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DnD Warlock 5e class guide

A DnD Warlock 5e class is a versatile and powerful spellcaster - from patrons to races, here's all you need to conjure your next character.

Wizards of the Coast art of a DnD Warlock 5e

The DnD Warlock 5e gains their powers from a pact with a supernatural being, and this makes them unlike any other spellcaster in fifth edition. They can easily fill the role of party blaster or face, regain spell slots on short rests, and have exclusive access to fifth edition’s most iconic cantrip. The Dungeons and Dragons Warlock is easy to build but hard to master, so we’ve put together a class guide to help you get started.

Warlocks are one of the simplest spellcasters to start playing, but a huge number of customization options means this can be one of the toughest DnD classes to play well. Choosing your DnD Warlock subclass, picking a Pact Boon, and navigating the list of Eldritch Invocations 5e is a tricky balance – and that’s before we throw in any multiclassing. We’ll walk you through the ins and outs of playing a Warlock, including which DnD races will suit your build.

Here’s how to play the DnD Warlock 5e class:

Wizards of the Coast art of a DnD Warlock 5e summoning a monster

 

DnD 2024 Warlock

This guide covers the fifth Edition Warlock – but the brand new DnD 2024 Player’s Handbook has now overhauled the class completely. You’re getting access to more spell lists, more Eldritch Invocations, more Pacts at once, better summoning, and a bunch of other magical nonsense to boot. For all the changes and details, read our DnD 2024 Warlock guide.

Warlock 5e class features

As a Warlock, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice 1D8 per Warlock level
Hit Points at first level 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at higher levels 1D8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per Warlock level after first

Proficiencies

Armor Light armor
Weapons Simple weapons
Tools None
Saving throws Wisdom, Charisma
Skis Choose two skills from Arcana, Deception, History, Intimidation, Investigation, Nature, and Religion

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

  • (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
  • (a) a component pouch or (b) an arcane focus
  • (a) a scholar’s pack or (b) a dungeoneering pack
  • Leather armor, any simple weapon, and two daggers

Otherworldly Patron 5e

At first level, you have struck a bargain with an otherworldly being of your choice. Your choice grants you features at first level and again at sixth, 10th, and 14th level.

Wizards of the Coast art of a DnD Warlock 5e battling a monster

Pact Magic 5e

Your arcane research and the magic bestowed on your by your patron have given you facility with spells.

Level Cantrips Known Spells Known Spell Slots Slot Level Invocations Known
1 2 2 1 1st
2 2 3 2 1st 2
3 2 4 2 2nd 2
4 3 5 2 2nd 2
5 3 6 2 3rd 3
6 3 7 2 3rd 3
7 3 8 2 4th 4
8 3 9 2 4th 4
9 3 10 2 5th 5
10 4 10 2 5th 5
11 4 11 3 5th 5
12 4 11 3 5th 6
13 4 12 3 5th 6
14 4 12 3 5th 6
15 4 13 3 5th 7
16 4 13 3 5th 7
17 4 14 4 5th 7
18 4 14 4 5th 8
19 4 15 4 5th 8
20 4 15 4 5th 8

You know two DnD cantrips of your choice from the Warlock spell list. You learn additional Warlock cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Warlock table.

The Warlock table shows how many spell slots you have. The table also shows what the level of those slots is; all of your spell slots are the same level. To cast one of your Warlock spells of first level or higher, you must expend a spell slot. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a short or long rest 5e.

For example, when you are fifth level, you have two third-level spell slots. To cast the first-level spell Thunderwave, you must spend one of those slots, and you cast it as a third-level spell.

At first level, you know two first-level spells of your choice from the Warlock spell list. The Spells Known column of the Warlock table shows when you learn more Warlock spells of your choice of first level and higher. A spell you choose must be of a level no higher than what’s shown in the table’s Slot Level column for your level. When you reach sixth level, for example, you learn a new Warlock spell, which can be first, second, or third level.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Warlock spells you know and replace it with another spell from the Warlock spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your Warlock spells, so you use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Warlock spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

You can use an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your Warlock spells.

Wizards of the Coast art of a DnD Warlock 5e

Eldritch Invocations 5e

In your study of occult lore, you have unearthed Eldritch Invocations, fragments of forbidden knowledge that imbue you with an abiding magical ability.

