Shinken's Guide to Melee Warlocks

[true_shinken]

You! Yeah, you there. So you have some fey or fiend in your family tree, got yourself a leather jacket and you call yourself a Warlock, don't you? You think you are so cool, blasting people, flying, all squishy like some kind of pesky non-Batman Wizard, don't you?

http://blogs.pioneerlocal.com/religion/I-pity-the-fool.jpg
Hah! Real Warlocks go to melee battle, where you can crush your enemies, see them driven before you and hear the lamentations of their women! You will look like someone from a wuxia movie, darting around the battlefield, using eldritch energy to destroy your opposition and looking really really cool while doing it.
OK, are you with me? I asked, are you with me, mister?
Before we delve into the melee warlock territory, a warning: we are using Dragon material here. Dragon has very good feats for Warlocks and it's official D&D content. While Wizards was still publishing 3.5 material I would shun it, but now those old Dragon Magazines are about as close to new official 3.5 material we'll ever get. Let's go rock the dragon (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fT9t3FGdFEI) now.
Oh, before we go on, the great JanusJones has a mini-guide on glaivelocks on another forum (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19870282/The_Glaivelock_-_A_Mini-Guide). It's a very good guide, and I'll quote Janus on glaivelocks (but it applies to all melee warlocks):

The Glaivelock is not a perfect character, nor an overpowered or “uber” build. It has some advantages and some drawbacks, but the main point is flavor and style combined with a reasonable level of effectiveness.


Pros
Or how I learned to stop worrying and love my class features
OK, so you want to be a melee Warlock (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7zHZrcHdxg).

Looks really cool. Wielding a blade of unfathomable arcane energy to strike foes from 3m away, while you sidestep elegantly? Teleporting behind a tough guy and hitting his spleen with a punch, your hand surrounded by a claw of magical undefined energy? Heck, sign me in.
You get more than one attack against the same target. Ranged Warlocks need to settle with one attack a round, barring quicken. The fools!
Did I mention it looks really freaking awesome?
Eldritch Blast does untyped damage. The only way to avoid it is spell resistance or spell immunity... or not being hit. Oh, but you will hit them alright, once I'm through with you.
Touch attacks hit for lower CA, meaning you will hit more often than most melee-types. A few monsters, though, have high touch ACs - allips and other incorporeal critters, for example.
Sexy witches. Witches are your female counterparts. Ooooh yeah.
You don't depend much on ability scores. You need a decent Con, but that's about it. Since you target touch AC you can have the luxury of having a not-so-perfect to-hit stat and since you are focused on Eldritch Blast, you can pick invocations that don't have saves and
don't require Charisma.
You can still function at ranged combat, no cost.
There are a few specific items that boost Eldritch Blast damage. Use them.
Alright, for the female playgrounders out there, I'll acknowledge that warlocks themselves are sexy.
Eldritch Blast is not a weapon. It does not need an enhancement bonus to hit incorporeal foes, for example. This can be as much a boon as a curse (see below).




Cons
Or the sad things in life
Of course, things are not perfect. Even the path of the melee warlock, though filled with awesomeness to the core, has a few negative perks.

You are not a full-caster. You can't play rocket tag with the big boys. Ever. You are cooler, though. Put a smile in that face.
Eldritch Blast is not a weapon. OK, I said it was a good thing, but it's also a bad thing. Well, you see, there are many things that apply to weapon damage. Inspire courage is probably the most common, but there are others, like a few spells or items. You might not benefit from them. Yeah, you also might benefit from them. Depends on the route you take. We'll talk about that later.
Well, you still have d6 Hit Die. That will hurt a lot. Don't you dare say you are squishy! You even have some damage reduction and that focus on Con sure helps, dang it. Well, OK, you ARE a bit squishy. But we'll deal with that.
You lack defensive abilities per default. We'll have to get them from prestige classes and/or dipping other classes.
It's hard to qualify for prestige classes with Warlock. Some of those you do qualify for, you can't get any benefit from. Yeah, it's sad, but don't bitch about it.



Weapon-like effects
Because I've already said 'eldritch blast is not a weapon' far too many times on other threads!
I have seen a lot of confusion because of eldritch glaive and that is what inspired me to make this handbook, let me say this soon - eldritch glaive is not a weapon. Common belief is that it works as a glaive, some people even claiming the text of eldritch glaive says you can apply glaive feats to it. The text has nothing of the sort; eldritch glaive is a touch-attack magic effect, as defined in Complete Arcane, a weapon-like spell effect.
Weapon-like effects don't benefit from all weapon feats; they only benefit from Improved Critical, Improved Unarmed Strike, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Stunning Fist, Weapon Finesse and Weapon Focus. We'll discuss the usefulness of each of those feats later on.
Weapon-like effects threaten critical hits on a 20 and are subject to sneak attack.
Now, the bad news. Complete Arcane states that when you have multiple attacks from the same weapon-like effect, you only add bonus damage (from sneak attack, for example) once. This would apply to eldritch glaive (but not claw or grapple, since creating the claws is a free action and then you attack normally and grappling blast blast is part of the grapple action). I think Rules Compendium clarifies this issue to a point where you just can't do this in 'volley' attacks, and they are defined as being made at the same attack bonus, but I need to get my hands on a copy of Rules Compendium so I can clarify this.
WARNING:I've had a little debate about wheter or not eldritch glaive qualifies as a weapon-like touch effect. It has no Range: Touch entry, for example. Eldritch Blast also is not stated like a spell (because it's not a spell, dang it), but Complete Arcane obviously treats it as a ranged weapon-like effect, applying Point Blank Shot to it and the like. This makes it pretty obvious for me that eldritch glaive should work like a touch weapon-like. If you disagree, you should also stop giving warlock's PBS bonus on eldritch blast, sneak attack damage or basically just about any bonus ever given to warlocks. It's either they are weapon-likes that actually get a few things or they are something else that gets absolutely nothing.


Tools of the Trade
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Your female counterpart. I believe I mentioned that in the 'pros' part of this guide.
Oh, you are still with me. I see you have the calling of a true melee warlock in you. There are basically four tools for us melee warlocks. Choose wisely, for it will define your fighting style!

Hideous Blow - Wrap a weapon with your eldritch blast and hit people in their faces. Looks good, uh? Well, while it does allow to get bonus from both your weapon and eldritch blast, it's only once a round and the worst of it, it is not a touch attack. So, if you can use any other methods, please do.

Eldritch Glaive - This shape from Dragon Magic makes you a potent Glaivelock. You get reach and threaten until the beginning of your next turn, you get iteratives and they are still touch attacks. The bad news - you only get iteratives from base attack bonus. Haste does not get you an extra attack (though Snake's Swiftness does). You can't attack adjacent targets (it says you get reach as a reach weapon). You don't apply an ability modifier to damage. Since you are going melee, you could think on relying on standard melee tricks for damage, such as Power Attack or Swashbuckler's Insightful Strike. Bad news again, kid - even though it's called eldritch glaive, it's
still not a weapon. You can't apply that stuff. It's controversial if you can use Quicken Spell-like Ability with eldritch glaive, also (I've seen CustServ say no to this twice, though by RAW you could). Aside from attacks of opportunity (and friendly spellcaster's casting Snake's Swiftness), you'll only get benefit from the glaive's extra attacks after your base attack bonus is 6+; that only happens after Warlock 8 (or earlier with multiclassing, but then you are losing EB damage).
One strong and often overlooked drawback is that eldritch glaive provokes, unless you cast defensively. Casting defensively is very easy, since it's equivalent to a 1st level spell, but your enemies can still ready actions to hit you and prevent you from attacking. Also, beware of Mage Slayers.

Eldritch Claws - This is a feat from Dragon Magazine #358 that you can take at Warlock 3. As a free action, you create your eldritch claws - yeah, two of them. Each deals normal unarmed strike damage and eldritch blast damage. You don't have reach and they are not touch attacks, but an unarmed strike is a weapon. This means you can stack bonuses to EB damage and weapon damage. Also, since you make a regular full-attack, you can benefit from haste. Sadly, since it works like natural weapons, higher base attack won't get you more attacks (well, we'll see about that later). On the plus side, you get both attacks at full base attack bonus. It will hit harder than Eldritch Glaive and you'll profit from it sooner (at level 3, +2d6 damage on two attacks at full base attack is very good). However, since you are not targetting touch AC, you will also miss more. Since this is a feat, you
could take both the glaive essence and the claw feat and build around it, using the best tool for each situation. Surrounded by mooks? Glaive'em all! Face to face with boss? Claw his face off! If you are OK with just one claw attack/round, you can even use strikes from ToB (we'll get to that).
While you are using eldritch claws, you can't use your normal eldritch blast. So no clawing and glaveing in the same round, kids. The only way to use both claw and glaive is to Quicken your eldritch glaive, attacking with it as a swift action, then forming your eldritch claws as a free action and attacking with it as a full-attack action. Range is an issue, you'll need a doubled 5-foot step to do this (see below). But it looks like a supercombo from Street Fighter or something, so it's totally worth the effort.

Grappling Blast - Another feat from Dragon 358. You need Improved Grapple and 3d6 eldritch blast. When you make a successful grapple check to deal damage, you can also discharge your eldritch blast, dealing full damage and also gaining a bonus on your next grapple check. Looks really, really cool - like grappling moves from videogames. Remember Gambit grappling in X-men vs Street Fighter? Kinda like that, except more awesome. Grapple is pretty complicated, but you start it by hitting touch AC and then you make opposed checks; you don't even have to worry about AC after the first hit. Flurry of blows, if you can get it somehow, increases your grapple checks. Unfortunatelly, you can't apply essences to this. It has the potential to hit more often than any of the other builds and the added advantage of taking one enemy out of combat while you grapple him. And blast him. At the same time. Grappling Blast is potentially the most powerful tool for the melee warlock, but it depends heavily on Strenght and size - not usual Warlock tools. Some stuff you just won't be able to grapple, no matter how much you buff yourself. Warlocks are good debuffers, so if you can debuff an opponent (via glaive or claw, probably) and then grapple him, that's a new game. I'd take grappling blast as my ace in a sleeve, my Limit Break, my finishing move - but knowing it can't be used all the time, it's risky and it is costy.


Hellfire
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The hellfire warlock motto.
The power of hellfire lured many warlocks into a highly cheesy territory since it came to light. Hellfire is tremendously powerful and incredibly risky to use; but warlocks being tricky as we are, we found lots of ways to circumvent or alleviate those risks. Hellfire is a warlock's evil power up (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SuperpoweredEvilSide)(though it does not require you to be evil - you can even be exalted and use hellfire).
Don't know about hellfire? Check here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20061207a&page=3) for a free excerpt.

Hellfire Warlock (Fiendish Codex II): You need 6 in a cross-class skills, 12 ranks in a class skill and 6 ranks in another class skill. You also need to speak Infernal and to spend a lesser invocation known (so you need at the very lest 6 effective levels of Warlock and character level 9) . Hellfire is untyped damage, like the normal eldritch blast, but it deals an extra +2d6 for each hellfire warlock level. The class has only 3 levels, capping at +6d6 damage (but see below). You still get to apply metamagic to items, advance your invocations as normal and you get a reflex-based counterattack. This is a very good and solid class, even without any cheese.
Of course, any use of hellfire, be it for attack or counterattack, deals you a point of Con damage, because the diabolical forces behind the power of hellfire demand part of your essence in exchange for this granted power. How can you deal with this? My first advice - have an odd score for Con. This will mean your first use of hellfire won't screw with your Fortidude save or hit points. There are other ways. See below.

Naberius (Tome of Magic): Naberius is a vestige, an entity trapped between death and oblivion. They are the playthings of Binders, a class so tied to Warlock that is a part of it in 4e. The thing is, Naberius allows you to heal 1 point of ability damage per round. With an odd score for Con and Naberius, you can use both your attack and counterattack abilities without much trouble. Binders also get other goodies synergetic with melee warlocks, such as an attack bonus for binding. BAB and HD at the same level of Warlock makes me think twice about the dip, but it is a very good option an totally legal per RAW.
No, using the Bind Vestige feat does not get you Naberius' ability to heal ability damage.

Strongheart Vest (Magic of Incarnum): This is a soulmeld from Magic of Incarnum. Soulmelds are pseudo magic items formed from the very essence of all souls that existed or that will ever exist; incarnum is raw 'soul-stuff'. Strongheart Vest reduces all ability damage you take by one. Since hellfire only ever deals 1 point of ability damage...
This soulmeld is subject to heated debate. Many think it disqualifies you from using hellfire blast, since it makes you immune to hellfire's damage. Other say is does not, since hellfire only says it is unusable if you are immune to ability damage (some even go on a limb and compare it do damage reduction, saying DR 1/- does not make you immune to weapon damage). The common rebuke is the intent of you giving a piece of your essence, which does not happen with the vest. Counter rebukes goes along the lines of you giving a piece of incarnum, which is essence, to the diabolical forces. Someone always points out that those diabolical forces specifically requested your essence, and so on and so on. The jury is still out on this one. Highly controversial. Ask your DM. Personally, I'd avoid it.

Rod of Bodily Restoration (Magic Item Compendium): A lot cheaper than wands of lesser restoration and charged by day, this item allows you to reliably heal ability damage. Buy a few of these and get someone to use them at you (a familiar could work; you are just a feat away from them anyway) and you are golden. This is the simpler trick - just a few gold and a feat allows you to spam hellfire to your heart's content. Do notice that if someone takes your familiar down not only do you lose your reliability on hellfire, you lose valuable XP.

Legacy Champion (Weapons of Legacy): An item of legacy is an item that increases in power as you level up and perform certain sacrifices. The legacy champion focuses on such... and adds 8 levels of previous class abilities in 10 levels. The trick is to use it to increase your hellfire warlock progression, granting you 8 levels of warlock progression... and +16d6 hellfire. Yeah, +16d6. That's some frakking damage (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frak_(expletive)). Some people argue about this and it sure as hell ain't intended, but it's hard to question RAW here. If you can pull this off and you don't feel dirty inside (I would), by all means, show them the legacy of hellfire.

Uncanny Trickster (Complete Scoundrel): Skill tricks are mini-feats tied to skills that use once per encounter. Uncanny Trickster focuses on those and works as mini-Legacy Champion, giving +2 levels of class progression in 3 levels. It's just +4d6 hellfire, it's easier to enter since it does not require a legacy weapon and frankly, it is a lot easier to swallow than Legacy Cheddar Champion.

Bloodlines (Unearthed Arcana): A variant rule from Unearthed Arcana that gives you minor bonuses and 1-3 'ghost levels' that don't add base attack, hit dice or most anything, but progress +1 level of all level-based abilities. Of course, this nets you +2d6-+6d6 hellfire. Bloodlines have been used to pull out a lot of cheese and they are an alternate rule, beind very very DM dependant. For hellfire alone, I don't think they are worth the trouble - I'd go with Uncanny Trickster or Legacy Champion or my hellfire boosters.


On Invocations and Somatic Components

I wish I had something cool to say here
RAW is weird on invocations and somatic components. It's mentioned in page 7 in Complete Arcane, under weapon & armor proficiency. Invocations are spell-like abilities, though - they don't have somatic components. Is it a copy and paste error? Is it intended? Is it a way to keep Warlocks wearing leather, because it's a lot cooler that way?
I don't know and it's written in a very weird way, but let's concede that invocations are a special kind of spell-like abilities that get somatic components. There, Wizards of the Coast - a single line of text you could have used to solve all this mess.


Races
Because Warlocking Runs in the Family (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/InTheBlood)
The following are good races for a melee Warlock.
Elan (Expanded Psionics Handbook): These guys are pretty popular and they share their name with this guy :elan:
Being psionic opens up psionic feats, the racial abilities are pretty good, aberration type qualifies you for Rapidstrike. This is a good race for all kinds of melee warlocks.
Humans: Always good. Bonus feat, extra skill points. Boring but practical (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BoringButPractical).
Strongheart Halfling (Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting): Being small kicks your grappling blast in the nuts but an extra feat and size bonus are very fine. Eldritch blast damage does not depend on size, so go crazy.
Xeph (Expanded Psionics Handbook): Repeat after me - awesome wuxia feel. Extra speed allows you to Jump and Tumble with impunity and Xeph Celerity is like Flurry of Blows for your eldritch claws. Not so hot for glaivelocks, that don't get an extra attack from Xeph Celerity.
Hengeyokai (Oriental Adventures & Dragon Magazine 318): I think if one race should have favored class Warlock, it's the hengeyokai. The alternate forms are very nice and they have kind of a fey feel in the japanese legends. Sparrow hengeyokai are good blasters and even for the melee warlocks (saves you the trouble of learning Fell Flight) but other animals to consider are the badger (it allows you to be a mole - come from underground, hit the suckers and go back underground) and the racoon dog (+2 Str is important for the grapplers and clawers). Scent is also nice.
Hengeyokai also opens up the Warshaper prestige class, pretty solid.
Warforged (Eberron Campaign Setting or Monster Manual III): So, I figured I had to say something about Eberron's resident robots, but it turns out this guy here put it a lot better than I would.


Also bears mentioning under races: Warforged. Con bonus, considerable immunities (which help make up for your crappy Fort save), plus never needing to rest. Also qualifies for certain awesome buffs (Construct Essence, Golem Immunity).

Plus, ya'know a mecha that flies around shooting lasers, and fighting with a beam sabre glaive.

Its not all roses though, theres a feat tax (for better armor plating), you're harder to heal, and theres the Cha penalty (but you can live without that).
Oh, emphasis mine, by the way. Let me say it again: a mecha that flies around shooting laser and fighting with a beam glaive of doom from hell. Awesome. Of course, 'traditional' DMs will give you the boot, but Lord of the Rings can be boring as hell anyway (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0sc-gS9AqM).

[true_shinken]

So you have your basis, be it glaive, claw, grappling or a combination of those. No, not hideous blow, that's silly. Let's take a look on which feats can be used to augment your combat potential, then!


Compatible Weapon Feats

Improved Critical: Increases your critical chances. Along with Dumb Luck, you could critical 15% of the time. I don't think it's a bad deal per se, but there are more important feats. If you have the room, you might as well take it.

Improved Unarmed Strike: Irrelevant for pure glaive-focused Warlocks. If you focus on eldritch claw, though, this increases your damage potential, opens up Improved Grapple (and Grappling Blast) and qualifies you (well, it helps qualifying) for things like Snap Kick and Shou Disciple.

Point Blank Shot: Only applies to ranged attacks. You are not a ranged blasty warlock. Sure, you can use a Kamehameha every now and then, but your thing is hitting them in the face, lots of times per round.

Precise Shot: Like PBS. Also, firing into melee is a win-win situation anyway. You either get to damage the enemy or to laugh like a madman when you actually hit your friend with magical energy. You know it's true.

Stunning Fist: You can't spare the Wisdom. Even if you are in a Monk-centric build, taking this is not taking Improved Grapple and not qualifying for Grappling Blast.

Weapon Finesse: Reduces MAD. Problem is you can't take this at level 1, and at level 3 you'll probably get Eldritch Claws. In a glaive-only build, looks like a very strong choice for level 3 feat.

Weapon Focus: +1 to hit is poor. It is a requirement for Shou Disciple (unarmed strike) and Thayan Gladiator (claw), though.

Touch Spell Specialization (Complete Arcane): +2 damage is pretty poor and this is not a requirement for anything. If you have the room, you could take it for a glaive build, since it is kinda hard to increase damage after all.


