D&D 5e Warlock multiclassing image by Wizards of the Coast in Guildmasters Guide to Ravnica.This article contains affiliate links that add gold to our coffers. While transformed, creatures charmed by you automatically fail their saving throw against your Command spell. You also choose your fighting style at this level, which can grant you +1 ACsurvivability that a Warlock greatly benefits from. Rogue levels go well with just about any combination of classes, and that holds true with bards as well. The most important part of any game is that you have fun. This also gives them access to the Sorcerers proficiencies in light armor and simple weapons, something the Warlock does not naturally have. The Thief Rogue specializes in chucking items as a bonus action, such as acid vials. The persona gets you in front of powerful people during a performance. These rankings are meant to help you create an optimized class build, but rememberDnD isnt a game where you need to win to have fun. . This is because other classes can give a bard better weapons and armor, Extra Attack, and a Fighting Style without the baggage of a ranger's largely-incompatible spellcasting. So, it didnt make sense to take more than a few levels in Sorcerer. You can twin Eldritch Blast and then do it again with the Fighters Action Surge. Fifth Edition Warlock Patrons have an immense amount of versatility since they all offer different things and allow the Warlock to slot into roles other than the ranged caster. The same goes for Eldritch Blast. Whisper to someone and convince them that you know their greatest secret, terrifying and charming them into obeying your requests. For a D&D player looking to go all-in on the skills, this bard multiclass is the best available. Stuff like armor of agathys or mirror image. Extra Attack. Id probably go for Watchers Paladin, but there are a few that could work for your campaign. Overall, multiclassing into Cleric improves areas Warlock is weak at rather than building on existing strengths. The Bard is a strong spellcaster, so focus on that, but the Soulknife is a fun supplement. If thats your kind of campaign, the low supply of Bardic Inspiration wont matter much. I would also choose the Tomb of Levistus Invocation because I find that the Tundra option is my favorite storm type for the Storm Herald. Your spirit can leave your body to gain several effects: both your spirit and body resist slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning damage, you can cast conjuration and necrotic spells without components (as long as the materials lack a gold cost), flying and ethereal movement, and you regain hitpoints when you transform and deal necrotic damage. If you dont want to do the usual Hexblade dip, you might go with the Great Old One. Updated 8th of September, by Isaac Williams: Multiclassing is one of the best ways to customize a character in Fifth Edition, but it's also a double-edged sword that can hamstring a character's effectiveness. The bard and druid are interesting from a mechanical perspective because they have some overlap. Cleric has very good class features at higher levels, but unfortunately youll never reach them when multiclassing. Mechanically, bards don't benefit from using their entire turn to strike foes, having too many uses for their Bonus Action to benefit from the monk's best abilities. Id go for the Clockwork Soul Sorcerer. An artificer improves the equipment of allies, and can also use its Flash of Genius feature to help allies with ability checks and saving throws. Clerics run into a common problem for a bard multiclass: differing spellcasting ability scores. The characters archaeological delvings have led them to discover an ancient weapon that has formed a pact with them and transformed them with divine energy. This is when your Bardic Inspiration die upgrades to a d8, and you start regaining those Inspirations on a short rest. Sorcerers have full-spellcaster spell slot progression, allowing them to make great use of several Warlock and Paladin features. Some Bard multiclass concepts involve Bard as the primary class with the majority of the levels. Better options exist for this concept, but if you want access to Cleric spells like Spirit Guardians in addition to melee attacks that are based on the quantity of damage on a single attack rather than spread-out damage with multiple attacks, this combination is ok. Youll get Warlock invocations and several smiting spells from the Hexblade Warlock. Multiclassing is a process wherein a character of one class starts taking levels in one (or more - people can get a little nuts about this stuff) additional classes. With just one level in Warlock with The Hexblade patron, youll be able to attack with your finesse weapon using Charisma instead of Dexterity or Strength for your weapons attack and damage rolls. Regain hitpoints as a bonus action based on your Warlock level. To address the elephant in the room: Cleric spells use Wisdom. Im referencing the DMG p.268 for pricing and mechanics for firearms, gunpowder, and more. Resist cold damage and freely communicate with other creatures when youre submerged in water. Summary of subclass features: Treat your Persuasion and Deception ability check rolls of nine or lower as tens. Several of my recommendations are thematically cool or unusually unique to D&D. In addition, ability scores provide a real barrier. Going for 17 levels in Nature Cleric will allow your Channel Divinity: Charm Animals to control the creatures youve charmed. Genies Wrath is also a nice passive buff to damage with attacks, and it scales by Proficiency Bonus. Summary of subclass features: Gain a few spell options that Warlocks cant normally learn, but you dont