As a professional gamer who has put over 200 hours into Baldur‘s Gate 3, I‘ve absolutely fallen in love with the Warlock class and their unique Eldritch Invocations system. But I remember first starting out as a fresh Warlock and feeling totally overwhelmed trying to evaluate the 19 different Invocation options.
Which ones actually made a significant impact? How many should I choose for damage versus utility? When should I grab specific picks as I leveled up?
So after extensively playtesting various Warlock builds and Eldritch Invocation loadouts over multiple playthroughs, I‘ve compiled my definitive rankings and analysis down below.
Consider this your master guide to dominating as a Warlock using Eldritch Invocations! I‘ll cover:
- How Eldritch Invocations work
- Damage vs utility Invocation priorities
- Rankings for best Invocations by level
- Full ratings and reviews of all 19 options
- Ideal Warlock builds and loadouts
Let‘s jump in!
Unlocking the Powers of Eldritch Invocations
Before giving recommendations, we need to quickly cover how Eldritch Invocations work for those unfamiliar with the Warlock class:
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Passive Abilities: Eldritch Invocations automatically enable their effects once selected. No manual activation needed!
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Warlock Exclusive: Only the Warlock class gains access to theseInvoctions. No multiclassing workarounds here!
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Limited Selection: You unlock just 2 Invocations at Level 2, then gain +1 additional Invocation at Levels 5, 7, 9, and 12. That‘s 6 total across 20 levels of progression.
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Swappable: You can swap out one known Invocation per level up. So don‘t worry about locking yourself permanently!
Now let‘s jump into ratings…
Prioritizing Damage vs Utility for New Players
If you‘re just starting Baldur‘s Gate 3 as a brand new Warlock, I would recommend focusing your first 3 Invocations almost entirely on damage.
Why? Because early combat is brutally difficult in this game. Having access to exponential scaling damage via Agonizing Blast and forced movement control from Repelling Blast is almost mandatory. It makes fights MUCH smoother.
Then at Level 5, grab your first utility Invocation like Devil‘s Sight to enable stronger Darkness combos. Snag even more utility picks at Level 7+ when you have spare Invocation slots and fights become easier.
My Invocation Priority Order:
Level 2:
Level 5:
Level 7:
Level 9:
Level 12:
- Flexible Utility Pick
Let‘s analyze why I prioritize those essential damage and utility Invocation in that order…
#1 Agonizing Blast (Best Damage)
When to Get: Level 2
What it Does: Adds your Charisma modifier as extra damage to each Eldritch Blast beam.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Massive damage amplification | None! |
Analysis: This is the undisputed #1 Invocation in Baldur‘s Gate 3. Combining Agonizing Blast with Eldritch Blast enables some of the highest ranged single target DPR (damage per round) in the game.
And since Eldritch Blast shoots additional beams as you level up, Agonizing Blast actually scales exponentially in value. Supporting this core combo with Hex and other Warlock debuffs turns you into an absolute deleting machine.
Every Warlock should equip Agonizing Blast at Level 2 without question. It defines the class and enables you to actually get through early game combat.
Just be warned – once you experience deletes enemies in seconds with this busted combo, you won‘t ever want to play another class again!
#2 Repelling Blast (Best Control)
When to Get: Level 2
What it Does: Pushes targets hit by Eldritch Blast up to 4.5 meters away.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Exceptional forced movement control | Less damage than some alternatives |
Analysis: Repelling Blast adds vital battlefield manipulation on top of Agonizing Blast‘s pure damage. You can consistently push enemies into environmental hazards for quick kills or keep them safely away from your squishy party.
It also enables excellent hit-and-run tactics since you Repel enemies with each Eldritch Blast beam. This offsets the Warlock‘s general frailty when taking hits.
While it doesn‘t provide raw damage amplification, control and positioning manipulation is just as impactful. I love grabbing Repelling Blast immediately after Agonizing at Level 2.
#3 Devil‘s Sight (Best Advantage Generation)
When to Get: Level 5
What it Does: Lets you see normally in magical + non-magical darkness up to 36 meters away.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Massive combat advantage in Darkness | Useless against enemies with Truesight |
Analysis: Casting Darkness on clusters of enemies then blasting away freely with advantage thanks to Devil‘s Sight is an extremely powerful combo. It‘s incredible how heavily obscured all enemies get while you retain perfect vision – enabling easy crit-fishing.
With Devil‘s Sight online, Darkness becomes a potent offensive and defensive tool instead of a liability. I love grabbing this at Level 5 right after maxing Eldritch Blast bonuses.
Just watch out for certain higher level enemies that possess Truesight or Blindsight! They can see through magical darkness and ruin this advantage combo. But otherwise, go wild with supercharged Eldritch Blasts under Darkness against most content.
Top Utility Eldritch Invocations
While damage and advantage combos make up the "big three" essential Invocations, don‘t sleep on the utility options either! Here are my favorites:
Mask of Many Faces
When to Get: Level 7
What it Does: Freely cast Disguise Self without using spell slots.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Unlimited infiltration potential | Requires creativity to utilize fully |
Analysis: Disguise Self without restrictions has awesome out-of-combat utility for deception, infiltration, and gathering intel. Just endlessly masquerade as other humanoids without burning resources!
But you need to leverage this creatively to bypass social encounters and obstacles that raw damage can‘t easily solve. Extremely handy in intrigue campaigns though!
Book of Ancient Secrets
When to Get: Level 7
What it Does: Unlocks ritual casting and gives 3 free daily ritual spells.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Very versatile ritual casting | Requires setup and ritual casting takes 10 mins |
Analysis: This Invocation makes rituals much more accessible for Warlocks by removing the need for spell slots. Fantastic for utility spells like Identify, Detect Magic, Leomund‘s Tiny Hut, and more that you can cast pre-emptively without draining combat resources.
The free daily spells are alright too – Silence has combat viability but Chromatic Orb and Ray of Sickness fall off later. Still, more options are always welcome!
You need to find rituals scrolls first to scribe them though. So lookout for those detect magic and identify scrolls early!
Minions of Chaos
When to Get: Level 9
What it Does: Grants access to the Conjure Elemental spell.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Very powerful summon ally | Must maintain concentration |
Analysis: Having an allied elemental tank, deal damage, or control the battlefield is fantastic utility. Just be cautious about losing concentration when taking damage with longer summons.
But otherwise an excellent way to enable more complex strategies and flanking past Level 9. One of the few good Invocations unlocked at that stage.
Eldritch Invocations to Avoid
While no Invocation here is completely useless, some offer much less bang for buck:
Fiendish Vigor – Temporary health when needed is nice early, but quickly replaced by actual healing magic. Too limited.
Beguiling Influence – Minimal bonus to key social skills. Invest skill points instead for better returns.
Thief of Five Fates – Incredibly niche without broader applicability. Hard pass.
Final Thoughts on Mastering Eldritch Invocations
And there you have it – everything you need to dominate as a Warlock using Eldritch Invocations in Baldur‘s Gate 3 Early Access!
The key takeaways:
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Prioritize damage first with Agonizing/Repelling Blast at Levels 2-3.
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Transition to utility like Devil‘s Sight by Level 5 after securing your damage core.
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Agonizing > Repelling > Devil‘s for raw power, then spec for fun!
Eldritch Invocations are a big part of what makes Warlocks feel so customizable compared to other classes. Make sure to experiment with creative builds rather than just chasing maximum damage too!
Have you discovered any powerful Invocation combos or synergies that you love? Share your favorites in the comments section!
