Mad thought, Converting Psionics (& some Incarnum) for use as Invocations? [D&D 3.5]

[Sgt. Cookie]

The one thing we can all agree on with Warlocks, DFAs and homebrew Invocation users, is that they lack versatility, so I had a thought, what if we took the Warlock, restructured it after Psionics and thew in some Incarnum for good measure. (Although that's an over simplification and not my actual thought process)

This is a very rough draft, more of a visualisation than anything else:


Warlock

Note: When the Table says "As Warlock", exclude any Invocation/Eldritch Blast class features. Also, Red is notation.

{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Eldritch Pool|Maximum Invocation Level

1st|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+2|Eldritch Blast, Invocations|Number|1st

2nd|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+3|As Warlock|Number|1st

3rd|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+3|As Warlock|Number|1st

4th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|As Warlock|Number|2nd

5th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|As Warlock|Number|2nd

6th|
+4|
+5|
+2|
+5|As Warlock|Number|3rd

7th|
+5|
+5|
+2|
+5|As Warlock|Number|3rd

8th|
+6/1|
+6|
+2|
+6|As Warlock|Number|4th

9th|
+6/1|
+6|
+3|
+6|As Warlock|Number|4th

10th|
+7/2|
+7|
+3|
+7|As Warlock|Number|5th

11th|
+8/3|
+7|
+3|
+7|As Warlock|Number|5th

12th|
+9/4|
+8|
+4|
+8|As Warlock|Number|6th

13th|
+9/4|
+8|
+4|
+8|As Warlock|Number|6th

14th|
+10/5|
+9|
+4|
+9|As Warlock|Number|7th

15th|
+11/6/1|
+9|
+5|
+9|As Warlock|Number|7th

16th|
+12/7/2|
+10|
+5|
+10|As Warlock|Number|8th

17th|
+12/7/2|
+10|
+5|
+10|As Warlock|Number|8th

18th|
+13/8/3|
+11|
+6|
+11|As Warlock|Number|9th

19th|
+14/9/4|
+11|
+6|
+11|As Warlock|Number|9th

20th|
+15/10/5|
+12|
+6|
+12|As Warlock|Number|9th[/table]

The Max Invocation Level matches up to the Sorcerer spell levels.

Class Features:

Skills: As Warlock

Weapon and Armour: As Warlock

Invocations:

A Warlock does not cast spells, instead he casts Invocations. An Invocation is in many ways like an Arcane Spell, it can be disrupted, it can suffer from ASF, Spell Resistance applies etc, except it is a Spell-Like ability, and is therefore a Standard action, unless the Invocation states otherwise.

Despite being a Spell Like ability, an Invocation is considered to be a Spontaneous Arcane Spel. This means that any feat (Excluding Metamagic feats), PrC, etc, that requires, enhances, advances, etc, Arcane Spells, also apply to Invocations. Unless the feat is a Metamagic feat (See next paragraph), any feat that functions by expending/converting a spell slot(s).

An Invocation cannot be enhanced by Metamagic feats, but can be enhanced by MetaSLA feats, however, those feats count as their Metamagic counterparts for Prerequisites for Warlocks and other Invocation users.


To use an Invocation, the Warlock must first ready it by invest a number of points from his Eldritch Pool equal to the Invocation's level. Once readied, the Warlock may use the Invocation at-will. The Invocation stays readied until the Warlock decides to reinvest the points. The Warlock may invest/reinvest a number of points equal to twice his class level as a Swift Action. You may have as many Invocations readied as you can afford.

The Warlock may also Overcharge his Invocations by Investing extra points. The effect of Overcharging is stated in the Invocation description. Unless otherwise stated, you can Invest a number of extra points equal to the Invocation's level + (2 X Cha Mod).

If an Invocation offers a Saving Throw, the DC is 10 + Invocation's Level + Charisma Mod

The Warlock qualifies for any PrC that requires a specific "level" of Invocations (Least, Lesser, etc.), at the same level the Warlock from Complete Arcane did.

Eldritch Blast (Sp):

An Eldritch Blast is an Invocation, with a Level equal to the Warlock's Maximum Invocation Level, as shown on the table.

An Eldritch Blast is a Ray with a Range of 60ft. It is a Ranged Touch Attack that deals 1d6 damage, that damage can be augmented by Investing points from the Eldritch Pool.

An Eldritch Blast is an Attack Equivelent Action, allowing for Iterative Attacks. Additionaly, any feat that affects a Ranged Weapon (Such as Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, etc) also affects Eldritch Blast.

You may Invest points from your Eldritch Pool to enhance your Eldritch Blast Damage. Every point Invested increases Eldritch Blast damage by 1d6. You may Invest a number of points equal to your Warlock level -1.

You qualify for any Feat, PrC, etc, that requires a specific Eldritch Blast level, provided you are of high enough level to USE the required Eldritch Blast, even if you have not Invested the points. For example: A fifth level Warlock counts as though he had 5d6 Eldritch Blast damage, regardless of how many points he has Invested into his Eldritch Blast.






Like I said, this is the early stages, thoughts?

[jiriku]

Although the increased damage output of the eldritch blast is welcome, this doesn't really address the versatility issue, IMO. Warlocks suffer from too few invocations known, not from too few options for customizing what they have. Not to say your proposal is bad; it looks interesting and workable. I just don't see it accomplishing the goal that you've fixed for it.

IMC, we make a few tweaks to warlock class features, but the big changes are that the EB damage is 1d6/warlock level, and the warlock gets 1 invocation per level, with an extra one at 1st level. Those two changes seem to fix 90% of what's wrong with the warlock.

[Omnicrat]

You're converting invocations to for use as psionics, not the other way around. Mechanically speaking, at least. You are changing invocations to be used as psionics are currently used, with power points and all.

[Vermithrax]

You're converting invocations to for use as psionics, not the other way around. Mechanically speaking, at least. You are changing invocations to be used as psionics are currently used, with power points and all.

It's more like Sgt. Cookie wants to use psionics as a back-end, out-of-combat system for designing invocations from which a limited amount would be selected by the player for use as unchanging, at-will, spell-like abilities in each combat. This should give all the customizability, and versatility of psionics without bogging combats down with power point allocation calculations.

[Sgt. Cookie]

Jiriku: I agree, Invocations as written arn't that useful.

Omnicrat: Technicalities! But that's not quite it.

Verm: Almost, the Invocations can be changed pretty quickly and easily. Apart from that, you're spot on. Couldn't have said it better myself.

[Omnicrat]

It makes less people read your work when one title brings them in that has nothing to do with* (or is the opposite of) what you are actually doing. Also, you realize you've done nothing yet but give an idea, right? You have to rewrite every invocation (and make new ones), and come up with how man EPs a warlock has at each level.

Still upset you just stopped posting in your create a half-breed thread.

Exceptions include very catchy titles by homebrewers such as Kellus that clearly have little to do with the work going in.