Warlock fixes (and others)

[Bobby Baratheon]

So, as a relatively new DM, I've tried to not insert too many houserules into the system; I don't want to clog it up too much, and I think it's important to get a feel for how to DM the base game before starting to modify it too much. There are a couple of things that I am modifying, though, and mostly is has to do with helping somewhat underpowered classes become viable without having to rely on narrow tricks that often conceptually limit a character. The main one is the warlock, one of my favorite classes, and one that I like for newbies to play. It kind of gives them an intro for how magic works in D&D without drowning them in paperwork. As it stands, the warlock is underpowered. Hence this thread. The goal here is to make the warlock into at least a borderline tier three, without making the class more confusing.

Some ideas:
-Increased eldritch blast die (1d6/level)
-Eldritch blast can be used as an iterative attack
-Eldritch lightsaber :smalltongue: (least blast shape; you can use eldritch blast to replicate a melee weapon; you use the eldritch blast die for damage, it's still a touch attack, but you can use iteratives normally. A replicated reach weapon is still a reach attack; this allows for eldritch glaive like shenanigans but doesn't limit the player to just using a reach version)
-Bonus invocations based on CHA (probably capped at 2 or 3 per invocation type [least, lesser, etc])
-Extra invocation feat adds extra invocations equal to (1+Cha mod)/2, min. 1
-Practised spellcaster advances eldritch blast die and tiers of invocations, but not invocations known (Ex: A warlock 1/X 5 with practised spellcaster can, upon taking a new level of warlock (or a prestige class) that grants invocation has access to lesser invocations as well as least ones.
-DR advancement is doubled and/or converted into fast healing (would be merged with the fiendish resilience in that case)
-d8 HD
-4+Int skills

I have more ideas (like a mechanism for learning arcane spells as invocations), but I wanted to get some feedback on how this would change the warlocks power level and tier positioning. Thanks!

[John Longarrow]

Eldritch Glaive already gives you a melee attack, if you choose. Also allows you to make AoOs, threaten, and in all other ways is considered a melee weapon. (See Dragon Magic, page 82)

IIRC, Practiced Spellcaster already increases your blast damage.

Items I've found useful from my game are to allow a warlock to use typed damage. Normally at character creation they choose a type of energy instead of untyped, then they can also take the energy substitution feat to use other energy types. Mostly for flavor, but some times doing fire damage is more useful.

[Troacctid]

The damage is definitely pushed. 1d6/level with iteratives as a touch attack is quite generous for an at-will ability, especially one that can be maximized, empowered, quickened, boosted in CL, and otherwise optimized even further. Honestly, I don't think it needs to be pushed that hard—if you want to boost the damage output, I'd be more inclined to go up to 1d8 per two levels, or add Charisma to the damage, but really, just adding iteratives does a lot of work.

Extra invocations are good, but I don't think bonus invocations known based on Charisma are the way to go. Consider a Warlock who puts on a Cloak of Charisma. Does he immediately choose a new invocation? What if he takes it off and puts it back on again? Can he just switch his invocation as much as he wants? That's probably more powerful than you intended. I prefer simply adding extra invocations to the level progression at levels where you weren't already getting them; one or two extra invocations of each grade should do the trick.

The skill point and HD buffs are definitely needed. I like the lightsaber option. Making Practiced Spellcaster work is definitely necessary, but I would just make blast damage dependent on caster level rather than class level, so that it's also compatible with other CL boosts.


IIRC, Practiced Spellcaster already increases your blast damage.
That's incorrect. As written, blast damage is only based on your class levels.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Iterative attacks with the blast (maybe also working with rapid shot, or +Cha at a level 6) ought to do you just fine in the damage front. 1 Invocation/level should handle versatility, and a HD and skill point upgrade are nice touches for anyone. That should be all you need, methinks.

[Bobby Baratheon]

As stated, Practised Spellcaster technically does not advance Eldritch blast damage, as it is not a function of caster level and is a class feature.

I think making it a function of caster level is a rather elegant solution, as is amping the blast die damage up to d8 from d6, and maybe making it equal to 1d8/2 caster levels, while allowing iterative attacks.

The whole point of the lightsaber is to make eldritch glaive more conceptually general and more user-friendly. Now the invocation is simply focusing the eldritch energy into the weapon of your choice (maybe an immediate or swift action?), allowing for greater conceptual freedom while still allowing to the reach/AoO stuff for players who want to use that. Not all players want to do that, and the option should exist for them to focus their eldritch energy into a different weapon. I recognize that this mostly unimportant from a mechanical perspective, but it provides a nice flexibility for the player.