Extra Tricks You Can Pull Out
Obtain Familiar (Complete Arcane): This feat allows you to break the action economy. A familiar is very useful if often overlooked. For a melee warlock, the main use is to get one to cast Snake's Swiftness on you or to use the Rod of Bodily Restoration.

Improved Familiar: Some improved familiars are worth it, like the imp. I love the blink dog's teleportation (Complete Warrior adds it to the list), but since he can't teleport you, I don't think it would actually get much use. Imps are unfortunatelly evil-only, but at-will invisibility is really good for something that will be hovering around you and using items. This just in! Our good friend Thyir says you can be one step away from a familiar's alignment. I never noticed that. Yeah, I'm stupid, whatever - it doesn't matter! It means a Lawful Neutral or True Neutral Warlock can have a useful imp with at-will invisibility. Oooooh yeah, babe.
Of course, the moment you become Lawful Neutral/True Neutral you won't be able to progress as a Warlock anyway. Proceed with care.
(Surprisingly, I just noticed you can take levels in Hellfire Warlock if you are Lawful Good but you can't take levels in base class Warlock if you're Lawful Good :smallamused:)

Infernal Adept (online (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070613)): You qualify for this feat at Warlock 11. You get a least (greater when/if you get dark) invocation from the Dragonfire Adept list. The only thing that really seems worth the trouble for me is Humanoid Shape, but we all know how cheesy polymorph effects get.

Planar Affinity (online (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070328)): This article has three Warlock feats and they all more or less suck. Planar Affinity is somewhat good because you can trade two invocations at a time, meaning you can pick up more stuff that's only useful at low levels (like Summon Swarm) without fearing it becoming obsolete. You need to be a native outsider, though. This is a very iffy feat at best, but it increases your versatility, so I'm listing it here so you can get to know it before you dismiss it.


Dips and Prestige Classes
OK, Warlocks are awesome. They may not be the most powerful class in the game nor the most versatile, but they are fun to play and they are very cool. But you really don't have to stay in Warlock forever. The melee Warlock actually has a lot to benefit from dipping other base classes and using prestige classes...

Cleric: Do you believe in God, son? Well, you should. He can get you full-base attack bonus (via Divine Powa), assorted melee buffs, healing and all sorts of crazy stuff. Cleric 1 is such a good dip that there is an entire guide devoted to it (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=2773.0). It opens up Eldritch Disciple, which allows to mix the coolness of a melee warlock with the power of a cleric. Actual chausubles are also very cleric-y.

Warblade (Tome of Battle): Full base attack, d12 Hit Dice, movement skills and maneuvers. Oh, maneuvers. You'll want to focus on boosts and counters to improve your mobility and/or damage potential. A 1-level dip gets you Sudden Leap and this alone should make you pretty happy already.

Human Paragon (Unearthed Arcana): +2 invocation progression in 3 levels, +2 to one stat, a bonus feat and you get to choose one skill that forever and ever will in your heart class list. Since you also choose 10 skills to be your human paragon class skills, this is very good to help you qualify for other prestige classes. With Able Learner, you could even keep all 10 of those skills as class skills forever. Don't think it's necessary. Going through Human Paragon helps you classify for Cyran Avenger and Shou Disciple more easily.

Ruathar (Races of the Wild): One of the easiest to qualify prestige classes ever written. The class features are nothing to write home about and it only has a d6 hit die, like Warlock. It does have a good skill list while progressing invocations. If only it had movement skills, then it would be perfect. This can help you qualify for Cyran Avenger.

Shou Disciple (Unaproachable East): This class is beautiful and gets that amazing extra wuxia feel from Warlocks. 5 levels of full base attack bonus, d10 Hit Die, improved unarmed strike progression and two bonus feats are very solid. Requirements are not-so-easy, though: you need to be from the Shou expatriate or Thesk regions, base attack +3, Balance 4, Jump 8, Tumble 4 (all cross-class skills!), Dodge, Improved Unarmed Strike and Weapon Focus (unarmed strike). You do get two of those feat back, but Dodge and Weapon Focus are a really steep price to pay. If you have eldritch claw, though, I would not hesitate for a second - Shou Disciple is the prestige class for you. The increase in unarmed strike almost makes up alone for the reduced eldritch blast damage. Since you get higher base attack, you hit more often. You can also boost damage with Improved Natural Attack, Superior Unarmed Strike and all other tricks monks use. You can also Power Attack with your fists.
A Warlock 10 has 10d6 hit points, 5d6 eldritch blast damage, 1d3 unarmed damage and base attack +8. He attacks twice dealing 5d6+1d3+Str damage.
A Warlock 5/Shou Disciple 5 has 5d6+5d10 hit points, 3d6 eldritch blast damage, 2d6 unarmed damage and base attack +9. He attacks twice dealing 3d6+2d6+Str damage and can also Power Attack.
It's debatable wether a Shou Disciple can flurry with natural weapons, so ask your DM if you can flurry with eldritch claws.
This class does not offer anything for eldritch glaive, though.

Cyran Avenger (Five Nations): Full base attack bonus and an increase in hit dice are already good, but the Charisma synergy is amazing. If you are a melee warlock specialized in essences that force saves, Cyran Avenger will benefit your damage potential. 4/5 invocation progression, a built-in smite that goes up to +5d6 damage (uses per day depend on your Charisma). You get extra action points and the like.
I really, really like Cyran Avenger for melee Warlocks in Eberron. Qualifying can be a bit of a bitch, sure - BAB +5 and Survival 8 are kinda hard to achive.
A two-level dip in Ranger could qualify you at Warlock 4/Ranger 2, if you are desperate for some avenging. I don't think it's worth it, though. The real strenght of Cyran Avenger comes from the syngery with your Warlock abilities - the Ranger dip makes Cyran Avenger a 4/7 invocation progression, basically, almost the same as one of those 'full-bab half-casting' you find every now and then.
Warlock 4/Ruathar 3 qualifies a level later and only loses a single invocation level (when it enters Cyran Avenger).

Eldritch Disciple (Complete Mage): This advances Cleric and Warlock while granting extra goodies. Remember to have Knight's Move prepared.
Eldritch Disciple is very effective and allows you to pull some tricks. Wild Frenzy is pretty good, and I believe you'd get twice the damage bonus with eldritch claw (once for the unarmed strike, once for the eldritch blast) - you get it kind of late for it to matter, though. Healing Blast makes your party happy; as an essence, it can still be combined with eldritch glaive, for lots of healing from a (small) distance. Not recommended to use with eldritch claw, since your unarmed strike would still deal damage.
Eldritch Spellwave spares you a known invocation for eldritch chain, since you can just tack essences on Mass Inflict Light Wounds. I like this for taking out mobs with Vitriolic Blast or Utterdark Blast. With Vitriolic, it's hilarious - mass inflict them with acid and become invisible. Wait safely to see if they die. Rinse and repeat. Not very melee-ish, of course, but you can save your awesomeness for the big bad evil guys - play cat and mouse with mooks.

Thayan Gladiator (Champions of Ruin): This is one is for the claw-locks. This class requires bab +5 and Weapon Focus (natural weapon), but it gives Improved Natural Weapon in returno, has a built-in poor man's Rapidstrike (and it stacks!), gives magical enhancements to your claws... and a bit extra stuff. If you want to be a superbeast (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHBtpqbOKXk), I really advise this route.

Warshaper (Complete Warrior): You need BAB +4 and shapechanger subtype, so it's a good one for hengeyokai. You gain increased reach, fast healing a increase in natural weapon damage and a bonus to Strenght and Constitution... all in 4 levels. This is a very good class for any kind of melee Warlock. Seriously consider it if you have the shapechanger subtype.

[true_shinken]

Increasing Damage
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BDCqpuwRnf4/Rj7O0yp5peI/AAAAAAAABhA/wtUfXh1YjeU/s400/PaRappa.jpg
Kick, punch, it's all in the mind...
The raw damage of an eldritch blast needs an improvement to stay competitive, even when you hit more than once a round with it. Let's check a few ways to boost it.

Craven (Champions of Ruin): As some of you might already know, I dislike the flavour of this feat. Cowards shouldn't hit harder than brave warriors in heroic fantasy games. That said, Craven adds realiable damage if you fished at least a single die of sneak attack from a dip or Assassin's Stance. If being a coward suits your taste, go for it.
Also, remeber that anything that makes you immune to fear is negated by this feat. This means no mindblank, no heroes' feast, no Paladin dips.

Martial Study (Tome of Battle): Most of the damage increasing and attack adding boosts won't work with eldritch glaive. Actually, I've yet to find one that does work.
All of ToB meshes nicely with eldritch claws, though.

Martial Stance (Tome of Battle): Assassin's Stance for 2d6 sneak attack looks like the obvious choice, but getting the requirements might be a bit hard without a Swordsage dip, and if you dip Swordsage you probably won't need the feat.

Improved Natural Attack/Superior Unarmed Strike: Standard methods of increasing unarmed damage. Of course they help with eldritch claw. If you have room, take both.

(Greater) Chasuble of Fell Power (MIC): 8k for +1d6 eldritch blast damage. Pretty good. Greater version adds +2d6 for 18k. If you can get away with a scarf of fell power (it's the same slot!) instead and you have Shou Disciple levels... congrats, you just became Kamen Rider (http://nikoscream.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/kamenriderw.jpg). Rider Kick (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUIztDo8BM4) the opposition to death.

Warlock's Scepter (MIC): 5 charges/day that adds damage to eldritch blast. Since it's for your next eldritch blast, eldritch glaive and claw get the effect for a whole round. At 8k, I'd buy it. Note that the bonus on attack rolls only applies while ranged.

Divine Might (Complete Warrior): If you dipped Cleric, you might as well get this for an eldritch claw build.

Dragonslayer Claws (Dragon Magic): 3/day, as a free action, add +1d6 to damage with claws, +3d6 against a dragon. If you are not dragonblooded, you suffer a negative level. Quite cheap at 2500gp, but not very exciting.

Gauntlets of War (Complete Champion): For only 4000gp, you get +3 to damage rolls if you worship a deity with the War domain. Nice. Probably won't work with eldritch glaive, check with your DM. If it does, get it. If you're a clawlock, get this while you save for Beast Claws.

Beast Claws (Savage Species): Gauntlets of War are nice, sure. They cost 9610gp and they look like something from a bad horror movie. Why would you use this on your awesome melee warlock, you ask? Well, they are +1 spiked gauntlets, but if you already have a claw attack it becomes a +2 weapon and adds +1d6 to claw damage. Dude, this is awesome. You can further enchant it, use weapon augment crystals on it and stuff. Get this as soon as possible.

Beast Strike (Dragon Magazine issue 355): This feat adds your claw damage to unarmed strike damage. This is sick damage, boys and girls. Your claw damage, from eldritch claws, is eldritch blast damage + unarmed strike damage, right? So with beast strike, your unarmed strike damage becomes unarmed strike damage TIMES TWO plus eldritch blast damage. Oh, and you can flurry now, no questions asked. Is it Christmas already?

Greater Divine Surge (Tome of Battle): You deal a lot of extra damage, but you take Con damage. Hellfire warlocks are used to this; put that imp to work overtime! Devoted Spirit strike, level 8, requires two other Devoted Spirit maneuvers. Thanks for pointing this out, Talionis.

Girallon Windmill Flesh Rip (Tome of Battle): (TC 8/3 B) This boost adds extra damage for hitting multiple times. Get this if you can, Clawlocks (Glaivelocks, go cry in the corner). Tiger Claw boost, level 8, requires 3 other Tiger Claw maneuvers. Thanks for pointing this out, Talionis.

Ruby Nightmare Blade (Tome of Battle): You know Concentration? That skill you kept maxed just in case? Well, now you can use it to deal double damage. No kidding. Again, Glaivelocks can't use it. Diamond Mind strike, level 4, requires 2 other Diamond Mind maneuvers. Thanks for pointing this out, Talionis.

Diamond Nightmare Blade (Tome of Battle): Ruby's big brother. Quadruple damage for your claws. Diamond Mind strike, level 8, requires three other Diamond Mind maneuvers. Thanks for pointing this out, Talionis.

Foehammer (Tome of Battle): Goodbye, damage reduction. Excellent utility and a good prerequisite pick for Devoted Spirit Maneuvers. Devoted Spirit strike, level two, no requirements.


Improving Mobility
Because standing still is for suckers
Warlocks already have a lot of mobility options within the class, with some invocations directed toward it. Those, sadly, don't allow you to move and full-attack (with the exception of Quickened Flee the Scene). In this section, we'll discuss how to make your warlock float like a butterfly. You already sting like a bee.

Boots of Agile Jumping (Magic Item Compendium): Very very cheap. You Jump with Dex, now. Nice if you use Sudden Leap.

Chronocharm of the Horizon Walker (MIC): Use this before you get a chasuble scarf of fell power. When you get it, add the power of the chronocharm to the chasuble scarf. Helps mobility like no one's business.

Anklet of Translocation (MIC): Hard to choose between these and Quicksilver Boots. Both increase your mobility. The anklet is cheaper and it teleports you instead of moving but the range is shorter. Try to get both in the same item.

Quicksilver Boots (MIC): At around 3k, it helps mobility a lot and even adds some defense in the form of concealment. Buy it and love it.

Acrobat Boots (MIC): If you can't afford Quicksilver Boots, acrobat boots are pretty good. Since Tumble ain't normally a class skill, you'll need all the bonuses to it you can get. Increasing your speed also means it's more likely foes won't get away from you.

Sudden Leap (Tome of Battle): This maneuver allows you to jump as a swift action, allowing to move and full-attack at the same round. An excellent reason for a Warblade dip, especially since with Warblade you can use it every other round. Tiger Claw boost, level 1, requires one other Tiger Claw maneuver.

Leaping Flame (Tome of Battle): This maneuver allows you to teleport adjacent to someone who attacked you from range. Desert Wind boost, level 5, requires two other Desert Wind maneuvers, so getting this will be hard unless you're dedicated initiator. Thanks for pointing this out, Talionis.

Quicksilver Motion (Tome of Battle): This maneuver allows to move your speed as a swift action. While very good, this is even harder to get than Leaping Flame. Diamond Mind boost, level 7, requires 3 other Diamond Mind maneuvers. Thanks for pointing this out, Talionis.

Mirrored Pursuit (Tome of Battle): This maneuver looks awesome, though it might be hard to get it. You follow your opponent's movements. Setting Sun boost, level 5, requires two others Setting Sun maneuvers (that's the really hard part). Thanks for pointing this out, Talionis.

Shadow Jaunt (Tome of Battle): Extraordinary standard action teleport, range 50ft. Requires line of sight and line of effect. It's basically shunpo/shunshin/zanzoken (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FlashStep). Unfortunatelly, as a standard action, it's not that good. Shadow Hand boost, level 2, no requirements. Thanks for pointing this out, Talionis.

Shadow Strike (Tome of Battle): The middle child in the Shadow Jaunt line. Uses a move action. Better than Shadow Jaunt, but you can't full attack. If you're a strike-using Clawlock, get this ASAP. Shadow Hand boost, level 5, no requirements.

Shadow Blink (Tome of Battle): The last maneuver in the Shadow Jaunt line, this one only requires a swift action. Shadow Hand boost, level 7, no requirements. Grab this if you can, it's crazy good. Thanks for pointing this out, Talionis.

Tempo Bloodspikes (Magic of Eberron): Oh, I love those. Very very cheap, you can craft them yourself and it allows to move your speed as a free action once within the hour. While I wouldn't use it as my only means of mobility, this already helps a lot.

10-foot Step: Oriental Adventures allows you move 10 foot in a 5 foot step with a DC 40 Tumble check. Cyran Gliding Boots (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cw/20061120a) allow you do this 3x/day and you also get a bonus to Tumble and Jump (useful for Sudden Leap)... they are also from Cyre, making it fun to mix with Cyran Avenger. Sparring Dummy of the Master, from Arms & Equipment Guide, also gives the ability to move 10 foot in a 5 foot step and it does not occupy a body slot, but it is from a 3.0 book (some people are real jerks about it, even though it's officially stated to be legal) and kinda expensive. If could, I would sure go for one of those options. My favourite is Cyran Gliding Boots, but that's because of my second favourite manga (http://www.1000manga.com/Air_Gear/).

A Mount: Like Darrin daringly mentioned, since an eldritch glaive attack is not a full-attack but rather a full-round action you could let a mount do the moving for you while you swing away.
Mounted Combat feat becomes a good option if you have those Ride ranks, to keep your mount alive and moving.

Knight's Move (Spell Compendium): Thie Cleric spell allows you to teleport as a swift action for a flanking position to unleash major arcane butt-kicking onto the opposition. Tried and true.


Increasing Reach
We can't kill what we can't touch, after all
You probably already know that reach is a very important weapon in most melee characters' repertoire. Good reach means more attacks of opportunity and more attacks of opportunity means more damage and/or more debuffing, so it's a good thing. Melee warlocks being somewhat different from other melee characters, we'll have to see case by case how the reach increasing tricks work for us.
Get Big: You know the drill. Start as a Large race (half-ogre and half-minotaur both are popular), use spells to get bigger, etc. Large size alone brings a few disadvantages - a penalty to attack rolls, AC and Hide. However, for most melee types this is all worth it. For melee warlocks, it depends. Clawlocks and grapplelocks gain other benefits from Large size and might benefit, but they could get such advantages from a Primordial Half-Giant without the disadvantages (half-giant doesn't get reach, but they don't care that much about reach, usually, being a lot more mobile than glaivelocks).
Glaivelocks need the reach more for several reason. First, moving is a lot more difficult to them. Second, they are the only melee warlock type that gets to use essences, so they can debuff, meaning attacks of opportunity becomes even more important. Unfortunatelly, a glaivelock gains no benefit from Large size other than reach, since eldritch blast damage does not scale with size and a Strenght bonus might not be that useful (specially since you should probably finessing your eldritch glaive anyway).
Basically, I advice against it. Warlocks don't get that much from size.

Warshaper (Complete Warrior): Everyone loves Magical Trevor the Warshaper, a class that suddenly became easy to qualify via three LA+0 races - hengeyokai, changeling and shifter. At level 3, you gain +5ft reach. You can also create natural weapons, so you could create tentacles to qualify for Extended Reach, I believe. A solid class overall, I highly recommend taking it.

Deformity (tall) (Heroes of Battle): A two feat tax, you need Willing Deformity first. Requires you to be evil and you take -1 to AC, but you get +5ft reach out of it. Good for those going for the power hungy Warlock.

Inhuman Reach (Lords of Madness): A two feat tax, since it requires Aberration Blood. It also loses you some charm (no, it's serious, look up the feats). But that's +5ft reach and I wouldn't ignore the possibility. If you have the feats available, grab it. Sadly doesn't work for elans (they lack the humanoid type) but otherwise the flavour would match.

Extended Reach (Savage Species): A feat that grants you +5ft reach, but you need tentacle-like limbs. You could grab Deepspawn (from Lords of Madness) to get tentacles and qualify, or you could take this after Warshaper or you could be an anthropomorphic octopus/squid, but they are not that good as melee warlocks. No reason not to take it if you qualify.

Greatreach Bracers (Magic Item Compendium): A magic item that 3/day as a swift action adds +10ft to your reach for a round. I don't know if it should work with Extended Reach by RAI, because it says your arms elongate and stretch. Easy for Warshapers to use, though - just say your tentacles sprout from the back of your hands or something.


