Firbolgs aren’t the first race people tend to consider for a warlock; possibly because it’s hard to imagine these forest guardians making a pact with Orcus, but also because before Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything and Monsters of the Multiverse, their ability scores didn’t work at all for a warlock.

However, now that we exist in a time with more flexible ability scores, all we have to do is expand our concept of what a warlock can be, and all of a sudden, we have dozens of brilliant firbolg warlock concepts.

How to Make a Firbolg Warlock

Prioritize charisma first, then dexterity and constitution second, and then wisdom, then everything else. You need to be able to hit people, deal good damage, and land your saving throw spells, and you need the other three stats for various kinds of defense.

If you have medium armor proficiency somehow, you don’t need a dexterity higher than 14, otherwise, go as high as you like when prioritizing it.

For your subclass, you have a delicious platter of options: anything from Archfey to Undead will work. Although some subclasses are better than others (Hexblade, Undead, and Genie being the standouts), Undying is the only outright awful option, so avoid it.

Unless you are going for a galaxy-brained weapon build, you need to take the Agonizing Blast invocation as soon as it’s available; otherwise, your damage will be terrible.

How to Play a Firbolg Warlock

Your main source of damage is Eldritch Blast, but a d10+mod is not by itself amazing: add whatever you like to it, whether it’s the frightened effect of the Undead subclass, the Repelling Blast invocation for forced movement, or extra damage from subclasses or the Hex spell.

It’s probably a bad idea to upcast Hex, so use other spells when your pact slots upgrade to second level spell slots. Only continue to use Hex if you have some means of casting it without using a higher level spell slot, such as by using multiclass spell slots or by using a feat to get a free casting of it every day.

Despite their power, your spell slots are woefully limited, so try to cast concentration spells or other spells with ongoing benefits such as summoning spells, Suggestion, Banishment, Synaptic Static (notable for its ongoing effect which lacks concentration and requires an intelligence save to end), and so on.

Try to take short rests whenever it’s reasonable; don’t expect your table to tolerate eight short rests in a day, but two to four rests in a day are fine unless there’s time pressure. A warlock without short rests is an extremely depressed warlock.

Firbolgs come with a bonus action invisibility ability, and generally speaking, it’s better used defensively than offensively. Only use it to gain advantage on one attack when you absolutely have to, because using it as a super dodge + disengage combo is usually better.

How to Roleplay as a Firbolg Warlock

The versatility in patron allows you to go wherever you like. Consider the environment you were raised in, as well as how you got your warlock powers. Did you date an archfey for a while and get free magic from them? Did you trick Orcus into giving you your powers? Does Vecna own your soul now? And typical firbolg forest community or not, how did the people of your homeland react to it?

By answering these questions, the answers to which vary based on your subclass and the nature of your pact, you can learn more about how your character interacts with the society around them.

And remember, if you haven’t had many roleplaying opportunities lately and are dying to have one or two, you can always talk to a squirrel.