At second level, you gain two Eldritch Invocations of your choice. When you gain Warlock levels, you gain additional Invocations of your choice, as shown in the Invocations Known column of the Warlock table. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Invocations you know and replace it with another Invocation that you could learn at that level.

Best Eldritch Invocations

Agonizing Blast is a staple of nearly all Warlock repertoires, but there’re a few other standouts you should have your eye on.

For those that require no prerequisites, Armor of Shadows lets you cast Mage Armor on yourself without expending a spell slot (very useful if you’re taking a mixed sword and spellcasting route), and Eldritch Sight lets you cast Detect Magic 5e should your party’s Wizard be lacking in the detection department.

Mask of Many Faces, which lets you disguise yourself at will, makes for some creative adventuring, while higher level invocations, such as Maddening Hex – which causes automatic psychic damage to a creature under your hex – can turn the tide of combat.

When choosing between them, consider the build of your Warlock and whether an invocation might complement your existing strengths. Also pay close attention to your party members: do you really need Speak with Dead if a trusty Necromancer is by your side?

Wizards of the Coast art of a Tiefling DnD Warlock 5e carrying a sword

Pact Boon 5e

At third level, your otherworldly patron bestows a gift upon you for your loyal service. You gain one of the following features of your choice.

Pact of the Chain 5e

You learn the Find Familiar spell and can cast it as a ritual. The spell doesn’t count against your number of spells known.

When you cast the spell, you can choose one of the normal forms for your familiar or one of the following special forms: imp, pseudodragon, quasit, or sprite. Additionally, when you take the attack action, you can forgo one of your own attacks to allow your familiar to make one attack of its own with its reaction.

Pact of the Blade 5e

You can use your action to create a pact weapon in your empty hand. You can choose the form that this melee weapon takes each time you create it. You are proficient with it while you wield it. This weapon counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Your pact weapon disappears if it is more than five feet away from you for one minute or more. It also disappears if you use this feature again, if you dismiss the weapon (no action required), or if you die.

You can transform one magic weapon into your pact weapon by performing a special ritual while you hold the weapon. You perform the ritual over the course of one hour, which can be done during a short rest. You can then dismiss the weapon, shunting it into an extradimensional space, and it appears whenever you create your pact weapon thereafter. You can’t affect an artifact or sentient weapon in this way.

The weapon ceases being your pact weapon if you die, if you perform the one-hour ritual on a different weapon, or if you use a one-hour ritual to break your bond to it. The weapon appears at your feet if it is in the extradimensional space when the bond breaks.

Pact of the Tome 5e

Your patron gives you a grimoire called a Book of Shadows. When you gain this feature, choose three cantrips from any class’s spell list (the three needn’t be from the same list). While the book is on your person, you can cast those cantrips at will. They don’t count against your number of cantrips known. If they don’t appear on the Warlock spell list, they are nonetheless Warlock spells for you.

If you lose your Book of Shadows, you can perform a one-hour ceremony to receive a replacement from your patron. This ceremony can be performed during a short or long rest, and it destroys the previous book. The book turns to ash when you die.

Wizards of the Coast art of a DnD Warlock 5e

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach fourth level, and again at eighth, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by two, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by one. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Mystic Arcanum 5e

At 11th level, your patron bestows upon you a magical secret called an arcanum. Choose one 6th-level spell from the Warlock spell list as this arcanum.

You can cast your arcanum spell once without expending a spell slot. You must finish a long rest before you can do so again.

At higher levels, you gain more Warlock spells of your choice that can be cast in this way: one seventh-level spell at 13th level, one eighth-level spell at 15th level, and one ninth-level spell at 17th level. You regain all uses of your Mystic Arcanum when you finish a long rest.

Eldritch Master 5e

At 20th level, you can draw on your inner reserve of mystical power while entreating your patron to regain all expended spell slots. You can spend one minute entreating your patron for aid to regain all your expended spell slots from your Pact Magic feature. Once you regain spell slots with this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can do so again.