Getting Extra Attacks
Just hit'em till they drop
When you are using eldritch glaive, getting an extra attack (other than an attack of opportunity) might be a pain in the neck. Haste does not work, you can't use TWF or flurry of blows. Anything that involves a full-attack is right out.
Please note eldritch claw has no such problems. Anything that adds an extra attack on a full attack works normally with eldritch claw.

Snake's Swiftness (Spell Compendium): Basically, a caster uses a spell and an action so that you'll unleash eldritch asskicking during his turn. A single attack at your highest base attack bonus. Your party's arcanist (or druid) will probably use the Mass version of this. Try to convince him to prepare this instead of haste.
Alternatively, get this on a wand and give it to a familiar.

Snap Kick (Tome of Battle): The wording here is so ambiguous that you can even use it with eldritch glaive. The problem is that it's not an eldritch blast attack, it's just an unarmed attack. Worth it for eldritch claw users that went the Shou Disciple route, but otherwise avoid it.

Quicken Spell-like Ability: 3/day, you make an extra full-attack. Sounds simple and clean (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkS4AVfIxyo&feature=related).
Some people say you can't quicken a spell-like ability that is cast as a full-round action.
In addition, a spell-like ability that duplicates a spell with a casting time greater than 1 full round cannot be quickened.
Eldritch glaive does not duplicate a spell and does not even work as a spell with a 1 full round casting time (those only have effect on your next turn, while eldritch glaive works as you 'cast' it). In fact, eldritch glaive is faster than a spell with casting time of 1 full round. I'd say you can quicken it and it seems pretty clear to me you should be able to do it, but YMMV.

(Improved) Rapidstrike (Draconomicon): Needs BAB+10 and specific creature types (so a reason to be an elan). Gains an additional attack with your claws at -5. Improved version gives you actual iteratives with claws. It's crazy awesome, that's what this is.

Beast Strike + Flurry (Dragon Magazine 355): Thanks for pointing this out, Prime32. Beast Strike adds your claw damage to unarmed strikes. You can flurry with unarmed strikes. It's quite simple to figure out (Though it took me some time. Really.)

Time Stands Still (Tome of Battle): This awesome maneuver gives you two full-attack actions. All Beast Strikers, rejoice! Unfortunatelly, it's a level 9 maneuver. I don't think you can get both this and hellfire, but I could be wrong. Can't be used with Eldritch Glaive. Diamond Mind boost, level 9, requires four other Diamond Mind maneuvers. Thanks for pointing this out, Talionis.

Avalanche of Blades (Tome of Battle): Unfortunatelly, you can't use this with Eldritch Glaive, or it would be crazy good. Well, to tell you the truth, I think you could Quicken your eldritch glaive and then initiate this maneuver (since the glaive lasts until your next turn begins), but that's only really useful if you're a Clawlock who also took Eldritch Glaive. You make attacks at an increasing penalty and only stop when your oponent is at -1 or less (or you miss). Diamond Mind strike, level 7, requires three other Diamond Mind maneuvers. Thanks for pointing this out, Talionis.

Pouncing Charge (Tome of Battle): Pounce is good for you and bad to your enemies. This can't be used with Eldritch Glaive, as usual. Ticer Claw strike, level 5, requires two other Tiger Claw maneuvers. Thanks for pointing this out, Talionis.

Dancing Mongoose (Tome of Battle): This is a tricky maneuver. It can only be used with weapons you wield, so natural weapons should be out (and Eldritch Glaive is not a weapon, I just thought I should say that again). You gain one extra attack per weapon you wield; even if you're a Monk or your DM rules Beast Strike as counting (since unarmed strike in in the weapon table and all), you'd only get one extra attack (since an unarmed strike is just one weapon). You could get more attacks with a shield to bash, armor spikes, braidblades or stuff like that, I believe. Better for weapon users, really. Tiger Claw boost, level 5, requires two other Tiger Claw maneuvers. Thanks for pointing this out, Talionis.

Raging Mongoose (Tome of Battle): This is Dancing Mongoose's big brother, with more power and the same restrictions. Tiger Claw boost, level 8, requires three other Tiger Claw maneuvers. Thanks for pointing this out, Talionis.

Adamantine Hurricane (Tome of Battle): This one is awesome. Clawlocks should always take this given the chance (you can't have this as well, Glaivelocks). As a standard action, you make two attacks against every adjacent opponent (the Target line says 'opponent you threaten', but this discussion could get ugly; would 'text trumps table' apply here?). Yes, as a standard action. Yes, you can use Snap Kick with this. Kinda hard to get, though, since Iron Heart generally doesn't offer much to Warlocks. Iron Heart strike, level 8, requires three other Iron Heart maneuvers. Thanks for pointing this out, Talionis.

Flashing Sun (Tome of Batte): A once/encounter flurry. You make a full attack and you gain an extra attack. Flurry is better and unfortunately you can't mix both. It's useful for Clawlocks without access to Shou Disciple, though. Desert Wind strike, level 2, requires one other Desert Wind maneuver. Thanks for pointing this out, Talionis.

Wolf Fang Strike (Tome of Battle): One attack with a weapon in each hand. Has the same problems as Dancing Mongoose but it's a lot easier to get it; you just need to take Martial Study. Tiger Claw strike, level 1, no requirements. I just have to say it: this maneuver always reminds me of Yamcha from Dragonball. Thanks for pointing this out, Talionis.

Steel Wind (Tome of Battle): As a standard action, attack two foes you threaten. It's as awesome as it sounds. Once again, Glaivelocks were not invited to this party. Iron Heart strike, level 1, no requirements.

Planar Touchstone (Planar Handbook): The oxyrynchus touchstone has a base ability stronger than the higher order ability, for some reason. When you catch a foe flat-footed, hit him with your chosen weapon (so this means no fun for the Glaivelocks, again) an additional time at -5. Works on any round where you can perform multiple attacks (meaning it works on attacks of opportunity if you have Snap Kick). Pretty good, specially along with Snap Kick. It only requires 100gp and 8 ranks of Knowledge (the planes). Oh, and you get to make your weapon consumptive once a day for a minute. +1d6 damage, yay (I'm trying to be sarcastic here).


Debuffing
A Glaivelock's place in the spotlight
This is going to be mostly a glaivelock session. They may get the short end of the stick when it comes to damage or ToB tricks, but this is the thing that makes glaivelocks still viable. They make good debuffers, mainly because they can use essences with their eldritch glaive and force multiple saves a round.
While building a debuffer glaivelock, remember you need Charisma for the DCs.
Let's check out those essences, then.
Frightful Blast: Least essence, Will save or shaken for 1 minute. Sounds pretty good, but if it targets a shaken character, the character is not affected by the shaken effect. However, one interesting trick is that this only mentions the shaken condition. If you got a character frightened with other effects, you get it panicked with a frightful blast. You could, for example, use frightful blast, demoralize the target, then use frightful blast again to get him through all the states of fear. Or, if you have the Dreadful Wrath feat, you could attack (making him shaken), then attack again (triggering the Dreadful Wrath feat, since it's a full attack, making him frightened; then you trigger frightful blast to make him panicked). Basically, this essence was supposed to be useless, but it's uselessness was poorly written so you have ways around it.

Sickening Blast: Least essence, Fortitude save or be sickened. It's a debuff, yeah, but it only works on living creatures and doesn't scale. If you can't get Frightful Blast to combo, you could take this instead, but remember Fortitude saves are usually higher. If you have multiple essences, this is a good setup for something else. All things considered, trade it away as fast as you can.

Beshadowed Blast: Lesser essence, Fortitude save or be blinded for 1 round. The Fortitude save hurts again, but blinding is a powerful debuff. Many creatures have ways around it, though. A good substitute for Sickening Blast.

Deteriorating Blast (Dragon Magic): Lesser essence, Fortitude save or lose 5 points of damage reduction. I simply don't think this is worth it,as it basically amounts to +5 damage to your team mates sometimes. Could be useful is your party sucks at bursting through DR and if it is composed primarily of weapon users.

Hellrime Blast: Lesser essence, Fortitude save or take a penalty to Dexterity for 10 minutes. Doesn't stack with itself and it's a penalty, not damage. I'd pass.

Hindering Blast (Complete Mage): Greater essence, Will save or slowed for 1 round. You should consider this. With good reach, you could hit multiple targets and depending on your positioning, this could shut down a battlefield. Specially nasty if coupled with Stand Still. Even then, take care.

Incarnum Blast (Magic of Incarnum): Greater essence, living targets whose alignment is opposed to yours in at least one axis must save (Fortitude) or be dazed. I'd like to say this is situationally good, depending on the alignment of your opponents (Don't even bother if you are neutral on an axis.), because daze is a pretty nasty effect, but at this level you have better options.
Also, you can invest essentia to get more damage against the same targets, on a 1:1d6 ratio, yay! (/sarcasm). Unfortunatelly, you have to invest essentia as if it was a feat (i.e., once you invest you can't change it for 24 hours). I'd avoid it.

Bewitching Blast: Greater essence, Will save or confused for 1 round. I don't understand why this is a greater invocation, confusion is an affect available a lot earlier for most classes. I'd pass, but it is a Will effect.

Penetrating Blast (Dragon Magic): Greater essence. The ability to weaken spell resistance would be a lot more interesting if you didn't get access to it in the same level you get the ability to ignore spell resistance. Yes, this allows you to be a team player, but frankly spellcasters shouldn't need your help to overcome SR.

Noxious Blast: You probably noticed how I said to avoid, pass or take care regarding all other greater debuffing essences. Noxious blast is the reason why. They get a Fortitude save and if they fail, they are nauseated for a minute. This is crazy good. For one whole minute, they can't attack, cast spells or concentrate on spells, or do anything else that requires concentration. Basically, you win.

Repelling Blast: Greater essence and the only thing up able to compete with Noxious Blast for your attention for two reasons. 1) It's a Reflex. 2) It's hilarious. If they fail their saves, they are hurled 1d6x5 feet away from you... and knocked prone. You're basically a human (or hengeyokai, or elan, or whatever) pinball machine.

Bind Blast (Complete Mage): Dark essence, stun for 1 round. No one cares, Noxious Blast is a lot better.

Utterdark Blast: Dark essence, deals negative energy damage (so it heals undead and stuff) and they get a Fortitude save or they take two negative levels. Somewhat disappointing, I think. If only it didn't require a save (most stuff that grants negative levels don't get saves) it would be good, but Noxious Blast is still looking better in my book.


Glaivelocks & Shields
A love story
Well, let's face it: a Warlock could use an Armor Class boost. Warlocks are not proficient with shields, but we could just take a feat (even if doing it sucks), multiclass or use a shield with 0 ACF and 0% spell failure chance. Glaivelocks can't use two weapon fighting and don't need two hands free to use eldritch glaive. We have a free hand and nothing to put in it!
I'd love to say the Shield Casting feat (from Races of Stone) would help you do this. I'd really love to say that - hell, it stops you from provoking! However, requirements include the bad feat Combat Casting and the casting is so specific about spells that spell-like abilities might not qualify (they even have another feat just below for psionics; what the hell happened to default transparency?). If you somehow can get shield proficiency + Combat Casting easily (say, with a 2-level Duskblade dip), getting the feat (and getting your DM to agree that it works on invocations, which I think it should but it is not intended and questionable not RAW) would solve all your troubles about Mage Slayers, readied actions and Concentration checks.
People usually say shields are subpar because two-handed weapons are simply better and AC becomes almost meaningless at high levels unless you build around it. People are right, but at lower levels, pumping your AC never hurts. Mithral light shield has ACF 0 and 0% spell failure and costs only 1007gp, masterwork githcraft (template from DMG 2) wooden light shield has ACF 0 and 0% spell failure for tha bargain price of 753gp, githcraft mithral heavy shield is a bit more expensive at 1620gp but also adds +1 to Concentration checks. Both seem like pretty good options to boost your Glaivelock's AC.
You need free hands for Eldritch Claws, so unfortunatelly you can't use a light shield with it (a buckler could work). You could use a wand of shield, which is really cheap, but 10 rounds duration means wasting an action on the first round of combat to activate it so I'd avoid it like the plague.
Sir Gimp likes taking Hideous Blow, Shield Proficiency and Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword). They don't allow Sir Gimp to join the Melee Warlock Association. You don't want to be like Sir Gimp, after all, the MWA has the coolest parties.
If you want your hands free, you could always buy yourself an animated shield. In you are set on a flying shield, choose this one. It's the best!

http://eduardo.tetera.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/escudo_fluminense.jpg

If you are not brazilian or a hardcore soccer fun, you won't get the joke. It's OK. All you have to know is that Fluminense is awesome.

Miss Chance

http://www.x17online.com/images/photo-sets/conv/kperry072309_X17/kperry072309_02-full.jpg
Let the d100 do all the work for you!
No wait, that's another kind of miss, nevermind.
Sometimes, AC is just not enough. Things keep hitting you. You need something else, something to protect you, to keep your few precious hit points (Rule number 3 of the Melee Warlock: You can never have too much hit points). Miss chance springs to rescue! Just remember: some opponents don't need to actually see you. Miss chance does not help against blindsight.
(Minor) Cloak of Displacement (DMG): 20% or 50% miss chance, only costs you money. It might burn a hole in your pocket - even the minor cloak costs 24000 gold.
Smoking Weapons (Lords of Darkness): Supposedly very good, this is cheap, gives you 20% miss chance and extra goodies. Unfortunatelly, the one time I saw Lords of Darkness for sale (it was super cheap!) I decided on buying two third party books instead. Those third party books royally sucked. If you are not as idiot as I am and actually bought this amazing book, use smoking weapons. They rock and you could add it to your warlock scepter.
Darkness and seeing through it (a lot of books): With darkness at will, you could cast it on your armor, your weapon or your underwear (but then you would have to fight crime adventure without your pants). Everyone in the area suffers a 20% miss chance! Well, even you. So you need a way to see in magical darkness - devil's sight invocation works (but then you are using two slots on this and I don't think it's worth it), if you have darkvision At Home in the Deep (Drow of the Underdark) feat allows you to see through your magical darkness (it's very limited and does not give you another use of the darkness racial power, so you'd still need to spend an invocation known for Darkness), devil's eye (Fiendish Codex II) spell also sees through magical darkness (it's second level so it's wandable, but it requires a standard action, which hurts), hellbred (FCII again) get this for free at level 10 (but then you can afford a cloak anyway) and tiefling incarnates also can get this.
As you see, there are plenty of choices to use darkness as a decent source of miss chance, specially at lower levels. If retraining is available, darkness is a solid choice. The only problem is that your allies will mostly stay away from you, seeing as they would also have a miss chance, but it adds to the badass lone wolf feel.


Extra Awesome Stuff from ToB
For Talionis is a jolly good fellow
Everything in this section was presented by Talionis. He made a great compilation, and the stuff here couldn't fit anywhere else. A word from Talionis himself:

Tome of Battle is my favorite book because it adds a lot to melee classes. Melee Warlocks have lots of movement problems during combat and ToB has good ways to fix that problem. ToB can also be instrumental in gaining extra attacks or helping to get one attack to hit multiple targets. But there are also useful maneuvers to gain hit points and bolster saves which can sometimes feel like some of the holes in a Warlock build.
Just remember, this is geared toward Eldritch Claw. Eldritch Glaive won't work with most of these because a) it requires a full-round action and b) it's not a weapon. Now for the goodies he collected!
Accuracy Buffs
• Emerald Razor (DM 2/0 S) -- Touch Attack
• Rapid Counter (DM 5/0 B) -- Allows you to reroll an attack if it misses.
• Vanguard Strike (DS 1/0 S) -- +4 to hit for Allies till next round

Status Boosts
• Iron Heart Surge (IH 3/1 B) – Allows to remove a negative status and gain +2 Morale to hit
• Diamond Defense (DM 8/0 B) – Add save bonus equal to your level
• Moment of Perfect Mind (DM 1/0 B – Will), Action Before Thought (DM 2/0 B – Reflex), Mind Over Body (DM 3/0 B – Fortitude) – Allows you to replace your Saves with Constitution checks.

Healing
• Crusader Strike (DS 1/0 S) – Little bit of healing for one person including yourself if attack hits.
• Revitalizing Strike (DS 3/1 S) – Stronger healing of one person including yourself if it hits
• Rallying Strike (DS 6/2 S) – Stronger healing for allies within a 30 ft radius
• Strike of Righteous Vitality (DS 9/3 S) – Healing Spell for one ally including yourself when attack hits. This can remove negative levels from Hell Fire.
• Iron Heart Endurance (IH 6/2 B) -- Allows you to put double your level in Hit Points

Blocks
• Counter Charge (SS 1/0 B) – Check to counter a charge attack
• Wall of Blades (IH 2/0 B) – Use your attack rating to cancel an attack. Useful as prerequisite for Iron Heart Surge.
• Shield Block (DS 2/0 B) – Use Shield to add AC to an Ally. Ally can be you.

Miscellaneous
• Burning Brand – (DW 2/0 B) Allows for +5ft reach and all your damage becomes fire damage.
• Disarming Strike (IH 2/0 S) – Allows disarm attempt with successful hit
• White Raven Tactics – (WR 3/1 B) Allows for an ally to take another turn. By RAW this allows you to take another turn, but many DM’s won’t allow this interpretation.
• One with Shadow (SH 8/3 B) Become Incorporeal for 1 round.
• Flesh Ripper (TC 3/2 S) Opponent attacks and AC are -4
• Fountain of Blood (TC 4/2 B) Cause Fear (shaken) when you reduce an opponent to -1 or fewer Hit Points.

Stances
• Thicket of Blades (DS 3/1) – Helps to get Attacks of Opportunity
• Aura of Perfect Order (DS 6/2) – Allows you to take 11 on rolls.
• Immortal Fortitude (DS 8/3) – Allows you to roll to ignore damage that would bring you below 0 and leaves you at 1 hit point.
• Island of Blades (SH 1/0) – Allows you to flank automatically with an Ally
• Bolstering Voice (WR 1/0) – Adds +2 Moral to Will Saves and +4 Moral against Fear Saves to 60ft radius
• Assassin’s Stance (3/0) – Add 2d6 Sneak Attack
• Stance of Alacrity (DM 8/3) – Allows you to make an extra immediate action
• Pearl of Black Doubt (DM 3/1) – Boosts AC every time someone misses you.
• Hunter’s Sense (TC 1/0) – Gain Scent Ability
• Leaping Dragon Stance (TC 3/1) – Adds 10ft bonus to jumps
• Blood in the Water (TC 1/1) -- +1 to Hit and Damage

Feats from Tome of Battle
• Gloom Razor – Helps with Sneak Attacks
• Stormguard Warrior – Helps with loops of Attacks of Opportunity
• Iron Heart Aura – Provides everyone around you +2 AC
• Extra Readied Maneuver – Allows any class to add a maneuver as a Feat. Must meet prerequisites and also good to add additional feats to marital characters who want maneuvers from styles they don’t have access to normally.
• Extra Martial Stance – Allows any class to add a stance as a Feat. Must meet prerequisites and also good to add additional feats to marital characters who want stances from styles they don’t have access to normally.

Prestige Classes
• Bloodclaw Master – Aids in two weapon fighting and a couple levels might be nice for Eldritch Claw users.

• Jade Phoenix Mage – Need second level arcane spells to qualify, plus two maneuvers at least one being a strike and a stance. If you can get in, it will progress Warlock Invocations and initiator level.

• Master of Nine – Allows use of two stances at once and allows switching between stances at immediate speed if you use a counter.

