The 10 Best Weapons For Warlock in D&D 5e [Ranked]

The world of D&D lets adventurers pick and choose between various ranged and melee weapons.

However, some weapons stand out above the rest, fitting an adventurer’s background, build, flavor and simply giving more useful stats to that character.

In the case of Warlocks, their backstories and playstyles mainly include staffs, daggers, and other one-handed weapons like swords.

Warlocks are excellent at flinging spells, and certain subclasses even allow them to become proficient with the blade, allowing them to dispose of their enemies with more gruesome methods.

Warlock Weapon Proficiency

• Simple weapons

Best Weapons for the Warlock in 5e

10. Scimitar of Speed

Rarity – Very Rare (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Weapon (scimitar)

Description

Gain a +2 bonus to damage and attack rolls with this magic weapon. You may also make one attack with it using a bonus action on each of your turns.

Explanation

While normal Warlocks would rely entirely on their spellcasting, Hexblades or those with the Pact of the Blade should seek out the Scimitar of Speed.

This weapon essentially deals 1d6 + 2 Slashing damage, and it also lets you make another attack using your bonus action.

This is great because Warlocks don’t really use their bonus actions in combat, so it can go to the Scimitar of Speed.

9. Whip

Cost: 2 GP

Damage: 1d4 Slashing

Weight: 3 lbs

Properties: Finesse, Reach

Explanation

The Whip is a great weapon for a Warlock since it places them outside of an enemy’s reach when they attack, and an open hand is great for a shield.

It doesn’t scale well into the late game, but it works well in the early game, and with a bit of tweaking, it can also work in the mid-game.

8. Staff of Charming

Rarity – Rare (requiring attunement by a Wizard, Warlock, Sorcerer, Druid, Cleric, or Bard)

Item Type – Staff

Description

Holding the staff lets you use an action to expend 1 charge of 10 to cast Comprehend Languages, Command, or Charm Person, using your spell save DC. You can also use the staff as a magical quarterstaff.

Failing a save against an Enchantment spell targetting you while holding the staff lets you turn your save into a successful one. This property cannot be used again until the next dawn.

Succeeding on a save against an Enchantment targetting you, with or without the staff’s intervention, lets you use your reaction to expend 1 charge, turning the spell back on its caster as if you cast the spell.

The staff will regain 1d8 + 2 expended charges each day at dawn. Expending the last charge forces you to roll a d20, and on a 1, the staff becomes a nonmagical quarterstaff.

Explanation

Warlocks have high Charisma and would do well to use the Staff of Charming to their advantage.

It gives you access to a few great spells that would make being more Charismatic and outspoken much easier.

You can even turn back Enchantment spells on their caster, which can be very useful when enemies start using more spells.

7. Dancing Shortsword

Rarity – Very Rare (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Weapon (shortsword)

Description

Use a bonus action to toss the sword into the air, speaking the command word. The sword will begin to hover, flying up to 30 feet and attacking a creature you choose within 5 feet of it. 

The sword will use your attack roll and ability score modifier for damage rolls.

While the sword is hovering, you can use a bonus action to make the sword fly up to 30 feet to another area within 30 feet of you. As a part of the same bonus action, the sword can attack one more creature within 5 feet of it.

After the sword attack for the fourth time, the sword flies up to 30 feet and tries to return to your hand. If you don’t have a free hand, it will fall to the ground at your feet.

If the sword doesn’t have an unobstructed path to you, it will move as close as possible to you and then fall to the ground. It will cease to hover if you grasp it or if you move more than 30 feet away from it.

Note: Proficiency with a shortsword lets you add your proficiency bonus to its attack roll for any attack made with it.

Explanation

Warlocks who become Hexblades will love the Dancing Shortsword, as it leaves them with two open hands that can be used to draw two more swords or anything else they need.

This sword will probably work best if you take a shield and get a one-handed weapon or staff to deal damage to enemies, while the Dancing Shortsword uses your bonus action to attack.

6. Dagger of Venom

Rarity – Rare

Item Type – Weapon (dagger)

Description

Gain a +1 bonus to damage and attack rolls with this weapon.

