The Warlock is one of the most versatile and powerful spellcaster classes in Baldur’s Gate 3.
With access to devastating area-of-effect spells, crowd control abilities, and the ability to drain health from enemies, a properly built warlock can dominate the battlefield.
In this ultimate guide, we’ll go over how to create the best warlock build for your playstyle.
Warlock Class Overview
Warlocks are arcane spellcasters who gain their magical abilities through pacts with powerful entities. They have access to spells up to 9th level, but have fewer spell slots than wizards or sorcerers. However, warlock spell slots recharge on a short rest rather than a long rest. This gives them incredible staying power during long adventures.
Warlocks specialize in area-of-effect and debilitating spells. Their Eldritch Blast cantrip is also one of the strongest attacks in the game, dealing substantial damage at long range. With the right invocations, it can push enemies away or pull them closer.
Also, check out the best multiclass build and warlock and fighter multiclass builds.
In Baldur’s Gate 3, warlocks can choose between three patron subclasses at level 1:
- The Fiend grants temporary hit points when you defeat enemies and lets you coat yourself in fire or ice.
- The Great Old One gives you telepathy and the ability to afflict minds with confusion.
- The Fey allows you to teleport away from danger and makes your presence intoxicating.
Each patron provides its own spell list and unique playstyle for the warlock class.
Building An AOE Damage Warlock
One of the most powerful warlock builds focuses on area-of-effect damage spells to annihilate groups of enemies. This build takes advantage of abilities like Hunger of Hadar and Fireball.
Race Selection
Good race choices for an AOE warlock include:
- Drow (Zao) – Comes with the Superior Darkvision warlock invocation, providing excellent vision. Also has Fey Ancestry, granting advantage on saving throws against being charmed.
- Half-Elf – Gets bonus Charisma and two skill proficiencies. Can take the Elven Accuracy feat for expanded critical hit range.
- Human – Starts with +1 to all ability scores and an extra skill proficiency. Solid choice for well-rounded stats.
Ability Scores
Prioritize Charisma first as your main spellcasting ability, followed by Dexterity for initiative and defense. Constitution is important too for concentration checks and hit points. A good spread is:
- Charisma: 16+
- Dexterity: 16
- Constitution: 14
- Other scores: 10 or 8
Spells and Invocations
These are some of the best spells and invocations for a warlock focused on AOE damage:
Cantrips: Eldritch Blast, Chill Touch
2nd Level: Cloud of Daggers, Misty Step
3rd Level: Hunger of Hadar, Counterspell
4th Level: Fireball, Banishment
Invocations: Agonizing Blast, Repelling Blast, Devil’s Sight
Chill Touch prevents healing, letting you whittle down tougher foes. Hunger of Hadar blinds enemies and damages them every turn. Fireball and Banishment offer powerful AOE damage options.
The invocations boost your Eldritch Blast and give you advantages in dark places.
Feats and Ability Score Improvements
Good feats and ability score improvements for this build include:
- Level 4: +2 Charisma (18 total)
- Level 8: War Caster (advantage on concentration checks)
- Level 12: +2 Charisma (20 total)
Raising Charisma increases your spell attack bonus and save DC. War Caster makes it easier to maintain concentration on crucial spells.
Gear and Magic Items
useful gear and magic items:
- Amulet of Health – Sets Constitution to 19 for concentration and HP.
- Wand of Fireballs – Always nice to have more blasts.
- Rod of the Pact Keeper – Boosts spell attack and save DC.
- Robe of the Archmagi – Grants resistance to damage and spell slot recovery.
Prioritize items that increase spell power, concentration, and resiliency. They will take your warlock to the next level.
Crowd Control Focused Warlock
Rather than pure damage, you can focus on controlling the battlefield and disabling groups of foes. This build relies on powerful debuffs and forced movement.
Key Spells and Invocations
Cantrips: Eldritch Blast, Friends
2nd Level: Hold Person, Misty Step
3rd Level: Hunger of Hadar, Counterspell
4th Level: Banishment, Evard’s Black Tentacles
5th Level: Hold Monster
Invocations: Repelling Blast, Grasp of Hadar, Devil’s Sight
Spells like Hold Person and Evard’s Black Tentacles immobilize enemies, preventing them from reaching your party. Grasp of Hadar pulls enemies closer with your Eldritch Blasts while Repelling Blast pushes them away.
