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I had this up about a month and a half years ago, and I didn't want to perform thread necromancy, so I'm reposting it. The Enlightened Spirit PrC is generally considered good in theory, poor in execution (Mostly because it didn't advance Invocations at all), so I pumped it a bit. I couldn't figure out what to do with the Aura of Menace ability since it doesn't really help mechanically, since Warlocks are typically not front-liners. I just had the idea of replacing it with Divine Grace, and I'd like to see what you all think of it!
((Removed content is struck out and homebrewed content is red. You can find the original Enlightened Spirit PrC in Complete Mage, page 60.))
Enlightened Spirit
Torgal Coalhair, an enlightened spirit
Entry Requirements Alignment: Any good Skills: Knowledge (the planes) 8 ranks Special: Eldritch Blast 3d6, Must have made peaceful contact with a good Outsider.
Hit Die: d6 Skill Points: 2 + Int modifier per level Class Skills: Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise(Cha), Intimidate(Cha), Jump(Str), Knowledge (arcana, religion, the planes) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha)
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
1st
+0
+0
+0
+2
Aura of Courage, Aura of Menace, Spirit Blast
2nd
+1
+0
+0
+3
Eldritch Blast +1d6, Spirit Armor (+1 AC)
3rd
+2
+1
+1
+3
Celestial Flight
4th
+3
+1
+1
+4
Eldritch Blast +2d6, Tounges
5th
+3
+1
+1
+4
Shape Invocation, Energy Resistance 5
6th
+4
+2
+2
+5
Eldritch Blast +3d6, Spirit Armor (+2 AC)
7th
+5
+2
+2
+5
Holy Blast
8th
+6
+2
+2
+6
Divine Grace, Eldritch Blast +4d6
9th
+6
+3
+3
+6
Transform Magic
10th
+7
+3
+3
+7
Eldritch Blast +5d6, Death Ward, Spirit Armor (+3 AC)
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies
An Enlightened Spirit gains no proficiencies with weapons or armor.
Invocations
Add your full Enlightened Spirit level your Warlock level to determine the caster level of your invocations and eldritch blast, as well as the grades of invocations you can learn.
Aura of Courage (Su)
No changes.
Aura of Menace
A righteous aura surrounds you whenever you fight or get angry. Any hostile creature within a 5-foot radius of you takes a -2 penalty on attacks, AC, and saves for 24 hours or until it successfully hits you. A creature that has resisted or broken the effect can't be affected again by your aura for 24 hours.
((This ability is nice flavor but seems odd since the ES is not a close combat figure, so it almost never is really useful. I don't know if it should be changed, or edited, or what.))
Spirit Blast (Sp)
This invocation (Lesser, 4th; Eldritch Essence) allows you to change your eldritch blast into a spirit blast. The blast deals an extra 1 point of damage per die 1d6 points of Good damage per 2 class levels (minimum 1d6) to undead. Your spirit blast also affects incorporeal creatures without the normal miss chance. Spirit Blast ignores any Spell Resistance of undead.
Eldritch Blast (Sp)
No Changes.
Spirit Armor (Su) Beginning at 2nd level, you gain a +1 sacred bonus to your Armor Class. The bonus improves to +2 at 6th level and +3 at 10th level. Damage reduction you have or may gain in the future from the Warlock class becomes DR X/Silver. At 2nd level, and again at 6th and 10th, this damage reduction improves by 1.
Celestial Flight (Sp)
No changes.
Tongues (Su)
No changes.
Shape Invocation (Sp)
No changes.
Energy Resistance (Su)
At 5th level you gain resistance 5 to any two of the following energy types: acid, cold, electricity, or fire. This resistance stacks with any gained from the Warlock class.
Holy Blast (Sp)
At 7th level, you gain an invocation (Greater; 6th; Eldritch Essence) that allows you to change your eldritch blast into a holy blast. The blast deals an extra 1 point of damage per die 1d6 points of Good damage per 2 class levels (minimum 1d6) to evil outsiders. The blast also affects any evil outsider as if you had cast a dimensional anchor spell on it. Holy Blast ignores any Spell Resistance of evil outsiders.
Divine Grace
As the Paladin ability.
Transform Magic (Sp)
No changes.
Death Ward (Su)
No changes.
EDITS:
Spoiler
9/12/2010 (over two years later!)
Spoiler
Improved formatting
Clarified the Invocation entry to its original intent. (I think...)
Removed boost from Celestial Flight that turned it into Greater Draconic Wings.