Wizards of the Coast art of a DnD Warlock 5e

Best Warlock 5e stats

Choosing ability scores for a Warlock is straightforward: increase your Charisma above everything else. As their spellcasting ability, Cha will ultimately determine the utility of your Warlock – what they can do, how well they can do it, and how reliably they can perform. Regardless of what type of character build you’ll be playing, you’ll need Cha coming out of your ears to make it effective.

Constitution should be your secondary focus. Although Warlocks aren’t nearly as feeble as the scrawny Wizard 5e, their limited DnD armor proficiencies and low hit dice make them vulnerable. Your Pact Magic will be no use if you spend most battles crumpled on the floor, so nip it in the bud by inflating Con to your second-highest ability score.

A reasonable Dexterity score can be useful for boosting your defense, as you cartwheel away from an incoming crossbow bolt. It also makes ranged DnD weapons slightly more practical, for those unfortunate moments in which you’ve run out of spell slots and really don’t feel like casting Eldritch Blast for the fiftieth time.

Leave Strength, Intelligence, and Wisdom to fall by the wayside. Distribute ability scores across these three for their roleplaying implications, rather than their combat buffs.

Wizards of the Coast art of a DnD Warlock 5e trapping a monster in a force field

Best Warlock 5e spells

At first level, Hex is the pre-eminent choice. It adds an extra 1d6 necrotic damage to a target creature whenever it’s successfully attacked, as well as landing it with a disadvantage on ability checks made in a score of your choice. Hex neatly complements planned party assaults, as you line up a foe for a stronger player to knock down.

Charm Person makes for some useful fighting tactics, as well as hilarious roleplaying antics, while Armor of Agathys is a fantastic defensive spell that protects you with five temporary hit points and damages the enemy when hit.

Later, you should be looking to combine your magical abilities to fully leverage their potential. Darkness can be cast to snuff out light, and grant yourself a tactical advantage if you’ve learned the Devil’s Sight invocation.

Tongues, granting you the ability to understand any language, is useful for those Warlocks who have built a charismatic personality, while Mental Prison is a great charm spell, locking a creature out of the fight.

At higher levels, you’ll gain access to area-of-effect attacks, like Maddening Darkness, as well as near game-breaking spells such as Foresight, which grants an advantage to every attack roll, ability check, and saving throw you perform over eight hours. Powerful stuff.

You’ll also be making persistent use of your cantrips, even at higher levels – and the star of the show is undoubtedly Eldritch Blast 5e. The highest damage-dealing cantrip in the whole game – when combined with the Agonizing Blast Invocation, which lets you add your Charisma modifier to the damage dealt on every use – its 1d10 force damage can be easily combined with other invocations and spells, like Hex, to massively bolster its utility.

Besides that, you have some ‘back pocket’ options that are useful at times. Mage Hand 5e, which allows you to manipulate objects from a distance, can be vital for steering your party through the traps and puzzles of a dungeon, and Prestidigitation 5e can be shrewdly used to navigate entanglements of a more social variety. Or, consider Chill Touch 5e if you want more offensive options.

Best Warlock 5e races

Any race that grants a natural Charisma boost will be an excellent choice. The Tiefling 5e is something of a go-to Warlock race for their +2 Charisma, as well as their access to a few racial Charisma-driven spells. Plus, their infernal heritage often closely aligns with the nefarious machinations of their patron, making for some accessible roleplay.

Aasimar also work wonderfully for their innate +2 Charisma, and bring a peculiar personality to a Warlock. Their divine heritage and inclinations for good is an interesting counterpoint to the maleficence of their patrons. Or match them with a Celestial patron, and fully embrace divination.

A DnD Half-elf or a Yuan-ti also brings a natural +2 Charisma, but have less obvious roleplaying touchstones (although that, in itself, is no bad thing).

DnD Warlock 5e - Wizards of the Coast art of an Archfey

Warlock 5e subclasses explained

Your choice of subclass has a huge impact on your Warlock’s values and skills. If you want to know which Patrons are best, head to our DnD Warlock subclasses guide. Otherwise, carry on for a quick summary of each possible Patron:

The Fiend 5e

Found in: Player’s Handbook

Make a pact with a Fiend if you favor fiery destruction above all. The abilities granted by this subclass are tailored towards killing, and killing things quickly. Its spell list lets you blast your way into the fray – with staples like Fireball, Burning Hands, and Wall of Fire – while Drak One’s Own Luck and Fiendish Resilience will keep you fighting harder and longer. Hurl Through Hell might be the most literal D&D 5e spell, and is just as good as it sounds.

