The Kraken! D&D Build

[@DnDDeepDive]

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[@michaelbalcom5233]

I honestly thought you were going to go Simic Hybrid

[@andrewbaynard2914]

I'm DM'ing a campaign where one of my players is a fighter lvl 12, and the party found a black pearl containing the Fathomless imprisoned in it. The Fathomless offered to give him power in exchange for freeing him by sacrificing some of his own power (levels). The Fighter agreed and gave the Fathomless as much power as he could until he passed out. My question is: If this build was a Fighter/Warlock multiclass, which split would be best at lvl 20? Fighter 8/ Warlock 12? or F9/W11? Or maybe a different split? Thanks for any help!

[@zolitakacs6306]

I really like your videos, but cloud of daggers doesn't damage enemies multiple times on re-entry in the same turn of theirs.

[@DnDDeepDive]

@@zolitakacs6306 correct. Once on our turn, once on theirs.

[@theresnoracelikegnome]

@@andrewbaynard2914 if you’re playing it this way, there’s not a ton of purpose in going more than 2 Fighter. If you build it as a melee weapon attacker, I’d go F11/W9, and use PAM and Sentinel to stop enemies from leaving your area spells.

[@hericn]

"True polymorph is amazing. Turn yourself into a dragon".... Wait.... WHAT?! inconceivable!!! Turn yourself into a Kraken, for Cthulhu's sake! The Juvenile Kraken from Ghosts of Saltmarsh is CR 14 and, spreadsheet or not, is the best choice for this build.

[@theresnoracelikegnome]

I played a version of this at level 11, awhile ago. But I used Plasmoid. It was inspired when I noticed that the Shape Self ability allows you to create pseudopods, but doesn’t remove them afterwards, or allow you to use the same one again. So technically, after a while, you just become a mass of pseudopods. I reflavoured them as tentacles, and thus was born Tentacles(pronounced Tentacleeze, like it was an ancient Greek name).

[@estherclawson6876]

Awesome.

[@SebasTian58323]

I have a question. Will you be looking back at older builds with new rules to see if they're stronger or weaker and redoing any of them?

[@DnDDeepDive]

Eventually!

[@SleeplessSycophant]

To a similar point, I'd love to see a straight subclass comparison for the new 5.24/5.5/onednd after August. Maybe not as detail oriented, but comparing GOOlock of old to the new one by damage/round and seeing where you lose dpr but gain utility. A straight classing, comparative analysis.

[@roninhare9615]

I would imagine the 5e24 warlock with the undead warlock could be quite powerful, especially as a blade lock.

[@iampineappleonpizza]

I love that kraken week literally comes right when im planning my new pirate campaign where the bbeg is trying to wake a kraken

[@BLynn]

The Kraken! D&D Build #173 Level 01: (see above) [warlock 1, patron, race & feat] Level 02: (see above) [warlock 2 & eldritch invocations] Level 03: (@13:15) [warlock 3 & subclass] Level 04: (@15:28) [warlock 4 & ASI] Level 05: (@15:42) [warlock 5 & eldritch invocation] Level 06: (@18:34) [warlock 6] Level 07: (see above) [warlock 7 & eldritch invocation] Level 08: (@25:10) [warlock 8 & ASI] Level 09: (@25:42) [warlock 9 & eldritch invocation] Level 10: (see above) [warlock 10 (talk about going sorcerer)] Level 11: (@33:04) [warlock 11 & Mystic Arcanum (6th)] Level 12: (@34:08) [warlock 12, eldritch invocation & ASI] Level 13: (@36:24) [warlock 13 & Mystic Arcanum (7th)] Level 14: (see above) [warlock 14] Level 15: (@38:47) [warlock 15, eldritch invocation & Mystic Arcanum (8th)] Level 16: (@39:59) [warlock 16 & ASI] Level 17: (@40:30) [warlock 17 & Mystic Arcanum (9th)]

[@joshuahampton6141]

What better build for Kraken week than something that shows off the DPS (DEEPS). I mean, I had to, Colby. I hope you understand.

[@DnDDeepDive]

I’ll allow it 😉

[@ryanscanlon2151]

Crawford let spill in the magic reveal stream that cloud of daggers is gonna be movable in the new PHB. I can't wait to see what you do with it then, and there was much rejoicing lol!

[@Rodrifuuu]

Movable? As if the spell wasn't powerful enough already.

[@mac_sour]

@@Rodrifuuu how many of your players are actually abusing cloud of daggers? i promise you it's not as powerful as some of these "builds" make you think they are.

