Dungeons & Dragons: How To Build The Perfect Warlock In 5e (2024)

One of the key components in has always been magic. From wizards and bards to sorcerers and warlocks, there are plenty of opportunities to build a spell-wielding adventurer that not only keeps the party safe but wreaks havoc whenever they step into battle. Of all the magic users, warlocks are one of the least complicated classes to play, but they aren't any less powerful or terrifying to behold when facing off against them.

Warlocks have limited access to spells in 5th EditionDungeons & Dragons, which may sound like a hindrance, but it can actually be a boon in their favor if the player chooses the right spells when crafting their character. They have unlimited access to Eldritch Blast, one of the most powerful cantrips in the game, which only grows more powerful as they gain levels. Warlocks also receive unique powers from the patron they choose to augment their otherwise limited spellcasting abilities, keeping them on par with their sorcerer and wizard counterparts. Below is an ideal DnD warlock build that any player, whether a novice or a longtime veteran, can enjoy throughout a campaign.

Update on August 7th, 2024, by Louis Kemner: This guide about the best warlock build has been updated with new content for players' reference when designing their new warlock character.

Warlock Build Summary

Perks Of Playing The Warlock Class

The warlock class has a few unique perks and advantages that set it apart from other full-time spellcasters like sorcerers and wizards while also sharing a few perks with the sorcerer class. Like sorcerers, warlocks use Charisma as their spellcasting ability, so if the party lacks another Charisma-focused character such as a paladin or a bard, then the warlock may double as the party's "face," giving them utility outside of combat. Warlocks also make for terrific roleplaying, giving the player endless options about why their character made a pact with a higher power.

Another advantage of the warlock class largely negates this class's main weakness: regaining all spell slots after a short rest. Warlocks have very few spell slots compared to wizards and sorcerers, but during an adventure or a dungeon crawl, the party can rest for one hour in a safe location, and the warlock will fully recharge without needing items like a Pearl of Power to regain their slots. Also, warlocks always cast their limited spells at the highest possible spell slot for their level.

Another perk is that warlocks alone have access to Eldritch Invocations, which players may think of as a separate set of mini-feats. A warlock will get two of them at level 2, and as the character levels up, some Eldritch Invocations can be swapped out for others, with some Eldritch Invocations having level requirements. This further boosts the warlock class's customization, which can be great fun for players. While sorcerers get Metamagic and wizards have the biggest and most varied spell lists, warlocks can test different combinations of Eldritch Invocations with their spells and other traits to see what they can accomplish.

Best Stats For The Warlock Class

Charisma is by far the warlock class's most important stat, with it being their spellcasting ability and, in roleplay sessions, their ability to be the party's face. This stat should always be the highest, and a warlock may even take some feats to boost their Charisma further or find rare magic items to enhance this ability score. Constitution is the secondary stat, especially for Hexblade warlocks, so they can endure a few hits from their enemies up close. Warlocks may run out of spell slots more quickly than sorcerers and wizards, but strong cantrips like Eldritch Blast ensure that the warlock has every reason to keep standing until the fight is over. Dexterity is third since being able to dodge sudden traps or enemy attacks with Dexterity saving throws helps keep squishy warlocks alive.

Wisdom comes in fourth among all warlock stats, since it can help a warlock resist spells and abilities from a distance that call for Wisdom saving throws (though Wisdom is used for little else with this class). Strength comes fifth, since ideally, warlocks will remain out of reach of enemy effects that grapple or restrain them. Hexblade warlocks use their CHA stat to determine damage with their sword swings, so this ability score is a borderline dump unless the warlock intends to multiclass into fighter, in which case a STR score of 13 will be required. Finally, Intelligence comes in last as the class's dump stat, since INT saving throws are uncommon and INT-based skills like History, Investigation, and even Arcana are best left to wizards and artificers. Warlocks may indeed choose to have proficiency with Arcana, but it's still not a key part of this class, so INT remains a dump stat.

