Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 MusicOfCreation Aug 08, 2014 5:14:35	I won't be getting my PHB until tomorrow sadly, but from what I've seen of the playtest and spoilers and whatnot is that Warlocks seem to really only need Charisma primarily(assuming they aren't going for some kind of Hexblade build) and then after that you can focus on your defenses. My first two thoughts were to start putting points into Dex and put my AC as high as I can get it or maybe try and get heavy armor proficiencies instead.   Then another thought hit me. How effective would it be to ignore AC entirely and just start pumping up Con to be a giant meatbag full of hit points? I figured that many physical attacks are probably going to hit me anyways without access to the Shield spell (since it seems my armor is going to be stuck at around 17 or 18 depending on if I get Armor of Shadows) so I might as well just be good at soaking up as many hits as I can(maybe even take Toughness at some point) not to mention with a super high hit point total I become a super bad target for a lot of certain insta-suck/insta-die spells that rely on you being at a certain hit point total or lower(Feeblemind, Power Word Kill, Power Word Stun, Polymorph, Sleep, etc). It also seems to me that going after a backliner who just has such a ridiculously large hit point total would be demoralizing for a DM since it might require overextending, bad positioning, and just giving up much better opportunities, not to mention it seems like being supernaturally durable feels more like a Warlock thing then being super nimble. Any thoughts?
#2 mellored Aug 08, 2014 6:19:33	Math is the one true way...   Assuming level 20 with base 100 HP and 50% chance to be hit.     100 HP * 1 / .5 chance to hit = 200 effective hit poitns.   +10 con 200 HP * 1 / .5 chance to hit = 400 effective hit points.   +10 Dex 100 HP * 1 / .25 = 400 effective hit points.     +4 Dex, and +6 Con 160 HP * 1 / .4 = 400 effective hit points   +6 Dex, and +4 Con 140 HP * 1 / .35  = 400 effective hit points       Huh...  I didn't expect that....  So... which ever you want.  Though getting mage armor is a very big boost, so i suggest that.
(Reply to #2) MusicOfCreation	mellored wrote:
#4 Thank_Dog Aug 08, 2014 6:43:29	mellored wrote:
#5 Undrhil Aug 08, 2014 20:54:23	Also, the book suggests Charisma as primary and then putting points into Constitution.
#6 JRutterbush Aug 08, 2014 22:15:51	Personally, since they seem about even, I'd go with Charisma and Constitution, then make sure to also go with the Fiend patron. Get False Life at-will for +8 effective HP per encounter (just cast it until you roll a 4), with the ability to gain +1d4+4 HP as an action if you need to, and with an additional Charisma+level HP per enemy killed. If you're gonna go for the bag of meat, really go for the bag of meat. Plus, you can get some great roleplaying out of just standing there and letting things hit you, bleeding profusely on your enemies but being completely unfazed by it. Lick your wounds, give a sinister grin to your next victim as you slowly shove your intestines back into your stomach, and just really ham up the "It hurts so good." vibe.   Warlocks, by the way, are looking to be a very strong contender for my favorite class in Next. It's a narrow race between them and the Fighter so far.
#7 Psikerlord Aug 10, 2014 15:56:37	Fighter1, warlock 2+, and you have all the protection you need, plus second wind. Alas I dont have phb so im not sure if mcing warlock from level 2 screws this idea. The important part is to start as a fighter, then mc into warlock, not the other way around.
#8 mellored Aug 11, 2014 7:28:56	Psikerlord wrote:
#9 JRutterbush Aug 11, 2014 13:33:34	mellored wrote:
#10 Psikerlord Aug 11, 2014 17:41:04	JRutterbush wrote:
#11 Suzume_Stjohn Aug 11, 2014 18:39:26	But then you are waisting all your combat effective spell slots on healing before or after the fact.  Not bad, but, other options would likely benefit you more by not getting as hurt in the first place.   I really do like that the Con to HP = Dex to AC math works out.  I've been wondering which would be better for me.  Think I'm going to focus on defense with items, and offense with tactics and spell choices, and let that equal out. (Hopefully!)
#12 mellored Aug 12, 2014 5:40:59	Suzume_Stjohn wrote:
#13 ppaladin123 Aug 13, 2014 18:51:15	mellored wrote:
#14 malisteen Aug 14, 2014 12:26:34	One spell plus domain spells.  If you dump wis, then healing's not going to be very good early on (healing word for d4-1 hp doesn't seem worth even a bonus action), but the war domain comes with divine favor (+d4 weapon damage, concentration), and shield of faith (+2 AC, concentration), both of which seem pretty decent (though sadly they don't upcast).   Honestly, though, I'd try for at least a 10 wis if going the cleric route.  Perhaps 16 str/cha, 14 con, 10wis, 8 int/str, on a variant human with combat caster, with divine favor, shield of faith, and cure wounds as your prepared spells, spare the dying, resistance, and guidance as cantrips?  I don't know.
#15 jjb008 Aug 15, 2014 7:00:43	malisteen wrote:
#16 mellored Aug 15, 2014 9:33:42	jjb008 wrote:
#17 Lord_Ventnor Aug 15, 2014 22:15:35	A mountain Dwarf Warlock sounds like a good way to handle this. You get some decent armor proficiencies without having to slow down your warlock progression at all.
#18 ppaladin123 Aug 16, 2014 10:58:43	Lord_Ventnor wrote:
#19 Mephi1234 Aug 16, 2014 11:20:14	Don't mountain dwarves come with greataxe proficencies?    Seems like you don't need to wait until level 3 summons.