[@turtley8581]

@@mac_sour the last two of my parties have been using it and it's been very fun, and it feels pretty solid, but yeah it being movable wont exactly be insane. i assume itll be something you move with a bonus action, and you're already using your ba on telekinetic if you're building around spells like cloud of daggers

[@DnDDeepDive]

He did, but there’s a big change coming to how the spell (and others like it) will work that I think will balance it out a bit. I was surprised they didn’t talk about it in that vid, actually.

[@logancuster8035]

@@DnDDeepDiveI get the impression that double, or triple dipping, for damage every round is about to eliminated. Probably a “Once per round” caveat

[@JamesTaylor-oh1sd]

Kraken Week is honestly one of the most exciting things to happen in the TTRPG community in a while. I'm so happy you're involved.

[@calvintabor5734]

Randall popped off this week, gorgeous art

[@UndoubtedMist]

Me! I'm excited for Kraken week! But also a fathomless warlock fanatic so HERE WE GO!

[@kikikillian1208]

Aren't all fathomless warlocks fanatics?

[@sethd.michaels4048]

Fathomless rules, favorite character I’ve ever played is my Cool Sea Witch

[@Bachlaham]

I made a similar build a long time ago and I have to say this is by far my favorite warlock subclass! Also, another good race option would be Simic hybrid which has so many possibilities for watery/tentacly USABLE body modifications (not just cosmetic as with custom lineage), from crab claws and carapace (some kraken lores they are some crab/squid hybrid) to extra tentacles that can always be used with grappling appendages or nimble climber that can make your cosmetic squid legs let you easily climb things, which for squid/octopus type creatures just makes sense. It’s unfortunate that the grappling appendages are strength based, but fun nonetheless! That race was my choice at least 😁

[@michaeln.9897]

Thats the very first race I thought about when I heard this concept. Fits Kraken to a Tee!

[@larspulena]

Wow! Randall’s art is amazing! This is my favorite since the Light Hammer/Artificer build, but this one is incredible.

[@evansmith2832]

My favorite warlock subclass. Personally, what I like to do with it as a more defensive minded player is go harengon and take the alert feat to combo with the sleet storm spell. Alert pushes you to +11 initiative at level 5 and gives ranged attacks against you from inside the sleet storm disadvantage, and the spell itself is the best defense in the game against concentration/sight based features and combos excellently with repelling blast and tentacle of the deep. Plus the juxtaposition of an eldritch tentacle bunny is really fun flavor imo. There's also some tech with the 14th level feature, dm allowing. If you take the mold earth cantrip from pact of the tome or have an ally with that cantrip, you can excavate 20 cubic feet of earth and blow all 3 of your level 5 slots on create water to create 150 gallons or approximately 20 cubic feet of water. You now have a pond you can teleport your entire party to before you enter that dungeon, and for completely free after a short rest.

[@dianehoekstra6880]

I am loving Kraken week! I especially appreciate the chance to see so many new content creators that YT hasn't shown me and consider subscribing to their channels! I hat PH, GD, and D4 already, but there are so many others!

[@relaxedfantasyreview]

I got on the Kraken week playlist! Such a thrill 😁😁

[@collinkelch7764]

1) Solid single class build. 2) A warlock without hex blade. 3) All the tentacles 🦑. 3/3. I would play it!

[@dchejones8866]

That welcome in your opening gets me every time. You’re just too wholesome.

[@daytonbenson1203]

I love the flavor of this one. I appreciate the thought of starting with flavor, and accidentally creating an absolute unit

[@PRINCEofNONE]

Super late to the party, but finally watching. Reminds me of your frost mage build. I ran that character, I forget the level, somewhere in the middle range, for a one shot. Three different giant enemies charged at us. Well, two charged at us. The other only had base twenty feet of movement and went no where. My allies kept me away from the other two and I kept that one way on the other side of the battlefield. Super satisfying.

[@mattdahm4289]

Thanks Colby! ❤

[@chrisg8989]

Release the Kraken! 🦑

[@Nerdality_Florian]

08:35 - Small correction, there IS a single class, that can start with Studded Leather: The Artificer. You just had me double check that, I was worried I made a mistake when I last started with one ^^' Loving Kraken Week btw!

