5e Vampyr Warrior - Second Version (Variant Human Undying Warlock)

This is going to be a rework of the character idea first presented in the post immediately prior to this one. The basic concept is, again, a soldier who was exposed to the lingering essence of a long destroyed vampire and started to acquire arcane abilities as a result.

This time, however, I am primarily focusing on the warrior aspect and I am using neither homebrew nor third party features.

I had considered doing this as a multiclass concept, but have decided to instead do a single class version first as a way of seeing how well I can create a single-classed warlock warrior.

For this I am using my typical theoretical 30 pt array of 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10.

1st Level Variant Human Undying Warlock

Str: 15

Dex: 12

Con: 15

Int: 10

Wis: 11

Cha: 14

HP: 10

AC: 17 (scale armor, shield)
Save DC: 12

Speed: 30 ft

Proficiency Bonus: +2

Bonus Skill
Bonus Feat

Armor Proficiencies: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons

Tools: Cards, Land Vehicles

Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
Languages: Common, Dwarven

Proficient Skills
Arcana (Warlock) +2
Athletics (Soldier) +4
Intimidation (Soldier) +4
Investigation (Warlock) +2
Perception (Human) +2

Feat: Moderately Armored

Background: Soldier

Pact Magic

Otherworldly Patron: Undying

Among the Dead

Cantrips: Eldritch Blast, Minor Illusion, Spare the Dying

Spell Slots: 1 (1st Level)

Spells: Expeditious Retreat, Hex

Equipment
Scale Armor
Shield
Mace

Reasoning: Starting with higher Strength and Constitution than Charisma is a bit unusual for a warlock, but I'm building this character primarily as a warrior and thus I'm going to focus on those stats first. The Charisma can thus stand to be slightly lower as this character will be less dependent on spells that require saving throws and attack rolls. For example, the two spells chosen provide better movement and increased damage on a hit.

2nd to 5th Level

2nd Level - Eldritch Invocations: Beguiling Influence, Devil's Sight, +7 HP (17)
Spell: False Life

3rd Level - Pact Boon: Pact of the Blade: Longsword, +7 HP (24)
Spell: Darkness

4th Level - Ability Score Improvement: Resilient: Constitution, +11 HP (35)
Cantrip: Prestidigitation
Spell: Misty Step

5th Level - Proficiency Bonus: +3, Invocation: Thirsting Blade, +8 HP (43)
Spell: Vampiric Touch

Reasoning: It is possible to get False Life at will as an Invocation, but the Undying pact also has the ability to take it as a spell which grants a higher amount of temporary hit points per casting. Darkness combined with Devil's Sight makes for a great tactical advantage. Vampiric Touch adds some ability to heal the self while harming enemies. Since warlocks are always proficient with their pact blades, I gave her a longsword. Beguiling Influence keeps some trace of the unnatural beauty aspect of the character. I considered making the Ability Score thing +1 Str and +1 Con but decided that I might as well give her the warrior style save proficiencies as well. She has low Cha for a warlock, but again realize that she doesn't often depend on spell attacks or saving throws. So far only Vampiric Touch and Eldritich Blast are affected by her Charisma.

5th Level Statistics

5th Level Variant Human Undying Warlock

Str: 15

Dex: 12

Con: 16

Int: 10

Wis: 11

Cha: 14

HP: 43

AC: 17 (scale armor, shield)
Save DC: 13

Speed: 30 ft

Proficiency Bonus: +3

Bonus Skill
Bonus Feat

Armor Proficiencies: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons

Tools: Cards, Land Vehicles

Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma, Constitution
Languages: Common, Dwarven

Proficient Skills
Arcana (Warlock) +3
Athletics (Soldier) +5
Deception (Beguiling Influence) +5
Intimidation (Soldier) +5
Investigation (Warlock) +3
Perception (Human) +3
Persuasion (Beguiling Influence) +5

Feat: Moderately Armored, Resilient: Constitution

Background: Soldier

Pact Magic

Otherworldly Patron: Undying

Among the Dead
Eldritch Invocations: Beguiling Influence, Devil's Sight, Thirsting Blade
Pact Boon: Pact of the Blade - Longsword (+5 Attack, 1d8+2 damage, two attacks)