Removed the "Sonic" option from Energy Resistance.
Moved Divine Grace from 1st level (!) to 8th.
__________________ My homebrew - If you use it, please let me know how it goes!
In what world is this balanced. Right lets compare it to pure warlock for now. which is by itself a fantastic class.
we lose
dr3 cold iron
fiendish resiliance
Imbue item
we gain
1d6 eldritch blast
Aura of courage
divine grace
lesser invocation (flight... EVERYONE TAKES)
lesser invocation (tongues)
Greater invocation (shape
Energy resistance 5
an eldritch blast that does 13d6 ignores sr and casts dimensional anchor on evil outsiders (WTF! As if stopping there at will teleport wasn't enough)
That's a dark level invocation at least
Greater dispell at will (greater invocation)
and deathward...
Enlightened scourge is balanced... its just not for a charisma invocation dcbased build. Its for a dex based shooty build with some cool exra demon and undead killing abilities at the cost of item imbue and some dr(compensated for by high dex and sacred bonus). It doesnt need changing. Just don't put all your points in to charisma.
only change needed if anything is to make dispelling touch 30 foot range and caster level = enlightened spirit + warlock levels.
In what world is this balanced. Right lets compare it to pure warlock for now. which is by itself a fantastic class.
we lose
dr3 cold iron
fiendish resiliance
Imbue item
we gain
1d6 eldritch blast
Aura of courage
divine grace
lesser invocation (flight... EVERYONE TAKES)
lesser invocation (tongues)
Greater invocation (shape
Energy resistance 5
an eldritch blast that does 13d6 ignores sr and casts dimensional anchor on evil outsiders (WTF! As if stopping there at will teleport wasn't enough)
That's a dark level invocation at least
Greater dispell at will (greater invocation)
and deathward...
Enlightened scourge is balanced... its just not for a charisma invocation dcbased build. Its for a dex based shooty build with some cool exra demon and undead killing abilities at the cost of item imbue and some dr(compensated for by high dex and sacred bonus). It doesnt need changing. Just don't put all your points in to charisma.
only change needed if anything is to make dispelling touch 30 foot range and caster level = enlightened spirit + warlock levels.
Enlightened Spirit is bad compared to a regular warlock. This version of the Enlightened spirit, however, is vastly better then a warlock. Perhaps changing the progression to 5/10 for invocations balances it a bit more.
If you wanted to fix the warlock with this, start with the warlock.
You guys are massively overreacting. There are issues, but it's not nearly as bad as you guys make it sound.
Pre-reqs: Skill requirements are too little. Put a feat tax or two in here, since this is strictly better than being a Warlock.
Full Invoking - duh. Not having that was just insulting.
Spirit Blast, Holy Blast - +5d6 (max) damage against the appropriate type. Useful, not overkill.
Spirit Armor - DR/cold iron -> DR/silver. Uh. So? Actually, that's kind of a down-grade - with the costs of enhancing Cold Iron, I'd imagine it's rarer than Silver. DR +2/silver over the course of the class, whoopy. The Warlock would have gotten DR +3/cold iron. This is a downgrade.
Eldritch Blast - This I assume was an oversight, but technically this stacks with your Invocation progression, giving you +4d6 from your natural progression, and +5d6 from the class, for +9d6 total over 10 levels. As a mistake, that's understandable. Intentional, and it's too much.
Shape Invocation - this I kind of have a problem with - if you have your Invocation progression, you don't need this.
Tongues - you've got it misspelled as "Tounges" in some places, like in the table.
Transform Magic - Considering you have a native progression, I say you might consider adding this to their list as an option instead of giving it free. Just a thought.
Death Ward - Good, reason enough that this cannot be just "8 ranks in a class skill" to enter.
So yeah, make them burn a feat, maybe two, to enter, and remove the doubling up on Eldritch Blast damage, and this should be fine.
You guys are massively overreacting. There are issues, but it's not nearly as bad as you guys make it sound.
Pre-reqs: Skill requirements are too little. Put a feat tax or two in here, since this is strictly better than being a Warlock.
Full Invoking - duh. Not having that was just insulting.
Spirit Blast, Holy Blast - +5d6 (max) damage against the appropriate type. Useful, not overkill.
Spirit Armor - DR/cold iron -> DR/silver. Uh. So? Actually, that's kind of a down-grade - with the costs of enhancing Cold Iron, I'd imagine it's rarer than Silver. DR +2/silver over the course of the class, whoopy. The Warlock would have gotten DR +3/cold iron. This is a downgrade.
