Gnome Warlock Build Guide

Levels 1-4

Start with the Fiend Patron to secure Command and Burning Hands. At level 2, immediately take the Agonizing Blast and Repelling Blast invocations. Repelling Blast pushes enemies 10 feet away per hit; since your Gnome movement speed is only 25 feet, this is mandatory to prevent getting cornered by faster monsters. At level 3, choose Pact of the Tome to grab Guidance and Minor Illusion (a classic Gnome staple). At level 4, take the Telekinetic feat to bump your 15 Charisma to 16. The bonus action 5-foot shove from Telekinetic gives you a reliable way to disengage enemies without wasting your action.

Levels 5-10

At level 5, your spell DPR jumps to 9 as Eldritch Blast gains a second beam. Swap out a lower-level spell for Fireball—this is your primary use for your 3rd-level Pact Magic slots. Take the Eldritch Mind invocation. Gnomish Cunning protects your mental saves, but it does absolutely nothing for Constitution saves; Eldritch Mind gives you advantage to maintain concentration on Hex or Wall of Fire. At level 8, take your first Ability Score Improvement as +2 Charisma, bringing you to 18 to maximize your spell attack modifier and Agonizing Blast damage.

Levels 11-16

Level 11 unlocks your first Mystic Arcanum; take Mass Suggestion, a non-concentration encounter-ending spell. Your spell DPR naturally scales to 12.38 here with a third Eldritch Blast beam. At level 12, take the Resilient (Constitution) feat to bump your 13 CON to 14, granting proficiency in the one major saving throw Gnomish Cunning ignores. For your 6th and 7th level Arcanum choices at levels 13 and 15, select Mental Prison and Forcecage to lock down major threats while you blast away from the safety of the backline.

Levels 17-20

At level 17, your spell DPR peaks at 16.5 with four beams of Eldritch Blast. Choose Foresight as your 9th-level Mystic Arcanum. Foresight grants advantage on all attacks, ability checks, and saving throws. When combined with Gnomish Cunning, rolling with advantage on a proficient Wisdom saving throw means you will virtually never fail a mental save again. At level 19, cap your Charisma at 20. Your final Invocation choices should include Visions of Distant Realms to scout with Arcane Eye safely.

Cantrips

Eldritch Blast is non-negotiable; it is your primary damage engine. Take Minor Illusion to create 5-foot boxes to hide your Gnome behind for total cover, and Mage Hand to interact with traps from a safe distance.

Level 1-2 Spells

Armor of Agathys is vital; as a d8 caster with a 13 Constitution, the scaling temporary hit points punish enemies who manage to catch your slow 25-foot movement speed. Hex provides early-game damage padding, though you'll drop it later. Scorching Ray is a solid single-target burst option for your 2nd-level slots.

Level 3-5 Spells

Fireball is the hallmark of the Fiend Warlock. Cast it constantly. Counterspell is uniquely strong on this build; if you fail the check and the enemy spell goes off, Gnomish Cunning gives you advantage on the resulting saving throw. Synaptic Static at level 5 is an incredible non-concentration debuff that targets Intelligence saves.

High-Level Spells

For your Mystic Arcanum, Mass Suggestion (6th) removes multiple enemies from the fight without concentration. Forcecage (7th) traps melee brutes permanently. Feeblemind (8th) cripples enemy casters, and Foresight (9th) turns you into an untouchable artillery piece.

Telekinetic

Take this at level 4. It rounds your 15 Charisma up to 16, and the invisible Mage Hand is great utility. More importantly, the bonus action shove is a lifesaver. Because your Gnome base speed is 25 feet, getting out of melee is difficult. Shoving an enemy 5 feet away allows you to cast Eldritch Blast without disadvantage, or walk away without triggering an opportunity attack.

Resilient (Constitution)

Take this at level 12. Your starting CON is 13. This bumps it to an even 14, giving you more HP and proficiency in Constitution saving throws. Gnomish Cunning only covers Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. Resilient (CON) completes your defensive profile, making you incredibly difficult to break concentration on.

Fey Touched

If you prefer an alternative to Telekinetic at level 4, Fey Touched provides the same +1 Charisma but grants Misty Step. A 30-foot teleport is the ultimate fix for a 25-foot movement speed, letting you bypass hazardous terrain or escape grapples instantly. Grab Silvery Barbs or Gift of Alacrity as your 1st-level spell.

Tier 1 (Levels 1-4)

Acquire Studded Leather armor immediately to maximize your 14 Dexterity, giving you a baseline 14 AC. Look for a Rod of the Pact Keeper +1 to boost your spell attack rolls and save DC, while granting a desperately needed extra Pact Magic slot once per long rest.

Tier 2 (Levels 5-10)

Seek out a Cloak of Displacement. Enemies having disadvantage to hit you pairs beautifully with Gnomish Cunning giving you advantage on magical saves—you become a nightmare to damage. Upgrade to a Rod of the Pact Keeper +2 as soon as your DM allows it.

Tier 3 (Levels 11-16)

An Illusionist's Bracers is the holy grail for a Warlock, allowing you to cast Eldritch Blast as a bonus action, effectively doubling your DPR. If that's banned, aim for a Staff of Power to drastically boost your AC, saving throws (stacking incredibly with your Gnome traits), and spell selection.

Tier 4 (Levels 17-20)

The Robe of the Archmagi sets your base AC to 15 (17 with DEX), grants advantage on saving throws against spells (redundant with Gnomish Cunning, but applies to CON/DEX saves too!), and further boosts your spell save DC and spell attack bonus.

As a Gnome Warlock blaster, you are squishy, slow, and devastating at range. You require a robust frontline to absorb aggro so you aren't constantly retreating with your 25-foot movement speed. An Ancestral Guardian Barbarian is a perfect pairing; they can lock down a boss with their spectral warriors, forcing the enemy to attack them with disadvantage, leaving you completely free to spam Fireball and Eldritch Blast.

Alternatively, an Oath of the Watchers or Oath of Devotion Paladin is a dream teammate. Standing within their Aura of Protection adds their Charisma modifier to all your saving throws. When you combine a Paladin's Aura with Gnomish Cunning, you will literally never fail an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw against magic for the rest of the campaign.

Sorcerer (Divine Soul) 1 dip

Taking your very first level in Sorcerer grants you proficiency in Constitution saving throws natively (saving you a feat later). Divine Soul gives you access to Shield, Absorb Elements, and Favored by the Gods (adding 2d4 to a failed save). This transforms your Gnome into an impenetrable magical bunker.

Fighter 2 dip

Taking two levels of Fighter grants Action Surge. Because Pact Magic spell slots aren't limited by the bonus-action casting rule, you can use Action Surge to cast two Fireballs in a single turn. It also grants medium armor and shield proficiency, fixing your low AC without needing defensive invocations.

• Ignoring your slow speed: Gnomes only move 25 feet. If you don't take Repelling Blast or Telekinetic, standard 30-foot speed enemies will effortlessly run you down and pummel your d8 hit die.
• Assuming Gnomish Cunning protects your Concentration: It grants advantage on INT/WIS/CHA saves against magic. Concentration checks are Constitution saving throws. You still need Eldritch Mind or War Caster to maintain your spells.
• Attempting to use weapons: Your optimal array has an 8 STR and 14 DEX. Your level 11 melee DPR is 3.58. Never swing a dagger; always use Eldritch Blast.
• Hoarding Pact Slots: You only have two slots for most of your career. Don't save them for a boss that might not happen. Drop a Fireball on the first group of three or more enemies you see, then short rest.