[@crab3402]

super hyped for this massive collab! bring on the krakennn

[@sebastianosionnides]

Three of my favorite table top creators working a theme together. So much fun

[@SortKaffe]

Aberrant Mind Sorcerer is a great multiclass if you only want two Warlock levels, since it also gives you Hunger of Hadar and Evard's Black Tentacles

[@seerozymandias7616]

Oh wow. It's a particularly amazing piece of art from Randall Hampton this week!

[@LawrenceDomkowski]

Cool build. I'm "...going to need a bigger boat"

[@gianenci]

I find funny that you pretty much described EXACTLY my third D&D character I made some years ago! Unfortunately i haven't play her more than 5 levels but I often think to play her again and this video hyped me up even more!

[@iskandarthegreat0487]

Simic hybrid has extra appendages (tentacles) that can be used to grapple as a bonus action

[@GreyGramarye]

Remember folks - the River Styx flows through all the Lower Planes and is a body of water. Just don’t drop your group into it, teleport 30 feet away from it.

[@garyboyles5762]

I love Pact of the Chain. The ability to cast through the familiar, is almost like having a "Free" Distant metamagic.

[@MrGranten]

I'm actually running a Pact of Chain Fathomless warlock on and off who, by great coincidence, made a pact with a rather powerful kraken. She's a member of one of the many seafaring clans on the great island chain of her world and after years of exploring, looting, fishing, and fighting, managed to prove herself in an awful test when one of its warlocks died. She probably should have wondered more about that last detail there and exactly what happened. The build's actually fairly similar, though with a few differences I took for roleplay purposes

[@Heeeynald]

Oh this have strong Nagakabouros vibes and I LOVE IT! Also, if we chose Kalashtar as the race we could easily reskin it as a Mindflayer(esk) character! And the influence of the Quori Spirit could as easily be changed as an Elder Brain!

[@KnicKnac]

Simic Hybrid would also work too for more aquatic looking lineage, but of course only if you are in Ravinca.

[@SethTiede]

Hey Colby, love the build. Just a heads up, the Artificer can start with either Studded Leather or Scale Mail armor. ✌️

[@midwesternpickle]

I LOVE both psychic lance and synaptic static. Great spells. Fun to see them get a shout out.

[@RingXross]

If you've ever seen the Cloverfield movie and remember those little creatures that would shed off the monster, there, biology explained.

[@mcullennz]

I love hexblood for my fathomless. Created by sea hags and you get you power from them.

[@FlatCapgaming1]

I love the idea of a mermaid artificer who uses their contraptions to move on land. Like imagine a steampunk bathtub that has crab legs propelling it

[@damistic3897]

Pack Tactics is very happy about this build!

[@redent4265]

I decided to take the idea of the deep water as a parallel to the subconscious, with some inspirations from Bloodborne. Changeling as my race and myself (the player) as the patron, my DM has approved this and I can't wait to break them out on the table! Thanks for the concept, love your videos!

[@Paul_aka_Paul]

Wait, so Moana was a fathomless warlock all along? Even has a water tentacle! Thank you for giving cred for the Kraken week concept. I've seen a bunch but it was killing me not knowing where it came from lol

[@kitisahugenerd]

"What's the only lineage that looks like a kraken? Custom Lineage" Simic Hybrid: Am I a joke to you?

[@overlordofmidgard5876]

Most folks forgets about the campaign-setting-specific races like Simic Hybrid, Veldalkin, Kalastar, and Verdan.

[@mentalDichotomy]

I have a Simic Hybrid Grapple Barbarian I play that I originally thought you were going with! Nice build!

[@bodhimofo]

I love this collaboration! Edited to add: I can't wait to see your 5e24 warlock builds, it looks soo customizable! The spell bonus spells!

[@danwizzle91]

I love that all golf you dnd youtubers got together to do this happy to see it

[@ericanderson3164]

This is.a fun subclass. I used it in an Eberron build for a House Lyrandar Lore Bard/Fathomless Warlock. The House lore is all about krakens and the Fathomless was absolutely on point for it.

[@lukasschrage8935]

Another great spell option to consider for Level 5 is Sleet Storm. While it doesn't deal damage, it creates an area of difficult terrain that can even knock enemies prone. Whoever you can push and snare in there will more likely than not get out any time soon

[@jpperron1835]

I freakin love the idea of the patron deal happening while the warlock’s character was drowning

[@clarkkent163000]

Your ice msge build inspired me to make my own cryomancer subclass and eventually full class. Thanks!

[@LokiSilverFlame]

I can't wait to do a kraken build! Very inspiring!

