Agonizing Blast: Turn your Eldritch Blast into a Charisma-powered engine of destruction. This guide dives deep into this essential Warlock invocation, revealing how it transforms Eldritch Blast from a decent cantrip into a devastating force. Whether you’re a seasoned Warlock or just starting, prepare to unlock true eldritch power.
What exactly is Agonizing Blast? It’s an Eldritch Invocation, a special perk available to Warlocks, found in the Player’s Handbook. Its sole purpose? To supercharge your Eldritch Blast cantrip. This invocation requires you to know the Eldritch Blast cantrip, but the resulting power boost is more than worth the prerequisite. Imagine infusing each blast with your Warlock’s inherent magical might—their Charisma. This isn’t just adding a bit of sparkle; it’s injecting raw power, transforming Eldritch Blast into your primary damage dealer.
Why Agonizing Blast is Essential
Amplify each Eldritch Blast beam with your Charisma: Agonizing Blast is a must-have for damage-dealing Warlocks. Why? Because it scales beautifully with your Warlock’s level. As you progress, Eldritch Blast gains more beams (two at 5th level, three at 11th, and four at 17th), and Agonizing Blast adds your Charisma modifier to each of them. This creates a snowball effect, turning you into an absolute powerhouse in later levels.
Eldritch Blast Growth
Warlock Level
Eldritch Blast Beams
Charisma Bonus Applications (+5 Example)
Total Potential Bonus Damage
1st-4th
1
+5
+5
5th-10th
2
+5 each
+10
11th-16th
3
+5 each
+15
17th+
4
+5 each
+20
Even early on, Agonizing Blast provides a reliable damage boost, ensuring consistent contributions. But as you level, the damage output ramps up significantly. By the late game, your enemies will learn to fear your Eldritch Blast.
Using Agonizing Blast Effectively
Simple yet devastating: Agonizing Blast significantly enhances Eldritch Blast’s damage output at all levels. Using it is straightforward:
Choose it: Select Agonizing Blast as one of your Eldritch Invocations when you level up.
Cast Eldritch Blast: Unleash the cantrip as usual.
Add Charisma: Add your Charisma modifier to the damage roll of each beam that hits.
That’s it. No complex rituals, just pure, unadulterated power at your fingertips.
Example: 5th-Level Warlock
Imagine your 5th-level Warlock with a +4 Charisma modifier faces a formidable foe. You unleash Eldritch Blast, two beams of crackling force hurtling towards the target. Each beam deals 1d10 damage, and thanks to Agonizing Blast, you add +4 to each beam that hits. That’s a potential +8 damage, enough to turn the tide of battle.
Agonizing Blast: Pros & Cons
While incredibly powerful, Agonizing Blast isn’t without nuances:
Pros:
Massive Damage: Transforms Eldritch Blast into a primary damage source.
Excellent Scaling: Grows stronger as you level up and gain more Eldritch Blast beams.
Ease of Use: Simple to implement, allowing for quick calculations in combat.
Cons:
Charisma Dependence: Its effectiveness relies on a decent Charisma score.
Situational Alternatives: Other invocations might be more beneficial depending on your build.
Maximizing Your Eldritch Potential
Dominate combat with Agonizing Blast: The key to maximizing your Warlock’s Eldritch Blast potential in D&D 5e. How? Maximize your Charisma. Items, feats, and other boosts to your Charisma score directly amplify Agonizing Blast’s damage.
But don’t stop there! Explore synergistic invocations. Repelling Blast can shove enemies around the battlefield, controlling their movement and creating advantageous positions. Lance of Lethargy slows your targets, making them easier to hit with your subsequent blasts. While some players may consider Agonizing Blast overpowered, especially when combined with other invocations, its reliance on a good attack roll for each beam does balance its power.
Build Synergies
Agonizing Blast shines in Pact of the Tome and Pact of the Chain builds, where Eldritch Blast remains your go-to attack. For Pact of the Blade Warlocks, it’s a strong early-game asset, offering a solid ranged option, even though it might become less central as you focus on melee combat. Multiclassing, particularly with Sorcerer, further amplifies Agonizing Blast’s effectiveness, adding significant punch to your spellcasting. Ongoing research and community discussions suggest various optimized builds, but experimentation is key to finding what suits your playstyle.
Beyond Damage: Additional Benefits
Agonizing Blast offers more than just raw damage. It simplifies damage calculation, adding a flat bonus instead of rolling multiple dice. This speeds up combat, allowing you to focus on strategy. The consistent high damage output translates to quicker kills, improved battlefield control, and an undeniable sense of power. Some experts believe this consistent pressure can significantly influence enemy tactics and morale, providing a strategic advantage beyond mere damage numbers.
Conclusion
Agonizing Blast is a game-changer for Warlocks. It transforms Eldritch Blast into a devastating force, allowing you to dominate combat with eldritch might. Embrace the power, unleash the blast, and watch your enemies tremble. For further defensive options, consider the chilling power of the armor of agathys.
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