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View Full Version : The Warlock - a massive rewrite [3.5 Base Class WIP]



MammonAzrael
2011-12-16, 07:26 PM
I worked up a rewrite of the warlock several years ago (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72783). The basic idea was that I was unsatisfied with how focused the mechanical side of the class was on dark, evil powers when the fluff clearly indicated that there were alternate methods for being a warlock. It was recently brought to my attention again, and looking over it, I find myself distinctly unsatisfied. So I’m updating my rewrite to incorporate the experience I’ve gained since I first wrote it.

Now, the warlock is a well-loved class by many, myself included. This is certainly for it’s flavor, which has curiously diverged into two very different paths. The first path, the one I’ve been seeing far more often, is a person who makes a pact with some eldritch and powerful being for arcane power. The popularity of this version, I suspect, is due in large part to 4th edition, as that is the fluff for warlocks there. However, 3.5 has another class that deals with supernatural entities in exchange for power - the binder. The binder captures the feel of pact-making far better than any warlock fix I have ever seen.

Which leads me to the second fluff path: a warlock is a being that has inherited it’s power from it’s ancestors. Usually a demon or fey hiding in the family tree as a great-great-great grandfather or something. The power they wield is not the result of some bargain made with mysterious beings from beyond, it is a fundamental part of who they are. This is the fluff presented in Complete Arcane, and it is how I’ve always seen them. But oddly, nearly every fix I’ve seen chooses to take the former approach with pacts. This remix will focus on the latter option.

Mechanically speaking, the warlock is an energizer bunny. They can go pretty much forever without exhausting their resources. The (rather harsh) trade off for this stamina that Wizards handed out was a dramatically reduced impact in many respects. The damage they can meet out is rather unimpressive, making them poor blasters (at least in realistic combat durations). The invocations they can use are fairly varied, but the small number of viable options they receive still creates a bottleneck, making warlocks fairly narrow on a case-by-case basis. Their item-based abilities are nifty, but aren’t mind-blowing (especially now that we can just play an artificer). And the other abilities are hardly worth mentioning.

This rewrite will focus on their inherited abilities to a great extent, emphasizing the different boons gained from different ancestors. Role-wise they will still not be dedicated blasters (though they will be better at the role), but rather a class that you can mold to fit what you want, from blaster to BFC to party face...but more than anything, to bump up the overall power level of the class.

Table of Contents

1st Post (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=12388325#post12388325): Introduction, Class Basics, Table, and Class Features
2nd Post (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=12388331#post12388331): Heritage Features
3rd Post (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=12388336#post12388336): Invocations
4th Post (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=12388341#post12388341): Extras and Change Log


2


The Warlock

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/ca_gallery/85424.jpg

Alignment: Any (see below)
Hit Die: d6

Class Skills
Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha)
Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier


The first change: warlocks are now getting 4+ Int skill points. 2 skill points is so laughably tiny, particularly for any class that doesn’t already focus on Int. It greatly limits your out-of-combat capabilities, and furthermore doesn’t even make sense for a warlock; it isn’t like the warlock is spending years shut in a tower studying!

The skill list is altered only slightly, to include the last of the social skills. The warlock can make for an excellent party face in any situation, using their natural charisma to maximum effect. Use Magic Device is the only other stand out, and is brilliantly utilized by warlocks. Their connection to magic, and magical items, has been increased, which melds well with their innate arcane power.

Table: WarlockLevel|
Base Attack[br]Bonus|
Fortitude[br]Save|
Reflex[br]Save|
Will[br]Save|Special|
Invocations[br]Known|
Shapes and[br]Essences

1st|+0|
+1|
+0|
+2|Eldritch blast 1d6, invocations (least)|
1|
0

2nd|+1|
+1|
+0|
+3|Heritage (1st ability)|
2|
0

3rd|+2|
+2|
+1|
+3|Detect magic, eldritch blast 2d6|
2|
1

4th|+3|
+2|
+1|
+4|Heritage (2nd ability)|
3|
1

5th|+3|
+3|
+1|
+4|Deceive item, eldritch blast 3d6|
3|
2

6th|+4|
+3|
+2|
+5|Heritage (3rd ability), invocations (lesser)|
4|
2

7th|+5|
+3|
+2|
+5|Eldritch blast 4d6|
5|
2

8th|+6/+1|
+4|
+2|
+6|Heritage (4th ability), identify item|
5|
3

9th|+6/+1|
+4|
+3|
+6|Eldritch blast 5d6, eldritch volley|
6|
3

10th|+7/+2|
+5|
+3|
+7|Arcane sight, heritage (5th ability)|
6|
4

11th|+8/+3|
+5|
+3|
+7|Eldritch blast 6d6, invocations (greater)|
7|
4

12th|+9/+4|
+6|
+4|
+8|Heritage (6th ability)|
8|
4

13th|+9/+4|
+6|
+4|
+8|Eldritch blast 7d6, eldritch soul|
8|
5

14th|+10/+5|
+6|
+4|
+9|Heritage (7th ability)|
9|
5

15th|+11/+6/+1|
+7|
+5|
+9|Eldritch blast 8d6, greater arcane sight|
9|
6

16th|+12/+7/+2|
+7|
+5|
+10|Heritage (8th ability), invocations (ancestry)|
10|
6

17th|+12/+7/+2|
+8|
+5|
+10|Eldritch blast 9d6|
11|
6

18th|+13/+8/+3|
+8|
+6|
+11|Eldritch volley, heritage (9th ability)|
11|
7

19th|+14/+9/+4|
+9|
+6|
+11|Eldritch blast 10d6|
12|
7

20th|+15/+10/+5|
+9|
+6|
+12|Heritage (10th ability), renew item|
12|
8


The biggest change here is the addition of a lot of invocations. An issue that always plagued warlocks was the forced choice between nifty invocations and improving your eldritch blasts. to get any real versatility out of the ability, you’d be sacrificing nearly all of your potential versatility from other invocations. With the shapes and essences having a separate progression that dilemma is eliminated, allowing you to have interesting options with both your invocations and your primary method of attack.

The only other change to note here is the improved Fortitude save. It isn’t an official progression; it’s the unofficial medium save progression. I’ve always felt like Warlocks should be made of a little sterner stuff, bolstered by their eldritch lineage.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the warlock.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Warlocks are proficient with all simple weapons. They are proficient with light armor but not with shields.

Since the somatic components required for warlock invocations are uncomplicated gestures, a warlock’s invocations ignore the arcane spell failure chance of light armor. This does not apply to any other form of armor, nor does this apply to spells or abilities granted from other classes.

No changes or surprises here. A warlock will rarely be using an actual weapon, and those that do are pretty specialized, which is why Exotic Weapon Proficiency is an option.

Light armor is still the norm for warlocks, as they are slightly more martial than wizards and sorcerers; a warlock’s abilities are simple in combat and aren’t hampered by flexible armor.

Invocations


Due to the eldritch power that flows through his veins, a warlock does not prepare or cast spells as other wielders of arcane magic do. Instead, he possesses a repertoire of attacks, defenses, and abilities known as invocations that require him to focus the wild energy that suffuses his soul. A warlock can use any invocations he knows at-will, with the following qualifications:

A warlock’s invocations are spell-like abilities; using an invocation is a standard action that provokes an attack of opportunity unless otherwise indicated in it’s description. An invocation can be disrupted, just as a spell can be ruined during casting. A warlock is entitled to a Concentration check to successfully use an invocation if he is hit by an attack while invoking, just as a spellcaster would be. A warlock can choose to use an invocation defensively, by making a successful Concentration check, to avoid provoking attacks of opportunity. A warlock’s invocations are subject to spell resistance unless an invocation’s description specifically states otherwise. A warlock’s caster level with his invocations is equal to his warlock level. A warlock may dismiss an invocation as a standard action, just as a wizard can dismiss a spell.

The save DC for an invocation (if it allows a save) is equal to 10 + the equivalent spell level of the invocation + the warlock’s Charisma modifier. Since spell-like abilities are not actually spells, a warlock cannot benefit from any metamagic feat or the Spell Focus feat. He can, however, benefit from the Ability Focus feat and any other feat that affects spell-like abilities. Unlike other spell-like abilities, invocations are subject to arcane spell failure chance.

The four grades of invocations, in order of their relative power, are least, lesser, greater and ancestral. A warlock begins play with knowledge of one least-grade invocation. As a warlock gains levels, he learns new invocations, as shown on the table above. At any level when a warlock learns a new invocation, he may also replace an invocation he already knows with another invocation of the same grade or lower. At 6th level, a warlock gains access to lesser invocations; at 11th level, a warlock gains access to greater invocations and at 16th level the warlock gains access to ancestral invocations.

Finally, by virtue of their strong connection to arcane magics, warlocks can qualify for some prestige classes usually intended for spellcasters; see Warlocks and Prestige Classes section below for details.
There should be no mechanical changes here, just cleaned up wording. Invocations have always been a standout feature of the class, and there is no reason to change them. I have changed dark invocations to ancestry invocations to reflect a warlocks varying heritage instead of the purely dark focus of the original version.

Oh, when you gain invocations has been altered, but only slightly for better consistency. You still end the class with 12.
Blast Shapes and Eldritch Essences


Not all invocations a warlock knows have any direct effect upon the world; rather, they modify a warlock’s eldritch blast, changing the damage or other effects of the ability. There are two types of these invocations: blast shapes and eldritch essences. Using any of these invocations is part of the same action as the eldritch blast. A warlock may apply up to one blast shape and one eldrtich essence to a single eldritch blast. When a warlock applies a blast shape or eldritch essence, the effective spell level of the modified eldritch blast is equal to the effective spell level of the invocation; if using both, the effective spell level is the highest between the two invocations, plus 1 (thus, a warlock that uses a blast shape of effective spell level 4th and an eldritch essence of effective spell level 3rd has an effective spell level for its eldritch blast of 5th level).

A blast shape affects the range, target, or area of effect of a eldritch blast. Unless noted otherwise, an eldritch blast subject to a blast shape invocation deals damage normally (as well as applying the effect of any applied eldritch essence or any other ability that modifies invocations).

An eldritch essence modifies the damage dealt by an eldritch blast or cause a variety of effects. If the warlock targets a creature with an eldritch blast modified by an eldritch essence that has immunity to the essence’s effect, the creature still takes damage from the attack normally (provided the creature isn’t immune to the eldritch blast itself).

Blast shapes and eldritch essences may be selected as normal just like any other invocation, but warlocks will always learn some methods to modify their eldritch blasts. At the levels shown on the table above (3rd, 5th, 8th, 10th, 13th, 15th, 18th, and 20th) a warlock learns a new invocation, but these invocations must be either blast shapes or eldritch essences. These blast shapes and essences may not be swapped out like your other invocations.
As mentioned above, the methods to modify your eldrtich blast conflicted with your other invocations, making for some very limited options at times. You could have a solid number of invocations, but then combat would grow boring quite quickly, as your actions would change little from round to round. Or you could have a great variety of shapes/essences...and you’d have little else to ever do. So now you’re going to be able to modify your eldritch blast no matter what, and to a pretty decent extent. This will also give the lower level essences a chance to see more play, as they would often be skipped over in favor of waiting for more powerful options.

Increasing the spell level of your eldritch blast by 1 when you applied both a shape and essence was an idea I got from T.G. Oskar’s rework of the class (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=212830), but aside from that these invocations are functionally unchanged.
Eldritch Blast (Sp)


The first invocation that all warlocks learn is the eldritch blast. A warlock attacks his foes with pure arcane power, causing damage and sometimes imparting other debilitating effects.

An eldritch blast is a ray with a range of 60 ft. It is a ranged touch attack that affects a single target, and allows no saving throw. An eldritch blast deals 1d6 points of damage at 1st level, and increases in power as shown on the table above. An eldritch blast is the equivalent of a 1st level spell. If you apply a blat shape or eldritch essence invocation to your eldritch blast your eldritch blast uses the level equivalent of the shape or essence.

An eldritch blast is subject to spell resistance, although feats like Spell Penetration and other effects that increase caster level checks for overcoming spell resistance apply to eldritch blast. An eldritch blast deals half damage to objects. Metamagic feats cannot improve a warlock’s eldritch blast, but feats that affect spell-like abilities can affect this ability; for instance, Ability Focus (eldritch blast) increases the DC for all saving throws (if any) associated with a warlock’s eldritch blast by 2.
The most obvious, and common, change is altering the progression of eldritch blast to match sneak attack progression. Why it topped out at 9d6 originally I will never truly understand. An average of 35 damage isn’t anything to worry about by level 19.

This incorporates the errata...for those of you in the know, you understand. For those of you not in the know, eldritch blast originally had a spell level that changed with your level, but that caused some messes and confusion. This is cleaner.
Heritage


At 2nd level a Warlock begins manifesting certain aspects of his otherworldly ancestors. This power flows through your blood, an inheritance from a mighty creature you are descended from. You must choose one of the lineages in the following post (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=12388331#post12388331). Once chosen this choice cannot be changed. Some heritage’s have prerequisites you must meet to select that lineage; if at any point you no longer meet the prerequisites for your heritage you will cease to gain heritage abilities (but you retain the ones you’ve already awakened, and if you are able to again meet the prerequisites you will continue to gain heritage abilities). If a heritage ability grants a save, the DC is 10 + half your class level + your Charisma modifier.
Heritage is the big new addition to the class. It reflects whatever your source of power is, and grants benefits associated with it. The original warlock gained several different abilities, but they were all reminiscent of a demonic linage (in addition to being remarkably underwhelming). With Heritage, if you choose to have an Angelic cause for your powers, you will be notably different in your abilities than if you received your arcane abilities from a demon or a fey.

The progression is staggered with your Eldritch Blast, ensuring that you acquire a new ability or enhancement at every single level. Heritage will grant a large variety of abilities, to really help define each lineage. The main capstone of the class with be the 10th Heritage ability, since that is the driving flavor of the class. Each lineage will have it’s own notes, as they will diverge enough to require unique comments.

In the future I’d like to increase the available lineages, including draconic, elemental, and undead heritage options.
Detect Magic (Sp)


A warlock begins to grasp the basic foundations of magic as he grows in power. At 3rd level he can use detect magic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/detectMagic.htm) as the spell at will. His caster level is equal to his class level.
You’ll recognize this from the second level of standard warlocks. There wasn’t anything wrong with getting this at 2nd, but with the addition of Heritage, moving this to 3rd spread things out better.

This ability is the first mechanical point that shows the warlock’s connection to magic around him, not just the power welling up from his soul. This is expanded upon with his affinity for magical items in the original version, and expanded greatly in this reworking. If it’s magic, the warlock is going to notice it!
Deceive Item (Ex)


The energies that surround and flow through magical items are easier to control for a warlock. At 5th level a warlock can more easily manipulate complex magical items. When making a Use Magic Device check, he can take 10 on the check, even if distracted or threatened.
And this you’ll recognize from the fourth level of standard warlocks. The reasons for it shifting a level are the same as for Detect Magic.

This is the first mechanic that says “Hey, I am awesome at utilizing magic, even when it comes prepackaged in item form!” Other classes may get UMD, and it’ll be useful. But this class has an innate connect with magic, one that allows him to use magical devices with far more mastery. This focus on items and magic in general is important, so the warlock doesn’t feel like nothing more than an extension of his bloodline. While that may be what makes him a warlock, this thread ties all the various warlocks together into a cohesive whole. They all have a deep and profound connection to magic that transcends the narrower focus of their blood.
Identify Item (Su)


A warlock of 8th level has grown to understand the weaving of magical power to such an extent that he can understand the function of magical items with brief study. When he casts detect magic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/detectMagic.htm) on an item, he may then spend 1 minute concentrating on the item to also learn the properties of the item, as if he had cast identify (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/identify.htm).
If a warlock is going to have a deep connection to magical items, it’d sure be nice if he knew what they did! Dragonfire Adepts already have an invocation that grants infinite free identifies...and it’s almost a required invocation because of how darn nice it is to have. So instead of just porting the invocation over for warlocks, their enhanced connection of all magic allows them all to identify stuff. When you’ve got a warlock on your team, it will never blow you away, but you’ll always be happy to have it.
Eldritch Volley (Su)


The experience of wielding his eldritch blast for so long has granted the warlock the stamina to fire off multiple blasts in quick succession. At 9th level, if a warlock uses his eldritch blast in a round he may launch an additional eldritch blast at his full base attack bonus as a swift action. When the warlock reaches 18th level he may launch up to two additional eldritch blasts instead of only one.
Warlocks are not dedicated blasters. But they are a never-ending supply of raw arcane damage. One of the greatest and most common complaints is that they only ever get a single eldritch blast a turn. Full attacking with an eldritch glaive is quite nice, but it also requires a fairly specific build to ensure you don’t go squish. While you do get this late in the class, it grants warlocks who have stuck with the class a pretty noticeable boost in damage output. It doesn’t eat up his move action because that wouldn’t make much sense, given the nature of eldritch blast. At this point, firing out that second shot gives him the option of focus-firing better, or performing as a better BFC, hitting more targets and caring more about the riders than the damage. Once he gets the third blast, he’ll be dealing respectable damage out of the box for the late game.
Arcane Sight (Su)


A warlock’s understanding of arcane power has grown and matured at 10th level, to the point that magic around him is easily visible. He is under an effect similar to arcane sight (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/arcaneSight.htm), except that instead of using a Spellcraft check to determine schools of magic, he uses his ranks in Spellcraft + his caster level. He may supprese or resume this ability as a free action.
Here warlock’s are essentially getting an upgrade to their detect magic ability. Arcane Sight gets very little use as it is, but it can provide a nice wealth of information. Warlocks are really expanding at this point, getting a feel for the magic around them, not just the magic they’re tapping into because of some inhuman genes.

Some of you may be wondering why I bothered changing the Spellcraft check portion of arcane sight. To understand why, play a game in which you have it constantly active. You’ll be making Spellcraft checks left and right, and it will quickly grow annoying (it’ll be even worse in a PBP game!). Instead you get a constant number that your DM knows about and can easily deal with. Streamlining things is good.
Eldritch Soul (Su)


At 13th level the magic that infuses a warlock wells up in an incredible fount of power. His warlock caster level and the caster level of any magical item he uses is considered to be 2 higher.
Warlocks are deeply in tune with magic. Originally exclusive to the Giant Heritage, Eldritch Soul was changed to a main feature of the class in favor of Imbue Item to further reflect the connection and instinctual command of arcane magics a warlock possess. Increasing caster level is less amazing for warlocks than wizards and other casters, but it still provides numerous benefits like better chances at overcoming spell resistance, and makes them outstanding item users.
Greater Arcane Sight (Ex)


By 15th level the world’s magic is laid out before a warlock’s senses, as clear to him as the color of the earth or sky. Like his other senses, so intrinsic is this ability that not even an anti-magic field can disrupt it. He is permanently under an effect similar to greater arcane sight (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/arcaneSightGreater.htm), except that instead of using a Spellcraft check to determine schools of magic, he uses his ranks in Spellcraft + his caster level. He may suppress or resume this ability as a free action. This ability replaces the Arcane Sight ability gained at 10th level.
If you manage to hit this point as a warlock, your understanding and perception of the magic of the world is pretty unrivaled. Magic suffuses your body to the extent that you can tell what magic is where and more with a glance, and it can’t even be shut down anymore. As rarely as arcane sight sees use, the greater version suffers more. It provides a nice effect, but sadly not one that you’ll often want to spend that spell slot one. This really drives home that warlocks are the guys to ask when it comes to magic.
Renew Item (Su)


A warlock of 20th level can utilize his eldritch abilities to recharge magical items that have been temporarily drained. He may concentrate intently on an item that has a limited number of uses that recharge each day and replenish some or all of the charges. If an item has no charges left, he may concentrate uninterrupted for 5 minutes to restore a single charge. Alternatively, he may focus on an item uninterrupted for an hour to fully recharge the item.
While this is not the premier capstone ability (those are found in heritage), it is a, as far as I know, unique effect. Warlocks are the magic users of the world with essentially unlimited stamina. Most often the resources that demand a warlock rest for 8 hours are his items. But now a warlock can keep going as long as he needs or want to, and thanks to his deep understanding of how magical items function, so can his gear.

This gains the party a unique effect, and an extremely useful one, as there are some very powerful items that you’d love to be able to recharge if given the option.

Warlocks and Prestige Classes

A warlock taking levels in a prestige classes that has “+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class” or “+1 level of existing spellcasting class” does not gain any of his class abilities, but he does gain an increased caster level when using his invocations and increased damage with his eldritch blast. A warlock also gains new invocations at these levels as though he had gained a level in the warlock class, as well as which grades of invocation he can learn.

A warlock cannot qualify for a prestige class with a spellcasting level requirement, as he never actually learns to cast spells. However, he can qualify for prestige classes with caster level requirements (a warlock’s caster level for his invocations fulfills this requirement).

MammonAzrael
2011-12-16, 07:27 PM
Heritage

Aberrant lineage

Mind Strike (Su): At 2nd level an aberrant warlock may decide that his next normal melee attack or eldritch blast to be a mind strike attack. One creature of your choice hit by the mind strike attack is confused (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#confused) for 1 round. Once you have used this ability, you cannot do so again for 5 rounds. This is a mind-affecting effect.


Unnatural Existence (Ex): At 4th level, an aberrant warlock’s existence feels slightly off, a fundamental wrongness pervades them. Creatures within 30 feet receive a -2 morale penalty to all rolls that involve the aberrant warlock (attack, damage, skill checks, etc.).


Aberrant Resistance (Su): At 6th level an aberrant warlock gains resistance 10 against acid or electricity, and is immune to poison.


Improved Unnatural Existence: At 8th level the morale penalty from your unnatural existence increase to -3 and you have a 50% chance to ignore critical hits (as medium fortification).


Improved Mind Strike: At 10th level an aberrant warlock’s mind strike attack grows more powerful. Creatures confused by this attack now roll 1d90+10 instead of 1d100 to determine how they act. This is a mind-affecting effect. You now only have to wait 4 rounds to use Mind Strike again.


Improved Unnatural Existence: At 12th level the penalty from your unnatural existence is no longer a morale penalty and you have a 75% chance to ignore critical hits.


Improved Aberrant Resistance: At 14th level an aberrant warlock’s previously chosen resistance increases to 20 and they gain resistance 10 against the other energy type.


Improved Unnatural Existence: At 16th level the penalty from your unnatural existence increase to -4 and you are immune to critical hits.


Improved Mind Strike: At 18th level an aberrant warlock’s mind strike attack grows more encompassing. Each creature hit by your Mind Strike attack is now confused, and creatures confused by this attack now roll 1d80+20 instead of 1d100 to determine how they act. This is a mind-affecting effect.


At 20th level an aberrant warlock’s type changes to aberration. In addition, you can strip the sanity from anyone you touch. When you hit a creature with 3 or more intelligence with a natural attack or your eldritch blast it must succeed a Will save (DC 20 + Cha modifier) or be driven temporarily insane (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/campaigns/sanity.htm#temporaryInsanity) (roll on tables 6-8, 6-9, and 6-10 for duration and effects). A creature that has made it’s save is immune to this effect for 24 hours.
Aberrations are mind twisting incomprehensible horrors inspired by Lovecraftian nightmares. They are so bizarre and beyond our understanding that their mere existence breaks our mind. In my opinion, they do not have an alignment, as their completely alien nature defies normal reality’s definitions. Above all else they just don’t belong in our reality.

Mechanically, they are quite varied, and so focusing on the sanity-warping nature inherent to their inspiration seemed appropriate. Confusion was a natural fit for mind-damage, and finding the alternate sanity rules was just perfect. The defenses are pretty respectable, eventually being so pervasive that even mindless creatures are affected. The entire lineage focuses provides little in the way of physical defenses (the energy types were chosen based on the half-farspawn template), focusing instead on how this creature just really shouldn’t exist, and how the mind tries to compensate and deal with this abomination it is confronted with.
Angelic lineage
Prerequisite: Good alignment

Protective Aura (Su): At 2nd level an angelic warlock radiates an aura of safety. Against attacks made or effects created by evil creatures, this ability provides a +2 deflection bonus to AC and a +2 resistance bonus on saving throws to anyone within 10 feet of you. The warlock may suppress or resume this aura as a free action. This aura can be dispelled, but the warlock can create it again as a free action on his next turn.


Smite Evil (Su): At 4th level an angelic warlock may attempt to smite evil with a normal melee attack or his eldritch blast. He adds his Charisma bonus (if any) to his attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per warlock level. If the angelic warlock accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect. Smite evil may only be used with a melee attack or an eldritch blast that requires an attack roll and only applies to the first creature attacked. Once you have used this ability, you cannot do so again for 5 rounds.


Angelic Resistance (Su): At 6th level an angelic warlock gains resistance 10 against acid and cold, and receives a +4 bonus to saves against petrification.


Improved Protective Aura: At 8th level, the bonus granted by your Protective Aura to AC and saving throws increases to +4.


Improved Smite Evil: At 10th level, when you attempt to smite a creature that is evil, that attack ignores the targets spell resistance. You now only have to wait 4 rounds to use Smite Evil again.


Improved Angelic Resistance: At 12th level an angelic warlock's energy resistance against acid and cold improves to 20, and he gains energy resistance 10 against electricity and fire.


Improved Protective Aura: At 14th level, the radius of your Protective Aura is increased to 20’ and creatures within it are under a magic circle against evil (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/magicCircleAgainstEvil.htm) effect.


Improved Smite Evil: At 16th level, when you hit a creature with your smite it is affected by a dimensional anchor (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dimensionalAnchor.htm) effect for 1 minute. You now only have to wait 3 rounds to use Smite Evil again.


Improved Protective Aura: At 18th level, creatures within your Protective Aura are also under the effect of a lesser globe of invulnerability (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/globeOfInvulnerabilityLesser.htm).


At 20th level the angelic warlock unlocks the final power of his blood. You become immune to acid and cold. In addition, attacks you make are considered good aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction and anything hit by your eldritch blast is affected by a holy word (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/holyWord.htm) (caster level equal to your character level).
Angels are the embodiment of pure Good. they can be Lawful or Chaotic or whatever, but they will always be Good, and devoted to Good ideals. They are phenomenally powerful, some of the most powerful creatures in the game. This lineage taps into their unwavering devotion to all things good, and their fight against Evil.

The passive bonuses are both reflective of the Angel Subtype, their defensive nature protecting the warlock and his allies from Evil. But angels are far from pacifists, and will bring down the hammer against evil with righteous fury. An angelic warlock’s Smite Evil will do just that, and as he grows to face stronger enemies it will evolve to ensure it is not avoided. Smite Evil is on a cooldown timer here ala Binder instead of X/day because I feel it is important to retain the warlock’s unlimited endurance. The capstone is a culmination of angelic properties along with an extremely powerful attack...but one that doesn’t harm other Good beings.

The Angelic lineage focuses quite a lot on alignment, but that is due to the particular nature of angels. There is no equivalent outsider for Evil, Chaos, or Law. Angels are defined by their war against evil and their willingness to perform good deeds - from defending against a demonic invasion to healing the sick and destitute. Those of angelic descent are uniquely gifted to defend against and combat Evil wherever it may appear.
Demonic lineage
Prerequisite: Chaotic and/or evil alignment

Destructive Energy: At 2nd level a demonic warlock wields his arcane might with ferocity, growing more destructive. His eldritch blast’s damage dice increases to a d8.


Demonic Resilience (Su): At 4th level a demonic warlock gains fast healing 3.


Demonic Resistance (Su): At 6th level a demonic warlock gains resistance 10 against electricity and is immune to poison.


Improved Destructive Energy: At 8th level a demonic warlock’s eldritch blast becomes more destructive. It’s damage dice increases to a d10.


Improved Demonic Resilience: At 10th level a demonic warlock's demonic resilience improves to fast healing 6.


Demonic Retaliation (Sp): At 12th level as an immediate action, whenever a demonic warlock is struck by a melee attack he may launch a countering bolt of energy, dealing damage equal to his elrdritch blast to the creature that struck him. This does not provoke an attack of opportunity.


Improved Destructive Energy: At 14th level a demonic warlock’s eldritch blast grows more destructive. It’s damage dice increases to a d12.


Improved Demonic Resilience: At 16th level a demonic warlock's demonic resilience improves to fast healing 10.


Improved Demonic Resistance: At 18th level a demonic warlock's energy resistance improves to resistance 20 against electricity and he gains resistance 10 against acid, cold, and fire.


At 20th level a demonic warlock unlocks the final power of his blood. He becomes immune to electricity and his attacks are considered both chaotic and evil aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Finally, when you die the destructive energies you contain explode outward violently, dealing 10d12 damage to everything within 100 feet (Reflex 20 + Cha mod for half). Treat this as an eldritch blast that has every eldritch essence you know applied to it. Half the damage is always raw untyped energy, while the other half is appropriately modified by your eldritch essences. Your body and anything you are wearing or carrying is utterly destroyed. Your energies will slowly coalesce, reforming your body, restoring you and your equipment at full health. Use the following tables to determine if, when, and where you reform.

Table: Reforming
d%|Effect
1-5|You reform in 1d10 rounds
6-15|You reform in 1d10 minutes
16-30|You reform in 10d6 minutes
31-70|You reform in 1d12 hours
71-90|You reform in 1d20 days
91-95|You reform in 1d12 months
96-99|Reroll, ignoring a result of 96+. You reform then, but your equipment does not.
100|You remain dead and do not reform.

Table: Location
d%|Location
1-69|You reform where you died.
70-95|You reform at a random location within 10 miles of where you died.
96-97|You reform on a random layer of the Abyss.
98-99|You reform on the outer plane that mirrors your alignment.
100|You reform on another random outer plane.
Demons are interesting, because apart from a few things (Immunity/ER, Summoning, telepathy), they have little in common mechanically. Summoning was in consideration for a while, but ultimately I think it’s too hard to balance properly, being either too strong or weak, with a very narrow margin of acceptability.

So instead, I just decided to amp up their destructive power to 11. If you want to play a blast-happy warlock, demonic heritage is where you want to be.

I removed the iterative attacks at 20th level because the damage it offered was simply too high, in addition to being rather bland. Now you’re rather like a Balor, spiting your enemies even in death. Thanks to the infinite energies of the Abyss that cause demons to be extraordinarily difficult to completely kill, you also have a talent for returning. The randomness of it reflects it’s source.

The fast healing was originally DR, but DR is a surprisingly poor game mechanic, very difficult to balance well. It has to be large enough to not feel irrelevant, but not so high as to invalidate certain strategies completely. Now you will find DR elsewhere, as it is an excellent method of portraying a specific type of defense, but for the demonic lineage at least, I believe that fast healing better captures the feeling of an unstoppable engine of destruction. You can hurt it, but the well of dark power at the warlock’s core just rejuvenates the wounds in little time. This, along with demonic retaliation, encourage the demonic warlock to get up close and personal, not minding if they take a few hits.
Draconic lineage

Keen Senses (Ex): At 2nd level a draconic warlock’s senses sharpen to draconian heights. You gain a +2 racial bonus to Listen, Search, and Spot checks and those skills are added to your class skill list. You also gain darkvision out to 120 feet (if you already have darkvision, extend the range by 90 feet), and blindsense out to 10 feet.


Draconic Toughness (Ex): At 4th level a draconic warlock gains damage reduction 5/Magic and a +2 bonus to his natural armor.


Secrets of the Dragons (Sp): At 6th level a draconic warlock selects 2nd level or lower spell on the sorcerer/wizard spell list with no expensive material component or experience cost. He may cast that spell as a spell-like ability at will, but must wait 5 rounds after casting it to cast it again. (Spells that product permanent effects such as polymorph any object (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/polymorphAnyObject.htm), stone shape (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/stoneShape.htm), and wall of iron (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/wallOfIron.htm) are naturally more powerful at-will, and should be approved by your DM.)


Draconic Resistance (Ex): At 8th level a draconic warlock gains some of the immunities of dragons. Choose either acid, cold, electricity, or fire. You gain resistance 10 to that energy type are are immune to sleep effects.


Frightful Presence (Ex): At 10th level a draconic warlock’s mere presence can unsettle it’s enemies. Whenever the draconic warlock attacks, charges, uses an invocation with a visual effect creatures within a radius of 20 feet per class level must make a Will save. Success renders the creature immune to the draconic warlock’s frightful presence for 24 hours. If the save is failed, creatures with four or more hit dice less than your class level are panicked (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#panicked) for 1d6 rounds while other creatures are shaken (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#shaken) for 1d6 rounds. Dragons and other draconic warlocks are immune to this effect.


Secrets of the Dragons (Sp): At 12th level a draconic warlock selects 5th level or lower spell on the sorcerer/wizard spell list with no expensive material component or experience cost. He may cast that spell as a spell-like ability at will, but must wait 5 rounds after casting it to cast it again. (Spells that product permanent effects such as polymorph any object (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/polymorphAnyObject.htm), stone shape (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/stoneShape.htm), and wall of iron (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/wallOfIron.htm) are naturally more powerful at-will, and should be approved by your DM.)


Improved Draconic Resistance: At 14th level a draconic warlock’s resistances improve. Their resistance to the chosen energy type increases to 20 and they are immune to paralysis effects.


Improved Draconic Toughness: At 16th level a draconic warlock’s damage reduction changes to 5/- and his bonus to natural armor increases to +5.


Secrets of the Dragons (Sp): At 18th level a draconic warlock selects 8th level or lower spell on the sorcerer/wizard spell list with no expensive material component or experience cost. He may cast that spell as a spell-like ability at will, but must wait 5 rounds after casting it to cast it again. (Spells that product permanent effects such as polymorph any object (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/polymorphAnyObject.htm), stone shape (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/stoneShape.htm), and wall of iron (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/wallOfIron.htm) are naturally more powerful at-will, and should be approved by your DM.)


At 20th level the power of the dragons can be contained no longer and claims the draconic warlock as it’s own. Your type changes to dragon and you become immune to the energy type chosen for draconic resistance. The DC for any spell, spell-like ability, or supernatural ability you cast is increased by 2.
Ahh dragons. The insanely powerful namesakes of the game. Perhaps the trickiest part of this lineage is that their signature attack, the breath weapon, is already something that warlocks essentially have. So we have to look to their other, arcane features for support. The idea of growing claws and wings and becoming more physically draconic works for some concepts, but that was not the angle I was shooting for here. I wanted this lineage to reflect the awesome magical power dragons can weild, not just their impressive physical attributes.

That said, dragons are quite sturdy and robust, and their warlocks reflect that with the various defensive abilities. Keen Senses is a gimmie, everyone loves having access to those skills anyways. Frightful Presence has been modified mostly because you are rarely facing creatures with lower hit dice - as written the ability is nearly useless for PCs.

The real treasure of this lineage are obviously the Secrets. The available levels may need to be tweaked, and I acknowledge that there may be some insanely over-powered options. But being able to tap into that sorcerous pool of arcane strength dragons wield allows some great customization, essentially creating custom invocations.

The capstone I’m unsure if I’m happy with, to be honest. A DC boost is nice and all, but it feels rather bland, doesn’t it? I’m open to suggestions, but none in the vein of physical transformations please!
Fey lineage

Woodland Stride (Ex): At 2nd level a fey warlock may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at her normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion still affect him.


Damage Reduction (Su): At 4th level a fey warlock gains damage reduction 5/Cold Iron.


Eyebite (Su): At 6th level a fey warlock may decide that his next normal melee attack or eldritch blast to be an eyebite attack. Creatures hit by the eyebite attack treat the fey warlock as invisible (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#invisibility) for 1 round. Once you have used this ability, you cannot do so again for 5 rounds. This is a glamer effect.


Spell Resistance (Su): At 8th level a fey warlock gains spell resistance 10 + his class level.


Wild Growth (Sp): At 10th level a fey warlock can emit an aura that causes the plant life around him to grow wild and dangerous. He may activate or suppress this aura as a full-round action. Normal terrain within 100 ft. of the fey warlock becomes overgrown and considered difficult terrain with 1 round of exposure to the aura. Difficult terrain with 1 round of exposure to the aura grows high and dense forming a thicket or jungle that creatures must hack or force a way through; speed drops to 5 feet, or 10 feet for Large or larger creatures.

Terrain that has been exposed to 2 rounds of the aura become thick with thorns and bramble. Each creature moving through the area takes 1d8 points of piercing damage for each 5 feet of movement through the overgrown area. Any creature that takes damage from this effect must also succeed on a Reflex save (DC 15 + Cha mod) to avoid injuries to its feet and legs. A failed save causes the creature’s speed to be reduced to half normal for 24 hours or until the injured creature receives a cure spell (which also restores lost hit points). Another character can remove the penalty by taking 10 minutes to dress the injuries and succeeding on a Heal check against the effect’s save DC.

This ability has no effect in barren areas devoid of any plant life. You may apply your woodland stride to areas affected by your wild growth.


Reflective Glamer (Su):At 12th level a fey warlock begins to naturally emit a powerful glamer that helps disguise his fey nature. Any intelligent creature viewing you perceives you as the same species as itself, provided that it’s size category is no more than one step different from your own. This glamer changes perceptions of clothing and race, covering the visual, audible, olfactory, and tactile spectrum. True seeing pierces this glamer, but normal interaction does not offer a will save to recognize the illusion (though acting unusually enough may). A fey warlock may suppress or resume this ability as a free action. This is a glamer effect.


Improved Damage Reduction: At 14th level a fey warlock's damage reduction improves to 10/Cold Iron.


Improved Eyebite: At 16th level a fey warlock’s eyebite attack grows more powerful. Creatures hit by the improved eyebite attack treat the fey warlock as if affected by greater invisibility (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/invisibilityGreater.htm) for 2 rounds. This is a glamer effect.


Improved Spell Resistance: At 18th level a fey warlock's spell resistance improves to 15 + his class level.


At 20th level a fey warlock's type changes to Fey and you gain a +4 inherent bonus to your Charisma. Creatures that can normally see through illusions (like with true seeing) no longer automatically see through a fey warlock’s illusions. They do gain a +4 bonus to saves to see through his illusions, and may automatically make a Will save to disbelieve upon first sight of an illusion (if they fail to disbelieve they do not get additional free saves at each fresh viewing).
Fey are an extremely diverse group of creatures, but there are common threads (both in D&D and throughout mythology). A weakness to iron is one of the most common, and DR fills this perfectly. It’s high enough to be relevant, but never enough to just shut down entire concepts. The other most common thing you’ll see is a connection to the wild and nature. Being unhindered by it, and being able to help it flourish into a dense tangle of life are both generic enough to feel fey-ish while not pigeon-holing them.

Fey are all innately magical beings, and have a resistance to magics used against them. The spell resistance was originally 5/10 + class level, but, especially with the 5, it feels like a very weak defense.

Fey are well known for their skill with illusions and trickery. And true seeing makes a mockery of that, which I’ve always hated (same with mind blank). Fey warlocks are great at infiltration and espionage, thanks to reflective glamer allowing them to blend in nearly anywhere. I’ve always disliked how universal an answer true seeing, and now it will remain relevant, but not just automatically stop you short.

Finally, unlike the outsider-based lineages, fey warlocks actually become Fey once they hit 20th level. It makes a lot more sense for creatures to become another mortal creature type as opposed to becoming an outsider, which is a very different beast.
Infernal lineage
Prerequisite: Evil and/or lawful alignment

Infernal Senses (Su): At 2nd level an infernal warlock gains the senses of his fore-bearers. He gains the see in darkness (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/devil.htm) ability and telepathy out to 5 ft./class level.


Damage Reduction (Su): At 4th level an infernal warlock gains damage reduction 5/Silver.


Silver Tongue (Su): At 6th level an infernal warlock’s words carry supernatural weight. When he is speaking to something one-on-one he is considered to be using suggestion (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/suggestion.htm). Any suggestion the infernal warlock makes only lasts for 1 minute per class level. If a creature successfully saves against this effect it is immune to the warlock’s silver tongue for 24 hours. The warlock may suppress or resume this ability as a free action. This is a mind-affecting effect.


Infernal Resistance (Su): At 8th level an infernal warlock gains resistance 10 against fire and is immune to poison.


Iron Tongue (Su): At 10th level an infernal warlock can force an enemy within his telepathy range to obey a command as a swift action. The creature must succeed on a Will save or it obeys the command to the best of its ability at its earliest opportunity. If the creature succeeds on it’s Will save it takes 2d6 damage. Other than these differences, this ability works as the command (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/command.htm) spell. Once you have used this ability, you cannot do so again for 5 rounds. This is a mind-affecting effect.


Improved Damage Reduction: At 12th level an infernal warlock's damage reduction improves to 10/Silver.


Improved Silver Tongue:At 14th level an infernal warlock’s influence over others has grown. Whenever he speaks he is considered to be using mass suggestion (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/suggestionMass.htm). This is a mind-affecting effect.


Improved Infernal Resistance: At 16th level an infernal warlock's energy resistance improves to resistance 20 against fire and he gains resistance 10 to acid and cold.


Improved Iron Tongue: At 18th level an infernal warlock’s iron tongue ability grows more powerful. Unless the creature succeeds on a Will save it is now controlled as if you had cast dominate monster (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dominateMonster.htm) for 1 round. If the creature succeeds on it’s Will save it now takes 5d6 damage. This is a mind-affecting effect.


At 20th level an infernal warlock unlocks the final power of his blood. He becomes immune to fire and his attacks are considered both evil and lawful aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. In addition, the subtle influence and control of an infernal warlock is nearly impossible to resist. Creatures immune to mind-affecting are not immune to mind-affecting abilities from the infernal warlock, though they do gain a +4 bonus to their saves against such effects.
Devils are tricksters and manipulators. Where Demons seek to destroy, Devils seek to corrupt and conquer. They are calculating and logical; if a fight turns bad, they’ll run away. Infernal warlocks will have that corruption and commanding presence. The various defenses are fairly standard and nothing that should require much explanation.

I was wondering how to really show the corrupting nature of devils, and suggestion felt perfect. They aren’t your friend, like with Charm, but they sure seem to have some good ideas sometimes, don’t they? Silver tongue grants an enormous potential for corruption. They can pretty much convince whoever they want of whatever they want, at least for a short time. Iron tongue extrapolate that corruption into straight-up control, making other’s do the dirty work for them (or simply providing a distraction so the warlock can run to fight another day).

Since they have such a high focus on mind-affecting abilities, like Fey do with illusions, I wanted to give them a way around the game’s frustrating blanket immunity spells, and since ways around them are pretty much unheard of, they make for solid capstones.
Titan lineage

Titan’s Legacy (Ex): At 2nd level a titan warlock’s connection to the mighty warriors he claims as kin begins to develop, granting instinctual knowledge of martial and magical ability. He becomes proficient with 1 martial weapon and medium armor. His invocations are no longer affected by arcane spell failure if he is wearing medium armor. He may add his Intelligence modifier to the DC of his invocations.


Memories of the Forge (Ex): At 4th level old traditions and memories of the titans begin to surface in the mind of a titan warlock, blending creation and destruction. He gains a +2 bonus to Craft and Spellcraft checks. Whenever he successfully makes an attack with a weapon he forged, the attack deals extra magical damage equal to the giant warlock’s Intelligence modifier.


Entwined Assault (Su): At 6th level a titan warlock can blend his eldritch powers and martial combat seamlessly. They may use their eldritch blast as a swift action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity after successfully making a melee attack.


Titan’s Resistance (Ex): At 8th level a titan warlock gains DR 5/adamantine and is always considered to be under a endure elements (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/endureElements.htm) effect.


Powerful Build (Ex): At 10th level the titan warlock’s physical stature let them function in many ways as if they were one size category larger.
Whenever a titan warlock is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), they are treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to them.
A tiatn warlock is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect them. They can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, their space and reach remain those of a creature of their actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject’s size category.


Imbue Item (Su): A titan warlock of 12th level and higher can use his supernatural power to create magic items, even if he does not know the spells required to make an item (although he must still have the appropriate item creation feat). He can substitute a Use Magic Device check (DC 15 + spell level for arcane spells or 25 + spell level for divine spells) in place of a required spell he doesn’t know or can’t cast.

If the check succeeds, the titan warlock can create the item as if he had cast the required spell. If it fails, he cannot complete the item. He does not expend the XP or gp costs for making the item; his progress is simply arrested. He cannot retry this Use Magic Device check for that spell until he gains a new level.


Improved Memories of the Forge: At 14th level a titan warlock gains the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat. If he already has Craft Magic Arms and Armor he gains another crafting feat for which he meets the prerequisites. Any item he crafts requires 25% less time, gold, and experience to create.


Improved Titan’s Resistance: At 16th level a titan warlock’s DR increases to 10/adamantine and they gain resistance 5 to acid, cold, electricity, and fire.


Improved Entwined Assault: At 18th level a titan warlock may use any of their invocations as a swift action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity after successfully making a melee attack.


At 20th level a titan warlock’s type changes to giant and his size increases by one size category (apply appropriate size changes (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/improvingMonsters.htm#sizeIncreases)). Additionally, his warlock caster level and the caster level of any magical item he uses is considered to be an additional 2 higher (this stacks with Eldritch Soul).
This is a giant based lineage, but these are not the giants that stomp around throwing rocks because they aren’t bright enough to do much else. The titan that spawned these warlocks are much like the ancient Titans of Xen’drik - cunning warriors, powerful magi, and gifted craftsmen. These are creatures to rival dragons, even gods at times.

Obviously one of the the biggest features of a giant is the fact that they are, well, giant. So taking this heritage ensure that you’ll end up much larger than your peers. Making that size increase a boon rather than an annoying penalty to your ranged attacks is part of why giant warlocks have a large focus on melee combat. They get superior armament, and can eventually forge their own. In fact, they now have exclusive access to Imbue Item, allowing them to excel at the creation of magical items and reinforce their ancestors as mighty creators.

Titanic warlocks won’t be needing Charisma, as Intelligence is more heavily focused upon, giving them a further unique feel as tactical warriors rather than brutes. Building a deep connection with items you make personally fits into this as well. But they are certainly not all muscle, which is why they can launch arcane attacks in close quarters in the midst of attacking.

Finally, Imbue Item has been moved from a general warlock ability to a Titan-exclusive one. Titans are the craftsmen of warlocks, and they alone develop the skill to forge nearly anything. From a mechanical standpoint, titan warlocks are the most heavily gear-dependant option, the ones most likely to wade into combat or at the very least wield weaponry, so it follows that they’re the ones that can create these items.
Undead lineage

Deathly Caress (Su): At 2nd level an undead warlock may decide that his next normal melee attack or eldritch blast to be a deathly caress attack. One living creature of your choice hit by the deathly caress attack is fatigued for 3 rounds. Once you have used this ability, you cannot do so again for 5 rounds.


Strength of Unlife (Su): At 4th level an undead warlock’s body starts to develop immunities to things that affect the living. They gain a +4 bonus to saving throws vs negative energy effects and become immune to diseases and poisons.


Life Sight (Ex): At 6th level an undead warlock is able to view the inner light of life and positive energy in other beings. To his eyes, living creatures glow with a brilliant light, providing bright illumination in a 10-foot radius per hit die, revealing itself and all features and objects in range to his life-adapted sight. This life-light behaves like regular light - you can’t see into solid objects, or through solid walls. Creatures near death (1 or less hit points) provide shadowy illumination instead. Finally, the life-light of invisible creatures is just as invisible as the creature that emanates it (So if you can see invisible creatures you can see their life-light. This doesn’t apply to creature you can’t see because they’re hiding or LoS is blocked).


Improved Strength of Unlife: At 8th level an undead warlock is more suffused with the energy that animates undead creatures, invigorating his body. He is now healed by negative energy like an undead creature, and he is immune to sleep and paralysis effects.


Improved Deathly Caress: At 10th level an undead warlock’s deathly caress becomes more potent. The creature hit by the deathly caress attack is exhausted for 2 round and fatigued for 3 rounds. You now only have to wait 4 rounds to use deathly caress again.


Improved Strength of Unlife: At 12th level an undead warlock’s connection with negative energy deepens, allowing him to ignore weaknesses of the living. He is now immune to nonlethal damage, fatigue, exhaustion, and death effects.


Life Drain (Su): At 14th level an undead warlock can absorb the life force of nearby creatures to bolsters his own strength. As a standard action any number of living creatures who’s life-light is touching the undead warlock must succeed on a Will save or gain 1 negative level. The undead warlock gains 5 temporary hit points for each negative level bestowed. The DC to remove the negative level is the same as the Will save DC.


Improved Strength of Unlife: At 16th level an undead warlock’s life is an unnatural balance of positive and negative energy. He is now immune to ability and energy drain, death from massive damage, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless).


Improved Deathly Caress: At 18th level an undead warlock’s deathly caress nearly steals the life from it’s victim. The creature hit by the deathly caress attack is paralyzed for 1 round unless it succeeds a Fortitude save, exhausted for 2 round, and fatigued for 3 rounds (it is exhausted and fatigued regardless of the Fortitude save). You now only have to wait 3 rounds to use deathly caress again.


At 20th level an undead warlock has become strange amalgamation of life and death. While he is still alive, he no longer needs to breath, eat, or sleep and he ceases to age. If he is reduced to -10 hit points, he doesn’t die, but instead he slowly regenerates, regaining 1 hit point a minute until he is at 1 hit point. If dismembered the undead warlock does not regenerate until the vital parts are assembled (missing, non-vital limbs will only reattach before he reaches 1 hit point). He cannot regenerate if the body is fully destroyed (such from disintegrate).
Undead warlocks should be one of the rarer types of warlocks, since undead can only procreate in very unusual circumstances (I think there’s at least one race/template for this, but I couldn’t track it down). Undead are obviously extremely varied, with most of their commonalities being found in the creature type. Everything is based on the fact that these guys, despite being alive, are also partly dead.

Aside from being, well, not alive, undead host a crazy number of immunities. Instead of gaining various defenses as you grow in level, an undead warlock slowly becomes more undead, gaining immunity after immunity. Heck, at 8th level his strange combination of living and dead means that he is healed by both positive and negative energy!

The touch of the grave is often a disturbing and traumatic thing, draining the will to fight out of those affected, which is where Deathy Carress comes in. It saps the strength of life from it’s victim, becoming more potent, to the point where you can use it nearly continuously.

Life Sight is adapted from the Libris Mortis feat Life Sense, giving information of the strength of creatures, rather than their size. It’s a unique and interesting new sense that creative players will love. And expanding on it, Life Drain allows you to suck that light right out of creatures if you’re close enough to them to be in their light. Energy drain is a powerful ability that is very much an undead staple, one of their most feared abilities.

Finally, you’ve got the 20th level ability. I wanted to give the sense that you’ve somehow become a combination of living and dead, surpassing either. So you no longer suffer the various ailments of the living, enduring just as long as other undead. Longer, since your living vitality will keep your body going unless it’s thoroughly destroyed.

MammonAzrael
2011-12-16, 07:29 PM
Warlock Invocations

There are over one hundred WotC-made Invocations, and hundreds more made by enthusiastic homebrewers. Ignoring this amazing wealth of resources would be crazy. As this class does not change the functionality of invocations, it should be compatible with any official or homebrew options you may wish to use. The invocations that follow have been altered in either function or flavor to be more in line with the above class, or are my own creations, and should be considered the standard list of invocations for this class. But don’t feel constrained, you’re already using homebrew, afterall!

If an invocation has a source in the following lists with short descriptions, then it is unchanged, and should be used as found in the related source. If an invocation has a source listed next to it’s full text, then you should use the text found here, as the source is just for citing purposes.

Blast Shapes
Least
Eldritch Beam - Blast becomes weapon-like projection that allows iterative attacks
Eldritch Blow - Blast is channeled through melee attack
Eldritch Claws - Change your blast into a pair of claws
Eldritch Spear CAr 133 - Blast range increases to 250’
Lesser
Eldritch Chain CAr 133 - Blast jumps from initial target to secondary targets
Eldritch Line - Blast becomes a 60’ line
Greater
Eldritch Cone CAr 133 - Blast becomes a 30’ cone
Eldritch Burst - Blast becomes a spherical burst
Ancestral
Eldritch Doom CAr 133 - Blast affects all enemies within 20’

Eldritch Essences
Least
Frightful Blast - Target must make Will save or become shaken
Hammer Blast - Deals additional damage to constructs and objects
Sickening Blast CAr 135 - Target must make a Fort save or become sickened
Lesser
Baneful Blast - Blast ignores SR and deals additional damage to a specific creature type
Beshadowed Blast - Target must make a Will save or become blinded
Brimstone Blast - Deals fire damage and target must make a Ref save or catch fire
Deteriorating Blast DM 81 - Target must make a Fort save or have it’s DR reduced
Glacial Blast - Deals cold damage and target must make a Fort save or take a penalty to Dex and movement
Greater
Bewitching Blast - Target must make a Will save or become confused
Hindering Blast - Target must make a Fort save or become slowed
Incarnum Blast MoI 107 - Target must make a Fort save or become dazed if an opposed alignment; invest essentia for increased damage
Noxious Blast CAr 135 - Target must make a Fort save or become nauseated
Penetrating Blast DM 82 - Bonus against SRl; Target must make Will save or have it’s SR reduced
Repelling Blast - Target must make a Ref save or be knocked back
Vitriolic Blast CAr 136 - Blast ignores SR and deals acid damage for multiple rounds
Ancestral
Binding Blast - Target must make a Will save or be rendered helpless
Utterdark Blast CAr 135 - Deals negative energy damage and target must make a Fort save or gain 2 negative levels

Other Invocations
Least
All-Seeing Eyes - As comprehend laguages on written material, bonus to Search and Spot checks, and disbelieve illusions.
Baleful Utterance CAr 132 - Speak a word of power and shatter objects as the shatter (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/shatter.htm) spell
Beguiling Influence CAr 132 - Gain bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks
Breath of the Night - Create a fog cloud as the spell that chills creatures in it
Call of the Beast CM 123 - Speak with animals and influence their behavior
Cocoon of Refuse - Target is entangled and bludgeoned by trash
Cold Comfort - you emit an aura of endure elements
Darkness - Create an area of pure darkness
Drain Incarnum - You drain the essentia from a target or deal Wisdom damage
Earthen Grasp - An arm of earth and soil grapples near-by creatures
Entropic Warding CAr 134 - Deflect incoming ranged attacks, leave no trail, and prevent being tracked by scent
Leaps and Bounds - Gain bonus on Balance, Jump, and Tumble checks and take 20
Miasmic Cloud - Create a cloud of mist that grants concealment and weakens those who enter
Otherworldly Knowledge - Gain bonus on Knowledge and Spellcraft checks
Scalding Gust - Use gust of wind as the spell, creatures in it take fire damage
See the Unseen CAr 135 - Gain see invisibility (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/seeInvisibility.htm) as the spell and darkvision
Serpent’s Tongue CM 124 - Gain scent and a +5 bonus on saves vs poison
Soulreaving Aura - Use reaving aura and gain a damage bonus and temporary hit points
Spiderwalk CAr 135 - Gain spider climb (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/spiderClimb.htm) and you are immune to webs
Summon Swarm CAr 135 - Use summon swarm (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/summonSwarm.htm) as the spell
Swimming the Styx - Gain a swim speed and breath water
Warlock’s Luck - Gain a luck bonus on one type of save or expend to confirm a critical hit
Lesser
Charm CAr 132 - Cause a single creature to regard you as a friend
Crawling Eye CM 123 - Your eye crawls from its socket on spidery legs and can scout for you
Curse of Despair CAr 132 - Curse a creature as bestow curse (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/bestowCurse.htm) and hinder their attacks
The Dead Walk - Create undead as the animate dead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/animateDead.htm) spell
Disembodied Hand CM 124 - You detach one of your hands and send it forth to manipulate the world
Dread Seizure - With a word a creature succumbs to painful seizures
Energy Resistance- Grant yourself and allies energy resistance
Enthralling Voice DM 80 - Fascinate nearby creatures by speaking
Flee the Scene CAr 134 - Use short range dimension door (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dimensionDoor.htm), leave behind a major image (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/majorImage.htm)
Humanoid Shape DM 80 - Take the form of any humanoid creature
Hungry Darkness - Create darkness filled with a swarm of bats
Mask of Flesh CM 124 - Touch attack imposes 1d6 Cha penalty and transforms you to look like the target
Relentless Dispelling CM 124 - As targeted dispel magic, with an additional one the following turn
Spider-Shape DrU 63 - Transform into a fiendish monstrous spider
Stony Grasp - An arm of stone grapples near-by creatures
Sudden Swarm - A swarm of spiders burst from the bodies of creatures you kill
Syphon Incarnum - You can steal the essentia of others with a touch, taking it for yourself
Thieves’ Bane - Use arcane lock, which explodes when bypassed
Voidsense CAr 136 - Gain blindsense 30 feet
Voracious Dispelling CAr 136 - Use dispel magic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dispelMagic.htm), causing damage to creatures whose effects are dispelled
Walk Unseen CAr 136 - Use invisibility (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/invisibility.htm) (self only)
Wall of Gloom - You create a barrier of ominous shadows that is difficult to pass through
Warlock’s Flight Originally Fell Flight, CAr 134 - Gain a fly speed with good maneuverability
Weighty Utterance - Cause a creature’s weight to quadruple, pulling it from the skies
Witchwood Step - Creatures can walk on water and move through difficult terrain without issue
Greater
Aura of Flame - Aura deals fire damage to creatures that attack you
Baleful Gaes DM 79 - A single creature becomes your servant, but slowly sickens and dies
Caster’s Lament - You can use break enchantment with a touch and can counterspell
Caustic Mire - Create a caustive mire that sickens creatures
Chilling Fog DM 79 - Create solid fog (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/solidFog.htm) that deals cold damage
Chilling Tentacles CAr 132 - Use black tentacles (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/blackTentacles.htm), and deal extra cold damage
Counterfeit Thoughts Originally Devil’s Whispers, Ci 68 - As suggestion (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/suggestion.htm), plus the target may believe the actions were their idea
Devour Magic - Use targeted greater dispel magic and gain temporary hit points
Dragonward DM 82 - Gain a host of defenses against dragons
Enervating Shadow - Gain concealment and impose Strength penalties to nearby creatures
Hellspawned Grace - Transform into a hellcat
Nightmares Made Real CM 124 - Use nightmare terrain CM 111 that deals damage
Painful Slumber of the Ages - Target falls asleep and is damaged upon awakening
Stamina of Blood Originally Draconic Toughness, DM 80 - Gain temporary hit points equal to your caster level
Tenacious Plague CAr 135 - Use insect plague (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/insectPlague.htm), but the locust swarm deals damage as a magic weapon
Terrifying Roar DM 81 - Use fear (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/fear.htm) as the spell; creatures shaken by the effect cannot attack you
Wall of Perilous Flame CAr 136 - Create a wall of fire (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/wallOfFire.htm), but half the damage is supernatural
Warlock’s Call - Use sending, but be able to disguise yourself
Ancestral
Dark Discorporation - Transform into a swarm of bat-like shadows
Energy Immunity DM 80 - Gain immunity to acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic damage
Impenetrable Barrier - Create an opaque wall of force or forcecage
Incarnum Shroud - Gain essentia and a miss chance
Instill Vulnerability - Make target creature vulnerable to a chosen energy type
Path of Shadow - Use shadow walk (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/shadowWalk.htm) and accelerate natural healing
Perilous Veil - Use veil as the spell, successful disbelief deals damage and blindness
Retributive Invisibility - Use greater invisibility (self only) that deals damage if dispelled
Steal Summoning - Use steal summoning, but on any summon spell
Unrivaled Master of the Skies - Gain a fly speed with perfect maneuverability and Flyby Attack
Warlock’s Foresight Originally Dark Foresight, CAr 133 - Use foresight (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/foresight.htm) and communicate telepathically with close targets
Word of Changing - Use baleful polymorph (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/balefulPolymorph.htm) which could become permanent

I will be adding additional invocations as time allows. This will include heritage-specific invocations.


Invocation Descriptions

All-Seeing Eyes CM 123
Least; 2nd
You gain a supernaturally precise vision of the world around you. You gain the benefits of comprehend languages (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/comprehendLanguages.htm), albeit for written words only. Additionally you gain a +6 bonus on Search and Spot checks. Finally, simply viewing an illusion grants you a save to disbelieve it. All-seeing eyes lasts for 24 hours.

Aura of Flame DM 79
Greater; 6th
You become wreathed in an aura of orange fire, which gives off light equivalent to a torch and last a number of rounds equal to your caster level. Any creature that attacks you with a natural or nonreach melee weapon or starts it’s turn adjacent to you or grappling you takes 1d6 points of fire damage per two caster levels. These flames ignore spell resistance. Additionally, you take only half damage from fire-based attacks. If such an attack allows a Reflex save for half damage, you take no damage on a successful save.

Baneful Blast CM 123
Lesser; 3rd [Eldritch Essence]
You transform your eldritch blast into a baneful blast. When you gain this invocation, select a creature type from the Ranger Favored Enemies table (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/ranger.htm#tableRangerFavoredEnemies). A baneful blast deals an additional 2d6 damage and ignores the spell resistance of creatures of the chosen type. You may not change the creature type chosen, but you may take this invocation more than once, choosing a new creature type each time.

Beshadowed Blast CAr 132
Lesser; 4th [Eldritch Essence]
You transform your eldritch blast into a beshadowed blast. Any creature struck by a beshadowed blast must succeed on a Will save or be blinded (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#blinded) for 1 round.

Bewitching Blast CAr 132
Greater; 5th [Eldritch Essence]
You transform your eldritch blast into a bewitching blast. A creature struck by a bewitching blast must succeed on a Will save or become confused for 2 rounds. This is a mind-affecting effect.

Binding Blast CM 123
Ancestral; 7th [Eldritch Essence]
You transform your eldrtich blast into a binding blast. Any creature struck by a binding blast must succeed on a Will save or be rendered helpless (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#helpless) for 1 round.

Breath of the Night CAr 132
Least; 1st
A misty cloud of fog spreads in a 20-foot radius around you when you use this invocation, as the spell fog cloud (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/fogCloud.htm). The fog does not block line of sight, but all creatures in the fog have concealment. Any other living creature in the fog takes 1d4 points of cold damage each round. A moderate wind or any fire larger than a torch immediately disperses the fog, which otherwise disperses after 1 minute.

Brimstone Blast CAr 132
Lesser; 3rd [Eldritch Essence]
You transform your eldritch blast into a brimstone blast. A brimstone blast deals fire damage. A creature struck by a brimstone blast must succeed on a Reflex save or catch on fire, taking 2d6 points of fire damage per round until it takes a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity to extinguish the flames.

Caustic Mire CM 123
Greater; 5th
You can use caustic mire CM 98 as the spell, except that any creature that breaths in the fumes is automatically sickened as long as they are in the area of the spell and for 3 rounds afterwards. You may only have one caustic mire in effect at a time; if a new one is created, the old one vanishes.

Caster’s Lament CM 123
Greater; 7th
Otherwise unchanged from Complete Mage.

Cocoon of Refuse Ci 68
Least; 1st
You cause various bits of trash and detritus in the area - loose wood, rotting garbage, old clothes, discarded dishes, scraps of parchment, even dead animals - to fly about and latch onto a target. The target must succeed on a Reflex save or become entangled (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#entangled) and takes 1 point of bludgeoning damage each round. The target can escape with a successful DC 20 Strength or Escape Artist check, which can be repeated each round as a standard action. The invocation ends when the target successfully escapes or after 1 round per caster level. This invocation requires that at least 50% of the refuse be urban trash, so it does not function in the wilderness. Creatures of Huge or larger size are immune to this invocation.

Cold Comfort MC 123
Least; 2nd
This invocation renders you partially immune to the ravages of the environment. You emit an aura out to 30 feet and all within are considered under the effects of endure elements (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/endureElements.htm). This invocation lasts for 24 hours. While active, you may end the effects of this invocation as an immediate action to grant everyone within the aura resistance 5 to fire and cold for 1 round.

Dark Discorporation CAr 132
Prerequisite: Demonic, Infernal, or Undead lineage
Ancestral; 8th
You learn to abandon your body, transforming into a swarm of Diminutive, bat-like shadows that fill two 10-foot squares (eight contiguous 5-foot squares). This transformation lasts for 24 hours. You gain the traits listed in Complete Arcane with the following exceptions. You may augment the damage of your Swarm Attack by applying a single Eldritch Essence you know to it, and you may end the effect of this invocation as a move action.

Darkness CAr 133
Least; 2nd
You can cause an object within 30 feet to radiate complete darkness out to a 20-foot radius. Other than these differences, this ability works as the darkness (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/darkness.htm) spell.

The Dead Walk CAr 133
Prerequisite: Non-good
Otherwise unchanged from Complete Arcane.

Devour Magic CAr 133
Greater; 6th
This invocation allows you to deliver a targeted greater dispel magic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dispelMagicGreater.htm) to a target within 30 feet. You gain 5 temporary hit points for each spell level dispelled by this invocation. These temporary hit points last for 1 minute.

Drain Incarnum MoI 107
Least; 2nd
An ephemeral claw reaches into a target within 30 feet. Unless the target succeeds on a Fortitude save, it takes 1 point of essentia damage plus an additional point per 5 caster levels. A creature without an essentia pool instead takes 2 points of Wisdom damage.

Dread Seizure DM 82
Lesser; 4th
You speak a word that sends wracking pain through the limbs of a single creature within 60 feet, dealing 1d6 non-lethal damage per round for a number of rounds equal to your caster level. Additionally, the target must succeed on a Fortitude save or the seizures reduce the creature’s movement speeds by half (round down to the nearest 5-foot increment), the target takes a -5 penalty on attacks made against creatures more than 5 feet away from it (or against creatures outside its own space, for creatures with a natural reach of 0 feet), and the target is unable to cast spells with a somatic component for one round. The target must make a new Fortitude save and the beginning of each turn for the duration of this invocation. You can never have more than one target affected by this ability at a time; if a second creature is affected, the first no longer suffers from this invocation.

Earthen Grasp CAr 133
Least; 2nd
You cause an arm of dense soil to rise from the ground with 5 feet of a creature that grabs them. The creature must succeed on a Reflex save or it is considered to be grappled by the arm. Other than these differences, this ability works as the earthen grasp spell SpC 76. You may only have one earthen grasp in effect at a time; if a new one is created, the old one vanishes.

Eldritch Beam Originally Eldritch Glaive; DM 82
Least; 2nd
This blast shape invocation gives your eldritch blast physical substance, forming a long glowing beam similar to a glaive that you wield with both hands. As a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity, you can form an eldritch beam until the start of your next turn. As a full-round action, you can make a number of melee touch attacks as your base attack bonus allows as if wielding a reach weapon. If you hit, your target is affected as if struck by your eldritch blast (including any eldritch essence applied to the eldritch beam). While wielding your eldritch beam, you also threaten nearby squares as if wielding a reach weapon, and you can make attacks of opportunity with your eldritch beam (these are also melee touch attacks). Eldritch beam cannot be applied to an Eldritch Volley eldritch blast.

[b]Eldritch Blow Originally Hideous Blow, CAr 134
Least; 1st
This blast shape invocation allows you to channel your eldritch blast through your melee attacks as an eldritch blow. As a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity, you can channel the energies of your eldritch blast into a single melee weapon or natural weapon you are wielding until the start of your next turn. If you hit a target with that weapon while it is infused with your eldritch blow, after sustaining the normal effects of the strike the target is affected as if struck by your eldritch blast (including any eldritch essence applied to the eldritch blow). Eldritch blow bypasses spell resistance, and cannot be applied to an Eldritch Volley eldritch blast. You cannot use your normal eldritch blast while your weapon is infused with your eldritch blow.

[b]Eldritch Burst
Greater; 5th
You transform your eldritch blast into an eldritch burst. An eldritch burst is a 15 foot radius burst with a range of 60 feet, and deals normal eldritch blast damage to all targets within the area (including any eldritch essence applied). This is not a ray attack, so it requires no ranged touch attack. Any creature in the line can succeed on a Reflex save for half damage.

[b]Eldritch Claws Originally a feat, Dragon 358
Least; 2nd
This blast shape invocation allows you to condense your eldritch blast into a pair of claws that extend nearly a foot from your hands. As a free action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, you can create these eldritch claws, gaining two claw natural weapons that deal damage equal to your unarmed strike damage plus your eldritch blast damage (including any eldritch essence applied to the eldritch claws). You are automatically proficient with your eldritch claws. Once you form your eldritch claws they remain until the beginning of your next turn. Eldritch claws cannot be applied to an Eldritch Volley eldritch blast. You cannot use your normal eldritch blast while your eldritch claws exist.

[b]Eldritch Line DM 82
Lesser; 3rd
You transform your eldritch blast into a eldritch line. An eldritch line is a 60 foot line and deals the normal eldirtch blast damage to all targets within the area (including any eldritch essence applied). This is not a ray attack, so it requires no ranged touch attack. Any creature in the line can succeed on a Reflex save for half damage.

[b]Energy Resistance Originally Ignore the Pyre, DM 82
With a touch, you grant a creature (or yourself) resistance to any one energy type (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic) equal to your caster level for 24 hours. A creature may only gain resistance to one energy type from this invocation at a time; if you use this invocation a second time before the duration of the first expires the new resistance and duration replaces the old one.

Enervating Shadow CAr 133
Greater; 5th
You are cloaked and shielded from harm while draining vitality from nearby creatures. This invocation grants your total concealment in any area that isn’t brightly lit, and concealment in any area that is. Additionally, any living creature within 10 feet must succeed at a Fortitude save at the beginning of it’s turn or take a -4 penalty to Strength for 5 rounds. If a creature already has the penalty it takes 2 Strength damage. This invocation lasts for 5 rounds and it can be countered or dispelled by any light spell or effect of equal or higher level.

Frightful Blast CAr 134
Least; 2nd [Eldritch Essence]
You transform your eldritch blast into a frightful blast. A creature struck by a frightful blast must succeed on a Will save or become shaken (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#shaken) for 1 minute. A creature cannot be made panicked from this effect. Creatures immune to fear effects or mind-affecting effects cannot be shaken and take only half damage from a frightful blast.

Glacial Blast Originally Hellrime Blast, CAr 134
Lesser; 4th [Eldritch Essence]
You transform your eldritch blast into a glacial blast. A glacial blast deals cold damage. Any creature struck by a glacial blast must succeed on a Fortitude save or take a -4 Dexterity penalty for 10 minutes. Even if they make the save, the freezing cold crystallizes the moisture in the air, forming a covering of ice which reduces their movement speeds by half for 1 round

Hammer Blast CM 124
Least; 2nd [Eldritch Essence]
You transform your eldritch blast into a hammer blast. When used against constructs, a hammer blast does not allow spell resistance and deals an additional 2d6 damage. A hammer blast deals full damage to objects.

Hellspawned Grace CM 124
Prerequisite: ??? and Infernal lineage
Greater; 6th
You transform into a hellcat (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/devil.htm#hellcatBezekira) for 24 hours. You may end this invocation early as a full-round action. This is a polymorph effect.

Hindering Blast CM 124
Greater; 5th [Eldritch Essence]
You transform your eldritch blast into a hindering blast. A creature struck by a hindering blast must succeed on a Fortitude save or be slowed (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/slow.htm) for 1 round.

Hungry Darkness CAr 134
Lesser; 3rd
You can create an area of complete darkness that is filled with bats (as the bat swarm (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/swarm.htm#batSwarm), except the swarm fills every square occupied by the darkness). The hungry darkness is stationary, but you may move it up to 20 feet as a move action. You are immune to the attacks of your own hungry darkness, but you are still subject to the effects of the darkness. The hungry darkness last 1 round per caster level. If the bat swarm is destroyed, the darkness disappears as well. You may only have one hungry darkness in effect at a time; if a new one is created, the old one vanishes.

Impenetrable Barrier DM 82
Prerequisite: Angelic, Titan and ??? lineage
Ancestral; 7th
You can conjure up a wall of force (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/wallOfForce.htm) as the spell. This wall is completely opaque and blocks sight of all kinds. Alternatively, you may use this invocation to create a forcecage (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/forcecage.htm), except that it only lasts one round per level and creatures in it’s area of effects may succeed on a Reflex save to jump to the nearest square outside the cage, avoiding it (this version is also opaque and blocks sight if solid walls are used). You can only have one impenetrable barrier in effect at a time. If you use the invocation a second time befor the duration of the first expires, the previous wall disappears. If your impenetrable barrier is destroyed (such as by a rod of cancelation or disintegrate spell, you take 1d10 points of damage.

Incarnum Shroud MoI 107
Ancestral; 8th
This invocations calls for the power of your soul, shrouding you with incarnum. All attacks against you have a 20% miss chance. You gain 1 point of essentia while this invocation is in effect. This invocation lasts for 24 hours.
You can invest essentia into this invocation once per day as if it were an incarnum feat. Every point of essentia invested in your incarnum shroud increases the granted miss chance by 10% and grants you a cumulative +1 bonus on saves against death effects and energy drain. Once the amount of essentia invested is chosen, it cannot be altered and remains invested for 24 hours. If your incarnum shroud is dispelled during this time, the essentia investment remains in place, taking effect once again when you activate the invocation.

Instill Vulnerability DM 81
Prerequisite: Aberrant, Angelic, or Fey lineage
Ancestral; 7th
You imbue a single creature within 30 feet with vulnerability (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#vulnerabilitytoEnergy) to a particular type of energy (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic). Creatures with resistance or immunity to the chosen energy type instead are stripped of that resistance or immunity. A successful Will save negates this effect. The effects of this invocation last for 24 hours or until you use this invocation on the creature a second time, in which case the first effect ends and the new effect and duration take effect.

Leaps and Bounds CAr 134
Least; 2nd
You can invoke this ability to gain amazing agility. You gain a +6 bonus to Balance, Jump, and Tumble checks for 24 hours. While active, you may consider to have rolled a natural 20 on a single Balance, Jump, or Tumble check instead of rolling. If you do, the effect of this invocation ends at the end of the round.

Miasmic Cloud CAr 134
Least; 1st
A misty cloud of fog spreads in a 10-foot radius from you when you use this invocation. The fog does not block line of sight, but all creatures in the fog have concealment. Any creature (other than you) that enters the fog must make a Fortitude save or become fatigued and have any melee damage they deal reduced by half. This effect lasts as long as the creature remains within the cloud and for 1 round thereafter. A moderate wind, or any fire larger than a torch disperses the fog in 1 round. The fog otherwise lasts for 1 minute.

Otherworldly Whispers CM 124
Least; 2nd
You hear whispers in your head, revealing secrets of the multiverse. You gain a +6 bonus on Knowledge and Spellcraft checks and are considered trained in those skills for 24 hours.

Painful Slumber of the Ages CM 124
Greater; 6th
You can use endless slumber CM 103[/cup] as the spell. When a creature awakens from this effect it takes damage equal to your caster level plus the number of times it failed the save to wake up.

Path of Shadow [sup]CAr 135
Prerequisite: Aberrant, Fey, Infernal, or Undead lineage
Ancestral; 6th
Otherwise unchanged from Complete Arcane.

Perilous Veil DM 81
Prerequisite: Aberrant, Fey, or Infernal lineage
Ancestral; 8th
You instantly change the appearance of one or more subjects, as the url=http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/veil.htm]veil[/url] spell. Any creature that succeeds on a Will save to disbelieve the glamer is struck blind, mute, and takes 5d6 points of damage. Spell resistance applies against this secondary effect. You are instantly aware if a creature successfully disbelieves the glamer and may chose not to have the secondary effect occur.

Unrivaled Master of the Skies
Prerequisite: Angelic, Draconic linegae
Ancestral; 9th
When you use this invocation you are born aloft, at home among the clouds. You gain a fly speed equal to your land speed + 30 feet with perfect maneuverability for 24 hours. While this invocation is active you are considered to have both the Flyby Attack (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsterFeats.htm#flybyAttack) and Improved Flyby Attack (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/feats.htm#improvedFlybyAttack) feats, even if you don’t meet the prerequisites.

Repelling Blast CAr 135
Greater; 6th [Eldritch Essence]
You transform your eldritch blast into a repelling blast. Any creature your size or smaller struck by your repelling blast must succeed on a Reflex save or be hurled 1d6x5 feet (1d6 squares) directly away from you and knocked prone by the energy of the attack. If the creature strikes a solid object, it stops prematurely, taking 1d6 points of damage per 5 feet it did not travel, and it is still knocked prone. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Retributive Invisibility CAr 135
Prerequisite: Demonic, Fey, Infernal lineage
Ancestral; 6th
You can use greater invisibility (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/invisibilityGreater.htm), but you can only target yourself. If this invocation is dispelled a violent shock wave rleases from your body in a 20-foot radius burst. This shock wave deals 4d6 points of force damage to all other creatures in the area and dazes them for 1 round. A successful Fortitude save halves the damage and prevents the daze effect.

Scalding Gust DM 81
Least; 2nd
You create a strong blast of wind as the gust of wind (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/gustOfWind.htm) spell, except that the duration is instantaneous. Any creature within the effect takes 2 points of fire damage per caster level, regardless of whether it succeeds on gust of wind’s Fortitude save.

Soulreaving Aura CM 124
Prerequisite: Non-good
Least; 2nd
You can use reaving auraCM 114 as the spell, except that the damage deatl is equal to half your caster level. In addition to the normal effect, if any creature dies from this invocation you gain a profane bonus equal to the creature’s HD to the damage of your eldritch blast for 1 round and temporary hit points equal to the creature’s HD that last for 1 minute.

Steal Summoning CM 124
Prerequisite: Draconic, Fey, or Infernal lineage
Ancestral; 7th
You can use steal summoning as the spell, except that you can steal the effects of any spell in the summoning subschool changing any targets and having complete control over any creatures summoned. You do not need to concentrate to maintain this control unless the duration of the stolen spell includes concentration.

Stony Grasp CAr 135
Lesser; 4th
You cause an arm of stone the size of a man to rise from the ground within 5 feet of a creature that grabs at them. The creature must succeed on a Reflex save or it is considered to be grappled by the arm. The arm has a Strength of 18 +1 per caster level. Other than these differences, this ability works as the stony grasp spell SpC 209. You may only have one stony grasp in effect at a time; if a new one is created, the old one vanishes.

Sudden Swarm DrU 63
Add your caster level instead of your warlock level to the hit points and poison DC for the spider swarm, and add your Charisma modifier to the DC of its Distraction. Otherwise unchanged.

Swimming the Styx CM 124
Least; 2nd
By tapping into the power of the legendary river, you become an aquatic creature. Your hands and feet become slightly webbed, granting you a swim speed equal to your base land speed (you gain all other benefits derived from a swim speed), and you can breath water as well as air. As an interest side effect, you are also rendered immune to the effects of the Styx. This invocation lasts for 24 horus.

Syphon Incarnum Originally Steal Incarnum, MoI 107
Lesser; 4th
You can use this invocation to syphon essentia from a touched creature for your own use.Unless the target succeeds on a Fortitude save, it loses 1 point of essentia for every 4 caster levels, and you gain essentia equal to the amount lost. The gained essentia fades after 5 minutes, though the target must heal the essentia damage as normal. If the target does not have an essentia pool it gains 1 negative level that fades after 24 hours. If you do not have an essentia pool then instead your eldritch blast deals an additional die of damage per point of essentia syphoned for 1 round.

Thieves’ Bane Ci 68
Lesser; 3rd
This invocation creates an arcane lock (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/arcaneLock.htm) effect as the spell. In addition, should anyone other than you open the item in question from the outside by any means (including knock or dispel magic) the portal or lid explodes outward, dealing 5d6 points of force damage in a 20 foot cone. Each creature but the one that triggered the effect (assuming it was standing in front of the item) can succeed on a Reflex save for half damage. Spell resistance does not apply to the damage cause by this invocation. You are instantly aware of when this invocation is triggered.

Wall of Gloom CAr 136
Lesser; 3rd
You create an insubstantial but foreboding wall that is disturbing to pass through. Creatures attempting to pass through must succeed on a Will save or be halted at its edge, end the move action (though a creature can move away from the wall or attempt to pass through again if it has another move action). If a creature successfully passes through the wall it suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls and Will saves for 1 round as it shakes off a sense of despair. Other than these differences, this ability works as the wall of gloom spell SpC 233.

Warlock’s Call CAr 136
Greater; 5th
You can send a message as the sending (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/sending.htm) spell. The warlock may make the message appear to come from another creature with a successful Bluff check (opposed by the receiving creature’s Sense Motive). If the Bluff is unsuccessful the receiving creature remains unaware of any deception, the warlock is simply anonymous.

Warlock’s Luck Originally Dark One’s Own Luck, CAr 133
Least; 2nd
The arcane energies that swirl around you grant you luck. You gain a luck bonus equal to your Charisma modifier on Fortitude, Reflex, or Will saves (your choice each time you use this invocation) for 24 hours. This invocation can only apply to one save at a time, and the bonus it provides may not exceed your warlock level. While active, you may end the effect of this invocation as a free action to automatically confirm a critical hit with your eldritch blast.

Weighty Utterance DM 82
Lesser; 4th
With a single word you can increase the weight of a single creature within 60 feet. The target must succeed on a Will save or it and all the equipment it is carrying has it’s weight quadrupled for 1 round. This might cause some individuals to suddenly take encumbrance penalties while others collapse under the weight of their own gear. If the target is flying and fails the Will save it falls 5 feet per caster level. A creature that is forced to the ground as a result of this invocation takes 1d6 points of damage per 10 feet traveled and cannot fly again for 1 round.

Witchwood Step CM 124
Lesser; 3rd
With a touch you an allies footsteps (or your own) become supernaturally sure and supportive. The target is unaffected by difficult terrain and is immune to being entangled. They can even walk on water, as the water walk (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/waterWalk.htm) spell. This invocation last for 24 hours. The creature affected by this invocation may end it as a free action to be under a freedom of movement (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/freedomOfMovement.htm) effect for 1 round.

Word of Changing CAr 136
Prerequisite: Aberrant, Demonic, Fey, or Titan lineage
Ancestral; 7th
Otherwise unchanged from Complete Arcane.

MammonAzrael
2011-12-16, 07:30 PM
Feats

Blended Essence
Prerequisite: Eldritch blast 3d6, knowledge of two or more eldritch essences
Benefit: Three times per day you may apply two eldritch essences at once to your eldritch blast. At least one of them must be at least one grade lower than the highest grade invocation you know. You must declare the use of this feat before you use the ability.

Eldritch Penetration
Prerequisite: Eldritch blast ability
Benefit: You get a +4 bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance.

Grappling Blast
Found in Dragon 358, page 87.

Imbue Runestaff
Prerequisite: Knowledge of at least one least invocation
Benefit: You can use your invocations to power the spells stored within runstaffs. As a full-round action you may infuse a runestaff with one invocation you know. If you do you lose access to that invocation for 24 hours or until you have rested for 8 eight hours. Any continuing effects of the invocation immediately end, but you gain access to the spells within the runestaff. You may cast up to three spells in the runestaff equal to or lower than the equivalent spell level of the used invocation as if you had sacrificed a prepared spell.

Inexorable Heritage
Prerequisite: Heritage class ability
Benefit: You are considered to be up to 2 levels higher, up to a maximum of your hit dice, for determining what Heritage abilities you have.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times. Its effects stack.



Items

Aiming
Price: +1 bonus
Property: Melee weapon
Caster Level: 6th
Aura: Moderate; (DC 18) abjuration
Activation: --

This weapon emits a sense of calm that steadies your aim.

An aiming weapon allows the wielder to transfer some or all of the weapon’s enhancement bonus to ranged touch attacks he makes with spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities. As a free action, the wielder chooses how to allocate the weapon’s enhancement bonus at the start of his turn before using the weapon, and the effect to ranged attack rolls lasts until his next turn.

Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, targeting ray SC219
Cost to Create: Varies.

Gauntlets of Eldritch Power
Found in Magic Item Compendium, page 102. Update pending.

Gloves of Eldritch Admixture
Found in Magic Item Compendium, page 105. Update pending.

Stole of Arcane PowerReplaces Chasuble of Fell Power, MIC 85
Price: 8,000 gp (lesser), 18,000 gp (greater)
Body Slot: Throat
Caster Level: 6th (lesser), 9th (greater)
Aura: Moderate; DC 18 (lesser), DC 19 (greater) evocation
Activation: --
Weight: --

Eldritch symbols are woven through this long strip of cloth, their colors shifting endlessly as the light hits them.

Each stole of arcane power is attuned to either Chaos, Evil, Good, or Law.
Lesser: While wearing one, spells you cast with a matching alignment descriptor deal an additional 1d6 points of damage, if the spells deal hit point damage. If you aren’t an opposing alignment, your eldritch blast deals an additional die of damage.
Greater: As the lesser version, except instead it adds an extra 2d6 points of damage to your aligned spells and your eldritch blast deals an additional 2 dice of damage.

Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, eldritch blast or chaos hammer (chaos), holy smite (good), order’s wrath (law), unholy blight (evil)
Cost to create: 4,000 gp, 320 XP, 8 days (lesser); 9,000 gp, 720 XP, 18 days (greater)

Rod of Eldritch Power
Found in Complete Mage, page 127.

Warlock’s Scepter
Found in Magic Item Compendium, page 63. Update pending.



Change Log (3/18/2012)
3/18/2012

Changed the progression of Aberrant lineage from UE/MS/IUE/AR... to MS/UE/AR/IUE...
Changed the progression of Undead lineage from SoU/DC/LS/ISoU/IDC/LD/ISoU/IDC/ISoU to DC/SoU/LS/ISoU/IDC/ISoU/LD/ISoU/IDC
Angelic Warlocks may suppress or resume their aura as a free action
Fey Warlocks now get Woodland Stride at 2nd level and DR at 4th
Creatures with true seeing get an auto save to disbelieve 20th Fey’lock illusions
Infernal’s silver tongue now offers a save and possible temp immunity.
Undead’s Life Sight clarified for invisible creatures
Undead’s 1st ability grants +2 bonus to neg energy saves instead of +4
Final death’s caress now offers a Fort save for the paralyzed part
Earthen and Stony Grasp are now limited to 1 at a time
You can now end Dark Discorperation as a move action
Titans now can learn Word of Changing
Angelics now can learn Impenetrable Barrier
Demonic now grants a Death Throes and resurrection instead of iterative attacks at 20th level
Added Inexorable Heritage feat
Imbue Runestaff can only be taken once now
Added all invocations from Complete Mage, Magic of Incarnum, Cityscape, and Drow of the Underdark

3/9/2012

Secrets of the Dragons no longer allows access to spells with experience costs
Made Arcane Sight a permanent supernatural effect and changed the Spellcraft check to a CL + Spellcraft number
Made Greater Arcane Sight an extraordinary ability, and the same modifications as Arcane Sight
Changed Demonic Retaliation from dealing damage to adjacent creatures to dealing damage to the creature that struck him
Eldritch Blow is now clearer in how in interacts with Eldritch Volley and how it functions in general. In addition, it now bypasses SR
Added Eldritch Beam, the new Eldritch Glaive
Added Eldritch Claws as a blast shape
Replaced Hellrime Blast with Glacial Blast
Added feats and items
Added all Dragon Magic invocations

2/8/2012

Exchanged Imbue Item with the Giant’s Eldritch Soul
Changed Giant Heritage to Titan Heritage
Moved Dual Blast to 9th level and changed it to Eldritch Volley, granting an extra blast at 18th level
Moved Greater Arcane Sight to 15th level
Added Draconic and Undead lineages
Added the rest of the Complete Arcane invocations

RedWarlock
2011-12-16, 09:34 PM
I like it!

Warlock is my favorite 3.5 class, I loved the based mechanics of it, and I always hated how people thought it was underpowered. This seems like a very solid improvement.

My favorite concept from ways back was the idea of a half-ogre warlock, with an emphasis on melee-channeled hideous blow. (He predated Eldritch Glaive) Now I've got to consider, which heritage I should aim for. I could see Giant, but I think I might favor Demonic. Depending on what you want to do with them, they all seem like solid ideas, though.

Ziegander
2011-12-17, 12:01 AM
Renew Item seems to be almost outrageously broken. I really like almost every change and addition you've made to the class, but once you hit 20th level you're handing out the equivalent of at-will Wizard spellcasting of whatever spells the Warlock can buy/find in Wands or Staffs.

On thing you really should do is come up with some new invocations (and probably shapes and essences) geared toward the various heritages, because as of right now half or more of the WotC ones are appropriate only for Demonic or Infernal Heritage.

RedWarlock
2011-12-17, 12:20 AM
Renew Item seems to be almost outrageously broken. I really like almost every change and addition you've made to the class, but once you hit 20th level you're handing out the equivalent of at-will Wizard spellcasting of whatever spells the Warlock can buy/find in Wands or Staffs.
Actually, no, it doesn't. The Renew Item ability specifies it only recharges per-day items, like Eternal Wands, and a lot of the stuff in the Magic Item Compendium that have daily charges. It's powerful, but not nearly as strong as you're thinking. Not a bad deal, by that level.


On thing you really should do is come up with some new invocations (and probably shapes and essences) geared toward the various heritages, because as of right now half or more of the WotC ones are appropriate only for Demonic or Infernal Heritage.
Agreed here. Though I think generalizing the fiendish ones might not be a bad idea, adding generic flavor that can be bent towards a particular heritage.

Ziegander
2011-12-17, 12:28 AM
Actually, no, it doesn't. The Renew Item ability specifies it only recharges per-day items, like Eternal Wands, and a lot of the stuff in the Magic Item Compendium that have daily charges. It's powerful, but not nearly as strong as you're thinking. Not a bad deal, by that level.

Ah, thank you for the clarification. That makes it much more acceptable, yes.


I think generalizing the fiendish ones might not be a bad idea, adding generic flavor that can be bent towards a particular heritage.

Certainly that would help too. I think someone else has already done the legwork on this aspect, though I can't remember who would have. Perhaps Errant X?

Letums Gate
2011-12-17, 01:12 AM
I absolutely love this rework! It looks so good and adds that flavor the Warlock always seemed to be missing. I can not wait for the other Heritages you plan to add. I plan on using the Angelic version as soon as I can. Your rework reminds me allot of the pathfinder sorcerer and that is very cool. I just hope your dragon Heritage is better then the draconic blood line.

Mike_the_Mystic
2011-12-17, 02:15 AM
I love this rework a lot. The heritages are phenomenal and I would love to try out Giant Heritage one day.

MammonAzrael
2011-12-17, 03:13 AM
I like it!

Warlock is my favorite 3.5 class, I loved the based mechanics of it, and I always hated how people thought it was underpowered. This seems like a very solid improvement.

My favorite concept from ways back was the idea of a half-ogre warlock, with an emphasis on melee-channeled hideous blow. (He predated Eldritch Glaive) Now I've got to consider, which heritage I should aim for. I could see Giant, but I think I might favor Demonic. Depending on what you want to do with them, they all seem like solid ideas, though.

Thanks! :smallsmile:

Demonic and Giant are the two heritages that lean towards melee the most, so they're both good choices. At this point it probably depends on how evil you want him to be.


On thing you really should do is come up with some new invocations (and probably shapes and essences) geared toward the various heritages, because as of right now half or more of the WotC ones are appropriate only for Demonic or Infernal Heritage.


Agreed here. Though I think generalizing the fiendish ones might not be a bad idea, adding generic flavor that can be bent towards a particular heritage.

This is the plan. I'm working on updating and adding invocations, as right now I'm obviously not finished. I'm currently undecided on how low I'll go, but most ancestral invocations will be exclusive to only a select few heritages.


I absolutely love this rework! It looks so good and adds that flavor the Warlock always seemed to be missing. I can not wait for the other Heritages you plan to add. I plan on using the Angelic version as soon as I can. Your rework reminds me allot of the pathfinder sorcerer and that is very cool. I just hope your dragon Heritage is better then the draconic blood line.

The dragon one is actually quite tricky, because dragons are actually fairly bland in their non-physical commonalities, and we've also got the dragonfire adept. I'm workin' on it though! I haven't read through Pathfinder at all, but I'm glad you're reminded of their work!


I love this rework a lot. The heritages are phenomenal and I would love to try out Giant Heritage one day.

Thanks!

PersonMan
2011-12-17, 10:21 AM
I like it. I'm getting the idea for a prestige class geared to this, but I only just finished another one so I might wait a bit before doing that.

Mulletmanalive
2011-12-17, 12:14 PM
I like most of it, though the fey bloodline doesn't seem all that fey in nature and i'm completely lost how having giant blood allows you to shoot magic out of your hands [not least because most giants don't have any Su abilities at all...]

T.G. Oskar
2011-12-17, 03:06 PM
I like most of it, though the fey bloodline doesn't seem all that fey in nature and i'm completely lost how having giant blood allows you to shoot magic out of your hands [not least because most giants don't have any Su abilities at all...]

MA mentions that the Giant bloodline is closer to the giants in Eberron (which could actually shoot magic out of their hands, particularly those with the Primordial Giant bloodline) and titans, rather than the lowly giants. Frost giants may also qualify, as despite being warriors they're also pretty keen with the divine magic.

Some of the things I have to mention is why keep dual blast with two rays instead of trying to assimilate it to BAB, at least allowing an 8th - 10th level or higher to shoot two bolts and a 15th-20th level character to shoot three. Two blasts seems a bit shorthanded by 15th level, even if they get full blast damage, especially as a full round action. Eldritch Glaive, Hideous Blow and the Eldritch Claws feat may act separately, and won't be affected by the Dual Blast ability, unless I'm missing something.

Another is how you've worked the Warlock to be based on ancestry, but how Imbue Item and Renew Item seem to be a bit off (even if part of the original class). I would suggest delving a bit closer to Deceive Item rather than to Imbue Item, out of fitting the flavor of a caster a bit better. A capstone that grants a, say, +2 increase to the CL of any item you wield would be decent, since it could make high level spells work almost at full power and make lower level spells work slightly better. I know Deceive Item and Imbue Item are meant to be related, but Imbue Item seems to be the craft of the Artificer (pun intended) than the craft of the Warlock. The Warlock works great as a deceiver, but not exactly as a crafter.

Ziegander
2011-12-17, 03:08 PM
Some of the things I have to mention is why keep dual blast with two rays instead of trying to assimilate it to BAB, at least allowing an 8th - 10th level or higher to shoot two bolts and a 15th-20th level character to shoot three. Two blasts seems a bit shorthanded by 15th level, even if they get full blast damage, especially as a full round action. Eldritch Glaive, Hideous Blow and the Eldritch Claws feat may act separately, and won't be affected by the Dual Blast ability, unless I'm missing something.

I fully agree with this. This is the one other thing that bugged me about the rewrite. If you're going with Dual Blast, you may as well go whole hog and just allow Eldritch Blast to be used with iterative attacks and build that into the original Eldritch Blast class feature from the start.

MammonAzrael
2011-12-17, 04:34 PM
I like it. I'm getting the idea for a prestige class geared to this, but I only just finished another one so I might wait a bit before doing that.

You're more than welcome to. And if you give me a heads up if/when you do make one, I'll link to it here.


I like most of it, though the fey bloodline doesn't seem all that fey in nature and i'm completely lost how having giant blood allows you to shoot magic out of your hands [not least because most giants don't have any Su abilities at all...]

Why doesn't the Fey heritage feel all that "Fey" to you? What sorts of things were you expecting? Remember that most of the abilities need to be fairly passive, otherwise they'd make more sense as invocations.

As T.G. Oskar pointed out, I mentioned that the Giant heritage is influenced heavily from the Eberron style of giant. Additionally, if you look through the various SRD giants, many of them have an innate magical connection (elemental, admittedly, but still magical).


Some of the things I have to mention is why keep dual blast with two rays instead of trying to assimilate it to BAB, at least allowing an 8th - 10th level or higher to shoot two bolts and a 15th-20th level character to shoot three. Two blasts seems a bit shorthanded by 15th level, even if they get full blast damage, especially as a full round action. Eldritch Glaive, Hideous Blow and the Eldritch Claws feat may act separately, and won't be affected by the Dual Blast ability, unless I'm missing something.


I fully agree with this. This is the one other thing that bugged me about the rewrite. If you're going with Dual Blast, you may as well go whole hog and just allow Eldritch Blast to be used with iterative attacks and build that into the original Eldritch Blast class feature from the start.

One reason that I didn't grant all EBs iterative attacks is so the melee options retained a noticeable advantage for the range trade off. I mean, why would you ever take Eldritch Glaive over Eldritch Spear if the only thing you got out of it was being able to stand next to your enemies instead of 250 feet away? I'm not sure where you're getting the idea that two blasts is a fullround action - It's a standard and a swift action, so you can still move around.

I chose level 15 for several reasons:

It's when you gain your third iterative attack, making the methods to do grant iterative attacks remain their special feeling of double your normal number of attacks.
I've seen a bunch of 5-level warlock PrCs that focus on a specific invocation or something, so it's a good break point for someone that wanted a 5-level PrC.
As this Warlock isn't intended to be a top-level blaster, I didn't want them getting it too early.


I'm not sure exactly what you're talking about in regards to EG, HB, and EC, but if you chose to use your melee options, you'd still be able to spend a swift action to use your EB once. I can see some messiness there, and if it stays I'll clean that up.

A quick note: I'm completely open to changing things, and I apologize if I come off as stubborn or unbending. I just like to have a discussion as to how and why a change should be implemented first, as well as explain my original intentions. :smallsmile:


Another is how you've worked the Warlock to be based on ancestry, but how Imbue Item and Renew Item seem to be a bit off (even if part of the original class). I would suggest delving a bit closer to Deceive Item rather than to Imbue Item, out of fitting the flavor of a caster a bit better. A capstone that grants a, say, +2 increase to the CL of any item you wield would be decent, since it could make high level spells work almost at full power and make lower level spells work slightly better. I know Deceive Item and Imbue Item are meant to be related, but Imbue Item seems to be the craft of the Artificer (pun intended) than the craft of the Warlock. The Warlock works great as a deceiver, but not exactly as a crafter.

Hmm...an interesting point, I can see where you're coming from. I couls see possible switching Imbue Item and the Giant's Eldritch Soul, making Giants the premier forgers, instead of having all warlocks good at it.

T.G. Oskar
2011-12-17, 04:59 PM
One reason that I didn't grant all EBs iterative attacks is so the melee options retained a noticeable advantage for the range trade off. I mean, why would you ever take Eldritch Glaive over Eldritch Spear if the only thing you got out of it was being able to stand next to your enemies instead of 250 feet away? I'm not sure where you're getting the idea that two blasts is a fullround action - It's a standard and a swift action, so you can still move around.

I chose level 15 for several reasons:

It's when you gain your third iterative attack, making the methods to do grant iterative attacks remain their special feeling of double your normal number of attacks.
I've seen a bunch of 5-level warlock PrCs that focus on a specific invocation or something, so it's a good break point for someone that wanted a 5-level PrC.
As this Warlock isn't intended to be a top-level blaster, I didn't want them getting it too early.


I'm not sure exactly what you're talking about in regards to EG, HB, and EC, but if you chose to use your melee options, you'd still be able to spend a swift action to use your EB once. I can see some messiness there, and if it stays I'll clean that up.

Alright, let me make it a bit clear.

As it stands, eldritch blast is a standard action ranged touch attack (as far as I can comprehend it), which deals 1d6 + 1d6/2 class levels after the first, so you deal 1d6 at 1st level, 2d6 at 3rd, and so on. Since it can be used at will and improved, it's not so bad to have. At 15th level, the warlock uses two blasts instead of one, but at full power. Eldritch Glaive (which forms a weapon) and Hideous Blow (which adds the EB damage to the weapon) allow you to use your BAB for multiple applications per round, but essentially only at melee. Eldritch Claws allow you to form claws, which work as natural weapons (IIRC) that deal EB damage; if you find a way to make multiple natural attacks, you can deal multiple EB damage (particularly with Pounce).

What I propose is very similar to how I worked it out; I don't like to show off my work, but that doesn't mean I can't use it as an example. Dual Blast as presented is an actually good idea: you tie it to class levels rather than your BAB, which makes Eldritch Glaive and Hideous Blow good for multiclass characters and prizes fidelity to the class. However, two blasts at that level doesn't seem much, when a Rogue can chuck six splash weapons and deal its sneak attack damage at range, ignoring Dex AND making it ranged touch attacks. All it requires is a potion of greater invisibility and many flasks, of which you can have with different flavors, and technically it works right from Core. This may seem really exaggerate, but to keep up with that top of damage, or even lower limits (the humble Power Attacker, for example), you need to deliver some reasonable options.

Lowering Dual Blast to 8th level, or even to 10th level, allows the Warlock to become pretty competitive right at those levels even from afar. Melee-locks would still have the advantage, as since their amount of hits is based by their BAB (or really, their iteratives), they take advantage of Divine Power, as well as any "extra attack when making a full-attack action" buffs (Hideous Blow and Eldritch Claws, particularly). Dual Blast behaves differently, as it negates many of the chances of landing a third or even fourth blast, because it requires a full-round action instead of a full attack action. Note the big difference, and that's something which works right as you're working Dual Blast right now.

These would be my responses to the two concerns regarding Eldritch Blast: why choose Hideous Blow/Eldritch Glaive if I can do the same hits while at range (second response)? Will Eldritch Blast do too much damage for an "at-will" ability (first response)? If you find both answers to be conclusive, then you can see why placing a "Triple Blast" ability between levels 15th-20th wouldn't be a bad idea. Since it doesn't depend on your BAB but rather on your class levels, only those Warlocks that remain up to 14th level have a chance to get three attacks, and still get all the other loads of goodies, whereas those who decide to multiclass will probably miss the benefits (particularly if Triple Blast becomes a 20th level ability).


Hmm...an interesting point, I can see where you're coming from. I couls see possible switching Imbue Item and the Giant's Eldritch Soul, making Giants the premier forgers, instead of having all warlocks good at it.

Almost like if you read my mind. Yes, I see Giants as the "crafting" ancestry, giving it something different to work with aside from "titans or ancient awesome civilization".

MammonAzrael
2011-12-17, 06:37 PM
That is much clearer, thank you. The one thing I am still puzzled by is your reference to full round and full attack actions. As the class stands right now, it is a standard action to fire an eldritch blast, and then a swift action to fire a second with dual blast. Those don't add up to a full round or full attack action.

You have certainly persuaded me to lower the level you acquire Dual Blast, and quite probably add in a triple option. I'll have to rejigger when various abilities are granted, but right now I'm thinking of sticking Dual Blast at either 8 or 10, and then Triple Blast 10 levels later, at either 18 or 20. If 20, I'd move Renew Item to be gained earlier.

I think I'll need to rewrite both Eldritch Glaive and Eldritch Blow to work better with Dual/Triple Blast, and I really need to get a copy of Dragon 358 so I can read Eldritch Claws.

Mulletmanalive
2011-12-18, 06:45 AM
Why doesn't the Fey heritage feel all that "Fey" to you? What sorts of things were you expecting? Remember that most of the abilities need to be fairly passive, otherwise they'd make more sense as invocations.



I can't necessarily explain it; I've just spent so much time reading folklore for Fae-o-matic that it feels kind of off. Partly because standard D&D fey would also possess fome kind of charm ability.

I could see the "natural world messing with you" feature split over two different grades in place of the invisibility one and that taking its place: perhaps an entangling effect [i know Freedom of Movement is a problem there, but it does hinder spellcasting and FoM is kind of broken anyway] for the first power and then some kind of full on damaging binding later on [the Complete Divine version of Briar Web should serve as a nasty basis]

In real lore, i've only really heard of invisibility while they're hiding after messing with you, laughter pouring out of nowhere, possibly why the Greater Invisibility doesn't seem very fairy-ish.

Those are just the thoughts of someone who's spent far too much time reading about/designing fairies.

As an aside, you mention the fire giants elemental link in your response on the giants thing [which may as well be called "Titan bloodline"] and i'm wondering if you have plans to add an elemental chain. It would certainly fit and Antimony from Gunnerkrieg Court (gunnerkrigg.com/index2.php) could serve as inspiration.

gkathellar
2011-12-18, 08:54 AM
This is a lovely rewrite. Thank you.

MammonAzrael
2011-12-18, 03:01 PM
I can't necessarily explain it; I've just spent so much time reading folklore for Fae-o-matic that it feels kind of off. Partly because standard D&D fey would also possess fome kind of charm ability.

I could see the "natural world messing with you" feature split over two different grades in place of the invisibility one and that taking its place: perhaps an entangling effect [i know Freedom of Movement is a problem there, but it does hinder spellcasting and FoM is kind of broken anyway] for the first power and then some kind of full on damaging binding later on [the Complete Divine version of Briar Web should serve as a nasty basis]

In real lore, i've only really heard of invisibility while they're hiding after messing with you, laughter pouring out of nowhere, possibly why the Greater Invisibility doesn't seem very fairy-ish.

Those are just the thoughts of someone who's spent far too much time reading about/designing fairies.

As an aside, you mention the fire giants elemental link in your response on the giants thing [which may as well be called "Titan bloodline"] and i'm wondering if you have plans to add an elemental chain. It would certainly fit and Antimony from Gunnerkrieg Court (gunnerkrigg.com/index2.php) could serve as inspiration.

I can understand how it feels a bit off for someone who's been doing research or lots of folklore - I put it together mainly from personal recollections and some fey available on the SRD. I agree that a charm thing is a big component, and I was thinking of incorporating that into exclusive invocations. I suppose it could be a gaze attack of some kind though.

So in actual lore there isn't much of fey hiding among people, passing themselves off through clever disguises? Hmm...I could see Reflective Glamer becoming an invocation pretty easily...Unless you're saying you have a problem with the Eyebite ability?

As for elementals, yes that is a planned heritage. I'll check out that link, thanks. :smallsmile: And I'll take the name change under consideration!


This is a lovely rewrite. Thank you.

:smallbiggrin:

Mulletmanalive
2011-12-18, 04:49 PM
It's eyebite more than anything, if i'm honest. Or at least it's the invisibility part of eyebite.

It's kinda hard to explain beyond that. There's a few examples of invisible creatures but they're rarely openly aggressive, most likely to push things over onto you or steal your cows or something.

If it allowed them a short move and a free hide check, it would seem sillier but would probably be more accurate.

Y'know, now tha i've written this, i'm actually thinking that it's all cool. Perhaps renaming it to "Glammer Mask" or something but other that that, it's pretty cool from a certain point of view. "Ow, i've been shot... Wait, there did he go and why is there a wash tub in the middle of the battlefield?"

Reflective glammer is pretty apt actually.

MammonAzrael
2011-12-18, 07:06 PM
It's eyebite more than anything, if i'm honest. Or at least it's the invisibility part of eyebite.

It's kinda hard to explain beyond that. There's a few examples of invisible creatures but they're rarely openly aggressive, most likely to push things over onto you or steal your cows or something.

If it allowed them a short move and a free hide check, it would seem sillier but would probably be more accurate.

Y'know, now tha i've written this, i'm actually thinking that it's all cool. Perhaps renaming it to "Glammer Mask" or something but other that that, it's pretty cool from a certain point of view. "Ow, i've been shot... Wait, there did he go and why is there a wash tub in the middle of the battlefield?"

Reflective glammer is pretty apt actually.

Well the name "eyebite" and it's basic effect was taken directly from a 4th edition At-Will power. it's certainly much different that the 3.5 spell of the same name. I can certainly see a renaming of it...name pondering shall be included in the next update. :smallsmile:

Letums Gate
2011-12-18, 11:48 PM
The dragon one is actually quite tricky, because dragons are actually fairly bland in their non-physical commonalities, and we've also got the dragonfire adept. I'm workin' on it though! I haven't read through Pathfinder at all, but I'm glad you're reminded of their work!

Well from what I see the dragonfire adept really is just a dragon version of the warlock so giving the dragon heritage some adept like ability's would not be bad. My major interest is really going to be in the undead heritage. I am curious on which direction your going to take it. If your interested in suggestions maybe some thing similar to the dread necromancer.

eftexar
2011-12-19, 03:27 PM
It definitely improves on the flavor of the warlock. As far as balance is concerned it seems pretty good.
My only worry is that it can do a little bit of everything and can do it fairly well. Although I wouldn't normally think of this as a problem (as this is what makes the rogue fun), you have to factor in unlimited use invocations (so it can do everything and spellcasting). But it still clearly places itself in tier 3 (which is probably my favorite balance point).
This is actually the same thing I am worried about with a necromancer I'm currently working on.

Kane0
2011-12-19, 06:58 PM
Awesome Warlock rebuild, love it!

Incidentally I homebrewed an invoker that expanded upon the allegiance/pact concept that the warlock introduced. If you'd like to have a look its in my sig, please comment!

MammonAzrael
2012-02-08, 03:58 AM
Got a bunch of updates, including two new lineages, Draconic and Undead! :smallbiggrin:

I'll be adding more invocations, both retools and my own over the coming weeks. Of particular focus will be invocations that are accessible to only certain, or even singular, lineages.

Killercloud
2012-02-08, 03:57 PM
I really, really liked this rewrite, until I looked over some of the heritages and started to think, "Wow, these are amazing, why would I ever want to multiclass...uh oh."

The Heritages (which I read last mind you.) read crank this class to power level 11. While still now Wizard or Cleric (though not far off in some cases) the balancing factors really go out the window with some of the abilities, especially at lower levels, and the capstones

I mean, at second level +2 defection bonus, AND +2 resistance bonus to saves, that affects allies within 10 feat as well? Why make a Bard who can give +1 (or maybe +2) attack and damage, when I can play this as an angelic style and boost the weak rear end characters, all the while lobbing deadly magical doom.

I do like the separated progressions for Invocations and Blast Shapes/Essences, but I think it should've been six not eight, only because of how precious a resource the invocations are (consider it that each one is like a bonus feat, as extra invocation is one that does something similar.)

I would like to also mention that as this stands now, a Warlock can do crazy damage, way more than any other class by 18th level. Warlock 15/Hellfire Warlock 3. Crucible of Fell power (I think that's the scepter's name, I am doing this on a night without sleep, forgive any failures of context), and the throat slot item from the MiC. Using a full charge from the scepter, add in Hellfire and a triple blast, in one turn you can deal 78d6 (or 78d12 for demonic) up to ten times per scepter and even without that its still 63d6 (or 63d12) which is a massive amount of damage.

This doesn't include chance for missing OR for critical hits. This is literally an average of 278 (or 507 for demonic). I mean...Holy...er Unholy Crap!

I can't really talk to the other mechanics because, well I really like them, I think they all mesh to the flavor you are building well. I just don't know if Warlock is a class that needs a power every single level. I mean, it seems that this build's power takes it to eleven, and the shrugs and writes on a little twelve and sees how much louder it can get!

I will admit I only read down to the demonic heritage, but that one caught my eye as going way over the power scale. I mean, I suppose it has something to do with my DM distrust of Homebrew, and what it does to classes, I mean this is literally tier hopping crazy. Yeah, anyway summarizing time.

I really like what you were going for, but the balance seems to disappear when triple blasting, and the heritages get together to make inane combos.

MammonAzrael
2012-02-08, 05:16 PM
I really, really liked this rewrite, until I looked over some of the heritages and started to think, "Wow, these are amazing, why would I ever want to multiclass...uh oh."

Multiclassing should be a choice you make for building a specific character. Whether it's another base class or a prestige class, you should never be taking it for no reason other than "It's just stronger". This is a major fault with many of the official made classes, and one that I strive to avoid. A base class should be worth taking 20 full levels in.

Additionally, if PrCs were made based off this class, they would likely include some form of heritage advancement.


The Heritages (which I read last mind you.) read crank this class to power level 11. While still now Wizard or Cleric (though not far off in some cases) the balancing factors really go out the window with some of the abilities, especially at lower levels, and the capstones

Yes, they provide a lot of the power of the class. And while they're stronger, they still remain behind full casters in terms of power and utility.


I mean, at second level +2 defection bonus, AND +2 resistance bonus to saves, that affects allies within 10 feat as well? Why make a Bard who can give +1 (or maybe +2) attack and damage, when I can play this as an angelic style and boost the weak rear end characters, all the while lobbing deadly magical doom.

Note that Protective Aura only applies against evil creatures. And while that will make is extremely good against say a necromancer, it'll do little if you run up against a back of animals, or a neutral thieves guild, and so on. Additionally, 10 feet isn't that far unless you're fighting in hallways, and severely reduces it's usefulness for maneuverability.

Also, you play a Bard instead of a Warlock because Bard fits the flavor of your class better.


I do like the separated progressions for Invocations and Blast Shapes/Essences, but I think it should've been six not eight, only because of how precious a resource the invocations are (consider it that each one is like a bonus feat, as extra invocation is one that does something similar.)

Essences and Shapes often receive less love because they are just not as good as other invocations. Eight are available for 2 reasons.

The symmetry of gaining an invocation every level flows better on both the chart and feels more natural, instead of having to remember that there are two levels where you don't learn a new invocation.
This allows you to have 1 shape and 1 essence of each Least, Lesser, Greater, and Ancestry, so that each grade can get it's time in the sun.



I would like to also mention that as this stands now, a Warlock can do crazy damage, way more than any other class by 18th level. Warlock 15/Hellfire Warlock 3. Crucible of Fell power (I think that's the scepter's name, I am doing this on a night without sleep, forgive any failures of context), and the throat slot item from the MiC. Using a full charge from the scepter, add in Hellfire and a triple blast, in one turn you can deal 78d6 (or 78d12 for demonic) up to ten times per scepter and even without that its still 63d6 (or 63d12) which is a massive amount of damage.

This doesn't include chance for missing OR for critical hits. This is literally an average of 278 (or 507 for demonic). I mean...Holy...er Unholy Crap!

There are two items that increase an eldritch blast's damage: the Warlock's Scepter and the Chasuble of Fell Power. The Greater Chasuble adds 2d6 to an EB, while the Scepter can, once per day, add 4d6. Combined with Hellfire Blast, you're getting +12d6 (at the cost of 3 Con) for the first EB, and +8d6 for every other EB that day.

Eldritch Volley only allows you to fire three blasts at class level 18, not character level 18. I will amend that to be more clear.

Added to the base 9d6, you're looking at 38d6 total, or ~133 damage (~247 for Demonic). By 18th level that really shouldn't be too insane. It's certainly respectable, but it's nothing mind-blowing. Particularly since that is just about as high as you can take that damage, whereas other methods, including simple melee attacks, can rocket up past that with the same level of optimization effort. Heck, an unmodified disintegrate dishing out 36d6 damage at that level, and you can bet that isn't the most powerful option the wizard has available.


I can't really talk to the other mechanics because, well I really like them, I think they all mesh to the flavor you are building well. I just don't know if Warlock is a class that needs a power every single level. I mean, it seems that this build's power takes it to eleven, and the shrugs and writes on a little twelve and sees how much louder it can get!

I'm glad you like them! But every class should get things every level. Dead levels are heresy in game design. If you level up and all you're doing is increasing a couple numbers by 1 and rolling for hit points, you're playing a poorly designed class, full stop. This class is unquestionably powerful out of the box, but that is how classes should be - you shouldn't need hours of book-diving and intimate knowledge of the rules to make a class powerful.


I will admit I only read down to the demonic heritage, but that one caught my eye as going way over the power scale. I mean, I suppose it has something to do with my DM distrust of Homebrew, and what it does to classes, I mean this is literally tier hopping crazy. Yeah, anyway summarizing time.

Sounds like you got caught up on the damage capability of the Demonic lineage (which is it's main focus). It can certainly do some impressive things, but HP damage is easily replaced, and PO'd Power Attacking characters will still out-damage it.

I do admit that the class hasn't been properly tested, and the balance is only theoretical, so it's quite possible that numbers need to be tweaked. Thus far the only feedback I've had from actual play has been regarding the angelic lineage, and that feedback was very positive (even given the game had a very heavy evil focus).


I really like what you were going for, but the balance seems to disappear when triple blasting, and the heritages get together to make inane combos.

I'm thrilled you took the time to read through it and respond. It's the only way the class will improve. Balance is a tricky thing, especially in DnD where people play at such differing levels of power. The triple blast is a new addition, and it may be too much. I'm not really sure how heritages are getting together to combo though.

I'd love to hear your responses!

Killercloud
2012-02-08, 05:52 PM
Multiclassing should be a choice you make for building a specific character. Whether it's another base class or a prestige class, you should never be taking it for no reason other than "It's just stronger". This is a major fault with many of the official made classes, and one that I strive to avoid. A base class should be worth taking 20 full levels in.

One of the most compelling ways to say a class is really strong, is when you look at it, you don't see a reason to do anything else. This is just something I read once, is all.


Yes, they provide a lot of the power of the class. And while they're stronger, they still remain behind full casters in terms of power and utility.

I do agree with the lower power compared to full casters, but they are very comparable compared to the original. I think this is my DM is my head telling me that to power something up beyond its original value is bad. heh.




Note that Protective Aura only applies against evil creatures. And while that will make is extremely good against say a necromancer, it'll do little if you run up against a back of animals, or a neutral thieves guild, and so on. Additionally, 10 feet isn't that far unless you're fighting in hallways, and severely reduces it's usefulness for maneuverability.

I didn't realize that about the aura. Ignore statement now.


Also, you play a Bard instead of a Warlock because Bard fits the flavor of your class better.

I really have no clue what I was going for with the Bard comment. I think I derped for a moment.


Essences and Shapes often receive less love because they are just not as good as other invocations. Eight are available for 2 reasons.

The symmetry of gaining an invocation every level flows better on both the chart and feels more natural, instead of having to remember that there are two levels where you don't learn a new invocation.
This allows you to have 1 shape and 1 essence of each Least, Lesser, Greater, and Ancestry, so that each grade can get it's time in the sun.



Well, I suppose that does make good sense. I suppose it's just my anti-powergamer, attempting to come out.



There are two items that increase an eldritch blast's damage: the Warlock's Scepter and the Chasuble of Fell Power. The Greater Chasuble adds 2d6 to an EB, while the Scepter can, once per day, add 4d6. Combined with Hellfire Blast, you're getting +12d6 (at the cost of 3 Con) for the first EB, and +8d6 for every other EB that day.

Hellfire is +9d6 and the Chasuble adds 2d6, so isn't that 11d6 per blast? +4d6 for the Scepter once? The Con cost is negligible, merely because of Eternal Wands and Bard Spells.


Eldritch Volley only allows you to fire three blasts at class level 18, not character level 18. I will amend that tobe more clear.

Derp. for some reason I thought it was Warlock 15 not 18. Gaahhh! Kaaaaahhhnnnn!!!


Heck, an unmodified disintegrate dishing out 36d6 damage at that level, and you can bet that isn't the most powerful option the wizard has available.

Yes, but disintegrate allows for a save. We didn't even have to essence or shape this blast.




I'm glad you like them! But every class should get things every level. Dead levels are heresy in game design. If you level up and all you're doing is increasing a couple numbers by 1 and rolling for hit points, you're playing a poorly designed class, full stop. This class is unquestionably powerful out of the box, but that is how classes should be - you shouldn't need hours of book-diving and intimate knowledge of the rules to make a class powerful.

This is what I like about Pathfinder against 3.5, personally. Power without need for eighteen sourcebooks.




Sounds like you got caught up on the damage capability of the Demonic lineage (which is it's main focus). It can certainly do some impressive things, but HP damage is easily replaced, and PO'd Power Attacking characters will still out-damage it.

Well it is a bit crazy, and well the capstones are pretty crazy on all of the Heritages I've seen. I mean what other 3.5 class gets as much innately as this warlock. Just saying.


I do admit that the class hasn't been properly tested, and the balance is only theoretical, so it's quite possible that numbers need to be tweaked. Thus far the only feedback I've had from actual play has been regarding the angelic lineage, and that feedback was very positive (even given the game had a very heavy evil focus).

I am the only Warlock player in my group. Ever. The games I am in atm have no place for a Warlock, but I am running a Greyhawk based game that I will be testing the power, and versatility of these Warlocks, as villains. I'll let you know how many TPKs I get. :p




I'm thrilled you took the time to read through it and respond. It's the only way the class will improve. Balance is a tricky thing, especially in DnD where people play at such differing levels of power. The triple blast is a new addition, and it may be too much. I'm not really sure how heritages are getting together to combo though.

I didn't mean the Heritages across each other, but rather just the overall power increase is pretty incredible. I mean, I don't even know what to say about that other than, Balance is something I don't really respect in DnD, I mainly just point out things that seem to skew it way too hard, one way or another.

MammonAzrael
2012-02-08, 06:16 PM
One of the most compelling ways to say a class is really strong, is when you look at it, you don't see a reason to do anything else. This is just something I read once, is all.

Fair enough, but should you need a reason to do anything else? Shouldn't the only reason to multi-class be for reasons of fluff, not crunch? Prestige classes are supposed to be highly focused, not something everyone takes.


Well, I suppose that does make good sense. I suppose it's just my anti-powergamer, attempting to come out.

Understandable. And this class is very obviously strong out-of-the-box, which tends to set off alarms a lot faster than other, less obviously strong, options.


Hellfire is +9d6 and the Chasuble adds 2d6, so isn't that 11d6 per blast? +4d6 for the Scepter once? The Con cost is negligible, merely because of Eternal Wands and Bard Spells.

Hellfire adds 2d6 per class level (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20061207a&page=3), for a maximum of +6d6. The Con cost is avoidable, but that does demand resources which could be spent elsewhere.



Yes, but disintegrate allows for a save. We didn't even have to essence or shape this blast.

While EB will either demand either an attack roll or a save, so it's not an auto hit. And in non-magic terms, consider a Rogue - 7 attacks with a minimum of +9d6 to each (63d6).

I suspect it may be a personal ruling, but I've always considered a Hellfire Blast to be unmodifiable. Either the Hellfire Blast is a Eldritch Essence, which counts as the only Essence, or it changes the EB into a HB, and no where does it say that you can apply eldritch essences to a HB.


This is what I like about Pathfinder against 3.5, personally. Power without need for eighteen sourcebooks.

I don't have any experience with Pathfinder outside of some browsing, but from what I've seen I generally agree.


Well it is a bit crazy, and well the capstones are pretty crazy on all of the Heritages I've seen. I mean what other 3.5 class gets as much innately as this warlock. Just saying.

By and large, 3.5 capstones are complete jokes. I feel that this has given people a very skewed perception of capstones. You just spent 20 levels in a single class, that dedication should be rewarded. Not with a piddling bonus feat or 1 more spell or even nothing at all, but with something unique and powerful, something defining that you look forward to. This is a philosophy I apply to all by designs, a look through my other works will show that quickly enough! :smallsmile:


I am the only Warlock player in my group. Ever. The games I am in atm have no place for a Warlock, but I am running a Greyhawk based game that I will be testing the power, and versatility of these Warlocks, as villains. I'll let you know how many TPKs I get. :p

I look forward to the stories! Be careful though - if your groups aren't really into optimization at all, think Core is balanced, play clerics as heal-bots, and so on, then this class may simply be too strong. This is intended more for groups that find Tome of Battle fair and balanced.


I didn't mean the Heritages across each other, but rather just the overall power increase is pretty incredible. I mean, I don't even know what to say about that other than, Balance is something I don't really respect in DnD, I mainly just point out things that seem to skew it way too hard, one way or another.

Understandable, and I appreciate the input. The abilities are certainly strong, and playtesting could easily reveal things that need to be tweaked. The balance I'm most concerned with, to be honest, is the various heritages compared to each other. I think they're all more or less in the same realm (save perhaps draconic), but that's something that I'd need much input into to fine tune.

Killercloud
2012-02-08, 06:39 PM
Draconic is really powerful. You should probably add, something about Xp costs, as they aren't considered 'material components' and Spell-like abilities normally don't expend Xp, if I remember correctly. Otherwise, you could take your last Spell Secret as Limited Wish. Versatility thy name is Warlock.

MammonAzrael
2012-02-08, 06:42 PM
Draconic is really powerful. You should probably add, something about Xp costs, as they aren't considered 'material components' and Spell-like abilities normally don't expend Xp, if I remember correctly. Otherwise, you could take your last Spell Secret as Limited Wish. Versatility thy name is Warlock.

That's what I was missing! I thought about adding a clause nixing XP spells, but I thought "Eh, if they want to constantly drain their XP, why stop them?" Of course, SLAs ignore XP requirements, and that changes the game completely! I shall edit that presently. :smallsmile:

Killercloud
2012-02-08, 06:52 PM
Yeah, I think it costs unless specifically stated otherwise, as I believe it is with the Archmage ability.

Sypher667
2012-02-08, 07:07 PM
I would say the Fey dr 5/Cold iron is very strong for its level as well. I dont know how I would deal with it, but as is, I think its a bit much.

MammonAzrael
2012-02-08, 09:02 PM
It certainly is strong at 2nd level, which is part of why it's the only lineage to gain DR at 2nd level. It may be better if I shifted it with Woodland Stride.

exdragonking
2012-02-17, 02:36 PM
This is a bit funny cause i was talking with my DM the other day about having distinctions between the different bloodlines of a warlock and this is just great, its giving the warlock that flavor that it needed.

I do have a question about it with the class and prc's now was it still intended to have the class advance normally as the original one did by just increasing its eb and invocations? or are you thinking of having it increase the heritage abilities as well in addition?

Also can't wait to see what you have for the elemental heritage.

MammonAzrael
2012-02-17, 03:58 PM
This is a bit funny cause i was talking with my DM the other day about having distinctions between the different bloodlines of a warlock and this is just great, its giving the warlock that flavor that it needed.

I do have a question about it with the class and prc's now was it still intended to have the class advance normally as the original one did by just increasing its eb and invocations? or are you thinking of having it increase the heritage abilities as well in addition?

Also can't wait to see what you have for the elemental heritage.

I hope your DM approves it then!

The class advances (almost) just as it did originally. Advancing in a class that grants +1 level of existing spellcasting class advanecs your EB damage, invocations known, and grades you can learn, that's it. If you want the powers of your heritage, you remain in the class that advances said abilities, so no PrCs.

MammonAzrael
2012-03-09, 02:48 PM
And we have another update! :smallsmile: The main updates this month are a bunch more invocations, though some of the class features have been tweaked as well. No new heritages, but I'll get there.

JeminiZero
2012-03-10, 10:41 PM
Looking through the list of Invocations, there is no mention of those in Complete Mage (and there are some really good ones in there like Crawling Eye). Is this a deliberate exclusion, or just something you haven't gotten round to doing?

Tacitus
2012-03-10, 11:01 PM
So a while back my weekly gaming group decided to start a new D&D campaign from level one. I got the DM to approve this warlock rewrite and have been playing a Human with the Giant/Titan heritage, who seems to be growing an inch and a half taller every few nights (aka, each time we level). XD

Thus far I have found the acquisition of a single martial weapon proficiency at second level to drum up some hilarious moments, such as when at first level the character pulled out a rapier and then kinda looked at it for a few and wondered why he even had one when he couldn't even use it effectively (and subsequently just blasting a mook with EB). Picked rapier because I had originally intended to go Shadow Blade with it and get 3 stats to damage, but I'm diverging from that path.

Acquisition of Int to damage puts me about on par with the barbarian (who never seems to rage) for melee damage potential. Crafted myself a weapon, and did so using Seerow's custom weapons and alternate masterwork rules (its around here somewhere...).

I know I had a point when I started this post... oh well, I'll keep you updated on how the warlocking goes.

MammonAzrael
2012-03-10, 11:03 PM
Looking through the list of Invocations, there is no mention of those in Complete Mage (and there are some really good ones in there like Crawling Eye). Is this a deliberate exclusion, or just something you haven't gotten round to doing?

Haven't gotten to yet. Complete Mage, Cityscape, Magic of Incarnum, and Drow of the Underdark are the other books I'm aware of that contain official invocations. They should all be covered in the next update. I'm sure there are some scattered through Dragon Magazines, and I'll include them as I come across them. In addition I'm working on plenty of homebrew invocations, they're just taking a back seat to updating the official ones.


So a while back my weekly gaming group decided to start a new D&D campaign from level one. I got the DM to approve this warlock rewrite and have been playing a Human with the Giant/Titan heritage, who seems to be growing an inch and a half taller every few nights (aka, each time we level). XD

Thus far I have found the acquisition of a single martial weapon proficiency at second level to drum up some hilarious moments, such as when at first level the character pulled out a rapier and then kinda looked at it for a few and wondered why he even had one when he couldn't even use it effectively (and subsequently just blasting a mook with EB). Picked rapier because I had originally intended to go Shadow Blade with it and get 3 stats to damage, but I'm diverging from that path.

Acquisition of Int to damage puts me about on par with the barbarian (who never seems to rage) for melee damage potential. Crafted myself a weapon, and did so using Seerow's custom weapons and alternate masterwork rules (its around here somewhere...).

I know I had a point when I started this post... oh well, I'll keep you updated on how the warlocking goes.

:smallbiggrin: Sounds awesome. Even more awesome, it sounds like the class is playing fairly well...? Being about on par with a Barbarian that doesn't often rage sounds like it isn't overpowering, at least at the moment. What invocations are you using? And while I can't promise swift updates, I can promise that additional invocations will be added, as well as the occasional feat and item. (I've got a few more heritages brewing as well, but that is obviously less relevant in this case)

I can't wait to hear about more adventures of your Titan'lock!

Tacitus
2012-03-10, 11:26 PM
Eldritch Blow, Sickening Blast, Beguiling Influence, See the Unseen, and Spiderwalk.

And, of course, I picked up spiderwalk right after the encounter with 4 harpoon spiders, 5 monstrous spiders, and 4 ettercaps because, like genius adventurers we herded them all into one room. Only survived that encounter because of the Precocious Apprentice/Fiery Burst Batman, who was the only one left standing at the end... and must have killed 5 or 6 enemies by himself. (We may have also been smiled on by the dice gods fairly heavily that night, for 5 harpoons all missed said wizard over the course of the fight.)
>.> Its ironic because of the immune to webs part, and the fact that I got webbed like 3 times. >.<

Even with the Int to DCs, I don't think a single enemy has failed the fort save for the sickening blast... or lived through the blast to even care about the save.

Overall, yeah, playing fairly well. Have another game next tuesday, but I can't seem to remember if we're playing D&D or Mage...

MammonAzrael
2012-03-10, 11:41 PM
Eldritch Blow, Sickening Blast, Beguiling Influence, See the Unseen, and Spiderwalk.

And, of course, I picked up spiderwalk right after the encounter with 4 harpoon spiders, 5 monstrous spiders, and 4 ettercaps because, like genius adventurers we herded them all into one room. Only survived that encounter because of the Precocious Apprentice/Fiery Burst Batman, who was the only one left standing at the end... and must have killed 5 or 6 enemies by himself. (We may have also been smiled on by the dice gods fairly heavily that night, for 5 harpoons all missed said wizard over the course of the fight.)
>.> Its ironic because of the immune to webs part, and the fact that I got webbed like 3 times. >.<

Even with the Int to DCs, I don't think a single enemy has failed the fort save for the sickening blast... or lived through the blast to even care about the save.

Overall, yeah, playing fairly well. Have another game next tuesday, but I can't seem to remember if we're playing D&D or Mage...

Lol, nothing like hindsight! :smalltongue: Interesting about the sickening blast (don't forget that since you're usinga shape and an essence the DC goes up by 1!), but Titan and Eldritch Blow are more damage focused - I imagine it'd stick more if you were using a shape that's an area like Edlritch Line, so the damage wouldn't be as concentrated (and perhaps Ability Focus EB?).

Note that I just updated Eldritch Blow. It's a bit wordier, but I think it works better and isn't assuming anything. Also, it now bypasses SR, so I think you'll appreciate it. Thoughts?

Tacitus
2012-03-11, 12:05 AM
Aye, it might stick better, but without any AoE shapes available yet, thats not really possible. XP But aye, the sickening blast is mostly just there because there really isn't a reason not to tack on an essence.

Hmm... the Eldritch Blow, it used to have a swift action, aye? Hmm... I think the wording as is works fairly well, but would mean that in my case when I get up to 6th level, I won't be able to use Entwined Assault with an Eldritch Blow. Somewhat sad, but if I'm remembering correctly and it used to be a swift action to Eldritch Blow I wouldn't have been able to do it anyway, this change just gives more options (ie, "go for Eldritch Blow this round, or pop this guy with my spear and then blast that guy over there"). And the bypassing SR is always useful. Always.

Hmm... an Eldritch Blow/Combat Reflexes build would be interesting indeed. Well, assuming my tired brain isn't misunderstanding/malfunctioning. Sleeeeeepy.

MammonAzrael
2012-03-11, 12:17 AM
Which brings up the question: should I make an AoE Least Blast Shape? Maybe a Fiery Burst-esque 5' radius with a 30' range or something?

It did used to eat a swift action, which I thought didn't really jive as a Blast shape (it would've been fine as a normal invocation, but it really feels like a blast shape, ya know?). I hadn't considered that interaction with Entwined Assault...and now that I'm thinking about it, I don't know if I want Entwined Assualt to be mixable with it or not (first impression is I do, but I'm digesting). The intent was just to nix Eldritch Volleys, and Titans really should be enjoying their abilities, and Eldritch Blow is a natural choice for them. Hmmm...

And yes, it would be. Of course, Eldrtich Beam lends itself to that more, given that it makes touch attacks. But a spiked chain infused with eldritch blow could be quite potent.

DaedalusMkV
2012-03-11, 06:06 AM
Well, I'm not sure how much value my opinion is going to be, since we seem to value slightly different balance points (mine is a bit lower than yours, though not by a ton), but I've read through and I've got a lot of experience playing Warlocks at a fairly wide level range, so here we go...

The base class features are all very flavourful and reasonable. Scaling Detect Magic into the Arcane Sight tree is an amazing idea, and I wholeheartedly approve. Changes to the Warlock's skills are also very well done. Probably the only potential issue here is Arcane Soul, which vastly improves the Warlock's power level when using spell-trigger items and allows Titan-blooded Warlocks to create scrolls of spells one level higher than any other class using Imbue Item. This can cause some game imbalances, obviously; having access to Greater Teleport, Greater Plane Shift and/or True Seeing before anyone reasonably should can cause serious problems for GMs not aware of the possibility and for prewritten modules. Changing the ability to apply only when activating items or using invocations would remove these problems.

The Aberrant Lineage's Unnatural Essense is more than a little overpowered at 2nd level, with a -2 on Attack and Damage combined with a half-decent AC to begin with largely invalidating most CR1-2 monsters. I'd suggest swapping it with the much less disruptive Mind Strike, and doing the same with the first Improved Unnatural Essense and Aberrant Resistance. Otherwise there's nothing too troublesome here. Great Lineage. Angelic is fine; the Capstone is amazingly powerful, but it's a capstone. It should be.

...Gah. Just killed the rest of my post. Point-form comments:
Angelic needs to be able to suppress or stop its' protective aura. You don't want to have to have a Dispel ready every time you want to stop blocking out low-level spells with Globe of Invulnerablility.
Demonic should not be able to match or exceed the damage of a mid-op Charger or Blaster without making use of limited-per-day resources. Both of the above possess limitations and drawbacks that the Warlock does not. Also, at 20th level deals enough damage on average with vitriolic blast+greater Chasuble of FP to one-shot most CR20 enemies. Not a good out-of-the-box balance point, especially considering potential to add more damage with Empower SLA, Gloves of Eld. Ad. and Warlock's scepter. All combined, damage-per-round exceeds 800 at minimal cost, with virtually no chance of failure against all not immune to acid. Needs to be scaled back, or unplayable outside of high-op games.
Draconic should try to limit or prevent Conjuration and Transmutation spells with permanent effects from being chosen. PAO, Stone Shape and Wall of Stone are good enough without being usable thousands of times per day.
Fey should switch the DR and Woodland Stride. DR5 at level 2 will wreck published adventures and give your DM fits trying to challenge you without killing your allies. Also, consider replacing the Improved SR with the ability to raise and lower SR as a Free action that can be taken out of turn. SR15+level has heavy implications for both enemy and friendly casters, and SR10+level is usually enough to discourage SR: Yes spells to begin with. I'd also suggest allowing creatures with True Seeing effects to make Disbelief saves as soon as they perceive the illusion; otherwise many illusions become impossible to see through. Effect remains very powerful.
Infernal currently does not allow a saving throw to avoid Suggestion effect; wording causes targets to be treated as if they already failed a save. I suggest including a save, and causing a successful save to make the target immune for at least a minute or two. As-is, effect will break every campaign involving any intrigue or diplomacy.
Titan is fine and damned cool. Capstone is incredibly powerful, but again, it's a capstone.
Undead may be too powerful as a 2-level dip for great immunities and Invocations. Suggest moving Poison immunity to level 8. You should clarify whether Life Sight allows you to see Invisible creatures; I would suggest no. Final stage of Improved Deathly Caress needs to have a saving throw to avoid Paralysis; otherwise, automatic victory against anyone not immune. Not good for game-flow.

Shapes/Essences: Not much changed. The best Essences and Shapes are the same as they were, with Burst replacing Cone. Good idea to seperate these from Invocations; my favorite part of the rewrite.

Invocations:
Least: Scalding Gust is the best Invocation by far at level 1-2, allowing automatic no-save damage scaling better than Magic Missile at-will. Suggest making damage equal to .5*CL*3 rounded down for better balance at low levels. Earthen Grasp is also extremely powerful at level 1, auto-beating most other casters. Suggest returning it to the old version; it was already worth taking. Otherwise, everything looks good.
Lesser: Stony Grasp needed a bit of a boost to compete, so probably deserves the additions made. Humanoid Shape is overpowered for DFAs and it's overpowered here. Oh well. No Relentless Dispelling makes me a sad panda.
Greater: Enervating Shadow provides Concealment that can never be ignored, which conveniently makes you outright immune to Sneak Attack, Skirmish and Sudden Strike. Combined with Darkness and the Infernal Lineage, grants 50% miss chance against all attacks, no matter what. As-is, it's an auto-pick and by far the best of the Invocations. Easily equivalent in power to a 9th-level spell. Needs nerfing, not sure how. Otherwise, not too much has changed. Love the change to Devour Magic
Anscestral: Make sure to add clarification to Dark Discorporation allowing you to dismiss it. Not being able to un-discorporate by RAW is a big problem with the official Dark Discorporation spell. I'd suggest giving the Angelic anscestry access to Impenetrable Barrier. As-is, Titan has only 3 invocations to choose from at this level, suggest giving him Word of Changing to reflect mastery of physical form.

Sorry for the point-form review and terseness. It's already way past my bed time, and I didn't have time to be more thourough.

MammonAzrael
2012-03-11, 02:27 PM
What a response! :smallbiggrin: I'll be spoilering my reply for length considerations.


Well, I'm not sure how much value my opinion is going to be, since we seem to value slightly different balance points (mine is a bit lower than yours, though not by a ton), but I've read through and I've got a lot of experience playing Warlocks at a fairly wide level range, so here we go...

Even if we have slightly different balance points, extra eyes are always appreciated. Particularly experienced eyes. And I love in-depth critiques, so thank you! :smallsmile:


Probably the only potential issue here is Arcane Soul, which vastly improves the Warlock's power level when using spell-trigger items and allows Titan-blooded Warlocks to create scrolls of spells one level higher than any other class using Imbue Item. This can cause some game imbalances, obviously; having access to Greater Teleport, Greater Plane Shift and/or True Seeing before anyone reasonably should can cause serious problems for GMs not aware of the possibility and for prewritten modules. Changing the ability to apply only when activating items or using invocations would remove these problems.

Caster level has nothing to do with using Imbue Item. Titan warlocks can start trying to scribe 9th level scrolls at 12th level if they want to. Imbue Item has always been like that. I think you're not only worrying overmuch about the crafting ability (which is more limited by XP and Gold available, plus the feat cost), but forgetting that you can simply buy the scrolls you need. By 12th level scrolls of 7+ level spells are easily affordable. Heck, you can pick up Scout's Headband for 3400 gp and have true seeing up to a minute per day. Any prewritten modules set at 12th+ level should be prepared for these spells, as they are a reality of the game.


The Aberrant Lineage's Unnatural Essense is more than a little overpowered at 2nd level, with a -2 on Attack and Damage combined with a half-decent AC to begin with largely invalidating most CR1-2 monsters. I'd suggest swapping it with the much less disruptive Mind Strike, and doing the same with the first Improved Unnatural Essense and Aberrant Resistance. Otherwise there's nothing too troublesome here. Great Lineage.

Point. Additionally, it makes Mind Strike more...striking, as confusion is not a common effect at level 2, so it'll stand out nicely.


Angelic is fine; the Capstone is amazingly powerful, but it's a capstone. It should be.

...Gah. Just killed the rest of my post. Point-form comments:
Angelic needs to be able to suppress or stop its' protective aura. You don't want to have to have a Dispel ready every time you want to stop blocking out low-level spells with Globe of Invulnerablility.

I glad to meet someone who shares my opinions on capstones. :smallbiggrin:

Good catch on suppressing the aura, I'll add that.


Demonic should not be able to match or exceed the damage of a mid-op Charger or Blaster without making use of limited-per-day resources. Both of the above possess limitations and drawbacks that the Warlock does not. Also, at 20th level deals enough damage on average with vitriolic blast+greater Chasuble of FP to one-shot most CR20 enemies. Not a good out-of-the-box balance point, especially considering potential to add more damage with Empower SLA, Gloves of Eld. Ad. and Warlock's scepter. All combined, damage-per-round exceeds 800 at minimal cost, with virtually no chance of failure against all not immune to acid. Needs to be scaled back, or unplayable outside of high-op games.

You raise a good point here, though I think the math may be off, due to misunderstandings. Assuming a Greater Stole of Arcane Power, a Demonic Warlock can fire off 5 EBs, for a total 60d12 or ~390 damage. Assuming he uses all three Empower SLAs, that adds an extra ~117 damage. Vitriolic Blast would add ~35 acid damage per round for 3 rounds. Warlock's Scepter And the Gloves don't work, as they require a swift action to activate. I may need to update that so it doesn't compete with Eldritch Volley. Regardless, even if it did work it would only add ~17.5 damage.

Note that as it stands, Stole of Arcane Power is the only thing that adds extra dice to an EB, everything else adds a preset amount of damage. Vitriolic Blast still only does 2d6 acid damage per round, even if your EB deals d12s of damage.

Regardless of this, you're correct that it's an excessive amount of damage. I didn't readjust it at all when I added an extra attack to Eldritch Volley, and didn't anticipate 5 EBs a round. I may need to do something other than iterative attacks for the demonic capstone, as that seems to be the biggest problem. And to be honest, I'm still undecided on if Eldritch Volley should grant 2 extra attacks at high levels.


Draconic should try to limit or prevent Conjuration and Transmutation spells with permanent effects from being chosen. PAO, Stone Shape and Wall of Stone are good enough without being usable thousands of times per day.

Hmm...True that spells like those are some of the most awesome choices you could make, but the question is how to limit it? Limiting it by Range, Target, or Duration catches way too many viable options in the crossfire. Honestly I'm inclined to leave it as is, but make a note that DMs should feel free to nix choices that are too strong for their game, like the spells you mentioned.


Fey should switch the DR and Woodland Stride. DR5 at level 2 will wreck published adventures and give your DM fits trying to challenge you without killing your allies. Also, consider replacing the Improved SR with the ability to raise and lower SR as a Free action that can be taken out of turn. SR15+level has heavy implications for both enemy and friendly casters, and SR10+level is usually enough to discourage SR: Yes spells to begin with. I'd also suggest allowing creatures with True Seeing effects to make Disbelief saves as soon as they perceive the illusion; otherwise many illusions become impossible to see through. Effect remains very powerful.

While I disagree that DMs would have fits harming a lv 2 Fey Warlock with published modules (just given enemies cold iron weapons!), you aren't the first person to note how awesome DR is at that level. I think I'll switch the two for that reason and because woodland stride is more feyish for an introductory ability.

Fair enough point that SR10+ is usually enough. I don't think that suppressing/raising SR whenever is strong enough at that level...perhaps when a spell fails to penetrate their SR they can create a major image as an immediate action that make it appear as if the warlock had bee affected...

I know that disbelieving illusions is a grey area ruled by DM preference, but I can see automatically getting a save upon viewing (many DMs play this way with illusions straight up).


Infernal currently does not allow a saving throw to avoid Suggestion effect; wording causes targets to be treated as if they already failed a save. I suggest including a save, and causing a successful save to make the target immune for at least a minute or two. As-is, effect will break every campaign involving any intrigue or diplomacy.

Yeees, I can do that. They should be offered saves, and temporary immunity sounds fine. Particularly since saving against it won't screw a warlock...at least as long as their suggestions are reasonable enough that one could conceivably make them without magic.


Titan is fine and damned cool. Capstone is incredibly powerful, but again, it's a capstone.

:smallbiggrin: Yeah, I'm quite happy of how Titan turned out.


Undead may be too powerful as a 2-level dip for great immunities and Invocations. Suggest moving Poison immunity to level 8. You should clarify whether Life Sight allows you to see Invisible creatures; I would suggest no. Final stage of Improved Deathly Caress needs to have a saving throw to avoid Paralysis; otherwise, automatic victory against anyone not immune. Not good for game-flow.

Hmm, that is a powerful dip. I might reduce the bonus to saving throws to +2, given that immunity to poison has just about become irrelevant by 8th level.

Point on Life Sight.

While I disagree on automatic victory (see White Raven Hammer), it should offer a save. Paralysis is better than Stun, and at 16th level that is just super powerful.


Scalding Gust is the best Invocation by far at level 1-2, allowing automatic no-save damage scaling better than Magic Missile at-will. Suggest making damage equal to .5*CL*3 rounded down for better balance at low levels.

I'm not sure I agree. 2/4/6 damage unconditionally is nice, but awfully low-impact. Scalding Gust as it originally stood was terrible precisely because the damage it dealt had virtually no impact. And dealing 1/3/4/6/7 damage at low levels both requires more complex math, and is not something very good to do with your standard action. The utility of gust of wind just doesn't make up for it. And any shenanigans, like a readied action against small targets to just kite them to death works regardless of the damage dealt.


Earthen Grasp is also extremely powerful at level 1, auto-beating most other casters. Suggest returning it to the old version; it was already worth taking. Otherwise, everything looks good.

Already worth taking? It provoked when attempting a grapple and only deals damage on a successful pin. I agree it's good against casters. Removing the reflex save doesn't do much to make it worse against casters, it just makes it less good against melee brutes. Though perhaps it should be limited to only one at a time, like other invocations that conjure things.


Humanoid Shape is overpowered for DFAs and it's overpowered here. Oh well.

For those that want to abuse Alter Shape, they can. For those that want to just have the utility intended, they can. I'm not going to try and fix the polymorph system, I'll just let DM's previous established preferences cover it. :smallsmile:


No Relentless Dispelling makes me a sad panda.

Relentless Dispelling is in Complete Mage, and will be included. :smallsmile:


Enervating Shadow provides Concealment that can never be ignored, which conveniently makes you outright immune to Sneak Attack, Skirmish and Sudden Strike. Combined with Darkness and the Infernal Lineage, grants 50% miss chance against all attacks, no matter what. As-is, it's an auto-pick and by far the best of the Invocations. Easily equivalent in power to a 9th-level spell. Needs nerfing, not sure how.

Never be ignored? It only last for 5 rounds and can be seen through by anything that sees through magical darkness. Perhaps I just need to remove the partial concealment clause, as that is something I added to the original. If I do though, how do I prevent the invocation from being completely useless in brightly lit areas (which are common enough for adventuring parties)?


Love the change to Devour Magic

Seriously. A range of touch made Devour Magic so freakin' impractical. Now, while it has a limited range, at least it has range! Plus, you can eat your own stuff for temp HP if you want. I figure if you're spending your turn doing that and not attacking that's ok.


Anscestral: Make sure to add clarification to Dark Discorporation allowing you to dismiss it. Not being able to un-discorporate by RAW is a big problem with the official Dark Discorporation spell.

Ahh yes, because you can't use standard actions while in bat form. I'll add a clause.


I'd suggest giving the Angelic anscestry access to Impenetrable Barrier. As-is, Titan has only 3 invocations to choose from at this level, suggest giving him Word of Changing to reflect mastery of physical form.

Ancestral access is somewhat limited at this point, particularly for the non-evil lineages, but that will change as I start adding homebrew invocations. I could see Angelic have Impenetrable Barriar, if it weren't for the total blackness of it. But that's probably just me being weird and having fluff hang ups. :smalltongue:

I can see Titans with Word of Changing - They have powerful forms and altering others is a pretty distilled essence of arcane might.


Sorry for the point-form review and terseness. It's already way past my bed time, and I didn't have time to be more thourough.

I loved your review! point-by-point is generally the way I approach critiques myself, and you had a whole lot of great thoughts. Thank you for taking the time to go through it all! :smallbiggrin:

DaedalusMkV
2012-03-11, 06:14 PM
What a response! :smallbiggrin: I'll be spoilering my reply for length considerations.

Then I shall do the same.



Even if we have slightly different balance points, extra eyes are always appreciated. Particularly experienced eyes. And I love in-depth critiques, so thank you! :smallsmile:

You're welcome. I'm playing a Warlock right now in a 3.5 game, so this was of particular interest to me. Besides, I've got a bit of a homebrew project in the works right now, and looking at and discussing other people's work seemed like a good way to help familiarize myself with the process.



Caster level has nothing to do with using Imbue Item.

Ah, I had thought you still needed to meet the minimum CL requirement for the item to make it, since Imbue Item only waives the spell prerequisite. I guess you're right, though; throwing time and money at the problem to make yourself a quasi-tier 2 shouldn't be too big a deal in most games.



Point. Additionally, it makes Mind Strike more...striking, as confusion is not a common effect at level 2, so it'll stand out nicely.

Indeed. I've never felt Confusion to be as powerful as the designers do, and even with no save attached a single round of it isn't going to do more than make the GM shake his head a little bit. Once per fight and being mind affecting, it's a really great way of introducing the mind-warping powers of the Aberrant Warlock without really overpowering anything.



I glad to meet someone who shares my opinions on capstones. :smallbiggrin:

Good catch on suppressing the aura, I'll add that.


The day I see a capstone as powerful than what Paizo gave Arcane bloodline sorcerers in Pathfinder is the day I see a capstone that's too broken to use (if you're not aware, they can substitute any number of spell slots totalling to 3 or more spell levels for expending a charge or use on a magic item. Turning a Scroll of Wish into the end of game balance forever). None of these even approach that level. Besides, it's 20 levels of a base class. Most campaigns ended 10 levels ago or so, and almost all of the rest are going to end within a few sessions. Have your awesome kickass power, all it's doing is making your character feel like a badass and letting the campaign end with a bang.


You raise a good point here, though I think the math may be off, due to misunderstandings. Assuming a Greater Stole of Arcane Power, a Demonic Warlock can fire off 5 EBs, for a total 60d12 or ~390 damage. Assuming he uses all three Empower SLAs, that adds an extra ~117 damage. Vitriolic Blast would add ~35 acid damage per round for 3 rounds. Warlock's Scepter And the Gloves don't work, as they require a swift action to activate. I may need to update that so it doesn't compete with Eldritch Volley. Regardless, even if it did work it would only add ~17.5 damage.

Note that as it stands, Stole of Arcane Power is the only thing that adds extra dice to an EB, everything else adds a preset amount of damage. Vitriolic Blast still only does 2d6 acid damage per round, even if your EB deals d12s of damage.

Regardless of this, you're correct that it's an excessive amount of damage. I didn't readjust it at all when I added an extra attack to Eldritch Volley, and didn't anticipate 5 EBs a round. I may need to do something other than iterative attacks for the demonic capstone, as that seems to be the biggest problem. And to be honest, I'm still undecided on if Eldritch Volley should grant 2 extra attacks at high levels.

The Gloves of Eldrich Admixture add dice to Eldrich Blasts based on a number of daily charges, which would probably be broken at 20th level if they didn't require a Swift action to activate. So yeah, my math was off. Still, ~500 damage per round at 20th level is still far beyond the scope of low and mid op games. Might I suggest replacing the current capstone with a chance of spontaneously resurrecting following death? Demons are kind of notorious for being literally impossible to kill permanently, after all, Demonic Warlocks are already doing almost twice as much damage as everyone else with their Eldrich Blasts and something awesome and fluffy is always better than bigger numbers.



Hmm...True that spells like those are some of the most awesome choices you could make, but the question is how to limit it? Limiting it by Range, Target, or Duration catches way too many viable options in the crossfire. Honestly I'm inclined to leave it as is, but make a note that DMs should feel free to nix choices that are too strong for their game, like the spells you mentioned.

I was running into the same problem trying to make suggestions. Banning spells with a duration of Instantaneous removes a lot of cool spells that don't deserve to be removed, like most blasts. I guess maybe just include a rider clause that spell choices must be vetted by the DM and include a warning for said DM about spells like Wall of Stone, PAO and Dominate Person.




Fair enough point that SR10+ is usually enough. I don't think that suppressing/raising SR whenever is strong enough at that level...perhaps when a spell fails to penetrate their SR they can create a major image as an immediate action that make it appear as if the warlock had bee affected...

I know that disbelieving illusions is a grey area ruled by DM preference, but I can see automatically getting a save upon viewing (many DMs play this way with illusions straight up).

The issue with that is that it requires an Immediate action, and as written this class is almost never going to want to do that when it could be using those Swift actions to shoot off Eldrich Blasts instead. Hmm... That about setting it up so that whenever the Warlock's Spell Resistance stops a spell from affecting him, the person who cast it is hit by a Mind-affecting Su ability that causes said caster to believe that the spell affected him as normal, and that the Warlock is not in fact resistant to spells. No save, of course. That seems cool, fluffy and powerful enough to matter, albeit gets stopped by Mind Blank. Eh, I'm not sure. I'll keep thinking about it.



Yeees, I can do that. They should be offered saves, and temporary immunity sounds fine. Particularly since saving against it won't screw a warlock...at least as long as their suggestions are reasonable enough that one could conceivably make them without magic.

Yeah, I was pretty sure that not allowing a saving throw was not your intention, and the temporary immunity encourages caution and good roleplaying. :smallsmile:


Hmm, that is a powerful dip. I might reduce the bonus to saving throws to +2, given that immunity to poison has just about become irrelevant by 8th level.

Point on Life Sight.

