Warforged "Clawlock?!"

[Campbellk8105]

For an upcoming campaign, it will be a high level campaign. High stats as well. My race will be warforged.
Stats: 22STR, 18DEX, 22CON, 16INT, 18WIS, 18CHA

Will this be a good build to go with?

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

That should put your normal blast at 11th level equivalent:
Eldritch blast: 6d6
plus Hellfire: 6d6
plus unarmed: 2d6
plus greater chasuble: 2d6
(With Strongheart Vest)
*Edit with Girallon Arms instead*

My claws should do 16d6. What about using improved natural attack, improved unarmed, and superior unarmed? Can anyone help me?

[Darrin]

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


Do you need all five levels of Shou Disciple? You can flurry with any light weapon at Shou Disciple 3, which covers your claws.

Also, I'd go with Totemist 2 instead of Incarnum, and pick up Strongheart Vest via the Shape Soulmeld feat. Totem Chakra gets you four claw attacks (Girallon Arms), and the Totem Avatar soulmeld, which you can bind to your shoulder chakra via Open Lesser Chakra for a size increase on all your natural attacks.



My claws should do 16d6. What about using improved natural attack, improved unarmed, and superior unarmed? Can anyone help me?

Dipping Battle Dancer for a 1 level gives you Improved Unarmed Strike as a monk (or just take it as a feat if need be). If you add Superior Unarmed Strike, you still don't have monk levels, so your unarmed strike damage does scale up with your character level. Adding Improved Natural Attack and Totem Avatar (bound to shoulder chakra) gives you two size increases... if you can fit in some Psychic Warrior or Fist of the Forest, you may be able to get another couple size increases in there. Then see if you can get a greater mighty wallop on there somehow for bunch more size increases.

[Campbellk8105]

Thanks that's actually a lot better than I had thought. The four arms cause of totemist is great! The damage output from my character is gonna be really high because I have another character that will be in the party and he is going to max IC. So one round I give the IC bonus, next round I end it and start it again but this time use dragonfire inspiration so the highest I'll be able to get with my build is +11 to hit, +11 to damage, +11d6 fire damage! So again, thanks for the help!

[Prime32]

You're using Eldritch Claws?

Try the Beast Strike feat, which adds claw damage to unarmed strikes. You can make a full attack of unarmed strikes, then follow up with your claws.

[Keld Denar]

I was gonna suggest Binder instead of Incarnate. Naberius gives you the ability damage fast healing, but it also gives you a bunch of other useful utility toys, which is fun too.

[Campbellk8105]

As for Beast Strike, yes I already planned on getting that. I had just forgot to mention it earlier.

I also thought about Binder for Naberius for the ability damage but, the party my character will be in is going to have 2 clerics so I should be fine.

[Person_Man]

Seems a bit convoluted. If you want massive claw damage, Totemist 20 or Psychic Warrior 20 or something similar is usually the way to go.

If you do stick with this build, you can drop Incarnate 2 and replace it with one Feat (Shape Soulmeld) to get the Strongheart Vest soulmeld. You can get the point of essentia you'll need from an Incarnum Gem (or whatever it's called - it's in MoI and the MIC).

Also, this thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7081777) might be helpful to you, as it shows you all the ways to increase the effective size of your claws, and improve your reach (which could be important if you want to make a full attack every round)

[Campbellk8105]

Thanks for the thread, however I don't know which to choose from that would fit the build. The damage will get high with that stuff, but compared to eldritch claws due to the bump of eldritch blast going up, and hellfire warlocks damage increase, I don't know what all to take. It would be beneficial though for the normal increase of base unarmed with the use of Beast Strike. If the unarmed damage was really high, being that you add your claw damage, which is Eldritch blast+hellfire warlock+unarmed damage, to your unarmed. I think the entire idea of that is somewhat broke but, haha I love it !

Also, the reason for all 5 in Shou is for the unarmed damage to be 2d6.

[Campbellk8105]

Ok new update, just found out I cannot take Shou Disciple. What class(es) should I take or dip into?

[Adrayll]

You can always attempt to swing the standard Legacy Champion advancing Hellfire Warlock, for damage purposes.

[Campbellk8105]

You can always attempt to swing the standard Legacy Champion advancing Hellfire Warlock, for damage purposes.

I know I won't be able to swing Legacy Champion. It'd be nice but I know I wouldn't be allowed to use it. We're doing a somewhat homebrew campaign but, any class/feat that has a regional requirement is out. Legacy Weapons is an out for sure because my DM said he might try and make his own Magic Weapons for us to find.

Any other ideas? More totemist maybe?

[Dusk Eclipse]

Monk 2 for some bonus feats and unarmed progression? Just be sure to take Superior Unarmed Strike to pave the progression a bit.

[Campbellk8105]

I thought about taking a dip into monk but I wasn't sure if there's a better class to take.

[Adrayll]

AFB at the moment, and thoroughly unfamiliar with Tome of Battle to boot, but wouldn't unarmed swordsage be the typical thing to do in this situation instead?

[kardar233]

I know I won't be able to swing Legacy Champion. It'd be nice but I know I wouldn't be allowed to use it. We're doing a somewhat homebrew campaign but, any class/feat that has a regional requirement is out. Legacy Weapons is an out for sure because my DM said he might try and make his own Magic Weapons for us to find.

Any other ideas? More totemist maybe?

Since Legacy Champion is out, might want to get Uncanny Trickster for the same idea.

Unarmed Swordsage dip is always a good plan, but if you have plenty of feats you might get by with just Superior Unarmed Strike, maybe using Fanged Ring to qualify.

If you have a lot of feats/WBL left over you could dip a couple levels of bard and maybe grab Eldritch Chord (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=10583050&postcount=3) too. Using DFI can get you plenty of bonus damage on top of your claw damage, and using Snowflake Wardance can make you more CHA-SAD.

So how about:
Warlock2/Bard2/Eldritch Chord 4/Unarmed Swordsage1/Hellfire Warlock3/Uncanny Trickster3

Which gives you 5 levels to play with. You could continue Eldritch Chord for more DFI damage and Warlock invocations, you could take 5 levels in Thayan Gladiator (Champions of Ruin) for an extra claw attack, free INA and enchanting your fist/claws or something.

[Campbellk8105]

I don't need any bard levels because I'm playing two characters in my next campaign, the other is a bard and I am going for max IC. Being a silverbrow human I can get DFI, and I already planned on doing that.

Haha again, any other ideas?

[Darrin]

Haha again, any other ideas?

Fist of the Forest? Three levels for two unarmed damage increases (although there's some debate about how literally you should interpret those).

Or PsyWar for expansion + claws of the vampire.

[Campbellk8105]

Fist of the Forest? Three levels for two unarmed damage increases (although there's some debate about how literally you should interpret those).

Or PsyWar for expansion + claws of the vampire.

Yea I think that sounds like a good idea thanks. Especially since the animal living thing from fist of the forest will be easy since warforged don't sleep :P