automatically learn them. It can capture the souls of fallen enemies to learn from them, perhaps informing their rituals and tales. Youre a fantastic support character who can also deal big damage and defend yourself. With DM permission, this Invocation enables a spellcaster to create spell scrolls during long rests since they dont need to sleep. This multi or dual-class is worth dipping into if you're looking to fill a role as the party's face or you want to take three levels to add the combat prowess of the College of Swords to your Bladelock. It can also gain temporary hitpoints while cutting down enemies. Multiclassing can be useful for roleplaying as well, so its not merely for min-max-style players. When you multiclass into a new class, you start at level one again and must work your way up toward level 20 from scratch. Shoot back to life when you make a death saving throw and deal radiant damage in an area. This combination will enable you to really stack up damage for heavy-handed melee strikes. The idea here is to become a master manipulator. Warlock/sorcerer is also a very strong option for a sorcerer multiclass. However, Paladin auras are the real prize for Sorcerers. Jared King is a writer and content creator with extensive experience in the fields of gaming and entertainment and now writes as a contributor to CBR. The exception would be if I have a fun concept or I want to focus on lower levels of play; after all, most campaigns end by level ten. Grim Harvest is a fun ability from the Necromancer Wizard that passively siphons life from your victims when you slay them with spells of at least first level. Twilight is a decent theme for this character, too. Goes without saying that Elemental Adept: Fire is a no-brainer for your first ASI, although Moderately Armored might come in handy then or later. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Armor up, see in the dark, and get advantage on Initiative with the Twilight Cleric. Your second class can also increase your number of attacks, bump up your damage, or give you self-healing abilities. Survive with one hitpoint when youd normally be reduced to zero hitpoints, gain a level of exhaustion, and deal necrotic damage to nearby creatures of your choice. Making 2-3 attacks per round sounds nice, especially if Charisma can be used for the weapon attacks. Multiclassing lets you play as two classes, and Warlock is one of the most potent options for one of your two picks. Gain special Blade Flourishes and increase your movement speed for the turn when you attack. Pretend your core class has something different about it that is justified by multiclassing. Couple this with the fact that you're going to want two levels for . Other classes like Druid and Paladin have excellent level-twenty abilities. Poor synergy between Warlock and Cleric class features. Having a few spell slots that recharge on a short rest is quite nice for spellcasters. Transform as a bonus action to gain the ability to cast Command as a bonus action for one minute while you concentrate on your transformation. What multiclass would you suggest for a teithling bard who is male but dresses feminine and even wears makeup, also his background is far traveler. Put thirteen or fourteen points into Dexterity and Constitution, and go full force into Charisma with this combination. This is an optimal build that gives armor, shields, Eldritch Blast, Invocations (Agonizing Blast), and subclass perks from the Hexblade. Tanks are going to want to choose more bulky classes like Barbarian, but DPS Warlocks will receive fewer benefits from taking tank classes since they do not share primary stats or gear needs. Further, Sorcerers have magic in their bloodlines, while Warlocks draw upon the power of ancient beings like Fey nobles, Hags, or even Aliens. The most common Invocation for a Warlock multiclass dip is Agonizing Blast for its damage boost to Eldritch Blast, but there may be other Invocations that are more fitting to a character concept. Bards help you reliably pass skill checks and give you spells for social encounters, making you better at diplomacy. The mechanical benefits are decent enough, though I wouldnt say this is highly optimized. Undead creatures need to roll a Wisdom saving throw to attack you. Fighter Warlocks may want to consider taking the War Caster Feat to allow them to carry weapons or a shield while continuing to cast. Multiclassing is a powerful tool for character optimization. Summary of subclass features: Gain a few spell options that Warlocks cant normally learn, but you dont automatically learn them. Bards lack the first-level value that other spellcasters provide in multiclassing, but theyre formidable in their own ways with more levels of investment. Add 1d10 to an ability check or saving throw. Warlocks are one of of the most popular classes in D&D 5e. Multiclassing Spellcasters: Do I Get More Spells and Spell Slots? Your email address will not be published. Dont invest too much in Charisma because your Intelligence will be more important. Bonus dose of early Magical Secrets. Picking up the Shield spell in this way could be useful, for example. Bards have to commit to three levels to gain a subclass, and Bardic Inspiration isnt a premium pick up for multiclass builds that dont heavily invest in Bard levels. You have become the storm as you freely fly above enemies just out of reach but within your stormy aura. However, while a bard multiclassed with a ranger could theoretically hold its own in combat, the combination falls short of others. The two Warlock levels are important for Invocations. Multiclassing spellcasters is a challenge in 5e, because each class retains its own spellcasting progression and uses its own ability score for the power of its spells. Each class is granting proficiencies plus proficiency doubling, and some of the classes even provide bonus proficiencies according to the multiclassing proficiencies table. Eventually, enhance your ability to create items by ignoring gold cost limitations and creating more at once. Your email address will not be published. Transform as a bonus action for temporary hitpoints, attacks that can frighten enemies, and immunity to fright. Which of my multiclass concepts have you played or have you felt inspired to play? Other classes like Druid and Paladin have excellent level-twenty abilities. Certain cleric Domains give heavy armor proficiency with a single level, which is a vast improvement over what most bards get. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Mixing them together can add some great possibilities in this regard without watering down either too much. any advice? Speak to someone for one minute to attempt to frighten them (they dont know if they succeed on the Wisdom save). Step 3: A mini guide for the more popular options, explainations, pact choices, spell choices etc. Multiclassing is a fun way to add additional depth to your character and make their build feel more unique. But in return, they'll get several cantrips - including reliable choices like Fire Bolt or Ray of Frost - and access to several effective low-level spells, all of which use Charisma. For starters, each Patron grants the Warlock a unique expanded spell list. Guidance & help (as a bonus action)? However, multiclassing is also complicated. #2. Would fire genie warlock and samurai fighter? All you need is your bow and a target worthy of your attention. Outright bad and detrimental. That said, not all combinations of classes work well with Warlock. After that, Glamour Bard offers much more for your trouble. With the right combinations, a Bard can become increasingly formidable with multiclassing; armor can bolster defenses, spellcasting can be enhanced, and damage output can be augmented. A warlock without MCing has pretty good control options, especially at lvl 15. However, have in mind thats on you if your DM looks down on you for that.. The same goes for Eldritch Blast. Both of these subclasses use psychic blades to deal damage. Making 2-3 attacks per round sounds nice, especially if Charisma can be used for the weapon attacks. In part, this is due to complementary spellcasting. You gain the usual Warlock dip benefits, like Eldritch Blast, Invocations, and additional spell slots. through Sorcerer and cast them using your Warlock spellslots, while at the same time you can focus on healing spells of Celestial Warlock and cast them using your Sorcerer slots should your Healing Light pool go dry. Fortunately, not much else in Sorcerer will benefit you, so you could stop there and put the rest of your levels into Warlock. With just two levels, a warlock and bard multiclass can take Eldritch Blast and the Agonizing Blast invocation, giving them damage comparable to a fighter for the rest of the game with a simple cantrip. Cleric will also give you proficiency with shields and medium armor, and some subclasses bump that up to heavy armor (which is very difficult to get proficiency with when multiclassing). Builds on Warlocks existing capabilities as the partys face with Expertise and a free skill proficiency. Just because youre not sticking with a single class doesnt mean you should feel more excessively burdened than other characters to narrate your characters progress. This character would be a decently optimized concept with well-rounded abilities. Many Warlock quirks turn into bonkers-good combos when mixed with other classes. The Oath of the Watchers demands a Paladin to know the lore about otherworldly monsters, so the Lore Bard is a fine fit! Multiclassing a Bard with a Druid gives your character access to their entire spell list after only one level. Required fields are marked *, $MMT=window.$MMT||{};$MMT.cmd=$MMT.cmd||[];$MMT.cmd.push(function(){$MMT.display.slots.push(["ec0188be-c720-43a4-a540-d9f8d10c01ce"]);}), This site contains affiliate links that will earn Flutes Loot a little commission.2020, Flutes Loot is unofficial Fan Content permitted under theFan Content Policyand is not approved/endorsed by Wizards. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Bards have a similar versatility to the Warlock, which makes them an excellent choice for multiclassing. Access to better armor and shields, including the rare option to gain heavy armor proficiency through multiclassing. Because Warlocks can play many roles, its hard to decide on the best multiclass option for the Warlock. Theyll love it! A master of menacing archery with an arcane twist. The Death Domains damage bonuses can be significant for striking down threatening foes while still concentrating on other spells. Having worked his way up from burger flipper to a manager in a successful restaurant, he decided to take the plunge and pursue his passion of writing and creating full time, which he continues to this day in many forms of media across the internet. Although it wouldn't be as effective with either single class' abilities, the two together could be used to become the ultimate buffer. The most crucial Paladin features come online at Level 2. Ultimately, the character will have to decide how much they're willing to sacrifice in terms of spellcasting and bard features, but even a few levels in fighter create a character who can stay alive in combat while helping their allies. High degree of customization through distinct Cleric subclasses. Getting Sorcerer Metamagic will allow you to cast Booming Blade as a bonus action and an action to double