• Shadow Sun Ninja – Level one allows you to turn your base unarmed strike damage + Wisdom score into Negative Energy Damage. The following round you must discharge the same amount of Positive Energy “healing”. This could potentially be of use to Eldritch Claw users. It becomes even more useful if you are Tomb Tainted Soul or have an undead ally or minion since you can basically infinitely heal out of combat and potentially do a ton of healing during combat.


Magic of Incarnum
The book of blue will make your enemies red with anger!
Oh, man. I swear to God I used to be good with puns.

Magic of Incarnum has the Totemist class, focused on natural attacks. So of course our Claw-locks can pick up some goodies from this book. Just go easy on the blue eyeliner or Mr. T won't accept you in the Melee Warlock Association. I must confess, I thought I'd find better stuff from this book, but Warlocks don't have a lot of synergy with incarnum in the end of the day. You could dip Incarnate or Totemist for a few melds, but I don't know if it's worth it (you do get some versatility).
My best bet to use incarnum, though, is to be an azurin and take the Shape Soulmeld feat.
Bloodwar Gauntlets: This incarnate soulmeld adds an infernal flavour to your Warlock. Well, it's not like you need more infernal flavour, but it's kind of like dakka (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MoreDakka). OK, so you get a +1 to melee attack rolls. For every point of essentia invested, you gain +1 morale bonus to damage. Since it's a named bonus, it won't be double dipped by Eldritch Claws or anything. The binds are sucky. Avoid it.
Bluesteel Bracers: +2 initiative, essentia invested added to damage. Not stellar.
Arcane Focus: This one deserves mention. It increases spell damage, so it could increase eldritch glaive's damage. Ask your DM.
Girallon Arms: A bonus to grapple checks is a good edge when you use Grappling Blast.
Gloves of the Poisoned Soul: Initially, this sounds delicious with Beast Strike: your unarmed strikes now deal Wisdom damage! Unfortunatelly, it suckes because there is a save and it only works once per victim per 24hours.
Heart of Fire: Adds some fire damage if you made a Totemist dip.
Impulse Boots: Getting uncanny dodge with a feat might save your life in some campaigns.
Incarnate Avatar: Your very own animal battle aura (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AnimalBattleAura) is just a feat away. Better with an incarnate dip. I specially like the evil avatar, with +2 to damage per essentia invested.
Lightning Gauntlets: They kind of suck. Avoid them.
Mauling Gauntlets: If you can bind them to your hands chakra, they're an okay choice for Shou Disciples.
Strongheart Vest: Don't get me started on them. Just don't.
Thunderstep Boots: This is only good if you can charge reliably and if you can bind a soulmeld to your feet chakra. Stunning is a good debuff though and one that shouldn't be overlooked.


Fun With Use Magic Device
Move along, Monks. We actually get it as a class skill.

At 4th level, a Warlock gets the unique ability to take 10 on Use Magic Device checks. It's such a unique ability we get to share it with Artificers!
But well, we get that skill, we can take 10 on it, and it means we could have some wonderful toys (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WhereDoesHeGetAllThoseWonderfulToys). Below are some items that might be of use to melee warlocks via UMD.
Let's start with a few wands we could use. I'll try not to repeat stuff I already mentioned elsewhere in the guide.
Nerveskitter (Spell Compendium): 1st level spell, +5 to initiative. Know it and love it. Well, more like buy it and love it.
Wings of Cover (Races of the Dragon): A level two spell that as a immediate action saves your ass. Very nice to have it around. Good candidate for a wandchamber in your Warlock's Scepter or Beast Claws.
Heroics (Spell Compendium): 2nd level spell that gets you a fighter bonus feat for it's duration. Most of the builds are feat starved, so this is bond to come in handy.
Primal Instinct (Dragon Magic): 2nd level, duration 24 hours, +5 to initiative. Prime candidate for an eternal wand. Heh, got it? Primal Instinct is a prime candidate... OK, I'll stop.
(Greater) Mighty Wallop (Races of the Dragon): Extra damage with Beast Strike. Since Beast Strike already deals a lot of damage... Wands of Greater Mighty Wallop get expensive fast because they depend on caster level, but a scroll to use as an ace in a sleeve is affordable.

[true_shinken]

OK, here you will find combinations of all the aforementioned stuff into actual builds!

Wuxia Mofo - level 11 build
Human Warlock 6/Shou Disciple 5
Feats: Dodge, Improved Unarmed Strike, Eldritch Claws, Weapon Focus (unarmed strike), Beast Strike
OK, eldritch blast damage is 3d6, unarmed strike damage is 2d6. Free action, create eldritch claws. Claw damage is 5d6 (3d6 blast, 2d6 unarmed). Enter Beast Strike - damage is 2d6 (unarmed strike) + 5d6 (claw) for a total of 7d6 damage. You are not attacking with claws, you are attacking with unarmed strikes, so you can use flurry (at only -1 to attack, because you're a virtual level 5 Monk). Your base attack is +9, so we're talking about +8/+8/+3. That's pretty nice... and that's not considering any other bonuses from equipment (and you can get a lot of those). Add to it your actual warlock invocations and the two free bonus feats from Shou Disciple and you can kick Pao Mei's ass pretty easily.
Oh, also note that you could attack with your claw as a secondary natural weapon per RAW, for an extra attack at +3 for 5d6 damage. Some DMs might complain about natural weapons being used along with flurry, but a kick to their heads might set their sights straight.

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/7823/582094-kenshiro_pic3_super.jpg
You better believe Kenshiro is a Warlock... or he'll kill you deader than dead.
No, seriously.

The Avenger - level 12 build
Warlock 6/Ruathar 1/Cyran Avenger 5
I have a player using a build similar to this one. You basically stick to eldritch blast, pump Charisma and go to town with Quicken SLA and Maximize SLA. When going nova, this little fellow is able to compete with a charger for pure damage.
Nova Round: Eldritch Blast 5d6 plus Greater Chasuble +2d6 plus Mortalbane +2d6 plus Avenging Strike +5d6 = 14d6 glaive damage. Maximized for 84, two strikes, for 168. Quicken another one, for 336. All touch attacks and adding your Charisma to attack because of Avenging Strike. They are already dead (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/YouAreAlreadyDead).

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XSBLJ-ofvw8/TTmerE8OhvI/AAAAAAAABi4/8KSQvyEA70E/s1600/Holy%2BAvenger%2B-%2B06-CAPA_PhotoRedukto.jpg
Not exactly the type of avenger I had in mind, but still awesome.

The Beast - level 12 build
Elan Warlock 7/Thayan Gladiator 5
This is the core of the build. You can take more Thayan Gladiator if you want, or season with Hellfire Warlock and Shou Disciple.
Feats needed: Toughness, Weapon Focus (claw), Eldritch Claws, Rapidstrike. You have just one free feat (at level 6 or 9).
This build is all about the claws, of course. You get Improved Natural Attack for free from Thayan Gladiator. With eldritch blast 4d6, this means 6d6 claw damage (plus meaningless unarmed strike damage). You attack twice at your full base attack bonus, and twice at -5 - once with Rapidstrike and once with Natural Weapon Focus from Thayan Gladiator.
Add chasuble of fell power, beast claws and a lesser energy assault (acid) augment crystal. Now you deal 9d6 damage four times a round. You also get Improved Critical for your claws and you stun people when you crit. This is very brutal and very effective.

http://quizilla.teennick.com/user_images/A/AL/ALL/All-4-the-bad-guy/1130467699_sessh.claw.jpg

Get someone in the party to be your stupid younger brother

Tentacle Monster - level 10 build
Hengeyokai Warlock 6/Warshaper 4
Feats: Aberration Blood, Inhuman Reach, Extended Reach, Combat Reflexes
Your base reach is 15ft with tentacles you create via warshaper, 30ft wielding eldritch glaive through them. Since Warshaper gives you a bonus to Strenght, Weapon Finesse is not adviseable, but notice you still need Dexterity to fuel your attacks of opportunity.
Add debuffing essences of your choice and/or get Standstill later (via a Fighter dip, maybe) and you'll be a quite fearsome battefield controler.
With greatreach bracers, this becomes base 25ft and 50ft reach with eldritch glaive.
The fourth level of Warshaper is just there because fast healing fits thematically with Omega Red.
Also, you're a humanoid with an animal face and tentacles sprouting from your hands.

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/5344/933168-omega_red_02_large.jpg
OK, ladies and gentlemen. That's all the advice I have. Hope you fare well on your own. Last but not least...


http://www.sweetnpantyhoseblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/sexy-witch-costume-1.jpg
Another sexy witch, of course.

[Prodan]

No mention of Hellfire Warlock. No mention of Binders or the Strongheart Vest.

[EvilJoe15]

No mention of Legacy Champion, or Bloodlines.

[Wings of Peace]

No mention of everything EvilJoe15 stated + Uncanny Trickster.

[Optimystik]

Another con for a melee character - weak fort save. When you're up close, you're a lot more likely to be poisoned, diseased, ability score drained etc.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Minor correction:


Eldritch Blast is not a weapon. It always hits incorporeal foes, for example.

Wrong. As it is not a force effect, it has the same 50% miss chance that any other non-force damaging spell effect has. Only Force effects don't have a miss chance against Incorporeal opponents.

[Darrin]

Something else you may want to mention... there's a bit of a loophole in the mounted combat rules that allows Warlocks to full-attack with their Eldritch Glaive even if their mount moves more than half their speed. Since Eldritch Glaive is not a full-round attack but a full-round SLA, and you can cast SLAs while mounted, your mount can charge+pounce, and you can get all your iterative attacks in with your glaive.

Also... might want to mention Hengeyokai Sparrow with Confound the Big Folk. At Fine size, it has no reach and can only attack opponents in the same square with its Eldritch Glaive, but throw in some sneak attack + Unseen Seer and that little sparrow can make ogres explode.

[Hague]

You forgot to mention that Eldritch Glaive prevents you from making charges or standard action attacks (not that you'd need to, mind you) but it's something to consider. Eldritch glaive requires a full attack action. Get yourself some Dorjes of Lion's Charge and UMD/UPD so you can charge with your glaive attacks.

Also, by conjunction, all stunning fist-like feats will work with melee attack eldritch blasts and there are a few good ones that are worth considering.

A brilliant energy weapon can make up for Hideous Blow's lack of touch attacking. Ask your DM if you can add Brilliant Energy to a Warlock's Scepter.

I'd rather not rehash this argument, but your DM may or may not allow you to use Strongheart Vest to prevent the con damage from Hellfire blast. Use at your own risk.

If you're into cold-type magic effects, you could consider making a sort of Frostburn variant of the Hellfire Warlock PrC that uses Rimefire instead of Hellfire.

[true_shinken]

MAN >.<
I wrote the whole hellfire section and forgot to copy it to notepad. I instantly logged off and lost everything >.<
I'll do it again tomorrow. Darn. Damn. Frak!

[PId6]

Eldritch glaive requires a full attack action. Get yourself some Dorjes of Lion's Charge and UMD/UPD so you can charge with your glaive attacks.
No, no you cannot. Eldritch Glaive is an invocation that requires a full-round action, not a full attack action. You cannot use it on a charge, regardless of whether you have Pounce or not.

[Thiyr]

As a question that would be relevant to this discussion: Would Quicken SLA be worthwhile here? If it is, somehow I find the idea of either moving and full attacking, or full attacking twice to be a good one. Better still if you get it through Escalation Mage (Faiths of Ebberon) and can reliably make the caster level check, so you can quicken as much as you want (especially with the arcane mastery feat in CArc).

[sofawall]

Quicken Spell-Like is indeed a very, very good feat here. Doubling damage? Pretty awesome.

Also, you seem to be missing anything that has to do with Eldritch Claws, and you don't mention other classes to take at all.

You keep saying "see below" and then not saying anything on the subject ever again.

[Coy]

Another con for a melee character - weak fort save. When you're up close, you're a lot more likely to be poisoned, diseased, ability score drained etc.

But, you can get Dark One’s Own Luck(CArc p133) to mitigate that.

Also, if you ever get to epic levels, you can use Eldritch Sculptor (an epic insights feat (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ei/20061027a)) to get more blasts per round.

[Amphetryon]

But, you can get Dark One’s Own Luck(CArc p133) to mitigate that.
Or take Martial Study to replace your weak save with a Concentration check.

[Prime32]

Beast Strike (http://www.realmshelps.org/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Beast_Strike) is awesome with Eldritch Claws (http://www.realmshelps.org/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Eldritch_Claws), especially if you have some way to boost your unarmed damage (Superior Unarmed Strike feat, etc.)

You can make a full attack of unarmed strikes (damage = unarmed x2 + eldritch blast), then make secondary attacks with your eldritch claws (damage = unarmed + eldritch blast).

Note that this effectively lets you flurry with your claws, if you wish. With Tiger Claw maneuvers and Improved Rapidstrike it just gets silly.
EDIT:
If you are OK with just one claw attack/round, you can even use strikes from ToB (we'll get to that). Surely it would be more effective to use boosts which multiply your number of attacks?

[true_shinken]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Added a few more material, will add more later today.

[true_shinken]

Ah, sorry for the double post, just wanted to announce a few more additional material here.



You can make a full attack of unarmed strikes (damage = unarmed x2 + eldritch blast), then make secondary attacks with your eldritch claws (damage = unarmed + eldritch blast).
Hmm, yeah, it looks kind of like stacking Ninja's and Monk's Wisdom to AC for me. Both abilities do the exact same thing here, don't think they should stack.


Note that this effectively lets you flurry with your claws, if you wish. With Tiger Claw maneuvers and Improved Rapidstrike it just gets silly.
Like I said in the Shou Disciple section, this is debatable.


EDIT: Surely it would be more effective to use boosts which multiply your number of attacks?
Does not work. They require/provide full-attack actions. You need full-round actions for eldritch glaive.



You keep saying "see below" and then not saying anything on the subject ever again.
Yeah, it's a work in progress, sorry ^^
I'll get to it.



You forgot to mention that Eldritch Glaive prevents you from making charges or standard action attacks (not that you'd need to, mind you) but it's something to consider. Eldritch glaive requires a full attack action. Get yourself some Dorjes of Lion's Charge and UMD/UPD so you can charge with your glaive attacks.
Like someone already said, it does not work. A dorje of hustle would be helpful, though I'm pretty sure the means I mentioned are cheaper.


Also, by conjunction, all stunning fist-like feats will work with melee attack eldritch blasts and there are a few good ones that are worth considering.
With eldritch claw, yes. With eldritch glaive not, if only because you don't have the reach to touch them.


A brilliant energy weapon can make up for Hideous Blow's lack of touch attacking. Ask your DM if you can add Brilliant Energy to a Warlock's Scepter.
But is it worth the trouble? I personally doubt it.




Also... might want to mention Hengeyokai Sparrow with Confound the Big Folk. At Fine size, it has no reach and can only attack opponents in the same square with its Eldritch Glaive, but throw in some sneak attack + Unseen Seer and that little sparrow can make ogres explode.
Hengeyokai are amazing, aren't they? I'll add them to a race section... when I make one. ^^
Human, elan, xeph (for Xeph Celerity; shame it does not work with the glaive) and hengeyokai are looking like the best races for this now. Also, thanks for the tip on mounts.

I think I adressed everyone... until later on this same Warlock-channel, the same Warlock-time.

[Prime32]

Hmm, yeah, it looks kind of like stacking Ninja's and Monk's Wisdom to AC for me. Both abilities do the exact same thing here, don't think they should stack.Not really...


Like I said in the Shou Disciple section, this is debatable.I didn't mean that you can literally flurry with your claws. You can flurry with your unarmed strike, which has damage based on your claws.


Does not work. They require/provide full-attack actions. You need full-round actions for eldritch glaive.Both your advice and my response were part of a discussion on Eldritch Claws. :smallconfused:



Also, by conjunction, all stunning fist-like feats will work with melee attack eldritch blasts and there are a few good ones that are worth considering.Stunning Fist only works with an unarmed strike. It can only be combined with an eldritch blast via Hideous Blow or the Eldritch Claws/Beast Strike combo.

[true_shinken]

Not really...

I didn't mean that you can literally flurry with your claws. You can flurry with your unarmed strike, which has damage based on your claws.
That's the thing: eldritch claw says 'you get two claw attacks'.
The damage is based on eldritch blast and unarmed strike, but it is specifically called a claw attack in the feat text, therefore I say it's debatable.


Both your advice and my response were part of a discussion on Eldritch Claws. :smallconfused:
Sorry to have confused you. My advice in the guide was directed towards both glaive and claw, so I confused myself while responding and so I confused you. ^^
Boosts/counters are useful for both glaive and claw, so I mentioned strikes under claw because they can't be used with glaive... does it make sense, or am I being more confusing? ^^


Stunning Fist only works with an unarmed strike. It can only be combined with an eldritch blast via Hideous Blow or the Eldritch Claws/Beast Strike combo.
He means that since eldritch glaive is being considered a touch attack, Complete Arcane would rule it could be used with Stunning Fist.
Only common sense (and natural reach) stand in the way of this foolishness ^^

[Prime32]

That's the thing: eldritch claw says 'you get two claw attacks'.
The damage is based on eldritch blast and unarmed strike, but it is specifically called a claw attack in the feat text, therefore I say it's debatable.You misunderstand. I'm not saying to flurry with the claws. I'm saying to flurry with your unarmed strike, which has its damage boosted by the Beast Strike feat.

[true_shinken]

You misunderstand. I'm not saying to flurry with the claws. I'm saying to flurry with your unarmed strike, which has its damage boosted by the Beast Strike feat.

Oooh, I see. How deviously devilish of you! Oh my, that's a very good reading. I agree with you. While I'm not sure if the damage of eldritch claw and beast strike should stack, the flurrying is unquestionable. Well done, sir.

[true_shinken]

Added more stuff! Clerical stuff, mostly.

[Murdim]

A precision about the Quicken Spell-like Ability (eldritch blast) feat, from the Warlock FAQ by Rich Baker (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19520666/Warlock_Faq_by_Rich_Baker) :


Q: How does the feat Quicken Spell Like Ability interact with a Warlocks Eldritch Blast? What about Eldritch Blast in combination with Blast Shape and Essence Invocations? What about his other Invocations?

A: It's our intent that you should be able to take the feat Quicken Spell-like Ability (eldritch blast) and use it on any variation of your eldritch blast you care to use. So if you brimstone-up one blast, spear-up another blast, and spear-up and brimstone-up a third blast, it's all the same for your QSLA (eldritch blast) feat. Of coure, the level equivalents of some of your better eldritch blast-modifying invocations might make it possible for you to Quicken a basic blast but not a blast using your best modifiers--but we think that's a cool decision to make.

All that Quickened versatility at the cost of one single awesome feat.

[zugschef]

a few points i'd like to add...

1. you may want to add that you need to cast defensively in order to avoid aoo's when invoking eldritch glaive.

2. and now the part nobody wants to hear:
eldritch glaive never says that it's an invocation with a full-round casting time. it actually says that you can make attacks with it as a full-round action and that it's active until the start of your next turn, which implies that it is an invocation with a 1 round casting time. thus, the sage advice custserv ruling that it's not legal to use quicken sla with it, and furthermore, you are forced to make a concentration check anytime you are hit, while wielding the eldritch glaive, to keep it active.
i know it sounds extremely stupid that an invocation with a 1 round casting time has its effects resolved while being cast, but it actually sounds not stupider than an invocation that takes a full-round action to cast and has its effects start to resolve while it's being cast.

