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Some casters may argue that it isn’t about what number of spells you recognize, however how effectively you should utilize those you may have. And in Baldur’s Gate 3, Warlocks are the dwelling embodiment of this philosophy. The bond a Warlock types with their highly effective, supernatural patron would not get them lots by way of amount, however every instrument they do get is potent on a degree that different casters cannot match. Learn on by means of our full Baldur’s Gate 3 Warlock class information to discover ways to get probably the most out of this paranormal partnership.

For different courses and points of the sport, see our full slate of accessible Baldur’s Gate 3 guides.

Earlier than You Start

Word that none of those factors are set in stone. Construct your character the best way you select, and see these notes extra as options than guidelines. For extra ideas, take a look at our Baldur’s Gate 3 Character Creation information.

This information can even assume that you’re constructing a customized character. Origin Characters have distinctive interactions and roleplaying choices obtainable due to their preset nature. Wyll, Blade of the Frontiers, is a Warlock Origin Character. Select him as your protagonist if you would like to play as an Origin Warlock.

Moreover, this information presumes you might be constructing a single-class character. Multiclassing into totally different courses as you degree up is an possibility to achieve new and helpful talents, however there’s additionally worth in specialization. We’ll have a number of multiclass options for you on the finish of the information.

The Warlock Playstyle

Warlocks are distinctive among the many magic-using courses in Baldur’s Gate 3 due to the character of their spellcasting. By way of general amount, Warlocks achieve fewer spell slots than another caster class within the sport. This even contains the “hybrid” casting courses like Paladin, Ranger, and subclasses just like the Arcane Trickster or Eldritch Knight. For instance, at degree 10, the Warlock solely has two spell slots to make use of. By comparability, a Sorcerer has fifteen. 

Nonetheless, the character of their “Pact Magic,” because it’s referred to as, provides Warlocks an unequaled degree of fight endurance and “stopping energy” per spell. They could have a restricted quantity of spell slots, however in contrast to different casters, their spell slots are all the highest spell degree attainable. Warlocks needn’t cut up their spell loadouts between, say, 4 Stage 1 spells and three Stage 2 spells: All 3 spell slots can solid spells of any degree, with out the necessity for “upcasting” to boost their energy. Moreover, Warlocks recharge their spell slots on a brief relaxation, one thing no different caster can do.

As such, a Warlock is closely depending on their Cantrips, and should use their spells judiciously, selecting simply the suitable time to spend a valuable slot. Fortunately, Warlocks even have entry to a few of the most potent cantrips within the sport, chief amongst them the highly effective Eldritch Blast. They’re additionally no slouches in melee, capable of, with the suitable construct, combat as a magically empowered skirmisher with a small however lethal toolkit.

