[3.5] Warlock & DFA Prestige Classes

[Thurbane]

I know the golden rule - it's generally better not to PrC out with Warlock and (especially) Dragonfire Adept.

Warlock specific PrCs like Hellfire Warlock are the exception.

But, they do benefit from classes that advance spellcasting level or arcane spellcasting level.

Just wondering, what prestige classes advance casting, but don't require casting to enter? Human Paragon springs to mind...

Cheers - T

[Psyren]

I recall that Ruathar is one.

Complete Scoundrel has a bunch, but most of them suck. Cloaked Dancer, Fortune's Friend, Uncanny Trickster...

There's several out there but they tend to be scattered around the place.

[A_S]

This compilation (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=2997.0) has a pretty extensive list.

For my money, the 1-level Mindbender dip for Mindsight is excellent, 3 levels of Ruathar is okay, 2 levels of Chameleon is good if you want to do crafting, and everything else is pretty bad (aside from advancing Hellfire Warlock with Uncanny Trickster or Legacy Champion).

[Troacctid]

Sentinel of Bharrai (BoED) is a nice one. Full casting, no spell prereqs, great class features, and improved skill points to boot. I'm also a fan of Urban Savant (Cityscape)--full casting, solid class features, and it makes you a full-fledged skillmonkey. I was a little surprised when I didn't find it in any of the handbooks.

There's also a lot of prestige classes you can get into if you're willing to lose a level of Warlock casting to dip into another casting class. Eldritch Theurge (CM) is a somewhat obvious one (you need an early entry trick, but Warlock 4/Wizard 1/Eldritch Theurge X works great). I've personally had my eye on Winterhaunt of Iborighu (Frostburn) for a potential character (you can get in with a Cleric dip, then use the prestige class to advance Warlock casting). It's a really cool concept--I'll probably just end up using it for an NPC villain, since I never seem to play evil campaigns. Similarly, Stormsinger (Stormwrack) is accessible with a Bard dip, and gives you some cool thematic abilities and an improved chassis.

[nedz]

There are tricks you can pull such as
Rogue 1 / Beguiler 1 / Warlock 3 / Unseen Seer 10 (Advancing Warlock)
Beguiler 1 qualifies you for US
But you'd really want Rogue 2 for Evasion and Warlock 4 for that UMD trick.

Half Fey (2) / Warlock is quite interesting since you get a bucket full of SLAs as well as flight — which saves you a Lesser Invocation, but this isn't what you were asking for really.

[Snowbluff]

We came up with the idea of a Shadowcaster/Warlock/Noctumancer a while ago. It's a feat or two to qualify, but the combo is pretty neat.

[j_spencer93]

HEY ^^^^ that was my build lol
btw it takes a little while to actually get going but then it is pretty neat.

[Snowbluff]

Oh yeah. Of course, most PrC tricks take a bit anyway.

[j_spencer93]

We put that build on hold but for the first like 6 levels you really do not stand out. Still alot of fluff, and versatility. You get almost all invocations and mysteries, so it works pretty well.
For more fluff and a little more shadowyness, shadow weave magic.
early access precocious apprentice is needed to enter it really early, if DM allows it that will allow you to enter at wizard 1, warlock 1, shadowcaster 1.
afterward you take another shadowcaster, swapping your wizard level to leave you at shadowcaster 3, warlock 1, noctumancer 1. pretty nice, and at 15th level you could even go into shadow adept.

[Troacctid]

I'd say Noctumancer is significantly worse than Eldritch Theurge, since shadow magic is weaker than spellcasting and Noctumancer is harder to qualify for. I would only go for it if your DM lets you count invocations as spells for the prerequisite.

[Snowbluff]

I'd say Noctumancer is significantly worse than Eldritch Theurge, since shadow magic is weaker than spellcasting and Noctumancer is harder to qualify for. I would only go for it if your DM lets you count invocations as spells for the prerequisite.

Well, duh. IT was better from a thematic perspective.

Another trick is the Anima Mage, which has requirements that are more easily subverted.

[j_spencer93]

ya, he is right is your are worried about decently OP. honestly it stood solid in our game. if you wanted to continue both of their castings in my build i think you could even take mystic theurge to advance both more but i am not certain.

[Thurbane]

There will be a Dread Necro 1/Binder 1/Warlock 1/Anima Mage X as a MBEG in my campaign...

[ben-zayb]

Might also want to check out Nosomatic Chirurgeon, as it opens up spellcasting requirements

[Zaq]

Even if you find a PrC that a DFA qualifies for, you probably don't want to actually step outside of DFA. Sure, you get more invocations and more dice on your breath weapon, but you don't get new breath effects. And breath effects tend to be really, really cool. So that's something that's pretty hard to give up.

I'm totally on board with PrCing for Warlocks, as most Warlock class features aren't amazing, so advancing invocations and EB damage is really all you want. (Okay, Imbue Item is pretty sweet if you're in a campaign that allows you to have a lot of downtime to craft, but having never personally played in a game that's slow-paced enough to allow that to work, I view it as situational at best.) But there's more to a DFA than just breath damage and invocations, so they have a rougher time of it.

[nedz]

I'm not a huge fan of Hellfire Warlock BTW. All it gives you are larger numbers, and even then not all that many. To raise your build w.r.t. the tier system what you you need are more options, not bigger numbers.

[Snowbluff]

I'm not a huge fan of Hellfire Warlock BTW. All it gives you are larger numbers, and even then not all that many. To raise your build w.r.t. the tier system what you you need are more options, not bigger numbers.

Well, you need numbers to be competent in terms of damage dealing, which is a role of sorts. Additionally, the PrC gives a couple of other good abilities.

[Thurbane]

Even if you find a PrC that a DFA qualifies for, you probably don't want to actually step outside of DFA. Sure, you get more invocations and more dice on your breath weapon, but you don't get new breath effects. And breath effects tend to be really, really cool. So that's something that's pretty hard to give up.
True, true, but sometimes I like to mix it up a little for NPC builds...

Currently making a Half-fey Equiceph DFA as a potential encounter in my current campaign.

[j_spencer93]

Ya i like the fluff of hellfire but dislike its abilities