3. a 3rd point which just came up in my mind thinking about this...
now let's assume that you can use quicken sla with it. what then happens is that you invoke the glaive as a swift action, and since we assume that it's a full-round casting time invocation (otherwise qsla would be out), you resolve the attack (as a swift action), but the spell is still in effect. since dismissing would cost you a standard action, you would invoke a second eldritch glaive. because sla's don't have any components you get to wield two eldritch glaives (only requirement are at least two hands or something similar). these glaives are not real weapons so you get to make aoo's with either glaive, which means 2 aoo's per opportunity (combine that with combat reflexes). the same thing would happen with a full use of the belt of battle.

4. the last point is even obscurer... since eldritch glaive never ever mentions the term "casting time" you could reason that its casting time is the same of a normal sla, namely 1 standard action, and that its effects start while casting it. then the effects of eldritch glaive actually force you to spend a full-round action to make attacks. now guess what: if you cast eldritch glaive via qsla you would still be forced to spend a full-round action. you could use qsla but it would be pointless.

... pretty weird ... (and to be perfectly honest, as sad as it is, point #2 sounds most logical (at least to me))

[edit] since qsla is even possible with a spell-like ability which has a casting time of 1 round, rather than a full-round action, we can all happily eldritch glaive away 2 times per round. yay!

[true_shinken]

a few points i'd like to add...
Love your avatar, btw.


1. you may want to add that you need to cast defensively in order to avoid aoo's when invocing eldritch glaive.
Hm, yeah, I should mention that. Thanks.


2. and now the part nobody wants to hear:
eldritch glaive never says that it's an invocation with a full-round casting time. it actually says that you can make attacks with it as a full-round action and that it's active until the start of your next turn, which implies that it is an invocation with a 1 round casting time. thus, the sage advice that it's not legal to use quicken sla with it, and furthermore, you are forced to make a concentration check anytime you are hit, while wielding the eldritch glaive, to keep it active.
Can you link me to that sage advice?

i know it sounds extremely stupid that an invocation with a 1 round casting time has its effects resolved while being cast, but it actually sounds not stupider than an invocation that takes a full-round action to cast and has its effects start to resolve while it's being cast.
I actually think requiring Concentration checks to keep the glaive working should be OK. It has nothing to do with Quicken SLA, though - you just can't Quicken spell-likes with more than 1 full-round casting time. Even if it is 1 full-round casting, you should still be able to quicken it. Quicken SLA is not exactly like Quicken Spell.


3. a 3rd point which just came up in my mind thinking about this...
now let's assume that you can use quicken sla with it. what then happens is that you invoke the glaive as a swift action, and since we assume that it's a full-round casting time invocation (otherwise qsla would be out), you resolve the attack (as a swift action), but the spell is still in effect. since dismissing would cost you a standard action, you would invoke a second eldritch glaive. because sla's don't have any components you get to wield two eldritch glaives (only requirement are at least two hands or something similar). these glaives are not real weapons so you get to make aoo's with either glaive, which means 2 aoo's per opportunity (combine that with combat reflexes). the same thing would happen with a full use of the belt of battle.
I'm sorry but I don't think you have any RAW support on these claims. I believe you can't even 'dismiss' an eldritch glaive, since it does not have an stated duration.

[zugschef]

Love your avatar, btw.
thanks. the funny part is that i just uploaded this 1 hour before discovering this thread.


Can you link me to that sage advice?
i meant custserv, not sage advice. my bad. sorry.


I actually think requiring Concentration checks to keep the glaive working should be OK. It has nothing to do with Quicken SLA, though - you just can't Quicken spell-likes with more than 1 full-round casting time. Even if it is 1 full-round casting, you should still be able to quicken it. Quicken SLA is not exactly like Quicken Spell.
this whole "1 full-round casting", "casting time: full-round action", "casting time: 1 round" has completely confused me... if the rules about qsla do mean a casting time greater than "casting time: 1 round", you are perfectly right, sir.


I'm sorry but I don't think you have any RAW support on these claims. I believe you can't even 'dismiss' an eldritch glaive, since it does not have an stated duration.
well yes it does. it lasts until your next turn. but since this is rendered moot by the point above, we can happily eldritch glaive away 2 times per round. =)

[true_shinken]

I DM'ed a one-shot adventure today and convinced one of my players to try a melee warlock with eldritch claws (3rd level). His attack bonus was not very high and he had bad Armor Class, but he dealt obscene damage, to the point where he could basically one-shot the one-shot's baddie (a werewolf) if it weren't for his damage reduction. The elan 1st-level warriors that served as mooks were absolutelly useless against him. He did have a bit of trouble against an air elemental, but he eventually managed to defeat him with eldritch blasts. His only team mate was a dwarf fighter played by a very inexperienced player, so he really dealt with the brunt of the encounters.
It was really fun, also - the character's out-of-combat skills made him shine all the time.

[BBJimmy]

I hate to thread-necro, but I didn't think this was worth a whole new thread...

Anyways, I've been trying to form a build for a Melee-Lock, Eldritch Claw based, when what do I find but this very guide! Useful, and still funny! But I digress; I was looking at something like:

Warlock6/Shou Disciple 3/Hellfire Warlock 3/XXX 8

I would love to fit Assassin in there, both for the Death Attack, and as my GM has said that he will allow Assassin to progress spellcasting or let you gain the Assassin spellcasting, your choice, so I can get better Invocations...

Is this doable, and if so, what would it look like? Flaws are allowed, 1 per every 5 HD, and all 3.0/3.5/Dragon/Dungeon materials are in. Also, he has allowed the Strongheart Vest to mitigate the Con damage from Hellfire, seeing as you are paying off Mephistopheles with the potential souls of the unborn....

[Tvtyrant]

Before this gets locked I would just like to say you have planted images of a Gnome Warlock riding an attack dog into battle with a Halberd made of crackling green energy held in one hand. Your guide is awesome!

[true_shinken]

Is this doable, and if so, what would it look like? Flaws are allowed, 1 per every 5 HD, and all 3.0/3.5/Dragon/Dungeon materials are in. Also, he has allowed the Strongheart Vest to mitigate the Con damage from Hellfire, seeing as you are paying off Mephistopheles with the potential souls of the unborn....

With Sneak Attack + more invocations, it looks like a good choice. I'm a bit worried about bab and hit dice, though.


Before this gets locked I would just like to say you have planted images of a Gnome Warlock riding an attack dog into battle with a Halberd made of crackling green energy held in one hand. Your guide is awesome!
Thanks a lot. ^^
I used a tibbit Warlock in Iron Chef (Blade Bravo), maybe some of her tricks should go into this guide.

[Ankhman]

recently stumbled upon this feat as i was looking for some things in the appendix-section of "The Shackled City" adventure path - quite useful for ED-builds as there is no need to homebrew it :D

it's the equivalent of practiced spellcaster for SLA-users and is called "Practiced Magic [General]"

prereqs are spellcraft 4 and a SLA
the benefit is a +4 in your SLA-casterlevel depending on your HD .. just like practiced spellcaster is for arcane/divine chars.
with it, it increases SR penetration, duration and damage of the SLA .. so this one feat boosts the eldritch blast for 2d6 extra damage with its full +4 CL.

[Tvtyrant]

Is it possible to make an AoO Warlock? Not neccsarily with trip, but that would be rather effective since its touch attacks are almost bound to hit.

[true_shinken]

Is it possible to make an AoO Warlock? Not neccsarily with trip, but that would be rather effective since its touch attacks are almost bound to hit.

It is pretty possible, yes.
You can't trip with an eldritch glaive, though.



recently stumbled upon this feat as i was looking for some things in the appendix-section of "The Shackled City" adventure path - quite useful for ED-builds as there is no need to homebrew it :D

it's the equivalent of practiced spellcaster for SLA-users and is called "Practiced Magic [General]"

prereqs are spellcraft 4 and a SLA
the benefit is a +4 in your SLA-casterlevel depending on your HD .. just like practiced spellcaster is for arcane/divine chars.
with it, it increases SR penetration, duration and damage of the SLA .. so this one feat boosts the eldritch blast for 2d6 extra damage with its full +4 CL.
Man! Good find!

[ShneekeyTheLost]

recently stumbled upon this feat as i was looking for some things in the appendix-section of "The Shackled City" adventure path - quite useful for ED-builds as there is no need to homebrew it :D

it's the equivalent of practiced spellcaster for SLA-users and is called "Practiced Magic [General]"

prereqs are spellcraft 4 and a SLA
the benefit is a +4 in your SLA-casterlevel depending on your HD .. just like practiced spellcaster is for arcane/divine chars.
with it, it increases SR penetration, duration and damage of the SLA .. so this one feat boosts the eldritch blast for 2d6 extra damage with its full +4 CL.Sorry, but that's not quite how things work...

There's a difference between effective caster level and spellcaster level.

It increases the effect for level-dependent effects. Therefore, if you wanted to cast as Fireball as a Wizard6/Fighter4 with Practiced Spellcaster, it would cast as a 10th level caster and do 10d6. That's the damage they are talking about.

Unfortunately, Eldritch Blast does not work that way. EB advances based on class level, and is advanced with +Spellcasting, but since the damage is not a level-dependent variable (i.e. 1d6/level, cap at 10d6), the damage EB does is not increased.

[Ankhman]

Unfortunately, Eldritch Blast does not work that way. EB advances based on class level, and is advanced with +Spellcasting, but since the damage is not a level-dependent variable (i.e. 1d6/level, cap at 10d6), the damage EB does is not increased.

aw man, you're right .. reread the part in complete arcane .. and there i was just hoping to find some useful feat for my ED-build .. *sad dwarf*

[true_shinken]

Sorry, but that's not quite how things work...

There's a difference between effective caster level and spellcaster level.

It increases the effect for level-dependent effects. Therefore, if you wanted to cast as Fireball as a Wizard6/Fighter4 with Practiced Spellcaster, it would cast as a 10th level caster and do 10d6. That's the damage they are talking about.

Unfortunately, Eldritch Blast does not work that way. EB advances based on class level, and is advanced with +Spellcasting, but since the damage is not a level-dependent variable (i.e. 1d6/level, cap at 10d6), the damage EB does is not increased.

Well, I never saw the feat, but if it says explicitly it increasesa SLA's damage...

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Well, I never saw the feat, but if it says explicitly it increasesa SLA's damage...

Only if the SLA's damage is based on a level-dependent formula.

If you had an SLA Fireball 1/day which has an effective caster level of 6, it would do 6d6 damage. If you took this feat, it would then do 10d6, because your effective caster level had increased, and thus when you tied it into the formula for damage (1d6/level, cap 10d6), it works.

BUT

The damage calculated for EB is not a level-dependent formula. If, in the description, the damage for EB was (1/2 level), or even said "Every other level, the damage for EB increases 1d6), then it would work.

Unfortunately, it does not use that language, therefore the feat does not work.

[true_shinken]

Only if the SLA's damage is based on a level-dependent formula.


I'd have to see the feat first to actually state it, but right now I believe it works from the description we got. Would someone be as kind as to post the text? I don't know anyone who owns that book :/

[ShneekeyTheLost]

I'd have to see the feat first to actually state it, but right now I believe it works from the description we got. Would someone be as kind as to post the text? I don't know anyone who owns that book :/

As the feat is not SRD or OGL materials, it would be against the board rules to post the exact text here. I will, however, tell you that I own the book, and went over the feat. It does not do what you think it does.

[Tvtyrant]

Is it in any books other then the adventure path?

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Is it in any books other then the adventure path?


aw man, you're right .. reread the part in complete arcane .. and there i was just hoping to find some useful feat for my ED-build .. *sad dwarf*

I believe this answers your question.

[Tvtyrant]

Hmmm, I don't have the adventure, so I can't really use practiced Spellcaster as a base. Oh well, lets agree to drop it.


Is Eldritch Blast a normal SLA? Like if I used steal SLA on one could I take their Eldritch Blast?

[true_shinken]

Hmmm, I don't have the adventure, so I can't really use practiced Spellcaster as a base. Oh well, lets agree to drop it.


Is Eldritch Blast a normal SLA? Like if I used steal SLA on one could I take their Eldritch Blast?

I don't know what you mean by 'normal SLA' but yes I believe you could steal it.

[Boci]

I don't know what you mean by 'normal SLA' but yes I believe you could steal it.

The only reason why you couldn't is because it could be argued that EB's need for a sonomatic component makes it a special case, but thats a pretty weak argument IMO.

[true_shinken]

The only reason why you couldn't is because it could be argued that EB's need for a sonomatic component makes it a special case, but thats a pretty weak argument IMO.
Even that need for a somatic component is debatable.

[Boci]

Even that need for a somatic component is debatable.

Book says:


"all invocations, including eldritch blast, have a somatic component"

Which seems pretty clear, although I accept the possibility that the designer's intentions were otherwise.

[true_shinken]

Which seems pretty clear, although I accept the possibility that the designer's intentions were otherwise.
Exactly, that's my point.
I had a list of inconsistencies about invocations components, I'll see if I can dig it up.

EDIT: Couldn't find it, but updated the OP with shields and stuff.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Exactly, that's my point.
I had a list of inconsistencies about invocations components, I'll see if I can dig it up.

EDIT: Couldn't find it, but updated the OP with shields and stuff.

You didn't mention Animated Shields... get the best of both worlds!

Also, I would stress the importance of Miss Chance over AC, because it just seems more reliable to me.

Lesser Cloak of Displacement gives a flat 20% chance of not being hit, and also shuts down precision-based damage, unless they have specifically built to Mage Slayer (as it is considered to be a total concealment modifier, improved precise shot cannot negate the miss chance, and neither can true strike).

You can UMD. Mirror Image is worth it's weight in anything you care to name for keeping uglies from hitting you.

[true_shinken]

You didn't mention Animated Shields... get the best of both worlds!
I don't know if they are worth it for melee warlocks. Glaivelocks don't need'em and Clawlocks could just use a buckler for 1 less AC.


You didn't mention Animated Shields... get the best of both worlds! Also, I would stress the importance of Miss Chance over AC, because it just seems more reliable to me. [/QUOTE]
You are correct. I didn't mention it up there because I was mainly talking about the lower levels, where miss chance is kinda expensive.
...though there are quite a few tricks a Warlock could pull here. And Smoking weapons. Yeah, definately adding it to the OP.


Lesser Cloak of Displacement gives a flat 20% chance of not being hit, and also shuts down precision-based damage, unless they have specifically built to Mage Slayer (as it is considered to be a total concealment modifier, improved precise shot cannot negate the miss chance, and neither can true strike).
Wait, why can't true strike pierce through it? Ir pierces through all concealment.


You can UMD. Mirror Image is worth it's weight in anything you care to name for keeping uglies from hitting you.
Mirror Image I don't know, it kinda hurts the action economy. Greater Mirror Image, on the other hand, does not. :smallamused:

EDIT: Updated! I will add a few things later. Man, there sure a lot of eyes to see through magical darkness...

[true_shinken]

Updated with races and Beast Strike. Yay!

[Thespianus]

Very cool thread, but would it be possible to add two or three sample builds? I'm a complete Warlock-noob, and it would be interesting to see how the builds look. For example, you mentioned earlier in the thread that you gave a 3rd level Warlock to a friend for a one shot adventure. What kind of stats/feats/equipment did he use?

A build for level 3, 9 and maybe 15 would be very cool. I know I might be asking for much, but I'm not usually this dense. I can work out most classes, but the Way of the Warlock has always eluded me, even with this guide to help me out... :(

[true_shinken]

Very cool thread, but would it be possible to add two or three sample builds? I'm a complete Warlock-noob, and it would be interesting to see how the builds look. For example, you mentioned earlier in the thread that you gave a 3rd level Warlock to a friend for a one shot adventure. What kind of stats/feats/equipment did he use?
Man, that's a very sound idea. Can't believe I didn't think of this before. Thanks a lot.


A build for level 3, 9 and maybe 15 would be very cool. I know I might be asking for much, but I'm not usually this dense. I can work out most classes, but the Way of the Warlock has always eluded me, even with this guide to help me out... :(
No worries, examples are always good for everyone.

[Thespianus]

Man, that's a very sound idea. Can't believe I didn't think of this before. Thanks a lot.
Thanks. I just read up on the two samples earlier on in the thread.

Study this, I must.

[Cieyrin]

Updated with races and Beast Strike. Yay!

Beast Strike (http://www.realmshelps.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Beast_Strike) is in Dragon #355, 3 issues before Wonderful Warlock feat articles.

[Person_Man]

I'm of the opinion that Warlocks suck compared to similar "trick" builds made with the Binder, Swordsage, Incarnate, Totemist, Psychic Warrior, or any full caster. But here are my suggestions:

The main benefit of being a Glaivelock is that when paired with an Eldritch Essence (Hindering Blast, Frightful Blast, etc), you can force your enemy to make multiple Saving Throws per round vs various debuff effects. This is a great tactic to use against boss enemies, who often have high AC and/or hit points and/or Fast Healing.
Noting the above, I would say that you want a high Charisma, to ensure that your Save DC is respectable. High Charisma also allows UMD to kick in earlier in your progression, improves the DC of other useful Invocations, and improves social Skills. With a little work (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125732), you can get Cha To-Hit as well.
Attacks of Opportunity: HUGE. Due to their 3/4 BAB, in most situations a Glaivelock or similar build is going to get 3 attacks per turn. But Eldritch Glaive specifically lasts until the start of your next turn and allows you to
Anything that increases your size or reach: Eldritch Glaive lasts until the start of your next turn, and it specifically says that you can make AoO with it. Thus you want to increase your reach (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7081777) and generate as many AoO as possible (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7066595).
Combat Expertise: Since you're using Touch Attacks, you won't be missing very often against most enemies. So this otherwise useless pre-req Feat can be an easy way for a Warlock to pump their AC by +5. You can share this with an ally via the Allied Defense feat. Theoretically you can also use Improved Combat Expertise to remove the cap of 5, but realistically you won't want to dump your To-Hit entirely or spend 2 feats to improve AC, which is not that important at higher levels.
Knock-Down (www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Knock-Down): Works "whenever you deal 10 or more points of damage to your opponent in melee." Thus it's triggered when you make a any melee attack, including melee touch attacks. Stand Still, Knockback, and Scorpion's Grasp all have similar language.
You can get free/swift action movement via a variety of methods (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=103358). This is critical for the melee Warlock, who usually needs/wants to use a Full Round Action to activate Eldritch Glaive or whatnot.
Chosen of Evil: As an Immediate Action take a point of Con damage to gain an Insight bonus equal to the number of Vile feats you have (including this one) to any attack, Save, ability check, or Skill check. There's a surprising number of useful Vile feats, and if you're going to be going the Warlock/Binder or Incarnate/Hellfire Warlock route, you might as well milk your ability healing for as much as it's worth. Elder Evils.
Dark Speech feat: A potent low level Fear effect that loses effectiveness as your enemies gain hit die unless you take Dark Whispers (below). Can also raise caster level by 1, effect item hardness, or command a Swarm. Deals Cha damage to you each time you use it, so again, this is for the Hellfire builds. Elder Evils.
Dark Whispers feat: Augments Dark Speech, making it Confuse enemies with higher HD then you. Elder Evils.
Insane Defiance: As an Immediate Action when you are targeted by a Mind Affecting spell or spell like ability, you can take a point of Wis damage to redirect it to another target. Although you won't want this and Chosen of Evil for the same build (as they both use your Immediate Action), this is another good option for a Hellfire Warlock build. Elder Evils.
Combat Panache: Offers several maneuvers. The main benefit is that you can make an Intimidate check (Move Action) to impose your Charisma bonus as a penalty to hit against one enemy until the end of the encounter. In addition, after an enemy hits you, you can make a Bluff check to play dead. An excellent debuff + panic button for any Cha based build. PHBII.
Blend into Shadows (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=9866450): The feat was written for Drow, as it requires that you have the ability to use Darkness as a Spell-Like Ability. Interestingly enough, Warlocks can spam Darkness as a SLA, and thus can easily use qualify for and use it. The feat allows you to make a Hide check as a Swift Action, even while being observed. You'll still take the Hide penalty for Sniping, but in most cases it'll still be pretty damn hard for your enemies to find you. Combine with Darkstalker from Lords of Madness, and you can even Hide from things with Scent, Tremorsense, See Invisibility, and similar abilities. Drow of the Underdark.
Necrocarnum Circlet soulmeld: When bound to your Crown chakra, you can Animate Dead AT WILL. You can only have 1 necrocarnate zombie at a time, you can't animate the same corpse more then once, and it's hit dice are limited by your meldshaper level (1/2 your hit dice if you're getting via a feat). So it the zombie itself sucks. But many melee Warlocks are going to be dabbling in incarnum anyway to get the Strongheart Vest, and having an infinitely replaceable tackle dummy to stand in front of you is a huge deal for the squishy Warlock.

