Building my melee Warlock

[robocop1051]

Forever I have been a fan of the Hexblade Warlock, often neglected or ignored by the videogame industry. I understand why they are left out, but it doesn't stop me from trying to play one, in some form, either through mods or creative character builds.

The biggest advantage of the Hexblade is the front loaded Lvl 1. Primarily the single stat focus (CHA). That benefit can be overcome with good stats across the board. If I have a high STR, then I can get the bonus for attack I'd have if I were a Hexblade using solely my CHA. Starting as a Dragonborn gives the +2 STR and the +1 CHA. This is a great beginning to a melee warlock. Solasta was kind enough to give us "rolled stats" and not just "point buy". With the ability to roll and reroll, you can guarantee yourself decent, if not HIGH, starting stats.

I was able to start my game with; 20 STR, 14 Dex, 18 Con, 12 Int, 12 Wis, 18 Cha

The next thing I needed was more armor, as the Warlock only gets light armor proficiency. Well, thanks to Solasta's background system, I can take "Sellsword" and get access medium armor right off the bat. I'll have to struggle with simple weapons through levels 1 and 2, till I get Pact of the Blade for martial weapons, but a good mace or hand axe will suffice for the start.

Picking any patron has it's benefits. The Tree and The Fiend seem to be the best towards the melee build. I heard a rule once for playing a casting type class... "if you're playing a caster, and you have the option of casting Fireball, you take Fireball." For this reason I picked The Fiend as my patron. I'll also get a second resistance later on, which I'll probably pick lightning. Fire and Lightning resistance will be HUGE against the end game casters. As a "Gold" Dragon I also get access to a flame breath weapon and resistance to fire damage. This is a nice bonus "spell" for a character with limited spell slots.

Spells are a no brainer... Malediction! Cast it once at the beginning of your turn, and then bounce it from baddie to baddie as you smash through the mob. Also grabbed Hellish Rebuke as a butt saver. This is a much better solution than The Tree's d4 thorns.

At level 2 I grabbed my first two Invocations, Agonizing Blast and Devil's Sight. The Dragonborn doesn't get Darkvision as a racial trait, so you'll need Devil's Sight to get those ranged hits in. Agonizing Blast makes your cantrip damage comparable to a regular spell.

Level 3 I took Pact of the Blade. Since I was already wearing Scale Mail armor, I could now wield a martial weapon too. I chose to go with a greatsword for this. 2d6+Str(+5) made for some HARD hits. Adding the +d6 Malediction damage is just extra HUGE, at 8-29 damage per swing. Make sure you grab Darkness spell too. It'll make a big difference in some battles (when the bugs get fixed). Drop Darkness on the map and attack with advantage inside of it. Hopefully Solasta eventually allows you to cast it on yourself, so the Darkness can move around with you. In a PnP game, I would cast Darkness on a pendant and hide it under my shirt, or in a pouch (The Darkness spell can't go through barriers and can be locked away, per the PHB rules). As a free action I pull the pendant out, and unleash the Darkness as I run into combat.

Level 4, grab that feat! We don't get Great Weapon Master, but we do get Solasta's version. Follow Up Attack is overlooked by most, but for my situation it's a massive bonus. A second d4+Str+d6 (Malediction) grants me 7-15 more damage... or a total of 15-34 damage per turn.

Level 5, and it's time for my third Invocation... Thirsting Blade for two attacks per round... Need I say more than "23-73 points of damage per round"?? and I'm still only level 5!?!?!

Skip to Level 8 for my next feat, Mighty Blow, and get another +3 damage per hit

Skip to Level 12 (if I make it that far) where I grab my last Eldritch Invocation, Lifedrinker, for another +4 damage per hit... maxing me to 44-94 per round

There are other spells and invocations I took in the middle, but they were insignificant for my play style. Having the stronger EB for a ranged attack was a bonus feature. I would've sacrificed the upgraded EB for "Improved Pact Weapon" in a PnP game.