Destruction and corruption being the primary concerns of Fiends, these patrons are plain evil. Typical examples include Demon Lords, Balors, Archdevils, and other infernal creatures. You don’t have to be evil yourself to strike up a deal with them, and may be tempted to befriend them for the incredibly powerful spell list.

The Archfey 5e

Found in: Player’s Handbook

Whimsical, immortal, and god-like, Archfeys are in the business of charming deception. Beguiling Defenses lets you turn the offensive charms of your enemies against them, while Dark Delirium has you contort reality to twist the sanity of opposing creatures.

As well as dishing out damage you’ll be opening up your enemies for punishing harries or clearing the way for a quick escape. Particularly useful is their first-level spell Faerie Fire, which lets you magically outline every object and creature in the vicinity; useful for detecting invisible enemies.

Not all Archfeys are actually fairies. They’re a variable bunch that include any creatures who have taken a piece of the Feywild under their own control – including the infamous Queen of Witches, Baba Yaga, or the deity Oberon. Chaotic and self-serving, these patrons will ask a lot from their followers, and give back only as much as they see fit.

DnD Warlock 5e - Wizards of the Coast art of a Sea Monster

The Great Old One 5e

Found in: Player’s Handbook

This subclass is all about festering psychological terrors in the feeble minds of your enemies, while producing mind-altering enhancements that will protect you from the pernicious mental alterations of others. Its spell list features lots of control options that are handy for implementing co-ordinated attacks with the rest of your party.

Awakened Mind makes for some fantastically rich roleplaying encounters, while Create Thrall is plain fun. If your DM is running a campaign with lots of DnD Mind Flayers, Thought Shield will make all the difference.

Ancient beings that deal with powers too illogical and elusive for mortal minds to comprehend, their knowledge is immeasurable, and the scope of their power untold. Most have been worshiped as deities at some point, including the Chained God Tharizdun or the (absolute classic) Great Cthulhu.

The Hexblade 5e

Found in: Xanathar’s Guide to Everything

The martial, close-combat, super melee Warlock subclass, Hexblades are here for the fight and they’ll jolly well make a good show of it. Hex Warrior grants proficiency in medium armor, shields, and martial weapons, making it finally feasible for Warlocks to effectively brandish a sword on the front line. Hexbalde’s Curse effectively lets you deal massive damage to a single target, scaling nicely as you level up.

Being able to use your Charisma modifier for attacks lets you wail on enemies up close before relying on bursts of spellcasting for the bigger foes. The Hexblade spells are rather meager, however, so you’ll have to wait until you can use fifth-level Banishing Smite before really feeling its effects. Even so, Eldritch Blast combined with formidable melee damage should not be sneered at.

Learn more in our Hexblade 5e subclass guide.

The Celestial 5e

Found in: Xanathar’s Guide to Everything

Turn your Warlock into a Cleric 5e with The Celestial subclass. Alongside offering many Cleric spells focused on healing and restoration, Healing Light lets you fix up the wounds of your party, while Celestial Resistance lets you replenish their hit points after a Long Rest. It’s not all heal, heal, heal, though. Your spell list also includes a few damage-dealing options, such as Wall of Fire and Guiding Bolt, while Searing Vengeance will have you become a walking death machine.

Celestial patrons are the goody-two-shoes of Warlock sponsors. Angels, unicorns, and empyrean, they belong to the Upper DnD Planes, but will share with you a sliver of the holy light cast across the universe. Pairing a Celestial Warlock with a martial Cleric can be a solid way of splitting healing duties while keeping each character versatile.

Wizards of the Coast art of a DnD Warlock 5e

The Genie 5e

Found in: Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

Strike an agreement with a Noble Genie to unlock a truly astonishing array of offensive and defensive spells. This subclass operates a little differently from the rest,

The four selectable genie types differ significantly, and, aside from their thematic delineations, have no obvious specialization. Whichever you pick, you’ll be handed a strong mix of damage-dealing and protection spells, as well as the much-coveted Wish. A great option for those looking to play creatively, and take a more versatile role in their party.