Choosing A Species & Background For A Warlock Character

Each species in Dungeons & Dragons 5e offers unique perks and abilities, which is why it's important to carefully consider this factor when building a warlock. Charisma is the most important stat for a warlock to build, so choosing a species that offers a Charisma boost is essential to the build. The single best pick for a warlock is the tiefling, as it grants +2 to Charisma, an extra cantrip slot, and beneficial access to free spells as the player levels up. Tieflings also have resistance to fire damage, which is hugely useful when fighting certain devils and demons, and they can also speak and write the Infernal language, which feels thematic when building tiefling warlocks. This species can also use the Hellish Rebuke ability as a 2nd level spell once per long rest. It's no wonder tiefling warlocks are the most popular option, but there are other fantasy species to consider, too.

Other species offer Charisma boosts, like the half-elf, which also offers a +2 to Charisma and two additional Ability Score Increases (though these cannot generally be used to further increase Charisma). Drow elves gain a +1 to their Charisma, can cast the Dancing Lights cantrip at will, and they also have access to spells like Faerie Fire and Darkness, making them an excellent choice for a warlock. The Lightfoot halfling gets a +1 for Charisma, a beneficial Dexterity bonus, and the Lucky feat, which really comes in handy in a tight spot. Meanwhile, flying species like aarakocra and owlin are great for ranged spellcasters who don't want the enemy getting too close, making them fine picks for non-Hexblade warlocks — assuming the DM hasn't simply banned them for their game-breaking flying speed. Something similar can be said about the fairy species.

Creating a character's background is more than just building a backstory, though role-playing Warlocks is a blast in its own right. Criminal and Noble backgrounds, for example, grant Charisma boosts, and when considering the backstory elements, both of those origins have a ton of potential for creating a memorable warlock. A noble in financial ruin, whose only way out of a bad situation was making a pact for the power to climb back to the top, or a petty criminal who grew tired of writhing at the bottom when the top looked so appealing are just two examples to launch an origin story from.

Taking time to study everything the warlock class has to offer, including accessible spells, potential patrons and all they have to offer, strong feats to boost abilities and features and a solid background are some of the simplest steps toward creating a powerful and unforgettable warlock who can shine as the sinister but reliable star of their adventurer party in any campaign or one-shot.

Choosing The Right Warlock Patron

Warlocks make pacts with powerful entities to grow stronger. Sometimes that search for power is driven by vengeance; other times, it's simply prompted by ego and all that makes for great role-playing opportunities. This means choosing the ideal patron for a new warlock character in terms of that patron's benefits and the story reasons why the Warlock chose this particular patron. The abilities a patron grants their warlock heavily impact how they can play, and unfortunately, while all the patrons have their positive attributes, they are not all created equally. Two particular patrons stand far above the others because of the unique abilities they grant their warlocks: The Fiend and the Hexblade.

Since only one patron can be chosen, it's important to look at how a warlock will be played when making the final choice. The Fiend is classic in its presentation, as making deals with the devil to gain power is as old as time itself. Warlocks who choose this patron gain access to all kinds of fiery spells, like Burning Hands, Fireball, Wall of Fire, and Flamestrike. They also gain the ability to heal themselves with Dark One's Blessing and can basically inspire themselves with Dark One's Own Luck, which rolls a d10.

Starting at level 10, a warlock character with the Fiend patron can use Fiendish Resistance, allowing them to choose one damage type and gain resistance to it, excepting damage done by magical and silvered weapons. This is an incredibly flexible way to keep a squishy warlock alive in battle, and based on the campaign, the player can easily predict what kind of damage types should be chosen. When playing a module like Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden, resistance to cold damage is ideal, and when playing in Curse of Strahd, resistance to necrotic damage is a must. Fiendish Resistance resets with every short or long rest, making it even more adaptable than ever.