Warlock Class Options

• Key Skills: Wisom and Charisma
  
  • Warlocks stay and die by their Charisma scores, and can need them as excessive as attainable to spice up their cantrips and spells.
  • Enhancing Structure can also be vital to enhance a Warlock’s HP and strengthen their Focus saves.
  • A Warlock must also make investments factors into Dexterity, to achieve a bonus to their armor class when carrying Mild Armor, in addition to in the event that they plan to combat with melee weapons earlier than they unlock the Pact of the Blade.
  • Warlock Saving Throw proficiencies are set to Knowledge and Charisma. 
• Gear Proficiency: Mild Armor and Easy Weapons
• Ability Proficiency: At creation, Warlocks can select 2 abilities for his or her proficiency. Arcana, Deception, Investigation, and Intimidation are good picks that align with the Warlock’s pure skills.
  • Arcana
  • Deception
  • Historical past
  • Intimidation
  • Investigation
  • Nature
  • Faith
• The Pact: The Pact itself and the patron it is made with is the primary defining characteristic of the Warlock. It is also equal to the Warlock’s subclass, and determines a few of the spells and Invocations the Warlock may have entry to. See the Subclasses part for extra particulars on what every Pact does.
• Pact Magic: As detailed above, Warlocks achieve a novel type of magic from their bond with their patron. Pact Magic consists of a restricted variety of spell slots that degree up with the Warlock. Pact spells are robotically solid on the highest attainable degree (matching the “upcasting” that different casters can do by making ready a lower-level spell in a higher-level spell slot to extend its energy).
• Eldritch Blast: The Eldritch Blast is the Warlock’s signature potential. Although technically “simply” a cantrip that is unique to Warlocks, it is probably the most highly effective fight cantrip within the sport. For a lot of Warlocks, the Eldritch Blast is as integral as a weapon can be to a Fighter. It will be upgraded because the Warlock beneficial properties ranges, gaining the power to focus on a number of enemies (or hit a single enemy as much as 3 instances), and including results through sure Eldritch Invocation decisions. 
• Eldritch Invocations: Eldritch Invocations are greatest regarded as “perks” that the Warlock will get from their patron which boosts the Warlock in a way separate from merely including extra pact spells. Warlocks get Invocations as they degree up and may select those that work for them. Invocation results vary from granting free at-will spell results to upgrading the ability of their Eldritch Blast.
  • There are lots of Eldritch Invocations, so examine the Stage Development part for descriptions of every as they change into obtainable.
• Pact Boon: Although Warlocks select their pact at character creation, they will additional refine their playstyle once they get to decide on a Pact Boon, a particular one-time blessing from their Patron that’s significantly suited to at least one playstyle or one other. These boons are enhanced later through the Deeper Pact class characteristic.
  • Pact of the Chain: The Warlock beneficial properties the service of a well-known that may be managed by the Warlock and assist them in fight. Warlocks can select from an animal acquainted, an Imp, or a Quasit. They’ll additionally change out their acquainted if they’ve a change of coronary heart afterward.
  • Pact of the Tome: The Warlock beneficial properties a grimoire referred to as “The E-book of Shadows” that enables them to solid sure spells, and unlocks extra spells to solid freely per lengthy relaxation. This boon is sweet for Warlocks that need a number of extra spells to solid with out having to dedicate their spell slots to the duty.
  • Pact of the Blade: Warlocks can summon a particular “pact weapon” or bind the melee of their hand and make it magical. Pact weapons use the wielder’s spellcasting Capacity as an alternative of Energy or Dexterity (in a Warlock’s case, that is Charisma). This spell permits Warlocks to combat in melee with stunning energy, since their now-magical weapon is powered by their spellcasting potential. It’s kind of much like the Hexblade subclass from tabletop Dungeons & Dragons 5E.
• Mystic Arcanum: As soon as per lengthy relaxation, Warlocks can solid considered one of their degree 6 spells without spending a dime, with out expending a slot. Since many Stage 6 spells are fairly highly effective however not one thing you need to use in each encounter, this primarily frees up a valuable spell slot for extra sensible forms of Pact Magic.

Warlock Gear Suggestions

• Although Warlocks achieve comparatively paltry gear proficiencies, they’re the perfect of the “pure” caster courses at direct melee fight. That is due to the Capacity Rating synergies inherent to the Warlock’s magic. Choosing Pact of the Blade as a boon primarily provides the Warlock a everlasting impact much like the Druid’s Shillelagh cantrip, tying their melee efficiency to their casting potential (which might be excessive to start with). Thus having an honest melee weapon in a single’s stock is a good suggestion, if you happen to choose the Pact of the Blade. These with out it’ll most likely desire a mild or Finesse-tagged melee weapon, since their Dexterity bonus will most likely be greater than their Energy bonus.
• Put on the perfect Mild Armor you could find, although buying Medium Armor Proficiency from racial decisions or feats is usually a good possibility to spice up your safety in case your Dexterity bonus is beneath +2.
• Gear and results that enhance Dexterity, Charisma, or Structure are perfect for Warlock gear.
• Magic equipment or weapons that may solid spells are additionally a very good possibility, to unencumber the Warlock’s reliance on their cantrips and spell slots.

Warlock Subclasses

Chosen at character creation, a Warlock’s selection of patron to make a Pact units simply who it’s the Warlock owes fealty to. In Baldur’s Gate 3, your choices are the The Fiend, the Archfey, and the Nice Outdated One. These patrons categorical their variations by barely altering the Warlock’s spell choice, in addition to giving a number of advantages to help their agent in various methods. If something, really important modifications in a Warlock’s playstyle usually tend to come from the selection of Pact Boon and Eldritch Invocations.

The Fiend

Warlocks sure to the Fiend have fashioned a contract with a robust resident of the decrease planes akin to an archdevil, demon lord, or different infernal energy. Fiendish patrons empower their pet Warlocks with elevated damaging potential, favoring fight spells, augmented resistances, and the power to amp up their outcomes with the sort of good “fortune” just one sure to the darkness can muster.