Eldritch Blast - This I assume was an oversight, but technically this stacks with your Invocation progression, giving you +4d6 from your natural progression, and +5d6 from the class, for +9d6 total over 10 levels. As a mistake, that's understandable. Intentional, and it's too much.
Shape Invocation - this I kind of have a problem with - if you have your Invocation progression, you don't need this.
Tongues - you've got it misspelled as "Tounges" in some places, like in the table.
Transform Magic - Considering you have a native progression, I say you might consider adding this to their list as an option instead of giving it free. Just a thought.
Death Ward - Good, reason enough that this cannot be just "8 ranks in a class skill" to enter.
So yeah, make them burn a feat, maybe two, to enter, and remove the doubling up on Eldritch Blast damage, and this should be fine.
I'm 100% sure he did not mean to have them advance EB damage twice, since he said this: "Invoking: At each level, you gain an increase in invoker level as if you had also gained a level in the warlock class. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained."
Not any other benefit other then invocations. Though I admit he should be clearer on that.
All those reasons you gave are why I said 5/10 progression. No darks for all of that? Reasonable, I think.
Do you realize that, no, in fact, they're not? Seriously, these are minor bonuses for the most part, nothing huge. A burned feat or two would cover them.
And since "invoker levels" don't exist (unless you mean my homebrew class), and "spellcasting levels" (what he presumably meant) advance Eldritch Blast damage, yes, as written, at least making assumptions about what he meant to write, Eldritch Blast would be advanced twice. Eldritch Blast is considered an Invocation and is advanced in damage by anything than advances Invocations, it is not considered a separate class feature.
Do you realize that, no, in fact, they're not? Seriously, these are minor bonuses for the most part, nothing huge. A burned feat or two would cover them.
And since "invoker levels" don't exist (unless you mean my homebrew class), and "spellcasting levels" (what he presumably meant) advance Eldritch Blast damage, yes, as written, at least making assumptions about what he meant to write, Eldritch Blast would be advanced twice. Eldritch Blast is considered an Invocation and is advanced in damage by anything than advances Invocations, it is not considered a separate class feature.
Divine Grace, the Anti-Undead and outsider essences, a blast shape, Death Ward, Greater Dispel magic on a touch, 60-ft flight with perfect maneuverability, and better EB progression.
And no, I assume he meant that it only progresses invocations, not the EB damage.
From some of the class features I see, and just by my own personal taste, how about changing the flavor from "warlock who's seen the light" to a warlock who is now more angelic - they are dedicated to angelic patrons instead of their previous fiendish ones. To me, it would be a way to tie the Tongues ability, the ability to grow wings together, and their energy resistances. However, to be thematic, the energy resistances should be changed from "choose two of the following" to "resistance 5 against cold, acid, and electricity." You take away the ability to choose, but give them a third resistance.
Overall, I like the class, though if you want it to advance invocations and eldritch blast, as I suspect, just add a column that says +1 existing invoking class (or whatever the wording is used in Complete Mage on the Eldritch Disciple prestige class).
From some of the class features I see, and just by my own personal taste, how about changing the flavor from "warlock who's seen the light" to a warlock who is now more angelic - they are dedicated to angelic patrons instead of their previous fiendish ones. To me, it would be a way to tie the Tongues ability, the ability to grow wings together, and their energy resistances. However, to be thematic, the energy resistances should be changed from "choose two of the following" to "resistance 5 against cold, acid, and electricity." You take away the ability to choose, but give them a third resistance.
Overall, I like the class, though if you want it to advance invocations and eldritch blast, as I suspect, just add a column that says +1 existing invoking class (or whatever the wording is used in Complete Mage on the Eldritch Disciple prestige class).
Thing is, it's made so that it gains one additonal die of damage from EB by 20th level, which is the only reason I can think of why he wants it separated.
And no, I assume he meant that it only progresses invocations, not the EB damage.
I assume that too, but he needs to be clear about it. RAW, he's closer to double-progression than not. Progressing your Invocations would progress Eldritch Blast as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ferrin
Divine Grace
It's a nice bonus to saves, but it's still just a save bonus.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ferrin
the Anti-Undead and outsider essences
+5d6 at level 15 is not any kind of a big deal.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ferrin
a blast shape
I recommended removing that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ferrin
Death Ward
Nice, hence the loss of feats, but it comes at 10th (read: 15th ECL) and is a 4th level spell anyway.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ferrin
Greater Dispel magic on a touch
The actual Invocations to do this are much better.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ferrin
60-ft flight with perfect maneuverability
Whoopee, getting it means not taking Fell Flight when it's first available (and most awesome), or else this is just a minor improvement. Not a big deal.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ferrin
better EB progression.