In regards to the Charisma, increasing your Charisma through an item/spell like Eagle's splendor does not increase your bonus spells per day as a sorceror, so why would it increase your bonus invocations known as a warlock? I think using the same mechanic would be adequate.

EDIT: The bonus invocations are intended to reward the warlock for having a high score, which the class kind of lacks. Most magical classes give pretty hefty rewards for having a high main ability score, so why not the warlock?

[Troacctid]

The lightsaber should be a blast shape invocation, which means it takes the same action as the standard blast.


In regards to the Charisma, increasing your Charisma through an item/spell like Eagle's splendor does not increase your bonus spells per day as a sorceror, so why would it increase your bonus invocations known as a warlock? I think using the same mechanic would be adequate.

Sorcerers do get bonus spells from a Cloak of Charisma. There's a reason it's bonus spell SLOTS rather than bonus spells KNOWN.

[Janthkin]

The whole point of the lightsaber is to make eldritch glaive more conceptually general and more user-friendly. Now the invocation is simply focusing the eldritch energy into the weapon of your choice (maybe an immediate or swift action?), allowing for greater conceptual freedom while still allowing to the reach/AoO stuff for players who want to use that. Not all players want to do that, and the option should exist for them to focus their eldritch energy into a different weapon. I recognize that this mostly unimportant from a mechanical perspective, but it provides a nice flexibility for the player.Nothing wrong with this, so long as you preserve the "it's not a melee attack" aspect of Eldritch Glaive. Otherwise, you run into Power Attack, the benefits of two-handed weapons, etc.

Honestly, it's not really damage that the Warlock is lacking (at least until level 11, when the Eldritch Blast progression goes screwy); it's versatility. Bumping up the number of known invocations would be a big help - maybe start with gaining 2 at the first level you can access a particular tier.


EDIT: The bonus invocations are intended to reward the warlock for having a high score, which the class kind of lacks. Most magical classes give pretty hefty rewards for having a high main ability score, so why not the warlock?Duskblades don't particularly benefit from high Int, and I would slot the Warlock in with a Duskblade thematically - limited range of powers, but greater ability to spam them. I always liked that it was a class that didn't need any particularly exceptional stats.

If it were me, I'd start with the following:
1) Normalize Eldritch Blast progression (+1d6 every other level, all the way to 20);
2) Allow iterative attacks with Eldritch Blast as a full-attack action;
3) Add an "Improved Eldritch Blast" feat equivalent to "Improved Natural Weapon", that bumps up the damage die one size;
4) Add one more Invocation known per tier;
5) Change "Extra Invocations" to grant one more Invocation known per tier;
6) Go to 4+Int skill points, and tweak some of the (non-combat) Invocations to also make appropriate skills class skills when the Invocation is selected;
7) Maybe add a bonus metamagic spell-like ability feat at level 10.

[Bobby Baratheon]

Sorcerers do get bonus spells from a Cloak of Charisma. There's a reason it's bonus spell SLOTS rather than bonus spells KNOWN.

Fair enough. Also, you are correct with the standard action required to activate an invocation. Not sure what I was thinking with the immediate action stuff. Also, in regards to the power attack stuff, it would still be a weapon-like effect, not a weapon (no strength to damage, power attack, etc). I just wish there was a way to reward warlocks for having a high ability score without allowing for too much abuse. Would 1d6 eldritch blast/2 levels plus charisma really be too overpowered?

I like the per tier thing on Extra Invocation, as long there's no penalty for taking it early (ie take it at level 1, get an extra invocation, then once you hit level six get another free one of your new tier)

Bonus metamagic feat (for spell-like ability, obviously) would be pretty boss, actually. Quicken, in particular, would be cool. What about an Arcane fusion type power where the warlock can combine two blast essences in one blast? That could start at 3/day at, say, level nine, and at level twenty become an at will power (not a great capstone, but not terrible).

[John Longarrow]

Please remember that Warlocks get one of the most useful class features in the game at 12th level. Imbue Item is pretty frikking fantastic, since they can create ANY item with it.

[Troacctid]

Would 1d6 eldritch blast/2 levels plus charisma really be too overpowered?
Probably not.


I like the per tier thing on Extra Invocation, as long there's no penalty for taking it early (ie take it at level 1, get an extra invocation, then once you hit level six get another free one of your new tier)
What I would do is just put extra invocations in the level progression at levels where the Warlock doesn't already get them, like 3 and 7.

Some Warlock fixes also have a separate progression for shape/essence invocations, like how the Dragonfire Adept has breath effects.


