Class Warlock
Your Subclass is chosen at Level 3 and defines everything about your Warlock's identity — your expanded spell list, your unique features, and the nature of your pact.
- Archfey Patron — Fey magic, Charm, Fear, Steps of the Fey
- Celestial Patron — Sacred flame, Healing light, Radiant power
- Fiend Patron — Dark One's Blessing, Hellish power, Fire and darkness
- Great Old One Patron — Eldritch Hex, Entropic Ward, Thought Shield
- Hexblade Patron — Hexblade Manifest, Mark Effects, Armor of Hexes
- Undead Patron — Form of Dread, Grave Touched, Necrotic Husk
| TRAIT | DETAIL |
|---|---|
| Primary Ability | Charisma |
| Hit Point Die |
 D8 per Warlock level |
| Saving Throw Proficiencies | Wisdom and Charisma |
| Skill Proficiencies | Choose 2: Arcana, Deception, History, Intimidation, Investigation, Nature, or Religion |
| Weapon Proficiencies | Simple weapons |
| Armor Training | Light armor |
| LEVEL | FEATURE |
|---|---|
| 1 | Subclass, Pact Magic, Eldritch Invocations |
| 2 | Magical Cunning |
| 5 | Eldritch Invocations (expanded) |
| 11 | Mystic Arcanum |
The Warlock's spellcasting works differently from every other caster. You have very few spell slots — but they are always at your highest available spell level, and they recover on a Short Rest.
| WARLOCK LEVEL | SPELL SLOTS | SLOT LEVEL |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1st |
| 2–4 | 2 | 1st |
| 5–6 | 2 | 3rd |
| 7–8 | 2 | 4th |
| 9–10 | 2 | 5th |
| 11+ | 3 | 5th |
Pact Magic rewards Short Rests. A Warlock who rests between encounters fights at full power every time. In an adventuring day with multiple Short Rests, the Warlock's effective spell output matches or exceeds other casters.
Permanent magical abilities gained starting at Level 1 — not spells, no spell slots. Passive enhancements, active abilities, and identity-defining choices that compound as you level. Pact Boons (Blade, Chain, Tome) are part of the Invocation system, chosen at Level 1.
Unlock schedule:
| WARLOCK LEVEL | INVOCATIONS UNLOCKED |
|---|---|
| 1 | Pact Boons + Level 1 pool |
| 2 | Level 2 pool |
| 5 | Level 5 pool |
| 7 | Level 7 pool |
| 9 | Level 9 pool |
| 12 | Level 12 pool — final tier |
Pact of the Blade — Summon a magical pact weapon as a Bonus Action. Uses Charisma for attack and damage rolls. Synergizes with Thirsting Blade at Level 5 for Extra Attack.
Pact of the Chain — Gain a powerful familiar that can Attack on your command using your spell attack modifier.
Pact of the Tome — Gain a Book of Shadows granting three additional cantrips from any class list.
Armor of Shadows — Cast Mage Armor on yourself at will. Base AC becomes 13 + Dexterity modifier.
Beast Speech — Cast Speak with Animals at will.
Beguiling Influence — Proficiency in Deception and Persuasion.
Eldritch Mind — Advantage on Concentration saving throws.
Agonizing Blast — Add your Charisma modifier to every Eldritch Blast beam's damage.
Devil's Sight — See normally in magical and non-magical darkness up to 120 feet. Pairs with Darkness — you fight normally, enemies are blind.
Eldritch Spear — Eldritch Blast range increases to 300 feet.
Fiendish Vigor — Cast False Life on yourself at will.
Mask of Many Faces — Cast Disguise Self at will.
Misty Visions — Cast Silent Image at will.
Otherworldly Leap — Cast Jump on yourself at will.
Repelling Blast — Eldritch Blast pushes targets 10 feet on hit. Multiple beams can push up to 40 feet total.
Thief of Five Fates — Cast Bane once per rest without a spell slot.
Thirsting Blade — Attack twice when taking the Attack action with your Pact of the Blade weapon.
Eldritch Smite — Expend a Warlock spell slot on a Pact weapon hit to deal extra Force damage and knock the target Prone.
Investment of the Chain Master — Your Pact of the Chain familiar gains enhanced AC, attack bonuses, and new action options.
Gift of the Depths — Gain a swimming speed equal to walking speed and breathe underwater. Cast Water Breathing once per rest.
Book of Ancient Secrets — Cast any ritual spell from any class list from your Book of Shadows.
Mire the Mind — Cast Slow once per rest.
One with Shadows — While in dim light or darkness, become Invisible as an Action.
Sign of Ill Omen — Cast Bestow Curse once per rest.
Dreadful Word — Cast Confusion once per rest.
Sculptor of Flesh — Cast Polymorph once per rest.
Whispers of the Grave — Cast Speak with Dead at will.
Lifedrinker — Deal additional Necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier on every Pact weapon hit. Passive, no resource cost.
Gift of the Protectors — When an ally drops to 0 HP, they drop to 1 HP instead — once per rest.
Minions of Chaos — Cast Conjure Elemental once per rest.
Devouring Blade — Enhances Pact weapon attacks with additional damage and debilitating conditions.
Eldritch Blast builds: Agonizing Blast + Repelling Blast is the core combination. Add Devil's Sight and cast Darkness on yourself for positional dominance. Add Eldritch Spear for 300-foot range.
Blade Pact builds: Pact of the Blade + Thirsting Blade (Level 5) + Lifedrinker (Level 9) is the complete martial Warlock kit. Add Eldritch Smite for burst damage. Devouring Blade at Level 12 is the payoff.
Utility builds: Pact of the Tome + Book of Ancient Secrets for ritual casting from any class list. Armor of Shadows + One with Shadows for free AC and invisibility. Beguiling Influence + Mask of Many Faces for social infiltration.
Gained at Level 2. Once per Long Rest, as an Action, you can recover half your expended Pact Magic slots (rounded up).
Magical Cunning is a middle-ground recovery tool — not as fast as Short Rest recovery, but available when a Short Rest isn't. In a long dungeon push without rest opportunities, Magical Cunning keeps you relevant.
Gained at Level 11. Once per Long Rest, you can cast one spell of 6th level or higher without expending a spell slot.
Mystic Arcanum gives the Warlock access to high-level spell power that Pact Magic normally can't reach. At Level 11, this is a free 6th-level spell once per Long Rest — on top of your regular Pact Magic.
Shadow Blade has been added to the Warlock spell list at Level 2:
- Creates a sword of solidified shadow
- Deals 2d8 Psychic damage per hit
- Counts as a finesse weapon (Dex or Str)
- Deals bonus damage against targets in dim light or darkness
- Pairs naturally with Devil's Sight and One with Shadows Invocations
Shadow Blade gives Pact of the Blade Warlocks a powerful alternative weapon that synergizes with the class's darkness-adjacent identity.
The Warlock's ceiling is set by Invocation selection, not level. Agonizing Blast converts Eldritch Blast into a reliable damage cantrip; Thirsting Blade enables dual attacks on Pact of the Blade builds; Armor of Shadows eliminates armor dependency. First-level Invocation picks shape identity for the entire campaign — choose for your Patron's playstyle.
Pact Magic's Short Rest recovery changes encounter math. Two slots sounds constrained until you count the rests: two Short Rests per Long Rest means six high-level spell casts in a typical day — matching a full caster's non-nova output at the same level. At Level 11, three slots plus Mystic Arcanum adds a free 6th-level spell per Long Rest on top.