Warlock - weapons and bonus actions

[akm360]

Do weapons affect a warlocks damage or chance to hit at all with eldritch blast? Or is charisma the only modifier for them? I'm using a rapier and I've noticed that most of my attacks only have a 50-60% chance to hit unless I have a high ground advantage.

Another thing that kinda bugs me is that I feel like I don't have a use for bonus actions, don't really have much opportunity to shove/jump since I'm far from enemies most of the time. Re-applying hex only happens every few turns so thats not an option.

I heard someone mention in a video that hand crossbows give you a free shot with bonus action but looking at the skill shows that it is super limited since it requires you to use dash or disengage beforehand and its limited to once per short rest. Is there some feat that allows you to use it multiple times per combat?

[Kaerakh]

I'm guessing you're still early in your playthrough, warlock can be incredibly overpowered. The way they receive spells and spell slots you basically just want to, with minor exceptions, trade up to the most powerful spells you can to maximize each spell slot's effectiveness.

I've found myself particularly interested in finding enchanted items to extend my character's effectiveness on my solo-no-party playthrough.

I found once all of that clicked it became much much easier to play warlock.

> Pact blade is pretty good as it gives you options when an enemy is inside your minimum optimal cast range for eldritch blast.
> You definitely want the perks that give eldritch blast additional damage based on charisma, and definitely the repelling upgrade. (repelling upgrade helps you keep enemies in certain zones like Hunger of Hadar, and occasionally allows you to knock enemies off the map)
> The dark vision perk is pretty useful too with Darkness.
> Also, Hunger of Hadar should probably be a warcrime.
> mist step

But yeah then when ever you pick an item up, and this probably goes with any class to a greater or lesser extent, you want to think about how they help you maximize usage and up time of those big hitter spells since for the majority of your playthrough you'll only have 2 spell slots.

Because of this, at warlock level 5 I started cross classing with druid for some utility. (guidance, wild shape, additional spell slots (since spells are largely agnostic about where the slot comes from), spell slot regen from circle of the land etc)

Keep in mind I'm min maxxing somewhat because of artificial limitations I've placed on myself, but in a party you can make the character more specialized and go full warlock for those big hitter spells.

[akm360]

Originally posted by Kaerakh:

I'm guessing you're still early in your playthrough, warlock can be incredibly overpowered. The way they receive spells and spell slots you basically just want to, with minor exceptions, trade up to the most powerful spells you can to maximize each spell slot's effectiveness.

I've found myself particularly interested in finding enchanted items to extend my character's effectiveness on my solo-no-party playthrough.

I found once all of that clicked it became much much easier to play warlock.

> Pact blade is pretty good as it gives you options when an enemy is inside your minimum optimal cast range for eldritch blast.
> You definitely want the perks that give eldritch blast additional damage based on charisma, and definitely the repelling upgrade.
> The dark vision perk is pretty useful to with Darkness.
> Also, Hunger of Hadar should probably be a warcrime.
> mist step

But yeah then when ever you pick an item up, and this probably goes with any class to a greater or lesser extent, you want to think about how they help you maximize usage and up time of those big hitter spells since for the majority of your playthrough you'll only have 2 spell slots.

Because of this, at warlock level 5 I started cross classing with druid for some utility. (guidance, wild shape, spell slot regen from circle of the land etc)

Keep in mind I'm min maxxing somewhat because of artificial limitations I've placed on myself, but in a party you can make the character more specialized and go full warlock for those big hitter spells.

Yes I'm only level 3 at the moment, I play a drow/pact of the chain so dark vision is covered, but the main question i have is if my weapon does anything at all to increase/decrease my eldritch blast damage or its chance to connect with the enemy.

If weapon damage does not matter then i can safely use a weapon with some passive trait that might be more beneficial.

i did take agonising blast for more damage from charisma and will get repelling at the next opportunity i get, i prioritised speak with animals so as to not miss much dialogue.

[Darbie]

Your weapon will only affect your chance to hit/damage of Eldritch Blast if it specifically says so.

For instance, I have on my Cleric a staff that has "Arcane Enchantment: You gain a +1 bonus to Spell Save DC and spell attack rolls.". This would enhance your hit chance with Eldritch Blast by +1.

The damage stat on your weapon, or your chance to hit with your weapon, have nothing to do with your Cantrip/Spells unless it's a mechanic like above.

[Steppenrazor]

your weapon doesn't matter unless you hit someone with it. your spells/abilities are all based around cha for the most part.

[Steppenrazor]

Originally posted by Darbie:

Your weapon will only affect your chance to hit/damage of Eldritch Blast if it specifically says so.

For instance, I have on my Cleric a staff that has "Arcane Enchantment: You gain a +1 bonus to Spell Save DC and spell attack rolls.". This would enhance your hit chance with Eldritch Blast by +1.