What about an Arcane fusion type power where the warlock can combine two blast essences in one blast? That could start at 3/day at, say, level nine, and at level twenty become an at will power (not a great capstone, but not terrible).
There is technically a feat (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ei/20061027a) that does this, but it requires 24 ranks in Spellcraft, so it's a bit prohibitive for lower levels. :smalltongue:

[Bobby Baratheon]

Might be just a bit too hard to get :smallamused:

I'm aware of the power of Imbue Item, but it comes at level twelve. The eleven levels before it are fairly mediocre, and an artificer will blow a warlock out of the water in crafting (all though, to be fair that's like comparing a Star Destroyer to Jabba's pleasure yacht. Pretty much everything comes off poorly when compared to an Artificer).


What I would do is just put extra invocations in the level progression at levels where the Warlock doesn't already get them, like 3 and 7.

If I'm understanding you correctly, that would essentially be one new Invocation per level? I think it would be preferable just to increase the invocation pool rather than do separate progressions, although I can see the appeal. It makes sense for a DFA, but I think a warlock should be more flexible.

EDIT: Also, most of the epic warlock feats suck. Like, really really bad. A couple of them are almost toughness bad.

Epic Eldritch Blast [Epic]

Your eldritch blasts are unstoppably powerful.

Prerequisites: Eldritch blast 9d6.

Benefit: When you take this invocation, the damage dealt by your eldritch blast increases by 1d6.

Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects stack.

Nothing says "unstoppably powerful" like an extra 1d6 (GASP!) damage.

[Troacctid]

If I'm understanding you correctly, that would essentially be one new Invocation per level?

If you're adding two invocations per grade, yes.

[Bobby Baratheon]

Seems like a reasonable, simple way to mitigate the invocation crunch. I still think it would be pretty cool to include a mechanism to convert arcane spells into invocations (though obviously this would have to include DM approval, and some things [hi, wish!] would be thrown right out). If the warlock can get dimension door as a lesser invocation, why not teleport as a greater?

[Troacctid]

Shadow Walk is worse than Teleport and it's Dark, so that seems unlikely. You can Greater Teleport as an Epic Warlock though.

[Bobby Baratheon]

Let's be honest though - some/most of the dark invocations are pretty underwhelming. Teleport was probably a bad example though.

[Beheld]

I question if a Warlock with a high charisma and the Extra invocation feat as you have defined it wouldn't know all invocations of levels they have access to.

Then I questioned whether a Warlock who knew all invocations of the levels he had access too would be overpowered, and I decided probably not.

So my suggestion for Warlock rework (if you are really committed to using the material that already exists, instead of writing a completely new class) would be:

1) Warlocks know all invocations of the levels they have access to. Or if you want to be really restrictive, know all invocations of every level except highest, and know at least 3 of their highest level (3 at the first level, and then one more per level until they get to the next type).
2) Eldritch blast does 1d6 per Warlock level (+Charisma or level whichever is higher) and remains a standard action. You already get to add a host of blast shapes, 10d6+10 at level 10 plus a blast shape is more than good enough to be a default action in combat. It's not the most damaging thing in the world, but it's good enough for a character that always has that as a fallback, and also has a bunch of invocations some of which are combat oriented.
3) Are blast shapes considered invocations? They should just know all blast shapes.

[Thanatosia]

Warlock only needs fixing if the rest of the party is playing well optimized Tier 1s like Wizards or Druids IMO, it's already a pretty solid and robust class. If you are playing with a bunch of T1 casters and want to get him up to their level, I'm not sure your fixes really solves the real problem, it gives him more raw damage output, but doesn't match their utility and versatility. So maybe focus more on giving more and better invocations rather then buffing eldritch blast, which is already a fairly good ability for what it does (and can be Hellfire buffed to some pretty sick and hard to resist output)

[INoKnowNames]

Of all of the fixes I've seen, this one's particularly solid. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?226021-The-Warlock-a-massive-rewrite-3-5-Base-Class-WIP) Incorporates a few ideas you liked (even though you need to search a few posts to find where the table went to (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=17483613&postcount=65), since it was made on the older version of the forum).

[Grod_The_Giant]

Warlock only needs fixing if the rest of the party is playing well optimized Tier 1s like Wizards or Druids IMO, it's already a pretty solid and robust class. If you are playing with a bunch of T1 casters and want to get him up to their level, I'm not sure your fixes really solves the real problem, it gives him more raw damage output, but doesn't match their utility and versatility. So maybe focus more on giving more and better invocations rather then buffing eldritch blast, which is already a fairly good ability for what it does (and can be Hellfire buffed to some pretty sick and hard to resist output)
I had a player use a Warlock in a T3-ish game, somewhere around level 6 (alongside a warblade, blaster psion, and... I don't remember what the third person was playing. A favored soul, maybe?). After a few months he retired the character because he was sick of flarfing around in combat dealing an average of 12 damage a turn. Low damage is one of, perhaps the most noticeable power issues you can run into.

