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Very nice guide (already, and it's not even finished)! Thinblade's was indeed in need of a dust-up.
Two remarks that come a bit late as I just read through the thread:
- Arcane Mastery is also useful for Warlock who take one of the dispelling Invocations. Associate it with a cheap Dispelling Cord (MIC) and it affords you great reliability
- I also think Beshadowed Blast should be Black. I agree few people will take it because of the opportunity cost, but in itself it's not bad. In particular, it can hose arcane casters who are among of the warlock's (and the party's) worst enemies. Fort may not be the best save to target, but it's good to be able to target all saves with various effects, and blinding is great.
__________________ My old characters (I don't game on this board anymore) --- Avatar by Castaras
"Even gods must learn to control their tempers, lest they set a bad example."
The Malazan Book of the Fallen, Steven Erikson
And now the continuation of the PrC's worthy of specific mention (waht out they are heavily debated)
Legacy Champion
Spoiler
requirements: knowledge history 5 ranks, the least legacy feat, ownership of a legacy item, character level 10'th
What does it do for a warlock? Well, consider the fact that you get +2d6 hellfire damage from Hellfire warlock. Legacy champion gives you:
Quote:
At each level except 1st and 7th,
you gain class features and an increase in effective
level as if you had also gained a level in a class to which
you belonged before adding the prestige class level.
The specific class features you gain include spells
per day (and spells known, if applicable), improved
chance of turning or destroying undead, metamagic or item creation feats, bonus feats, monk special abilities,
sneak attack progressions, and so on, depending
on the class. You do not, however, gain the benefit of
your previous class’s Hit Dice, attack progression,
skill points, or saving throws. If you had more than
one class before becoming a legacy champion, you
must decide to which class to add each
The trick is debatable becuase of the "As if you had taken another level of that class" part. Some argue that it continues HFW's Hellfire blast (which explicitly gives +2d6 of hellfire damage) and invocations as if you had gained a level, but without gaining that level and not going beyond the 3 levels of HFW. The people against that say that you can't gain levels beyond the 3rd and thus not use it to gain benefits. Check wiht your DM if this is allowed as a tactic. If it is you get a nice powerboost, if it isn't, you don't
Uncanny Trickster
Spoiler
Requirements: 4 skills with at least 8 ranks, 4 skilltricks.
what does it do? It does that same as Legacy champion:
Quote:
At each level after 1st, you gain class features (including spellcasting ability) and an increase in effective level as if you had also gained a level in a class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain the benefit of your previous class’s Hit Dice, attack progression, skill points, or saving throws. If you had more than one class before becoming an uncanny trickster, you must decide to which class to ad
the trick is equally hot debated as Legacy Champion and you must again ask your DM. (some tricks are worth it however)
then a list of useful tricks on your warlock (if you have the skillpoints to spare):
Spoiler
Tricks you love, separated by role:
face:
Second Impression
Assume Quirk
Never Outnumbered (max intimidate)
these tricks increase your chances of succeeding at social skills by offering second chances or expanding on the uses of the skills. Very useful shoudl you be a face (and that without investing in face invocations or feats)
scouting:
Clarity of Vision (instead of the invoaction see the unseen)
or 1 round you can see invisible creatures within 30 feet if you can succeed on a dc 20 spot check. Coupled with a wand of gliterdust no more invisibility for the enemy, no invocation requiered and everyone enjoys it.
casting:
False Theurgy: this is debatable, but worth trying your DM for. It is uncaertain if by spells invocations are also allowed.
Miscellanious:
Easy escape: if you get into melee you will need some form of free movement, this trick gives it: you can escape from a grapple using this trick.
Skilltricks are a great way of enhancing a character with minute resources (only 2 skillpoints for a trick). The rest of the skilltricks are either too situational or not helpful at all.
__________________ "Where do promiscious fillies go?" - Awesome Tyrion Ponytar by Elemental
I've been lax on fulfilling my intention to detail the homebrew stuff for warlock, My apologies for that, caused by Holiday + increased workload after Holiday.
I've just had my first session Playing my new Warlock: Tarneuril Leafsong who seems to be an Elf (but is actually a changeling) and it was quite fun (I ditched my idea for a shadowgnome warlock). I have talked my GM into allowing a Homebrew Feat chain for Warlocks: Floating Invocation (Least), (Lesser), (Greater), (Dark).
Floating Invocation Feat Chain
Spoiler
Floating Invocation (Least)
Prerequisite: Access to Least Invocations
Benefit: Choose one of your existing Least Invocations, This is now changeable on a daily basis: once every 24hrs you may change your Floating Invocation to a different Least Invocation. This process takes 1hr and can only be done after getting a good nights sleep.
