The warlock inDungeons & Dragonsfunctions as a strange sort of spellcaster, one who derives their magic from a powerful patron and whose spells work differently than every other class in the game.Warlocks get very few slots, but can recover them more frequentlyoutside of battle, and the spells they do get are quite strong indeed. They’re also one of the best classes for a blaster build inDnD, primarily because of their iconic cantrip, eldritch blast.
When it comes to the magic items that best support a warlock character, there are a few specific choices that stand out. These are items that enhance their existing powers:improving their spell attack rolls, providing extra casts for spells, and otherwise improving their arcane abilities. These 10 items stand out in the 2024Dungeon Master’s Guideas being especially good for warlocks.
10The Broom Of Flying Provides Some On-Brand Maneuverability
An Easily Obtainable Item To Gain A Flying Speed
First up is the Broom of Flying, an uncommon magic item which is handy for players looking to gain a flying speed, andwarlocks usingeldritch blastbenefit greatly from having one, given its range and damage. This broom allows warlocks to take to the skies without spending a spell slot or their concentration on doing so.
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It feels particularly fitting for a warlock or witch to fly around on a broom, and beyond that, it provides quite the speed boost for an item of such low rarity. A 30-foot flying speed is nothing to scoff at, even at higher levels, andsmaller characters can even get the speed up to 50 feet while on board.Plus, the broom has the added benefit of acting as a long-distance messenger, able to cover large distances on its own before returning to its rider.
9The Cube Of Force Provides Access To Some Necessary Defensive Spells
Filling The Gaps In A Warlock’s Arsenal
If there’s one weak spot in the warlock’s spell list, it’s the absence of powerful defensive spells. After all, warlocks only have access to light armor, and while they can learnmage armorthrough their invocations,they are lacking options likeshieldthat other casters often make use of to stay alive. Enter the Cube of Force: a rare wondrous item that can cast these spells using its own charges, providing warlocks with arcane shields and force barriers.
The Cube of Force has markings on each of its sides, which can be activated to cast one of the following spells:mage armor,shield,Leomund’s Tiny Hut,Mordenkainen’s Private Sanctum,Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere, andwall of force. Each of these spells are quite powerful, and most are absent from the warlock’s default spell list. Pluis, using this item to castmage armormeans that warlocks can use one of their invocations on something more useful than Armor of Shadows.
8A Dark Shard Amulet Is A Nice Early Option To Let Warlocks Experiment
Try Out Some New Cantrips With This Common Item
Common magic items often lack serious power, but can provide some versatile and creative options for players at early levels. Case in point, the Dark Shard Amulet:an arcane focus for warlocks that gives them access to more cantrips than they would otherwise have. Warlocks attuned to the amulet can attempt to cast a cantrip – which underwent plenty ofchanges in the 2024Player’s Handbook– off of the warlock spell list even if they do not know it themselves, and do so with a successful arcana check.
Warlocks don’t know a ton of cantrips at early levels, and since many will want to devote at least one of them toeldritch blast,using the Dark Shard Amulet can be essential for warlocks that want to experimentwith their other options. At the very least, this amulet can act as almost a free trial for new cantrips, so warlocks can test them out before learning them at later levels.
7Elven Chain Is Great For Warlocks Who Want To Wear Armor
Making Up For The Lack Of Armor Proficiencies
As mentioned,warlocks are limited to light armor if they want to buff up their armor class,and in most cases, simply castingmage armorwill be better than the light options available. This rare Elven Chain can solve that problem quite simply, since creatures wearing it are always considered proficient with it.
In fifth edition, the Hexblade subclass provided proficiency in shields and medium armor, making up for this weakness when used. However, since that subclass is not yet included in the 2024 rule set, this armor could make up the difference.
It can take the form of chain mail or a chain shirt, meaning different versions of this magic item can be used for different kinds of warlock builds.The armor provides one extra point to AC beyond whatever those armors normally would, making it even better than it would otherwise be. This armor could make sense especially for an Archfey warlock, given its elven design and its innate connection to the magic of the Fey.
6Enspelled Weapons Are Perfect Choices For Warlocks With A Certain Pact
A Good Pairing For The Pact Of The Blade
Enspelled weapons are basically made for warlocks,able to work as both martial weapons and tools for casting spells. Specifically, enspelled weapons contain one spell of eighth level or lower, which the wielder can cast out of the weapon during combat. The rarity of this item is determined by the level of the spell inside, but the weapon always starts with six charges, with each casting of the spell consuming one charge.
The spell inside the weapon cannot be of the abjuration, enchantment, or illusion schools according to its item description.
