So, you made a pact with a devil for a d10 force damage cantrip. What now? Jokes aside, warlocks are a fun and unique class option inDungeons & Dragons,as they are spellcasters, but the way they function is very distinct from the other ones, thanks to how their spell slots work and their subclasses.
When creating your character, it’s normal to think about what background and species fit the class, and some of these will work better with warlocks than others. Thus, if you’re looking to optimize your character a little bit, or you just want to make a warlock but have no clue what you’ll pick for a species, we’re here to help.
10Elf
Particularly Drow And High-Elf
Elves, in general, are a fun pick for any spellcaster. They only need four hours of sleep (and can’t be put to sleep through magic), get a free skill proficiency, and get advantage against being charmed.
Another boon is that each lineage (drow, half-elf, and wood elf) gets a free cantrip and two spells, which you can cast without using a spell slot once per long rest - though you can use them again with a spell slot. You can also choose the spellcasting modifier, so you can use these spells with your charisma without issues.
Our preferences are for drow due to Faerie Fire and Darkness (which you can see through by getting Devil’s Sight) or high-elf for the free Misty Step.
9Goliath
For Melee Warlocks
Thanks to Pact of the Blade (and Hexblade), warlocks can be very effective at melee combat or even be an effective hybrid that works at all ranges. That said, a great option for a melee warlock is the goliath.
You’ll have basic movement of 35ft (10.5m) - which is very useful for melees - a boon based on your ancestry that can help you mitigate damage, cause more damage on attack rolls (which can be a weapon or a spell attack), or you can knock people prone with your attacks.
8Tiefling
Spells Or Wings?
Tieflings work similarly to elves. You’ll get a free cantrip and free spells based on your lineage (abyssal, chthonic, or infernal). They’re good for the same reason elves are: free spells that don’t rely on your precious few spell slots.
That said, if your table allows you to use older books (and didn’t ban flying characters), using the tiefling variant that swaps these spells for wings is very tempting. Any flying species would benefit you, as ranged characters can dominate fights by attacking while staying safe. You should also consider owlins or aarakocras if you want wings.
If your DM doesn’t allow permanent fliers, you can get an easy temporary flight speed by being an aasimar or a dragonborn.
7Kobold
Fury Of The Small
Monsters of the Multiverse is an amazing book for those who want to play as species that are usually the monsters of the story. With that, we have kobolds, who can get advantage against nearby enemies, making them perfect melee options, too.
They also have Kobold Legacy, which gives you a few options on what to choose for your character. Out of these, you can get extra skill proficiencies, resistance against being frightened, or, our recommendation, a cantrip from the sorcerer list. You can use it for an extra cantrip or to get something sorcerer-exclusive, like Sorcerous Burst.
6Bugbear
For Sneaky Warlocks
Along with kobolds,the goblinoidsare an interesting pick, too. While both goblins and hobgoblins would also be interesting choices, we’ll focus on bugbears due to their potential to fight in melee and their extra damage.
You can hit people with melee attacks (weapon or spell) from five feet (1.5m) further than usual, and when you hit someone who hasn’t had a turn in combat yet, your attack will cause an extra 2d6 damage.
Add that to a free Stealth proficiency and the ability to squeeze through small places, and you can make a dangerous character that can sneak around the map and strike when no one’s expecting.
5Fairy
Spells AND Wings
We’ve already tackled a few recommendations for flying species, but one more option deserves to be highlighted: fairies. They get free spells (Druidcraft, Faerie Fire, and Enlarge/Reduce), and they have wings, which are always helpful.
There’s also a fun bonus here: fairies are not humanoidbut instead fey,which means spells that target humanoid creatures, such as Hold Person, will not work on you. You’re also small, which has nothing to do with anything but is adorable.
4Fire Genasi
For More Spells And Maybe Roleplaying
Like previous options, the genasi get a few spells they can cast for free, along with resistance to a certain damage type. They all make great warlocks, but we’re focusing on fire genasi solely for the spell options.
They get Produce Flame, Burning Hands, and Flame Blade, with these two spells also being interesting options for a warlock that goes into melee. Plus, if you want your patron to be a Genie, you can make a fun connection between the two characters since genasi are their descendants. Maybe there’s a family tie between your warlock and their patron; who knows?
3Changeling
The True Master Of Disguise
Speaking of being fey, another fun option in that criterion is the changeling. Their abilities won’t make you a better spellcaster, but they’ll take advantage of your amazing charisma for other situations, such as manipulation.
You get extra skill proficiencies from a specific list (which includes all charisma skills), and you get to shapeshift. You can change your appearance, voice, and even height to disguise yourself as a medium or small creature without issues.
2Yuan-Ti
Resist Magic
Yuan-Ti, like others here, will get you free spells (Poison Spray, Animal Friendship, and Suggestion). While Suggestion is the only standout, the other features make this one more interesting.
In Monsters of the Multiverse, Yuan-Ti gets an advantage on saving throws against any spell, and they also have poison resistance. Volo’s version of the Yuan-Ti is even stronger; the advantage on saving throws is against any spell or any random magical effect, and they are immune to poison rather than just resistant to it.
If you want this busted Magical Resistance but don’t find the spells appealing, you can try satyrs, too. They get it along with a few skill proficiencies that might interest you.
1Human
The Old Reliable
Truth be told, warlocks are the only class that can get away with easy access to origin feats because one of theireldritch invocationslets them pick those. However, if you have specific plans for your invocations or want two origin feats right away, humans are still a great pick.
There are many origin feat combinations that you’re able to do, such as getting more cantrips and spells with Magic Initiate or making your melee warlock less squishy with Tough. You’ll also have consistent Heroic Inspiration available to you, which is very handy.
