Undead Warlock Guide for Beginners: Mastering the Deathless Patron in D&D 5e

The Undead Warlock is a spellcaster who has made a pact with a powerful entity that has conquered death, such as a lich, vampire lord, or forgotten necromantic deity. Introduced in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, this subclass is perfect for players who want to wield necrotic magic, instill fear in their enemies, and temporarily transcend mortality themselves.

Unlike other Warlocks, Undead Warlocks can assume a terrifying undead form, gain resistance to necrotic damage, and weaken enemies through sheer supernatural presence, making them one of the best survivability-focused and fear-based Warlock subclasses in D&D 5e. If you love the idea of embracing undeath while cursing enemies with necrotic energy and manipulating the battlefield with fear, this subclass is for you!

Why Play an Undead Warlock?

Key Benefits

• Best Warlock for Fear-Based Control – Force enemies to flee in terror while you dominate the battlefield.
• Undead Form Grants Immunities & Resistances – Gain temporary hit points, resistance to necrotic damage, and a spectral appearance.
• Expanded Spell List for Necrotic & Control Magic – Spells like Phantasmal Force, Vampiric Touch, and Cloudkill boost your versatility.
• Excels at Survivability & Debuffing – Weaken foes with fear while regenerating HP.
• Perfect for Dark Fantasy & Gothic Roleplay – Serve an ancient lich, a vampire lord, or an undead demigod.

Compared to other Warlocks, Undead Warlocks are the most durable and fear-inducing, making them a strong mix of battlefield control and tankiness.

Core Features

Key Mechanics and Abilities

Expanded Spell List (Undead Patron Bonus Spells)

• Gain access to spells focused on necrotic damage, fear, and control:
  • Bane, False Life (3rd)
  • Blindness/Deafness, Phantasmal Force (5th)
  • Phantom Steed, Vampiric Touch (9th)
  • Greater Invisibility, Phantasmal Killer (13th)
  • Cloudkill, Legend Lore (17th)
• Example: Cast Vampiric Touch to drain life from enemies while dealing damage!

Form of Dread (Level 1)

• As a bonus action, transform into a spectral undead form for 1 minute:
  • Gain temporary HP = 1d10 + Warlock level.
  • Once per turn, when you hit a creature, force them to make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened.
  • You are immune to fear effects.
• Example: Enter undead form before battle, frighten enemies, and gain a health buffer!

Grave Touched (Level 6)

• You no longer need to eat, drink, or breathe.
• Your weapon attacks (including Eldritch Blast) can now deal necrotic damage instead of normal damage.
• When you hit an enemy while in Form of Dread, roll one additional damage die.
• Example: Convert your Eldritch Blast into pure necrotic power while ignoring mortal needs!

Necrotic Husk (Level 10)

• Gain resistance to necrotic damage.
• If you are reduced to 0 HP while in Form of Dread, instead drop to 1 HP and explode in necrotic energy.
• All creatures within 30 feet take necrotic damage equal to 2d10 + Warlock level.
• Example: Cheat death while dealing a massive burst of damage to surrounding enemies!

Spirit Projection (Level 14)

• As an action, separate your spirit from your body for 10 minutes:
  • You gain resistance to all damage except force and radiant.
  • You can move through creatures and objects like a ghost.
  • When you deal necrotic damage, regain half of it as HP.
• Example: Walk through walls, ignore most damage, and heal yourself with necrotic magic!

These abilities make Undead Warlocks some of the best fear-inducing battlefield controllers, able to weaken enemies and sustain themselves through supernatural endurance.

Suggested Ability Scores

• Primary: Charisma – Boosts spellcasting and fear-based abilities.
• Secondary: Dexterity – Improves AC and initiative for quick reactions.
• Tertiary: Constitution – Helps with survivability and Concentration saves.

Recommended Races

Since Undead Warlocks rely on Charisma, Dexterity, and durability, the best races include:

1. Reborn (Lineages) – Perfect undead synergy with resistance to disease, poison, and exhaustion.
2. Dhampir (Lineages) – Lifedrain attack and enhanced movement for vampire-like characters.
3. Tiefling (Feral or Levistus) – Charisma boost, fire resistance, and thematically fitting.
4. Aasimar (Fallen or Scourge) – Necrotic damage synergy and radiant contrast.
5. Hexblood (Lineages) – Witchy or cursed origins fit the dark aesthetic of an Undead Warlock.

Playing as an Undead Warlock

Role in a Party

• Primary Fear-Based Controller & Battlefield Manipulator – Weaken enemies with frighten effects.
• Tanky Spellcaster with Self-Sustain – Gain temporary HP, resist damage, and heal with necrotic attacks.
• High Mobility & Immunities – Ignore fear, phase through objects, and move like a wraith.

Compared to other Warlocks, Undead Warlocks are the best at fear-based combat and necrotic resilience, making them ideal for dark fantasy campaigns.

Tips for New Players

• Always activate Form of Dread before combat – Get temporary HP and start inflicting fear.
• Use Grave Touched to optimize necrotic damage – Boost Eldritch Blast for extra synergy.
• Necrotic Husk is your second life – If you go down, explode in damage and get back up.
• Spirit Projection is perfect for infiltration – Walk through walls while staying nearly invulnerable.

Gear and Dice Recommendations

Suggested Equipment

Weapons & Arcane Focus

• Rod of the Pact Keeper – Boosts Warlock spells and regains a spell slot.
• Wand of Necrotic Decay – Increases necrotic spell damage.

Armor & Defensive Items

• Cloak of Protection – Increases AC and saving throws.
• Ring of Necrotic Resistance – Doubles down on necrotic damage immunity.

Magic Items

• Amulet of the Devout – Enhances spellcasting effectiveness.
• Pearl of Power – Recover a spell slot in emergencies.
• Ghostly Chainmail – Perfect for a spectral, undead character.

Dice Recommendations from Runic Dice

Enhance your necromancer-themed gameplay with these meticulously crafted dice sets:

• Lichborn Dice Set: For a dark green and silver combination embodying the power of the undead, consider the Green Fluorite Gemstone (Chlorophane) DND Dice Set. Hand-carved from genuine green fluorite, these dice showcase deep green hues with natural translucency, capturing the essence of lichdom's arcane mastery.
• Wraithcaller Dice Set: To evoke necrotic magic with deep black and purple tones, the Purple Gemstone Amethyst DND Dice Set is an excellent choice. Crafted from genuine amethyst, these dice display rich purple shades, reflecting the mysterious allure of wraiths and other ethereal entities.
• Eternal Night Dice Set: For shadowy hues representing a being that has conquered death, the Black Inked Lightning Cracked Glass DND Dice Set offers a striking cracked glass design with black inked numerals, symbolizing the enigmatic and enduring nature of eternal night.

Advanced Tips and Tricks

Optimization Strategies

Best Feats for an Undead Warlock

1. Metamagic Adept – Gain Quickened and Empowered Spell for necrotic magic.
2. Resilient (Constitution) – Boosts Concentration checks for key spells.
3. War Caster – Maintain Concentration while using fear-based abilities.
4. Tough – Extra HP for even more durability.
5. Lucky – Reroll crucial attack rolls, ability checks, or saving throws.

The Undead Warlock is one of the most durable, fear-inducing, and resilient subclasses in D&D 5e, excelling at necrotic magic, battlefield control, and supernatural endurance.