The Frozen Fiend: A Unique Extra Tanky Warlock Build | D&D 5.5

[@razorlock5493]

Polymorph yourself into a giant ape on turn 2 for 154 temp HP! The new polymorph gives you temp hp equal to the beast's instead of replacing your HP with the beast's.

[@WolfHreda]

I made a similar build that was a Warlock 1/Bard 13, getting access to Polymorph and Power Word Fortify along the way.

[@aidencaterwall9146]

Make it a lore bard and you can cutting words the damage, too. And you can throw in Tenser's Transformation and fire shield if you really want to ruin someone's day. Alternatively, the Clockwork Sorcerer combos really really well here.

[@DaytsTrivia]

If you were doing this with any race, I feel like shifter would be better because they give you temporary hit points as a bonus action to especially the beast hide

[@anthonydavidson1282]

I wonder with this idea in mind, focus mainly on paladin glory subclass and small dip in warlock. You can cast smite and armor of agathys spell with bonus action with heavy armor master feat could make a very tank character. Or, start barbarian pre (last an hour) cast armor agathys spell and stay with fiend, if you go high in levels, adding bear totem with fiend subclass features would make you very tanky. You also get fire shield later levels too.

[@davescrams]

The drawback to focusing on Oath of Glory is that you have to use Channel Divinity for your temp hp, and you only get 2 per day (recovering 1 on a short rest). Fiend warlock gets similar temp hp on every personal kill as well as any team kills within 10 feet. Basically, if you're fighting lots of lower-level mobs, Fiend is the way to go. If you're fighting a solo creature, Glory wins out.

[@TheSpinoza43221]

Probably never see it but doesnt this get really sick at level 17 Warlock. You can use your 8th level slot to upcast armor of agathys and then True Polymorph yourself into a Adult Gold Dragon .

[@JoshuaH225]

Bigbys Glory of the Giants has a feat that could add Armor of Agathys to any caster. This concept on an Abjuration wizard could be fun. Arcane Ward plus temp Hp for a very tanky wizard.

[@elmsigreen]

I love these simple powerful builds because some of my players want to feel powerful but aren't quite knowledgably enough in DnD to pull of more complex builds.

[@apjapki]

I don't think this build breaks the game but it probably does break small crowded dungeons full of minions. I couldn't blame the DM for designing much larger dungeons to try to keep the AoA to 2 major combats per casting. I also think tactically it's often going to be correct for the enemies to either focus fire this character to try to drop the spell or just (after a period) refuse to fight this character when they could target another and not take 25 damage. It's a very legitimate target for any dispel effects too. However this is basically true of all true tanks - you force enemies to "all or nothing" you.

[@alanschaub147]

I love this build! 👍🏻

[@Haseo13darkness]

Wouldn’t Archfey be better here? Its spells arent as good but you have so many misty steps that youll never run out of them and refreshing step can give you temp HP. You also have fear step and if you take sentinel you can fear step to somthing and smack it > if it failed the save it disengages on its turn > Sentinel lets you hit them again. And if they pass the save they will just hit into AoA and take damage anyways.

[@DnD_Daily]

Definitely an option, dealer's choice. Appreciate the other perspective!

[@andrewcarlson4402]

It works flavor wise. You don't get a lot of Snow Fairy patrons and it's right there for the taking

[@aquartertwo]

A winter-associated fey patron that lets you conjure armor and weapons out of ice is definitely more in-flavor. Couple that with Guile of the Cloud Giant from Bigby's, and you get resistance from an attack to keep your AoA going

[@Cirdan345]

​​@@andrewcarlson4402 Queen of Air & Darkness - ArchFey

[@andrewcarlson4402]

@@Cirdan345 I mean *technically* but I was hoping for something more on the nose.

[@arkonos4406]

Great build and a really fun play style

[@itsbigshoop]

I'm sad they didn't put my favorite spell in the 2024 PHB...Shadow of Moil is just so cool! It's Blur+Darkness+Fire Shield all wrapped up into one

[@MauricioLuigui]

The Prince of Frost

[@Legend-gu6yp]

I made a 2024 build very similar to this except i run a tiefling with the flames of p feat. Greenflame blade a great axe and mastery with great axes.