Invocations:
L2 - Agonizing Blast, Devil's Sight
L5 - Thirsting Blade
L7 - Repelling Blast
L9 - Eldritch Spear
L12 - Lifedrinker

Spells:
Malediction (really the only spell I used through the entire game)
Hellish Rebuke (this helps early, but I saved my slots in later levels for stronger spells)
Darkness (when the current bugs get fixed, this spell + Devil Sight, is the ultimate combo.
Fireball... because it's a damn Fireball!!!

Armor:
Scale Mail of Robustness (+2), 16 AC (There's slightly better armor going to half plate, but this is the best looking armor I found... and looking badass is as important as being badass). With my Dex this was an 18 total. There's plenty of magic items that will grant another +2 AC (each) or even a Clock of Displacement for added bonus.

Weapon:
Two handed Swords seem to be the most prevalent. The +3 Sandraven Holy Axe from the Orcs is a nasty weapon too. The Lightbringer Greatsword has been my favorite so far.

[Ommamar]

You seem to have built for high damage as opposed to tankiness. One thing you could consider is the option to cast mage armor with no need for a dedicated spell slot. I am playing with bards at the moment but if I recall correctly you could still use Maledication. So that gives you a bit more AC. As too weapons the ruby bladed axe (might be the wrong name) is fairly easy to get if you get lucky with your drops or enough faction to buy a primed great ax along with the required blood ruby.
I am not to keen on the spell Darkness, it hasn't really seemed to work correctly since release. As far as Devil Sight it is pretty easy to get a ring for dark vision so I see limited use from it.

[KOHb]

Think about Dex build for melee warlock. With viper rapier in the end of course.
You need 0 strenght for this, and gain extra dex for survivability. Also your offhand attack is available from the start.

With current game itemisation you'll make almost same damage, but extra AC fom dex.

But main poblem here anyway that in most situations melee builds are less effective than spamming cantrip until you get "Lifedrinker" @lvl12.

[Malus]

Originally posted by Ommamar:

You seem to have built for high damage as opposed to tankiness. One thing you could consider is the option to cast mage armor with no need for a dedicated spell slot. I am playing with bards at the moment but if I recall correctly you could still use Maledication. So that gives you a bit more AC. As too weapons the ruby bladed axe (might be the wrong name) is fairly easy to get if you get lucky with your drops or enough faction to buy a primed great ax along with the required blood ruby.
I am not to keen on the spell Darkness, it hasn't really seemed to work correctly since release. As far as Devil Sight it is pretty easy to get a ring for dark vision so I see limited use from it.

I do not think Mage armor stacks with armor. So mage armor would be a lose of AC

[Ommamar]

Originally posted by Malus:

Originally posted by Ommamar:

You seem to have built for high damage as opposed to tankiness. One thing you could consider is the option to cast mage armor with no need for a dedicated spell slot. I am playing with bards at the moment but if I recall correctly you could still use Maledication. So that gives you a bit more AC. As too weapons the ruby bladed axe (might be the wrong name) is fairly easy to get if you get lucky with your drops or enough faction to buy a primed great ax along with the required blood ruby.
I am not to keen on the spell Darkness, it hasn't really seemed to work correctly since release. As far as Devil Sight it is pretty easy to get a ring for dark vision so I see limited use from it.

I do not think Mage armor stacks with armor. So mage armor would be a lose of AC

It seems to, if I don't cast it my AC is 14 if I do it is 17. What I think is happening is it sets the base AC to 13 then what ever armor you are wearing is added to that.

[DiceWrangler]

Note that Malediction (Hex) and Darkness require Concentration so you cannot have both running simultaneously unless someone else casts Darkness for you.

[Malus]

Originally posted by Ommamar:

Originally posted by Malus:

I do not think Mage armor stacks with armor. So mage armor would be a lose of AC

It seems to, if I don't cast it my AC is 14 if I do it is 17. What I think is happening is it sets the base AC to 13 then what ever armor you are wearing is added to that.

