Warlock Guide 5e: Pact Magic, Invocations, and Complete Builds
A Warlock solves ordinary turns with a dependable cantrip or pact weapon, then spends a scarce spell slot when the stakes rise. Your patron gives you a theme and a toolkit. Your pact boon and invocations determine what you can do repeatedly, from pushing enemies away to scouting with a familiar.
The builds use 2014 D&D 5e. Pact boons and patron timing work differently under the 2024 rules, covered below.
Warlock quick build
Start as a human with Dexterity 16, Constitution 14, and Charisma 16. Choose the Fiend patron, Eldritch Blast, Minor Illusion, Armor of Agathys, and Hex. Take Agonizing Blast and Repelling Blast at 2. At 3, Pact of the Tome turns you into a broader utility caster. The first build shows how to add rituals while keeping a reliable combat turn.
Pact Magic, rests, and concentration
Your Pact Magic slots all use the same level. You have one slot at 1, two at 2, three at 11, and four at 17. The slots rise from 1st to 5th level as you advance and all return on a short or long rest. At Warlock 5, for example, both slots are 3rd level. Even a 1st-level Armor of Agathys uses one of those 3rd-level slots and gains its upcast benefit.
You know a limited list of spells and can replace one when you gain a Warlock level. A 2014 patron’s expanded spell list adds options to choose from. It does not teach those spells automatically. Choose spells that stay useful with your higher-level slots and keep one option that needs no concentration. For example, Armor of Agathys gives 15 temporary HP from a 3rd-level slot and can punish melee attackers while you still have that spell’s temporary HP.
Hex adds 1d6 necrotic damage when you hit its target with an attack and gives the target disadvantage on checks using one ability you choose. It leaves saving throws alone. It takes a bonus action to cast, requires concentration, and can move as a bonus action on a later turn after the target reaches 0 HP. A 3rd- or 4th-level slot extends concentration to 8 hours, and a 5th-level slot extends it to 24 hours. If a fight calls for Hypnotic Pattern or another concentration spell, decide which contribution is worth the slot. Plan short rests with the group when you can.
At levels 11, 13, 15, and 17, Mystic Arcanum gives you a spell of levels 6, 7, 8, and 9 respectively. Each is cast once per long rest through the feature. Pact Magic slots stay at 5th level.
Ability scores, equipment, and invocations
Charisma sets your spell attack bonus and save DC. Dexterity improves AC and initiative, and Constitution helps you maintain concentration. Leather armor, a component pouch or arcane focus, and a light crossbow make a legal start. Check the spell’s components before taking a weapon in each hand. Ordinary Warlock Pact Magic has no general ritual feature.
Eldritch Blast makes separate attack rolls for two beams at character level 5, three at 11, and four at 17. Agonizing Blast adds Charisma to damage on each hit. Repelling Blast can push a target up to 10 feet directly away on a hit, so aim from a position that moves the foe away from an ally or toward difficult terrain. Watch for cover and the disadvantage on ranged attacks when an eligible hostile creature is within 5 feet of you.
| Pact boon at 3 | What it gives you | Invocation to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Tome | Three cantrips from any class lists that count as Warlock spells for you | Book of Ancient Secrets grants two 1st-level rituals to begin and lets you copy eligible rituals you find |
| Chain | Find Familiar as a ritual, with additional forms such as an imp or sprite | Voice of the Chain Master expands scouting and communication on the same plane |
| Blade | A conjured melee pact weapon, or an eligible magic weapon bonded through the boon | Thirsting Blade at Warlock 5 lets you attack twice with the pact weapon using the Attack action |
With Book of Ancient Secrets, you can add a ritual you find if its level is at most half your Warlock level rounded up and you have the time and gold to copy it. The 2014 Blade boon grants proficiency with the pact weapon. Use the weapon’s normal ability unless a separate feature changes it. If you like Darkness with Devil’s Sight, check where allies need to see before dropping it. Use a spell that leaves them clear lines of sight if the party relies on targeting or opportunity attacks.