[@Heavenly_Heal]

I wish they would’ve made the eldritch invocations that used to affect Eldritch Blast but now affect any warlock cantrip scale the same way as it does with Eldritch Blast. Like at level 11 Agonizing Blast would be a +5 damage three times with Eldritch Blast but only once with the other ones. Make it so the effect of the invocation occurs for every damage die that is rolled, bringing the other cantrips in line with the damage/utility of Eldritch Blast with a greater risk/reward since it isn’t 3 separate attack rolls or saves. Firebolt would go from 3d10+CHA to 3d10+(n•CHA), where n is the number of damage dice

[@marcducorsky8736]

I think we need to wait till Level 5 to add Agonizing Blast to True Strike. We can add CHA to a damaging Cantrip. The cantrip itself does not do damage till Level 5. Before that the weapon is doing the damage not the cantrip. At least that is how I understand Rules as Written.

[@karverbosela1727]

RAI it should work earlier, damaging/non damaging distinction is just to cover the bases of it not working with things like light or message

[@marcducorsky8736]

@@karverbosela1727 Another of those ASK the DM things.

[@lucasramey6427]

I mean you're still casting a spell and dealing damage regardless of level

[@apjapki]

The weapon does do the damage....as part of the effect of the cantrip. Therefore the cantrip is dealing damage.

[@yaburu]

Me: Armor of Agathys was already a spectacular spell, how the hell could they have buffed it?! Me after the explanation: My....GOD

[@SergioMongeBenito]

Heavy armor master feat… hello?😊

[@thomasw9033]

this is the way. Start with 17 str, use str as your attacking stat, so you can pick up heavy armour master and be attacking with a +4 stat at level 4. Most of your spell slots are going into armour of agathys anyway so it’s ok if you charisma stays at 16, you don’t really need the DC.

[@ericpeterson8732]

Does the 2024 version of fey touched really allow you to grab paladin or ranger spells? That seems an exception to the new "stay in your lane" rules of Magic Initiate and Magical Secrets and the Tasha Sorcerers' bonus spell lists. (Note: I just checked, and yes, it does allow any enchantment or divination spell) Is that a bone to mixers or a product of cutting and pasting?

[@MarchandDeModes]

Lovely

[@James-kv3ll]

Physical Damage reduction pairs well with AoA. If only there was an easy way to get access to that kind of DR easily at early levels and with barely any cost. **Heavy breathing in Barbarian** Just gotta cast AoA before activating Rage. The spell’s duration is long enough to reasonably do this before combat if you have the chance.

[@Wouldyoukindly4545]

I'm not saying this is optimal in every fight, but one thing you could do is take a couple hits, pop AoA and Vampiric Touch, and heal yourself up while your AoA absorbs hits. You'd want Fire Shield up first to make those hits you take worth it. You want Fire Shield any way you cut it.

[@ChryssaBL]

Using the bastion rules I started my last combat with 85 temp hp. I'll have to ask if I can use 2024 AoA

[@jsizzlesaurusrex]

Your favorite spell should be rope trick. Everyone's favorite spell should be rope trick.

[@matthewmelendez7051]

Don’t mean to be that guy. But there is a much simpler way to do this lol. The new rules for Druid say that ur wild shape is counted as temp hp… but for higher level, yea this is way better

[@Altheniar]

The main problem with this build is you tank so well and punish so well the attacks, the enemies have to ignore you and attack your team mates xD The build have the Levistus seal of aproval, a great melee duel expert whit a impenetrable ice armor.

[@ThatGuy182545]

It’s an interesting build but I think a lot of intelligent monsters and humanoid enemies would probably avoid attacking you in melee.

[@moriyasanae8130]

Would probably take a Barb level later at some point If i do not Polymorph

[@tobyakers2936]

True strike doesn't add your CHA dmg twice, it actually does nothing for you. True strike says the attack usues your spellcasting ability INSTEAD of strength or Dex, the is the same wording of pact of the blade. You just have 2 abilites letting you use your CHA instead of STR, they don't add your CHA on top of each other.

[@rantdmc]

Dont temp HP still not stack? How do you get temp HP from both Armor of Agathys and False Life at the same time?