Floating Invocation (Lesser)
Prerequisite: Access to Lesser Invocations, Floating Invocation (Least)
Benefit: Choose one of your existing Lesser Invocations, This is now changeable on a daily basis: once every 24hrs you may change your Floating Invocation to a different Lesser Invocation. This process takes 1hr and can only be done after getting a good nights sleep. You can change any or all of your Floating Invocations during the same time period.
Floating Invocation (Greater)
Prerequisite: Access to Greater Invocations, Floating Invocation (Lesser)
Benefit: Choose one of your existing Greater Invocations, This is now changeable on a daily basis: once every 24hrs you may change your Floating Invocation to a different Greater Invocation. This process takes 1hr and can only be done after getting a good nights sleep. You can change any or all of your Floating Invocations during the same time period.
Floating Invocation (Dark)
Prerequisite: Access to Lesser Invocations, Floating Invocation (Greater)
Benefit: Choose one of your existing Dark Invocations, This is now changeable on a daily basis: once every 24hrs you may change your Floating Invocation to a different Dark Invocation. This process takes 1hr and can only be done after getting a good nights sleep. You can change any or all of your Floating Invocations during the same time period.
Get a Warlock's Scepter and enchant it with the Morphing enhancement. It can now be turned into a spiked gauntlet since the scepter is a light mace. Turning it into a spiked gauntlet means you can now hold something in that hand like another weapon, and that includes using Eldritch Glaive. The new Warlock's Gauntlet can still have its charges used to increase the EG damage, but the accuracy boost won't work because EG is a melee touch attack, not a ranged touch attack which the item states.
Richard Baker states that he thinks it should work, but he's not sure the language supports it. Initially this is confusing considering he wrote the class, and the Complete Arcane book. However, without errata the language trumps what he may have posted on a forum at 3am.
More importantly, there is an official FAQ, by Andy Collins, that specifically says it DOESN'T work.
Hi all, hope this isn't thread necromancy - just wanted to say how handy this guide was. Quite a fan of the Warlock flavour, even if its implementation was questionable.
Just three things I wanted to note when PrC-ing:
1) CArc calls out that warlocks can advance invocations, eldritch blast etc through anything that advances arcane spell-casting, so long as they can qualify for it (and in fact, even if they qualify using another source).
2) Eldritch Theurge (CMage) allows you to plonk area spells into your blast using "spellblast", which can either shore up ranged damage significantly (Searing Heat fireballs, here we come) or add much deadlier CC effects to damage (Web, anyone?)
3) The entry notes for Chameleon are correct in calling out that bluff, disguise and human/changeling/dopelganger are required. However, warlocks DO get disguise as a class skill! It's one of the only classes that does! Easy qualifier for a straight (probably human) warlock.
Hope this helps fellow fans of the class :)
__________________ My Fighter: "A single, solitary attack of opportunity... If it were my turn I'd bull rush him into the wall and see how his mirror images stop him getting crushed, but without Great Cleave I don't think I can interrupt him..." The Bard: "What feats do you have, again? Improved Sunder and... wait, that's it -" My Fighter: "- Yes! I sunder the floor at his feet! You shall not pass!!" The DM: "... you're using an Adamantine Sword, aren't you?"
Handbooks are normally exempt from thread necro, but I have taken over this handbook, since the OP isn't around anymore.
You should post a giant link to the new thread, the google search for warlock handbook leads here and people may get confused.
Maybe ask one of the mods to change the first post to a giant link to the new thread?
__________________
my diabolic pony! by Elemental the magnificent,
and who are these Dbags? Derpatar by Dirtytabs!
Spoiler
THE WEREWOLF GAMES. JOIN THEM.CLICK PIC.
by tinymushroom the not-mushroom-or-probably-mushroom.
You should post a giant link to the new thread, the google search for warlock handbook leads here and people may get confused.
Maybe ask one of the mods to change the first post to a giant link to the new thread?
I wasn't going to since I already had a link, but I will now that you requested it.
Utterdark Blast can be really helpful if you have any undead in your party and don't mind healing them from time to time. My warlock combined Utterdark Blast and Chain Blast Shape to heal several shadows at once for several rounds. The shadows lasted a lot longer than our DM expected and drained a lot of strength from the group's enemies which made taking them down much easier for us.
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Re: The New Warlock Handbook [3.5, WIP]
Thinblade's was indeed in need of a dust-up.