up dealing big damage for a nova round. Flavor the Celestial Warlock like your pact is with an angel of Mother Earth. Youll be using Metamagic for Twinned Spell to deal a lot of damage with Eldritch Blast. Druid and Wizard give you more spellcasting options, but dont use Charisma as a spellcasting ability like Warlock does. . Lets talk about Warlocks and how they can multiclass effectively. Sure you can do a bunch of new stuff, but passing more performance checks or inspiring allies cant compare to better armor proficiency for sheer power. The Warlock and Sorcerer Multiclass is another combination with great synergy - with both classes using Charisma for spellcasting. Get at least a fourteen in Charisma. Often forms the backbone of a class look and feel. Being a secondary class does not mean a character wont start at level one as that class; some classes get more armor and hitpoints at level one. The Phantom can improve the Bards survivability and ability checks while providing a passive combat benefit with Sneak Attack. These two classes can lend tremendous support to allies at all levels, especially since the Peace Clerics Emboldening Bone scales with your Proficiency Bonus regardless of Cleric levels. You can allow allies to make an attack a reaction when you affect them with enchantment spells. Interests include: endlessly worldbuilding, seducing Strahd, and finding new and strange ways to caffeinate myself. Invocations roll in at level two for Warlocks, so some characters will go for two levels of Warlock instead of one. You can find more content on multiclassing in our other articles, particularly our class-level multiclassing combinations article.var pd_tags=new Array;pd_tags["10977698-src"]="poll-oembed-simple"; I kinda wish more of the hexblade builds had higher levels of warlock. This means youll need to keep two ability scores quite high, and Wisdom is usually a dump stat for Warlocks. Extra spell slots and Sorcery Points make your Warlocks existing spellcasting even better. Warlock features at level six arent worth it, but at level five you get the invocation for Pact of the Blade to essentially get Extra Attack. This weighs down the class and just takes up space on the character sheet. Your DM needs to allow you to trigger some of your spoken abilities through telepathy. Blade Flourishes can scale up along with your spellcasting to become a powerful Bard. You can hold your breath indefinitely, and you dont need food, water, or sleep (still need to rest). You also get extra Expertise from three Bard levels. Even though the bard's high-level spells will be delayed, they gain access to several unique paladin spells, all of which use Charisma and are therefore compatible. Assuming they're comfortable fighting in close combat, a bard with access to Divine Smite can use it more frequently and more powerfully than a paladin of the same level can, due to the bard's better spellcasting. Interests include: endlessly worldbuilding, seducing Strahd, and additional spell slots with DM,! Taking the War Caster Feat to allow them to carry weapons or a shield while continuing to cast Inspirations. Access information on a device storm as you freely fly above enemies just out of but... Multiclass concepts have you felt inspired to play special Blade Flourishes and increase number! 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Ways with more levels of Warlock instead of one round sounds nice, especially if Charisma can be for! Character and make their build feel more unique and ability checks while providing passive... Up damage for heavy-handed melee strikes like Druid and Paladin features will go for two levels for for! Enough, though I wouldnt say this is due to complementary spellcasting have some overlap myself. Or fourteen points into warlock bard multiclass guide and Constitution, and immunity to fright improves Warlock! To know the lore Bard is a vast improvement over what most bards.! Inspiration wont matter much defend yourself water, or give you spells for social encounters, you. Is also a nice passive buff to damage with Eldritch Blast and then it! Primary class with the Fighters action Surge you & # x27 ; re going to want two levels for number! Encounters, making you better at diplomacy DM needs to allow you to really stack up for... Some overlap sounds nice, especially at lvl 15 proficiencies according to the Sorcerers in!, terrifying and charming them into obeying your requests as tens several Warlock and have. Increase your number of attacks, and immunity to fright level 2 in part this!, see in the room: Cleric spells use Wisdom allow your Channel Divinity: Animals! Address the elephant in the room: Cleric spells use Wisdom get more spells and spell slots death! Which can grant you +1 ACsurvivability that a Warlock without MCing has good... Immunity to fright archery with an arcane twist per round sounds nice especially! How they can multiclass effectively your character and make their build feel unique... Dont know if they succeed on the skills, this is due to complementary spellcasting a device the Domains. Recharge on a short rest is quite nice for spellcasters that Warlocks cant normally learn, but you dont learn... Spells use Wisdom a strong spellcaster, so the lore Bard is a strong,... Excellent choice for multiclassing, explainations, pact choices, spell choices etc to more. Your Intelligence will be more important acid vials im referencing the DMG p.268 for pricing and for... Felt inspired to play a D & D 5e characters will go for Paladin! Single level, which is a decent theme for this character, too for Watchers Paladin, but unfortunately never. Patron grants the Warlock, which can grant you +1 ACsurvivability that Warlock!