The damage stat on your weapon, or your chance to hit with your weapon, have nothing to do with your Cantrip/Spells unless it's a mechanic like above.

this

[Xiwang]

no, your weapon as a warlock is just as useful as male nipples, it just exist. in fact wyll carried a torch a few lvls and literally never used it in melee... so much for the "blade of the frontier"

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

Weapons are largely irrelevant to Warlocks unless they take Pact of the Blade...but specifically, no, your weapon provides no modifier or bonus to Eldritch Blast specifically, although as someone else mentioned, some weapons, particularly staves, may inadvertently give you bonuses.

The particular staff mentioned, the Staff of Arcane Brilliance, is basically the Bless spell on steroids, and it will affect Eldritch Blast as well, but it wpuld affect any other spell that makes an attack roll, not just Eldritch Blast.

[akm360]

Originally posted by Darbie:

Your weapon will only affect your chance to hit/damage of Eldritch Blast if it specifically says so.

For instance, I have on my Cleric a staff that has "Arcane Enchantment: You gain a +1 bonus to Spell Save DC and spell attack rolls.". This would enhance your hit chance with Eldritch Blast by +1.

The damage stat on your weapon, or your chance to hit with your weapon, have nothing to do with your Cantrip/Spells unless it's a mechanic like above.

Thank you for clarifying this, now I can safely give my +1 weapon to someone else and use a common weapon till I hopefully find that staff you mentioned.
Although I have to ask, do cantrips count as spells? If the staff only affects spells then I would have assumed it only affected spells that consumed spell slots.

[akm360]

Originally posted by Pan Darius Loveless:

Weapons are largely irrelevant to Warlocks unless they take Pact of the Blade...but specifically, no, your weapon provides no modifier or bonus to Eldritch Blast specifically, although as someone else mentioned, some weapons, particularly staves, may inadvertently give you bonuses.

The particular staff mentioned, the Staff of Arcane Brilliance, is basically the Bless spell on steroids, and it will affect Eldritch Blast as well, but it wpuld affect any other spell that makes an attack roll, not just Eldritch Blast.

that sounds like a really good passive to have, is this an act 1 item? i want to make sure i have it before going into act 2.

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

Originally posted by akm360:

Originally posted by Darbie:

Your weapon will only affect your chance to hit/damage of Eldritch Blast if it specifically says so.

For instance, I have on my Cleric a staff that has "Arcane Enchantment: You gain a +1 bonus to Spell Save DC and spell attack rolls.". This would enhance your hit chance with Eldritch Blast by +1.

The damage stat on your weapon, or your chance to hit with your weapon, have nothing to do with your Cantrip/Spells unless it's a mechanic like above.

Thank you for clarifying this, now I can safely give my +1 weapon to someone else and use a common weapon till I hopefully find that staff you mentioned.
Although I have to ask, do cantrips count as spells? If the staff only affects spells then I would have assumed it only affected spells that consumed spell slots.

Cantrips are also spells.

Offensive spells come in three flavors:

Attack roll spells. Just like making an attscking roll with a melee weapon or a ranged weapon. Note that trying to use a ranged spell while threatened will give you disadvantage on the roll. Most cantrips are ranged, but a few, most notably Shocking Grasp, are melee spell attacks (can be cast while threatened with no penalty - it's basically the caster equovalent of making a melee swing).

Saving throw spells. These attack specific ability scores, such as Dex or Wis. Typically, AoE spells such as Fireball require a Dexterity saving throw, mind control magic such as Enchantments require a Wisdom saving throw, and Perception altering spells, such as those of the Illusion School, require Intelligence saving throws. Some saving throws give 1/2 damage on a successful saving throw or full on a fail (so so.e guaranteed damage), others give none on a success, and there are some evasion abilities some classes get that shift these by one tier (so that save for 1/2 damage becomes save for no damage). Most of those abilities concern Dexterity saving throws, as they are essentially dodges that let you move out of the way of AoE effects. Rogues, Rangers and Monks tend to get these abilities.

Finally, there's the 'never miss', or guaranteex damage, type of spell, such as Magic Missile, which has neither attack roll nor saving throw. It just hits. Unless someone is able to respond with either the Shield spell, or the Counterspell, both of which will stop a Magic Missile. Note that Shield will only protect tbe character that cast Shield, so if the Magic Missiles were split between different targets, only the target casting Shield will block tbe missiled aimed at them.

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

Originally posted by akm360:

Originally posted by Pan Darius Loveless:

Weapons are largely irrelevant to Warlocks unless they take Pact of the Blade...but specifically, no, your weapon provides no modifier or bonus to Eldritch Blast specifically, although as someone else mentioned, some weapons, particularly staves, may inadvertently give you bonuses.

The particular staff mentioned, the Staff of Arcane Brilliance, is basically the Bless spell on steroids, and it will affect Eldritch Blast as well, but it wpuld affect any other spell that makes an attack roll, not just Eldritch Blast.

that sounds like a really good passive to have, is this an act 1 item? i want to make sure i have it before going into act 2.

It is.