The Helldritch Blaster: D&D Build #244

Name: The Helldritch Blaster: D&D Build #244
Uploaded: 2026-01-27T16:30:01.000Z
Duration: 2 h 2 min 37 s

Warlocks in D&D: A Deep Dive into Character Builds

Introduction to Warlocks

The speaker reflects on the mechanical strengths of Warlocks, suggesting they may be underestimated. They hint at a powerful build that excels in damage and enemy control.

Colby introduces the purpose of the video series, which focuses on character builds for role-playing games, emphasizing fun and power rather than definitive "best" methods.

Understanding Warlock Mechanics

Despite having spell levels comparable to full casters like wizards, Warlocks have limited spell slots (only two for most levels), necessitating a different playstyle.

The speaker notes that while full casters can cast spells every round early on, this is less common for tables with multiple combat encounters per long rest.

For optimal performance, Warlocks should focus on casting one potent concentration spell per encounter and utilize weapon attacks or cantrips during other turns.

Building a Powerful Warlock

The discussion highlights the advantages of using both spells and weapon attacks effectively in 5.5 edition D&D, even without a hex blade subclass yet available.

Eldritch Blast is identified as a top-tier cantrip due to its scaling ability to fire multiple beams instead of just increasing damage from single hits.

The speaker believes that weapon-focused builds have an edge in damage output due to enhancements available through feats and magical weapons.

Focus on Eldritch Blast Over Weapons

Colby explains his choice to focus solely on Eldritch Blast for this build series rather than revisiting previous Gish builds that combined melee and magic.

He outlines two main goals for character builds: optimizing class capabilities while maximizing damage potential within those frameworks.

Challenges with Weapon Damage Builds

Building around weapon damage presents challenges since it requires balancing ability scores; high charisma is essential but limits effectiveness if not multiclassing.

Without multiclassing options, players miss out on critical features like fighting styles which are particularly beneficial for ranged weapon users.

Warlock Build Insights

Weapon Mastery and Class Choices

The speaker discusses the potential of starting with a level in Fighter to gain armor proficiency, constitution saving throw proficiency, a fighting style, and weapon masteries while sacrificing a feat.

Emphasizes that without multiclassing, focusing on Eldritch Blast is the optimal path for maintaining solid damage output as a Warlock in early tiers of play.

Build Name and Community Engagement

Introduces D&D build number 244 with creative names like "Highway to Hell" and "Blasty McBlast Face," highlighting community contributions from Discord.

Acknowledges Randall Hampton for his artwork related to the build and encourages viewers to check out his work or commission art.

Merchandise Promotion

Mentions personal merchandise available for purchase, including humorous t-shirts that reflect channel themes.

Suggests that buying merch is a way to support the creator when there are no sponsors.

Character Creation Details

Proposes Goliath as the species choice for an Eldritch Blast Warlock due to its potential for soft control combined with effective combat damage.

Discusses using frost ancestry or hill giant ancestry traits to add cold damage or knock enemies prone, enhancing control during combat.

Background and Ability Scores

Recommends customizing backgrounds or using merchant background for ability score increases; suggests choosing Lucky as an origin feat for advantage on demand.

Outlines starting ability scores: 15 Charisma (plus two), 15 Constitution (plus one), and 14 Dexterity; mentions alternative options based on late-game considerations.

Starting Equipment and Spells

Advises acquiring studded leather armor along with basic adventuring gear; emphasizes avoiding melee combat as much as possible.

Lists useful spells at level one: Blade Ward (defensive cantrip), Armor of Agathys (temporary hit points), Bane (debuff), Hideous Laughter (control), Hex (damage boost).

Highlights Eldritch Blast as a key spell due to its force damage type being advantageous against resistances and immunities.

Warlock Build Overview

Level 1 Features and Eldritch Invocations

At level one, players gain their first Eldritch Invocation. The recommended choice is "Pack of the Chain," allowing summoning a familiar with unique options.

A familiar that can go invisible is suggested for tactical advantages, such as granting advantage on attacks while remaining safe from opportunity attacks.

