Blaster Class Option for Warlocks

[Jasruv Lundux]

I've been playng around with a class option for warlocks.

The way it goes is that whenever a warlock first gains access to a tier of invocations (Least, Lesser, Greater, Dark), he or she can choose to give up the invocation they would normally get at that level in order to recieve an extra +2d6 to Eldritch Blast Damage.

1st level : EB- 3d6 0 Invocations Known

6th level : EB- 7d6 2 Invocations Known

11th level : EB-12d6 4 Invocations Known

16th level : EB-15d6 6 Invocations Known

20th level : EB-17d6 8 invocations Known

The warlock who takes this option is still considered to have access to that tier of Invocations even if they effectively have 0 known (so that they can take the extra invocation feat at normal level for an example).

I was also thinking of making it an option at the appropiate levels.

So what do you people think?

[dextercorvia]

I wouldn't do it. Invocations are the only thing (besides UMD) that really make a Warlock unique. Besides, you are likely giving up your blast shapes, which means you might be losing out on damage potential.

[HalfDragonCube]

Even the least invocations are worth more than +2d6 points of damage.

Try using the Shatter spell at will for a while then compare it to zapping people a little harder.

[Re'ozul]

If you have someone who just wants to blast stuff, then its an option. But then again, they will be unable to do anything BUT blast since they will want to take some shapes and essences.

And even then you don'even double the overall damage.
17d6 are still only 60 points of damage at level 20, its not really all that useful.

Personally I play warlocks the other way around and would love to give up each 1d6 of increase for an invocation of that type. (Which would ultimately lead to 6/5/5/5 from least to dark)

Alternately you could make an unmodified (no essence no shape) blast a special case and have them give up the first of each level of invocation for an extra blast per standard action if using the unmodified form.

This would lead to the same 2/2/2/2 for invocations and standard action single blast for anything with a shape or essence, but unmodified blasts could be shot 5 times for a standard action at level 16+. However if that is too much just make the unmodified blast an attack action so the warlock can get 5 or reduce the damage by taking a bit of full-BAB class for the extra 4th attack at high level. (3 at 9d6 for 27d6, or 4 at 7d6 for 28d6)

[Draz74]

I think it works, power-wise. Especially at low levels or when using shenanigans to fire off large numbers of EB's, the +2d6 damage is quite powerful ... but so is the opportunity cost. This would certainly make Warlock one of the most powerful classes in the game at Level 1.

I do have to agree with others here, though, that it's quite a bit less interesting than getting an Invocation.

[Jasruv Lundux]

As far as Blast Shapes and Essences go, only a few are really good enough to bother with in my opinion( Those being Vitrolic Blast and Eldrtich Spear, I usually play CG warlocks and Utterdark blast just doesn't fit with my character concepts). The others are certainly useful but you could always get (or make after 12th level) some of the various rods that let you do them 5/day each.

You can take the Extra Invocation feat a couple of times to counter the loss of invocations but all in all you guys make good points.

[Hyfigh]

That's just it, though. More damage in your blast isn't as good as having those precious invocations. The damage increase doesn't offset the loss of those invocations. The right application of shapes, invocations, and essences can still make the stanard Warlock more effective because of versatility than the change you propose.