Subclass Options

• Fiend Pact Magic: Fiend pacts grant automated entry to the next spells:
  
  • Burning Arms, Command
  • Scorching Ray, Blindness
  • Fireball, Stinking Cloud
  • Fireplace Protect, Wall of Fireplace
  • Flame Strike, Cone of Chilly
• Darkish One’s Blessing: When lowering a hostile creature to zero HP, achieve short-term HP (Charisma modifier + Stage). This “health-on-kill” bonus is usually a highly effective buff that lets a Warlock “feed” off of kills. Word that the Warlock must be the one which strikes the killing blow to learn.
• Darkish One’s Personal Luck: The Satan’s Luck manifests on this characteristic, which permits the Warlock so as to add 1d10 to an Capacity Verify as soon as per brief relaxation. It is a good and dependable bonus that would spell the distinction between success and failure on some potential checks.
• Fiendish Resilience: The Warlock can, as soon as per brief relaxation, select a injury kind to change into immune to. This may be very highly effective if you happen to can anticipate what injury kind you are prone to come throughout in an encounter. In Baldur’s Gate 3, hearth and chilly are among the many mostly encountered elemental injury varieties, in order that’s a very good place to start out.

The Archfey

Usually ignored in accountings of the good supernatural powers, the lords and women of the Fey maintain deep secrets and techniques and kooky, enigmatic motives and strategies. Pact-bound Warlocks know this capriciousness all too effectively, however can draw upon a sliver of the compelling energy of their patron Archfey gaze to allure, management, and dominate these with mere mortality underpinning their minds.

Subclass Options

• Archfey Pact Magic: Archfey Pacts grant automated entry to the next spells:
  
  • Faerie Fireplace, Sleep
  • Calm Feelings, Phantasmal Power
  • Plant Development, Blink
  • Larger Invisibility, Dominate Beast
  • Dominate Individual, Seeming
• Fey Presence: Let a Fey temper take your enemies, by unleashing Fey Presence and inflicting all close by foes to be charmed or frightened in the event that they fail a Knowledge save.
• Misty Escape: As soon as per brief relaxation, you’ll be able to punish these with the temerity to strike you. You change into invisible upon taking injury and may use the following flip to solid the spell Misty Step, teleporting to an area you’ll be able to see, probably organising a counterattack.
• Beguiling Defenses: You might be proof against allure. This characteristic will be considerably redundant for Elven and Half-Elven characters, since they have already got Fey Ancestry, a perk that grants Benefit on saves in opposition to allure and sleep. Nonetheless, it is an absolute immunity, so it is technically an improve.

Nice Outdated One

Warlocks who’ve made a pact with a Nice Outdated One have contracted their service to a power they will barely pronounce, a lot much less comprehend. Allied to beings from the Far Realm whose very presence threatens to drive mortals mad, Nice Outdated One Warlocks achieve explicit energy over the thoughts and extra talents that inflict psychic injury.

Subclass Options

• Nice Outdated One Patc Magic: Nice Outdated One Pacts grant automated entry to the next spells.
  
  • Dissonant Whispers, Tasha’s Hideous Laughter
  • Phantasmal Power, Detect Ideas
  • Sluggish, Bestow Curse
  • Telekinesis, Dominate Individual
• Mortal Reminder: Everytime you land a crucial hit on a creature, the creature and close by enemies are frightened, struggling Drawback on potential checks and assault rolls.
• Entropic Ward: As soon as per brief relaxation, impose drawback on assault rolls in opposition to you. Assaults that miss grant you benefit in your assault rolls in opposition to your attackers.
• Thought Protect: Acquire resistance to psychic injury, and replicate any psychic injury you do take upon your attacker.

Warlock Stage Development

These are the category options you’ll get as you degree up as a Warlock. The utmost degree cap in Baldur’s Gate 3 at launch is Stage 12. Use this to see what you’ll get at every degree and plan accordingly, in case you want to multiclass.

This information can even spotlight class options you achieve primarily based in your subclass selection. For extra detailed data in regards to the subclasses, see the sections above. Options gained by a Subclass are labeled with the Subclass title. 

Word: Unlabeled advantages are “normal” class options and customary to all subclasses.

