The Warlock makes the jump to a core class in Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition, not without some ripples. It’s mechanically unique compared to other D&D 5e casters, using powerful cantrips and short rest-based Pact Magic instead of traditional spellcasting.

The result is a D&D 5e class of uneven power that can shine or languish depending on the DM, the adventures they design, and the general tempo of combat. Despite that, its unique design and storytelling potential have won it many fans.

Regardless of how well or ill-suited the Warlock is to a campaign, some Patrons stand out above the others in raw power level. Almost all of them are worth playing, but there’s no denying that there are top-tier Warlock subclasses in D&D 5e and others that fall behind.

The best D&D 5e Warlock Patrons provide serious combat muscle on top of the Warlock’s reliable cantrips while providing genuinely interesting abilities and changes in playstyle that other subclasses lack. Any of them are solid choices for a campaign.

Genie Warlock is Almost Four Subclasses in One

The Genie is one of the most recent Warlock Patrons in D&D 5e, found in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything. Compared to the situational and generic abilities of many other subclasses, it can work for almost any build the player wants, very reliably.

Part of the reason the Genie is such a good D&D 5e Warlock subclass is its multiple spell lists. Alongside six bonus spells just for picking the subclass, it comes with another five in four different elemental flavours. None of them contain universally good options, and the player has to choose, but it’s still a vast boost to flexibility in character design.

Every one of the Genie Warlock’s other subclass features in D&D 5e is reliable and creative. Genie’s Vessel is a versatile feature that eventually becomes a creative way to ease the limitations of a Warlock’s short rest dependency.

Genie’s Wrath and Elemental Gift are solid, welcome combat abilities for any D&D 5e Warlock. In particular, bonus action flight that doesn’t cost spell slots or Concentration is something any character would want.

Limited Wish is almost as absurd as it sounds. Access to any spell of sixth-level or lower is a ludicrous feature that can do anything from resurrection to wiping encounters, even if it is limited to every few days.

It also doesn’t remain limited for long. The sixth spell all Genie Patron Warlocks get access to? Wish itself. This alone is enough to make the Genie one of the best Warlock Patrons in D&D 5e.

Fiend Warlock is Reliable, but Not Boring

The Fiend is the only D&D 5e Warlock subclass from the Player’s Handbook that stands up to later books. The Archfey and Great Old One subclasses, despite having creative and interesting features, suffer from a significant lack of teeth and reliance on situational abilities.

Many of the D&D 5e Fiend Warlock Patron’s abilities are less flavourful and thematic, but reliable and enjoyable for the player to use. Dark One’s Blessing is an invaluable defensive buff, particularly on as blast-heavy a subclass as the Fiend. It can produce near-endless temporary hit points, even if you don’t cheese it by keeping a bag of hostile rats around to blast.

Dark One’s Own Luck is the exact opposite of situational. A d10 bonus to an ability check or saving throw is huge in D&D 5e, particularly as it stacks with other buffs. You can maintain Concentration on a powerful save, go before enemies in combat, avoid being Banished to another plane, and more. It’s once per short rest, allowing a certain spammability.

These defensive and skill-based features are so good for the Fiend Warlock subclass in D&D 5e because its spell list is so offense-focused. Outside of a few flavourful choices, most of its bonus spells are area-of-effect fire spells. You have Eldritch Blast for precise targets and bonus spells for groups, giving an offensive versatility most D&D 5e Warlock subclasses lack.

Fiendish Resilience doubles down on the subclass’s reliable defensive features. A free damage resistance is fantastic. However, the Fiend Warlock D&D 5e subclass is even better because it can change this every short rest. Even situational resistances like Radiant, Psychic or Thunder are game-changers at that short notice.

Hurl Through Hell, aside from being one of D&D 5e‘s funniest class features, is a powerful combat tool. It has no saving throw (requiring a hit instead), provides an easy turn of crowd control, and deals respectable damage. It’s the capstone on a very good Warlock subclass in D&D 5e.

