31 Aug Eldritch Invocations: Your Warlock is a Beautiful Snowflake

What are the Eldritch invocations?

In D&D, when your warlock hits 2nd level, you get the Eldritch Invocations feature, granting you awesome ways to improve your eldritch blast spamming  additional abilities and or magical spells, which helps set your warlock apart from other spellcasters.

Are Eldritch invocations magic?

It all depends on the invocation; “Beast Speech” allows you to cast the magical spell “Speak with Animals” at will, whereas “Eyes of the Rune Keeper” grants you the ability to read any language. Each invocation is defined in what unique abilities it grants the warlock and some are most certainly magic in nature.

Do Eldritch invocations count as spells? Are Eldritch invocations like Cantrips?

Again this depends on the individual invocation; some, like the above example of “Eyes of the Rune Keeper” is most certainly not a spell and others, like “Agonising blast”, are abilities that modify your existing spells, while others still, like “Beast Speech”, do grant you the ability to cast magic spells.

Source

Can you use two Eldritch invocations at once?

Yes! The details of each will tell you the limitations, but it’s entirely possible to have a bunch going at once.

For instance Devil’s Sight could be active, allowing you to see in the dark, while Gift of the Protectors saves someone from death, all while you are using Mask of Many Faces to cast Disguise Self.

How many times can you use Eldritch invocations?

Some are at will, some only recharge after a long rest. Keep the limitations in mind when you are crafting your slate of spells and abilities! Do you want a lot of power, but only occasionally? Or more reliable and less flashy frequent ones?

Do Eldritch invocations require concentration? Do Eldritch invocations use components?

Any or all of the above requirements are dependent on the invocation. Some invocations grant spells that confer an innate spell casting that does not require the use of components to activate the granted spell. “Armour of Shadows” is a great example allowing your warlock to cast “Mage Armour” at will without expending a spell slot or requiring material components. While “Gift of the Depths” allows you to cast “Water Breathing” but does not remove the requirement of using a spell component or focus to cast the spell.

Properties like concentration are dependent on a particular spell’s description. For the above example of “Water Breathing”, the spell is still subject to the concentration rule.

Can you change your Eldritch invocations? Can warlocks swap invocations?

This is a conversation to have with your DM.

Min-Maxing, going back on character development to tinker with abilities, and meta-gaming can have their place, but you’ll need to consider and discuss. In the meta space, I can’t just forget my ability to make bread in order to be better at riding a horse.

Do you get more Eldritch invocations?

At 2nd level when you start getting in on this, you begin with 2 Eldritch Invocations. Then you get an additional one at levels 5, 7, 9, 12, 15, and 18, for a maximum of 8 known.

Which Eldritch invocations are the best?

Anything that improves your eldritch blast!

While there are a lot of good choices, there are some great ones that you might want to keep your eye on while you’re working towards building your higher level character.

It depends on what your play style is, and what kind of higher level spells and abilities you’re wanting to work towards and buff. Have a look at them below and see what catches your fancy!

Eldritch Invocations in the Payer’s Handbook

Agonizing Blast (Prerequisite: Eldritch Blast cantrip): When you cast Eldritch Blast, add your Charisma modifier to the damage.

Armor of Shadows: You can cast Mage Armor on yourself at will, without expending a spell slot or material Components.

Ascendant Step (Prerequisite: 9th level): You can cast Levitate on yourself at will, without expending a spell slot or material Components.

Beast Speech: You can cast Speak with Animals at will, without expending a spell slot.

Beguiling Influence: You gain proficiency in Deception and Persuasion.

Bewitching Whispers (Prerequisite: 7th level): You can cast Compulsion once using a Warlock spell slot; recharge when you finish a Long Rest.

Book of Ancient Secrets (Prerequisite: Pact of the Tome feature): You can now inscribe magical Rituals in your Book of Shadows.

Chains of Carceri (Prerequisite: 15th level, Pact of the Chain feature) You can cast Hold Monster at will—targeting a Celestial, fiend, or elemental—without expending a spell slot or material Components.

You must finish a Long Rest before you can use this invocation on the same creature again.

Devil’s Sight: You can see normally in Darkness, both magical and non magical, to a distance of 120 feet.

Dreadful Word (Prerequisite: 7th level): You can cast Confusion once using a Warlock spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a Long Rest.

Eldritch Sight: You can cast Detect Magic at will, without expending a spell slot.

Eldritch Spear (Prerequisite: Eldritch Blast cantrip): When you cast Eldritch Blast, its range is 300 feet.

Eyes of the Rune Keeper: You can read all writing.

Fiendish Vigor: You can cast False Life on yourself at will as a 1st-level spell, without expending a spell slot or material Components.

Gaze of Two Minds: You can use your action to touch a willing Humanoid and perceive through its Senses until the end of your next turn.

