3rd level feat for Warlock

[Dead]

I'm playing ranged warlock and I can't find a good 3rd level feat. I have defensive casting and point blank shot already. I was going to take rapid shot, but I was informed that an eldritch blast isn't a ranged weapon :smallfrown:

Any suggestions?

[ShneekeyTheLost]

If you already have point blank shot, then Precise Shot might be good, if you plan on firing into melee. After all, getting rid of that -4 penalty is good, and it sets you up for Improved Precise Shot, which negates those pesky concealment modifiers...

[Psyren]

By "defensive casting" do you mean Combat Casting? Do you need that for a PrC or can you swap it out for Skill Focus (Concentration)?

[Dead]

I could go for precise shot, but improved precise shot doesn't apply to spell like abilities.

And yes I meant combat casting. It does seem to make sense that concentration would be better, but I am doubting whether I need it at all. I'm supposed to be out of combat range, using my eldritch spear so I won't have to be worried about AoO

[Essence_of_War]

I really like ability focus (EB).

I also really like empower/maximize/quicken SLA, but I don't remember which of those are available at your level :smalltongue:

[Flickerdart]

Mortalbane is nice at low levels if you don't often fight outsiders, constructs or the undead, but at higher levels its bonus becomes much less significant.

[DoctorGlock]

You could try eldritch claws [dragon magazine] and jump into melee, no AoO or concentration required, just 2 claws doing 1d3+blast damage.

[golem1972]

A little more info would help.

If you can, retrain combat casting for point blank shot. Ask your dm to consider allowing eldritch blast as an attack action. Your damage compares poorly to a rogue, archer, eldritch glave warlock, or any caster (or melee).

If you're good alignment (or can convince your dm to allow it) and have a good umd check, ancestral relic for a spellbook full of scrolls and other useful tomes (inherent bonuses and extra invocations come to mind).

Otherwise, I would look into what feats I needed to get into a prc.

[Dead]

Currently building a 7th level character.
Here's what I have so far: link (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=352873)

I plan to go warlock 16/binder 1/hellfire warlock 3, and focus on ranged to the exclusion of melee. (looked at glaivelock, doesn't fit my style.)

[DoctorGlock]

Currently building a 7th level character.
Here's what I have so far: link (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=352873)

I plan to go warlock 16/binder 1/hellfire warlock 3, and focus on ranged to the exclusion of melee. (looked at glaivelock, doesn't fit my style.)

How does the DM feel about legacy champion?

Will he let you enter anima mage with warlock? more binding is fun, especially once you get the summoning vestige

[golem1972]

I second anima mage and legacy champion.

I don't believe you can get into anima mag raw, but it's not a big houserule to allow it (2nd level spells). If you can, you either have a couple of useless abilities or need to alter them (switch out the extra spell slot for a bonus invocation).

I think the build goes something like: warlock 2 / binder 1 / anima mage 5 / legacy champion 1 / hellfire warlock 3 / legacy champion +8. Sub out a level for mindbender + mindsight if you can't get anima mage or don't care for 4th level vestiges.

Sadly, 30d6 per round at 20th level is chump change for a blaster (which is already suboptimal). You may still want to try for eldritch blast = attack action.

[OracleofSilence]

I know you wanted to go Warlock, but if you have your heart set on blasting, maybe you should consider being a Mailman (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19868534/The_Mailman:_A_Direct_Damage_Sorcerer).

Lots of blasting goodness. And fairly solidly optimized blasting at that. Otherwise, Anima Mage -> Legacy Champion is a really solid choice.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Sadly, 30d6 per round at 20th level is chump change for a blaster (which is already suboptimal). You may still want to try for eldritch blast = attack action.

Fortunately, at least with some builds, you can get quite a bit more than that. Glaivelock does *FAR* more per round, for example. Specially when you get into Empower SLA, Quicken SLA, and Maximize SLA...

There's more than one build I've done that can reliably deal enough damage to put the Tarrasque into negative hit points. At that point, it's pretty much a no-save-just-die effect that is just about impossible to be truly immune to.

[Alienist]

Have you considered the DR/cold iron stacking goodness of Fey Heritage?

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Have you considered the DR/cold iron stacking goodness of Fey Heritage?

I wouldn't say 'goodness', more like 'feat sink which isn't particularly effective'. Low DR isn't really all that useful for a ranged combatant. Any shot winging his way is either going to be non-physical, in which case DR doesn't apply, or it's going to be overwhelming, in which case DR5 isn't going to be much help.

[Keneth]

Going ranged with warlock is really a suboptimal choice but in the end it's your choice, you might want to consider eldritch disciple since you're not really gonna fill the role of blaster so much.

Check with your DM if he'll let you take Spell Rehearsal, by RAW it won't work since your invocations are not spells but they are close enough thematically (SLAs with somatic components) that you might convince him (I did). And it really shines when used with a warlock since you can "cast" the same thing indefinitely.

[dextercorvia]

I could go for precise shot, but improved precise shot doesn't apply to spell like abilities.

Sure it does. Except for the part about grappling. The difficult part here is getting the +11 BAB that is a prereq.

[thompur]

If you hate SR and miss chances as much as I, Arcane Mastery is great. Combined with Spell Penetration, any level appropriate SR will be no problem.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

If you hate SR and miss chances as much as I, Arcane Mastery is great. Combined with Spell Penetration, any level appropriate SR will be no problem.

Or, just use Vitriolic Blast to ignore SR on those few times it is necessary.

[Need_A_Life]

Supernatural Transformation from Savage Species hasn't been mentioned? If glaivelocks are accepted, then a little "I don't want to deal with SR. Ever." shouldn't be so bad.

Precise shot would be my suggestion, although Fiendish Heiritage can give you access to Teleport... I like my "get out of jail free" cards.

[thompur]

Meh. The DMs I play with tend to use a lot of Evil Outsiders, who usually have resistance or immunity to acid.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Meh. The DMs I play with tend to use a lot of Evil Outsiders, who usually have resistance or immunity to acid.

Immunity? Haven't seen one with flat immunity to acid. Maybe a little bit of resistance, but when you're doing over 200 damage, Acid Resistance 20 isn't going to help them much.