact of the Blade. It's not an optimal build but rather one more for "flavor". I kept his Dex and Cha high so right now at 5th level he uses a rapier in addition to his eldritch blast. I mainly went Pact of the Blade for those instances where he's in melee range of an enemy and would otherwise take a disadvantage to his eldritch blast. At least now he gets the bonus damage from Malediction on his melee attacks until he can work in some distance (I usually don't disengage unless I absolutely have to). I do like the bonus HP he's getting when killing enemies but again, he's not intended to be a melee DPS, just enough melee for emergencies.
We'll see how well this character continues to develop as I work my way through Crown of the Magister before hitting Palace of Ice.
How is the damage on the DEX bladelock? I suppose it's about the same as a STR character, even if it does limit melee weapons more. DEXlock could also use a bow, but I figure for a warlock they're probably better off eldritch blasting anyways.
I do admit, I kinda with College of Valor was implemented in Solasta, since that would fit what I was looking for pretty well.
How is the damage on the DEX bladelock? I suppose it's about the same as a STR character, even if it does limit melee weapons more. DEXlock could also use a bow, but I figure for a warlock they're probably better off eldritch blasting anyways.
I do admit, I kinda with College of Valor was implemented in Solasta, since that would fit what I was looking for pretty well.
Melee damage output for Dex Warlock is high if you use the Spider Rapier and have the right invocations. The health stealing animation looks cooler with the rapier IMO. It looks like you just jammed the enemy in the torso and sucked the life out of them. Get the ambidextrous feat at 4, and use another rapier or a shortsword in the other hand. With Eldtritch blasts mixed in, this build is a great combination of damage dealing with some crowd control capability.
With UB, you can multiclass with Swift Blade Ranger, which yields what I regard to be the best dual weapon build.
Even without multiclass a Blade Warlock can be a hell of power.
It's really not that difficult really.
If you plan on making him the main tank, while the others hang back...
1/ Option "Devil's Sight" (note this means you'll have to move the Warlock at times so other party members can hit enemies, or focus on AOE).
DEX Fiend Warlock, pick Feat granting DEX proficiency, grab Empress Garb when you can, pick Repelling Blast ASAP, equip Ring of Fire Resistance or find ways to grant fire resistance so other can use Fireballs.
Or just plain STR, proficiency in Athletics from race or background, and let other characters take care of enemies that will avoid the darkness of death.
2/ Option Meat Shield
If you have Fireballers in your party, to full DEX. Otherwise full CON, with still starting 16 CHA. Pick Tree, and build for resilience first (feat for shield, feat for CON proficiency, feat for STR proficiency, optional feat for DEX proficiency).
Equip an item boosting STR ASAP if you picked STR proficiency first, and play on Entangle. Go full shield and Wardenblade if you picked Constitution first.
Optionally have someone buff Warlock with Shield of Faith or Warding Bond.
If you plan on just making him hit & run...
1/ Option Haste
Timekeeper Warlock, STR build, pick feat giving Constitution proficiency, pick Ambidextrous and the related defense reaction feat, grab strength-setting item later.
2/ Option Greater invisibility
Timekeeper Warlock, STR build, go straight up two-hander (bonus action first, then CON prof, then extra damage next once you have STR-setting item).
Whatever happens keep Repelling Blast: once you get at least a second ray, even at disadvantage you'll usually hit once, providing a better alternative to Disengage when only one enemy threatens you.
I used a pact of chain eldritch blaster without medium armor. The pact of chain abilities are very powerful, especially the weapon resistance. Usually I used shocking grasp in melee to flee. She was also my thief with lowlife background. . .
I suppose using a 2-hander instead of a shield helps solve the somatic component problem, so you can keep on eldritch blasts or other spells when needed. Less AC for sure, though. I generally prefer sword+Shield to 2-handers, but the extra damage might be worth it.
A Pact of the Blade Warlock can certainly be a viable option for a hybrid caster/melee character. This build allows you to combine the Warlock’s spellcasting abilities with the martial prowess of a melee fighter, giving you a versatile and powerful character.
As you mentioned, one of the challenges of this build is that it can be stat-heavy, requiring both physical stats for melee combat and CHA for spellcasting. However, with careful planning and optimization, it’s possible to create a well-rounded character that excels in both areas.
The Pact of the Blade also offers several invocations that can enhance your melee abilities, such as Thirsting Blade for an extra attack and Lifedrinker for additional damage. The Tree pact boon can also provide useful defensive abilities, such as a kickback shield and resistance to poison and necrotic damage.
Juggling equipment can be a challenge, but with practice, it becomes easier to manage. And while some Warlock spells may not work with a weapon or shield equipped, there are still many spells and abilities that can be used effectively in melee combat.
Overall, a Pact of the Blade melee Warlock can be a viable and powerful character build. With careful planning and optimization, you can create a versatile and effective hybrid caster/melee character.