PDA

View Full Version : New Warlock Invocations



Baron Corm
2007-04-01, 05:36 PM
Warlocks don't need Charisma to be cool. They do need some better invocations, though. Some of these are modifications on existing (underpowered) invocations. More of these later probably.



Bondage Blast
Lesser; 3rd; Eldritch Essence

This eldritch essence allows you to change your eldritch blast into a bondage blast. A creature struck by a bondage blast is entangled for 1 round by black, rubbery tentacles and cannot move from his square for that same round. It may immediately make a DC 23 Escape Artist check to slip free.


Green Steel Blast
Greater; 6th; Eldritch Essence

This eldritch essence allows you to change your eldritch blast into a green steel blast. Any time you use a green steel blast, roll a 1d4. Your eldritch blast deals a different type of damage depending on which number you roll.

1: Slashing
2: Piercing
3: Bludgeoning
4: Roll twice. Choose the type you prefer of the two. Your green steel blast deals an additional 2d6 damage. If you roll the same type twice, you deal an additional 4d6 damage (instead of 2d6). If you roll a 4 and another number, you deal an additional 4d6 damage (instead of 2d6). If you roll two 4's, choose which type of damage you wish to do and add 6d6 damage (replacing previous bonuses from rolling 4's). These do add +2, +4, +4, and +6 to the attack roll, respectively.

All green steel blasts are treated as chaotic, evil, and magic for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction, and deal full damage to objects. All green steel blasts ignore Spell Resistance. You must make a normal ranged attack roll instead of a ranged touch roll when attacking with a green steel blast, however you get a +1 on the roll for every damage dice as the blast gets larger and more difficult to avoid. You also get a flat +1 on damage rolls due to the nature of Baatorian green steel. You do not get the attack roll bonus when using this invocation with hideous blow.

Extra damage dice from things other than physical damage or natural additions to the base eldritch blast do not add to your attack roll.


Shadow Blast
Dark; 8th; Eldritch Essence

This eldritch essence allows you to change your eldritch blast into a shadow blast. Any time you use a shadow blast, you may choose to deal any type of energy damage you wish (other than positive). Regardless of which type you choose, the blast appears to be made of shadow and deals an extra 2d6 cold damage.


Eldritch Needles
Greater; 6th; Blast Shape

This blast shape invocation changes your eldritch blast into a multitude of smaller eldritch blasts which ignore the target's Dexterity bonus to AC. This invocation does not "deny" the target his Dexterity bonus to AC, and thus cannot be used in conjunction with a sneak attack.


Swarmcage
Greater; 6th

You can conjure a cage with this invocation made out of a creature of your choice, between spiders, bats, centipedes, and rats. The cage can be as big as a 20 ft. cube and as small as a 5 ft. cube. Any creature inside the cage is affected as though it was sharing a square with a swarm of the appropriate type. The cage has the same stats as a swarm of its type, but is immobile. It otherwise acts as the "windowless cell" option of a forcecage. If you use this invocation a second time before the duration of the first expires, the previous cage disappears. You cannot be harmed by your own swarmcage, and can pass through its walls at will. If your swarmcage is destroyed, you take 1d10 points of damage.


Eldritch Arrow
Least; 2nd; Blast Shape

This blast shape invocation allows you to channel your eldritch blast through any projectile weapon. It is still a standard action and a ranged touch attack is still all that is required, but the enchantments and range increments of the projectile weapon apply to your eldritch blast. Composite bows and similar do not allow you to apply your strength bonus. You do not add the damage of the weapon except if it is granted from an enchantment. You do use the critical threat range and multiplier of the weapon.


Impenetrable Cage
Dark; 9th

You can conjure a forcecage with this invocation. Only the "windowless cell" option may be chosen. The cage is black and blocks sight of all kind. It may be as large as a 35 ft. cube and as small as a 1 ft. cube. You may give individual creatures their own cells as long as they are all within a 35 ft. area. Creatures on the inside of the cage are mentally tortured to a minor degree, but not enough for this to have any mechanical effects. Any creature that comes within 10 ft. of an impenetrable cage from the outside can sense that the cage is evil, but feels no side-effects.

You can only have one impenetrable cage in effect at a time. If you use this invocation a second time before the duration of the first expires, the previous cage disappears. If your cage is destroyed, you take 1d10 points of damage and are stunned for 1 round.


Vile Homestead
Dark; 6th

You can create an extramensional dwelling similar to the spell Mage's Magnificent Mansion with this invocation which lasts until you create a new one. Any creature except you who enter it are sickened until they leave. The unseen servants which populate your homestead take the form of hideous aberrations. The entire homestead is dark and sombre. Vile Homestead is permanent until a new one is created, in which case the old one is destroyed. Whether or not they can see the entry portal, creatures can sense a strong aura of evil where the portal lies. Any personal belongings of the warlock that were stored in an old vile homestead are transfered to the new one when it is created.


Siphoning Blast
Dark; 7th; Eldritch Essence

This eldritch essence evocation allows you to change your eldritch blast into a siphoning blast. Any creature struck by a siphoning blast is affected as though by a targeted greater dispel magic.

You gain 5 hit points for each spell level dispelled by this invocation. These temporary hit points fade after 1 minute and do not stack with other temporary hit points. If you drain a new spell, you can replace the old temporary hit points with the ones gained from the most recent spell, thus resetting the duration.

If he decides to, the warlock may forgo gaining temporary hit points and instead heal 1 point of ability damage per spell dispelled (regardless of the spell's level).

If the creature targeted has no spells currently affecting him (or if he does and the warlock decides not to dispel them), the warlock gains a +2 to bonus to a chosen ability score, while the creature hit takes a -2 penalty to the same ability score for 1 minute. This does not increase with successive hits, but the ability score may be changed. Striking additional creatures can increase your scores furthur. You cannot use siphoning blast on yourself.


Fountain of Youth
Greater; 5th

This invocation allows the warlock to take 2 Charisma from a single helpless or willing victim within 10 ft, also healing him 5 hit points and adding 1 year to his lifespan. The victim loses 2 points of Charisma and the warlock gains 2 points of Charisma for the duration of the invocation. These bonuses and penalties are all cumulative and last for 1 month, and neither can be dispelled or healed in any way (unless the warlock dies or fails to use this invocation for 1 month). The same target can be drained more than once, but not more than once per day. If a creature attains 0 Charisma through this invocation, it dies and permanently has 0 Charisma, even if it is ressurected. The Charisma that the warlock stole from it is still temporary.

After using this invocation a single time, the warlock may choose to appear as any age he desires. This cannot again be changed until he fails to use this invocation for 1 month (he reverts back to this normal appearance and Charisma and the invocation ends). The warlock reverts to his normal appearance and Charisma if he dies. Using this invocation additional times resets the duration to 1 month. The victim must have a base Charisma of 18+. The warlock may not use this invocation on himself.


Hellfire Steed
Lesser; 3rd

This invocation functions as the spell phantom steed, with a few exceptions. The warlock may only have as many as one-half his level in steeds. Anyone may ride one of the warlock's hellfire steeds, but if the warlock has not allowed them to verbally, they take 2d6 untyped damage every round they remain on the steed. The steed appears to be a black warhorse with hellfire where its mane, tail, eyes, and hooves would normally be. Each hellfire steed lasts for 24 hours from when it was created.


Batcage
Least; 2nd

This invocation conjures a barred cage which appears to be a birdcage (domed) made out of rusty steel. At the top of it lies a bat which, at the warlock's command, can cause the cage to fly at speed of 60 ft. with good maneuverability. Only helpless or willing creatures may be put into the cage. It is not a suitable container for items. Once inside, they must make a DC 35 Escape Artist check to be free. They may make this check once per hour. There is no door or lock on the cage; a creature is simply pushed through the bars if he is willing or helpless and the warlock desires him to be in there. The cage is 20 ft. tall and 10 ft. wide for a medium-sized creature, and doubles or halves in size to accommodate its prisoner (it may only hold one creature at a time). A creature inside a batcage is affected by an antimagic field, but there is no antimagic field present (other creatures may cast spells on an imprisoned creature, for example). A batcage fit for a medium-sized creature has hardness 20 and 80 hit points, and doubles or halves in hit points when accommodating other-sized creatures. A warlock may have only as many as one-half his level in batcages, and may not enter his own batcage. Each batcage lasts 24 hours from when it was created, unless it is renewed by the warlock within that time.


Eldritch Sight
Dark; 8th

This invocation causes the warlock to be affected by the spells true seeing and greater arcane sight for 24 hours. The whites of the warlock's eyes become jet black and his pupils and irises glow with eldritch power. If the warlock focuses his vision as a standard action with this invocation active, he can cause a creature within 120 ft. to become sickened with no saving throw for 1 minute. A creature with half the warlock's HD or less becomes nauseated instead. Once per encounter when the warlock has eldritch sight active, he may cause a creature with 100 hit points or less to die instantly by focusing his vision with a standard action.


Infernal Projection
Dark; 9th

With this invocation, you draw upon the power of the Nine Hells to plane shift or greater teleport, but take 2 points of Constitution damage. Warlocks immune to Constitution damage or without a Constitution score may not use this invocation. Any creature within a 10 ft. radius of where you arrive takes 2d6 damage; hellfire is brought into being by this invocation, but quickly winked out.


Faceless
Least; 1st

This invocation causes a warlock to appear just the same as everybody else; eyes pass right by him and never go back for a second glance. It's usually necessary in civilized areas, as most are prejudiced against warlocks. The warlock gains a +6 to Hide and Disguise checks for 24 hours. Any creature that passes its Spot check to notice the warlock or see past his disguise sees him as he normally would be, but without any facial features (eyes, mouth, etc.). A true seeing spell will negate the bonuses and show the warlock with his real face.

Baron Corm
2007-04-03, 11:28 AM
bumpin these up!

i'm actually quite proud of a few of them... and i can't imagine that they're perfectly balanced

<-- in search of second opinon

Balesirion
2007-04-03, 12:33 PM
Cold Iron Blast should probably be Silver Blast, seeing as cold iron represents law, and silver represents chaos, and warlocks are ultimately a chaotic class.

Baron Corm
2007-04-03, 12:41 PM
it's absolutely true that it shouldn't be cold iron, because that's what warlocks are weak against and it's generally associated with the destruction of evil and chaos, but i was having trouble deciding what material it should be. can you link somewhere that says silver represents chaos? i know it beats up devils which are lawful, but other than that? because werewolves are chaotic and silver definitely works against them.

edit: Baatorian green steel was brought to my attention, and it seems like it's the perfect fit.

Fizban
2007-04-04, 01:53 AM
In general, too much randomness. The warlock is the class that can do the same exact thing all day long, which is less useful if you can't control what you're doing.

Bondage Blast: aside from the questionable name (what's wrong with entangling blast?), it should simply be reflex save vs. entangle.

Green Steel Blast: too complicated, and too weak if you remove the complications. I'd allow it to bypass SR, DR as if it had your alignment, and deal your choice of slashing/piercing/or bludgeoning, maybe do all three at once. Oh, and even with the extra damage, warlock's aren't supposed to make normal attack rolls, so change it back to touch at least.

Shadow Blast: more randomness, not good. Letting the warlock choose eventually is good, but invocations don't seem to be meant to scale. I don't know what to say other than "needs work".

Eldritch Needles: I don't see anyone taking this. It might ignore dex bonus and/or it might cause blindness, and then with no save?

Swarmcage: better phrased as, "You conjure a swarm of bats, rats, centipedes, or spiders. Those within the area the swarm covers cannot leave the swarm's space, and are effectively blocked by a wall of force. If the swarm is destroyed, the occupants can leave." I'd probably also throw in a clause where your swarm doesn't hurt yourself, cause I like that.

Eldritch Arrow: just as I've never seen a use for the melee version, there's no reason for this. Especially considering that the blast is already ranged. If you need the ridiculous range of bows in DnD, you've probably got a bigger problem on your hands.

Impenetrable Cage: Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay overpowered. Forcecage at will? no. I don't remeber if it was actually in a book, but even just wall of force at will is iffy, and that was a dark.

Vile Homestead: now that's a good one, though I don't see the need for damage around the portal, seems like it would give you away more than protect you. Better than risking a nap on the shadow plane though.

Siphoning Blast: the ability swap if they have no spells should allow a save, probably will or fort. As an essence I guess it works, though I would have just allowed GDM at will with the devouring aspect, gaining no hp from your own invocations. Being an essence gives some pros and cons, which I think balance each other out.

Fountain of Youth: too esoteric, not much reason to spend a valuable invocation slot on it, would be better as a spell for item making into potions. Keeps a continuous cost going as well.

Hellfire Steed: I would have done it differently, but it looks okay, though allowing multiple steeds, even with a limit, should probably up it to Greater.

Batcage: huh, unique at any rate. I wouldn't take it, but some might, and it seems okay except for the antimagic, and should be at least lesser because it can provide flight.

Eldritch Sight: I like, and would add in Arcane Sight as well. On the WoTC site they made some epic warlock feats, one of which had all kinds of sights, including true, which you might want to look at.

Infernal Projection: I don't want to say perfect, but as far as I can tell, it is. Nice job.

Faceless: would be better modeled after the other skill boosting invocations. You might also want to look into a spell, Mask of Darkness I think it was. Originally from Magic of Faerun, now in the Spell Compendium, it creates impenetrable darkness on the users face and allows a minor fear effect. Would make a nifty invocation, though not for disguise.

That enough comments for you?

Baron Corm
2007-04-04, 11:02 AM
thank you very much for your critique :smallsmile:


In general, too much randomness. The warlock is the class that can do the same exact thing all day long, which is less useful if you can't control what you're doing.

well I don't see that written in his flavor description anywhere, it's just a product of him not having enough material written for him maybe. I haven't checked out those other books you mentioned yet though.


Bondage Blast: aside from the questionable name (what's wrong with entangling blast?), it should simply be reflex save vs. entangle.

hmm I was thinking, a reflex save would be appropriate if you cast the spell entangle on the ground and they had to avoid it, but you're actually casting tentacles which appear on the dude already, so an escape artist check works better


Green Steel Blast: too complicated, and too weak if you remove the complications. I'd allow it to bypass SR, DR as if it had your alignment, and deal your choice of slashing/piercing/or bludgeoning, maybe do all three at once. Oh, and even with the extra damage, warlock's aren't supposed to make normal attack rolls, so change it back to touch at least.

well i'm just gonna say that i don't feel it's too complicated; this one is probably my favorite of all them. it's the only warlock ability that would make you do a normal attack roll because it's the only warlock ability that does ranged physical damage. i'll consider changing it to touch though.


Shadow Blast: more randomness, not good. Letting the warlock choose eventually is good, but invocations don't seem to be meant to scale. I don't know what to say other than "needs work".

should I make it a lesser invocation and let you choose? or even keep it as least - typed damage is generally worse than untyped damage. it's just for exploiting the weakness of your enemy, and most don't have one (to energy damage).

edit: i fixed this one i think, check it out up top.


Eldritch Needles: I don't see anyone taking this. It might ignore dex bonus and/or it might cause blindness, and then with no save?

helpful if you're fighting a high dex monster, which you otherwise have no chance of hitting if you didn't pump dex yourself. i guess then, this is mostly for CHA-based warlocks, and it's no big deal allowing a save on the blindness. as you can see from the intro text i was trying to stay away from the warlock needing CHA at all.


Swarmcage: better phrased as, "You conjure a swarm of bats, rats, centipedes, or spiders. Those within the area the swarm covers cannot leave the swarm's space, and are effectively blocked by a wall of force. If the swarm is destroyed, the occupants can leave." I'd probably also throw in a clause where your swarm doesn't hurt yourself, cause I like that.

i made it deal 1d10 damage on being destroyed, because otherwise you could simply conjure one every round, they kill it every round, you're stuck in a loop that no one wants to break.


Eldritch Arrow: just as I've never seen a use for the melee version, there's no reason for this. Especially considering that the blast is already ranged. If you need the ridiculous range of bows in DnD, you've probably got a bigger problem on your hands.

so you're saying there is a use for it in your third sentence, but in your first you say it's useless? hmmm.... also the melee version of this can be good when put into the right builds. it's just nice to open up all the options, i feel.


Impenetrable Cage: Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay overpowered. Forcecage at will? no. I don't remeber if it was actually in a book, but even just wall of force at will is iffy, and that was a dark.

you're only allowed one at a time. this is a dark as well. it's only windowless cell, so you can't hurt anything inside. worse than the wizard version (though admittedly better in some aspects, i think it's balanced). better than the nearly identical wall of force one, but i feel that one is weak (it only allowed one at a time as well).


Vile Homestead: now that's a good one, though I don't see the need for damage around the portal, seems like it would give you away more than protect you. Better than risking a nap on the shadow plane though.

hmm I suppose you're right.


Siphoning Blast: the ability swap if they have no spells should allow a save, probably will or fort. As an essence I guess it works, though I would have just allowed GDM at will with the devouring aspect, gaining no hp from your own invocations. Being an essence gives some pros and cons, which I think balance each other out.

it's only a -2 that you can do only once per creature (with a standard action for each), and it's a dark invocation. the chain invocation makes for happy times, but the ability scores you gain disappear after only 1 minute anyway. compare to level 6-9 wizard spells.


Fountain of Youth: too esoteric, not much reason to spend a valuable invocation slot on it, would be better as a spell for item making into potions. Keeps a continuous cost going as well.

purposefully esoteric; this is an invocation for NPC warlocks and mostly witches who tend to do those kinds of things.


Hellfire Steed: I would have done it differently, but it looks okay, though allowing multiple steeds, even with a limit, should probably up it to Greater.

level 3 wizard spell - phantom steed - allows more than one as well.


Batcage: huh, unique at any rate. I wouldn't take it, but some might, and it seems okay except for the antimagic, and should be at least lesser because it can provide flight.

i'll just put in a clause that says the warlock cannot enter his own batcages. and i doubt that one of his party members would want to. this was mostly meant to store victims for the fountain of youth invocation.


Eldritch Sight: I like, and would add in Arcane Sight as well. On the WoTC site they made some epic warlock feats, one of which had all kinds of sights, including true, which you might want to look at.

must check those out!


Faceless: would be better modeled after the other skill boosting invocations. You might also want to look into a spell, Mask of Darkness I think it was. Originally from Magic of Faerun, now in the Spell Compendium, it creates impenetrable darkness on the users face and allows a minor fear effect. Would make a nifty invocation, though not for disguise.

i will look into those as well!


That enough comments for you?

NO!

Fizban
2007-04-04, 11:56 PM
Very well:


hmm I was thinking, a reflex save would be appropriate if you cast the spell entangle on the ground and they had to avoid it, but you're actually casting tentacles which appear on the dude already, so an escape artist check works better
Description means little, it's still effectively an entagling effect from a spell, and reflex save is simpler and makes more sense. If you really need to keep the escape artist, then it would go best as a way to get out after they fail the save, or you you should base it off the warlocks level, so it's a bit like a specialized save.


well i'm just gonna say that i don't feel it's too complicated; this one is probably my favorite of all them. it's the only warlock ability that would make you do a normal attack roll because it's the only warlock ability that does ranged physical damage. i'll consider changing it to touch though.
Run a search of the forums, The Demented One and some others have made invocations including some that deal physical damage as touch attacks. As for complication: I've seen no warlock abilities that require more than damage rolls and/or saves, but I guess we'll just have to disagree.


edit: i fixed this one i think, check it out up top.
That looks better, though choosing a damage and then dealing other damage never makes sense to me. Also, most of the time energy damage means fire/cold/electricity/acid/sonic, even though positive and negative are technically energy. For clarity's sake, I'd list the types allowed.


helpful if you're fighting a high dex monster, which you otherwise have no chance of hitting if you didn't pump dex yourself. i guess then, this is mostly for CHA-based warlocks, and it's no big deal allowing a save on the blindness. as you can see from the intro text i was trying to stay away from the warlock needing CHA at all.
A 20% chance isn't something you count on. The various swarm summonings are good for unavoidable damage, but a shape that ignores dex bonus might be allowable. I'm not sure what level, but not least.


i made it deal 1d10 damage on being destroyed, because otherwise you could simply conjure one every round, they kill it every round, you're stuck in a loop that no one wants to break.
Hmm, that makes sense. Other possibilities include a 1/1d4 rounds mechanic. Either works.


you're only allowed one at a time. this is a dark as well. it's only windowless cell, so you can't hurt anything inside. worse than the wizard version (though admittedly better in some aspects, i think it's balanced). better than the nearly identical wall of force one, but i feel that one is weak (it only allowed one at a time as well).
It also has a duration of 2 hours/level. It needs some sort of cost, otherwise you can just keep trapping them every time they escape, with no save. Giving it a reflex save to disrupt would be the easiest way to bring it down, or a limit of say 1d4 rounds after it's destruction before you can make a new one, while requiring a standard action to dismiss the first.


hmm I suppose you're right.
Of course I'm right. I better be right, considering that I blew off some homework to respond to this.


it's only a -2 that you can do only once per creature (with a standard action for each), and it's a dark invocation. the chain invocation makes for happy times, but the ability scores you gain disappear after only 1 minute anyway. compare to level 6-9 wizard spells.
Oop, I missed the non-stacking penalty part. It would be better phrased as "these penalties and bonuses do not stack, but penalties and bonuses to different abilities are different effects don't remove the others". Okay, maybe not better, but you get the idea.


purposefully esoteric; this is an invocation for NPC warlocks and mostly witches who tend to do those kinds of things.
Well, if you say so, but it's still a bad idea. Of course, with no in-game effect of not-dying of old age, I'd personally just make it a high level feat. I think the BoVD has some spells and items, I'd look there for more inspiration.


level 3 wizard spell - phantom steed - allows more than one as well.
A wizard also has a little thing called spell slots per day. And has to sacrifice other abilities to get those steeds. Warlocks don't buff friends, they buff themselves. If you want more steeds then you'll have to pay for it with higher level invocation rank. (look at all the other invocations with the ability to help others, high levels there).


i'll just put in a clause that says the warlock cannot enter his own batcages. and i doubt that one of his party members would want to. this was mostly meant to store victims for the fountain of youth invocation.
Still iffy, but I don't know what else to do without fundamentally altering the base idea.


must check those out!
Yes, yes you must.


i will look into those as well!
Of course you will.

grubblybubbly
2009-09-15, 05:39 PM
this is exactly what i am looking for!!! finally i have a choice of invocations!! thanks!