[@DnD_Daily]

You're right, they still don't stack, false life is just more than AoA at early levels

[@rantdmc]

@DnD_Daily Thanks, so that's why you swap out Fiendish Vigor for Eldritch Smite at Warlock 5 - cool! Sounds like a great build for a Rime of the Frostmaiden campaign!

[@Wouldyoukindly4545]

​@rantdmc Fiendish Vigor *could* still be worth it, if you've taken a few hits to your AoA, and your temp hp is less than 12 and you're trying to top it up. Of course by then most enemies would do well over 12 damage per hit so it may not matter, but that was the idea and it could work well if you have resistance and heavy armor mastery (giving you effectively 24 + 3 x number of hits before AoA drops)

[@VER5U5]

​@@rantdmcyou will be unpleasantly surprised in Rime of the frostmaiden campaign, when you'll find out just how many enemies will have resistance or immunity to cold damage in that setting. A year ago I played a character with AoA and barely used it seeing my enemies simply ignoring it.

[@Blaidd101]

Fun build. Some mechanics that i haven't thought of like truestrike and AB. What do you think of a frost bear build. AOA and moon druid. They have tons of Temp Hp and can refill. Mark of warding dwarf would be gr8 here if you can use.

[@philipes23]

Is there any other feature that does what armor of agathys does?

[@ezdepaz4363]

Which part? It's the only one I know that is both temp hp and retaliation damage, maybe some rare Polymorph Beast wit spikes? Fire Shield pairs good with it though, granting retaliation damage and damage reduction in form of resistances.

[@philipes23]

@@ezdepaz4363 retaliation damage...such a fun mechanic

[@mattheweagle3580]

Temp hp doesn't stack, so fiend hp or fiendish vigor or Armor of agathys

[@ageofblight754]

Wait who are you? Your not dnd daily?

[@tftg458]

Ok, but temp hit points don't stack right? It always picks the highest amount. So in theory if you cast false life your armor of agathys just drops.

[@dirkmagilicuddy5136]

@@tftg458 The old AoA said it drops when "these" THP are gone. The new one ends when you don't have any THP. So even when replaced, you are never completely losing THP, and AoA stays up!

[@PuffLance]

There's no way in hell this is actually how the new Armor of Agathys is supposed to work. Still, very cool build. Keep up the good stuff

[@dirkmagilicuddy5136]

What do you mean? That THP from any source keep AoA going? That's exactly how it works. Designers had to make a conscious choice to remove "these", indicating the change is intentional.

[@apjapki]

​@@dirkmagilicuddy5136 It's unclear. They've made no statement on it.

[@James-kv3ll]

You have no evidence to support your statement aside from “Feeling”.

[@arkonos4406]

It's not unclear. This is how it works.

[@daedalus5253]

I‘d assume that the change of wording was so that you don’t have to keep Track of the origin of each of your THp and which ones you loose when taking damage. Seems Like a good idea.

[@prescottkorol1380]

If you’re using One DnD content you shouldn’t label your video “DnD 5e”

[@aibou2399]

"One Dnd" is not even an official name. It's "2024 rules for D&D fifth edition". Also, you can read the description: "This build utilizes the 2024 PHB (D&D 5.5)"

[@lexmtaylor]

I do wish WotC had picked an easy nickname for 2024 rules. 5.5 or something else.

[@scottburns5049]

That spell sucks bud sorry the fact the spell drops after 5hp of damage

[@quigojr6783]

It increases by 5thp and 5 damage per level of the spell slot. With a 5th level slot it gives 25thp and does 25 cold damage per hit until it's gone.

[@scottburns5049]

@ So what if you can upcast it? The fact is you have to take damage to dish out a little bit of damage and once temp ho is gone the spell stops is trash plus it doesn't work against ranged attacks but range attacks can remove the temp hp with no damage taking.

[@ezdepaz4363]

It can deal lots of damage if your character is built to want to go into melee. Also it's been buffed alot in the new edition, it's now a bonus action so you can still attack/use cantrips the same turn you cast it. Also the damage portion now stays active if you increase your temp hp using other sources, like power word fortify, polymorph or wildshape.

[@TheSpinoza43221]

@@scottburns5049 That's true but wouldnt it be amazing if there was a warlock invocation that gives warlock invisibility whenever they wanted.

[@scottburns5049]

@ so why waste the spell slot on a silly spell just go invisible.