[true_shinken]

I'm of the opinion that Warlocks suck compared to similar "trick" builds made with the Binder, Swordsage, Incarnate, Totemist, Psychic Warrior, or any full caster.
Anything sucks compared to a true caster. Warlocks are just cool. Thanks for your suggestions, even if some are not exactly melee focused or were already in the guide.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

I'm of the opinion that Warlocks suck compared to similar "trick" builds made with the Binder, Swordsage, Incarnate, Totemist, Psychic Warrior, or any full caster. But here are my suggestions:

The main benefit of being a Glaivelock is that when paired with an Eldritch Essence (Hindering Blast, Frightful Blast, etc), you can force your enemy to make multiple Saving Throws per round vs various debuff effects. This is a great tactic to use against boss enemies, who often have high AC and/or hit points and/or Fast Healing. Disagree strongly. I'd rather be using Vitriolic Blast to ignore SR and be satisfied with doing some 30d6 a hit

Noting the above, I would say that you want a high Charisma, to ensure that your Save DC is respectable. High Charisma also allows UMD to kick in earlier in your progression, improves the DC of other useful Invocations, and improves social Skills. With a little work (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125732), you can get Cha To-Hit as well.
Or you could simply be content with insta-gibbing just about anything you come across and not worry about status effects and become Non-Attribute-Dependent.

Attacks of Opportunity: HUGE. Due to their 3/4 BAB, in most situations a Glaivelock or similar build is going to get 3 attacks per turn. But Eldritch Glaive specifically lasts until the start of your next turn and allows you to On this, i will agree with you.

Anything that increases your size or reach: Eldritch Glaive lasts until the start of your next turn, and it specifically says that you can make AoO with it. Thus you want to increase your reach (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7081777) and generate as many AoO as possible (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7066595). Unfortunately, as a SLA, the range on Glaive is fixed, and not affected by your personal size in the slightest.

Combat Expertise: Since you're using Touch Attacks, you won't be missing very often against most enemies. So this otherwise useless pre-req Feat can be an easy way for a Warlock to pump their AC by +5. You can share this with an ally via the Allied Defense feat. Theoretically you can also use Improved Combat Expertise to remove the cap of 5, but realistically you won't want to dump your To-Hit entirely or spend 2 feats to improve AC, which is not that important at higher levels. Unfortunately, as it is a SLA rather than a weapon attack, Combat Expertise does not apply

Knock-Down (www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Knock-Down): Works "whenever you deal 10 or more points of damage to your opponent in melee." Thus it's triggered when you make a any melee attack, including melee touch attacks. Stand Still, Knockback, and Scorpion's Grasp all have similar language. And again, it's not a weapon attack, it's a spell-like ability. It is no more a weapon attack than firing a Scorching Ray at someone.

You can get free/swift action movement via a variety of methods (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=103358). This is critical for the melee Warlock, who usually needs/wants to use a Full Round Action to activate Eldritch Glaive or whatnot. Free movement is always a good thing

Chosen of Evil: As an Immediate Action take a point of Con damage to gain an Insight bonus equal to the number of Vile feats you have (including this one) to any attack, Save, ability check, or Skill check. There's a surprising number of useful Vile feats, and if you're going to be going the Warlock/Binder or Incarnate/Hellfire Warlock route, you might as well milk your ability healing for as much as it's worth. Elder Evils. However, that's an extremely steep feat investment. Each feat gives a cumulative +1? There's another feat that does this... Weapon Specialization. Oh wait, Weapon Specialization gives a +2 damage... my bad.

Dark Speech feat: A potent low level Fear effect that loses effectiveness as your enemies gain hit die unless you take Dark Whispers (below). Can also raise caster level by 1, effect item hardness, or command a Swarm. Deals Cha damage to you each time you use it, so again, this is for the Hellfire builds. Elder Evils. Yea, like you said, HD to CR ratio gets stupid quick.

Dark Whispers feat: Augments Dark Speech, making it Confuse enemies with higher HD then you. Elder Evils. Or you could take Bewitching Blast to do the same thing, and not have to blow two feats on it

Insane Defiance: As an Immediate Action when you are targeted by a Mind Affecting spell or spell like ability, you can take a point of Wis damage to redirect it to another target. Although you won't want this and Chosen of Evil for the same build (as they both use your Immediate Action), this is another good option for a Hellfire Warlock build. Elder Evils.With a high Will save, how often will you actually be needing this?

Combat Panache: Offers several maneuvers. The main benefit is that you can make an Intimidate check (Move Action) to impose your Charisma bonus as a penalty to hit against one enemy until the end of the encounter. In addition, after an enemy hits you, you can make a Bluff check to play dead. An excellent debuff + panic button for any Cha based build. PHBII. With too many prerequisites for a Warlock, and only single-target. I'd rather just blow it into a greasy stain.

Blend into Shadows (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=9866450): The feat was written for Drow, as it requires that you have the ability to use Darkness as a Spell-Like Ability. Interestingly enough, Warlocks can spam Darkness as a SLA, and thus can easily use qualify for and use it. The feat allows you to make a Hide check as a Swift Action, even while being observed. You'll still take the Hide penalty for Sniping, but in most cases it'll still be pretty damn hard for your enemies to find you. Combine with Darkstalker from Lords of Madness, and you can even Hide from things with Scent, Tremorsense, See Invisibility, and similar abilities. Drow of the Underdark. True, this one is worth quite a bit, basically being HiPS for a single feat.

Necrocarnum Circlet soulmeld: When bound to your Crown chakra, you can Animate Dead AT WILL. You can only have 1 necrocarnate zombie at a time, you can't animate the same corpse more then once, and it's hit dice are limited by your meldshaper level (1/2 your hit dice if you're getting via a feat). So it the zombie itself sucks. But many melee Warlocks are going to be dabbling in incarnum anyway to get the Strongheart Vest, and having an infinitely replaceable tackle dummy to stand in front of you is a huge deal for the squishy Warlock. And most warlocks will be getting Strongheart Vest/Naberious, so your ability to bind another to your crown chakra is still more resources for a negligible gain. If you're gonna do that, simply get The Dead Walk for much the same thing, with more HD of critters allowed.

[true_shinken]

Disagree strongly. I'd rather be using Vitriolic Blast to ignore SR and be satisfied with doing some 30d6 a hit
My only issue with vitriolic blast is how difficult it makes to quicken/maximize. It is very very good in all other situations, though.


Unfortunately, as it is a SLA rather than a weapon attack, Combat Expertise does not apply
While it doesn't work, it doesn't work for a different reason.
Combat Expertise requires an attack/full attack action. Eldritch Glaive requires a full-round action.


Free movement is always a good thing
And it's already covered in the guide. :smallamused:


And again, it's not a weapon attack, it's a spell-like ability. It is no more a weapon attack than firing a Scorching Ray at someone.
Knockdown does not require a weapon attack. It just requires 10 points of damage dealt in melee. The real problem here is that you can't trip with eldritch glaive, so you would need a backup reach weapon to do this. Fortuntately, you don't need a free hand to use invocations.


And most warlocks will be getting Strongheart Vest/Naberious, so your ability to bind another to your crown chakra is still more resources for a negligible gain. If you're gonna do that, simply get The Dead Walk for much the same thing, with more HD of critters allowed.

And that's not considering that strongheart vest is highly highly debatable.

[MeeposFire]

When you activate your eldritch claws do you get to apply essences or shapes to them? If you can, can you change them without deactivating your claws? Lastly If you can activate and deactivate your claws as a free action what prevents you from doing that before and after you want to use an eldritch blast? Does it have a once/round limit or similar limitation?

[Mikka]

@Shneekeythelost

At what level do you do 30d6 damage every blast?

[JeminiZero]

Also bears mentioning under races: Warforged. Con bonus, considerable immunities (which help make up for your crappy Fort save), plus never needing to rest. Also qualifies for certain awesome buffs (Construct Essence, Golem Immunity).

Plus, ya'know a mecha that flies around shooting lasers, and fighting with a beam sabre glaive.

Its not all roses though, theres a feat tax (for better armor plating), you're harder to heal, and theres the Cha penalty (but you can live without that).

[ShneekeyTheLost]

@Shneekeythelost

At what level do you do 30d6 damage every blast?

Warlock6/Binder1/HFW3/Legacy Champion10

Legacy Champion gives 8/10 class feature casting to advance HFW, which gives +2d6/level. It also advances spellcasting, so it continues to advance regular EB.

Granted, you'll be close to 20 by the time you can consistantly deal 30d6, but even around level 10, you'll be doing close to 14d6 a shot, at will.

[Boci]

Warlock6/Binder1/HFW3/Legacy Champion10

Legacy Champion gives 8/10 class feature casting to advance HFW, which gives +2d6/level. It also advances spellcasting, so it continues to advance regular EB.

Granted, you'll be close to 20 by the time you can consistantly deal 30d6, but even around level 10, you'll be doing close to 14d6 a shot, at will.

I make that 27d6. 3d6 from warlock, 6d6 from HFW, 16d6 from legacy champion and 2d6 from that EB damage boosting item. DId I miss anything or were you just rounding when you said 30d6?

[true_shinken]

When you activate your eldritch claws do you get to apply essences or shapes to them?
Sadly, you don't.

Lastly If you can activate and deactivate your claws as a free action what prevents you from doing that before and after you want to use an eldritch blast? Does it have a once/round limit or similar limitation?
It has no limitation of the sort, but you would need some kind of action economy breakage to even make this relevant.


Also bears mentioning under races: Warforged.
Indeed, I think it's relevant. I also think you summed it up well enough.
Btw, emerald legion is awesome.


I make that 27d6. 3d6 from warlock, 6d6 from HFW, 16d6 from legacy champion and 2d6 from that EB damage boosting item. DId I miss anything or were you just rounding when you said 30d6?
You're getting it wrong. Hellfire Warlock/Legacy Champion still progresses eldritch blast as normal. So you have the eldritch blast damage of a warlock 17 (you lose 1 level from binder and 2 from legacy champion).
So it's 8d6 (warlock) + 22d6 (hellfire) = 30d6. And that's without a chasuble, an essence or a warlock's scepter, btw. Oh, and that's three times a round.
Maximized and quickened? That's 1080 damage from touch attacks and nothing resists hellfire damage. Hell yeah (pun intended).

EDIT: Updated with Medium-sized mecha warforged.

[Cieyrin]

Plus, ya'know a mecha that flies around shooting lasers, and fighting with a beam sabre glaive.

You're just a more specific flying mecha, then. :smallbiggrin:

http://image58.webshots.com/58/8/70/24/2405870240081499906ceXkeX_ph.jpg

[phlidwsn]

When you activate your eldritch claws do you get to apply essences or shapes to them? If you can, can you change them without deactivating your claws? Lastly If you can activate and deactivate your claws as a free action what prevents you from doing that before and after you want to use an eldritch blast? Does it have a once/round limit or similar limitation?

No essences or shapes on Eldritch Claws, as it just adds your Eldritch Blast damage on to the unarmed strike damage, does not say it lets you fire a Eldritch Blast as part of the attack, just gives a damage bonus.

And the block for Blast & Claw in the same round is that it is a free action to activate claws, but then they stay until just before the beginning of your next turn(No dismiss action listed). You could, however, blast away and then pop claws and have them on hand threatening the squares around you.

The limit phrase for the claws is "While your claws exist you make make up to two claw attacks as natural weapons." Then next round the claws fade before your turn, you pop them back and two more claw attacks. Note AOO only possible if you haven't already used two claw attacks for that claw activation.

[true_shinken]

The limit phrase for the claws is "While your claws exist you make make up to two claw attacks as natural weapons." Then next round the claws fade before your turn, you pop them back and two more claw attacks. Note AOO only possible if you haven't already used two claw attacks for that claw activation.
I disagree. It lasts one round, maybe I'm missing something?

[Mikka]

Considering how cheesy and convoluted it is, most similarly powerplayed damagers can easily out do that so. . why? : /

The Battle Jumper beats it, the ubercharger beats it, the incarnum clawmonster beats it, the sneak-attack optimizer beats it, and the wizard certainly beats it.

Edit: talking about 30d6 pewpew-lock.

Glaive-lock can lay down some battlefield control potentially.

[true_shinken]

Considering how cheesy and convoluted it is, most similarly powerplayed damagers can easily out do that so. . why? : /
The only thing convoluted here is legacy champion progressing hellfire.


The Battle Jumper beats it, the ubercharger beats it
First of all, remember what JanusJones said and I quoted in the start of the guide: melee warlock is not an uber build. It's ust fun. That said, I don't see why you are putting Battle Jumper and ubercharger separately (as they do exactly the same thing - charge for loads of damage), but a glaivelock has a few advantages over charge builds:

You don't have to charge. This means you can still use eldritch glaive in difficult terrain and against opponents in weird angles.
You don't have to jump. That means you can use eldritch glaive in cramped spaces, places where you probably wouldn't be able to charge, much less jump.
Glaivelocking is just a lot more awesome. (Take me seriously at your own peril :smallcool:)
Increased accuracy. Glaivelocks target touch AC and they don't have to take a major hit to their attack bonus due to Power Attack.
Better defenses. The only way a ubercharger can have as much accuracy as a glaivelock is with Shocktrooper, which throws their AC into face down into the dirt. Glaivelocks enjoy overall better AC and have in-class access to miss chance.
Versatility. A warlock is useful on other situations. You only need one invocation set for a glaivelock (eldritch glaive); you can use the rest to do lots of stuff, like dispelling, acquiring miss chance, charming, creating undead, weaving baskets underwater, whatever floats your boat.
Both normal eldritch blast and hellfire ignore all energy resistances and damage reduction. The only thing you have to worry about is spell resistance.
Did I mention it's awesome? Because it is.


the incarnum clawmonster beats it, the sneak-attack optimizer beats it
That I'm pretty sure is incorrect, actually. Specially considering how sneak attack needs special conditions to be triggered and lots of creatures are immune to it.


a and the wizard certainly beats it.
There's not a thing in D&D those pesky smug bastards in their pointy hats can't do, is there? Just leave them be. Wizards are never a point.


talking about 30d6 pewpew-lock.
Miss, you should never use 'pewpew' near melee warlocks. You see, it reminds them of their non-melee cousins and some tend to become, err, unstable with the comparison.


Glaive-lock can lay down some battlefield control potentially.
Can he? Because I'm pretty sure that's one thing glaivelocks are not that good at, really. You're limited to attacks of opportunity that deal heavy damage and that's about it.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Can he? Because I'm pretty sure that's one thing glaivelocks are not that good at, really. You're limited to attacks of opportunity that deal heavy damage and that's about it.

It's called Chilling Tentacles. Like you said, you only need one invocation for Glaive, the rest of them are free to do whatever.

[true_shinken]

It's called Chilling Tentacles. Like you said, you only need one invocation for Glaive, the rest of them are free to do whatever.
Ah, that makes sense. But glaivelocks specifically were mentioned, so it got me confused.

[Mikka]

My turn, first of all i was talking about the 30d6 one pew a day shooting thinging.

No matter how many dice you're rolling just rolling an attack roll and X amounts of dice isn't very fun in my book.


That I'm pretty sure is incorrect, actually. Specially considering how sneak attack needs special conditions to be triggered and lots of creatures are immune to it.


The sneak attack optimizer also has means (multiple usually) to ascertain these triggers, otherwise, just more fun and teamwork. Immune to sneak attack? theres a class feature that fixes that problem, penetrating strike or something like that.


Miss, you should never use 'pewpew' near melee warlocks. You see, it reminds them of their non-melee cousins and some tend to become, err, unstable with the comparison.

{Scrubbed}


Can he? Because I'm pretty sure that's one thing glaivelocks are not that good at, really. You're limited to attacks of opportunity that deal heavy damage and that's about it.

Get reach, take the standstill feat, (improved trip?), a martial stance for Thicket of blades. sure he can.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

My turn, first of all i was talking about the 30d6 one pew a day shooting thinging.

No matter how many dice you're rolling just rolling an attack roll and X amounts of dice isn't very fun in my book. What, you mean like making an attack roll and roll 2d6 +ZOMG that an Ubercharger or optimized sneak attacker is doing? Same concept. Only difference is that Warlock has these other Invocations that he can ALSO use, when he doesn't want to blast things. Which is something Uberchargers and Precision-Based Damage Output really can't say.


The sneak attack optimizer also has means (multiple usually) to ascertain these triggers, otherwise, just more fun and teamwork. Immune to sneak attack? theres a class feature that fixes that problem, penetrating strike or something like that. Lesser Cloak of Displacement. Unless you have Pierce Magical Concealment (which means dipping a level in a casting class just so you can't use the spells so you can qualify), your precision-based damage just got shut down.

Fortification also would like to irrespectfully thumb it's nose at you.

Oozes and a few other things which you can't simply fix with Gravestrike/Golemstrike/Vinestrike.


Get reach, take the standstill feat, (improved trip?), a martial stance for Thicket of blades. sure he can.

Nope. Problem with that... an Eldritch Glaive is not a weapon. Stand Still requires Large size. Martial Stance requires Martial Maneuver, which means either dip, or blow a pair of feats on it. And in the end, Eldritch Glaive still isn't a weapon, which means it doesn't work well with anything from ToB.

[MeeposFire]

Actually stand still neither requires large size or a weapon only the ability to make AoO.

Thicket of blades does not require a weapon either so it should be usable with eldritch glaive.

You could take shield block as your maneuver though it will require you to have a shield since all the strikes are out (action interaction problems).

[Boci]

Lesser Cloak of Displacement. Unless you have Pierce Magical Concealment (which means dipping a level in a casting class just so you can't use the spells so you can qualify), your precision-based damage just got shut down.

Isn't their a +1 weapon ability that ignores concealment?


You could take shield block as your maneuver though it will require you to have a shield since all the strikes are out (action interaction problems).

Doesn't say you need to use a shield for the maneiver.

[MeeposFire]

Well it does say to use your shield's AC bonus +4 so I guess I assumed you needed a shield to do that, though I guess you could try to pull that you have a shield bonus of 0 I guess.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Isn't their a +1 weapon ability that ignores concealment? Nope, not concealment that, despite the 20% mod, is considered Total Concealment.

[true_shinken]

Well, Shneekey already adressed most stuff, I'll just complement it.