Level 2 Enhancements

At level two, "Magical Cunning" allows recovering half of spent spell slots once per long rest through a quick ritual, beneficial in dungeon crawls.

Two additional Eldritch Invocations are acquired: "Agonizing Blast" to add the Charisma modifier to damage and "Repelling Blast" to push enemies away when hit by Eldritch Blast.

Combat Strategies and Limitations

The speaker expresses disappointment over the absence of certain invocations like "Lance of Lethargy" and "Grasp of Hadar," which could enhance combat control.

Acknowledgment of support from channel members and patrons highlights community engagement and offers perks for different membership levels.

Subclass Selection at Level 3

For the warlock subclass at level three, the Fiend is chosen for its damage potential and survivability benefits compared to other subclasses like Celestial or Great Old One.

The feature "Dark One's Blessing" grants temporary hit points upon reducing an enemy to zero hit points, enhancing survivability during encounters.

Spell Choices and Tactical Options

Second-level spells available include Burning Hands, Command, Scorching Ray, and Suggestion; these provide both damage output and control options.

Suggested spells include Misty Step for mobility, Mirror Image for defense, Hold Person for crowd control, Darkness for tactical advantage but not primarily used in this build strategy.

Spell Mechanics and Build Strategies

Understanding Spell Damage and Area Control

The mechanics of spell damage are discussed, particularly how positioning can influence the effectiveness of spells like cloud-based damage spells. The ability to push enemies into a damaging area is highlighted as a strategic advantage.

Acknowledgment of changes in spell capabilities, noting that while teleporting the spell's area is beneficial, it doesn't compensate for the reduced immobilization effects compared to previous iterations.

Feat Selection and Character Development

At level four, the choice between Warcaster and a half feat to increase charisma is debated. While Warcaster offers concentration benefits, an invocation later may provide similar advantages without using a feat slot.

The suggestion to select Spell Sniper instead of Warcaster emphasizes its utility in ignoring cover on ranged attacks and maintaining attack efficiency when enemies are close.

Invocation Choices at Level Five

Excitement about gaining additional invocations at level five leads to prioritizing Lance of Lethargy for crowd control by snaring enemies effectively within damaging areas.

Discussion on Devil Sight as a potential choice despite initial reluctance; it provides significant advantages in visibility during combat scenarios involving darkness or dim light.

Familiar Enhancements through Invocations

Investment in Chain Master invocation is considered valuable due to its enhancements for familiars, including increased mobility options and improved damage types based on player choices.

Emphasis on utilizing bonus actions for familiars' attacks highlights tactical flexibility in combat situations while also considering their defensive improvements from this invocation.

Third-Level Spells: Strategic Options

Fiend locks gain access to powerful spells like Fireball and Stinking Cloud. These spells serve both offensive and debuff roles against enemy casters or groups lacking poison immunity.

Hunger of Hadar emerges as a favored spell due to its unique combination of area control, damage output without saving throws, and blinding effects that create advantageous conditions for allies.

Advantages of Hunger of Hadar

Detailed mechanics reveal that Hunger of Hadar not only deals consistent cold damage but also imposes difficult terrain on enemies trapped within its radius, enhancing battlefield control significantly.

Notably, the absence of saving throws against initial damage makes this spell particularly effective; scaling with upcasting remains relevant despite limited increases in damage output per level.

Clarification regarding dark vision interactions with Hunger of Hadar indicates that players can see inside while opponents cannot if they lack dark vision—creating opportunities for strategic advantage during encounters.

Summon Undead: A Deep Dive into Mechanics

Overview of Summon Undead Spell

The Summon Undead spell allows players to summon a creature that acts immediately after the caster's turn, without needing a bonus action for commands.

Types of Undead Spirits

Players can choose between ghostly, skeletal, or putrid spirits; the focus here is on the putrid spirit, which can make attacks based on the spell's level.

Damage and Special Effects

The putrid undead spirit deals 1d6 + 3 damage plus the spell's level. If the target is poisoned, they become paralyzed until their next turn—no saving throw required.

Limitations and Strategy

Many enemies are immune to poison (119 in total), making it essential to first inflict poison before leveraging paralysis. The undead spirit forces nearby enemies to save against poisoning.