The Hexblade patron for warlocks is perfect for those who want to wield magic but also put themselves on the front lines for powerful melee combat with both magical and non-magical weapons. These warlocks gain access to two Eldritch Invocations and Hexblade's Curse, which makes an attack role critical on a roll of 19 or 20. In addition, the Hexblade's Curse makes itself a bit tankier with the ability to regain several hit points after a cursed enemy dies, equal to the Warlocks' Charisma modifier plus their warlock levels, which is essential for any front-line fighter. Still, that can only be used once per short rest, so it's a good idea to have a cleric or paladin around with Cure Wounds or Healing Word at the ready. Warlocks are tougher than wizards and sorcerers, but not that much tougher, so players must still exercise caution.

Choosing The Best Warlock Feats

As a character levels up and gains access to ability score increases and feats, a player can choose from a handful of the best warlock feats for their class, some of which will boost the warlock's Charisma ability score until it hits 20. The War Caster feat, for example, is the perfect boon for a Hexblade Warlock, as it grants advantage on Constitution saving throws on concentration spells while they're taking return fire from monsters at close range. Spell Sniper is another useful feat, as it increases the range for spell attacks, ignores half and three-quarters cover, and allows the player to learn an extra cantrip, which always comes in handy with a limited spell list.

The Inspiring Leader feat is fairly useful, too. Normally, a charismatic Paladin character can role-play an inspiring speech with this feat before battle and grant their allies temporary hit points, but if they prefer, the Warlock can fill in that role. The role-playing part might be tricky for a warlock, but the boost to the party's temporary HP can save a life or two once a dungeon crawl begins, making it an outstanding feat to take at any level.

Finally, the Lucky feat is useful for warlocks because these relatively squishy characters can't easily afford to fail their saving throws to avoid the effects of enemy spells or abilities. Warlocks may be tougher than wizards, but they're still liable to get knocked out from failing a Constitution saving throw for Cone of Cold or a Dexterity saving throw for Lightning Bolt, for example, if Fiendish Resistance won't help. This feat can also let the warlock's player reroll an enemy's attack against them and hope for a low roll. On offense, meanwhile, Lucky makes it easier for warlocks to actually hit someone with their attacks, which is crucial for a class with so few spell slots available.

Choosing The Best Warlock Spells

A good warlock will make the most of their limited spell slots with powerful, flexible spells that can be used in a variety of situations. Wizards can afford to invest in niche spells as toolbox characters more than any other class, while a warlock's spells must all be surefire hits. Among the cantrips, Eldritch Blast stands out as the definitive warlock cantrip, doing decent damage and benefiting hugely from the Agonizing Blast and Eldritch Spear Eldritch Invocations, all while gaining additional beams at higher levels. Mage Hand is also fantastically flexible in its usage, especially if the party lacks another spellcaster who can use it. Mind Sliver is also a strong option because it calls for an Intelligence saving throw, which monsters are rarely proficient with, and it only requires a verbal component, so restrained warlocks can still use it.

Armor of Agathys is strong because it not only gives the warlock 5 temporary hit points, but it also deals 5 cold damage to anyone who hits the warlock with a melee attack while any temporary hit points remain. Best of all, this spell scales up well, adding another 5 to the temporary hit points and cold damage for each spell slot level it's used, capping at level 5. With or without the Armor of Shadows Eldritch Invocation, this is one of the warlock class's best defensive options at lower levels. For defense at higher levels, starting at 7th, a warlock can cast the 4th level spell Shadow of Moil, creating darkness around themselves to effectively make their enemies blind while the warlock can attack with spells like Eldritch Blast with advantage. Notably, that darkness is regular darkness rather than that of the Darkness spell, so enemies with darkvision aren't affected. Mundane or magical sources of light can also dispel Shadow of Moil's effect.

