D&D 5e Warlock Guide (2014)

Introduction

The Warlock is D&D 5e's most distinctive spellcasting class. Where Wizards study, Sorcerers are born, and Clerics pray, the Warlock bargains, and the bargain shapes every mechanical decision the class makes. Short-rest spell slots that recharge in an hour instead of an overnight rest. The best scaling damage cantrip in the game. A deeply customizable Invocation system that transforms Eldritch Blast into a battlefield control weapon. And a Patron subclass system that ranges from the classic devil-deal Fiend to the alien Great Old One to the sword-wielding Hexblade.

The Warlock is the most demanding class in D&D for pure resource management: your strength is renewable short-rest power, which requires your party to actually take short rests to function. A Warlock in a party that never rests is dramatically less powerful than one in a party that takes two breaks per adventuring day. The class rewards players who understand its economy and punishes players who try to use it like a standard long-rest caster.

---

Disclaimer

• ● Red: Bad. Actively weak or superseded.
• ● Orange: Situational. Correct in specific builds or campaigns.
• ● Green: Good. Reliable and consistently strong.
• ● Blue: Fantastic. Best-in-class, almost always the right choice.

---

Class Features

Eldritch Blast (Cantrip) ●

The best cantrip in D&D. Force damage (rarely resisted), CHA-based ranged spell attack, 1d10 per beam, 120-foot range. Beams scale: 1 beam at levels 1-4, 2 at levels 5-10, 3 at levels 11-16, 4 at levels 17-20. With Agonizing Blast (Invocation): add CHA modifier to each beam's damage. At level 17 with CHA 20: 4 × (1d10 + 5) = average 42 damage per turn from a cantrip. Every Warlock builds around Eldritch Blast unless building a melee Hexblade.

Otherworldly Patron (1st Level) ●

See Subclasses section.

Pact Magic (1st Level) ●

Spell slots: 1 slot (1st level) at level 1, 3 slots (5th level) at level 11, up to 4 slots (5th level) at level 17. ALL slots recover on short rest. Spell slot level equals your Pact Magic level (always at the highest available tier). This means a level-9 Warlock always casts spells at 5th level. A Misty Step is always a 2nd-level spell; a Hold Monster is always a 5th-level spell.

Cantrips: 2 at level 1, 3 at level 4, 4 at level 10.

Spells known: 2 at level 1, scaling to 15 at level 20.

Eldritch Invocations (2nd Level) ●

See Invocations section. You gain 2 at level 2 and accumulate up to 8 by level 20. Invocations can be swapped when you gain a level.

Pact Boon (3rd Level) ●

• ● Pact of the Chain - Superior familiar (Imp, Pseudodragon, Quasit, or Sprite, all with unique abilities no standard Find Familiar provides). Use your Attack action to have the familiar attack (it does not otherwise use your action). The Imp has Sting (3d6 poison), advantage on attacks when adjacent to an enemy, and the ability to turn invisible at will.
• ● Pact of the Blade - Summon or bond any magical weapon. Can be used as a Hexblade melee build foundation. Thirsting Blade Invocation gives you Extra Attack with the pact weapon.
• ● Pact of the Tome - A Book of Shadows: 3 cantrips from any spell list + ritual spells. Best for utility and spell expansion. Eldritch Blast, Guidance, and Shillelagh cantrips from the Tome create a support hybrid.
• ● Pact of the Talisman (Tasha's) - Holder adds 1d4 to failed ability checks. Give to ally. The Warlock with Talisman Invocations (extra effects at Warlock levels) improves the holder's survivability across skill checks.

For the full Find Familiar spell mechanics that Pact of the Chain grants, see the Find Familiar spell guide. For how Pact of the Chain compares to Ranger and Druid companion options, see the D&D 5e 2014 Familiars Guide.

Mystic Arcanum (11th, 13th, 15th, 17th Level) ●

One 6th-level spell at level 11, 7th at 13, 8th at 15, 9th at 17. Each is usable once per long rest. These are bonus slots; they do not compete with Pact Magic. A level-17 Warlock has their full short-rest Pact Slots PLUS four once-per-long-rest high-level spells. Best Mystic Arcanum picks: Eyebite (6th, ongoing debuff without concentration), Finger of Death (7th, kill and animate), Glibness (8th, +15 to CHA checks for 1 hour), Foresight (9th, advantage on all rolls for 8 hours, one of the most powerful spells in D&D).

Eldritch Master (20th Level) ●

Spend 1 minute in communion with patron to recover all Pact Magic slots. Once per long rest. A third short rest equivalent once per day: mildly useful at level 20 when you already have Mystic Arcanum and substantial short-rest recovery.

---

Ability Scores

Eldritch Blast Build:

Hexblade/Pact of the Blade Build:

● CHA: Everything. Spell save DC, Eldritch Blast damage (Agonizing Blast), social skills, and for Hexblade: attack and damage. Max first.