I thought you said you were assuming it didn't get that? It shouldn't get that.
These are minor features. They are not worth 5 invocation levels. I don't think they are worth one invocation levels.
Last edited by DragoonWraith : 05-28-2010 at 04:36 PM.
I assume that too, but he needs to be clear about it. RAW, he's closer to double-progression than not. Progressing your Invocations would progress Eldritch Blast as well.
True enough, but he hasn't replied yet.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DragoonWraith
It's a nice bonus to saves, but it's still just a save bonus.
Just a save bonus? It's a +6-10 if not higher, depending how much you focus on charisma.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DragoonWraith
+5d6 at level 15 is not any kind of a big deal.
No, but hitting incorporeal targets and dimensional anchor are nice to have, they also ignore SR against undead/outsiders.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DragoonWraith
I recommended removing that.
And so you did, but that still won't make it fine for full caster progression.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DragoonWraith
Nice, hence the loss of feats, but it comes at 10th (read: 15th ECL) and is a 4th level spell anyway.
True, but it can't be dispelled, so nice to have.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DragoonWraith
The actual Invocations to do this are much better.
The Lesser or the Greater one? Because I like this one more then the Greater, you can still take the lesser if you want.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DragoonWraith
Whoopee, getting it means not taking Fell Flight when it's first available (and most awesome), or else this is just a minor improvement. Not a big deal.
It's gained 3 levels after the first time you could gain fell flight, but this one improves to something much better later on, something equal to a dark invocation(See Greater Draconic Wings).
Quote:
Originally Posted by DragoonWraith
I thought you said you were assuming it didn't get that? It shouldn't get that.
What? The last 10 levels of warlock get a slower progression of EB damage then the first 10, same as the rogue with SA. A warlock 10/Enlightened Spirit10(with change) deals 10d6 with EB damage(Assuming he didn't mean it to scale with the invocation levels) A regular warlock deals 9d6, it's not much, but I meant this.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DragoonWraith
These are minor features. They are not worth 5 invocation levels. I don't think they are worth one invocation levels.
Sure, You'd lose out on Utterdark blast, but the rest is still damn good for what you give up.
My point was primarily that he has to fix it, heh.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ferrin
Just a save bonus? It's a +6-10 if not higher, depending how much you focus on charisma.
Yes, it is. It's a nice bonus, but no matter how high your saves are, it's not going to let you take over the world.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ferrin
No, but hitting incorporeal targets and dimensional anchor are nice to have, they also ignore SR against undead/outsiders.
So? They're good at it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ferrin
And so you did, but that still won't make it fine for full caster progression.
I think you underestimate how much losing a casting level hurts.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ferrin
True, but it can't be dispelled, so nice to have.
Yes, it is nice. No argument there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ferrin
The Lesser or the Greater one? Because I like this one more then the Greater, you can still take the lesser if you want.
Well, my initial suggest was to make it a new option rather than giving it free, but ultimately it's not a Dark Invocation, so giving up Dark Invocations for it seems like a poor choice.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ferrin
It's gained 3 levels after the first time you could gain fell flight, but this one improves to something much better later on, something equal to a dark invocation(See Greater Draconic Wings).
Greater Draconic Wings is over-valued, IMO. Perfect Maneuverability is nice but not incredible, since you don't need full-attacks, and the speed is equal to Fly. A 3rd level spell.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ferrin
What? The last 10 levels of warlock get a slower progression of EB damage then the first 10, same as the rogue with SA. A warlock 10/Enlightened Spirit10(with change) deals 10d6 with EB damage(Assuming he didn't mean it to scale with the invocation levels) A regular warlock deals 9d6, it's not much, but I meant this.
Oh gods, I'd forgotten about how utterly stupid the EB progression was. You're right, this fixes that. But the Warlock never should have had that to begin with.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ferrin
Sure, You'd lose out on Utterdark blast, but the rest is still damn good for what you give up.
I think you simply overvalue the power of these features, massively undervalue the importance of casting progression, and also undervalue how significant feat taxes can be in terms of costing someone power.
1. Yes, it is. It's a nice bonus, but no matter how high your saves are, it's not going to let you take over the world.
2. So? They're good at it.
3. I think you underestimate how much losing a casting level hurts.
4. Well, my initial suggest was to make it a new option rather than giving it free, but ultimately it's not a Dark Invocation, so giving up Dark Invocations for it seems like a poor choice.