Use an action to cause thick, black poison to coat the blade. The poison will remain for 1 minute or until an attack with this weapon were to hit a creature.

The creature must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution save or take 2d10 Poison damage, becoming poisoned for 1 minute. The dagger cannot be used in this way again until its next dawn.

Explanation

Even though Warlocks don’t often use Daggers, being put in a situation need requires close-quarters action, the Dagger of Venom is a very good early game choice.

You might have more luck with your Cantrips, but its large damage, +1 bonus, and the fact that it lasts for 1 minute makes this Dagger better than you’d think.

5. Wand of the War Mage

Rarity – Uncommon (+1), Rare (+2), Very Rare (+3) (requiring attunement by a spellcaster)

Item Type – Wand

Description

Holding the wand lets you gain a bonus to your spell attack rolls, which are determined by the wand’s rarity.

When making a spell attack with the wand, you’ll also ignore half cover.

Explanation

Wand of the War Mage is one of the best offensive items you can get your hands on.

It’s a simple item that gives you a rarity-determined bonus to your spell’s attack rolls.

That might not seem like much, but when you don’t have unlimited resources, each hit counts more than you’d think.

4. Rakdos Riteknife

Rarity – Legendary (requiring attunement)

Item Type – Weapon (dagger)

Description

Gain a +1 bonus to damage and attack rolls with this weapon. Slaying a creature with an attack using the dagger imprisons its soul within the dagger. 

The creature can only be brought back to life by the Wish spell, and the dagger can hold a maximum of five souls.

Each soul imprisoned in the dagger makes your attacks deal an extra 1d4 Necrotic damage on hit. While the dagger is within 5 feet of you, your dreams will be haunted by whispers from the souls you’ve trapped.

Siphon Vitality – Using a bonus action lets you release any number of stored souls from the dagger to regain 1d10 HP per released soul.

Annihilation – This property can be used if the dagger holds five souls.

Using a reaction immediately after hitting and damaging a creature, you may release the 5 souls.

If the target has fewer than 75 HP afterward, it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution save or die. If it dies, you can’t use this property again until you’ve finished a long rest.

Explanation

Warlocks are inherently linked to forces we cannot understand, and more often than not, those forces turn out to have more dubious intentions in mind for their servant.

Even though its ability to steal souls to increase damage and heal enormous amounts of HP is fantastic, it all comes at a cost.

It will start with bad dreams, then your proclivities to good will be affected, and sooner or later, you will turn to the darkness, just as those who hate Warlocks always said you would.

3. Blade of Broken Mirrors

Rarity – Artifact (requiring attunement by a humanoid)

Item Type – Weapon (dagger)

Description

Sentience – Sentient Chaotic Evil weapon with Intelligence Wisdom of 24, Charisma of 24, and Intelligence of 21. It has darkvision and hearing to a range of 120 feet.

It also communicates telepathically with the one who wields it, understanding Abyssal and Common.

Personality – Ragazuu, an insane glabrezu, lives within the dagger, yearning for chaos, learning from the principles of its wielder and using it to its advantage.

Dormant – The dagger has abilities in its dormant state:

• Can speak, read, and write Abyssal.
• Gain +1 bonus to damage and attack rolls with this weapon, and making a ranged attack with this weapon immediately returns it to your hand.
• Killing a humanoid with the dagger allows the blade to remember the creature’s appearance. Holding the dagger allows you to use an action and change your form to match any humanoid it remembers.

Only your size changes, no other statistics, and the equipment you’re carrying or wearing isn’t changed. Using an action lets you revert to your true form. You’ll automatically revert to your true form after dying.

• If the dagger is attuned by a new wielder, all prior appearances are wiped.

Awakened – The dagger has abilities when its awakened state:

• Bonus damage and attack rolls increase to +2.
• Holding the dagger lets you use an action and cast spells from it (DC 15): Fabricate, Hallucinatory Terrain, Major Image, or Phantasmal Killer. 

A spell that has been cast like this cannot be cast again until the following dawn.

Exalted – The dagger has abilities when its Exalted state:

• Bonus damage and attack rolls increase to +3.
• Save DC for spells cast using the dagger increase to 17.
• Holding the dagger lets you turn invisible by using an action. Anything you’re carrying or wearing is also invisible.

You’ll remain invisible until you stop holding the dagger, attack, cast a spell forcing a creature to make a saving throw, or use a bonus action to become visible again.

Explanation

The Blade of Broken Mirrors is a great Dagger to add to your Warlock if you want to build a stealthier Warlock who uses their Charisma to get out of acts of mischief.

It gives you the ability to cast a few extra spells, go invisible, and even change form. You even get a nice bonus to attack, determined by its rarity.

However, there is another side to this weapon, as you can also use it for evil. Lurking in the shadows, taking out those who wronged you and disobeying orders for your own enjoyment.

There are many ways to use it, which makes it easy for you to add it to your build.

2. Rod of the Pact Keeper

Rarity – Uncommon (+1), Rare (+2), Very Rare (+3) (requiring attunement by a Warlock)

Item Type – Rod

Description

Holding the rod lets you gain a bonus to saving throw DCs and spell attack rolls of your Warlock spells. The rod’s rarity will determine the bonus.

While holding the rod, you also regain one Warlock spell slot as an action. This property cannot be used again until you’ve finished a long rest.

Explanation

Warlocks are destined to hold the Rod of the Pact Keeper, especially those who want to dish out as many spells as successfully as possible.

If you’re uncertain about which item you should take on a Warlock, then your default should be the Rod of the Pact Keeper.

1. Staff of the Magi

Rarity – Legendary (requiring attunement by a Wizard, Warlock, or Sorcerer)

Item Type – Staff

Description

This staff may be wielded as a magic quarterstaff, granting a +2 bonus to damage and attack rolls. Wielding it also gives you +2 spell attack rolls.

It has 50 charges, regaining 4d6 + 2 expended charges each day at dawn. Expending the last charge forces you to roll a d20. Rolling a 20 lets the staff regain 1d12 + 1 charges.

Spell Absorption – Holding the staff gives you advantage on saving throws against spells. You can also use your reaction when a creature casts a spell only targeting you.

Doing this makes the staff absorb the magic of the spell, canceling the effects and gaining charges equal to the spell’s level. But, if this brings the staff’s total charges above 50, the staff explodes, activating Retributive Strike.

Spells – Holding the staff lets you expend some of its charges to cast certain spells: 

Flaming Sphere (2 charges), Invisibility (2 charges), Knock (2 charges), Web (2 charges), Dispel Magic (3 charges), Ice Storm (4 charges), Wall of Fire (4 charges), Passwall (5 charges), Telekinesis (5 charges), Conjure Elemental (7 charges), Fireball (7th-level version, 7 charges), Lightning Bolt (7th-level version, 7 charges), Plane Shift (7 charges).

Certain spells can also be cast without any charges, only using an action:

Protection from Evil and Good, Mage Hand, Light, Enlarge/Reduce, Detect Magic, and Arcane Lock.

Retributive Strike – Use an action to break the staff against a solid surface or on your knee to perform a Retributive Strike. This destroys the staff, releases its remaining magic, and explodes to fill a 30-foot radius centered on it.

There is a 50% chance to instantly travel to a random plane of existence, avoiding its explosion. Failing to avoid the effect means you will take Force damage that’s equal to 16 X the number of charges in the staff.

Creatures in the area must make a DC 17 Dexterity save. Failing means the creature takes damage depending on how far away they are from the point of origin. Succeeding in the save means the creature takes only half the damage.

Explanation

The Staff of the Magi is one of the most powerful magical staffs out there, and its power turns an ordinary spellcaster into a near god.

It not only leaves its use with an excessive amount of free spells but it can also be used as a magical Quarterstaff to inflict damage on enemies who get too close.

You can even absorb spells and turn them into charges to continue blasting spells without care!

Final Thoughts

For the most part, each class in D&D has its most used or beloved weapon that is both iconic and functional.

Though some of these weapons might not be the best D&D weapon overall, they remain the best option for that character at the moment.

A good example would be the choice between a dagger or a sword, as it all depends on how much damage they need, their subclass, and which they like more.

In the end, whether you decide to take a conventional or unconventional weapon, as long as you like it and it fits your playstyle, you should roll with it!