Warlock help please

[SangoProduction]

Yeah, my game with the shape shifter went on hiatus, so I'm looking for help with warlock for a zombie apocalypse-type game.

I figured it was the best thing I could play that didn't completely shut down the game with spells that did everything, but still had more to do than "I swing my sword" (admittedly, it's now "I blast my thingy" but there is at least the option to go "I use darkness" as well). I have a build that's potentially also including some Swordsage stuff, but I have workable knowledge and no questions about that part right now.

So, I've read over a couple of forums and what not (probably should just read a hand book, but meh).
1) I seem to be getting conflicting answers. Warlock seems to get 1d6 per 2 levels for the blast. I've read some people claiming it's 1d10. Could anyone tell me why? Perhaps it's some 5e stuff.

2) I also saw some people saying that the Warlock [removed link] received errata so that the blast is always 1st level equivalent if it's not augmented. The dndtools link I have supports this. Is it true?

2.5) And then this [removed link] says that Eldritch Glaive level 1 unless specifically enhanced by and Eldritch Essence. Is that true?

3) Is there a point to using Eldritch Glaive (the melee version of blast), until level 8 (assuming pure warlock)? By what I read it doesn't really do anything but nerf your range...and lets you threaten but...eh. I kinda wanna play a melee warlock, but that seems kinda...well... Especially as you lose any other blast or shape invocation to use it. (I assume you can't stack them, right?)

4) Assuming you have the level for Quicken Sp Ability for the Glaive (level 10 I think), do you get 2 full attacks a turn? That doesn't seem quite right. But I've heard that (at least for the normal blast), you can quicken it.

5) Also, most invocation lists I can find seem to be very, incredibly incomplete. Does anyone know a complete invocation list I can use?

6) Is there any limit to the number of times per day the invocations can be used?

7) Is it unreasonable to let a Glaive blast be "enchanted"?

8) [removed many links in this]
Brimstone Blast says the target can't take more than 2d6 points of fire damage, even if hit by this again...does that mean it becomes immune to fire damage other than that blast, while you're burning it?
OK, more seriously, what if you used one of those Gauntlets of Eldritch Energy to change it to cold or sonic (actually sonic might be really nice)? Would it be able to stack then? I mean there's little reason to buy those gauntlets otherwise (untyped damage > typed, normally), so I assume that's their purpose, but I want to know.

[AmberVael]

1) I have no idea why people would claim it is 1d10. But its not precisely 1d6/2 levels either. It definitely operates off a d6 and is close to 1d6 for every two levels, but just follow the class chart in Complete Arcane.

2) Yes, this is correct. While the auto-scaling level wasn't a terrible idea, it presented the problem of making it impossible to use feats like Quicken Spell-Like Ability with eldritch blast, and also provoked confusion around saving throws, so it was changed.

2.5) This is false. Along with the errata that defaults an eldritch blast's level to 1, it was changed so that blast shapes and eldritch essences alter the effective level of the eldritch blast when they're applied. Eldritch Glaive is 2nd level, therefore if you apply eldritch glaive to your eldritch blast, it is a 2nd level ability.

3) It threatens and is a melee touch attack rather than a ranged touch attack, which may matter. But yeah, its not the best at low levels.

4) By RAW, yes. Or probably, at least. Don't expect all DMs to allow it though.

5) Here you go. (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/lists/invocations)

6) No. Invocations are usable at will, as defined in the Invocations section of the warlock class.

7) Well its not allowed by the rules and I don't see any particular reason it should be... but I dunno if I'd go so far as to call it unreasonable. It probably wouldn't break anything.

8) You... could read it that way, and it might even be RAW, but the intention seems to be that you can't stack brimstone damage with itself. Which changing the energy type would also shenanigan around, technically. But all of this probably gets many frowny faces of disapproval.

[nedz]

1) You probably want to remove the link to that site before it gets scrubbed. The details are correct though.

2) You can find the Errata here (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/errata). CArcane is the file you want.

3) It has reach so you can get AoO quite easily.

4) By RAW yes.

6) None

7) Yes, any more than you can enchant a Fireball. You can use some metamagic though: basically any metamagic which doesn't alter the 'spell-level' is fair game.

8) No. This is just to stop the damage building up if you hit the same target with multiple Brimstone blasts.

The Gauntlets of Eldritch Energy appear to be homebrew so talk to your DM. They don't seem particularly OP.

[Grod_The_Giant]

1) I seem to be getting conflicting answers. Warlock (http://dndtools.pw/classes/warlock/) seems to get 1d6 per 2 levels for the blast. I've read some people claiming it's 1d10. Could anyone tell me why? Perhaps it's some 5e stuff.
It does a d10 in 5e, but d6/2 levels in 3.


3) Is there a point to using Eldritch Glaive (the melee version of blast), until level 8 (assuming pure warlock)? By what I read it doesn't really do anything but nerf your range...and lets you threaten but...eh. I kinda wanna play a melee warlock, but that seems kinda...well... Especially as you lose any other blast or shape invocation to use it. (I assume you can't stack them, right?)
It lets you make full attacks with your blast, providing a nice damage boost. And you can combine with normal AoO tactics to land even more hits.

An alternate route is to take the feat Eldrich Claws, which is from Dragon but gives you two claw attacks dealing unarmed+blast damage. It's not a touch attack, but it locks in much sooner, and it's easier to boost your damage and get extra attacks.


4) Assuming you have the level for Quicken Sp Ability for the Glaive (level 10 I think), do you get 2 full attacks a turn? That doesn't seem quite right. But I've heard that (at least for the normal blast), you can quicken it.
Looks like that's how it works, yeah!


5) Also, most invocation lists I can find seem to be very, incredibly incomplete. Does anyone know a complete invocation list I can use?
They're in Complete Arcane, Complete Mage, and I think one or two in Dragon Magic, but that's about it. It's a short list.


6) Is there any limit to the number of times per day the invocations can be used?
Nope! Thus is the main draw of the class. Shatter all day, every day.

7) Is it unreasonable to let a Glaive blast be "enchanted"?[/QUOTE]
I wouldn't. It's technically a weapon-like spell, which have concrete rules. A Warlock's Scepter is close, though.


8) Brimstone Blast (http://aaronwiki.us/index.php?title=Brimstone_Blast) says the target can't take more than 2d6 points of fire damage, even if hit by this again...does that mean it becomes immune to fire damage other than that blast, while you're burning it?
OK, more seriously, what if you used one of those Gauntlets of Eldritch Energy (http://aaronwiki.us/index.php?title=Gauntlets_of_Eldritch_Energy) to change it to cold or sonic (actually sonic might be really nice)? Would it be able to stack then? I mean there's little reason to buy those gauntlets otherwise (untyped damage > typed, normally), so I assume that's their purpose, but I want to know.
I think the idea is that you don't get any more on fire from being hit repeatedly. I think the gauntlets would work, though- nice catch.

[SangoProduction]

One more question.

Can you stack blast and shape and such invocations on the Eldritch Blast, or can you only use one or the other? Or can you only use one of each category, or what?

[AmberVael]

You can apply one eldritch essence and one blast shape to each eldritch blast you use.

[BowStreetRunner]

What's really going to confuse the heck out of you is when you realize that the rules for invocations state:

"...invocations are spell-like abilities; using an invocation is therefore a standard action..."
"Eldritch blast is an invocation."
"Some of a warlock’s invocations...modify the damage or other effects of the warlock’s eldritch blast. These are called eldritch essence invocations." and "Some of a warlock’s invocations...modify the range, target(s), or area of a warlock’s eldritch blast. These are called blast shape invocations."

So RAW an Eldritch Blast, Eldritch Essence and Blast Shape are all invocations that require a standard action. Also RAW no duration is given for Eldritch Essence or Blast Shape invocations so it is not clear if they apply only to a single Eldritch Blast, for a single round, until turned off, or some other duration.

Now the FAQ did sort this out with the following statement.

What kind of action is required to apply an eldritch essence invocation or blast shape invocation to the warlock’s eldritch blast? How long do these invocations last once applied?
No action is required to apply an eldritch essence or blast shape invocation to the eldritch blast; it’s done as part of using the eldritch blast itself.
Eldritch essence and blast shape invocations affect only the eldritch blast to which they are applied. The warlock can apply them again to later blasts as desired.

