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Baldur's Gate 3 introduces the Warlock as a blend of consistent ranged power and broad customization, with surprising ease-to-play for a spellcasting class. Leaning heavily on their signature Eldritch Blast cantrip, Warlocks can consistently inflict damage without wrangling with the complex resource management that other full-casters face.
Warlocks can further specialize through their Pacts and Eldritch Invocations, unique enhancements that amplify their spells and character attributes. In all, Warlocks offer an accessible and versatile spellcasting experience while being one of the best ranged strikers of the game, which makes them a great choice for both novice and seasoned players alike.
With the release of Baldur's Gate 3, much has changed about the class since Early Access. This guide has been and will be continually updated with more information about the Warlock class' mid- to late-game progression.
Warlocks: An Overview
Bound by a pact to an all-powerful patron, warlocks trade their loyalty for supernatural abilities and unique magic.
The Warlock is a highly formidable single-target striker, capable of delivering robust damage in short bursts of combat. Its unique spellcasting mechanism centers on limited spell slots that refresh on short rests rather than the long rests of all other casters. They also always cast their spells at the highest available level, yielding intense, albeit brief, combat potency.
When they're not blasting foes with pinpoint accuracy from afar, Warlocks also flourish in social situations due to their high Charisma.
Warlock Level | Prof. Bonus | Cantrips | Spells | Spell Slots | Slot Level | Invocations | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | +2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1st | - |
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2 | +2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1st | 2 |
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3 | +2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2nd | 2 |
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4 | +2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2nd | 2 |
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5 | +3 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 3rd | 3 |
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Warlocks get two class "specializations"—their patron (subclass), which they choose at level 1, and their pact, which they choose at level 3.
Their patron impacts their spells and class features, while their pact gives them a further specialization of playstyle. More on this in later sections!
Warlocks lean heavily on the Eldritch Blast cantrip and Hex spell, which, while powerful, could lead to repetitive gameplay.
This can be offset by the versatility offered by Eldritch Invocations, which are small customizations that enhance the Warlock's abilities. Eldritch Invocations can give the Warlock new features, spells, and even change how their existing spells work.
Although Warlocks individually pack a punch, they don't contribute significantly to the overall synergy of a four-person party, lacking role specialization in support and reliable means of crowd-control. And though hardier than some other full-casters, they still lack the durability of most front liners.
These factors mean that Warlocks flourish best in a well-balanced party with controllers and defenders to keep enemies in check while the Warlock blasts away.
Starting Out As A Warlock
Ability Scores
Charisma | The Warlock's most important ability score. It's your Spellcasting Ability—affecting Spell Attack Rolls, Saving Throw DCs, and Prepared Spells. |
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Constitution | Constitution will affect your maximum hit points and your Concentration Saves to maintain long-term spells and Saving Throws against battlefield effects like poison. |
Dexterity | It affects your AC. Dexterity Saving Throws are also some of the more common ones seen on the field. |
Strength, Wisdom, and Intelligence | Though Strength, Wisdom, and Intelligence have less influence on mechanical benefits, they still impact skill checks and carrying capacity, making them worth considering, depending on the type of character you are trying to build. |
Skills Proficiencies
Warlocks start out with the standard two skill proficiencies, available in skills related to knowledge and magic.
Saving Throw Proficiencies | Wisdom and Charisma |
|---|---|
Skill Proficiencies | Choose 2 from the following: Arcana, Deception, History, Intimidation, Investigation, Nature or Religion |
Equipment Proficiencies | Light Armor, Simple Weapons |
Hit Dice | 1d8 |
Starting Equipment | Padded Armor (11 AC + DEX Modifier), Simple Boots, 1x Dagger, 2x Potion of Healing, 1x Scroll of Revivify, 1x Supply Pack |
Spellcasting
Warlocks use a special form of spellcasting that completely differs from all other casters in the game.
Warlocks | Other Casters |
|---|---|
Fewer spellslots | Many spellslots |
Spellslots restored on Short Rest | Spellslots restored on Long Rest |
Spells are always cast at highest level | Spells are cast at the level of the selected spell slot |
Firstly, Warlocks have much fewer spell slots than other spellcasters. For instance, a level 5 Wizard would have nine spell slots, while a level 5 Warlock has only two.
To balance this, instead of several differently-leveled spell slots, Warlock spell slots are always upcast to the highest level possible for that Warlock level. This means that every single spell that a level 5 Warlock casts will be cast at 3rd level—while a level 5 Wizard would have spell slots ranging from 1st to 3rd level.
Lastly, Warlock spell slots are restored on a Short Rest, while all other casters only regain spell slots on a Long Rest.