Warlock CAN be a nice, potent class, but there's really only one build that does that: Warlock 6/Binder 1/Hellfire Warlock 3 using Eldrich Glaive (plus Uncanny Trickster 3 and/or Chameleon 2). If there's only one way to build a class to be effective, it's not a well-designed class.

[Bobby Baratheon]

Warlock CAN be a nice, potent class, but there's really only one build that does that: Warlock 6/Binder 1/Hellfire Warlock 3 using Eldrich Glaive (plus Uncanny Trickster 3 and/or Chameleon 2). If there's only one way to build a class to be effective, it's not a well-designed class.

That's pretty much the issue I had with Warlock - cool class with a nice concept, but you're only really relevant at the higher levels if you take one specific prestige class. In regards to the Extra Invocation feat, I believe we eventually hit on scrapping the version I suggested and just increasing the base invocations known so that a warlock learns a new invocation at each level. I would still say that Extra Invocation should give you at least 2 invocations known, or as someone suggested one per tier. That's hardly overpowered, and it works within the framework of the class.

[Hunter Noventa]

I've done a bunch of taeks to Warlock to bring it into pathfinder.

I'm still torn on how to handle Eldritch Glaive. And the other, similar invocations I created that let the Warlock make other sorts of weapons. Currently they do the damage of hte weapon, but gain an enhancement bonus equal to the Warlock's charisma. And instead of hitting touch they strike more like a brilliant Energy weapon, but they work on everything.

I might redo them to do the full EB damage and still strike like a BE weapon. It seems fair, since you're stuck in melee. Though the various invocations of this style also give you feats relating to the weapons you form, which in and of itself it kind of cool...

[ComaVision]

I just let Warlocks change out their invocations on a daily basis. It increases versatility without a big power shift. I don't think their usually low damage is such a big deal but I also tend not to play damage focused builds.

[Beheld]

That's pretty much the issue I had with Warlock - cool class with a nice concept, but you're only really relevant at the higher levels if you take one specific prestige class. In regards to the Extra Invocation feat, I believe we eventually hit on scrapping the version I suggested and just increasing the base invocations known so that a warlock learns a new invocation at each level. I would still say that Extra Invocation should give you at least 2 invocations known, or as someone suggested one per tier. That's hardly overpowered, and it works within the framework of the class.

Why so few invocations? Is anyone seriously contending that a Warlock 10 who knows all Least and Lesser Invocations is a balance problem? That a level 11 with between 3 and all Greater Invocations is a balance problem?

Why not let the Warlock have a reasonable amount of utility, since there are already so few invocations, and all of them are very limited, by letting him have all of them?

[Ellowryn]

I just let Warlocks change out their invocations on a daily basis. It increases versatility without a big power shift. I don't think their usually low damage is such a big deal but I also tend not to play damage focused builds.

I second this, a warlock knows all of its invocations but can only "ready" so many per day of each tier (say 4 or 5 by level 20?). There are a fairly large amount of functional invocations that are very very specific in their application so most never get used.

On the practiced spellcaster confusion, as written it does not increase blast damage but the writer of complete arcane said later in one of the faqs/erratas/blogs/wateves that it was reasonable to allow it to increase blast damage too. So many DM's do that.

[Beheld]

I second this, a warlock knows all of its invocations but can only "ready" so many per day of each tier (say 4 or 5 by level 20?). There are a fairly large amount of functional invocations that are very very specific in their application so most never get used.

I still don't get this. If there are a bunch of functional very specific applications, and they can only change out by day, they will still never use those invocations. Why not just let them have all the invocations?

[Troacctid]

I still don't get this. If there are a bunch of functional very specific applications, and they can only change out by day, they will still never use those invocations. Why not just let them have all the invocations?

Because it diverges too far from the class's established identity? Because it makes every Warlock the same? Because it's overkill, and you can solve the issue with a less heavy-handed solution? Because it's too much of a power spike at levels 6 and 11? *shrug* I'm not a fan.

[Ellowryn]

I still don't get this. If there are a bunch of functional very specific applications, and they can only change out by day, they will still never use those invocations. Why not just let them have all the invocations?