[@TheInfurnus86]

I've always wanted a chance to grab the witch sight invocation. It's such a high level requirement, but I feel like level 15 is a great time to be able to see everyone for who they really are.

[@countadvocate]

Deep dive coming in with a whole pun today. Great video as always. I really love watching all the things you come up with

[@matthewhelmers1426]

I saw the short yesterday, and the wait has been excruciating! Welcome back from vacation!

[@Technodreamer]

A lot of this build feels like it'd be fun and pretty easy to redo as a warlock avatar of the Vast!

[@darrenromanko2414]

I do love the community Kraken theme. Great video as always

[@thegamemaker2000]

For 15th level invocations I like Chains of Carceri (it's exclusive to chain-locks) which lets you cast Hold Monster as long as you are targeting celestial, fiends, or elemental without expending spell slots or using material components. Pretty nice. Gift of the Everliving Ones giving you max heals when within 100ft of you familiar is pretty nice too.

[@soul_is_lonly1804]

Your voice is so nice and soothing. i just want to give you a hug

[@DnDDeepDive]

/hug

[@simonmoody8400]

An additional bonus to Evard's over Hungar is that your allies will no longer have issues targeting enemies in the AoE (or hate you for leaving them no targets if the turn rotation falls badly for them).

[@connkahn]

I have never before wanted to build a warlock - this has changed my mind

[@shanelilly9673]

Warlock is my FAVORITE class!! GOO-Lock, thematically speaking, is not my cup of ale… BUT this build is like a five star flagon of honey mead!! AND full warlock! Phenomenal build and episode, Colby! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

[@edwardkopp1116]

Hey Calvin! Wonderful build that is so thematic you would think you came up with the build before the Kraken Week was started. Almost as if some greater power was behind it all. You do great videos that are multipurpose. Sometimes I watch and learn new builds and sometimes your voice just puts me right to sleep. Win win either way!

[@Chrosteellium]

This video is a testament to the fact that you do not need to multiclass to make a potent character

[@andrewhowlin]

Shiny! Finally a one class build that rocks! Brilliant as always!

[@chumaktv5386]

I genuinely laughed at the first seconds of the intro hahahaha, that was so good dude, genuine excitement

[@bustinboffa4297]

Seeing as how my favorite class/subclass in the game is fathomless warlock, this week makes me VERY happy.

[@ivodijkman137]

I would play it as a Simic Hybrid, mechanically. Lore wise, Krakens are constantly experimenting and improving their own bodies, adding or removing all sorts of creatures. Also helps that it isn't bad on the mechanics side xD I would ask my DM if I could add more and more features from it, maybe switching them out on a long rest, because I like them all-

[@davidlewis5017]

Don't forget that jumping would mitigate the difficult terrain.

[@ancova1183]

It began rather vanilla, but I did flavor this as an elf ice mage. The twist was reflavoring the kraken tentacle as planted an eldritch tree that created thorny fields of ice (that secretly ripped holes in the dimensional fabric).

[@steve-ru9sy]

Love Kraken Week so far. Thanks for another great video

[@williamtaylor6886]

Cool to see Custom Lineage used for flavor: Be the kraken!

[@FranciscoRodrigues09]

I played a drow version of this chatacter all the way up to level 14 and the feeling of moving enemies around and just controlling the battlefield is amazing

[@geoffshetler9553]

Great new look, Colby!

[@syrupchugger421]

This is a surprisingly strong build, I also just figured it would be a gimmicky build for kraken week. Great video as always, this Kraken week thing is so cool!

[@CitanulsPumpkin]

Go simic hybrid and choose nimble climber and grappling appendages. There's your kraken race. Also, the decanter of endless water and mold earth trick to just make a bunch of ponds for Fathomless Plunge should be a thing your patron has been ordering you to do since level 3.

[@davidcassell4659]

I like the idea of a Lovecraftian backstory. You know, you warlock grew up in Innsmouth, he looks odd, his mom and dad look odd...

[@zachswanson6643]

I played a fathomless warlock using the half-caster playtest rules and it was a blast! I felt like a tactical genius between vortex warp, repelling blast, grasp of hadar, telekinetic feat, misty step, and the tentacle positioning my allies and enemies basically at will. Plus I could take evard's black tentacles much sooner since it was on that spell list.

[@noahdavis7847]

Hunger of hadar is probably my favorite spell in dnd, during my BG3 runs I found myself upcasting it at 5th level despite lack of scaling, because in conjunction with spike growth it did such a good job of shutting down entire encounters while my devilsight repelling blast warlock kept everyone in the area.

