WoW Warlock using existing materials?

[Composer99]

Hey, all,

I've got some books and I'm thinking about getting a DDI subscription (for my birthday or Christmas) and play some 4e.

I want to run a campaign in World of Warcraft that thematically resembles the game experience (somewhat).

I think pretty much all the classes in WoW are well represented in D&D except the Warlock. Not to say it's not doable, only there isn't a straightforward translation from any D&D class to the WoW class, the way there is for the others (Monk/Monk, Fighter/Warrior, Druid/Druid, etc.).

Rather than try to homebrew a set of Warlock powers that emulate the WoW Warlock, I wanted to know if there are any good multiclass or hybrid options, in conjunction with re-fluffing, that can achieve the desired effect? (Namely, a caster who uses fire & necrotic energy and controls demonic minions.)

[Kurald Galain]

Rather than try to homebrew a set of Warlock powers that emulate the WoW Warlock, I wanted to know if there are any good multiclass or hybrid options, in conjunction with re-fluffing, that can achieve the desired effect? (Namely, a caster who uses fire & necrotic energy and controls demonic minions.)

The Wizard is a good pick here, but of course WoW already has a wizard. Nevertheless, it has a broad range of powers, and it does have some of the best summons in the book for the minion factor, plus good fire spells like Incendiary Detonation and Fire Shroud. Perhaps you could steer the wowlock towards the "blaster wizard" and the wowizard towards the "control wizard", they play rather differently.

[Sol]

What's wrong with the warlock?

[Composer99]

Sounds good, and also fits the fluff of Warcraft as I recall (warlocks mostly being corrupted mages/wizards, unless they are from the old Horde in which case they would be shamans).

[Composer99]

What's wrong with the warlock?

Nothing. In fact an infernal pact warlock is, save for the lack of demonic minion (that I am aware of), what I would consider the starting point for an adaptation of the WoW-warlock. Really I just want advice on how to fit the minion in, so if I get this going and a player tells me s/he wants to play a warlock, I have an immediate suggestion to hand.

[Inevitability]

Nothing. In fact an infernal pact warlock is, save for the lack of demonic minion (that I am aware of), what I would consider the starting point for an adaptation of the WoW-warlock. Really I just want advice on how to fit the minion in, so if I get this going and a player tells me s/he wants to play a warlock, I have an immediate suggestion to hand.

You want a minion in 4e?
Fey beast tamer. Nuff' said. Just call it 'a terrible being from the realm of fire and brimstone'.

[Sol]

Nothing. In fact an infernal pact warlock is, save for the lack of demonic minion (that I am aware of), what I would consider the starting point for an adaptation of the WoW-warlock. Really I just want advice on how to fit the minion in, so if I get this going and a player tells me s/he wants to play a warlock, I have an immediate suggestion to hand.

I'd probably recommend one of two options:

A familiar (WoW warlock pets account for a startlingly small percentage of their overall damage (excepting Demo), and summons/companions in general in D&D are either daily or terrible, so a non-combat familiar at the cost of a feat isn't that bad of a representation. They can be chosen/refluffed to fit the personalities of the WoW demons, at the very least.

Or the fey-beast tamer theme, which gives access to the best combat-companions available on an at-will basis outside of the Sentinel Druid (which is otherwise terrible and decidedly non-warlocky). The pets still should not be used to attack directly unless things provoke OAs from them, or a friendly leader mass-enables basic attacks, but they all have auras that benefit both you and allies greatly, and they're relatively sturdy fellows.

The only other worthwhile option would be some sort of shaman or shaman hybrid, which would be really hard to convincingly cast as a warlock, given how not-strikery they are (though they do have more double-taps than you'd think). A Shaman|Invoker might not suck terribly?

edit: further advice: fluff curse damage as the damage dealt by your pet each round, and the minor action spent to curse as equivalent to /pet attack.

[Tegu8788]

edit: further advice: fluff curse damage as the damage dealt by your pet each round, and the minor action spent to curse as equivalent to /pet attack.

That. Warlock with Fey beast, call curse damage demon damage. You could make it fun by letting them have access to all the fey beasts, but only one at a time.

[Kurald Galain]

For the sake of completeness I should point out the other two "pet classes". First there's the shaman, who comes with a constant companion that contributes quite a lot (but it doesn't really do the fire and necro thing); and second the beastmaster ranger, who comes with a pet but unfortunately is more effective if he ignores his pet and does all the work himself.

Of course, you didn't mention level yet. At levels 9 and up, a wizard could feasibly have a summon up in every combat.

[Inevitability]

Hm... How about a hybrid Shaman|Wizard? You get the pet, you get the wizard powers.

[Composer99]

Thanks to all for the suggestions. That's saved me a bunch of time procrastinating on doing the work! :smallsmile: