3.5 Warlock Advice Needed

[newsman77]

Hi Guys and Gals,

First time poster, but long time reader here. I've run into a little bit of a snag and thought I'd turn to the experts for help. I need a little help with direction of my character.

For starters: My DM challenged me to play a warlock in the most fun game of d&d I've ever played. I usually play a fighter, but I'm learning and liking the Warlock.

The Build:
Warlock Level 5
Stats: 18/18/18/18/12/11
Feats: 1) Mithril Body, 3) Eldritch Claws
Invocations: Eldritch Spear, Spiderwalk, See the Unseen.
Important Equipment: Chausable of Fell Power, +1 armor

My Style: I fight at range until someone gets on me, or I close in, then I claw it up. It's worked so far and it's fun.

The Problem: Where to go? I've looked at taking Cloistered Clerc then Eldritch Disciple at 6 & 7 respective (DM granted 1 level only cleric dip)... to pick up Healing Blast. Then on to Hellfire Warlock (10 - 13).

It's been suggested at the table to take 4 levels of Incarnate then Soulcaster to keep advancing Incarnate & Warlock. So Warlock5/Cleric1/Eldritch Discple1/Incarnate 2/Hellfire Warlock 3/Incarnate 2/Soulcaster 6. What would you recommend? Should I stay Eldritch Disciple?

**Also, if you take the Leadership feat, what class would your co-hort be? I've heard artificer is pretty awesome, but all that math/paperwork is a little intimidating.

Any advice is appreciated and welcomed. Thank you so much!!

[Aegis013]

If you want to try to rocket your damage potential into the sky, you could do a dip into Binder for the Naberius bind (which will let you heal 1 ability damage/round) then go into Hellfire Warlock, then go into Legacy Champion to progress Hellfire Warlock. Ask your DM though. Some people consider using Legacy Champion to advance Hellfire Warlock to be cheesy, and Legacy weapons and feats and such are bad, but Warlocks could use the love.

As far as Leadership, Artificer can be awesome depending on how your WBL is handled. If you get it in gold, the Artificer can basically double your wealth. The paperwork is quite daunting though.

The best cohorts are ones that don't take up spotlight and provide a useful benefit to your whole group. A Dragonfire Inspiration Bard is a good choice. DFI can significantly bolster your Eldritch Spear/Claw damage as well as the damage of others in your group.

[Tokiko Mima]

If you're adding on divine spells and Eldritch Disciple, don't go cleric. You want 2 levels of Ur-Priest(CD) instead- it advances faster.

I don't see a lot of benefits from Incarnum to Warlocks. One reason is Soulcaster simply has requirements that Warlock alone can't meet: Barring a highly specific Ebberon-only halfling build you cannot cast second level arcane spells. Not only that, but most of the class abilities are useless to you without spell slots to augment with essentia.

[Ruethgar]

Sanctum spell and any divine caster 1 would also work for eldritch disciple.

I would suggest the Strongheart vest as a feat over a Binder dip but that's just me. Definitely try and take bloodline levels, hellfire warlock, and uncanny trickster(legacy champion works, but I don't like relying on items if I don't have to). Also you'll want to try and get Beast Strike if able, it will double your melee damage.

[docnessuno]

Ur-Priest 2 + Eldritch disicple 9 / 10 is the best choice from an optimization standpoint.

[Snowbluff]

If you're going ED, you actually want Power Attack and Eldritch Glaive instead of the claws. Healing Blast stacks up really heavily under those effects by giving you more hits per blast, and adding a lot of extra healing though PA damage becoming healing. With Divine Power, you're a force to be reckoned with.

Eldritch Claws is not your Eldritch Blast ability, so you can't use it with Hellfire Blast, anyway.

Also, warforged? o.0

[newsman77]

Lots of great advice! Thanks guys!!

I can't believe I forgot. Yes... I'm a Warforged Warlock. It's a fun race. We're not Eberron specific, but the DM did want me to be able to play the Warforged.


If you're adding on divine spells and Eldritch Disciple, don't go cleric. You want 2 levels of Ur-Priest(CD) instead- it advances faster.

Ur-Priest is now allowed :( The DM says yes to a lot, but not to that. Sorry. I was going to used Cloisted Cleric to pick up Knowledge Devotion, Travel Devotion & Undeath Domain (to fuel more healing blasts/travel devotion abilities).

Thanks for the bard co-hort idea. That's awesome!!

**Ah, the Eldritch Glaive+PA. Nice! I'll see if I can switch up a bit.