5. Greater Draconic Wings is over-valued, IMO. Perfect Maneuverability is nice but not incredible, since you don't need full-attacks, and the speed is equal to Fly. A 3rd level spell.
6. Oh gods, I'd forgotten about how utterly stupid the EB progression was. You're right, this fixes that. But the Warlock never should have had that to begin with.
7. I think you simply overvalue the power of these features, massively undervalue the importance of casting progression, and also undervalue how significant feat taxes can be in terms of costing someone power.
Allright, since I'm tired now I won't neatly layer it, but here goes:
1. No, but neither will most dark invocations, I'd say it's at least on par with any of them, except utterdark blast.
2. My point was that those are usefull abilities to have.
3. I think you OVERestimate how much losing a few hurts for warlock. But really, would you be fine with 6/10 progression so you can get a single dark? In addition it fixes the caster level problem with one feat investment.
4. I prefer the healing it gives over temporary hit points, especialy when dispelling out of combat.
5. Perhaps, but dragonfire adepts seem to give up one of there invocation slots for it all the time.
6. Well, no, a PrC should never be a class fix. And another no, even then it won't fix it, you know, because it's only 1d6 extra damage.
7. Feat taxes? I don't see any feat requirements for this PrC. Also; weigh the loss from not having dark invocations against what you gain by this PrC.
Wow...it took over two years to get comments on this thing. I'll have to try and remember what I was thinking to answer your comments. This was one of, if not my first, homebrewing attempt, so I'm sure there are some issues with it.
This is a modified version of an existing PrC. The PrC always seemed on the unimpressive side, so I wanted to make it better. With that, I absolutely agree that the requirements need to be upped to keep everything in line. The original PrC can be found in Complete Mage, page 60. So any flavor comes from that.
The Invocation level advancement was not meant to advance Eldritch Blast damage. I think the only thing it was intended to advance was which type of Invocation a Warlock could select. A Warlock that progresses with a +1 Spellcasting level PrC doesn't learn how to take Greater/Dark invocations, which I never liked. The reason you get so many various invocations is because you don't get any others. They're basically picked for you.
Side note: It has always been my interpretation that any PrC that grants a Warlock +1 level of spellcasting grants the Warlock new invocations as if he had advance another level in Warlock, but did not advance the level of Invocation he could learn, so the only way to gain the ability to learn lesser, greater, and dark invocations was to take levels in Warlock. Complete Arcane says: "A warlock also gains new invocations known at these prestige class levels as though he had gained a level in the warlock class." Since Invocations Known is a separate column on the Warlock table, and where you gain the ability to take higher level invocations is in the Special column as "New Invocation" it seems to me like that is how it works. Admittedly I could be reading it too particularly, but that is how I see it.
The original PrC progressed the EB damage that way so a straight Warlock/ES would end up with a 10d6 EB...which I thoroughly approve of in a purely Warlock-based PrC.
The Spirit Blast and Holy Blast are intended to work against a specific type of enemy, and as officially written, they offer the same bonus, but with a throw-away boost to damage. I figured 5d6 wouldn't break the back, and would actually make some difference and it felt more flavorful than a +1 per die bonus. I added the SR ignorance because these blasts are designed specifically to be used against a type of creature. They better work. And you're not picking up Vitriolic Blast any time soon.
Divine Grace was going overboard, and warrants much harder entry requirements by itself. Especially since a Warlock never feels bad about having more Charisma. It just fits so damn well.
The boost to Celestial Flight should probably be removed. I never liked that DFAs got the flight upgrade and Warlocks didn't, but still, it's unlimited flight. And you shouldn't be able to upgrade your Lesser Invocation to a Dark for free like that.
I'm going to update the class, hopefully remove some confusion in the process. I hope you guys see it, and thanks for the comments!
EDIT: As I went over it I was thinking about good feat requirements, and I can't really think of any. Ideas?
Additionally, I think the Invocations as I originally intended it does make the PrC a bit too strong, allowing you access to Greater/Dark Invocations. You're basically trading those for Divine Grace and Death Ward, plus a couple flavorful bonuses. I've left it in for now, but I can easily see removing that. Thoughts?
__________________ My homebrew - If you use it, please let me know how it goes!
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Improved Enlightened Spirit [PrC, PEACH]
This was one of, if not my first, homebrewing attempt, so I'm sure there are some issues with it.
