Quick Links
Two of the the most powerful magic classes in fifth editionDungeons & Dragonsare married in the sorlock. Multiclassing between the warlock and the sorcerer will allow you to combine the powerful root of warlock magic with the high damage potential of a sorcerer, making you a fearsome fighter.
By choosing this class, you draw from a huge well of magic and grow more powerful with every level. The battlefield will be your home, where you can outclass any of your allies in sheer damage. If you take care to protect yourself, no one will be able to stop you from being one of the most terrifying casters in the game.
Level Breakdown For A Sorlock
When designing the build for your sorlock, you’ll only want to take eitherthree or four levels as a warlockbefore putting the majority of your levels into the blaster-caster power of a sorcerer.
The biggest benefit you’ll gain from the warlock class is youreldritch blast cantrip, your sorcery points and your metamagicabilities, all of which you’ll gain by third level. Once you hit third level, the only reason to take more warlock levels would be to gain the fourth level ability score increase or increase your well of sorcery points. Then it would be best to take your sorcerer class to twentieth level.
Although you’ll take less warlock levels, it may still benefit you tochoose the sorcerer class at first leveland then multiclass later. You will gain proficiency with Constitution saving throws as a sorcerer, which is helpful for maintaining concentration.
Best Warlock Features For A Sorlock
Ahexblade warlockis a powerful subclass, especially for any subclass build.
At first level you gain theHexblade’s Curse. Once per short or long rest, you can use a bonus action tocurse a creaturewithin 30 feet of you for one minute. While a creature is cursed, you gain abonus to all damage rollsagainst that creature equal to your proficiency bonus. You score a critical hit against them on a 19 or a 20, and you regain your warlock level + your Charisma modifier hit points if that creature dies while cursed.
Cursing creatures will give you a powerful bonus to damage with your sorcerer spells, and the hit point boost will be helpful, especially if you are low on hit points as a sorcerer.
Also at first level, you gain proficiency withmedium armor, shields, and martial weapons.This is a proficiency most sorcerers don’t have, and you can use armor and shields to boost your Armor Class and make you more durable in combat.
You also gain the ability to use your Charisma modifier rather than Strength or Dexterity as an attack bonus for one weapon of your choice. You can change this weapon once per long rest.
No matter your subclass, at third level, you’ll get to choose the pact boon inherited from your patron.As a hexblade warlock, you will want to choose the pact of the blade.
This pact allows you to summon and dismiss a magical weapon as an action, andthe benefits of your hex warrior weapon apply to this pact weapon,making it a very powerful weapon in your hands.
Best Sorcerer Features For A Sorlock
Building your sorcerer has less to do with your subclass and more to do with the metamagic builds that you choose at second level. However, there are some subclasses that will work particularly well.
As a shadow sorcerer,you’ll gain 120 feet of darkvision and access to the Darkness spell, using sorcery points to see through your own magical darkness. This is a great way tohide yourself from enemieswhile firing off powerful ranged spell attacks, or attacking from the shadows.
At sixth level, you gain the ability tosummon a modified dire wolfas a bonus action, which pursues a single target relentlessly, even if the target is hidden. This dire wolf is a great assistant in combat.
Storm sorceryis another fabulous option. Storm sorcery allows you tofly ten feet without provoking opportunity attackseach turn as a bonus action, which is amazing for combat mobility. You also gain resistance to lightning and thunder damage, and the ability todeal extra thunder or lightning damageto creatures within ten feet of you every time you cast a spell that deals lightning or thunder damage.
Generally a sorcerer wouldn’t be close enough to enemies to make this ability very useful, butas a sorlock you’ll have improved armor,so you’ll be safer closer to melee range.
No matter your subclass, it’s crucial touse your metamagic wisely.As a sorcerer you gain sorcery points each level, allowing you to create extra spell slots or add additional benefits to your existing spell slots.
At third level you gain two metamagic abilities, allowing you to alter the spells you cast.
You will definitely wantquickened spell.This ability allows you to change the casting time for a spell to one bonus action. As a sorlock, this is crucial because you’ll have access to the eldritch blast cantrip.Eldritch blast is the most powerful damage cantrip in D&D,dealing 1d10 damage and increasing as you reach higher levels.
Since this is a cantrip, you cancast it more than once per turn if you use your quickened spelland deal very high damage.
You may also wantempowered spellto increase your already powerful damage. Empowered spell lets youreroll damage diceup to your Charisma modifier. This ensures that your offensive spells will reach their maximum potential.
Best Species For A Sorlock
Tieflingslet youincrease your Charismaby two points and one other skill by one depending on your subspecies. Choosing the Bloodline of Levistus will increase your Constitution which will be helpful, and the Bloodline of Glasya will increase your Dexterity while also giving you access to the Minor Illusion cantrip.
You also gainresistance to fire damage,which is helpful as this is a common damage type.
Aasimaris a great choice both for warlocks and sorcerers, so as a sorlock it will work great. This speciesincreases your Charismaby two, grants youresistance to necrotic and radiant damage,and lets you heal five hit points for yourself or another creature as a touch spell.
As for subspecies,the scourge aasimarwill let you increase your Constitution and also transform for one minute, shedding bright light anddealing radiant damageto all creatures within ten feet of you each turn, and each time you injure them with an attack or spell.
As a high-damage sorlock, playing a scourge aasimar will really take your damage each turn to a new level.
Satyrsincrease your Charisma by two and your Dexterity by one. Theyincrease your walking speed,give you natural weapons in the form of your horns,resistance to saving throws against magic,and proficiency in Performance and Persuasion, both of which are Charisma abilities that will be useful to you.
Persuasion is one of your options for skill proficiencies as a sorcerer, so make sure you choose different proficiencies at first level.
Best Ability Scores For A Sorlock
Charisma is your number one most important skill.This is the most important ability for sorcerers and warlocks, so you want to do everything you can tostart this skill high and make it higheras you advance in levels.
Dexterityis also quite important for a sorlock, as it will improve your Armor Class.Constitutionis also great for boosting your hit points, and making sure you are not flimsy.
Wisdom and Intelligenceare both skills you don’t need that much, but they might come in handy sometimes. Don’t dump these statistics, but don’t put too many points into them.
Strength is a stat that you can dump.
How To Roleplay A Sorlock
When multiclassing, it’s a good idea to think abouthow you will create your backstory,especially as a spellcaster pulling magic from two different sources.
If you are starting as a sorcerer and multiclassing later, you may benefit from asking your Dungeon Master towork your warlock patron into your campaign.This will add some in-game stakes to your journey as a warlock.
As someone using magic from two different sources, you may also want todifferentiate between the flavoringof your spells as a warlock and your spells as a sorcerer. Perhaps your two sources of magic are bolstering each other, or else warring against each other inside you. Either way,have funwith it!
