Warlock 5e
Wielders of eldritch power granted by otherworldly patrons who recover spells quickly. Warlocks rely on Eldritch Blast spam and short rest spell slot recovery for sustained output.
At a Glance
Hit Die
d8
Primary Ability
Charisma
Saving Throws
Wisdom, Charisma
Armor
Light armor
Weapons
Simple weapons
Spellcasting
Pact caster (Charisma)
Key Features
| Feature | Level | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Otherworldly Patron | 1st | Pact with entity granting expanded spells and unique features. |
| Pact Magic | 1st | Limited spell slots (max 4) that are all highest level and recover on short rest. |
| Eldritch Invocations | 2nd | Choose 2 invocations (scaling to 8), including Agonizing Blast for +CHA to Eldritch Blast damage. |
| Pact Boon | 3rd | Choose Pact of the Chain (familiar), Tome (cantrips/rituals), Blade (weapon), or Talisman (protection). |
| Mystic Arcanum | 11th | Learn one 6th-level spell (7th at 13th, 8th at 15th, 9th at 17th) castable once per long rest. |
| Eldritch Master | 20th | Regain all Pact Magic slots during 1-minute rest once per long rest. |
Subclasses
| Subclass | Source | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| The Fiend | Player's Handbook | Temp HP on kills and fire/utility spells |
| The Great Old One | Player's Handbook | Telepathy and psychic damage with mind control |
| The Archfey | Player's Handbook | Fey charm and teleportation with Misty Escape |
| The Hexblade | Xanathar's Guide to Everything | Weapon combat with CHA attacks (see hexblade-warlock-5e) |
| The Celestial | Xanathar's Guide to Everything | Healing and radiant damage with bonus action heal pool |
| The Fathomless | Tasha's Cauldron of Everything | Tentacle summon and cold/lightning spells |
| The Genie | Tasha's Cauldron of Everything | Bottled Respite sanctuary and elemental damage boosts |
| The Undead | Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft | Form of Dread for fear and temp HP |
Common Mistakes
Common Mistake
Not taking Agonizing Blast invocation - it's essential for damage output
Common Mistake
Forgetting spell slots recover on short rest - warlocks benefit hugely from multiple short rests
Common Mistake
Missing that all spell slots are cast at highest available level
Common Mistake
Not leveraging invocations for at-will spells like Detect Magic or Disguise Self
DM Tips
DM Tip
Warlocks spam Eldritch Blast almost every turn - it's their bread and butter
DM Tip
Only 2-4 spell slots but they recharge on short rest - pace encounters accordingly
DM Tip
Invocations can be very powerful (Devil's Sight + Darkness, infinite Disguise Self, etc)
DM Tip
Hexblade multiclass is extremely popular for CHA-based weapon builds
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & Further Reading
- Warlock — D&D 5e Wikidot — Full SRD class text
- Warlock — D&D Beyond — Official class reference
- Warlock Guide — RPGBOT — Class optimization guide