In Dungeons & Dragons, players have a wide range of ways to customize their characters and make them distinct. From things like one’s class, subclass, race, and feats, there are many ways to flesh out a D&D character. While every class has ways to customize one’s character, few classes rival the personalization of the Warlock class.
Eldritch Invocations are special features that Warlocks obtain as they level up that can fundamentally alter how a character functions, allowing for anything from unlimited access to certain spells, augmentations to one’s attributes, or even alterations to specific spells.
Updated May 3, 2023, by Doruk Kaptan: While Wizards may be seen as the swiss-army-knife of spellcasters in D&D, due to their vast selection of spells, Warlocks rival them respectably in terms of versatility. Through Eldritch Invocations, you can truly suit your character to be ready for any scenario. While there are countless memes of Warlocks spamming Eldritch Blast, they have a decent selection of utility spells, only improved by very powerful and interesting Eldritch Invocations. Here are the best Eldritch Invocations that were ever released for D&D 5th Edition.
20 Bond Of The Talisman
Bond of the Talisman is an invocation for those players looking to have power narratively within the setting, as opposed to pure statistical buffs. While this invocation is not useful in combat unless you're retreating, it's a powerful option, proved by how it requires you to be at least 12th level.
While someone else is wearing your talisman, either you or the holder can teleport to each other with just an action. This could be utilized for positioning within the party or to cover long distances spanning the map, so you have to give up the bonus from your talisman if that's your approach, but the instant teleportation is largely worth it.
19 Armor Of Shadows
Yet another utility invocation comes in the name of Armor of Shadows. This spell lets you cast Mage Armor on yourself at will, at no cost whatsoever.
Mage Armor is a staple in any spellcaster planning to survive for more than a few levels and any way to access it cheaply is welcome.
Mage Armor is normally exclusive to Sorcerers and Wizards, so gaining access to it as a Warlock is invaluable. Warlocks have proficiency in Light Armor, so you're less dependent on it, but it allows for daily clothes at all times, which is useful, especially if you're the party face.
18 Sculptor Of Flesh
Speaking of invocations that give you access to a spell, a great example of one is Sculptor of Flesh. This invocation has the prerequisite of being at least 7th level and grants you access to the iconic Polymorph, letting you cast it with a Warlock spell slot once per long rest.
Normally inaccessible by Warlocks, Polymorph is an extremely powerful spell. You can try and turn a problematic enemy into a harmless spider, become a giant ape yourself, and take enemies head-on, or use it for scouting and such.
Polymorph is an amazing spell and is well worth spending an invocation on.
17 Gift Of The Depths
Triton Shorestalker by Svetlin Velinov
Gift Of The Depths is a situationally overpowered invocation that grants you underwater breathing and a swimming speed equal to your walking speed. It also lets you cast the spell Water Breathing once per Long Rest at no cost.
If you're playing in a naval/aquatic campaign or a game that has lots of sea travel, Gift of the Depths becomes amazingly powerful. Obviously, it's more situational if you're in a dungeon-crawling campaign, but when it's good, it's really good.
16 Eldritch Smite
One of the classes in DnD 5th Edition that is considered to be overpowered is the Paladin. One of the reasons for that is the extremely strong Divine Smite, and while Eldritch Smite gives you a taste of that power, it's not necessarily of the divine kind.
This invocation, exclusive to the Pact of the Blade Warlocks, allows you to expend a spell slot to deal an extra 1d8 force damage when you hit with your pact weapon and scales with the level of the spell slot. You also get to knock the target prone, which is the icing on the cake.
If you want to taste the power of a Paladin without multiclassing, Eldritch Smite is the way to go.
15 Beguiling Influence
While Beguiling Influence may not help a Warlock in combat, this straightforward Invocation can greatly benefit any Warlock looking to serve as a party's face. Among the most straightforward Invocations in the game, Beguiling Influence provides a character with proficiency in Persuasion and Deception.
Two additional Charisma-based proficiencies are a solid deal, allowing a character to excel in social situations more reliably. This Invocation is also a great way of amassing other skill proficiencies for a character whose background doesn't provide Persuasion and Deception.
14 Gift Of The Ever-Living Ones
Gift of the Ever-Living Ones is an excellent Eldritch Invocation exclusive to the Pact of the Chain, which is the Pact Boon based around the use of a familiar. This Invocation states that whenever the Warlock at hand would regain hit points while their familiar is within one hundred feet of them, rather than rolling dice, they regain the maximum possible amount of hit points.
This means that when targeted by healing magic or even expending hit dice during short rests, a Warlock with this Invocation can bank on regaining a significant amount of HP. Considering how common it is for Warlocks of the Chain and their familiars to be inseparable, it's quite easy to take full advantage of this invocation.
13 Repelling Blast
There are a significant number of Eldritch Invocations that augment a Warlock's signature cantrip, Eldritch Blast, cementing its status as the strongest Cantrip in the game. Repelling Blast is an impressive option for Warlocks that want to manipulate positioning on the battlefield and control space in combat.
Whenever a Warlock with this Invocation hits a creature with Eldritch Blast, they may push the target up to ten feet backward in a straight line with no saving throw required. This is a reliable means of not just creating distance between foes and yourself but pushing foes into hazards.
12 Visions Of Distant Realms
Though only available to Warlocks once they reach level fifteen, Visions Of Distant Realms is an Eldritch Invocation that serves as an impressive tool for scouting. Once gained, a Warlock can cast the fourth-level Divination spell, Arcane Eye, at will without the use of spell slots.
