Warlock Builds and Tips - Halls of Torment Guide - IGN (2024)

In Halls of Torment, the Warlock is a summons-based Character that can be unlocked by defeating the Wyrm Queen in the Ember Grounds. As you fight through tougher and tougher opponents, even a Hero as mighty as the Warlock will inevitably succumb to the horde unless you've paired them with the perfect build.

In this guide, we'll break down the best Blessings, Traits, and Abilities to add to your Warlock build and provide some tips to help you outlast the Halls of Torment.

Warlock Builds and Tips

• Warlock Base Attributes
• Best Warlock Equipment and Items
• Best Warlock Blessings
• Best Warlock Traits
• Best Warlock Abilities
• Warlock Tips and Tricks

Warlock Base Attributes

Best Warlock Equipment and Items

• Wind Crown - 1% attack speed for 5s for each killed enemy (up to +50% attack speed).

The Wind Crown is amongst the most valuable Items in Halls of Torment and no other Headgear is uniquely tailored to support the Warlock. Remember to target groups of vulnerable enemies to rack up kills and thereby markedly improve your Attack Speed.

• Shadow Cloak - Spawns shadows near you that damage enemies and increase your block strength by 10.

While no crown is tailored to the Warlock, the Shadow Cloak is on the other end of the spectrum and was made specifically for this Character. The shadows spawned by this Garment not only damage enemies but it gives you a +10 Block boost, as long as you stand within a shadow. You will lose the Block bonus immediately if you step outside of the shadows, so try your best to stand within them at all times. The Blood-Soaked Shirt is a decent Garment alternative that provides consistent healing if you continually rack up kills.

• Spike Boots - When hit, drop 10 spikes to the ground that deal 100 damage and stun the enemy on contact. Takes 4 seconds to recharge. Can't be blocked.

Selecting the best Footwear for the Warlock is arguably the most difficult category because none of the items significantly augment this Character. But since you have to choose, the Spike Boots will punish monsters that barge into your shadows to hurt you.

• Invocator's Grasp - +40% Summon Spawns. +40% Summon Duration. +20% Summon Damage.

If any Item is a must-pick when playing the Warlock, it's the Invocator's Grasp. This pair of Gloves provides insane boosts to not only your Main Weapon but also any additional summons. To get the most out of the Invocator's Grasp, select Items such as the Necromancer's Clutch, Demonic Bond, or Pest's Ring. Then once in a stage, select Duration-based Traits and the Summon Golem Ability.

• Jade Amulet - +50% XP Gain.

With the +50% XP Gain provided by the Jade Amulet, you'll Level Up more frequently which will enable you to select more Traits. To select the Traits that'll most benefit the Warlock, reference the table in the section below. The Collar of Confidence is a close second in this category because it grants +5% damage for each enemy in your Pickup Range.

• Any Summon Rings - Necromancer's Clutch | Demonic Bond | Pest Ring

Halls of Torment has three summon-based Rings – the Pest Ring, Demonic Bond, and Necromancer's Clutch. Each of these items spawns creatures to fight alongside you but with a few minor differences. For instance, the allies spawned by the Pest Ring apply 5 random debuffs. Picking between these Rings is rather difficult but regardless of your choice, the creatures will see major benefits from the Invocator's Grasp.

• Seal of Rebirth - When you die, the seal breaks and revives you with 50% of your max health.

In a horde survival game like Halls of Torment, any chance at a second life is immensely valuable. While there's nothing wrong with throwing on a second summons-based Ring, the second life provided by the Seal of Rebirth is tough to beat.

Best Warlock Blessings

To begin, you'll want to invest your Gold primarily in Attack Speed and Duration. While Attack Speed is available in the Shrine of Blessings by default, the Duration Blessing needs to be unlocked by acquiring the Channeling V Trait in a run. Upgrading the Duration of your summons will ensure that you maximize the Warlock's already impressive Range. Next, work on purchasing Blessings to increase your Damage and Health Regeneration. The Warlock's Damage can be underpowered toward the start of your runs and they do not regenerate health unless you've purchased a Health Regeneration Blessing or selected a regenerative trait.

To get the most out of the Warlock, invest in the Blessings listed above, and remember that any Gold spent on Blessings can be refunded in full at your campsite.

Best Warlock Traits

Best Warlock Abilities

Warlock Tips and Tricks

• If you purchase Area/Projectile Size Blessings or equip Items that augment this Attribute, the benefits will not be reflected in your pause menu. However, this seems to be a bug, and upgrading your Area/Projectile Size will improve your selected Abilities and your Main Weapon.
• The Warlock is unable to deal critical damage with their Main Weapon. Even if you increase your Critical Hit Chance and Damage, this bonus will only apply to the Abilities selected during your run.
• Several of the Warlock's Main Weapon Upgrades provide an upgrade at the cost of your Max Health. Invest in Traits and Blessings that boost your Max Health to prevent you from falling below 250 Max HP.