[@powerplayer5465]

Yess! Finally Kraken Week! Woo! I've been waiting months for a video like this! :D

[@collinw9792]

I feel like simic hybrid could work really well for the flavor of this build, especially if you use the idea of your patron slowly changing you to be more tentaclely over time

[@greyclaa]

Love the flavorful *mono*claased Kraken! And are we seeing this right? A Hermione Granger "We Can Do It" T?? VERY cool!!

[@tanuvazi]

I think it actually says "Leviosa"

[@robertlewicki3758]

One of your best episodes yet! I’ve been listening to a lot of the older builds and you’ve come such a long way, Colby! Still think your editor is speeding up your voice somehow...

[@TheMikeLyons]

Dimension Door is an action, so you can't do it and also EB in same turn. And I'm glad you commented on the problem with Hunger of Hadar; you can't see into the area. Unless you can find a source of Darkvision or the spell you brought up.

[@corbanmartinez8552]

I made a kraken character, I used simic hybrid for the race. Grappling appendages feels kraken-y to me. I also took 3 levels of rune knight fighter for enlarge. Krakens gotta be big. This campaign started at level 6, and his backstory was that he was a sailor and led a mutiny. It didn’t go very well and the ship sunk. Unbeknownst to him, the captain’s strange behaviors were connected to a rat-king of combined souls of previous captains of the ship that guided his actions. When the ship sunk, the power of the captains was sufficient to raise it as a ghost ship, though all souls had perished. he, as the leader of the mutiny, was cursed to forever serve the ship, though not as a crewman, but as a guardian beneath the waves, called upon by whomever now serves as captain.

[@RingXross]

Here's an idea. When it comes to damage, the builds tend to be either burst or sustained. Why not make a character that can do both and see how they compare?

[@AwkwardPain]

Another thing you can do (if you want to lock down a couple enemies but you have other melee... is use the summons. The shadowspawn is pretty tanky and is plenty disruptive!

[@Blackwoodcwc]

When considering race, also consider Simic Hybrid from Ravnica. They can have underwater adaptation and tentacles.

[@steffenlee3768]

Yoooo, this strat is SO GOOD! I think I'm gonna take a some elements with it and try to make it my own. I think instead of going for a radius that you have to keep goin around and shoving people into, a Wall spell would be perfect for just having to maintain an offensive front while maintaining a defensive line and I was looking at Wall of Fire which is just such a doozy for damage dealing!

[@twi1ightknight]

Hunger of hadar is how you can tell Colby loves wyll

[@spiderill7791]

Putting the deep in Deep Dive 🦑

[@BovineTerror]

Artificers get to start with Studded Leather!

[@jonathanhaynes9914]

Thanks Colby

[@nonamegiven202]

I will always love the concept of a Sea Hag themed Hexblood Pirate Fathomless Warlock, go all proper nouns!, so it's nice to have a build if i ever get to play them. Tho once we get the new PHB stuff, having pact of the blade and chain to be swinging around a cutlass with a -imp turned into a raven flavor as a- Parrot on their shoulder is just is too flavorful to ignore.

[@the1niddo]

I always felt that the Fathomless was underrated and flew under the radar when it released. It just had amazing built in control potential and additional damage all tied into its BA which Warlocks rarely had a use for in the first place. I think an argument can be made that if you want to take a Warlock from 1 to 20, Fathomless is the strongest option. Its really between it, Genie, and Celestial. And Celestial "cheats" by having all of those Cleric spells.

[@robbiesrevelations3096]

0:21 Prediction: Circle of the Sea Druid, Fathomless Warlock 8:34 Artificer looking real pissed Colby 8 8:52 disproved mostly

[@DangerDurians]

I’ve got a player in my campaign currently playing a cecaelia, some home brew I approved that is octopus people The character is also a fathomless warlock

[@BevyArt]

Your outtakes are gems.

[@colbyrackler3915]

One of the Subclasses, or really sub-subclasses I've always wanted to do, is have a Land Druid, but instead of having any dry land, having a Coral Reef, Open Ocean, or Deep Ocean Land Druid that is probably an aquatic race like Locatha, Sea-Elf, or Triton or even that one Mermaid Race from Ginnydi's Video. The Character would get all the Land Druid Stuff, but get a different spell list related to Ocean stuff, all should probably have the "Control Water" spell.

[@SamanthaVimes177]

So glad that we have Kraken week!