Utilizing Quaset Familiar for Synergy

The Quaset familiar can attack and automatically poison targets if it hits. This sets up a chain where the putrid spirit can then paralyze them.

Combat Tactics with Summon Undead

Attack Sequence Strategy

Suggested combat sequence involves using a bonus action for Quaset’s attack, moving close to hold an action, then allowing the putrid spirit to attack and potentially paralyze.

Critical Hits from Paralysis

If successful in paralyzing an enemy, all attacks against them have advantage; melee attacks within 5 ft are critical hits.

Risk Assessment of Tactics

While this strategy could yield high damage through paralysis, it relies heavily on both familiars landing their attacks—a risky proposition given their hit bonuses.

Comparative Analysis: Auto Paralysis vs. Hunger of Hadar

Damage Output Comparison

Assuming perfect conditions for paralysis every round yields slightly more damage than using Hunger of Hadar, but not significantly (about 10% better).

Realistic Expectations in Combat Scenarios

Considering factors like enemy immunity or missed attacks makes relying solely on paralysis less viable; thus, alternative strategies should be kept in mind.

Level Six Abilities and Combat Plans

Dark One’s Own Luck Invocation

At level six, players gain access to Dark One’s Own Luck, allowing them to add a d10 to ability checks or saving throws—enhancing survivability and effectiveness in combat.

Ideal Combat Round Setup

In an ideal scenario at this level, casting Hunger of Hadar over multiple enemies while using familiar attacks as bonus actions maximizes control and damage output during encounters.

Familiar Selection Considerations

Choosing an imp as a familiar presents challenges due to its melee nature requiring it to enter dangerous areas like Hunger of Hadar while being blinded. Ranged options may be more effective depending on circumstances.

Combat Strategy and Damage Calculation in D&D

Tactical Advantages of the Imp

The imp's ability to fly without provoking opportunity attacks from blinded enemies provides a strategic advantage, allowing it to engage effectively while remaining safe.

Utilizing Eldritch Blast, the strategy involves pushing enemies into tentacles for additional damage and control, leveraging the frost giant goliath feature for extra effects.

Damage Output Analysis

The combat strategy anticipates dealing 36 damage per round against enemies with a 10 AC and 31 damage against those with a 15 AC over four rounds, indicating moderate effectiveness compared to other builds.

Despite being lower than some single-class builds, this approach balances single-target damage with debuffing capabilities.

Comparison with Alternative Builds

A two-handed pack of the blade build could yield significantly higher average damage (up to 30% more), suggesting that players have multiple viable paths depending on their playstyle preferences.

Players can also opt for powerful spells like fireball or focus on control spells such as hypnotic pattern or fear for varied tactical options.

Level Progression and New Abilities

At level six, players gain access to strong AoE potential and multi-target control options alongside decent single-target damage capabilities.

Level seven introduces another Eldritch Invocation (Eldritch Mind), enhancing concentration checks which are crucial for maintaining spell effects during combat.

Spell Utilization: Wall of Fire vs. Hunger of Hadar

Wall of Fire offers significant area denial by inflicting automatic damage when enemies enter or end their turn near it, providing an alternative to Hunger of Hadar's effects.

The wall can be strategically placed to maximize enemy exposure while still offering opportunities for control through positioning tactics.

Control Mechanisms in Combat

While Wall of Fire may not provide as much direct debuffing as Hunger of Hadar, its opaque nature allows for strategic manipulation of enemy movement.

Players are encouraged to explore various fourth-level spells beyond just offensive options like banishment or dimension door, emphasizing flexibility in combat strategies.

Character Progression and Strategy in Combat

Level 8: General Feats and Charisma Boost

At level eight, players can choose a general feat, with a recommendation to increase Charisma to its cap of 20 for improved overall performance.

Additional charisma-based half-feats are suggested as beneficial options for enhancing character abilities.

Level 9: New Abilities and Spells

Players gain the "Contact Patron" ability, allowing them to prepare the "Contact Other Plane" spell without using a spell slot once per day, ensuring automatic success on saves.