Spellcasting Playstyle
All these factors make the Warlocks excellent short-term skirmishers, with the ability to cast many more high-powered spells per day than other spellcasters. However, they struggle in drawn-out fights due to their need to short-rest between every couple of spells.
In combat, Warlocks should be using their scarce spell slots either on spells that scale well, thus benefiting greatly from the Warlock's upcasting, or spells that can help them set up consistent damage increases for the rest of the fight (such as Hex).
Class Features
In this section, we'll go over each Warlock class feature, what they mean, and how to effectively use them.
Eldritch Invocations (Level 2)
Invocation | Description | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|
Agonizing Blast | When you cast Eldritch Blast, add your Charisma modifier to the damage it deals, unless it is negative. | |
Armor of Shadows | You can cast Mage Armor on yourself at will without expending a spell slot. | |
Beast Speech | You can cast Speak with Animals at will without expending a spell slot. | |
Beguiling Influence | You invoke your patron's bewitching charm. You gain proficiency in Deception and Persuasion Skills. | |
Devil's Sight | You can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 24m | |
Fiendish Vigor | You can cast False Life on yourself at will as a 1st-level Spell without expending a spell slot. | |
Mask of Many Faces | You can cast Disguise Self at will without expending a spell slot. | |
Repelling Blast | When you hit a creature with Eldritch Blast, you can push the creature up to 4.5m away from you. | |
Thief of Five Fates | Once per long rest, you can cast Bane using a Warlock spell slot. | |
One with Shadows | Vanish into the darkness and become Invisible. Invisibility ends early if you attack, cast another spell, take an action, or take damage. (Casting Time: 1 Action) | |
Mire the Mind | You can cast Slow with a Warlock Spell Slot. | Warlock Lv 5 |
Sign of Ill Omen | You can cast Bestow Curse with a Warlock Spell Slot. | Warlock Lv 5 |
Book of Ancient Secrets | You can inscribe magical rituals in your Book of Shadows. Gain the Ray of Sickness, Chromatic Orb, and Silence spells. You can cast these spells once per Long Rest, and they don't expend any spell slots when cast. | Warlock Lv 7 |
Dreadful Word | You can cast Confusion with a Warlock Spell Slot. | Warlock Lv 7 |
Sculptor of Flesh | You can cast Polymorph with a Warlock Spell Slot. | Warlock Lv 7 |
Minions of Chaos | You can cast Conjure Elemental with a Warlock Spell Slot. | Warlock Lv 9 |
Otherworldly Leap | You can cast the Enhance Leap spell. | Warlock Lv 9 |
Whispers of the Grave | You can cast Speak with Dead without expending a Spell Slot. | Warlock Lv 9 |
Lifedrinker | Your melee attacks deal additional necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier. | Warlock Lv 12 |
At level 2, Warlocks gain two Eldritch Invocations. They continue to gain more as they progress through their Warlock levels (once more at 5, 7, 9, and 12).
Unique to Warlocks, invocations grant them some versatile utility in a class that would otherwise be locked into the striker role. Each invocation brings something new to the table, and they all have their own situational uses. That said, there are a few that stand out as especially strong picks in general play:
- Agonizing Blast provides a sizable amount of sure damage—and when most damage is determined by the roll of a dice, any guaranteed damage is excellent. As a Warlock, your Charisma modifier is likely between 3-5; combined with spells like Hex (which add another 1d6 per attack) and the multi-uses of Eldritch Blast at level 5, this can make Eldritch Blast deal more damage than many leveled spells, despite being a cantrip.
- Repelling Blast allows for displacement and control on the battlefield. There is a lot of verticality in the maps of Baldur's Gate 3, giving you plenty of opportunities to knock foes off of cliffs and deal hefty damage to them.
- Fiendish Vigor grants the Warlock a sizable amount of durability at no cost.
- Thief of Five Fates grants the Warlock access to Bane, a good controller spell, though it, unfortunately, competes with Hex for concentration.
- Sculptor of Flesh grants access to Polymorph, a great controller spell that completely incapacitates a single enemy.
Pact Boon (Level 2)
Pact of the Chain | Gain the service of a familiar, a fey spirit that takes a form you choose. This can be an animal, imp, or quasit |
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Pact of the Blade | You can Summon a pact weapon or Bind the one you are wielding, making it magical. Pact weapons use the wielder's Spellcasting Ability Modifier instead of Strenght or Dexterity |
Pact of the Tome | Your patron grants you a grimoire called "The Book of Shadows," which allows you to cast Guidance, Vicious Mockery, and Thorn Whip |
At level 3, you gain extra power from your patron in the form of a pact boon. Each pact can be very useful depending on your play style and what roles your party lack. Chain provides a scout and extra combatant for your party; Blade makes you capable of dealing sizable damage with melee weapons; Tome grants you access to a list of very useful utility cantrips.