● CON: Concentration spells and HP. 14 minimum.

● STR, INT: No standard Warlock feature uses these. Dump to 8.

---

Races

● Half-Elf: +2 CHA, +1 to two stats, two extra skills. The highest CHA bonus available. Best overall Warlock race.

● Tiefling: +2 CHA, +1 INT (wasted), Darkvision, fire resistance, innate spells. Thematic alignment with Fiend Patron. CHA +2 is the most important bonus.

● Variant Human: +1 CHA, +1 CON, extra skill, feat at level 1. War Caster at level 1 for any concentration-using Warlock.

● Yuan-Ti Pureblood (Volo's): +2 CHA, Magic Resistance (advantage on spell saves). Magic Resistance is the best defensive feature for a Warlock who relies on CHA saves and sometimes needs to maintain concentration.

---

Skills

Warlocks choose 2 from: Arcana, Deception, History, Intimidation, Investigation, Nature, Religion.

● Deception: CHA-based. The Warlock's social identity. In any campaign with deception, the Warlock is the best liar.

● Arcana: INT-based but the most thematically appropriate Warlock skill. Identifying enemy magic and understanding the supernatural.

● Intimidation: CHA-based. Second social option for aggressive-personality Warlocks.

● Investigation: INT-based. Traps, evidence, hidden passages. Useful in dungeon and mystery scenarios.

---

Backgrounds

For a full ranking of all 13 PHB backgrounds and how each compares outside this class, see the D&D 5e 2014 Backgrounds Guide.

● Charlatan: Deception and Sleight of Hand, Disguise Kit and Forgery Kit. Deception is CHA-based. Best for a Warlock who wants maximum deception and disguise capability.

● Noble: History and Persuasion, Position of Privilege. Persuasion is CHA-based. Social access and preferential treatment through aristocratic connections.

● Outlander: Athletics and Survival. Less thematically aligned but Athletics (for Hexblade grapple builds) is useful.

---

Feats

● War Caster: Concentration advantage, spell OA. Warlocks use concentration spells constantly (Hex, Banishment, Hunger of Hadar, Hold Monster). War Caster protects your most important combat resource.

● Resilient (CON): CON save proficiency. Alternative to War Caster for concentration protection.

● Alert: +5 initiative, no surprise. Warlocks need to survive the first round to deal damage. Going first ensures Hex or Hunger of Hadar goes down before enemies act.

● Lucky: Three rerolls per long rest. Three times per day you turn a failed Eldritch Blast miss, concentration save, or crucial skill check into a success.

● Polearm Master: For Hexblade melee builds: bonus action d4 attack + reach OA. Combines with Sentinel for complete melee zone control.

● Sentinel: OA stops movement. Pairs with Hexblade builds at melee range. Requires melee positioning and Pact of the Blade investment.

For the complete feat priority list by level, see our Best Feats for Warlock guide. For the complete spell priority list by level, see our Best Warlock Spells guide.

---

Subclasses

The Warlock picks its patron at level 1, earlier than any other class, and then gains patron features at 6, 10 and 14. All nine patrons grant an expanded spell list, so that is not what separates them. What separates them is the level 1 feature, and specifically how much it gives you that does not cost a spell slot - the resource this class has least of.

The Hexblade is the strongest overall, because Hex Warrior collapses the Warlock's ability score problem into Charisma alone and the expanded list grants Shield. The Genie is the strongest for a pure caster, because Sanctuary Vessel manufactures short rests and short rests are where your spell slots come from. The Fiend is the best Player's Handbook option. The Undying is the weakest by a wide margin; if you want the concept, play the Undead and reskin it.

Compare all nine Warlock patrons in detail - every feature rated, all four Genie kinds, the full expanded spell lists, and the ability score, race, feat and multiclass choices each patron wants.

Invocations

Must-Have Invocations:

● Agonizing Blast: +CHA modifier to Eldritch Blast damage per beam. Mandatory for any Eldritch Blast build. Never skip.

● Devil's Sight: 120-foot Darkvision, including magical darkness. Combined with Darkness spell (or Darkness from a magic item): you see perfectly in magical darkness while enemies are blinded. Pure combat advantage.

● Repelling Blast: Push target 10 feet per beam on Eldritch Blast hit. Four beams at level 17 = push 40 feet per action, or 10 feet per beam in different directions. Prevents enemies from reaching you.

● Grasp of Hadar (Xanathar's): Pull target 10 feet on Eldritch Blast hit. Opposite of Repelling Blast. Pull enemies into AoE spells or off ledges.

● Thirsting Blade (Pact of the Blade): Extra Attack with pact weapon. Required for melee Hexblade builds to function at Extra Attack levels.

● Lifedrinker (Pact of the Blade, level 12+): Pact weapon attacks deal +CHA modifier necrotic. At CHA 20: +5 necrotic on every melee hit.

