Learn all about the pact-making warlock class of D&D
Warlocks are magic users that have made a pact with a powerful, magical being. The warlock draws their power from their patron bringing them great power, but at the cost of binding themselves to their patron. Often, these patrons have sinister desires for their warlock servants meaning warlocks can often end up conflicting with the more lawfully good members of a party.
How to play as a warlock
Warlocks have much less spell slots than other full casters, but with the caveat that these spells are usually more powerful than those of other spellcasters, being able to use them in their most powerful form every time. To compensate for this, warlocks have access to some great cantrips that can be used like ranged weapon attacks. Like most spellcasters, Warlocks are best used at range and as far as possible from danger, though some warlocks, like the hexblade, are built for melee combat. Warlocks use Charisma as their spellcasting ability so it’s best to pump lots of points into this ability.
Warlock Strengths
Warlocks can take advantage of a great bunch of cantrips for regular, decent damage output. They also get to use all spells in their highest possible form meaning when they use spells, they tend to do more damage than other spellcasters. They’re a little tougher than sorcerors and wizards with a higher HP.
Warlock Weaknesses
Action economy is a major challenge for warlocks as they have very few spell slots. This does mean that they can quickly run out of effective things to do in combat. This is particularly problematic as unless you’re a hexblade, you’ll have very few combat focused abilities. They do have decent cantrips to keep them going though so it’s not such a major issue.
Warlock class features
| Party Role | Utility, Spell Damage Dealer, Control |
| Main Ability | Charisma |
| Saving Throws | Wisdom, Charisma |
| Hit Dice | 1d8 + Consitution modifier per level |
| HP at 1st Level | 8 + Constitution Modifier |
| Spell Casting Ability | Charisma |
| Armour Proficiency | Light armour |
| Weapon Proficiency | Simple weapons |
Warlock Abilities
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Cantrips Known | Spells Known | Spell Slots | Slot Level | Invocations Known |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Otherworldly Patron, Pact Magic | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1st | – |
| 2nd | +2 | Eldritch Invocations | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1st | 2 |
| 3rd | +2 | Pact Boon | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2nd | 2 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2nd | 2 |
| 5th | +3 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 3rd | 3 | |
| 6th | +3 | Otherworldly Patron Feature | 4 | 7 | 2 | 3rd | 3 |
| 7th | +3 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 4th | 4 | |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 9 | 2 | 4th | 4 |
| 9th | +4 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 5th | 5 | |
| 10th | +4 | Otherworldly Patron Feature | 5 | 10 | 2 | 5th | 5 |
| 11th | +4 | Mystic Arcanum (6th Level) | 5 | 11 | 3 | 5th | 5 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 11 | 3 | 5th | 6 |
| 13th | +5 | Mystic Arcanum (7th Level) | 5 | 12 | 3 | 5th | 6 |
| 14th | +5 | Otherworldly Patron Feature | 5 | 12 | 3 | 5th | 6 |
| 15th | +5 | Mystic Arcanum (8th Level) | 5 | 13 | 3 | 5th | 7 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 13 | 3 | 5th | 7 |
| 17th | +6 | Mystic Arcanum (9th level) | 5 | 14 | 4 | 5th | 7 |
| 18th | +6 | 5 | 14 | 4 | 5th | 8 | |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 15 | 4 | 5th | 8 |
| 20th | +6 | Eldritch Master | 5 | 15 | 4 | 5th | 8 |
Warlock subclasses in D&D 5e
| Warlock Otherworldly Patrons | Subclass Abilities | Source Book | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Archfey | Expanded Spell List, Fey Presence, Misty Escape, Beguiling Defenses, Dark Delirium | Player’s Handbook | Warlocks whose magic comes from a pact with a powerful fey creature. |
| The Fiend | Expanded Spell List, Dark One’s Blessing, Dark One’s Own Luck, Fiendish Resilience, Hurl Through hell | Player’s Handbook | Warlocks whose magic comes from a pact with a powerful fiend. |
| The Great Old One | Expanded Spell List, Awakened Mind, Entropic Ward, Thought Shield, Create Thrall | Player’s Handbook | Warlocks whose magic comes from a pact with a powerful unknown creature from beyond the known universe. |
| The Undying | Expanded Spell List, Among the Dead, Deft Death, Undying Nature, Indestructible Life | Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide | Warlocks whose magic comes from a pact with a powerful undead creature. |
| The Celestial | Expanded Spell List, Bonus Cantrips, Healing Light, Radiant Soul, Celestial Resistance, Searing Vengeance | Xanathar’s Guide to Everything | Warlocks whose magic comes from a pact with a powerful celestial creature. |
| The Hexblade | Expanded Spell List, Hexblade’s Curse, Hex Warrior, Accursed Specter, Armor of Hexes, Master of Hexes | Xanathar’s Guide to Everything | Warlocks whose magic comes from a pact with a powerful weapon or who have been gifted a weapon. |
| The Fathomless | Expanded Spell List, Tentacle of the Deep, Gift of the Sea, Oceanic Soul, Guardian Coil, Grasping Tentacles, Fathomless Purge | Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything | Warlocks whose magic comes from a pact with a powerful creature from the depths of the ocean. |
| The Genie | Expanded Spell List, Genie’s Vessel, Elemental Gift, Sanctuary Vessel, Limited Wish | Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything | Warlocks whose magic comes from a pact with a powerful genie. |
| The Undead | Expanded Spell List, Form of Dread, Grave Touched, Necrotic Husk, Spirit Projection | Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft | Warlocks that have made a pact with an undead being. |