Seems to be bugged then. The spell in RAW says "who isnt wearing armor"

[Wizard of Woz]

Originally posted by Malus:

Originally posted by Ommamar:

It seems to, if I don't cast it my AC is 14 if I do it is 17. What I think is happening is it sets the base AC to 13 then what ever armor you are wearing is added to that.

Seems to be bugged then. The spell in RAW says "who isnt wearing armor"

Definitely a bug, mage armor should not stack with normal armor. Although if the bonus from mage armor is greater than your armor you would see an increase in AC.

[DiceWrangler]

Mage Armor sets the AC to 13 + DEX (modifier), it does not add to AC.

[Wizard of Woz]

Originally posted by DiceWrangler:

Mage Armor sets the AC to 13 + DEX (modifier), it does not add to AC.

Oh I see, not super familiar with 5e, they apparently have changed how the spell works.

[Sir Wagglepuss III]

Running an All-Warlock-Party for ♥♥♥♥♥ and giggles, I use a Tree Bladelock as my frontliner. They started off as high dex with meh strength, and translated into a melee powerhouse around level 5/6 or so when I picked them up a belt of Giant Strength and threw them a Lightbringer Greatsword.

Thanks to Solasta's ready availability of magic items, you can almost entirely ignore strength and solve it with an item, whilst reaping the sweet sweet rewards of high dex.

The other 3 Warlocks were bullying her with their shiny Agonising Eldritch Blasts and Malediction. Now she's doing 2d6+1d8+1d6+5 every swing at level 8 with a Lightbringer Greatsword + her own malediction, and swinging away three times due to a crippling potion of speed addiction, which is supplemented by my Time Warlock occasionally casting Haste when I don't find a vendor. When she's feeling spicy or completely surrounded, out comes the Frostburn Longsword and +1 Shield (grabbed Shield feat at 8th level) whilst Hasted for disgusting amounts of AC.

Bladelocks are very versatile, and don't take too much to get off the ground whilst having a lot of potential to become ridiculously good with a little focus/planning.

TL;DR:

Run dex, grab an item to get swole quick like belt of giant strength, use any weapons or ammo that give extra dice.

[Ommamar]

Originally posted by Sir Wagglepuss III:

Running an All-Warlock-Party for ♥♥♥♥♥ and giggles, I use a Tree Bladelock as my frontliner. They started off as high dex with meh strength, and translated into a melee powerhouse around level 5/6 or so when I picked them up a belt of Giant Strength and threw them a Lightbringer Greatsword.

Thanks to Solasta's ready availability of magic items, you can almost entirely ignore strength and solve it with an item, whilst reaping the sweet sweet rewards of high dex.

The other 3 Warlocks were bullying her with their shiny Agonising Eldritch Blasts and Malediction. Now she's doing 2d6+1d8+1d6+5 every swing at level 8 with a Lightbringer Greatsword + her own malediction, and swinging away three times due to a crippling potion of speed addiction, which is supplemented by my Time Warlock occasionally casting Haste when I don't find a vendor. When she's feeling spicy or completely surrounded, out comes the Frostburn Longsword and +1 Shield (grabbed Shield feat at 8th level) whilst Hasted for disgusting amounts of AC.

Bladelocks are very versatile, and don't take too much to get off the ground whilst having a lot of potential to become ridiculously good with a little focus/planning.

TL;DR:

Run dex, grab an item to get swole quick like belt of giant strength, use any weapons or ammo that give extra dice.

How often are you getting Hellish rebuke? Or are you using that spell?

[Sir Wagglepuss III]

I'll use it occasionally if Malediction concentration doesn't fail from the hit. I'll usually just keep the spell slot to re-up Malediction in case it fails though. I'll definitely burn it for high value targets that have 70+ hp pools and need dealing with quickly.

[xposethedarkside]

Treebladelock is disgusting. I've got one going to. The only thing I did differently is I did pump strength. My dex is still pretty good at +2, which is all I need for medium armor anyway(went with the sell sword background for medium armor)
I do like your idea of going dex and then belt for strength. Wish I had thought of that.
Other than that, pretty much the same as youve got going on. It's nasty.