My turn, first of all i was talking about the 30d6 one pew a day shooting thinging.
But this is no place for shooting, this is a place for hitting critters in the face. It's the melee warlock handbook for a reason. Sure, attacking once a round your damage output sucks. It hardly matters in this discussion.


The sneak attack optimizer also has means (multiple usually) to ascertain these triggers, otherwise, just more fun and teamwork.
Funny thing is they are spending resources on that. Resources a meleelock can spen on other stuff. Eldritch Glaive + Amulet of Teamwork is dirty cheap and helps people a lot. Few builds are as good in the teamwork aspect as divine casters, and the Eldritch Disciple is one of those.

Immune to sneak attack? theres a class feature that fixes that problem, penetrating strike or something like that.
Yeah. It also deals half damage.


Get reach, take the standstill feat, (improved trip?), a martial stance for Thicket of blades. sure he can.
Like Shneeky said - doesn't work so well. A dip in Crusader is actually a nice idea, though you can't use strikes with eldritch glaive. A mixed claw/glaive build could do this rather nicely though. It's even mentioned on the guide, really.

[phlidwsn]

I disagree. It lasts one round, maybe I'm missing something?

Maybe I'm being overly picky, but while the duration does say it lasts until just before your next turn, it also says "While your eldritch claws exist you may make up to two claw attacks as natural weapons." I was reading that as follows:

Your turn comes up, you make two claw attacks
Same round, after your turn, someone provokes an AOO from you. But you've already made two claw attacks with this activation of claws, so you can't make a 3rd claw attack.

[true_shinken]

Maybe I'm being overly picky, but while the duration does say it lasts until just before your next turn, it also says "While your eldritch claws exist you may make up to two claw attacks as natural weapons." I was reading that as follows:

Your turn comes up, you make two claw attacks
Same round, after your turn, someone provokes an AOO from you. But you've already made two claw attacks with this activation of claws, so you can't make a 3rd claw attack.

I do think you are being overly picky. The bolded sentence is there to say you get two claw attacks, one as a standard action, two as a full-attack action. I wouldn't rule that way as a DM.

Guide updated and revised for a few stuff.

[Thiyr]

Quick minor correction I just noticed for you. Improved familiar: You need not be evil to get an imp. You have to be one alignment away on each alignment axis, meaning LN and True Neutral types can get one as well.

Gotta spread that imp-y goodness

[true_shinken]

Quick minor correction I just noticed for you. Improved familiar: You need not be evil to get an imp. You have to be one alignment away on each alignment axis, meaning LN and True Neutral types can get one as well.

Gotta spread that imp-y goodness

Awesome! Added to the guide.

[JeminiZero]

Quick minor correction I just noticed for you. Improved familiar: You need not be evil to get an imp. You have to be one alignment away on each alignment axis, meaning LN and True Neutral types can get one as well.

Gotta spread that imp-y goodness

Double Correction: To be a Warlock in the first place, you need to be Chaotic or Evil. So no, you can't be a LN/TN Warlock, Imp or not. You could be a CN Warlock with a Quasit which is almost as good as an Imp.

[true_shinken]

Double Correction: To be a Warlock in the first place, you need to be Chaotic or Evil. So no, you can't be a LN/TN Warlock, Imp or not. You could be a CN Warlock with a Quasit which is almost as good as an Imp.

Could still be done if you prc out of warlock, though. You don't lose your powers if you cease to be chaotic or evil.

[Talionis]

Is there any reason that the Eldritch Claws/Beast Strike Combo wouldn't work with Tome of Battle Manuever Strikes?

The Mongoose Manuevers could grab multiple attacks. If you could find some way to buff accuracy Avalanche of Blades would make a great way to attack a bunch of times in one turn. Of course getting an adequately high initiator level could be pretty hard since its really hard to RAW qualify for Jade Phoenix.

[MeeposFire]

Yea I talking about that to somebody right now. It works though avalanche of blades is hard to work in especially because of accuracy concerns.

[Essence_of_War]

I'm confused by the Eldritch Glaive wording. It says in the Warlock description that all invocations are spell-like, therefore they take a standard action to use.

But in Eldritch Glaive's description, it doesn't explicitly state that using the invocation is a full-round action, it only tells you that as a full-round action you may make attacks with it, and that it persists and causes you to threaten the usual areas until your the beginning of your next turn.

So what type of action is Eldritch Glaive? I can see an argument for both standard, or for Full-Round.

[Duke of URL]

It is a full-round action. Specific overrides general.

[Greenish]

Unless you have Pierce Magical Concealment (which means dipping a level in a casting class just so you can't use the spells so you can qualify)Why would you need to dip a caster?

Is there any reason that the Eldritch Claws/Beast Strike Combo wouldn't work with Tome of Battle Manuever Strikes?Yes. Eldritch Glaive is a full round action, strikes are standard or full round actions. You'd need extra actions to use both on the same round, say, a belt of battle.

[Talionis]

@Greenish -- I said Eldritch Claws not Eldritch Glaive. I know Eldritch Glaive will not work with Martial Strikes.

@Shinken or anyone that can explain it... I understand that you can't shape and Eldritch Claw because it is already shaped so to speak. But Eldritch Claws can't pass on the Essense effects? Is that because it is a feat and not a shape? I don't doubt your right, I just want to understand the wording.

[Boci]

Why would you need to dip a caster?

To avoid taking the -4 to CL on the warlock?

[dextercorvia]

To avoid taking the -4 to CL on the warlock?

Won't work.


Taking this feat reduces your caster level for all your spells and spell-like abilities by 4.

[true_shinken]

@Shinken or anyone that can explain it... I understand that you can't shape and Eldritch Claw because it is already shaped so to speak. But Eldritch Claws can't pass on the Essense effects? Is that because it is a feat and not a shape? I don't doubt your right, I just want to understand the wording.
The wording is confusing at best. Eldritch Claws are not your eldritch blast; they just add your eldritch blast's damage in the formula to calculate the claws' damage. Since it does not say base damage, essences that add extra damage could work. Other essences, certainly not by RAI and I can't even twist the wording enough to get it by RAW as well.

Also, strikes/boosts are very very good for Claw users. It says so in the guide, even. I should improve on this section.

[Talionis]

Does this sum up the differences between the three different kinds of Melee Warlock attacks? If I miss understand something or left something important out please let me know. I'm hoping I got the major issues worked out in my head.

Three Options for Melee Warlocks: Hideous Blow, Eldritch Glaive, Eldritch Claws.

Hideous Blow and Eldritch Glaive are both Invocation Shapes. Eldritch Claws is a Feat. Because of the way Eldritch Claws Feat is labeled it only transfers the damage to two Eldritch Claws but it does not allow for Invocation Essenses to be applied to the Claws or damage.

Hideous Blow is basically worse than either Eldritch Claws or Eldritch Glaive depending on what you are trying to accomplish. It surrounds your weapon with Eldritch Energy and lets you attack with the combine weapon and Eldritch damage. But it is harder to hit than Eldritch Glaive because it is not a touch attack and it will do less damage than Eldritch Claws unless you have a very powerful weapon Eldritch Claws should be able to attack multiple times.

Eldritch Glaive is nice because it is not a weapon, but can attack as often as a Full Action attack can attack. Thus BAB works here to provide more than one attack. I'm not sure if Dancing Mongoose (Boost ToB) and Raging Mongoose (Boost ToB) can provide extra attacks. But often you want to use Manuevers like Sudden Leap (Boost ToB) to move since the Full Action leaves not ability to others move into attack range. The big deal is that this allows the Invocation Essenses to add their effects. Eldritch Glaive also is a full attack action making it difficult to move and then attack.

Eldritch Claws (Dragon Magazine 358) function as two normal claw attacks. With the Beast Strike Feat (Dragon Magazine 355) you can add all the damage you would do with your claws into each of your Unarmed Strikes. Beast Strike is important because it lets you get over the two attack limit from the feat if you attack with them as claws. You can get multiple attacks since Beast Strike allows you to make unarmed attacks which you can increase the number of through Flurry of Blows or Eldritch Claws can also be used with martial manuevers which can also grant multiple attacks such as Avalanche of Blades, but even many of the level 1 manuevers have strikes that allow multiple attacks. At the very least you can still move around normally.

It would appear to me that you can do more raw damage with the Eldritch Claws, because it is easier to get multiple attacks and other attack modifiers (Flurry of Blows and Martial Manuevers) but that you can only get the Invocation Essenses to work with Eldritch Glaive. But with Eldritch Glaive you pretty much need to wait for BAB to provide you with multiple attacks. The other huge advantage is that Eldritch Glaive is a touch attack and it is much easier to hit touch attacks.

It would be really nice if you there was a stackable Invocation Essence that would make it easier for you to hit a target the following round so you could use the Eldritch Glaive in your first round and then finish something off with your Eldritch Claws in the second round.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Why would you need to dip a caster?

Because i was under the (mistaken) impression that you needed caster levels to qualify for Mage Slayer. Instead, you simply need cross-class ranks in Spellcraft, which is much easier to get. And the build in question was a straight rogue.

[Re'ozul]

Excuse this question if it has been asked as I have not read the entire thread.

Would eldritch claw benefit from Improved natural attack?

In the example given (Shou disciple 5, claws beast strike) would that work as such:
You PrC out after warlock 11 (6d6blast) so with shou 5 (i.e. 16th level char) you have:

claw damage = 6d6+2d6=8d6 as damage of your natural attack for which the next step upon improved natural attack is 12d6. Now you add your 2d6 unarmed when you flurry with beast strike for hits of 14d6 each.

[MeeposFire]

Won't work.

But at least it does not affect your blast. How many invocations depend heavily on your caster level.

[PlzBreakMyCmpAn]

Some people say you can't quicken a spell-like ability that is cast as a full-round action.
Eldritch glaive does not duplicate a spell and does not even work as a spell with a 1 full round casting time (those only have effect on your next turn, while eldritch glaive works as you 'cast' it). In fact, eldritch glaive is faster than a spell with casting time of 1 full round. I'd say you can quicken it and it seems pretty clear to me you should be able to do it, but YMMV.Um the latest version says "can only select an SLA duplicating a spell ..." so by your interpretation it shouldn't be allowed on regular eldritch blast. Clearly something's off then because that's silly.

Glaiving it adds in your move action to get iteratives. So by a cooperative DM you should be able to quicken the standard action part and use your movement action as is. You could say glaive and blast this way but still not glaive+glaive. RAW's "normally the use of an SLA requires a standard action" sort of rules out the quickening of glaive. Of course my max eldritch dice warlocks are never melee so its been a while since I've looked for how glaive interacts with the RAW

[true_shinken]

Um the latest version says "can only select an SLA duplicating a spell ..." so by your interpretation it shouldn't be allowed on regular eldritch blast. Clearly something's off then because that's silly.
It says "The creature can only select a spell-like ability duplicating a spell with a level less than or equal to half its caster level (round down) –4. " It's not about excluding spell-likes without an equivalent spell, it's about limiting equivalent spell level.
A very strict RAW-reading disqualifies eldritch blast (and most other invocations, even), yes. RAI, however, seems pretty clear to me (specially since MM predates Complete Arcane).


But at least it does not affect your blast. How many invocations depend heavily on your caster level.
Lower caster level means spell resistance will ruin your day (unless you have vitriolic blast).



Would eldritch claw benefit from Improved natural attack?

Since Eldritch Claws use a formula to create your 'claw damage', it would work, yes.
I just noticed that eldritch claws, since they are claws, have a specific damage type and are stopped by damage reduction as well. I'll get to it soon.

[dextercorvia]

But at least it does not affect your blast. How many invocations depend heavily on your caster level.

Anything you want to Meta-SLA.

[Tvtyrant]

Can you use the Meta-SLA feats for a Warlock? Like quicken SLA, etc?

[true_shinken]

Can you use the Meta-SLA feats for a Warlock? Like quicken SLA, etc?
Yes. Isn't it explicitly said in Complete Arcane?

[Talionis]

I'm pretty sure that Iron Heart Surge Maneuver can remove a negative level of Constitution Damage from Hellfire.

Iron Heart Surge has an iniator level of 3 and one prerequisite Iron Heart Maneuver to get. So for two feats on any character of level 12 or higher can get rid of the Constitution Damage. One level of Warblade at level 10 will do the same thing.

Iron Heart Surge is extremely useful to get rid of all sorts of bad conditions.

[Tvtyrant]

Wait, if it counts as a level 1 SLA... Why isn't every Warlock using Quickened Maximized Eldritch Blasts?

[Hyfigh]

I'm pretty sure that Iron Heart Surge Maneuver can remove a negative level of Constitution Damage from Hellfire.

Iron Heart Surge has an iniator level of 3 and one prerequisite Iron Heart Maneuver to get. So for two feats on any character of level 12 or higher can get rid of the Constitution Damage. One level of Warblade at level 10 will do the same thing.

Iron Heart Surge is extremely useful to get rid of all sorts of bad conditions.

Devil/Demon: "I take your soul to fuel your power!"
Warlock with IHS: "Oh no he di-int!"

[Talionis]

Feel free to use any or part of this for your Guide. Tome of Battle is my favorite book because it adds a lot to melee classes. Melee Warlocks have lots of movement problems during combat and ToB has good ways to fix that problem. ToB can also be instrumental in gaining extra attacks or helping to get one attack to hit multiple targets. But there are also useful maneuvers to gain hit points and bolster saves which can sometimes feel like some of the holes in a Warlock build.

Tome of Battle Interesting Maneuvers

The Tome of Battle can allow greatly improve the joy of playing the melee classes, but it also lifts the characters using these maneuvers to levels in which some DM’s may not allow the RAW rulings. Other DM’s have banned the use of the Tome of Battle completely. Generally, I believe that 95% of Tome of Battle elevates melee characters fun and play-ability to a level more similar to mages. I think it is up to DM’s to figure out what individually is overpowered in their campaigns. Either way, these are the maneuvers that I found interesting for Melee Warlocks.

KEY (Abreviation for Style __ Level which you can take maneuver/number of required prerequisite maneuvers or stances from that style __ Boost or Strike)

DW (Desert Wind)
DS (Devoted Spirit)
DM (Diamond Mind)
IH (Iron Heart)
SS (Setting Sun)
SH (Shadow Hand)
SD (Stone Dragon)
TC (Tiger Claw)
WR (White Raven)

While the Strikes may only be useable by Eldritch Claws users, the vast majority of these interesting manuevers are Boosts and usable by all Warlocks even at range as an immediate or swift action.

Movement
• Sudden Leap (TC 1/1 B) – Make a running jump as a Swift Action
• Leaping Flame (DW 5/2 B) – Allows you to teleport adjacent to someone who attacked you from range.
• Quicksilver Motion (DM 7/3 B) – Move as a Swift Action
• Mirrored Pursuit (SS 5/2 B) – follow an opponent’s movements
• Shadow Jaunt (SH 2/0 B) – Standard Action Teleport 50ft
• Shadow Blink (SH 7/0 B) – Swift Action Teleport 50ft

Accuracy Buffs
• Emerald Razor (DM 2/0 S) -- Touch Attack
• Rapid Counter (DM 5/0 B) -- Allows you to reroll an attack if it misses.
• Vanguard Strike (DS 1/0 S) -- +4 to hit for Allies till next round

Extra Attacks
• Time Stands Still (DM 9/4 B) – Allows two full Action Attacks
• Avalanche of Blades (DM 7/3 S) – Allows you to keep making more attacks with a penalty if you keep hitting.
• Pouncing Charge (TC 5/2 S) – Allows you to attack multiple times at the end of charge with charge bonus on all attacks
• Dancing Mongoose (TC 5/2 B) – Allows up to two more attacks this round one must be from the off hand.
• Raging Mongoose (TC 8/3 B) – Allows up to four more attacks this round two must be from the off hand.
• Adamantine Hurricane (IH 8/3 S) -- Allows 2 attacks against every adjacent foe

Two Extra Attacks
• Flashing Sun (DW 2/1 S) – Allows a second attack
• Wolf Fang Strike (TC 1/0 S) – Make an attack with each hand
• Steely Wind (IH 1/0 S) – Attack two adjacent foes

Extra Damage
• Greater Divine Surge (DS 8/2 S) – Allows for a lot of extra damage, but you need to be able to recover Constitution Damage. Hellfire Builds are great at recovering Constitution Damage.
• Girallon Windmill Flesh Rip (TC 8/3 B) add tons more damage for hitting multiple times
• Ruby Nightmare Blade (DM 4/2 S) Doubles Damage with Concentration Check
• Diamond Nightmare Blade (DM 8/3 S) Quadruples Damage with a Concentration Check.
• Foehammer (DS 2/0 S) All damage doesn’t get Damage Reduced. This is a good prerequisite pick for Devoted Spirit Maneuvers

Status Boosts
• Iron Heart Surge (IH 3/1 B) – Allows to remove a negative status and gain +2 Morale to hit
• Diamond Defense (DM 8/0 B) – Add save bonus equal to your level
• Moment of Perfect Mind (DM 1/0 B – Will), Action Before Thought (DM 2/0 B – Reflex), Mind Over Body (DM 3/0 B – Fortitude) – Allows you to replace your Saves with Constitution checks.

Healing
• Crusader Strike (DS 1/0 S) – Little bit of healing for one person including yourself if attack hits.
• Revitalizing Strike (DS 3/1 S) – Stronger healing of one person including yourself if it hits
• Rallying Strike (DS 6/2 S) – Stronger healing for allies within a 30 ft radius
• Strike of Righteous Vitality (DS 9/3 S) – Healing Spell for one ally including yourself when attack hits. This can remove negative levels from Hell Fire.
• Iron Heart Endurance (IH 6/2 B) -- Allows you to put double your level in Hit Points

Blocks
• Counter Charge (SS 1/0 B) – Check to counter a charge attack
• Wall of Blades (IH 2/0 B) – Use your attack rating to cancel an attack. Useful as prerequisite for Iron Heart Surge.
• Shield Block (DS 2/0 B) – Use Shield to add AC to an Ally. Ally can be you.

Miscellaneous
• Burning Brand – (DW 2/0 B) Allows for +5ft reach and all your damage becomes fire damage.
• Disarming Strike (IH 2/0 S) – Allows disarm attempt with successful hit
• White Raven Tactics – (WR 3/1 B) Allows for an ally to take another turn. By RAW this allows you to take another turn, but many DM’s won’t allow this interpretation.
• One with Shadow (SH 8/3 B) Become Incorporeal for 1 round.
• Flesh Ripper (TC 3/2 S) Opponent attacks and AC are -4
• Fountain of Blood (TC 4/2 B) Cause Fear (shaken) when you reduce an opponent to -1 or fewer Hit Points.

Stances
• Thicket of Blades (DS 3/1) – Helps to get Attacks of Opportunity
• Aura of Perfect Order (DS 6/2) – Allows you to take 11 on rolls.
• Immortal Fortitude (DS 8/3) – Allows you to roll to ignore damage that would bring you below 0 and leaves you at 1 hit point.
• Island of Blades (SH 1/0) – Allows you to flank automatically with an Ally
• Bolstering Voice (WR 1/0) – Adds +2 Moral to Will Saves and +4 Moral against Fear Saves to 60ft radius
• Assassin’s Stance (3/0) – Add 2d6 Sneak Attack
• Stance of Alacrity (DM 8/3) – Allows you to make an extra immediate action
• Pearl of Black Doubt (DM 3/1) – Boosts AC every time someone misses you.
• Hunter’s Sense (TC 1/0) – Gain Scent Ability
• Leaping Dragon Stance (TC 3/1) – Adds 10ft bonus to jumps
• Blood in the Water (TC 1/1) -- +1 to Hit and Damage

Feats from Tome of Battle
• Gloom Razor – Helps with Sneak Attacks
• Stormguard Warrior – Helps with loops of Attacks of Opportunity
• Iron Heart Aura – Provides everyone around you +2 AC
• Extra Readied Maneuver – Allows any class to add a maneuver as a Feat. Must meet prerequisites and also good to add additional feats to marital characters who want maneuvers from styles they don’t have access to normally.
• Extra Martial Stance – Allows any class to add a stance as a Feat. Must meet prerequisites and also good to add additional feats to marital characters who want stances from styles they don’t have access to normally.