Arcane Eye, normally only available to Artificers and Wizards, creates an invisible magic eye that the caster can move and see through, allowing a character to scout ahead for traps or threats without putting one's self in immediate danger. A great tool for the whole party, especially if you lack a Wizard or Artificer in your ranks.
11 Gift Of The Protectors
Available exclusively to Warlocks of the Pact of the Tome, Gift of the Protectors is a great defensive invocation that can help give a party an additional level of insurance. Providing a Warlock's Book of Shadows with an additional page, a number of creatures equal to the character's proficiency bonus (including the Warlock themselves) can sign this page.
If a creature that has signed this page would be reduced to 0 HP, their HP is reduced to 1 instead. While this effect only triggers once per long rest, it essentially allows an entire party to have access to the Half-Orc race's Relentless Endurance feature.
You may not be the healer, but your party will be forever grateful.
10 Eldritch Mind
While concentration spells are an integral part of spell casting, allowing a character to maintain the effect of certain spells for extended periods of time, they come with a caveat: a caster needs to maintain concentration on their spells whenever they take damage.
If you are dealt damage while maintaining concentration on a spell, you must succeed in a Constitution saving throw, or the effects of the spell ends. Luckily, with the Eldritch Mind Invocation, a Warlock can more reliably maintain their concentration, as they do so on advantage, and this is such a strong effect that there are feats that do it.
9 Book Of Ancient Secrets
Exclusive to Warlocks who choose the pact of the Tome, Book of Ancient Secrets is an Invocation that allows the Warlock to add any two ritual spells from any spell lists to their Book of Shadows; this feature can provide stellar utility a character may not have otherwise.
Additionally, if they find ritual spells of levels they can cast written down, Warlocks with this ability can transcribe said ritual spells into their Book of Shadows as long as they spend enough gold and time to do so, providing an ability comparable to that of a Wizard.
8 Lifedrinker
Available only to Pact of the Blade Warlocks of level twelve or higher, this ability causes a Warlock’s melee attacks to deal an amount of additional necrotic damage equal to their charisma modifier.
This is an absolute must-have for Hexblades and other Warlocks looking to focus on melee combat, as it can greatly improve one’s damage output per turn. This is a rare case of pure statistical advantage without a drawback in D&D 5th Edition, and you should not skip it.
7 Investment Of the Chain Master
If a player is looking to utilize the Pact of the Chain, there’s a very strong chance they’ll want to take the Investment of the Chain Master Eldritch Invocation. As that pact is based upon making use of a familiar, this invocation greatly improves the effectiveness of one’s familiar, offering it several benefits.
Providing a player’s choice of a 40-foot flying or swimming speed and the ability to attack with the Warlock’s bonus action, all while providing the familiar with improved defenses, this ability can make one’s familiar considerably more useful.
6 Mask Of Many Faces
When it comes to Eldritch Invocations for out-of-combat utility, few can compare with Mask of Many Faces. Allowing a character to cast the Disguise Self spell at will, any number of times without using spell slots.
This means a character reliably has access to the ability to stealthily and subtly alter their appearance, allowing the flexibility that inherently comes with such a useful ability. A must-have for any Warlock, but especially those acting as the party face.
5 Tomb Of Levistus
Easily the most underrated Eldritch Invocation, this option becomes available once a Warlock reaches level five. As a reaction, a Warlock with this ability can entomb themselves in ice until the end of their next turn.
While this prevents them from taking action or moving during their next turn, this reaction provides the character with an amount of temporary HP equal to ten times their Warlock level.
This allows Tomb of Levistus to function as a stellar panic button to use as a reaction against a potentially fatal attack. While losing that one turn of actions isn’t fun, it’s better than losing a character to a massive attack that would have resulted in their death.
4 Devil’s Sight
Another deceptively useful Invocation, Devil’s Sight, allows a character to see normally in darkness, both natural and magical. This effectively can turn effects that provide magical darkness into completely one-sided affairs.
If an entire party can get on the same page to gain this Invocation via the Eldritch Adept feat, magical darkness can become quite abusable. This invocation is especially dangerous in the hands of a Warlock who plays a more Rogue-ish role in the party, sneaking around.
3 Thirsting Blade
Easily the most integral ability for those looking to play a Hexblade, Thirsting Blade is exclusive to Pact of the Blade Warlocks of level five or higher. Whenever a Warlock with this feature attacks with their pact weapon, they can make two attacks instead, doubling their potential damage output.
This essentially puts you on the same playing field as Fighters, Barbarians, and other martial classes regarding combat prowess. Surely, they will outgrow you at higher levels, but at least you can carry your own weight in close combat with this amazing invocation.
2 Shroud Of Shadow
While unavailable until a Warlock reaches level fifteen, Shroud of Shadow offers a blatantly incredible ability, allowing a character to cast Invisibility at will. While Invisibility’s effect ends whenever many key conditions are met, being able to cast this spell at will means that it can simply be used immediately after its effects end.
This is amazing for the more stealthy Warlocks, for sure, but also for those who are into intrigue and politics. You could easily overhear key information if you use your invisibility at the right time and place.
1 Agonizing Blast
Exclusive to Warlocks, Eldritch Blast is often considered to be the best cantrip in the game, dealing 1d10 force damage and increasing the number of beams the spell fires as a character levels up. Agonizing Blast is an invocation that allows a Warlock to add their charisma modifier to the damage of each beam of their Eldritch Blast.
This allows warlocks to consistently deal impressive damage from across a battlefield without needing to expend any resources. Potentially boring, as it's a simple damage upgrade, but it is good enough to never skip.