Other spells among the most recommended warlock spells tend to focus on weak saving throws for enemies or have effects that are almost guaranteed to work, allowing warlocks to make the best use of their limited spell slots. Psychic Scream and Synaptic Static are good examples of this on offense, both requiring Intelligence saving throws, and most monsters fail miserably at those, aside from psionic monsters like mind flayers. Force Cage is an excellent control spell that doesn't involve saving throws or spell attack rolls; it simply happens, so a warlock will reliably get great mileage out of it. With Force Cage, a warlock can trap certain enemies and hit them with AOE spells like Circle of Death, or simply pursue a divide-and-conquer strategy with their party on a busy battlefield.

Warlock Multiclassing Options

The warlock class has a few strong multiclassing options, most of which either overlap with the warlock's Charisma focus, make the warlock more durable, or both. The sorcerer class is a popular multiclass option for warlocks, nicknamed the "sorlock" build, with their spellcasting styles sharing a Charisma focus to become a hard-hitting and flexible character. Most of all, the sorcerer class gives a warlock access to sorcery points, excellent for options like quicken, which allows a sorlock to cast both Hex and Eldritch Blast on the same turn. The warlock will need at least three sorcerer levels to start using that Metamagic, though, so patience is required.

Warlocks also blend well with the bard class, though taking levels in bard sometimes means meshing the two classes' subclasses, such as mixing a Hexblade warlock with a College of Swords bard for maximum synergy. In addition, the bard class lets the warlock get lots of skill proficiencies they normally wouldn't, making that warlock far more adaptable during roleplay sessions or while exploring dungeons. Gaining bardic inspiration is a neat bonus if the party lacks its own bard or a cleric who can cast Bless, though it's not the main reason to go warlock/bard.

Hexblade warlocks can take two levels in the fighter class to get Action Surge, a popular way for many classes to do more of whatever they already do. Hexblade warlocks are bound to deal serious damage after casting Hex, then using Action Surge to take two Attack actions in one turn. The fighter class also makes a warlock more durable with proficiency in constitution saving throws, a great bonus for warlock spells like Hex.

Similarly, warlocks should consider multiclassing into paladin, another martial class with the necessary armor proficiencies and large hit dice to keep a squishy warlock alive. It also helps that paladins are Charisma-based half-casters, so a warlock just needs 13+ Strength to go into that class. Paladins can also lend their Divine Smite ability to a Hexblade warlock's attacks for even more damage, though at the cost of spell slots. Only if a warlock goes all-in on swordplay should they spend spell slots on Divine Smite, ideally when fighting undead or fiend enemies to get an extra d8 while using that smite.

The Best Items And Weapons For Warlocks

All classes need the best magical items, armor, and weapons to , including the warlock class. Even though full-time spellcasters like wizards, sorcerers, and warlocks don't typically use loot like magical swords, +1 heavy armor, or an Amulet of Strength, casters still have natural deficiencies they must make up for, and items can help with that. Casters like warlocks also have distinct strengths that certain magical items can push to the next level, serving as another class enhancer alongside feats and racial features. Even a warlock with 20 Charisma and the perfect feats needs a good inventory to survive the toughest fights or find clever solutions to puzzles or traps.

On defense, a squishy warlock will need armor or weapons to make them harder to hit or ward off enemy effects. A warlock might wear not just studded leather armor, but also Elven Chain. Elven Chain is a chain shirt that can be worn over other armor types, granting a +1 to AC, which is great for warlocks who don't want to get hit. Most critically, while Elven Chain is technically medium armor, characters can wear it even if they aren't normally proficient in medium armor. Similarly, the fantastic Cloak of Protection will also grant +1 to AC and all saving throws, excellent for any spellcaster who can't rely on medium or heavy armor to survive. If possible, a warlock can find and wear a Cloak of Displacement, which creates an illusory body double that will confuse enemies. That means enemies roll with disadvantage when attacking the cloak of displacement's wearer. However, those two cloaks are magic items that require attunement, so the warlock must be ready to have an attunement slot free for them.