Warlock progression by class level
| Level | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1 | Patron and one 1st-level Pact Magic slot |
| 2 | Two invocations and second Pact Magic slot |
| 3 | Pact boon and 2nd-level slots |
| 4 | Ability Score Improvement or optional feat, third cantrip |
| 5 | 3rd-level slots and third invocation |
| 6 | Patron feature |
| 7 | 4th-level slots and fourth invocation |
| 8 | Ability Score Improvement or optional feat |
| 9 | 5th-level slots and fifth invocation |
| 10 | Patron feature and fourth cantrip |
| 11 | Third Pact Magic slot and 6th-level Mystic Arcanum |
| 12 | Ability Score Improvement or optional feat, sixth invocation |
| 13 | 7th-level Mystic Arcanum |
| 14 | Patron feature |
| 15 | 8th-level Mystic Arcanum and seventh invocation |
| 16 | Ability Score Improvement or optional feat |
| 17 | Fourth Pact Magic slot and 9th-level Mystic Arcanum |
| 18 | Eighth invocation |
| 19 | Ability Score Improvement or optional feat |
| 20 | Eldritch Master restores expended Pact Magic slots through a one-minute entreaty once per long rest |
Choosing an Otherworldly Patron
| Patron | Choose it for | Tradeoff | 2014-compatible source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiend | Temporary HP when you reduce a hostile creature to 0 HP, plus damage options such as Fireball | You need the finishing blow for the temporary HP and must spend known-spell choices on the expanded list | SRD 5.1 |
| Archfey | A character who wants short-range charm or fear and illusion options | The early patron feature uses an action and requires getting close | 2014 Player’s Handbook |
| Celestial | Healing Light gives you bonus-action healing independent of Pact Magic slots | The healing dice run out, and you still have the usual Pact Magic slot limits | Xanathar’s Guide to Everything |
| Hexblade | Weapon attacks using Charisma under the subclass’s conditions, with medium armor and shields | The curse is a separate resource and takes a bonus action. The weapon benefits have limits until you add Blade | Xanathar’s Guide to Everything |
Fiend’s Dark One’s Blessing and Armor of Agathys are both sources of temporary HP. When offered a new pool, you choose which to keep. If you still want the armor spell’s retaliation, keep its own temporary HP while they last.
Three complete 2014 Warlock builds
These builds use 27-point buy in Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma order. Starting gear is leather armor, a light crossbow and 20 bolts, a simple quarterstaff, an arcane focus, a scholar’s pack, and two daggers, plus background gear. Use the 2014 Player’s Handbook for Hex, Archfey, and mountain dwarf. At level 5 all have two 3rd-level Pact Magic slots per short or long rest. HP uses fixed increases.
| Warlock level | Shared spell plan |
|---|---|
| 1 | Eldritch Blast and Minor Illusion as cantrips. Learn Armor of Agathys and Hex |
| 2 | Add Hellish Rebuke |
| 3 | Add Invisibility |
| 4 | Add Misty Step and the Mage Hand cantrip |
| 5 | Add Counterspell or the build’s listed alternative |
Human Fiend Tome generalist
- Scores. Start 8, 15, 13, 9, 11, 15. Standard human adds one to all six for 9, 16, 14, 10, 12, 16. Raise Charisma by two at both 4 and 8.
- Skills and choices. Sage grants Arcana and History. Take Investigation and Religion as class skills. At 2 choose Agonizing Blast and Repelling Blast. At 3 take Tome for Guidance, Message, and Thaumaturgy, and exchange Repelling Blast for Book of Ancient Secrets with Detect Magic and Comprehend Languages as your starting rituals. Take Repelling Blast again at 5 and learn Fireball instead of Counterspell.
- At 5. AC 14, HP 38, spell save DC 15, and +7 with each Eldritch Blast beam for 1d10 + 4 on a hit. The Fiend’s Dark One’s Blessing grants 9 temporary HP on a qualifying finishing blow.
- Turn. If enemies cluster away from the party, use Fireball. Otherwise fire separate beams and push hits away from a vulnerable ally. Without a rest you only get two slotted spells before relying on the rest of your kit.
Half-elf Archfey Chain scout
- Scores. Start 8, 15, 13, 10, 10, 15. Half-elf adds one Dexterity, one Constitution, and two Charisma for 8, 16, 14, 10, 10, 17. At 4 raise Charisma and Wisdom by one each, then raise Charisma by two at 8.
- Skills and choices. Criminal grants Deception and Stealth. Take Arcana and Intimidation as class skills and Perception and Persuasion from half-elf. Take Agonizing Blast and Mask of Many Faces at 2, Chain at 3 with a sprite as an eligible familiar, and Voice of the Chain Master at 5. Learn Faerie Fire in place of Hellish Rebuke at 2 through the Archfey list. Set aside the material cost for Find Familiar before attempting the ritual.