One thing potentially holding this item back is thatthe spell attack bonus and save DC are not determined by the skill of the wielder, but by the weapon’s rarity. This can be good for fighters and other classes that won’t naturally have high spellcasting abilities, but warlocks should have high charisma, meaning the spells cast by these weapons may be weaker than their typical spells. Still, extra magic is always a plus for warlocks, and those with the Pact of the Bladewarlock subclasscouldn’t find a more on-brand option to fight with.
5The Mace Of Terror Plays Into The Aesthetic Of The Great Old One
Striking Fear Into The Hearts Of Your Enemies
The Great Old One warlock is themed around fear and breaking enemies' minds, making this mace a perfect fit. This rare weapon can be used to emit an area of fear around the wielder,causing all enemies within 30 feet of them to make a saving throw or become Frightened. This version of the condition functions like thefearspell, forcing the frightened creatures to turn and flee for one minute or until they break out of the condition.
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Great Old One warlocks can already harness the powers of fear, but typicallythey are limited to affecting one creature at a time unless they use spell slots. The Mace of Terror can affect many creatures with one action, and can be used up to three times in a day, making it quite strong. And aside from that, it works as a mace, a weapon which warlocks are proficient with and could wield even without the pact of the blade.
4A Ring Of Spell Storing Can Counter A Typical Warlock Weakness
Packing Some Extra Spell Slots
This rare ring is a classic amongDnDaudiences, and has a very powerful ability.The ring can store spells cast onto it, holding spells up to a combined level of fiveat any given time. Then, the attuned wearer can cast the spells from the ring, using the casting stats of the original caster.
Warlocks are limited in the number ofspells they can castper combat, but have the benefit of getting their slots back during a short rest. This makes the Ring of Spell Storing especially useful for them, sincethey can charge it up before resting for an hour and gain some extra casts for when they need them. They could even charge up the ring before giving it to another member of the party, then resting so that the whole crew has extra magic to work with.
3The Rod Of The Pact Keeper Is A Warlock Exclusive
Channeling Eldritch Blasts Through This Powerful Focus
The Rod of the Pact Keeper is a very simple but very powerful item for warlocks, one that comes in several rarities, andis just for warlocks, since other classes cannot attune to it in the first place. The rod acts as an arcane focus for casting their spells, and provides a bonus to spell attack rolls and spell save DC equal to +1, +2, or +3, depending on its rarity.
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Not only that, but the rod can be used to restore one spell slot per day, giving warlocks more magic to work with.This staff is useful for empowering every aspect of a warlock’s repertoire, from theirclichéeldritch blastto their powerful fifth-level spells at later levels, and will pretty much always be useful to wield.
2The Staff Of Power Is Perfect For Spellblades
Giving Magic Users A Powerful Martial Option
Perhaps the only weapon more fitting for a Pact of the Blade warlock than an enspelled weapon is the Staff of Power, a weapon that carries all the former’s power and then some. The staff of power has 20 charges, whichit can use to cast strong spells likefireball,cone of cold, andhold monster. These each cost different amounts of charges, but the staff regains a healthy number of charges each day, meaning it is pretty reliable in its spellcasting power.
The Staff of Power also provides a +2 bonus to AC, spell attack rolls, and all saving throws, meaning it acts as an offensive and defensive tool.
Not only does this staff provide more spells than an enspelled weapon, but it also allows the wielder to use their own spellcasting stats when casting them. Plus, when it comes to actually attacking with the staff,it counts as a +2 quarterstaff, making it powerful beyond what a normal weapon is capable of.
1The Wand Of Orcus Is The Most Powerful Choice For A Fiend Warlock
One Of The Strongest Spellcasting Foci In The Game
The strongest item for warlocks to wield, and the only artifact on this list, is the Wand of Orcus. This wand is not for every kind of warlock, nor is it for the faint of heart, sincejust getting attuned to this item can kill a player character outright.But powering through its initial effects yields some major benefits, because this wand is one of the most powerful items in the game.
To start, it functions as a +3 mace that deals extra necrotic damage, a great weapon for warlocks to use in melee situations. But it also provides a +3 bonus to AC andcan be used to summon 30 undead monsters to fight alongside the wielder, a veritable army of skeletons and zombies inDungeons & Dragons. As if that wasn’t enough, the wand can be used to cast a number of destructive spells using its charges. Fiend warlocks of Orcus can make the most use of that last feature, since the number of charges they must use to cast its spells is reduced significantly.
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Dungeons and Dragons
Dungeons and Dragons is a popular tabletop game originally invented in 1974 by Ernest Gary Gygax and David Arneson. The fantasy role-playing game brings together players for a campaign with various components, including abilities, races, character classes, monsters, and treasures. The game has drastically expanded since the ’70s, with numerous updated box sets and expansions.