Other Features
The following section contains spoilers for the story of Baldur's Gate 3After activating your Illithid Wisdom Checks enough times and recovering from its physical toll, you'll wake up to find that you've gained the Illithid Power Class Action of your corresponding class.
Supernatural Attraction | |||
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Casting Time: 1 Bonus Action | Range/Area: 18m / 60ft | Duration: Instant | Replenishes On: Short Rest |
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While not as flashy as some of the other classes' Illithid Powers, this power makes up for the Warlock's lack of innate mobility and allows you to quickly reposition in a fight both offensively and defensively.
Warlock Patrons - Subclass Overview
Warlocks choose their subclass at level 1, meaning you start the game with the specialization of your subclass. As such, it's important to read ahead and properly understand each subclass before even starting the game.
Patron | Overview | Combat Role | Other Focuses |
|---|---|---|---|
The Fiend |
| Striker, Blaster | Sustainability |
The Great Old One |
| Controller | Status Conditions |
The Archfey |
| Controller | Status Conditions, Mobility |
Fiend Patron - Warlock Subclass
Warlocks in service to fiends work towards corrupting, destructive ends - intentionally or otherwise - and receive hellish blessings in turn.
The Fiend is a straightforward subclass, emphasizing offensive capabilities with a touch of defensive strengths. Focused on fire damage, the Fiend Warlock excels at blasting enemies, making it an effective choice in the frequently-large fights of Baldur's Gate 3. Warlocks usually lack in area-of-effect spells, but the Fiend’s extended spell list softens this deficiency. Dark One's Blessing also provides a great deal of durability that the Warlock could certainly use.
Patron Spells (Level 1, Fiend Warlock)
Spell Level | Spells |
|---|---|
1 | Armor of Agathys, Arms of Hadar |
2 | Scorching Ray, Blindness |
3 | Fireball, Stinking Cloud |
This is a solid array of spells all around. Armor of Agathys is a great defensive spell—especially for a Pact of the Blade Warlock, while Scorching Ray and Fireball can make up for the Warlock's lack of area spells.
Dark One's Blessing (Level 1, Fiend Warlock)
Dark One's Blessing | ||
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This feature nullifies the need for the Fiendish Vigor invocation, granting your Warlock temporary hit points each time you kill something. The requirement makes this feature a little less than reliable, but still grants you a sizable amount of durability, given that your party members are willing and able to let you "last-hit" foes.
Great Old One - Warlock Subclass
Warlocks bound to eldritch beings in the Far Realms work towards inscrutable goals, gaining strange powers over entropy and the mind.
The Great Old One Warlocks, often referred to as "GOOLock," embodies the mysterious essence of drawing power from the unknowable aberrations of Faerun, boasting a blend of potent but situational abilities that make it a formidable controller on the battlefield.
The Great Old One Warlock's spell list seems tailor-made for the class, providing spells that greatly enhance the capabilities of any quintessential Eldritch Blast-focused Warlock.
Patron Spells (Level 1, Great Old One Warlock)
Spell Level | Spells |
|---|---|
1 | Tasha's Hideous Laughter, Dissonant Whispers |
2 | Detect Thoughts, Phantasmal Force |
3 | Bestow Curse, Slow |
This is a fantastic spell-list—with both first level spells being some of the best crowd-control in the game. Phantasmal Force and Bestow Curse both provide long-term on-hit damage that the Warlock greatly appreciates due to the consistent and plentiful Eldritch Blast strikes that a Warlock will eventually be able to output.
Mortal Reminder (Level 1, Great Old One Warlock)
Mortal Reminder | ||
|---|---|---|
When you land a Critical Hit against a creature, that creature and any nearby enemies are Frightened until the end of their next turn. |
The requirement of a critical hit makes this feature a little too inconsistent to be reliable at early levels. However, provided with the right amount of support—advantages, multi-attacks, status conditions such as incapacitation, etc.—Mortal Reminder becomes an excellent control debuff that can badly impair large groups of enemies at once.
Warlock Companions
As of Early Access, Baldur's Gate 3 features one Warlock companion: Wyll, the Blade of Frontiers.
A disgraced noble seeking the thrill, glory, and honor of being a folk hero, Wyll is a Warlock whom you can meet early on in the game, shortly after the Nautiloid crash.
You can find him by reaching the Druid Grove and helping the adventurers fend off the goblin raid. Enter the grove and look for Wyll in the training grounds. You can ask him to join you on your travels after a short conversation.