- At 5. AC 14, HP 38, spell save DC 15, and +7 for 1d10 + 4 on each beam hit. The familiar uses its own statistics.
- Turn. Cast Faerie Fire on foes separated from allies, then use their visibility and the attack advantage against affected targets on later turns. Before combat, scout from a safe position through the familiar. A sprite can be caught, and its senses can only reveal what it can reach and observe.
Mountain dwarf Fiend Blade defender
- Scores. Start 8, 14, 14, 8, 12, 15. Mountain dwarf adds two Strength and two Constitution for 10, 14, 16, 8, 12, 15. At 4 raise Charisma and Wisdom by one each. At 8 raise Dexterity to 16 if the rapier remains your main attack.
- Skills and choices. Soldier grants Athletics and Intimidation. Take Investigation and Arcana as class skills. Take Agonizing Blast and Devil’s Sight at 2, Blade at 3, and Thirsting Blade at 5. Conjure a rapier when you can spare the action. Use the shared spell plan.
- At 5. AC 16 in purchased scale mail, HP 43, spell save DC 14, spell attack +6, and two pact rapier attacks at +5 for 1d8 + 2 per hit. The build has medium armor proficiency from mountain dwarf. A shield needs a separate source of proficiency.
- Turn. Cast Armor of Agathys before opening a trapped room if you expect melee. If foes close, make your two pact attacks on the following turn. Your attack ability is Dexterity, so improving Charisma alone leaves your rapier accuracy where it was.
Feats, multiclassing, and table tactics
Charisma is a strong default because it raises the DC of your limited slots and helps Agonizing Blast. War Caster (2014 Player’s Handbook) can help a front-line build retain concentration after taking damage. Resilient (Constitution) from the same book is worth a look if your Constitution is odd. Take either when losing a key spell repeatedly costs more than a higher DC would gain.
Warlock multiclassing requires Charisma 13 plus the other class’s prerequisite. Spellcasting and Pact Magic keep separate slot pools. Under the 2014 rules, you can use either pool to cast an eligible spell you know or have prepared from the other class. Track which pool you spent so it recovers on the right rest. A Sorcerer dip delays invocations, patron features, and Pact Magic slot progression.
If a brute rushes the party’s Wizard on a bridge, move to a flank where Repelling Blast would push it away from the Wizard. If you are the only character who can stop the advance, saving a slot for a later encounter may be less valuable than using it now.
2024 Warlock changes
| Topic | 2014 Warlock | 2024 Warlock |
|---|---|---|
| Patron | Chosen at 1, with expanded options to learn | Chosen at 3, with patron spells automatically prepared as indicated |
| Invocations and pact boons | Invocations at 2 and one pact boon at 3 | Invocations begin at 1. Blade, Chain, and Tome are invocation options and can be combined |
| Weapon attacks | Blade normally uses the weapon’s usual attack ability | Revised Pact of the Blade can use Charisma for attack and damage with the bonded weapon |
| Recovery | Slots recover on short or long rests | Adds Magical Cunning at 2, a one-minute rite once per long rest that restores up to half your Pact Magic slots rounded up |
| Later levels | Ordinary improvement at 19, Eldritch Master at 20 | Contact Patron at 9, an Epic Boon at 19, and full slot recovery through Magical Cunning at 20 |
The revised Agonizing Blast can apply to an eligible damaging Warlock cantrip you choose. Check invocation prerequisites and revised background bonuses before converting a build.
Warlock FAQ
Can I cast a low-level spell without spending my highest Pact Magic slot? All your Pact Magic slots share a level. An eligible lower-level slot from a separate Spellcasting feature can be used under the multiclass rules.
Does choosing the Fiend teach me Fireball? In 2014, it adds Fireball to your available choices once you can learn 3rd-level Warlock spells. You still have to learn it.
Can every Warlock cast rituals? The 2014 class has no general ritual casting. Chain grants a ritual for Find Familiar, and Tome can add ritual casting through Book of Ancient Secrets.
Rules sources. The 2014 rules and options use SRD 5.1, the 2014 Player’s Handbook, and Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. The comparison uses SRD 5.2.1 and the official revised Warlock overview. Builds and examples are original.