Prestige Classes
• Bloodclaw Master – Aids in two weapon fighting and a couple levels might be nice for Eldritch Claw users.

• Jade Phoenix Mage – Need second level arcane spells to qualify, plus two maneuvers at least one being a strike and a stance. If you can get in, it will progress Warlock Invocations and initiator level.

• Master of Nine – Allows use of two stances at once and allows switching between stances at immediate speed if you use a counter.

• Shadow Sun Ninja – Level one allows you to turn your base unarmed strike damage + Wisdom score into Negative Energy Damage. The following round you must discharge the same amount of Positive Energy “healing”. This could potentially be of use to Eldritch Claw users. It becomes even more useful if you are Tomb Tainted Soul or have an undead ally or minion since you can basically infinitely heal out of combat and potentially do a ton of healing during combat.

[Boci]

Wait, if it counts as a level 1 SLA... Why isn't every Warlock using Quickened Maximized Eldritch Blasts?

There's a minimum caster level requirement for each and you can only use the feats 3/day.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Feel free to use any or part of this for your Guide. Tome of Battle is my favorite book because it adds a lot to melee classes. Melee Warlocks have lots of movement problems during combat and ToB has good ways to fix that problem. ToB can also be instrumental in gaining extra attacks or helping to get one attack to hit multiple targets. But there are also useful maneuvers to gain hit points and bolster saves which can sometimes feel like some of the holes in a Warlock build.

Tome of Battle Interesting Maneuvers

The Tome of Battle can allow greatly improve the joy of playing the melee classes, but it also lifts the characters using these maneuvers to levels in which some DM’s may not allow the RAW rulings. Other DM’s have banned the use of the Tome of Battle completely. Generally, I believe that 95% of Tome of Battle elevates melee characters fun and play-ability to a level more similar to mages. I think it is up to DM’s to figure out what individually is overpowered in their campaigns. Either way, these are the maneuvers that I found interesting for Melee Warlocks.

<Snip and excellent resource under normal circumstances>

There's one problem... now say it with me, everyone...

ELDRITCH BLAST, ELDRITCH CLAWS, AND ELDRITCH GLAIVE ARE NOT WEAPON ATTACKS AND SO CANNOT BE USED WITH MANEUVERS.

To activate almost every maneuver listed, other than a couple that don't require an attack (like shadow jaunt), you need to make a weapon attack. And the aforementioned blast is a SLA, but NOT a weapon, and so cannot be used in conjunction with most of them.

[Talionis]

There's one problem... now say it with me, everyone...

ELDRITCH BLAST, ELDRITCH CLAWS, AND ELDRITCH GLAIVE ARE NOT WEAPON ATTACKS AND SO CANNOT BE USED WITH MANEUVERS.

To activate almost every maneuver listed, other than a couple that don't require an attack (like shadow jaunt), you need to make a weapon attack. And the aforementioned blast is a SLA, but NOT a weapon, and so cannot be used in conjunction with most of them.

ELDRITCH CLAWS CAN BE USED WITH MANEUVERS IF YOU HAVE THE BEAST STRIKE FEAT.


The same trick that allows Eldritch Claws damage to be added to your unarmed strike damage to use the Monk Flurry by using Beast Strike allows you to use Strike Maneuvers. Unarmed strikes are considered weapons for the ability to use a maneuver. In fact the book offers a variant Swordsage that gets the same unarmed damage progression as a Monk.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

ELDRITCH CLAWS CAN BE USED WITH MANEUVERS IF YOU HAVE THE BEAST STRIKE FEAT.


The same trick that allows Eldritch Claws damage to be added to your unarmed strike damage to use the Monk Flurry by using Beast Strike allows you to use Strike Maneuvers. Unarmed strikes are considered weapons for the ability to use a maneuver. In fact the book offers a variant Swordsage that gets the same unarmed damage progression as a Monk.

Yes, Unarmed Swordsage is everything a monk wished it were, but instead decided to cry in a corner.

However, you can't add eldritch claws to your unarmed attacks. That's Hideous Blow, and it's pretty... well... rather descriptive.:smallbiggrin:

[Talionis]

Eldritch ClawsType: General
Source: Dragon #358

You can deliver your eldritch blast as a melee attack.

Prerequisite: Eldritch blast 2d6.
Benefit: As a free action, you can form the energy of your eldritch blast into a set of claws extending almost an entire foot from your hands. While your eldritch claws exist you may make up to two claw attacks as natural weapons. You are automatically proficient with your eldritch claws. On a successful attack with an eldritch claw, you deal your normal amount of unarmed strike damage plus your eldritch blast damage. Once you form your eldritch claws they remain until just before the beginning of your next turn. You cannot use your normal eldritch blast ability while your eldritch claws exist. A monk may not use eldritch claws as part of her flurry of blows.


Beast Strike
Type: General, Fighter
Source: Dragon #355

Your martial training makes full use of your natural weapons in unarmed combat.

Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +5, Improved Unarmed Strike, claw or slam attack
Benefit: When you make an unarmed strike or grapple check to deal damage, you may add your claw or slam damage to your unarmed strike or grapple damage.
Special: A fighter may select Beast Strike as a fighter bonus feat.


You add the claw damage to your unarmed strike damage. Then you just attack with unarmed strikes not your claws which allows you to Flurry or blows or use maneuvers.

[true_shinken]

Feel free to use any or part of this for your Guide.
Done! Guide updated with ToB! Thanks a lot, dude. :smallbiggrin:



However, you can't add eldritch claws to your unarmed attacks. That's Hideous Blow, and it's pretty... well... rather descriptive.:smallbiggrin:
Talionis already answered it better than I could.
Also, eldritch claws alone qualify. You don't need a weapon to use (most) maneuvers, you need a standard attack action. Nothing stops you from using a maneuver with a natural weapon, and eldritch claws are natural weapons. You just can't use a maneuver with an eldritch glaive because of action economy.

[Talionis]

What is the ruling on Warlocks using DragonFire Adept Invocations?

I know that there is only about 40 invocations total so its pretty annoying since it feels like there should be more choices. Specifically Instill Invulnerablility and Humanoid Shape.

It says in Dragon Magic on page 81 that, "Because the powers of Warlocks are tied to their dark nature, they're usually incompatible with draconic magic."

[bartman]

What is the ruling on Warlocks using DragonFire Adept Invocations?

I know that there is only about 40 invocations total so its pretty annoying since it feels like there should be more choices. Specifically Instill Invulnerablility and Humanoid Shape.

It says in Dragon Magic on page 81 that, "Because the powers of Warlocks are tied to their dark nature, they're usually incompatible with draconic magic."

If your DM is nice s/he may allow it, but I read the above as a no if your DM is strict RAW

[Talionis]

This is a handy list of invocations from wizards: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/lists/invocations

[true_shinken]

If your DM is nice s/he may allow it, but I read the above as a no if your DM is strict RAW

What bartman said. RAW is pretty clear that you can't do it.

[MeeposFire]

There was a feat that was similar to extra invocation that allows you to choose a DFA invocation but it has to be one lower than even the type you could choose with the extra invocation feat. It was on one of those online articles on WotC website.

[Re'ozul]

Ever since noticing the improved matural attacks possibility I've been thinking on how to up damage.

Can soomeone tell me if this is legit? (assume strongheart vest works)

warlock 5/Shou Disciple 5/Incarnum 2/Hellfire 3/warlock 3/'something with full BAB for 16 overall' 2

That should put your normal blast at 11th level equivalent: 6d6
plus Hellfire: 6d6
plus unarmed: 2d6
plus greater chasuble: 2d6

so your claws should have a normal damage of 16d6

natural attack progression seems to be:

2d6 -x1.5- 3d6 -x4/3- 4d6 -x1.5- 6d6 -x4/3- 8d6 -x1.5- 12d6

so it should go on:

12d6 -x4/3- 16d6 -x1.5- 24d6

so with improved natural attack (eldritch claws you) and a shou disciples flurry you should get attacks of:

15/15/10/5/0 for 26d6 per hit, potentially with a secondary claw attack at +11 for 24d6

is that about right with this build?

[Talionis]

There was a feat that was similar to extra invocation that allows you to choose a DFA invocation but it has to be one lower than even the type you could choose with the extra invocation feat. It was on one of those online articles on WotC website.

What's the name of that feat? It won't work for what I'm looking for but I'd love to have that in my arsenal of choices.

I was trying to use the Instill Vulnerability Invocation to grant Vulnerability to Fire and then make all my damage fire with the Burning Brand Maneuver.

[Halae]

Something you should make a note of - It never specifies where you shoot your eldritch blast from, or where the somatic component takes place. thus, even with your hands full, you can hip thrust or head bang your way to victory

[bartman]

Something you should make a note of - It never specifies where you shoot your eldritch blast from, or where the somatic component takes place. thus, even with your hands full, you can hip thrust or head bang your way to victory

According to the SRD, A Somatic Component requires one hand free, so unfortunately this will not work.


Somatic (S)

A somatic component is a measured and precise movement of the hand. You must have at least one hand free to provide a somatic component.

[true_shinken]

There was a feat that was similar to extra invocation that allows you to choose a DFA invocation but it has to be one lower than even the type you could choose with the extra invocation feat. It was on one of those online articles on WotC website.

It's the Infernal Adept (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070613) feat. Planar Affinity (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070328) is also worth of mention, allowing you to swap 2 invocations instead of one. I'll add'em to the guide soon-ish.

About Improved natural Attack -- let's see. Warlock 6/Binder 1/Shou Disciple 5/Hellfire Warlock 3/Legacy Champion 5.
Effective warlock level 14, hellfire +14d6 for a total of 21d6 eldritch blast. Base attack bonus is just 14 (but fractional bab gets the magic 16), unarmed damage is 2d6 (less levels would make the calculation very complicated; those 2d6 are actually important). So your claw damage is 23d6, 25d6 with greater chasuble. With beast strike, your unarmed strike damage is 27d6 (because you count unarmed damage twice with beast strike + eldritch claws). I'll take a conservative aproach and say INA increases 1.5x the damage, not 1.75. That's 40d6 damage. I think that's an average of 140 damage, with Strenght 10 and a single magical item. And that's your unarmed strike - you can flurry with it. So you get 3 attacks from bab and one from flurry - four attacks, each for 40d6 damage and you get an extra claw attack (or two if you're an elan with Rapidstrike), but that's just 25d6 damage. So that's, what, 210d6 damage? Now let's see who says 'Warlocks are underpowered' to your face. :smallamused:

[MeeposFire]

It's the Infernal Adept (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070613) feat. Planar Affinity (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070328) is also worth of mention, allowing you to swap 2 invocations instead of one. I'll add'em to the guide soon-ish.

About Improved natural Attack -- let's see. Warlock 6/Binder 1/Shou Disciple 5/Hellfire Warlock 3/Legacy Champion 5.
Effective warlock level 14, hellfire +14d6 for a total of 21d6 eldritch blast. Base attack bonus is just 14 (but fractional bab gets the magic 16), unarmed damage is 2d6 (less levels would make the calculation very complicated; those 2d6 are actually important). So your claw damage is 23d6, 25d6 with greater chasuble. With beast strike, your unarmed strike damage is 27d6 (because you count unarmed damage twice with beast strike + eldritch claws). I'll take a conservative aproach and say INA increases 1.5x the damage, not 1.75. That's 40d6 damage. I think that's an average of 140 damage, with Strenght 10 and a single magical item. And that's your unarmed strike - you can flurry with it. So you get 3 attacks from bab and one from flurry - four attacks, each for 40d6 damage and you get an extra claw attack (or two if you're an elan with Rapidstrike), but that's just 25d6 damage. So that's, what, 210d6 damage? Now let's who says 'Warlocks are underpowered' to your face. :smallamused:

Do not forget snap kick. Too bad dragon content is among the most often banned content in games. I do like this eldritch claw feat so thanks for making this guide.

[true_shinken]

Update! Added an item, a build and a sexy witch.
I'm sure incarnum has good support for claw locks. I'll look it up soon.

[Cieyrin]

Update! Added an item, a build and a sexy witch.
I'm sure incarnum has good support for claw locks. I'll look it up soon.

You want to be a bit more specific on the item? It's been a while since I looked at this guide and all...

[The Cat Goddess]

I'm confused by the Eldritch Glaive wording. It says in the Warlock description that all invocations are spell-like, therefore they take a standard action to use.

But in Eldritch Glaive's description, it doesn't explicitly state that using the invocation is a full-round action, it only tells you that as a full-round action you may make attacks with it, and that it persists and causes you to threaten the usual areas until your the beginning of your next turn.

So what type of action is Eldritch Glaive? I can see an argument for both standard, or for Full-Round.

By the way you're describing it, you could conceivably activate it as a Standard Action if you didn't attack with it. You would, however, still threaten and make AoOs with it.

[true_shinken]

You want to be a bit more specific on the item? It's been a while since I looked at this guide and all...

Beast Claws! They are awesome.

[Cieyrin]

Beast Claws! They are awesome.

I think those may have been updated at some point. Let me check around and I'll get back to you.

Either way, still pretty damn neat. :smallsmile:

[true_shinken]

Updated with incarnum. If someone has any incarnum tricks that are Warlock-friendly, I'd love to know about them.

[LansXero]

Sorry if its a bit offtopic; in the first post there is a list of weapon-relevant feats that arent good... so, what would be good feats for a lvl 1 human warlock with only faerun, core and completes allowed? thanks for any advice :D

[true_shinken]

Sorry if its a bit offtopic; in the first post there is a list of weapon-relevant feats that arent good... so, what would be good feats for a lvl 1 human warlock with only faerun, core and completes allowed? thanks for any advice :D

That's the thing - those are the only weapon relevant feats that apply to weaponlike spells by RAW. For 1st level, your best bet is probably Mortalbane. Restricted to core and completes... things get tricky. You could take Improved Unarmed Strike so you'll qualify for Shou Disciple later, I guess.

[Cieyrin]

Neat on the Incarnum addition.

As for checking into Beast Claws, I appear to be wrong, as I was thinking of Claws of the Leopard and Dragonclaw Gauntlets, neither of which are similar at all.

[true_shinken]

Got special permission.
It's updated, folks.

Update includes:
A few new jokes as links.
A method to use eldritch claw and glaive in the same round
Added the link to Planar Affinity
Added Warshaper to prestige classes
Added a section about increasing reach, for Glaivelocks
Added a section about debuffing, for Glaivelocks
Added a very small (for now) section about UMD
Added a new build (Tentacler Monster) and spoilered all the builds to make reading easier


That's all for now. Any comments and suggestions are apreciated.

[Makiru]

I do feel that Spellfire Wielder (Magic of Faerun) is worth mentioning here, since it can be used as a touch attack/SLA and can give some extra hilarious nova damage.

[Thiyr]

On the subject of the warshaper: You may be able to qualify for it via Spider-shape, from Drow of the Underdark, meaning you don't need to be of a specific race for it. Hazy, as it isn't polymorph as an SLA, but it is a polymorph affect. That said, logically it works. Also of note, all of its class abilities are limited to when you are shapeshifted, meaning it might be, depending on form, less useful to some than to others, depending on DM ruling and how you're going about your melee.

[true_shinken]

I do feel that Spellfire Wielder (Magic of Faerun) is worth mentioning here, since it can be used as a touch attack/SLA and can give some extra hilarious nova damage.

That class is similar to Warlock, but does not progress invocations.
Can a Warlock auto-fuel himself with spellfire? Hmmm...
I don't really see that much synergy, but if you have more to add, please let us know. ^^


On the subject of the warshaper: You may be able to qualify for it via Spider-shape, from Drow of the Underdark, meaning you don't need to be of a specific race for it. Hazy, as it isn't polymorph as an SLA, but it is a polymorph affect. That said, logically it works. Also of note, all of its class abilities are limited to when you are shapeshifted, meaning it might be, depending on form, less useful to some than to others, depending on DM ruling and how you're going about your melee.
Hm, Spider-shape is debatable, but Humanoid Form (through Infernal Adept) is not... I'll think about a way to make this useful. Thanks a lot.

[Cieyrin]

I was rereading the guide and there's an issue with the Wuxia Mofo, in that he can't meet the Shou Disciple's skill requirements with just Warlock till 13th, when your cross-class skill cap reaches 8 ranks for Jump. You need to dip Human Paragon for at least 1 level to make Jump your Adaptive Skill. Something like Warlock 1/Human Paragon 3/Warlock +2/Shou Disciple 5 will net you an extra bonus feat so that your feat investment gets paid back to you, plus a free ability boost to whatever at the cost of 1 level of invocation progression.

Also, I would take Mountain Hammer over Foehammer unless you have some penchant against staying on the ground while using it, which as a Warlock you may, since you'll have access to Fell Flight. It's just that Mountain Hammer does everything Foehammer does, plus bust through Hardness, which fits really well with Melee Warlocking in my mind. Taking my Eldritch claw and busting through a stone wall like I was the Juggernaut scores you plenty of cool points in my book, which you just can't do with Foehammer.

[true_shinken]

I was rereading the guide and there's an issue with the Wuxia Mofo, in that he can't meet the Shou Disciple's skill requirements with just Warlock till 13th, when your cross-class skill cap reaches 8 ranks for Jump. You need to dip Human Paragon for at least 1 level to make Jump your Adaptive Skill. Something like Warlock 1/Human Paragon 3/Warlock +2/Shou Disciple 5 will net you an extra bonus feat so that your feat investment gets paid back to you, plus a free ability boost to whatever at the cost of 1 level of invocation progression.
Man, I can't believe I missed this, Kenshiro is going to kill me.
I'll think of a way to fix this.

[Hazzardevil]

I was wondering, its not that hard for a warlock to qualify for abjurant champion and it works well with the full BAB and d10 HD, why don't you mention it Shinken?

[true_shinken]

I was wondering, its not that hard for a warlock to qualify for abjurant champion and it works well with the full BAB and d10 HD, why don't you mention it Shinken?
Because while you can take advantage of the chassis, all of the class features are sadly useless for a Warlock, since you don't have spells.

[Shreaver]

Hope I'm not resurrecting something that was meant to stay hidden away, but...seeing as how I am unfamiliar with this class, Glaivelocks need to focus on the STR attribute, yes?

[MeeposFire]

Hope I'm not resurrecting something that was meant to stay hidden away, but...seeing as how I am unfamiliar with this class, Glaivelocks need to focus on the STR attribute, yes?

No I would put points into con, dex, or cha before str. They are touch attacks so accuracy will not be a big deal and if you want just be sure to use anything that gives you a small bonus to attack and you will be fine.

[DeAnno]

If you are very concerned about your touch attack to hit, better to invest in Weapon Finesse and dump Str in favor of Dex, and have an accurate ranged Eldritch Blast to fall back on.