As for offense, warlocks have all kinds of options to boost their spellcasting, such as the Pearl of Power, a great item for any spellcaster. Once per dawn, the Pearl of Power can restore one of the user's spell slots 3rd level or lower. At lower levels of gameplay, the Pearl is vital for warlocks to regain their limited spell slots. Hexblade warlocks, meanwhile, are encouraged to find the best possible swords for the job, and not just +1 or +2 swords, either. Some swords have unique properties to allow extra hits or deal additional damage, with the Scimitar of Speed being a great example. This weapon allows the wielder to use their bonus action for another attack, which is fantastic for Hexblade warlocks who have buffed their own damage to extreme levels. Such swordplay lets the warlock get more mileage out of their Hex spell, for instance.

Or, warlocks can use swords like Flame Tongue to deal fire damage, though it costs a bonus action to activate that fire, competing with Hex. So, Flame Tongue is best used when the warlock knows they'll need more than a few turns to take down a powerful enemy, getting more mileage from both Hex and Flame Tongue, such as when fighting a boss-level enemy in a dungeon crawl. And, more so than wizards and sorcerers, warlocks need staves and wands with spells built into them, allowing the warlock to cast a wider variety of spells without needing to spend precious spell slots. True, warlocks hit hard with their famous Eldritch Blast cantrip, but some situations call for entirely different spells, such as the auto-hit Magic Missile spell being cast from a Wand of Magic Missiles, or the obvious effect of the Wand of Polymorph.

If the warlock character is reaching high levels in a lengthy and epic campaign, then they can seek out some truly incredible magic items at lofty rarities to keep pace with the rest of their party. Once a Pearl of Power of Flame Tongue will no longer suffice, a warlock may get their hands on items like the Rod of the Pact Keeper with a +3 bonus, a very rare item that any spell-heavy warlock would want. Or, if that warlock focuses on fire-based spells, such as a Pact of the Fiend build, then a Rod of Hellish Flames is a must at higher levels because it allows the warlock to skip rolling damage dice with fire spells to deal maximum damage instead. This works fine for spells like Fireball, but is even better with spells that deal ongoing damage such as Wall of Fire and Heat Metal. The latter may call for multiclassing into bard, which may be worth the trouble.

Finally, at the highest levels, the warlock will want the best magic items, which will include Robe of the Archmagi to resist spells, boost the warlock's spell attack bonus and spell save DC by 2, and enhance their armor class. Other spellcasters will also want this item, however, so the warlock must bear that in mind. Such an item is also ideal for the best wizard build and best sorcerer build, after all. The Cloak of Invisibility is also a top-tier pick for any warlock to launch surprise attacks and avoid return fire from any foe — unless those enemies happen to have truesight or cast the True Seeing spell. That won't often be the case, so this cloak is a safe bet.

Dungeons and Dragons

A fantasy roleplaying tabletop game designed for adventure-seekers, the original incarnation of Dungeons & Dragons was created by Gary Gygax in 1974.

Franchise

Dungeons & Dragons

Original Release Date

January 26, 1974

Publisher

Wizards of the Coast , TSR Inc.

Designer

E. Gary Gygax , Dave Arneson

Player Count

4-8 Players Recommended

Age Recommendation

12+

Length per Game

3 hours +

Expansions

Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition , Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition , Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition , Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition

Summary

Dungeons & Dragons is the fantasy tabletop role-playing game that has persevered for nearly 50 years and continues to grow strong. Created by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, the game first made publication in 1974 and now falls under the Wizards of the Coast publishing wing. A typical game of DnD consists of 4-6 players, with one player acting as the Dungeon Master. Players can take a sheet and by consulting the various rule books and expansions, can create their own character with weapons, skills, and physical appearance. Once all characters are created, the Dungeon Master sets them off in a campaign of their choosing or design, where players will have to follow the rules of the DM as they roleplay their way through storylines. The characters will level up, find equipment, and experience permanent changes based on the way the story plays out. A roll of the dice can mean the difference between a successful hit, and a painful end. The most recent edition of Dungeons & Dragons is the 5th edition rule book.