Undead Warlock Is a Combat Monster

Some of the best D&D 5e Warlock subclasses for combat deal extra damage. Others provide durability. Others lean into crowd control or utility. The Undead Patron Warlock subclass in D&D 5e decides to do all of these and then some.

Form of Dread is one of D&D 5e‘s best combat transformation features. Aside from temporary hit points and immunity to Fear effects, it lets you inflict the Frightened condition by the bucketload. Once per turn, you can Frighten a target as part of a weapon attack or Eldritch Blast, effectively neutering them.

Grave Touched helps make the Undead Warlock subclass one of D&D 5e‘s strongest options. Necrotic damage isn’t quite as ever-useful as Force, but it’s more than worth it to make one Eldritch Blast per turn deal 2d10 base damage.

At later levels, the Undead doubles down as one of the best Warlock Patrons in D&D 5e for durability. Apart from Resistance (Immunity in Form of Dead) to Necrotic damage, it lets the Warlock ignore a lethal blow once per day. On top of that, they blast nearby enemies for respectable Necrotic damage. It’s well worth a level of Exhaustion.

Spirit Projection is the D&D 5e Undead Warlock’s capstone that furthers their ability to do almost anything. For an hour per day, the Warlock untethers their spirit from their body. They can fly, phase through solid objects, and make Counterspelling Conjuration or Necrotic spells impossible.

On top of that, Spirit Projection gives Resistance to Bludgeoning, Slashing and Piercing damage, and health regeneration based on Necrotic damage. It’s a fearsome combination.

The Undead Warlock Patron’s spell list mixes standout options like Greater Invisibility and Cloudkill with duds like False Life. It’s the least impressive feature, but nowhere enough to stop the Undead Patron from being one of the best Warlock subclasses in D&D 5e.

Hexblade Warlock is a Terrifying Gish, Blaster, or Multiclass

As if anything else was going to close out this list of the best D&D 5e Warlock Patrons.

The Hexblade is infamous in Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition and with good reason. At the same time, it’s beloved by many players for both its power and the unique playstyles it unlocks.

The D&D 5e Hexblade Warlock Patron is a ready-made gish build. It can wield weapons with Charisma and increase its Armor Class to make the front lines anything other than a death sentence. Played this way, it’s a very enjoyable subclass.

However, the Hexblade excels in other ways. If you choose not to go with Pact of the Blade, it’s still a high-damage D&D 5e Warlock subclass that Eldritch Blasts with high AC.

Hexblade’s Curse would be a fantastic feature on its own. Proficiency bonus damage added to each attack scales doubly throughout the game, particularly with Eldritch Blast. More reliable critical hits and healing make it truly absurd.

Hexblade’s Curse continues to get better as a D&D 5e Hexblade build levels up. Armor of Hexes negates literally half of all hits (not attacks) your Cursed target makes against you. No other D&D 5e subclass has anything like this.

Master of Hexes removes one of Hexblade’s Curse’s few limitations, its once per short rest usage. If that’s too much time between uses, it now lets you reapply Hexblade’s Curse after its target has died.

Really, Accursed Specter is the only feature a D&D 5e Hexblade Warlock Patron gets that doesn’t make them a top-tier damage dealer. Even then, having an extra, buffed body on the battlefield isn’t something to complain about.

The Hexblade’s spell list risks being another dud, mainly because its options don’t work well with limited Pact Magic slots. Even then, Wrathful Smite and Cone of Cold are always worth having.

Played as a gish, with sword and magic together, the Hexblade is effective. When played with Eldritch Blasts galore, it’s one of the best Warlock Patrons in D&D 5e for raw damage, with plenty besides.

It’s also a top-tier choice for multiclassing in D&D 5e, but that goes beyond the scope of this article.

These have been the four best Warlock Patron subclasses in D&D 5e. The other choices, like Fathomless and Archfey, are not weak by any means. However, these ones stand out for their power.

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