Now as the Eldritch Glaive is a blast shape which does not actually require an action, you would apply Quicken Spell Like ability to your Eldritch Blast, allowing you to cast one Eldritch Blast as a swift action and if you like another as a standard action. Applying the Eldritch Glaive to either then allows you to use that Eldritch Blast to make a single melee attack as a full round action. The Quicken Spell Like ability does not change this - it just changes the activation of the effect.

And this is where things get complicated. The FAQ has already addressed the issue of Hideous Blow, which allows you to make an attack as a standard action, and stated that this is part of the same standard action used to activate the Eldritch Blast (much like using a touch spell allows an attack to be made as part of a spells casting) so the precedent exists to state that the full round action to attack with Eldritch Glaive takes place of the standard action to activate Eldritch Blast. Quicken Spell Like ability then reduces this to a swift action that allows you to make a single melee attack or as many attacks with your eldritch glaive as your base attack bonus allows. You can then follow up with another Eldritch Glaive as a full round action to do the same thing.

So the basis for saying that you can use a quickened eldritch glaive this way exists but requires the FAQ to make it clear as there is nothing in the rules themselves to sort this out.

EDIT: Also, please do not link to sites that reprint anything that is not covered under the OGL.

[SangoProduction]

OK. Thanks for the information. I removed the links, as I don't know even what OGL is supposed to stand for.

[BowStreetRunner]

OK. Thanks for the information. I removed the links, as I don't know even what OGL is supposed to stand for.

Parts of third edition D&D were published under an Open Game License (OGL) in the form of the System Reference Document (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35). Read the explanation at the top of the linked page.

[Necroticplague]

1) I seem to be getting conflicting answers. Warlock seems to get 1d6 per 2 levels for the blast. I've read some people claiming it's 1d10. Could anyone tell me why? Perhaps it's some 5e stuff.

2) I also saw some people saying that the Warlock received errata so that the blast is always 1st level equivalent if it's not augmented. The dndtools link I have supports this. Is it true?

2.5) And then this says that Eldritch Glaive level 1 unless specifically enhanced by and Eldritch Essence. Is that true?

3) Is there a point to using Eldritch Glaive (the melee version of blast), until level 8 (assuming pure warlock)? By what I read it doesn't really do anything but nerf your range...and lets you threaten but...eh. I kinda wanna play a melee warlock, but that seems kinda...well... Especially as you lose any other blast or shape invocation to use it. (I assume you can't stack them, right?)

4) Assuming you have the level for Quicken Sp Ability for the Glaive (level 10 I think), do you get 2 full attacks a turn? That doesn't seem quite right. But I've heard that (at least for the normal blast), you can quicken it.

5) Also, most invocation lists I can find seem to be very, incredibly incomplete. Does anyone know a complete invocation list I can use?

6) Is there any limit to the number of times per day the invocations can be used?

7) Is it unreasonable to let a Glaive blast be "enchanted"?

8)Brimstone Blast says the target can't take more than 2d6 points of fire damage, even if hit by this again...does that mean it becomes immune to fire damage other than that blast, while you're burning it?

1. It's 1d6/2 level.

2.As far as I know. Watch out for Globes of Invulnerability.

2.5. Huh? Not even sure what you're asking here. Semms like you're missing a verb.

3.It's for getting more attacks. Since it threatens as a reach weapon, it gets AoOs, and it gets additional attacks as you level, unlike the base blast, which is limited to 1/turn (unless you're a sharn or similar race). At low levels, you can get something out of Combat Reflexes with it.

4.Kinda. You aren't making a full-attack when you use Eldritch Glaive. But it has similar effects, and you can indeed quicken it to cram it into a swift action, in addition to using it as a normal full-round action.

5.Yes.

6. Nope, thank gods.

7. Yes, for multiple reasons. 1. The glaive only exists for one round. 2. The invocation doesn't actually form a glaive. It takes on a glaive-like physical substance. But it isn't an actual weapon in any way, shape, or form, and trying to treat it like one beyond its status as a weaponlike spell like ability will just cause more rules headaches.