Cantrips: Eldritch Blast, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation, Spare the Dying

Spell Slots: 2 (3rd Level)

Spells: Darkness, Expeditious Retreat, False Life, Hex, Misty Step, Vampiric Touch

Equipment
Scale Armor
Shield

6th to 10th Level

6th Level - Defy Death, +8 HP (51)
Spell: Gaseous Form

7th Level - Invocation: Fiendish Vigor, +8 HP (59)
Spell: Armor of Agathys

8th Level - Ability Score Improvement: Resilient: Strength, +8 HP (67)
Spell: Spider Climb

9th Level - Proficiency Bonus +4, Invocation: Superior Pact Weapn, +8 HP (75)

Spell: Fly

10th Level - Undying Nature, +8 HP (83)

Cantrip: Blade Ward

Reasoning: Avoiding Charisma dependent spells becomes somewhat more problematic as level increases. But it is still possible. At this point, her Strength and Constitution are now both 16 and she is still primarily a melee combatant with some bonus. The Superior Pact Weapon assumes she doesn't already have a +2 weapon somehow. Otherwise she could replace that Invocation with something else. Fiendish Vigor gives her at will temporary hit points even while having the spell allows her to acquire a greater number of temporary points. Also Armor of Agathys provides both temporary hit points and a damage field to hit people who attack her.

10th Level Statistics

10th Level Variant Human Undying Warlock

Str: 16

Dex: 12

Con: 16

Int: 10

Wis: 11

Cha: 14

HP: 83

AC: 17 (scale armor, shield)
Save DC: 14

Speed: 30 ft

Proficiency Bonus: +4

Bonus Skill
Bonus Feat

Armor Proficiencies: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons

Tools: Cards, Land Vehicles

Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma, Constitution, Strength
Languages: Common, Dwarven

Proficient Skills
Arcana (Warlock) +4
Athletics (Soldier) +7
Deception (Beguiling Influence) +6
Intimidation (Soldier) +6
Investigation (Warlock) +4
Perception (Human) +4
Persuasion (Beguiling Influence) +6

Feat: Moderately Armored, Resilient: Constitution, Strength

Background: Soldier

Pact Magic

Otherworldly Patron: Undying

Among the Dead
Eldritch Invocations: Beguiling Influence, Devil's Sight, Fiendish Vigor, Superior Pact Weapon, Thirsting Blade
Pact Boon: Pact of the Blade - Longsword (+9 Attack, 1d8+5 damage, two attacks)
Defy Death
Undying Nature

Cantrips: Blade Ward, Eldritch Blast, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation, Spare the Dying

Spell Slots: 2 (5th Level)

Spells: Armor of Agathys, Darkness, Expeditious Retreat, False Life, Fly, Gaseous Form, Hex, Misty Step, Spider Climb, Vampiric Touch

Equipment
Scale Armor
Shield

11th to 15th Level

11th Level - Mystic Arcanum: True Seeing, +8 HP (91)
Spell: Counterspell

12th Level - Ability Score Improvement: +2 Cha, Invocation: Lifedrinker, +8 HP (99)

13th Level - Proficiency Bonus +5, Mystic Arcanum: Plane Shift, +8 HP (107)
Spell: Aura of Life

14th Level - Indestructible Life, +8 HP (115)

15th Level - Mystic Arcanum: Demiplane, Invocation: Ultimate Pact Weapon (replace Superior Pact Weapon), Otherworldly Leap, +8 HP (123)

Spell: Hold Person

Reasoning: I decided to increase Charisma here as it pushed up the effectiveness of more spells and thus made more spell selections appropriate. Ultimate Pact Weapon replaces Superior Pact Weapon at this level. Hold Person was chosen over Hold Monster due to the ability to target multiple targets.