Lifedrinker (Prerequisite: 12th level, Pact of the Blade feature): When you hit a creature with your pact weapon, the creature takes extra necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).

Mask of Many Faces: You can cast Disguise Self at will, without expending a spell slot.

Master of Myriad Forms (Prerequisite: 15th level): You can cast Alter Self at will, without expending a spell slot.

Minions of Chaos (Prerequisite: 9th level): You can cast Conjure Elemental once using a Warlock spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a Long Rest.

Mire the Mind (Prerequisite: 5th Level): You can cast slow once using a Warlock spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a Long Rest.

Misty Visions: You can cast Silent Image at will, without expending a spell slot or material Components.

One with Shadows (Prerequisite: 5th Level): When you are in an area of dim light or Darkness, you can use your action to become Invisible until you move or take an action or a Reaction.

Otherworldly Leap (Prerequisite: 9th level): You can cast jump on yourself at will, without expending a spell slot or material Components.

Repelling Blast (Prerequisite: Eldritch Blast cantrip): When you hit a creature with Eldritch Blast, you can push the creature up to 10 feet away from you in a straight line.

Sculptor of Flesh (Prerequisite: 7th level): You can cast Polymorph once using a Warlock spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a Long Rest.

Sign of Ill Omen (Prerequisite: 5th Level): You can cast Bestow Curse once using a Warlock spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a Long Rest.

Thief of Five Fates: You can cast bane once using a Warlock spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a Long Rest.

Thirsting Blade (Prerequisite: 5th Level, Pact of the Blade feature): You can Attack with your pact weapon twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on Your Turn.

Visions of Distant Realms (Prerequisite: 15th level): You can cast Arcane Eye at will, without expending a spell slot.

Voice of the Chain Master (Prerequisite: Pact of the Chain feature): You can communicate telepathically with your familiar and perceive through your familiar’s Senses and speak through them, as long as you are on the same plane of existence.

Whispers of the Grave (Prerequisite: 9th level): You can cast Speak with Dead at will, without expending a spell slot.

Witch Sight (Prerequisite: 15th level): You can see the true form of any Shapechanger or creature concealed by Illusion or Transmutation magic while the creature is within 30 feet of you and within Line of Sight.

Source

Eldritch Invocations in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

Bond of the Talisman (12th lvl): Teleport the warlock to the wearer of the talisman

Eldritch Mind: Grant advantage on Constitution saving throws to maintain concentration on a spell

Far Scribe (5th lvl warlock, Pact of the Tome): Allow to cast sending to a target who has written its name on your Book of Shadows

Gift of the Protectors (9th lvl warlock, Pact of the Tome): A Phoenix Down for any creature who has written its name on your Book of Shadows

Investment of the Chain Master (Pact of the Chain): Grant various benefits to your familiar when you cast find familiar

Protection of the Talisman (7th lvl warlock, Pact of the Talisman): Help the wearer of your talisman on failed saving throws

Rebuke of the Talisman (Pact of the Talisman): When the wearer of your talisman is hit, you can deal psychic damage in reaction

Undying Servitude (5th lvl warlock): Allow to cast animate dead

Eldritch Invocations in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything

Aspect of the Moon (Pact of the Tome): Don’t need to sleep and can’t be forced to sleep by any means

Cloak of Flies (5th lvl): Better at intimidation, worse at all other charisma checks. Poisons nearby creatures.

Eldrich Smite (Pact of the Blade): Deal extra force damage and knock prone with pact weapon

Ghostly Gaze (7th lvl): Allow to see through solid objects and to gain darkvision within 30 ft

Gift of the Depths (5th lvl): Allow to breathe underwater and to cast water breathing (1/long rest)

Gift of the Ever-living Ones (Pact of the Chain): Regain maximum hit points if your familiar is within 100 ft

Grasp of Hadar (Eldritch Blast cantrip): Hitting a creature with eldritch blast brings it 10 ft closer to you

Improved Pact Weapon (Pact of the Blade): The weapon summoned by your Pact of the Blade is a spellcasting focus and a +1 weapon

Lance of Lethargy (Eldritch Blast cantrip): Hitting a creature with eldritch blast reduces its speed by 10 ft

Maddening Hex (5th lvl): A target cursed by you and all creatures within 5 ft of it take psychic damage.

Relentless Hex (7th lvl): Allow to teleport up to 30 ft within 5 ft of a target cursed by you

Shroud of Shadow (15th lvl): Allow to cast invisibility at will

Tomb of Levistus (5th lvl): When you take damage, you gain 10 temporary hit points per warlock level

Trickster’s Escape (7th lvl): Allow to cast freedom of movement (1/long rest)

Hone Your Warlock

Eldritch Invocations will let you hone your warlock into a finely specialized character, unique in how you choose to combine your spells and abilities. Good luck, have fun!

Stavros