The Eldritch Invocation "Visions of Distant Realms" is recommended for casting "Arcane Eye," providing an invisible scouting option that feels safer than using an imp familiar.

Fifth-Level Spells and Tactical Options

At level nine, players unlock fifth-level spells including "Gash," "Insect Plague," and others like "Hold Monster" for paralysis or "Synaptic Static" for area damage with debuffs.

A new spell, "Gelarzy's Storm of Radiance," is introduced; it creates a hazardous area that blinds enemies while dealing significant radiant damage.

Damage Strategies in Combat

The strategy involves laying down a wall of fire on the first round to maximize damage output (6d8 fire damage), assuming enemies have a 50% chance to save against it.

The use of an imp familiar is reconsidered; instead of attacking, it will assist by helping the player gain advantage on attacks.

Calculating Damage Output

Average damage calculations show potential outputs of 82 DPR against enemies with low AC (10), indicating strong single-target damage capabilities compared to other builds.

This build achieves tier one territory in terms of damage per round (DPR), establishing itself as a leader among single-class builds focused on Warlock Eldritch Blasting.

Level 10: Fiendish Resilience

At level ten, players receive “Fiendish Resilience,” granting resistance to one type of non-force damage which can be changed after short or long rests.

It’s suggested that bludgeoning resistance may be optimal due to its commonality among monster attacks.

Warlock Level Progression and Spell Choices

Choosing Spells at Warlock Level 11

At level 11, warlocks can replace spells with new options upon gaining a level. The spell can be cast once per long rest, with "Tasha's Bubbling Cauldron" being highlighted as a versatile choice for crafting potions.

Various potion options are discussed, including:

Oil of Slipperiness: Grants freedom of movement for eight hours.

Fire Breath and Giant Strength: Useful for enhancing combat capabilities.

Potions of Growth and Resistance: Beneficial against specific damage types or situations.

Enhancements at Level 12

Eldritch Blast now fires three beams at level 11, with an additional spell slot that resets after a short rest. This increases the warlock's offensive capabilities significantly.

The choice of feats at level 12 is crucial; "Moderately Armored" is considered but lacks shield proficiency. A discussion on potential oversight by game designers regarding feat choices ensues.

Alternatives like "Resilient Constitution" (for saving throw proficiency) and "Mage Slayer" (to disrupt enemy concentration) are also evaluated.

Weapon Mastery Considerations

The idea of taking the "Weapon Master" feat is introduced, despite initial reluctance to focus on weapons due to charisma prioritization.

A strategy involving the Pact of the Blade feature is proposed, allowing binding a magical heavy crossbow as a packed weapon while maintaining high damage output through charisma modifiers.

Combat Strategy Development

By utilizing both ranged attacks and Eldritch Blast mechanics, players can maximize their attack frequency and damage potential through strategic feat selection.

Swapping invocations such as Agonizing Blast for Devouring Blade could enable three attacks per turn using the heavy crossbow, mirroring Eldritch Blast’s effectiveness.

Damage Report Insights

At level 13, access to seventh-level spells offers limited impactful options; Force Cage is mentioned but deemed not essential due to its cost and concentration requirement.

Despite minimal increases in damage output since last assessment (91 DPR against AC 10), defensive capabilities have improved significantly.

Overall performance reflects fluctuations in power levels typical for casters reliant on spell slots; comparisons indicate this build remains competitive within tier rankings despite challenges faced in scaling damage effectively.

Warlock Build Insights

Overview of Class Builds

The speaker discusses the competitive landscape of class builds, noting that while they are performing well against marshals and half-casters, sorcerers have an edge in single-target damage.

Level 14 Abilities

At level 14, the fiend warlock gains the ability "Hurl Through Hell," considered the best level 14 ability among warlock subclasses. This ability is a key reason for choosing a fiend lock build.

"Hurl Through Hell" allows the warlock to force a charisma saving throw on hit; failure results in the target being incapacitated and taking 8d10 psychic damage unless they are a fiend. If they succeed, nothing happens.