Stage 1

• HP: 8 HP + Structure Modifier, gaining minimal of 5 HP + Con modifier per degree.
• Gear Proficiency: Easy Weapons and Mild Armor
• Ability Proficiencies: Select 2 abilities from Deception, Arcana, Historical past, Intimidation, Investigation, Nature, Faith.
• Warlock Spells:  2 Cantrips, 1 Spell Slot
• Warlock Pact: Select from Nice Outdated One, Archfey, and The Fiend
  • Fiend: Darkish One’s Blessing
  • Nice Outdated One: Mortal Reminder
  • Archfey: Fey Presence 

Stage 2

• Warlock Spells: +1 Spell Slots (2 whole)
• Eldritch Invocation: Select 2 Eldritch Invocations from this checklist. Really useful Invocations embody Agonizing Blast, Repelling Blast, and Fiendish Vigor.
  • Agonizing Blast: Add Charisma modifier to Eldritch Blast injury. Some of the invaluable Eldritch Invocations, this turns the Eldritch Blast right into a cantrip akin to a weapon.
  • Armor of Shadows: Can solid Mage Armor on your self at will, with out utilizing a spell slot.
  • Beast Speech: Can solid communicate with animals at will, with out utilizing a spell slot.
  • Beguiling Affect: Acquire proficiency in Deception and Persuasion abilities. Helpful if you happen to did not select these abilities at creation.
  • Satan’s Sight: Can see within the darkness for 24m, and thru magical darkness. Helpful in case your racial selection would not embody darkvision.
  • Fiendish Vigor: Solid False Life on your self at will, with out utilizing a spell slot. A robust buff to your HP at low ranges.
  • Repelling Blast: Eldritch Blast can push a creature again as much as 4.5m. Impact will be toggled on or off. Very highly effective for pushing enemies off cliffs.
  • Thief of 5 Fates: Can solid Bane as soon as per lengthy relaxation with out utilizing a spell slot. Probably helpful if missing a Cleric or Paladin, as Bane is a foundational debuff.
  • One With Shadows: Can change into invisible till you assault, solid a spell, take an motion, or get broken.
  • Masks of Many Faces: Can solid Disguise Self at will, with out spending a spell slot. Good for stealth and infilitration.

Stage 3

• Pact Boon: Choose a Pact Boon (see subclass options part for particulars)
• Warlock Spells: Stage 2 spells unlocked for preparation in Warlock spell slots.

Stage 4

• Feat Choice: Can choose a Feat from All Courses Feat checklist. Whereas any class at degree 4 can choose lots of the Feats, not all shall be related to the category. You too can select a capability enchancment to spice up a bonus or get rid of a penalty. Try our full Feats information for extra recommendation on Warlock-appropriate Feats.
  • Really useful Warlock Feats:
    • Capacity Enchancment
    • Actor
    • Alert
    • Sturdy
    • Elemental Adept
    • Fortunate
    • Cell
    • Performer
    • Resilient
    • Spell Sniper
    • Robust
    • Struggle Caster
    • Weapon Grasp
• Warlock Spells: +1 Cantrips Identified (3 whole)

Stage 5

• Eldritch Blast: Eldritch Blast beneficial properties a second “beam”, permitting the Warlock to hit two totally different targets in vary or a single goal twice utilizing one Blast.
• Deepened Pact: Acquire further Pact-based advantages
  • Pact of the Blade: Acquire an additional assault per flip when attacking with pact weapon.
  • Pact of the Chain: Your acquainted beneficial properties an additional assault per flip.
  • Pact of the Tome: Spells Animate Useless, Haste, and Name Lightning added, can solid as soon as per lengthy relaxation.
• Warlock Spells: Stage 3 spells unlocked for preparation in Warlock spell slots.
• Eldritch Invocation: Select 1 Eldritch invocation. The beneath invocations are added to the general checklist.
  • Mire the Thoughts: Can solid Sluggish, utilizing a spell slot. A broad-scale debuff that may have an effect on a complete group of enemies.
  • Signal of Unwell Omen: Can solid Bestow Curse utilizing a spell slot. A robust single-target debuff with a variety of results.

Stage 6

• The Fiend: Darkish One’s Personal Luck: Add 1d10 to potential examine outcomes.
• Archfey: Misty Escape: Turn out to be invisible and solid Misty Step when broken.
• Nice Outdated One: Entropic Ward: Impose Drawback on attackers and achieve benefit whenever you retaliate.

Stage 7

• Warlock Spells: Stage 4 spells unlocked for preparation in Warlock spell slots.
• Eldritch Invocation: Select 1 Eldritch Invocation. The beneath invocations are added to the general checklist.
  • E-book of Historic Secrets and techniques: Acquire entry to spells Ray of Illness, Chromatic Orb, and Silence, all castable with out utilizing spell slots as soon as per Lengthy Relaxation. A number of Wizard/Sorcerer spells to broaden your spell checklist with out disrupting your pact magic financial system.
  • Dreadful Phrase: Can solid Confusion utilizing a spell slot. A probably highly effective psychological debuff that causes enemies to behave at random.
  • Sculptor of Flesh: Can solid Polymorph utilizing a spell slot. Flip your enemies into sheep.