While I disagree on automatic victory (see White Raven Hammer), it should offer a save. Paralysis is better than Stun, and at 16th level that is just super powerful.

In my experience, poison immunity remains relevent throughout one's adventuring career thanks to the deadly poisons that high-CR Magical Beasts, Aberrations and Demons tend to bring to the field. Still, reducing the save bonus to +2 should go a long way towards keeping the dip in check, though it's still a bit powerful for my tastes as two-level dips go.



I'm not sure I agree. 2/4/6 damage unconditionally is nice, but awfully low-impact. Scalding Gust as it originally stood was terrible precisely because the damage it dealt had virtually no impact. And dealing 1/3/4/6/7 damage at low levels both requires more complex math, and is not something very good to do with your standard action. The utility of gust of wind just doesn't make up for it. And any shenanigans, like a readied action against small targets to just kite them to death works regardless of the damage dealt.

Frankly, I made the suggestion I did because 3 damage/ 2 levels is the damage dealt by Magic Missile, the other low-level auto-damaging effect. I still don't like how powerful it is at level 1, but my suggestion does have scaling issues that mean you'll probably never use it again by level 5... :smallconfused: I'm not sure there's any way for this to be balanced at level 1 and relevent beyond level four at the same time. Geh.



Already worth taking? It provoked when attempting agrapple and only deals damage on a successful pin. I agree it's good against casters. Removing the reflex save doesn't do much to make it worse against casters, it just makes it less good against melee brutes. Though perhaps it should be limited to only one at a time, like other invocations that conjure things.

Yes, and you wanted them to take that AOO because at level 1 most enemies aren't too likely to be able to take out the Fist's Hardness 4 and 3 HP in a single swing, especially given the AC of 15, and it gave your melee free reign to outflank the enemy even if you failed the grapple check. I ran Earthen Grasp as my level 1 Invocation when playing my 1-7 Warlock, and it was always an extremely powerful effect until I swapped it out at level 6. My DM outright stopped taking AOOs against my Earthen Grasps after level 2 or so. Limiting it to one at a time would also work, I guess, but I don't see the need to make any changes at all to the base Invocation.



For those that want to abuse Alter Shape, they can. For those that want to just have the utility intended, they can. I'm not going to try and fix the polymorph system, I'll just let DM's previous established preferences cover it. :smallsmile:

I guess that's the right attitude to take here. Sure it'll break the game, but only a player who was already going to break the game is going to use it to do so. In fact, that was basically my impression as well; you'll note I didn't suggest removing it or changing it, just sighed at the brokenness of the spell and moved on.



Relentless Dispelling is in Complete Mage, and will be included. :smallsmile:

Good, good. I used it from levels 10 to 12 on my current 10-14 Warlock, and it was always good times despite already being slightly dated by 12th level. I'd pretty much always seriously consider it for non-Evil warlocks as an 8th level Invocation, but you just haven't got to CM yet.



Never be ignored? It only last for 5 rounds and can be seen through by anything that sees through magical darkness. Perhaps I just need to remove the partial concealment clause, as that is something I added to the original. If I do though, how do I prevent the invocation from being completely useless in brightly lit areas (which are common enough for adventuring parties)?

Illumination exists independant of whether a creature can see in it or not. As written, as long as you have a source of dim illumination or less you get that 50% miss chance whether your opponent can see through it or not. As far as balancing it goes, I'm not sure. A 20% miss chance that can never be ignored along with immunity to precision-based damage is maybe a bit too powerful for a Greater Invocation, much less the easy-to-trigger 50% miss chance, but removing that entirely does seriously reduce the value of the Invocation back to its current 'meh' standing. Um... Perhaps just make it a straight-up Fort save versus 4 Strength Damage? I mean, it's only a 10-foot Emanation, and most monsters have either amazing Fort saves or are going to be immune anyways, but it's a nice fringe Invocation for Warlocks that plan to be mixing it up in melee. I'm not sure, but as-is I can assure you that I'd be taking that in a heartbeat and renewing it every five rounds whenever I'm not in polite company.



Seriously. A range of touch made Devour Magic so freakin' impractical. Now, while it has a limited range, at least it has range! Plus, you can eat your own stuff for temp HP if you want. I figure if you're spending your turn doing that and not attacking that's ok.

Ayup. It's competing for Invocation slots with Chilling Tentacles, Chilling Fog and, formerly, Vitriolic and Noxious Blast as well. Who would ever take a Touch-range dispel when you could have one of those four? As-is it's solid, but not overpowered by any means.




Ancestral access is somewhat limited at this point, particularly for the non-evil lineages, but that will change as I start adding homebrew invocations. I could see Angelic have Impenetrable Barriar, if it weren't for the total blackness of it. But that's probably just me being weird and having fluff hang ups. :smalltongue:

I can see Titans with Word of Changing - They have powerful forms and altering others is a pretty distilled essence of arcane might.

Yeah, all of the Lineage restrictions do seriously limit player choice, and you'll probably be needing to add some more Anscestral Blast Shapes and Essences, since right now there's no choice at all. Perhaps let the Anscestry of the player determine the appearance of Impenetrable Barrier? Make it look like solid Adamantine for Titanic Warlocks, shining silver for Angelic Warlocks and what have you? It still blocks line-of-sight, and becomes more thematically tied to the bloodline of the player in question. Also, it's one of my favorite Dark Invocations, and I'm sad to see that only very few Warlocks get it.


I loved your review! point-by-point is generally the way I approach critiques myself, and you had a whole lot of great thoughts. Thank you for taking the time to go through it all! :smallbiggrin:
My pleasure, and thanks for your own praise.

MammonAzrael
2012-03-11, 07:24 PM
Then I shall do the same.

Round 2!


Ah, I had thought you still needed to meet the minimum CL requirement for the item to make it, since Imbue Item only waives the spell prerequisite. I guess you're right, though; throwing time and money at the problem to make yourself a quasi-tier 2 shouldn't be too big a deal in most games.

I'm 90% sure that most-to-all items do not have a CL requirement; their CL is simply a byproduct.


The Gloves of Eldrich Admixture add dice to Eldrich Blasts based on a number of daily charges, which would probably be broken at 20th level if they didn't require a Swift action to activate. So yeah, my math was off. Still, ~500 damage per round at 20th level is still far beyond the scope of low and mid op games. Might I suggest replacing the current capstone with a chance of spontaneously resurrecting following death? Demons are kind of notorious for being literally impossible to kill permanently, after all, Demonic Warlocks are already doing almost twice as much damage as everyone else with their Eldrich Blasts and something awesome and fluffy is always better than bigger numbers.

Gloves of Eldritch Admixture add 2/3/4d6 damage to an eldritch blast, the damage isn't tied to the EB damage. and with only 3 charges, you can at best get 6d6 (21) damage from them a day.

Hmm...perhaps a death throes effect ala Balors? With some type of resurrection attached? Or maybe fast healing becomes regeneration. Hmm...


I was running into the same problem trying to make suggestions. Banning spells with a duration of Instantaneous removes a lot of cool spells that don't deserve to be removed, like most blasts. I guess maybe just include a rider clause that spell choices must be vetted by the DM and include a warning for said DM about spells like Wall of Stone, PAO and Dominate Person.

Yeah, I think that's the plan. After all, there will be some games where picking those spells is fine (the same games where Humanoid Shape is awesome).


The issue with that is that it requires an Immediate action, and as written this class is almost never going to want to do that when it could be using those Swift actions to shoot off Eldrich Blasts instead. Hmm... That about setting it up so that whenever the Warlock's Spell Resistance stops a spell from affecting him, the person who cast it is hit by a Mind-affecting Su ability that causes said caster to believe that the spell affected him as normal, and that the Warlock is not in fact resistant to spells. No save, of course. That seems cool, fluffy and powerful enough to matter, albeit gets stopped by Mind Blank. Eh, I'm not sure. I'll keep thinking about it.

Well, Immediate actions eat up your next swift action, so it isn't as bad. Plus, I like having a little competition for each action, it breeds variety.

As for what it actually does...Right now I'm thinking you get a Flee the Scene style escape.


In my experience, poison immunity remains relevent throughout one's adventuring career thanks to the deadly poisons that high-CR Magical Beasts, Aberrations and Demons tend to bring to the field. Still, reducing the save bonus to +2 should go a long way towards keeping the dip in check, though it's still a bit powerful for my tastes as two-level dips go.

True enough, poison sucks for PCs, not so much for monsters.

As for the dip issue...I could swap Strength of Unlife and Deathly Caress, as fatigued is much less dip-enticing.


Frankly, I made the suggestion I did because 3 damage/ 2 levels is the damage dealt by Magic Missile, the other low-level auto-damaging effect. I still don't like how powerful it is at level 1, but my suggestion does have scaling issues that mean you'll probably never use it again by level 5... :smallconfused: I'm not sure there's any way for this to be balanced at level 1 and relevent beyond level four at the same time. Geh.

Yep...damn scaling. Even 40 unconditional damage at 20th is pretty sad, and the original damage is sad even for beginning levels. It may just be that finding the right numbers requires play testing. I may trawl Sandstorm for heat-based effects, maybe an idea will spring from there.


Yes, and you wanted them to take that AOO because at level 1 most enemies aren't too likely to be able to take out the Fist's Hardness 4 and 3 HP in a single swing, especially given the AC of 15, and it gave your melee free reign to outflank the enemy even if you failed the grapple check. I ran Earthen Grasp as my level 1 Invocation when playing my 1-7 Warlock, and it was always an extremely powerful effect until I swapped it out at level 6. My DM outright stopped taking AOOs against my Earthen Grasps after level 2 or so. Limiting it to one at a time would also work, I guess, but I don't see the need to make any changes at all to the base Invocation.

I certainly agree the original invocation doesn't need alteration - as long as it's being used on squishy targets. These changes are intended to make it viable against melee targets - the ones that stand a solid change of beating the grapple check, or hitting AC 15 for at least 6 points of damage (if the AoO deals any damage the grapple fails), but have a decent shot at blowing the Reflex save.

I guess part of it is how you want to use the invocation: Do you want a hand that reliably grabs a target, regardless of modifiers, or be able to create a field of hands to shape the battlefield to your liking?

Now that I ask the question, I'm not sure what my answer is. :smalltongue:


Illumination exists independant of whether a creature can see in it or not. As written, as long as you have a source of dim illumination or less you get that 50% miss chance whether your opponent can see through it or not. As far as balancing it goes, I'm not sure. A 20% miss chance that can never be ignored along with immunity to precision-based damage is maybe a bit too powerful for a Greater Invocation, much less the easy-to-trigger 50% miss chance, but removing that entirely does seriously reduce the value of the Invocation back to its current 'meh' standing. Um... Perhaps just make it a straight-up Fort save versus 4 Strength Damage? I mean, it's only a 10-foot Emanation, and most monsters have either amazing Fort saves or are going to be immune anyways, but it's a nice fringe Invocation for Warlocks that plan to be mixing it up in melee. I'm not sure, but as-is I can assure you that I'd be taking that in a heartbeat and renewing it every five rounds whenever I'm not in polite company.

It grants concealment, which is pierced by things like true seeing, not an untouchable 50% miss chance. Note that I only added the partial concealment and Str damage parts, the rest is all part of the original invocation, and it never had any problems. You yourself hold the original at "meh" status, despite it having the same wording.

I'm not trying to argue, just trying to figure out what pushes this from "meh" to "OMG" in your book. I could see the strength damage change.


Yeah, all of the Lineage restrictions do seriously limit player choice, and you'll probably be needing to add some more Anscestral Blast Shapes and Essences, since right now there's no choice at all. Perhaps let the Anscestry of the player determine the appearance of Impenetrable Barrier? Make it look like solid Adamantine for Titanic Warlocks, shining silver for Angelic Warlocks and what have you? It still blocks line-of-sight, and becomes more thematically tied to the bloodline of the player in question. Also, it's one of my favorite Dark Invocations, and I'm sad to see that only very few Warlocks get it.

Oh yes, Shapes and Essences will be added to. Now that you get 8 of them no matter what, you'll need options! :smallbiggrin:

I like the idea on Impenetrable Barrier, that shall be included. More Warlocks should snag it now that it can double as a short-term forcecage.

ngilop
2012-03-11, 08:25 PM
I heartily enjoy your warlock re-tool. If in my own game world Warlocks and their powers not come from the same source ( blood line heritages) I would use this very re-make as is.

unfortunately in myw orld the whole magic gained from blood line heritages is the realm of Sorcerers not Warlocks ( called Eldritch (es..?)they got their power from a giant gem of pure magic that got shattered.. long story short the class remains unfinished (though still playable) as I just cannot think of a cap-stone ability /cries


thwt i love the most about your rok here is the fact that you annotated where each invocation origniated. kudos!!!! thats probably teh single most brilliant thing ive ever seen on these forusm, other than debihuman's Pie domain.. but then again its a domain about pie.. how do you not win with that?

Doppelganger
2012-03-17, 03:27 PM
You love what you've done with the capstones. Twentieth level PC should be powerful and unique, and capstones help that alot. You also like turning immunity into resistances (albeit the bonus on the save should probably be higher. +10 maybe?): wizards of the coast have a nasty habit of just giving blanket immunities to all save-or-die powers at high levels, which isn't really fair or interesting: Even creatures from the elemental plane of fire will get burned if things get hot enough.
HOWEVER.
There are some things that are just immune to mind effecting. Mindless undead, for instance, cannot be influenced because there is nothing to influence, they have no minds. You should be able to mind control intelligent undead though.
Great job, you'll be watching eagerly.

MammonAzrael
2012-03-17, 06:34 PM
I heartily enjoy your warlock re-tool. If in my own game world Warlocks and their powers not come from the same source ( blood line heritages) I would use this very re-make as is.

unfortunately in myw orld the whole magic gained from blood line heritages is the realm of Sorcerers not Warlocks ( called Eldritch (es..?)they got their power from a giant gem of pure magic that got shattered.. long story short the class remains unfinished (though still playable) as I just cannot think of a cap-stone ability /cries


thwt i love the most about your rok here is the fact that you annotated where each invocation origniated. kudos!!!! thats probably teh single most brilliant thing ive ever seen on these forusm, other than debihuman's Pie domain.. but then again its a domain about pie.. how do you not win with that?

Glad you like it! :smallsmile:

And thanks, I figured annotation is always helpful!


You love what you've done with the capstones. Twentieth level PC should be powerful and unique, and capstones help that alot. You also like turning immunity into resistances (albeit the bonus on the save should probably be higher. +10 maybe?): wizards of the coast have a nasty habit of just giving blanket immunities to all save-or-die powers at high levels, which isn't really fair or interesting: Even creatures from the elemental plane of fire will get burned if things get hot enough.
HOWEVER.
There are some things that are just immune to mind effecting. Mindless undead, for instance, cannot be influenced because there is nothing to influence, they have no minds. You should be able to mind control intelligent undead though.
Great job, you'll be watching eagerly.

Why yes, I do love my capstones. :smallwink:

Why do you think they bonuses should be so high? The spells that grant blanket immunities like true sight and mind blank are poorly designed spells. They are not well balanced and particularly healthy for the overall game. If the entire point of a feature is to no longer grant immunity with those effects, would an enormous save bonus be just as invalidating?

As for mind-affecting, I'd agree, except what is going on is MagicTM. A 20th level Infernal warlock is so good at twisting minds and influencing actions that it doesn't matter that mindless undead don't actually have a mind to manipulate. They can still twist the entities actions. They are, quite simply, that good.

MammonAzrael
2012-03-18, 04:33 AM
And we have another update! :smallbiggrin:

Notable in this update are the addition of the rest of the official invocations, a new capstone for the Demonic heritage, a new feat that allows friendly heritage multiclassing, and updated formatting (because a 50,000 character limit is limiting! :smallwink:).I'm particularly excited to hear what you all think of the new capstone.

Future updates can now look forward to additional lineages (I'm considering changing the name to blood lines. Thoughts?), lots of homebrew invocations, and a smattering of items and feats. PrCs could be in the future, but those will have their own threads, for both exposure and space purposes! :smallbiggrin:

Doppelganger
2012-03-18, 07:55 AM
1. You're... a little conflicted on the capstone. On the one hand, it's awesome, but on the other, resurrection is so cheap at epic levels that you're not sure how practical it is. On the other, you also loooove the undead warlock and its capstone, and this is essentially a somewhat more.... chaotic version of that.

2. You think that these spells/effects/powers/whatever should give high bonuses because they are high level powers/reflect (well, should reflect) specialized training and resistance. And eighth level spell should provide a significant bonus, just not invulnerability, especially not to something as broad as mind effecting powers. You mean, owl's wisdom gives a +2 to will and its third level, that's almost as good as mind blank against one of these guys. Or, think about creatures with immunity to acid: they shouldn't actually be immune to every acid ever, just very resistant to it. You like what you've done, stopping high level enemies from just being immune to the save-or-die focused PC's, you just think that high level spells should give bigger bonuses than +4.

Tacitus
2012-03-18, 08:40 AM
Hmm... seems I forgot to update after last tuesday. Honestly, not much to say, as my performance had pretty much nothing to do with warlock bits. We murdered some kobolds and then fought a chain golem, which would have been much better for us if the DM didn't have the 3.0 version of the MM2 or allowed SR:No to bypass magic immunity (which is how it normally works in 3.5).

MammonAzrael
2012-03-18, 02:46 PM
1. You're... a little conflicted on the capstone. On the one hand, it's awesome, but on the other, resurrection is so cheap at epic levels that you're not sure how practical it is. On the other, you also loooove the undead warlock and its capstone, and this is essentially a somewhat more.... chaotic version of that.

And violent! Don't forget more violent! :smallbiggrin:

Aside from that, you have a point that resurrection is easily available...if you have partners you can rely on (which, admittedly, you probably do). Feel free to suggest either an alternate or additional option.


2. You think that these spells/effects/powers/whatever should give high bonuses because they are high level powers/reflect (well, should reflect) specialized training and resistance. And eighth level spell should provide a significant bonus, just not invulnerability, especially not to something as broad as mind effecting powers. You mean, owl's wisdom gives a +2 to will and its third level, that's almost as good as mind blank against one of these guys. Or, think about creatures with immunity to acid: they shouldn't actually be immune to every acid ever, just very resistant to it. You like what you've done, stopping high level enemies from just being immune to the save-or-die focused PC's, you just think that high level spells should give bigger bonuses than +4.

The problem it, it is nearly always those high level spells that are granting the immunity in the first place, and if they grant a bonus that makes them effectively immune, then what is the point of negating the immunity in the first place?

Using your acid example, you're thinking about it from a mundane perspective. A creature is made of acid, so logically it must be immune or resistant to acid. Things like Instill Vulnerability don't give a damn about logic. They just say "I don't care what you're made of, you're going to get hurt by acid right now." Because that is how magic in DnD works. There are no underlying limitations, like with Allomancy for example, it is capable of whatever you want it to.


Hmm... seems I forgot to update after last tuesday. Honestly, not much to say, as my performance had pretty much nothing to do with warlock bits. We murdered some kobolds and then fought a chain golem, which would have been much better for us if the DM didn't have the 3.0 version of the MM2 or allowed SR:No to bypass magic immunity (which is how it normally works in 3.5).

Damned golems. You planning on swapping something out for Hammer Blast now? :smalltongue: Well, better match-ups next week!

WarDragon
2012-06-16, 09:25 PM
This actually looks pretty balanced with the Pathfinder base classes. Reminds me of the changs they made to the Sorcerer, especially.

Manly Man
2012-09-23, 12:22 PM
Hope this doesn't lock it, but here goes.

You mentioned that you were thinking of a better capstone for the Draconic Lineage, and I figure that one thing that would do good is that through sacrificing any extra essences or blast shapes, they can make their Eldritch Blast function exactly like the breath of a great wyrm example of what dragon they chose for their lineage. Perhaps have that throughout the class, maybe getting that at level six but only as that of a Young dragon, Adult at level ten, Very Old at level sixteen, and then Great Wyrm as the capstone. Instead of Eldritch Essences and Blast Shapes, they're instead able to apply Metabreath feats to it, ignoring the size prerequisites of the feat, and they would get one bonus, non-epic Metabreath feat upon reaching level twenty for it. You'd follow all the rules for the breath weapons though, only being able to do the blast-to-breath switch as often as a dragon would be able to use its breath as normal, Metabreath adding to the cooldown as well.

If you'd rather not do that, then perhaps adding a bit of emphasis on their ancestors' physical attributes would be better. Something like making their natural attacks count as the claw attack of a dragon one size larger at the levels I'd mentioned for the breath, up to a Colossal dragon's claws at level twenty. This would make them a very attractive path to follow for a build based on the Eldritch Claws invocation. Besides, just flavor alone for a Draconic Warlock as it is right now is enticing to use for a Clawlock. Why not give them all the more incentive?

Or should you wish to keep the magical bent to them, have them get a Spell Resistance equal to the save of their Frightful Presence feature, or maybe have their Spell Resistance be 10+1/2 HD+Cha mod, and then when they reach level twenty, they count their full Hit Dice for it instead.

Of course, some of these ideas would need kink worked out, especially the blast-to-breath one, but if you want to use them you're more than welcome to.

barna10
2013-02-23, 01:14 AM
Any work on the Elemental lineage? Also, any thoughts on how your version interacts with the Epic Warlock stuff?

AnonymousOne
2013-03-26, 10:48 PM
Dear Mammon, I just wanted to thank you for this rebuild. One of the things that seems to have come up is the use of Hellfire Warlock and the concerns over it really cranking this rewrite (which I love with every fiber of my being) into the stratosphere.

Just a note that Hellfire Warlock expressly forbids the advancement of levels and class abilities in the warlock class that are not "invocations known" and "Eldritch Blast" damage.

As sweet as this rewrite you have to realize that you're going o be giving up three levels and your heritage capstone to get an additional +6d6 per blast. This includes the final "Eldritch Volley" shot you get.

So, provided you're not running something totally stupid like HB + Eldritch Glaive, you are losing some serious firepower.

Warlock 16/Binder1/HW3: Lvl 20 = 16d6 per shot if you're willing to soak the CON, let's assume that we get two (from the Volley ability) of those shots for 32d6 in a round with 2 CON damage.

Warlock 20: 10d6 per shot, No CON soak, and three shots for 30d6 in a round. Now ... Assuming you can beat the SR of a CR20 critter .... That's still only 105 damage. (My level 12 Swordsage can beat that on a lucky Greater Insightful Strike roll)

I really love this idea and build because I always hated how ... underpowered the WotC Warlock seemed, despite how awesome the concept was.

Hope To see you complete this:

Also what's the reason for italicized Heritage abilities vs the bolded ones?

nonsi
2013-03-27, 12:22 AM
Dear Mammon, I just wanted to thank you for this rebuild. One of the things that seems to have come up is the use of Hellfire Warlock and the concerns over it really cranking this rewrite (which I love with every fiber of my being) into the stratosphere.

Just a note that Hellfire Warlock expressly forbids the advancement of levels and class abilities in the warlock class that are not "invocations known" and "Eldritch Blast" damage.

As sweet as this rewrite you have to realize that you're going o be giving up three levels and your heritage capstone to get an additional +6d6 per blast. This includes the final "Eldritch Volley" shot you get.

So, provided you're not running something totally stupid like HB + Eldritch Glaive, you are losing some serious firepower.

Warlock 16/Binder1/HW3: Lvl 20 = 16d6 per shot if you're willing to soak the CON, let's assume that we get two (from the Volley ability) of those shots for 32d6 in a round with 2 CON damage.

Warlock 20: 10d6 per shot, No CON soak, and three shots for 30d6 in a round. Now ... Assuming you can beat the SR of a CR20 critter .... That's still only 105 damage. (My level 12 Swordsage can beat that on a lucky Greater Insightful Strike roll)

I really love this idea and build because I always hated how ... underpowered the WotC Warlock seemed, despite how awesome the concept was.

Hope To see you complete this:

Also what's the reason for italicized Heritage abilities vs the bolded ones?

I believe this Warlock remake (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=14528524) may provide an answer your needs.

Anachronity
2014-05-15, 08:28 PM
I don't like some of the no saving throw stuff. The Aberration heritage blast is iffy, it should be useable at will like every single other Warlock ability, but also allow a will save.

Perilous Veil however, is worse. It blinds, deafens, and mutes people for making the save. I wouldn't feel so strongly about it if there was a second will save to prevent the bad stuff, but that sort of mechanic is just asking for abuse. Having less charisma actually becomes an advantage, because then you can drop it in combat and have the bad guys immediately disbelieve.

I realize full casters get blinding beauty, but I don't think the answer to a broken mechanic is to make more of it.

EDIT: Those are just my complaints though, the rest seems pretty good, with some better parts and some iffy parts.

LadyLightning
2014-05-17, 08:41 PM
^_^ Hi. I look here for various homebrew things, but I created an account just to post on this one, because I love the Warlock and this rewrite looks absolutely wonderful.

The reason I'm posting, though, is because I was wondering where the tables are supposed to be. Some things reference "the table above" and I see "Table: Warlock" as if it's a header, but there's no actual table under it.


EDIT:


I don't like some of the no saving throw stuff. The Aberration heritage blast is iffy, it should be useable at will like every single other Warlock ability, but also allow a will save.

Perilous Veil however, is worse. It blinds, deafens, and mutes people for making the save. I wouldn't feel so strongly about it if there was a second will save to prevent the bad stuff, but that sort of mechanic is just asking for abuse. Having less charisma actually becomes an advantage, because then you can drop it in combat and have the bad guys immediately disbelieve.

I realize full casters get blinding beauty, but I don't think the answer to a broken mechanic is to make more of it.

EDIT: Those are just my complaints though, the rest seems pretty good, with some better parts and some iffy parts.

In the face of 3.5/Pathfinder's horribly mismatched saving throw math, I would say there's absolutely no problem with things having no save or punishing people worse for ~making~ their save. After all, +5 weapons exist to counter +5 armors, so why is there no +5 wand of casting to counter the +5 cloaks of resistance?

