Melee warlock armour

[Zlorfik [CH/BY]]

Hey there

I am still fairly new to DnD rules (played some Pathfinder WotR and now BG3). That said, i fell in love with the Warlock class. I am maining a ranged version and took Wyll under my wing, who is doing things melee. Now, my question is how to best approach a melee warlock. I know it's well possible and done many times before in EA, but haven't actually found info on release builds.

Main question is really about defenses. Should i go mage armour or light + shield? Light + shield is 14 AC + dex but less damage, mage armour is 13 AC + dex but full damage. I am using the thing allowing me to cast the spell for temp hitpoints an unlimited number of times, + Wyll is Fiend, so he can get them from killing too.

I know i can add another class that would give me medium armour for 15 AC + dex + shield potentially for another 2. I just dont know how worth it is. He is the only melee fighter in the party, so he is ultimately also going to be tanking a bit. If i were to add another class, what would it be? I read paladin for EA version. Is that still good?

[Schammy]

i have no real experience with dnd but i am playing my main character as a fighter 5 / warlock 2 rn and hes running around with heavy armour.
i am quite pleased although i deal less damage than wyll who's a full on warlock, but the difference is honestly very small, yet my mc is still very tanky and can soak up a lot of damage

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

Armor of Agathys.

[sevensided]

Take a level of tempest cleric or war domain cleric. Use heavy/medium and shields.

[CiZerin]

Imo best option would be Lockadin if you want to use pact of blade - Paladin \ Warlock
In that case you will have heavy armor from paladin and additional spell slots from warlock (and you can reset them after each short rest) for smite. Also due to pact of blade you need to concentrate only on CON for HP and CHA for your melee and spell rolls.
In order to have heavy armor prof you need to pick Paladin first.

[AzureTheGamerKobold]

Optimally you probably want 5 levels of fighter for extra attack, heavy armor and martial weapons. Very least 2 levels just for action surge. Then go warlock for pact of the blade and Cha to hit and damage (i've heard thats what it does in BG3).

this gives you extra attack, action surge, and heavy armor/shield for defense. If you are gonna be in melee your best option is heavy armor, as its just the best defense. If your gonna be in melee you probably need this.

My thoughts--- PS adding some sorcerer to get quicken spell does in fact allow you to burst with 3 eldritch blasts in theory.

[['w']]

eldritch blast with Repelling Blast, pushing the enemy away from you when you hit, if someone comes too close you just teleport to another area.

meanwhile for example you set someone on fire and then cast spider web on them, which will set the whole area on fire, after that you use misty step and get on the other side of the burning field.

[CiZerin]

Originally posted by |wilb|:

eldritch blast with Repelling Blast, pushing the enemy away from you when you hit, if someone comes too close you just teleport to another area.

meanwhile for example you set someone on fire and then cast spider web on them, which will set the whole area on fire, after that you use misty step and get on the other side of the burning field.

how is this "Melee warlock" OP asked about?

[Mad Max]

Originally posted by Pan Darius Loveless:

Armor of Agathys.

This. It's what makes a Melee Warlock a Melee Warlock.

[fenlander]

Originally posted by Zlorfik CH/BY:

Hey there

I am still fairly new to DnD rules (played some Pathfinder WotR and now BG3). That said, i fell in love with the Warlock class. I am maining a ranged version and took Wyll under my wing, who is doing things melee. Now, my question is how to best approach a melee warlock. I know it's well possible and done many times before in EA, but haven't actually found info on release builds.

Main question is really about defenses. Should i go mage armour or light + shield? Light + shield is 14 AC + dex but less damage, mage armour is 13 AC + dex but full damage. I am using the thing allowing me to cast the spell for temp hitpoints an unlimited number of times, + Wyll is Fiend, so he can get them from killing too.

I know i can add another class that would give me medium armour for 15 AC + dex + shield potentially for another 2. I just dont know how worth it is. He is the only melee fighter in the party, so he is ultimately also going to be tanking a bit. If i were to add another class, what would it be? I read paladin for EA version. Is that still good?

Wyll should be a Hexblade but they haven't put that into the game. Putting him into melee with a half arsed version of Hexblade will see him die often, they need that medium armour to survive.
Don't bother with Armour of Shadows as he can get the AC of 17 from normal studded armour and shield. He would do better with Devil Sight and Darkness spell.
The melee cantrips Booming Blade and Green Flame Blade are not in the game either which further nerfs Wyll's build. He isn't that good after his scene at the druids enclave, unless you need a Charisma based party member.

[CiZerin]

Originally posted by Mad Max:

Originally posted by Pan Darius Loveless:

Armor of Agathys.

This. It's what makes a Melee Warlock a Melee Warlock.

5 temp HP as lvl1 spell and 10 temp HP if used as lvl2 spell???? wtf is this lol
You're not a Barb/Moon Druid to tank with huge HP pool

as a melee warlock your best defence is AC and Darkness

[CiZerin]

Originally posted by fenlander:

Wyll should be a Hexblade but they haven't put that into the game. Putting him into melee with a half arsed version of Hexblade will see him die often, they need that medium armour to survive.
Don't bother with Armour of Shadows as he can get the AC of 17 from normal studded armour and shield. He would do better with Devil Sight and Darkness spell.
The melee cantrips Booming Blade and Green Flame Blade are not in the game either which further nerfs Wyll's build. He isn't that good after his scene at the druids enclave, unless you need a Charisma based party member.

Lockadin still an option to make a decent spellblade

Also Armor of Shadows is not THAT bad if you dip in warlock for 2 lvl as a multiclass for Shadow Monk

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

Originally posted by CiZerin:

Originally posted by Mad Max:

This. It's what makes a Melee Warlock a Melee Warlock.

5 temp HP as lvl1 spell and 10 temp HP if used as lvl2 spell???? wtf is this lol
You're not a Barb/Moon Druid to tank with huge HP pool

as a melee warlock your best defence is AC and Darkness

Armor of Agathys recently made me understand that Blade Ward is actually a wonderful spell, as is Create Water.

[CiZerin]

Originally posted by Pan Darius Loveless:

Originally posted by CiZerin:

5 temp HP as lvl1 spell and 10 temp HP if used as lvl2 spell???? wtf is this lol
You're not a Barb/Moon Druid to tank with huge HP pool

as a melee warlock your best defence is AC and Darkness

Armor of Agathys recently made me understand that Blade Ward is actually a wonderful spell, as is Create Water.

man idk, very specific thing... Blade Ward cost you an action and Armor of Agathys cost a spell slot and what it does is 30 dmg max if target is wet.
I think if you want a real Shockapalypsis is better make Tempest Cleric 2/ Storm Sorc 10 and just break the game

[Midnight]

It's great that Larian rolled a bunch of Hexblade stuff into pact of the blade melee Warlock,

That said I don't think there's much synergy with the base kit of the class. You don't get shield or medium armor+ proficiency, you don't get a fighting style and eldritch blast is frankly superior to using melee attacks in many situations (multi target, push, ranged, etc.).

So after level 5 when you get an extra attack I'd go for multiclass namely into Paladin or Bard (sword).

[broosr]

Originally posted by Midnight:

It's great that Larian rolled a bunch of Hexblade stuff into pact of the blade melee Warlock,

That said I don't think there's much synergy with the base kit of the class. You don't get shield or medium armor+ proficiency, you don't get a fighting style and eldritch blast is frankly superior to using melee attacks in many situations (multi target, push, ranged, etc.).

So after level 5 when you get an extra attack I'd go for multiclass namely into Paladin or Bard (sword).

Humal/half-elf have civil militian which is proficient with light armor and shields, and some extra weapons....