Learn more in our DnD Genie Warlock guide.

The Undying 5e

Found in: Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide

Offering yourself to an immortal being who’s cheated death, you’ll learn various necromancy spells and passive buffs to keep your legs moving and your body breathing. Forging a pact with an Undying patron is all about survivability. You’ll learn Spare the Dying cantrip at level one, letting you stabilize teammates at zero hit points, while Defy Death lets you pour extra hit points on them to get them back into action.

Although fraternizing with liches and deathless Wizards sounds like a whole heap of fun, the Undying patron is unfortunately clearly the weakest patron in the game. It’s a solid thematic choice, but gives few abilities that can’t be replicated, or surpassed, by the spell lists of other patrons.

The Fathomless 5e

Found in: Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

The aquatic subclass. Form a pact with a deep-sea monster, whether the ghost of a pirate captain feeding upon the lost souls of sailors, or a water elemental stalking the ocean floor, to gain a bunch of situational abilities that will be incredibly useful in naval campaigns. From first level, you can summon a huge tentacle to smite your foes, while Guardian Coil lets you use your new suction-cupped friend as a shield.

You’ll get a bunch of situational combat spells that work best when surrounded by water. Pick the Fathomless patron if you know your adventure will frequently take you to oceans, swamps, or other watery terrain.

Wizards of the Coast art of a DnD Warlock 5e summoning a demon

Warlock 5e builds

Warlocks excel for their versatility. Few other classes can be played in such a variety of ways, and no other spellcasters have as unique an array of magical options. While your playstyle will be largely determined by your chosen patron and pact, much is also decided by your stat and spell combinations.

Fiendish Tiefling

A classic build that will earn you no points for originality but ticks all the right boxes, think of this as an introductory Warlock build that’ll ease you in. Combine a Tiefling – which is something of the go-to Warlock race – with the Fiend subclass for an added dollop of devilry, it’s a build attuned to offensive, fiery spellcasting.

Ability scores

As a spellcaster, Cha should be your focus, so pump it this DnD stat as much as you can, as quickly as possible. Raise Con next, so as to keep you fighting fit, then look to bolster Dex. The final three can be largely forgotten.

Details

Pick Tiefling as your character race. The +2 Cha will essential to boosting your spellcasting, and their racial spells are an added bonus. The +1 Int is wasted, but that’s no bother.

At first level, strike a deal with The Fiend. Their spell list offers a solid batch of offensive options, and the Dark One’s Blessing ability will buoy your hit points until you’ve been able to inflate your Con score.

As for Pact Magic, choose Eldritch Blast (of course) and Prestidigitation for your cantrips, alongside Hellish Rebuke and Armor of Agathys, for when you’re in a tight spot. Take a crossbow as your simple weapon; you’ll be switching between it and Eldritch Blast for most of your attacks.

On reaching level two, you’ll learn two Eldritch Invocations. Agonizing Blast is a must for upping the damage of your Eldritch Blast, while Beguiling Influence can equip you well for the non-combat elements of your campaign.

For your third-level Pact Boon, pick Pact of the Tome. The three extra cantrips will solidify you as the reliable but versatile party spellcaster. You can also use this moment to pick up some support or healing spells if your party is hurting.

Wizards of the Coast art of a DnD Warlock 5e fighting a dragon

Level four is easy: spend your ability score improvement on Cha, pick Mage Hand for a cantrip, and take Burning Hands as your new spell.

At level five, pick Repelling Blast as your new Eldritch Invocation to boost your Eldritch Blast even further. You’ll need to think carefully about battlefield positioning and environments to use it most effectively. Now is also a good time to replace one of your spells with Fireball 5e.

From here, maximize your Cha as quickly as possible. When it comes to new spells, nothing is going to overcome your super-buffed Eldritch Blast and Fireball combo, so pick options that will either provide support to your party, or fun roleplaying opportunities.

For more character creation recommendations, here are our favorite DnD backgrounds and DnD feats, explained. Or, if you want something a little more timely, here’s everything coming up on this year’s DnD release schedule.

This guide directly presents rules text for the DnD 5e Warlock class, published by Wizards of the Coast under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.