JeminiZero
2014-05-18, 12:17 AM
The reason I'm posting, though, is because I was wondering where the tables are supposed to be. Some things reference "the table above" and I see "Table: Warlock" as if it's a header, but there's no actual table under it.

Because the table formatting was recently changed in a forum overhaul, and the tables of some of the older homebrew have not yet been corrected. You can see the raw code for the current (wrongly formatted) tables if you quote the post (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=12388325).

I have taken the tables in the first post, and put them through this table converter (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?338573-New-tables-converter):




Level

Base Attack Bonus

Fortitud eSave

Reflex Save

Will Save
Special

Invocations Known

Shapes and Essences


1st
+0

+1

+0

+2
Eldritch blast 1d6, invocations (least)

1

0


2nd
+1

+1

+0

+3
Heritage (1st ability)

2

0


3rd
+2

+2

+1

+3
Detect magic, eldritch blast 2d6

2

1


4th
+3

+2

+1

+4
Heritage (2nd ability)

3

1


5th
+3

+3

+1

+4
Deceive item, eldritch blast 3d6

3

2


6th
+4

+3

+2

+5
Heritage (3rd ability), invocations (lesser)

4

2


7th
+5

+3

+2

+5
Eldritch blast 4d6

5

2


8th
+6/+1

+4

+2

+6
Heritage (4th ability), identify item

5

3


9th
+6/+1

+4

+3

+6
Eldritch blast 5d6, eldritch volley

6

3


10th
+7/+2

+5

+3

+7
Arcane sight, heritage (5th ability)

6

4


11th
+8/+3

+5

+3

+7
Eldritch blast 6d6, invocations (greater)

7

4


12th
+9/+4

+6

+4

+8
Heritage (6th ability)

8

4


13th
+9/+4

+6

+4

+8
Eldritch blast 7d6, eldritch soul

8

5


14th
+10/+5

+6

+4

+9
Heritage (7th ability)

9

5


15th
+11/+6/+1

+7

+5

+9
Eldritch blast 8d6, greater arcane sight

9

6


16th
+12/+7/+2

+7

+5

+10
Heritage (8th ability), invocations (ancestry)

10

6


17th
+12/+7/+2

+8

+5

+10
Eldritch blast 9d6

11

6


18th
+13/+8/+3

+8

+6

+11
Eldritch volley, heritage (9th ability)

11

7


19th
+14/+9/+4

+9

+6

+11
Eldritch blast 10d6

12

7


20th
+15/+10/+5

+9

+6

+12
Heritage (10th ability), renew item

12

8

Anachronity
2014-05-18, 10:45 AM
In the face of 3.5/Pathfinder's horribly mismatched saving throw math, I would say there's absolutely no problem with things having no save or punishing people worse for ~making~ their save. After all, +5 weapons exist to counter +5 armors, so why is there no +5 wand of casting to counter the +5 cloaks of resistance?

Armor Class and Attack bonus directly counter each other. A fighter can't generally choose to target Will saves unless it's an intimitank. The other 'direct combat' option is combat maneuvers, which are hard to resist but equally hard to boost resistance to. It can be difficult to present a threat to both types of defense at once.

There are three saving throws, of which the average character will only have 1 or 2 good saves. Meanwhile the average caster can force any one of the three (and often combat maneuvers or touch attacks to boot). This leaves the caster the option of selecting the weakest defense, unlike the martial character who can only target armor class or CMD/opposed rolls or sometimes both. Attribute bonuses alone don't do much, since only 3 of the 6 attributes you might boost will give you a save bonus, and even then they give a bonus to only 1 save. Meanwhile casters will always boost their casting stat, which will always boost the DC of any type of save they target (or combat maneuver they make using spells).

The mechanics are different in each case, and cloaks of resistance exist to take away some of the advantage that casters have in being able to select which save to target. The fact also remains that there are many items which boost save DCs, they just don't do so according to an enhancement bonus.

Saying that "yes, casters should also be able to target inverse saves" breaks that system completely. If that mechanic becomes widespread then the result makes no sense: the best wizards are the dumbest ones, the most powerful warlocks are the ones that are nearly comatose, etc. The system exists in the first place to reward investments into offensive options and reasonable character decisions. What Perilous Veil does is allow the keen-minded monk to be defeated more easily by a warlock with a low primary attribute than by one with a high primary attribute, all other factors the same. That being the case, what's the point of a primary attribute?

Tacitus
2014-05-18, 11:18 AM
Perilous Veil is like Retributive Invisibility. If a foe sees through the illusion you have set up around your allies, they get pinged for it. The intent is for use on your allies as, now stay with me here, a Veil.

However, if you want to use one of your actions at high level to do piddly damage and some debuffs, it might work like that, maybe? A foe resisting it being cast on them isn't so much disbelieving it as negating the spell. Disbelief to me suggest that the spell is already in place and is then interacted with to be disbelieved. So the foe would have to make two saves, the first failing and the second succeeding to be struck with those debuffs and some minor damage.

Its not an inverse save, its a consolation prize.

Edit: Though I think there should be a time frame for blind/deaf/mute mentioned. If its permanent, a duration, etc. If its not permanent, then who cares?

LadyLightning
2014-05-18, 08:08 PM
Because the table formatting was recently changed in a forum overhaul, and the tables of some of the older homebrew have not yet been corrected. You can see the raw code for the current (wrongly formatted) tables if you quote the post (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=12388325).

I have taken the tables in the first post, and put them through this table converter (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?338573-New-tables-converter):




Level

Base Attack Bonus

Fortitud eSave

Reflex Save

Will Save
Special

Invocations Known

Shapes and Essences


1st
+0

+1

+0

+2
Eldritch blast 1d6, invocations (least)

1

0


2nd
+1

+1

+0

+3
Heritage (1st ability)

2

0


3rd
+2

+2

+1

+3
Detect magic, eldritch blast 2d6

2

1


4th
+3

+2

+1

+4
Heritage (2nd ability)

3

1


5th
+3

+3

+1

+4
Deceive item, eldritch blast 3d6

3

2


6th
+4

+3

+2

+5
Heritage (3rd ability), invocations (lesser)

4

2


7th
+5

+3

+2

+5
Eldritch blast 4d6

5

2


8th
+6/+1

+4

+2

+6
Heritage (4th ability), identify item

5

3


9th
+6/+1

+4

+3

+6
Eldritch blast 5d6, eldritch volley

6

3


10th
+7/+2

+5

+3

+7
Arcane sight, heritage (5th ability)

6

4


11th
+8/+3

+5

+3

+7
Eldritch blast 6d6, invocations (greater)

7

4


12th
+9/+4

+6

+4

+8
Heritage (6th ability)

8

4


13th
+9/+4

+6

+4

+8
Eldritch blast 7d6, eldritch soul

8

5


14th
+10/+5

+6

+4

+9
Heritage (7th ability)

9

5


15th
+11/+6/+1

+7

+5

+9
Eldritch blast 8d6, greater arcane sight

9

6


16th
+12/+7/+2

+7

+5

+10
Heritage (8th ability), invocations (ancestry)

10

6


17th
+12/+7/+2

+8

+5

+10
Eldritch blast 9d6

11

6


18th
+13/+8/+3

+8

+6

+11
Eldritch volley, heritage (9th ability)

11

7


19th
+14/+9/+4

+9

+6

+11
Eldritch blast 10d6

12

7


20th
+15/+10/+5

+9

+6

+12
Heritage (10th ability), renew item

12

8




Thanks very much :>

LadyLightning
2014-05-18, 08:11 PM
Armor Class and Attack bonus directly counter each other. A fighter can't generally choose to target Will saves unless it's an intimitank. The other 'direct combat' option is combat maneuvers, which are hard to resist but equally hard to boost resistance to. It can be difficult to present a threat to both types of defense at once.

There are three saving throws, of which the average character will only have 1 or 2 good saves. Meanwhile the average caster can force any one of the three (and often combat maneuvers or touch attacks to boot). This leaves the caster the option of selecting the weakest defense, unlike the martial character who can only target armor class or CMD/opposed rolls or sometimes both. Attribute bonuses alone don't do much, since only 3 of the 6 attributes you might boost will give you a save bonus, and even then they give a bonus to only 1 save. Meanwhile casters will always boost their casting stat, which will always boost the DC of any type of save they target (or combat maneuver they make using spells).

The mechanics are different in each case, and cloaks of resistance exist to take away some of the advantage that casters have in being able to select which save to target. The fact also remains that there are many items which boost save DCs, they just don't do so according to an enhancement bonus.

Saying that "yes, casters should also be able to target inverse saves" breaks that system completely. If that mechanic becomes widespread then the result makes no sense: the best wizards are the dumbest ones, the most powerful warlocks are the ones that are nearly comatose, etc. The system exists in the first place to reward investments into offensive options and reasonable character decisions. What Perilous Veil does is allow the keen-minded monk to be defeated more easily by a warlock with a low primary attribute than by one with a high primary attribute, all other factors the same. That being the case, what's the point of a primary attribute?

That logic falls apart when you realize that even targetting a creature's bad save results in a less than 25% success chance when throughout the average playable level range, your spell save DCs rarely go above DC19. If you misjudge and target a creature's good save? Better hope they roll a 1. Disintegrate doesn't deal 2d6 damage per caster level, it deals 17.5 damage, because you have to assume that, by the time you have a sixth-level spell slot for Disintegrate, even a wizard you're throwing it at will have to roll a 1 to take more than the 5d6 minimum damage, if said wizard has a cloak of resistance.

The other thing: I wouldn't even consider a Warlock's casting stat to be their primary. I would consider DEX to be their primary, as every single thing they do is a ranged touch attack, barring a few blast shapes which replace that with a reflex save (why take those? Bleh), with Charisma as their secondary.

Anachronity
2014-05-20, 11:34 AM
That logic falls apart when you realize that even targetting a creature's bad save results in a less than 25% success chance when throughout the average playable level range, your spell save DCs rarely go above DC19. If you misjudge and target a creature's good save? Better hope they roll a 1. Disintegrate doesn't deal 2d6 damage per caster level, it deals 17.5 damage, because you have to assume that, by the time you have a sixth-level spell slot for Disintegrate, even a wizard you're throwing it at will have to roll a 1 to take more than the 5d6 minimum damage, if said wizard has a cloak of resistance.

The other thing: I wouldn't even consider a Warlock's casting stat to be their primary. I would consider DEX to be their primary, as every single thing they do is a ranged touch attack, barring a few blast shapes which replace that with a reflex save (why take those? Bleh), with Charisma as their secondary.

Disintegrate is a 6th level spell which requires at least 16 intelligence to cast, This makes DC 19 the minimum. An 11th-level low-save character has a +3 fortitude save, meaning he will fail that save 75% of the time. Yes, most characters will have more than 10 Constitution by level 11, but most casters will also have more than 16 of their primary stat by level 11. The target might have other bonuses to Fortitude saves, but the caster could also have other bonuses to DC. Since bonuses to save are easier to find than bonuses to DC (thanks to cloaks of resistance and the like!), the target probably has a good 3 points or so more to Fort saves than the caster has to DC, bringing it down to a 60%. You're not going to get much better than that on a bad save without significant multiclassing or huge save boosters (such as a paladin's divine grace).

A primary save at 11th level is a +7, which is only 4 points higher than a low save. This still leaves a 40% chance or so to fail.

Saying that saving throws against spells are auto-saves is simply not true.


Perilous Veil is like Retributive Invisibility. If a foe sees through the illusion you have set up around your allies, they get pinged for it. The intent is for use on your allies as, now stay with me here, a Veil.

However, if you want to use one of your actions at high level to do piddly damage and some debuffs, it might work like that, maybe? A foe resisting it being cast on them isn't so much disbelieving it as negating the spell. Disbelief to me suggest that the spell is already in place and is then interacted with to be disbelieved. So the foe would have to make two saves, the first failing and the second succeeding to be struck with those debuffs and some minor damage.

Its not an inverse save, its a consolation prize.

Edit: Though I think there should be a time frame for blind/deaf/mute mentioned. If its permanent, a duration, etc. If its not permanent, then who cares?

Retributive Invisibility only does damage. If Perilous Veil only did the 5d6 that would be no problem. Similarly, if the spell worked like you said and a foe who was watching you cast it simply negated the spell that also wouldn't be as bad (although you would cast the spell on yourself, not on the foe). However, as it is written only one saving throw occurs regardless of when you cast it (in or out of combat), as long as the opponent has a reason not to believe the illusion is real. In fact, the more obvious you make it that the spell is an illusion, the easier the saving throw becomes, thus the easier it is to inflict the secondary effects of the spell.

While 5d6 damage is underwhelming by the time you get this, inflicting blindness, deafness, and muteness on a potentially large group of enemies (i.e. everyone who can see you, as written) for even a few rounds is huge. This is why Glitterdust is considered to be a great spell.
The combination of these status effects means that...
1. Melee combatants are severely hampered by half speed and a 50% miss chance, in addition to not being aware of where opponents are (blindness)
2. Ranged combatants are essentially useless since they have no idea of where opponents are, and even if they do they suffer the same issues as melee combatants (blindness)
3. Spellcasters are limited to the select few non-verbal spells they have (muteness), and cannot use spells which require line-of-sight (blindness)

Next time you are in a combat, imagine having all three of those conditions for even five rounds. It takes a very unusual build not to be made useless by that combination. Completely shutting someone down like that should offer a saving throw.

Really the only option left would be to intentionally fail the saving throw for disbelief. However, since it's an illusion you would presumably not know when the saving throw is made (while some DMs will tell you to make the save, your character is not supposed to be aware when/if he has made a saving throw for disbelief which makes intentional failure of that saving throw a strange proposition). The best way to defeat a hostile spell should not be to intentionally fail your saving throw against it. That is not what the system is designed for.

Mousedigits
2014-06-22, 02:08 PM
Uhm, where's the table?

The Grue
2014-06-23, 08:40 PM
Tables broke during the recent forum update. A couple of pages back someone converted them to the new format, but a mod hasn't yet been by to insert them into the OP.

EDIT: In fact, the post with the re-formatted table is quoted on this very page, if you'll just scroll up three posts above yours.

Mousedigits
2014-06-23, 10:05 PM
Tables broke during the recent forum update. A couple of pages back someone converted them to the new format, but a mod hasn't yet been by to insert them into the OP.

EDIT: In fact, the post with the re-formatted table is quoted on this very page, if you'll just scroll up three posts above yours.

Thanks. I was looking for an outdated table, so I could use a converter.

But, alas, the ninjas got here first xD

LadyLightning
2014-07-25, 10:36 AM
^_^ Question!

Eldritch Blow says that it charges a weapon with your Eldritch Blast (and an Essence if you like) until the start of your next turn, but nowhere does it state that the charge is lost when you hit with that weapon. It doesn't reference the Holding a Charge rules, either.

Is the intent that Eldritch Blow allows you to make full attack actions with, say, a longsword and deal your Eldritch Blast damage each time you hit?

Doxkid
2014-07-25, 12:31 PM
^_^ Question!

Eldritch Blow says that it charges a weapon with your Eldritch Blast (and an Essence if you like) until the start of your next turn, but nowhere does it state that the charge is lost when you hit with that weapon. It doesn't reference the Holding a Charge rules, either.

Is the intent that Eldritch Blow allows you to make full attack actions with, say, a longsword and deal your Eldritch Blast damage each time you hit?

Yes. That was exactly the intent.

Mousedigits
2014-07-25, 01:35 PM
Yup, it's a fix for Hideous Blow, which, blows hideously.

Aristan
2016-12-08, 09:32 AM
There is no table. Please help!

Morphic tide
2016-12-08, 11:24 AM
There is one important flaw it this rewrite: It falls well within PF Sorcerer flavor. Hell, it literally is the PF Sorcerer flavor, with all of one or two options that the PF Sorcerer doesn't have which still fit the same flavor. This fits a lot better as a Sorcerer rewrite that a Warlock rewrite. Even the 3.5 Sorcerer has the same flavor, they just don't have the pile of features pointing it out. Overall, it looks like an excuse to have Invocations with the fluff of a Sorcerer. Please look to see if a fluff you're looking to make a class rewrite for already has a class for it, first.

A good fluff niche for this is high bloodline focus Sorcerers, who's magic is highly focused on their bloodline and raw power rather than using the bloodline as a route to cheating at proper arcane magic of the sort Wizards study. Clarifying that normal Warlock pacts matching the required bloodline count for the prerequisite would also make sure that it stays relevant to the normal Warlock.

Oh, and give this thing it's own name. Calling it a 'Warlock' just leads to headaches for those who want to run this in a game with normal 3.5 Warlocks. Maybe 'Heritage Mage'? Something that directly refers to the status of drawing power from bloodlines.

Salbazier
2016-12-08, 06:26 PM
There is one important flaw it this rewrite: It falls well within PF Sorcerer flavor. Hell, it literally is the PF Sorcerer flavor, with all of one or two options that the PF Sorcerer doesn't have which still fit the same flavor. This fits a lot better as a Sorcerer rewrite that a Warlock rewrite. Even the 3.5 Sorcerer has the same flavor, they just don't have the pile of features pointing it out. Overall, it looks like an excuse to have Invocations with the fluff of a Sorcerer. Please look to see if a fluff you're looking to make a class rewrite for already has a class for it, first.

A good fluff niche for this is high bloodline focus Sorcerers, who's magic is highly focused on their bloodline and raw power rather than using the bloodline as a route to cheating at proper arcane magic of the sort Wizards study. Clarifying that normal Warlock pacts matching the required bloodline count for the prerequisite would also make sure that it stays relevant to the normal Warlock.

Oh, and give this thing it's own name. Calling it a 'Warlock' just leads to headaches for those who want to run this in a game with normal 3.5 Warlocks. Maybe 'Heritage Mage'? Something that directly refers to the status of drawing power from bloodlines.
First, this clearly -as spelled in the title - intended to be a rewrite for the normal warlock. That is, it meant to replace the normal warlock. Demanding it to be named different because 'cause confusion with the normal warlock' is just silly because they are not intended to play together (you can do that of course, I myself like mix & match the various fighter rewrites, but the rewrite itself has no business accomodating it - that's up to each to the respective player and DM to further adapt the clasess)

On the fluff thing, similiar fluff been used in other class does not at all mean that similiar fluff cannot be used again -fluffs overlap happens in official class, it will much more so with homebrew- especially as MammonAzrael has mentioned that he draws from Warlock's flavor write up in Complete Arcane. Besides, fluff is easily mutable anyway.

Also, not everyone plays or even care for PF.

Morphic tide
2016-12-08, 07:11 PM
First, this clearly -as spelled in the title - intended to be a rewrite for the normal warlocl. That is, it meant to replace the normal warlock. Demanding it to be named different because 'cause confusion with the normal warlock' is just asinine.

On the fluff thing, similiar fluff been used in other class does not at all mean that similiar fluff cannot be used again -fluffs overlap happens in official class, it will much more so with homebrew- especially as MammonAzrael has mentioned that he draws from Warlock's flavor write up in Complete Arcane. Besides, fluff is easily mutable anyway.

Also, not everyone plays or even care for PF.

The Warlock name is already taken and actually functions based on a different fluff. Regardless of what CA says, the 3.5 Warlock has a feature literally named pact magic, based solely on the fluff of contracting for power. This is a different class outright, not a rewrite. It needs to be a little more different or significantly less different to justify either being an actually separate class or to be the same class rewritten. At this point, it's not quite different enough for being a different class but too different for an actual rewrite. Multiple classes using the same subsystem are a thing, so there's no reason to basically make a new class altogether to embody a separate fluff said to be a possibility for the background of a class in all of one case.

I'm fine with reusing fluff. I'm not fine with using the exact same fluff for several classes while acting like the other class acting on that fluff in the Core Rulebook doesn't exist. And yes, fluff is ignorable, but if you are making homebrew that replaces an existing class you damn well better not just reuse the fluff of an existing class.

I did mention that the 3.5 Sorcerer uses the magical bloodline interpretation, didn't I? There are first party, as in made by WotC, setups that actually act on that fluff. It's been part of the Sorcerer fluff since core. Core 3.5 just doesn't make use of it.

Another complaint: This class says it works with the 'magic in the blood' approach, but has a bunch of item boosting effects. That's the kind of problem that I see in Artificers, when a class says it does one thing, but actually does that thing and two or three more things. With the Artificer, it's the Homunculus and, debatably, scrolls and potions, which don't really fit Artificer's 'magic item focus' thing and is much more fitting for an alchemy focused class. Artificer should have golems, not homuncului. This class should put more into the 'magic in the blood' thing with the item focus as a variant or AFC. It should have more Heritage things, not magic item things.

I hate classes that do a bunch of only slightly related things, while saying they do only one thing. *glares at PF Alchemist, with the three separated, non-synergisting features*

ImperatorV
2016-12-08, 08:15 PM
Uh... Just want to point out this class doesn't trip on the Sorcerer's fluff. Because it was written for 3.5, where sorcerers didn't have heritage-based abilities, or any reference to heritage at all except some throwaway lines about most sorcerers being descended from dragons. You're thinking of the PF sorcerer, which has heritage, with many of the bloodlines overlapping with this class's, as a core concept - but this class was written for 3.5. Not PF. Many people combine 3.5 and PF but not everybody - in a pure 3.5 game this won't have the same fluff as a sorcerer at all.

EDIT: Ok read Morphic's lastet post and he brings up some more points.

On sharing fluff - the 3.5 sorcerer has no features related to heritage. So it's more doing what the sorcerer doesn't do then treading on the same ground.

On pact magic - the warlock 3.5's description implies people are often born with the power, because their ancestors consorted with fey or demons. Some warlocks have pacts, but some don't - or they inherit the pact from their parents.

Morphic tide
2016-12-08, 08:56 PM
Uh... Just want to point out this class doesn't trip on the Sorcerer's fluff. Because it was written for 3.5, where sorcerers didn't have heritage-based abilities, or any reference to heritage at all except some throwaway lines about most sorcerers being descended from dragons. You're thinking of the PF sorcerer, which has heritage, with many of the bloodlines overlapping with this class's, as a core concept - but this class was written for 3.5. Not PF. Many people combine 3.5 and PF but not everybody - in a pure 3.5 game this won't have the same fluff as a sorcerer at all.

EDIT: Ok read Morphic's lastet post and he brings up some more points.

On sharing fluff - the 3.5 sorcerer has no features related to heritage. So it's more doing what the sorcerer doesn't do then treading on the same ground.

On pact magic - the warlock 3.5's description implies people are often born with the power, because their ancestors consorted with fey or demons. Some warlocks have pacts, but some don't - or they inherit the pact from their parents.

People who inherit power tend to act very differently with it from those who gain it by deals. Also, some late-3.5 things actually did some basic bloodline stuff for Sorcerers.

Basically, the ones who inherit the power their parents contracted, which this class replaces what should represent the parent it's inherited from, should have significantly different powers from their parents. This class is overwriting it's own backstory, and has abilities that make it incoherent. Namely the item focus, which fits a person who contracted for magic a lot better than someone who was born with it. One class should not represent three different things at the same time. That's what this class is. You have the magic in the items, able to be a class of its own quite easily, the one who made a deal with an outside being which quite definitively doesn't work with Draconic and Titan lineage, and the bloke who got powers from their parentage.

This class fills a rather different fluff niche from the normal Warlock, and the Binder system doesn't do the single contract of power thing at-bloody-all. Binders are people who contract several things for minor, highly specific tasks, not ones who contract with dark beings for permanent, unchanging power like Warlocks do. The premise of using Warlocks as the basis for a power-by-bloodline class is good, but overwriting the Warlock who does, in fact, have an exclusive fluff niche to do it is not the way to go.

ngilop
2017-12-02, 07:18 PM
Here is the updated table, I sent it to the creator over 3 years ago, maybe he left the forums, but this is the single greatest warlock fix i have seen.


\n\n\t
[tr]
Level

Base Attack
Bonus

Fortitude
Save

Reflex
Save

Will
Save
Special

Invocations
Known

Shapes and
Essences


[td]1st
+0

+1

+0

+2
Eldritch blast 1d6, invocations (least)

1

0


2nd
+1

+1

+0

+3
Heritage (1st ability)

2

0


3rd
+2

+2

+1

+3
Detect magic, eldritch blast 2d6

2

1


4th
+3

+2

+1

+4
Heritage (2nd ability)

3

1


5th
+3

+3

+1

+4
Deceive item, eldritch blast 3d6

3

2


6th
+4

+3

+2

+5
Heritage (3rd ability), invocations (lesser)

4

2


7th
+5

+3

+2

+5
Eldritch blast 4d6

5

2


8th
+6/+1

+4

+2

+6
Heritage (4th ability), identify item

5

3


9th
+6/+1

+4

+3

+6
Eldritch blast 5d6, eldritch volley

6

3


10th
+7/+2

+5

+3

+7
Arcane sight, heritage (5th ability)

6

4


11th
+8/+3

+5

+3

+7
Eldritch blast 6d6, invocations (greater)

7

4


12th
+9/+4

+6

+4

+8
Heritage (6th ability)

8

4


13th
+9/+4

+6

+4

+8
Eldritch blast 7d6, eldritch soul

8

5


14th
+10/+5

+6

+4

+9
Heritage (7th ability)

9

5


15th
+11/+6/+1

+7

+5

+9
Eldritch blast 8d6, greater arcane sight

9

6


16th
+12/+7/+2

+7

+5

+10
Heritage (8th ability), invocations (ancestry)

10

6


17th
+12/+7/+2

+8

+5

+10
Eldritch blast 9d6

11

6


18th
+13/+8/+3

+8

+6

+11
Eldritch volley, heritage (9th ability)

11

7


19th
+14/+9/+4

+9

+6

+11
Eldritch blast 10d6

12

7


20th
+15/+10/+5

+9

+6

+12
Heritage (10th ability), renew item

12

8