Stage 8

• Feat Choice: Can choose a Feat from All Courses Feat checklist

Stage 9

• Warlock Spells: Stage 5 spells unlocked for preparation in Warlock spell slots.
• Eldritch Invocation: Select 1 Eldritch Invocation. The beneath invocations are added to the general checklist.
  • Minions of Chaos: Can solid Conjure Elemental with a spell slot. Some of the highly effective summon spells within the sport.
  • Otherworldly Leap: Can solid the Improve Leap as a Ritual, which means it doesn’t use a spell slot when solid out of fight. This enhances your agility for exploration outdoors of fight.
  • Whispers of the Grave: Can solid Communicate with Useless with out expending a spell slot. Helpful if you happen to do not have already got it in your get together, however you may as well purchase this spell through the Ritual Caster feat.

Stage 10

• Eldritch Blast: Eldritch Blast beneficial properties a 3rd “beam”, permitting the Warlock to hit three totally different targets in vary or a single goal thrice utilizing one Blast.
• The Fiend: Fiendish Resilience: Turn out to be immune to a injury kind of your selection as soon as per brief relaxation.
• Archfey: Beguiling Defenses: Immunity to Attraction.
• Nice Outdated One: Thought Protect: Resist Psychic injury and replicate psychic injury onto your attacker.
• Warlock Spells: +1 Cantrips Identified (4 whole)

Stage 11

• Warlock Spells: 
  • +1 Spell slots (3 whole)
  • Spell slots can now host Stage 6 spells
• Mystic Arcanum: Choose a degree 6 spell and achieve the power to solid it with out utilizing a spell slot as soon as per lengthy relaxation.

Stage 12

• Feat Choice: Can choose a Feat from All Courses Feat checklist
• Eldritch Invocation: Select 1 Eldritch Invocation. The beneath invocation is added to the general checklist.
  • Lifedrinker: Melee assaults deal further necrotic injury equal to your Charisma modifier. A great invocation to choose for characters who chosen the Pact of the Blade, as that is solely primarily based on melee assaults.

Multiclass Warlocks

Warlocks have a few clear breakpoints for including further class ranges. Stage 5 or Stage 6 of Warlock is an effective level to think about one other class, as by this level the Warlock has gained their Pact Boon, deepened it, and has entry to a stable number of spells and an upgraded Eldritch Blast.

That stated, Warlocks will be far more fearsome dipping into new courses within the final third of their obtainable ranges, as a result of Warlock class bonuses are that rather more potent. Multiclassing at Stage 9 grants Stage 5 Warlock Spells and one other Eldritch Invocation whereas granting entry to the subclasses of the second class, whereas breaking at Stage 10 totally upgrades the Eldritch Blast, provides a fourth Cantrip, and the final Pact bonus. A break at Stage 11 ensures the Warlock solely misses out on their final feat and Eldritch Invocation.

Bard is a wonderful second class selection for Warlocks. Simply 1 degree grants entry to the highly effective staff buff Bardic Inspiration, whereas a second degree grants the Music of Relaxation and Jack of All Trades to permit the Warlock to replenish their very own spell slots in a single motion and tremendously enhance their ability choices. A 3rd degree beneficial properties experience and entry to the Bardic Schools, which all have distinctive advantages for Warlocks. The School of Lore advantages Warlocks who need to lean into staff help and ranged fight, whereas the Schools of Valor and Swords supply extra to Warlocks who’re following the Path of the Blade.

Fighters are a very good single-level class dip for Warlocks on the Pact of the Blade, as entry to heavy armor, martial weapons, and a preventing fashion can tremendously enhance a Warlock’s melee efficiency. Warlocks prepared to place 3 ranges into Fighter can achieve Motion Surge and entry to a subclass. The Battle Grasp subclass can broaden the Warlock’s tactical choices considerably.

Paladins are a really potent class selection for Pact of the Blade Warlocks. Two ranges of Paladin grant entry to the Paladin’s Oath advantages in addition to Divine Smite, an influence that works with the Warlock’s pact weapon. You possibly can even choose to interrupt your Paladin Oath to change into an Oathbreaker, because the Oathbreaker’s powers have attention-grabbing synergy with Warlock powers.

Sorcerers are nice choices for Warlocks centered on ranged fight. Two ranges of Sorcerer will grant a Warlock entry to Sorcery factors, metamagic, and the advantages of the Sorcerer’s subclass, whereas a 3rd degree provides extra metamagic choices like Heightened Spell and Quickened Spell.