15th Level Statistics

15th Level Variant Human Undying Warlock

Str: 16

Dex: 12

Con: 16

Int: 10

Wis: 11

Cha: 16

HP: 123

AC: 17 (scale armor, shield)
Save DC: 16

Speed: 30 ft

Proficiency Bonus: +5

Bonus Skill
Bonus Feat

Armor Proficiencies: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons

Tools: Cards, Land Vehicles

Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma, Constitution, Strength
Languages: Common, Dwarven

Proficient Skills
Arcana (Warlock) +5
Athletics (Soldier) +8
Deception (Beguiling Influence) +8
Intimidation (Soldier) +8
Investigation (Warlock) +5
Perception (Human) +5
Persuasion (Beguiling Influence) +8

Feat: Moderately Armored, Resilient: Constitution, Strength

Background: Soldier

Pact Magic

Otherworldly Patron: Undying

Among the Dead
Eldritch Invocations: Beguiling Influence, Devil's Sight, Fiendish Vigor, Lifedrinker, Otherworldly Leap, Thirsting Blade, Ultimate Pact Weapon
Pact Boon: Pact of the Blade - Longsword (+11 Attack, 1d8+6 damage +3 necrotic, two attacks)
Defy Death
Undying Nature
Mystic Arcanum: True Seeing, Plane Shift, Demiplane
Indestructible Life

Cantrips: Blade Ward, Eldritch Blast, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation, Spare the Dying

Spell Slots: 3 (5th Level)

Spells: Armor of Agathys, Aura of Life, Counterspell, Darkness, Expeditious Retreat, False Life, Fly, Gaseous Form, Hex, Hold Person, Misty Step, Spider Climb, Vampiric Touch

Equipment
Scale Armor
Shield

16th to 20th Level

16th Level - Ability Score Improvement: +2 Str, +8 HP (131)

17th Level - Proficiency Bonus +6, Mystic Arcanum: Foresight, +8 HP (139)
Spell: Dimension Door

18th Level - Invocation: Ascendant Step, +8 HP (147)

19th Level - Ability Score Improvement: Tough, +46 HP (193)
Spell: Blight

20th Level - Eldritch Master , +10 HP (203)

Reasoning: This character's spells are rather weak by the standards of most casters, but its easy to avoid depending on those spells affected by her Charisma score. Nor is she quite as powerful as a warrior as a dedicated warrior class. However, she does have credible hit points and strength granting her the ability to be a good support melee. Her Aura of Life spell allows her some level of ability to support the other people in her party as well. The lack of a weapon invocation for the Undying pact causes her to have lower damage output potential than some other blade pact warlocks. I tend to believe that the majority of the invocations in the Warlock article should be general invocations rather than pact specific, but until that is made so I will save modifying those for the homebrew theoreticals. A good selection of magical gear could cover a lot of the holes in this build and it is likely an actual game play character would end up going in different directions.

20th Level Statistics

20th Level Variant Human Undying Warlock

Str: 18

Dex: 12

Con: 16

Int: 10

Wis: 11

Cha: 16

HP: 203

AC: 17 (scale armor, shield)
Save DC: 16

Speed: 30 ft

Proficiency Bonus: +6

Bonus Skill
Bonus Feat

Armor Proficiencies: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons

Tools: Cards, Land Vehicles

Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma, Constitution, Strength
Languages: Common, Dwarven

Proficient Skills
Arcana (Warlock) +6
Athletics (Soldier) +10
Deception (Beguiling Influence) +9
Intimidation (Soldier) +9
Investigation (Warlock) +6
Perception (Human) +6
Persuasion (Beguiling Influence) +9

Feat: Moderately Armored, Resilient: Constitution, Strength, Tough

Background: Soldier

Pact Magic

Otherworldly Patron: Undying

Among the Dead
Eldritch Invocations: Beguiling Influence, Devil's Sight, Fiendish Vigor, Lifedrinker, Otherworldly Leap, Thirsting Blade, Ultimate Pact Weapon
Pact Boon: Pact of the Blade - Longsword (+13 Attack, 1d8+7 damage +3 necrotic, two attacks)
Defy Death
Undying Nature
Mystic Arcanum: True Seeing, Plane Shift, Demiplane, Foresight
Indestructible Life
Eldritch Master

Cantrips: Blade Ward, Eldritch Blast, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation, Spare the Dying

Spell Slots: 4 (5th Level)

Spells: Armor of Agathys, Aura of Life, Blight, Counterspell, Darkness, Dimension Door, Expeditious Retreat, False Life, Fly, Gaseous Form, Hex, Hold Person, Misty Step, Spider Climb, Vampiric Touch

Equipment
Scale Armor
Shield

Some 5e Builds