● Mask of Many Faces: Cast Disguise Self at will. Free unlimited identity changes for infiltration.

● Misty Visions: Cast Silent Image at will. Free unlimited illusions.

● Book of Ancient Secrets (Pact of the Tome): Ritual casting from any class's list. Access to Ritual spells the Warlock would otherwise never cast.

● Voice of the Chain Master (Pact of the Chain): Communicate telepathically with your familiar, perceive through its senses, and speak in your own voice through it. Strong in stealth and scouting scenarios.

● Eldritch Armor (Tasha's, Pact of Blade): Don/doff armor as action, use pact weapon as spellcasting focus. Minor convenience.

---

Weapons

● Pact Weapon (Hexblade): CHA-based magical weapon on demand. The correct choice for melee builds. Never lose it; always functions; scales with Lifedrinker.

● Dagger: Backup finesse option. Usually inferior to Eldritch Blast for ranged turns.

● Any non-pact weapon: No proficiency benefit, no CHA application without Hex Warrior. Avoid in most builds.

---

Armor

● Medium Armor + Shield (Hexblade): Hex Warrior grants medium armor and shield proficiency. Half Plate + Shield = AC 17, scaling to AC 20 with shield and defensive magic items. The Hexblade Warlock is the most durable Warlock chassis.

● Light Armor (non-Hexblade): Studded Leather with DEX 14: AC 14. Standard backline caster armor.

● Mage Armor (from Pact of the Tome): 13 + DEX modifier. With DEX 14: AC 15. Better than leather but costs a slot.

● No armor: Without Mage Armor or Hexblade, the Warlock in robes has AC 10 + DEX. Never intended.

---

Multiclassing

Multiclassing requirement: CHA 13.

● Paladin 6 / Warlock (Hexblade) X: The Padlock. The most famous multiclass in 5e. Paladin Aura of Protection + Divine Smite + CHA-based attacks. Warlock short-rest slots fuel unlimited smites. See Paladin Guide for full analysis. Considered one of the strongest builds in the entire game.

● Sorcerer X / Warlock 2-3: Short-rest Warlock slots converted to Sorcery Points via Flexible Casting. Effectively gives the Sorcerer a short-rest resource engine on top of long-rest slots. Eldritch Blast fills the Sorcerer's cantrip gap. Invocations add passive buffs.

● Bard X / Warlock 1-3: Lore Bard + Warlock 3 (Pact of the Tome) gives extensive ritual casting, additional skill proficiencies, and Eldritch Blast as a damage cantrip. The Bard/Warlock is the most complete social + combat hybrid.

● Wizard 1-2 / Warlock X: INT/CHA conflict. Rarely efficient unless specifically targeting Arcane Recovery + Warlock Flexible Casting.

---

Example Build: The Hexblade Champion (Padlock)

Race: Half-Elf (+2 CHA, +1 CON, +1 DEX, Darkvision, Fey Ancestry)

Starting Stats: CHA 17 (15+2), CON 14 (13+1), DEX 13 (12+1), WIS 12, STR 10, INT 8

Tactics: At Paladin 6: Lay on Hands, Divine Smite, and Aura of Protection (CHA +4 = +4 on every party save). Transition to Hexblade at level 7: medium armor + shield (AC 18+), Hex Warrior (CHA to attacks eliminates STR/DEX dependency). Vow of Enmity gives advantage on the marked target; smite on confirmed hits with Warlock 5th-level slots (3d8 each, short-rest renewable). Lifedrinker adds +5 necrotic per hit at no cost. By level 20 (Warlock 14, slots at 5th level): three 5th-level Pact Slots on short rest = three potential 3d8 smites per rest interval. The combination of CHA-based melee (Hex Warrior), automatic advantage (Vow of Enmity), party-wide saves (Aura of Protection), and short-rest smite fuel creates one of D&D's strongest sustained-combat builds.

---

Final Notes

The Warlock's power is concentration on understanding the short-rest recharge cycle, not on any single spell. A Warlock who takes two short rests per adventuring day has effectively triple the slots of one who takes none. Plan with your party to incorporate breaks. The Warlock who spends their first two Pact Slots in the first encounter and then rests before the second encounter never runs low on resources.

The Fiend is the most complete standalone Warlock. The Hexblade is the foundation of the strongest multiclass builds. The Celestial is the best party healer option. The Undead has the best level-1 subclass feature. The Padlock (Paladin 6 / Hexblade Warlock) is the ceiling of 5e martial optimization.

Eldritch Blast with Agonizing Blast is always correct for ranged builds. Repelling Blast turns it into a battlefield control weapon. Devil's Sight + Darkness creates advantage in every combat with dim-light sources. Build your Invocations as a system, not as eight independent choices.

---

Running this build yourself? Find a professional game master who knows the system to help you get the most out of it at the table.