Feats
Some good feats for a control focused warlock:
- Metamagic Adept – Lets you extend key debuff spells like Hold Person.
- Fey Touched – Grants Misty Step plus a 1st level enchantment spell like Cause Fear or Tasha’s Hideous Laughter.
- Telekinetic – Allows you to physically move enemies around the battlefield.
Metamagic Adept and Fey Touched give you more tools to disable and reposition groups of foes.
Tactics
Use your forced movement invocations to bunch enemies together or push them into hazards like Spike Growth. Hold Person on the most dangerous target, then pummel them with Eldritch Blasts while they’re paralyzed.
Layer control spells like Evard’s Black Tentacles to split up groups and prevent enemies from reaching your party. You have endless creative options to manipulate the battlefield to your advantage.
Melee Warlock (Hexblade)
Warlocks aren’t usually found on the frontlines, but the Hexblade patron allows you to build an effective melee warlock. This variant relies more on weapons and armor than spells.
Features
- Can use Charisma for weapon attacks instead of Strength or Dexterity.
- Gains medium armor and shield proficiency.
- Gets the Hexblade’s Curse, boosting damage against a cursed target.
- Has access to melee-focused invocations like Thirsting Blade and Lifedrinker.
Hexblade warlocks can wear half-plate armor and still attack using Charisma, their highest ability score. This makes them surprisingly tanky and effective in melee.
Spells and Invocations
Cantrips: Eldritch Blast, Green-Flame Blade
2nd Level: Mirror Image, Misty Step
3rd Level: Counterspell, Hunger of Hadar
Invocations: Agonizing Blast, Thirsting Blade, Lifedrinker
Stay at range when you can and use Booming Blade or Green-Flame Blade for melee attacks. Defensive spells like Mirror Image and Armor of Agathys make you harder to put down.
Weapons and Armor
Try to acquire a magic weapon and half-plate armor as soon as possible. Good magic weapon options include:
- Flame Tongue Longsword – Bonus fire damage.
- Frost Brand Longsword – Resists fire damage and sheds light.
- Sun Blade – Deals radiant damage and emits sunlight.
The more bonuses your weapon provides, the better. Look for pact blades with keen properties or extra damage types.
Support Focused Warlock
Warlocks have abilities that make them surprisingly decent in support roles as well. This build focuses on boosting allies and hindering foes.
Spells and Invocations
Cantrips: Eldritch Blast, Friends
2nd Level: Enhance Ability, Invisibility
3rd Level: Hypnotic Pattern, Counterspell
4th Level: Banishment, Polymorph
Invocations: Beguiling Influence, Ascendant Step
Enhance Ability can buff allies before a fight. Hypnotic Pattern and Banishment disable groups of enemies. Polymorph on a frontline fighter gives them temporary HP and extra attacks.
Beguiling Influence makes you better at social encounters, while Ascendant Step provides mobility options.
Tactics
Make sure to layer control effects rather than blowing all your spells at once. Polymorph key party members when they are low on HP to keep them in the fight.
Use mobility invocations like Ascendant Step to revive downed allies and kite dangerous enemies away from your party. Your goal is to enable your party to do their jobs, not just damage foes yourself.
Magic Items
Helpful support items include:
- Ring of Spell Storing – Store spells to buff allies before big fights
- Cloak of Protection – Boosts saving throws for your whole party
- Pipes of Haunting – Debuff enemies with spooky tunes
- Boots of Speed – Lets you race around repositioning allies
Your wide range of buff, debuff, and control options makes you invaluable as a warlock support. With the right spell and item choices, you can tilt entire battles in your party’s favor.
To take the gameplay to the next level, try modding BG3 as well.
Conclusion
The warlock class is incredibly flexible in Baldur’s Gate 3. Whether you want to destroy hordes of enemies with powerful AOE spells, control the battlefield with debilitating effects, get into melee combat, or support your allies, the warlock can excel in any party role.
No matter how you build your warlock, focus first on Charisma, Dexterity, and Constitution. Pick invocations, spells, and magic items that complement your intended playstyle. Most importantly, get creative with all the warlock’s tools to overcome any challenge your DM throws at you!