Strategic Considerations

The speaker notes that using "Hurl Through Hell" consumes one use per day without spending spell slots but can be used more frequently at the cost of spell slots if necessary.

There’s a strategic decision on when to use this ability—whether to wait until after dealing full damage with Eldritch Blast or to use it immediately for control over combat.

Level Progression and Mystic Arcanum

At level 15, players gain their eighth-level mystic arcanum. Recommended spells include control options like "Befuddlement" or "Dominate Monster."

Players also receive another Eldritch invocation; "Witch Sight" is highlighted as it grants true sight within a 30ft range.

Feats and Gameplay Mechanics

At level 16, players get another general feat; suggestions include those mentioned previously. If switching to crossbows, “Great Weapon Master” is recommended but requires prior planning due to its strength prerequisite.

The discussion includes creative gameplay mechanics such as using potions (e.g., potion of giant strength from Tasha's bubbling cauldron) to meet prerequisites for feats like Great Weapon Master.

Final Levels and Damage Report

By level 17, players acquire their ninth-level mystic arcanum; “Foresight” provides significant advantages in combat by granting advantage on all d20 rolls for eight hours while imposing disadvantage on enemy attacks.

The final damage report highlights an additional beam from Eldritch Blast at this level along with consistent opportunities for high damage output through abilities like Hurl Through Hell.

Damage Analysis and Build Evaluation

Damage Output Against Different Armor Classes

The build achieves an average of 134 damage per round against enemies with a 10 armor class and 131 DPR against an 18 AC, assuming all damage is directed at one target. This suggests potential for increased total damage if multiple targets are affected.

Comparison to Other Builds

The current build ranks in the middle of tier one territory compared to other DPR builds analyzed so far, outperforming all single-class builds except for a sorcerer and a doomcroller thief with access to true strike scrolls.

Overall Tier Score Assessment

Averaging the damage across various armor classes results in a tier score of 80, marking this build as a front runner for single-target damage among single-class builds despite initial slow scaling from levels 10 to 13.

Limitations and Considerations

While the warlock class shows strong potential, it has vulnerabilities: light armor throughout the game, no shield spell, and only a D8 hit die. These factors contribute to its squishiness in combat scenarios. Additionally, ranged attacks do not guarantee safety from speedy or evasive enemies.

Tactical Challenges in Combat

Various challenges may arise during combat such as enemies with blindsight that negate advantages from spells like Hunger of Hadar or those resistant to cold/fire damage. Positioning can also be problematic on large battlefields or when allies are present, complicating spell deployment strategies.

Flexibility and Adaptability of Spellcasters

Despite limitations, every character has potential drawbacks; however, warlocks possess versatile options through their spellcasting abilities which allow them to adapt tactics effectively (e.g., using Misty Step). This adaptability is crucial when facing diverse combat situations where traditional martial characters might struggle more significantly.

Power Dynamics Between Builds

The strength of this build lies in its ability to deliver solid damage while maintaining control over the battlefield through debuffs and crowd control spells like Wall of Fire and Hunger of Hadar—offering both offensive power and tactical versatility compared to other classes like sorcerers who may have better shutdown capabilities but sacrifice some damage output for it.

Conclusion on Build Viability

Leading in single-target damage while providing significant control options makes this warlock build exceptionally potent within its class framework—highlighting its effectiveness even amidst competition from other powerful spellcasters like wizards or druids who excel at multi-target blasting capabilities. The speaker expresses enthusiasm about playing this character type further down the line.

Closing Remarks

The speaker concludes by expressing gratitude towards viewers for their support while encouraging positivity amidst challenges faced outside gaming contexts—emphasizing kindness and resilience as key takeaways before signing off warmly.

Sympathy for the Devil: A Thematic Exploration

Introduction to Themes

The speaker references "Sympathy for the Devil" by The Rolling Stones, noting its thematic relevance to current societal issues.

Expresses a personal sentiment of not being a major fan of the band but acknowledges the song's appropriateness for contemporary times.

Highlights a sense of irony or humor in connecting the song's themes with present-day challenges.

Indicates gratitude towards the song and its message, suggesting it resonates deeply with ongoing events.