This summary of the video was created by an AI. It might contain some inaccuracies.
00:00:00 – 00:17:58
In the video, the presenter evaluates various Warlock subclasses in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, assigning them ratings based on their abilities and overall game impact. The Archfey subclass is valued for its strong spell list but criticized for weak non-spell features, resulting in a C tier rating. The Celestial subclass, despite its healing capabilities, is rated D tier due to poor scalability. The Fathomless subclass shines with its powerful control features and versatility, earning an S tier rating.
The Fiend subclass is appreciated for its robust expanded spell list and defensive features, making it a strong choice. The Genie subclass offers a variety of spells based on genie type and significant features, but its perceived complexity places it slightly below the Fathomless. The Great Old One and Undying subclasses are noted for their lackluster abilities, ranking low on the tier list, with the Undying considered the weakest.
In contrast, the Hexblade, known for its strategic benefits in optimized builds, is valued for short-term play with abilities like hexblade's curse and proficiency in medium armor and shields. The Undead subclass improves upon its predecessor, the Undying, offering strong expanded spells and defensive capabilities, thus ranking higher. The video concludes with a reflection on the tier list and a call for viewer engagement.
00:00:00
In this part of the video, the presenter discusses creating a new tier list for Warlock subclasses in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, focused on those subclasses without including multiclassing. The guide emphasizes the lower-level subclass features as being more influential and notes that the rating will follow an alphabetical order.
The first subclass reviewed is the Archfey. The presenter highlights the powerful expanded spell list, specifically plant growth and its potential impact based on raw (rules as written). This spell dramatically slows movement through affected areas and is compared to a seventh-level spell in terms of its effectiveness. Additionally, the spell sleep is noted for its utility, especially in early levels or one-shot scenarios, as Warlocks refresh their spell slots on short rests.
However, despite these strong spells, the presenter points out that the Archfey subclass lacks impressive non-spell features. Features like Fey Presence have limited area of effect, and Misty Escape is mentioned but not elaborated upon due to time constraints.
00:03:00
In this part of the video, the narrator discusses various Warlock subclasses, assessing their abilities and overall value. The Archfey subclass is rated “C tier” as its abilities, such as beguiling defenses and dark delirium, are deemed insufficient and primarily defensive. The Celestial subclass is rated “D tier” despite offering decent spells and healing capabilities, because its features like Radiant Soul and Celestial Resilience don’t scale well compared to other options. Lastly, the Fathomless subclass is placed in “S tier” due to its powerful and versatile abilities, particularly the “Tentacles of the Deep,” which offers both control and damage potential, making it highly effective throughout the game.
00:06:00
In this segment, the video discusses various spells and abilities that can slow down enemies, emphasizing the tactical advantage of preventing enemies from reaching the players or their allies. Defensive capabilities like Gift of the Sea and Oceanic Soul are highlighted for their situational usefulness and survivability benefits. Guardian Coil is mentioned for its damage mitigation, while Grasping Tentacles provides non-concentration control and temporary HP. The video covers the Fathomless subclass, praising its control features.
Next, the Fiend Warlock subclass is explored. It is lauded for its expanded spell list, including Fireball and Wall of Fire, and features like Dark One’s Blessing and Dark One’s Own Luck that improve defense and resilience. The ability Hurl Through Hell is highlighted for its powerful damage and banishment effect without a saving throw.
Additionally, there is a sponsorship mention for Shipco, introducing their extensive catalog of over 4,000 battle maps, dungeon maps, and more, available on Patreon. These offer various themes and are designed to enhance tabletop gaming experiences.
00:09:00
In this segment, the video discusses the Genie Warlock subclass in detail. The creator explains that the subclass received a lot of criticism, primarily due to a misunderstanding about using the Ring of Three Wishes, which they clarify is not practical for gameplay. The Genie Warlock offers different combinations of expanded spells based on the type of genie chosen, with each type providing useful spells. The subclass includes significant features such as a damage bonus, a personal Demiplane, a genie-specific damage resistance, and temporary flight. Additionally, at level 14, players can use a limited wish spell with various powerful options. The host ranks this subclass highly, though slightly below the Fathomless due to its ease of use in combos. They then briefly touch on the Great Old One subclass, highlighting its poor features but respectable expanded spell list.
00:12:00
In this part of the video, the discussion focuses on various Warlock subclass features and their effectiveness. The “subass” is quickly ranked poorly, with comparisons to other subclasses and spells, such as the celestial Warlock and distant whispers. The “awakened mind” ability, for instance, is criticized for its short-range, one-way telepathy.
“Entropic Ward” is examined and found to be less efficient compared to other Warlock abilities, offering limited use per short rest. Similar criticism is directed towards “Thought Shield” and the “Create Thrall” feature, the latter of which is described as nearly useless for its incapacity to charm attacking enemies.
The hexblade Warlock subclass, noted as popular for its “hexblade dip” strategy, is discussed next. Its features, like hexblade’s curse and proficiency in medium armor and shields, are valued mainly for short, specific uses rather than long-term play. The importance of crafting spell scrolls is emphasized for maximizing resources. Overall, hexblade features are considered more beneficial for certain optimized setups due to their unique abilities, such as using charisma for attack and damage and gaining proficiency in armor and shields.
00:15:00
In this part of the video, the speaker evaluates various warlock subclasses in a tier list.
– **Hexblade Subclass**: Allows for evasion and more frequent use of hex blades, but the features are not impressive.
– **Undead Subclass**: Compared to the old Undying subclass, it offers strong expanded spells and features like Form of Dread and Grave Touched, which provide damage boosts and defensive abilities. Spirit Projection adds flying speed and further defense.
– **Undying Subclass**: Criticized heavily, it is deemed the worst subclass with weak expanded spells and features. It lacks uniqueness and effective abilities, placing it in the D tier.
The video concludes with an overall reflection on the tier list and a call to action for viewers to like, comment, and subscribe.