Help building my Warlock

[Tetraplex]

Hello, everyone. I and a small group of friends are getting ready to play a game of 3.5 and I was hoping for some input on my character.

The GM is allowing the PHBs, DMG, Complete Mage, Complete Adventurer, Spell Compendium, Monster Manuals, Complete Divine, Savage Species, and Libris Mortis unconditionally and anything else 3.5 on a case-by-case basis. Flaws and traits are unfortunately not allowed, but skill tricks are.

The rest of the team looks to be a CE Yuan-Ti Dungeon Delver and a CN Awakened Black Bear Rogue. I am playing a CE Strongheart Halfling.
I'm thinking Warlock 7/Sorcerer 1 to start with and I'd like to prestige into Eldritch Theurge and/or Hellfire Warlock at some point.

Ability scores (Rolling 3d6) are:
STR or WIS 14
DEX 18
CON 17
INT 18
STR or WIS 13
CHA 18
Got really lucky here :smallamused:

[Sactheminions]

Well, since you have Evil in the party, it's hard not to recommend Warlock 8/Ur-Priest 2/Eldritch Disciple 10, depending on whether you get a favorable ruling from your DM on whether your eldritch blast damage scales with caster level for invocations or Warlock level. If the latter, stop thinking about playing a Warlock.

If not, either the above or the simpler Warlock 1/Cleric 4/Eldritch Disciple 10/Mystic Theurge 5 are good Warlock builds.

Eldritch Theurge is generally weaker than Eldritch Disciple because Divine Power.

If you like the Arcane spell list a lot though, there's the following:

Sor4/Warlock3/ET10/HellfireWarlock3

If you decide not to go Warlock, then going Wiz4/Sor1/Wild Mage 1/Mindbender 1/Ultimate Magus 10/Archmage5 might give a similar flavor.

Or Mailman.

[Grayson01]

Wll first of Great rolls on the Stats! Second what kinda help are you looking for, feat selection, class selection, Innvocation Selection? What type of build are you going for, controler, Blaster, or battle feild Shaper? Some invocations I always recomend Eldric Spear,Devil's sight or see the unseen, Chilling Tenticals, Perilous Wall of Flame, Fell Flight, Hell Spawn Grace, and Hungry Darkness.

[Tetraplex]

Well, since you have Evil in the party, it's hard not to recommend Warlock 8/Ur-Priest 2/Eldritch Disciple 10, depending on whether you get a favorable ruling from your DM on whether your eldritch blast damage scales with caster level for invocations or Warlock level. If the latter, stop thinking about playing a Warlock.

It scales with the invoker level. Why would having evil in the party influence whether I take Ur Priest/Disciple over Sorc/Theurge?


If not, either the above or the simpler Warlock 1/Cleric 4/Eldritch Disciple 10/Mystic Theurge 5 are good Warlock builds.

Eldritch Theurge is generally weaker than Eldritch Disciple because Divine Power.

I should have specified: With the two rogues, I was going to stay back and blast when possible. If I'm not using the Glaive will I need DP's strength/BAB bonus?


If you like the Arcane spell list a lot though, there's the following:

Sor4/Warlock3/ET10/HellfireWarlock3

Or Mailman.

I like this one, though I'll wait for the answer to the earlier question...what's a mailman?


Well first of Great rolls on the Stats! Second what kinda help are you looking for, feat selection, class selection, Invocation Selection? What type of build are you going for, controller, Blaster, or battle field Shaper? Some invocations I always recommend Eldritch Spear,Devil's sight or see the unseen, Chilling Tentacles, Perilous Wall of Flame, Fell Flight, Hell Spawn Grace, and Hungry Darkness.

Thank you! I welcome any of those. I was thinking blasting with some control or battlefield shaping to help the rogues. I looked into those invocations, and aside from Grace and Hungry Darkness, which seem a bit weak compared to other options (I do like the ability to fill the shadows with bats, though), they sound great!

[Sactheminions]

This (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19868534/The_Mailman:_A_Direct_Damage_Sorcerer) is the mailman. Feel free to tone it down for your game.

Ur-priest is Evil, hence works better if you aren't't hanging with Paladins.

If you are going blaster instead of Glaive, Theurge is probably close to as good as Disciple. The bab still helps.

You could also consider Arcane Trickster for a blaster, since then you can add sneak attack d6 to EB d6's. Not really recommended though. I wonder how hard it is to get a Warlock into Fochluchan Lyrist? That requires research.

In the meantime, I think the Eldritch Theurge into Hellfire Lock is the way to go. Consider Uncanny Trickster to get better Hellfire dice. Don't worry about all the fancy Con damage mitigation. By the time it is relevant ( level eighteen ) you can just UMD a wand of restoration.

[Grayson01]

Yeah that's why I saved those till last, hungry Darkness is a first level Invocation so it helps for shaping battle fields at lower levels and the Bats part is awesome plus with Devil's sight RAW it's a darkness spell so you can see in it to blast at enemies stuck in it. As for Hell SPawn Grace it is not the best Greater Invocation but the Hellcat with it's invis in any form of light and it's upped damge from your base is nice if your going to do a mellee Warlock.
But if your plan is sitting back and blasting and shapping teh battle feild for the Rouges, I suggest Ether Hellrim Blast (Cold Damage and - dex?), or Brimstone (Fire Damage and reflex or be caught on fire) I think those are lesser Invocations, then for Greater (forgive my spelling) Viscosou it's the one that turns it to Acid Damage and ignorse SR so for a blaster build one of the lesser Blast Essseince and Viscosous. I would stay away from the Shape invocations Cone and Chain I have never found very useful but maybe you will have better luck with them then I did.
[QUOTE=

Thank you! I welcome any of those. I was thinking blasting with some control or battlefield shaping to help the rogues. I looked into those invocations, and aside from Grace and Hungry Darkness, which seem a bit weak compared to other options (I do like the ability to fill the shadows with bats, though), they sound great![/QUOTE]

[Tetraplex]

Ur-priest is Evil, hence works better if you aren't hanging with Paladins.

In the meantime, I think the Eldritch Theurge into Hellfire Lock is the way to go. Consider Uncanny Trickster to get better Hellfire dice. Don't worry about all the fancy Con damage mitigation. By the time it is relevant ( level eighteen ) you can just UMD a wand of restoration.

I see; What would you recommend dropping from the Warlock/Sorc/Theurge/HellLock/Trickster build for it?


Yeah that's why I saved those till last. Hungry Darkness is a first level Invocation so it helps for shaping battle fields at lower levels and the Bats part is awesome plus with Devil's sight RAW...you can see in it to blast at enemies stuck in it. As for Hell Spawn Grace it is not the best Greater Invocation but the Hellcat is invisible in any light.
But if your plan is sitting back and blasting and shaping the battlefield for the Rouges, I suggest Ether Hellrime Blast (Cold Damage and -dex?), or Brimstone (Fire Damage and reflex or be caught on fire) I think those are lesser Invocations, then for Greater (forgive my spelling) Viscosou it's the one that turns it to Acid Damage and ignorse SR so for a blaster build one of the lesser Blast Essseince and Viscosous. I would stay away from the Shape invocations Cone and Chain I have never found very useful but maybe you will have better luck with them then I did.

Hmm, what's so bad about the chain shape? I need either Hellrime or Brimstone to qualify for Hellfire 'lock later anyway, so I'll probably grab Rime for the penalty to Dex and cold damage. Vitriolic (is that what you meant? I couldn't find a Viscous essence but it could be from a source i don't know about...) looks great, especially since it ignores SR and can be fired into an AMF like the lesser orbs. I'm not sure I won't be replacing Hungry Darkness at some point, but Grace is a keeper. Why yes, Wizards, I would like to turn into an invisible, telepathic tiger at will. Thank you!

[Sactheminions]

If you go Uncanny Trickster, you sort of have to drop Theurge levels. Which is a bummer. Fortunately, you can wait until Level 17 to make the decision. So just go Warlock ->Sorceror->Theurge 7->Hellfire 3 and save the last three Theurge levels or Trickster for the end.

If your DM is open to early-entry tricks, Versatile Spellcaster and Heighten Spell is a great way to get into Theurge. It saves THREE levels of Sorceror, meaning you get invocations as a 19th Level Warlock (Dark Invocations are very, very good). The build then is:

Warlock 4/Sorceror 1/Theurge 10/Hellfire 3/Warlock +2

[Tetraplex]

Well, I was going to take Precocious Apprentice to qualify early, but Versatile Spellcaster looks a lot better, thanks!

Is the shield ability at Hellfire Warlock 3 good enough for the level? I know I also get and Invoker level but Theurge/Trickster/just Warlock can do that as well...

[Sactheminions]

If you take any Hellfire Warlock, take 3 levels. You want to get more than just 2d6 in return for your con damage.

Getting complicated is rarely a good thing. I would recommend just running with War4/Sor1/ET 4 to start. That way you can always decide the complicated stuff later.

[Grayson01]

Vitriolic is what I was looking for. Sorry I post most of these when I am at work and have no access to my books, plus I can't spell lol. I am glad I can help and Glad that Warlock is getting some play probably my favorite Caster. As for the Chain Shape Invocation I never had much luck with it ether. It's kinda like Chain lightning it is extreamly cituation based, I never had a DM who grouped the enemies tight enough to make it worth giving up one of my 3 or 4 (depending if I take Extra invocation, which I mostly did one character it was like every feat I took after 3 level) invocations per-level of invocation. Oh and not to nit pick but it's a telepathic Lion, I ordered the mini of it just for my Warlock for when he cast it because I am OCD like that lol.


I see; What would you recommend dropping from the Warlock/Sorc/Theurge/HellLock/Trickster build for it?



Hmm, what's so bad about the chain shape? I need either Hellrime or Brimstone to qualify for Hellfire 'lock later anyway, so I'll probably grab Rime for the penalty to Dex and cold damage. Vitriolic (is that what you meant? I couldn't find a Viscous essence but it could be from a source i don't know about...) looks great, especially since it ignores SR and can be fired into an AMF like the lesser orbs. I'm not sure I won't be replacing Hungry Darkness at some point, but Grace is a keeper. Why yes, Wizards, I would like to turn into an invisible, telepathic tiger at will. Thank you!

[Sactheminions]

Invocations:
Entropic Warding and Baleful utterance are pretty amazing. Fell flight is a must have, and Flee the scene is nice. Charm qualifies you for the Mindbender one level PrC. Walk unseen and see the unseen are pretty standard.

Once you get greater, you want Vitriolic Blast, as mentioned. Chilling tentacles is a good battlefield control invocation. Devil's whispers is the best Warlock invocation, or useless, depending on your campaign.

At dark, Utter dark blast is a must, and Retributive invisibility is okay. Path of shadow if you are the only full caster.

Hell spawned grace is a trap.