Why can't a wizard just spontaneously cast all his spells known? There are literally a metric butt ton of utility spells that only get used rarely or are simply campaign specific so why would a wizard ever learn or prepare them? Now yes granted they have access to things like scrolls, but my point still stands that preparing your abilities for the day is a big gamble, one that with enough experience and foresight can be mostly mitigated but outside of specific cheasy builds can never be ignored. Its part of what is fun with the system.

Now, that being said even if you just gave them all of their invocations that they have access to and heck give them EB damage equal to 1d6 per level + Cha mod they will never get above high tier 3 so its not a matter of making them too powerful but rather of keeping with their flavor.

[Grod_The_Giant]

I have to say, prepared ANYTHING is a very specific flavor feel. You're either representing borrowed power (Divine casters, binders) or a very specific sort of thoughtful, intellectual approach to power (wizards), or maybe a sort of carefully constructed items of power thing (Alchemist). None of those really fit the Warlock, especially not when so much of his identity is tied in to the at-will mechanic.

[torrasque666]

I have to say, prepared ANYTHING is a very specific flavor feel. You're either representing borrowed power (Divine casters, binders) or a very specific sort of thoughtful, intellectual approach to power (wizards), or maybe a sort of carefully constructed items of power thing (Alchemist). None of those really fit the Warlock, especially not when so much of his identity is tied in to the at-will mechanic.
True, however much of the "default" fluff for a Warlock is that their powers are linked to either the Fiends or the Fey, with a much heavier lean towards the Fiends. So their invocations could​ be coming from their link or patron.

[Beheld]

I just don't believe that having Warlocks prepare a limited number of abilities each day and change day to day is in any way more tied to their current theme than having a bunch of powers to use at will from whatever works right now.

I'm not even sure what could possibly drive people to that conclusion.

[Grod_The_Giant]

I just don't believe that having Warlocks prepare a limited number of abilities each day and change day to day is in any way more tied to their current theme than having a bunch of powers to use at will from whatever works right now.

I'm not even sure what could possibly drive people to that conclusion.
A class' identity is based on two things: fluff and mechanics. If you change either one significantly, the feel of the class changes. If you refluff a Wizard's spells as high-tech gadgets, he feels different. Ditto if you change him to, oh, a Crusader's "random-but-continually-refreshing-pool-of-powers" mechanic. The Warlock's identifiers, then, are:

Scary black voodo magic with an "evil" feel to it, due to association with a nasty source.
A limited number of abilities that can be used at-will.

You can play with them a bit, but a big change to either one-- say, prepared Invocations-- changes the class in a major way. It's like fixing the Fighter by giving him magic-- it might work mechanically, but the result is basically a new class.

[John Longarrow]

Down side of giving a warlock all invocation is their ability to then buff with all of them. It takes away any meaningful distinction between warlocks and makes them all play the same.

Every warlock at 6th level will be flying with an army of charmed/raised meat shields. They are covered in chaotic energy, invisible, and moving behind a screen of bats. They also see in the dark, see invisible, and have blind sense. They are also really good listeners and have a great gift when talking to other.

They also make any non-caster pretty useless, except maybe a rogue. And the rogue is easily replaced with a beguiler.

In all, unless there is some difference between warlock A's invocations and warlock B's, they play the same.

[Beheld]

Down side of giving a warlock all invocation is their ability to then buff with all of them. It takes away any meaningful distinction between warlocks and makes them all play the same.

Every warlock at 6th level will be flying with an army of charmed/raised meat shields. They are covered in chaotic energy, invisible, and moving behind a screen of bats. They also see in the dark, see invisible, and have blind sense. They are also really good listeners and have a great gift when talking to other.

They also make any non-caster pretty useless, except maybe a rogue. And the rogue is easily replaced with a beguiler.

In all, unless there is some difference between warlock A's invocations and warlock B's, they play the same.

How is all Warlocks being able pick from all invocations on a daily basis not the same? All that means is that you can say "Today this Warlock is different from this other one, but tomorrow they could be identical, or have switched places."

The idea that a Warlock can do X on day one, but then can't do it on day 2 is actually offensive to their fluff in a way that "all warlocks being the same" (like they aren't already all the same by taking only the good invocations and ignoring the ****ty ones) doesn't.

[John Longarrow]

How is all Warlocks being able pick from all invocations on a daily basis not the same? All that means is that you can say "Today this Warlock is different from this other one, but tomorrow they could be identical, or have switched places."

The idea that a Warlock can do X on day one, but then can't do it on day 2 is actually offensive to their fluff in a way that "all warlocks being the same" (like they aren't already all the same by taking only the good invocations and ignoring the ****ty ones) doesn't.

Same basic problem. Also gives it more of a wizard feel. As is the warlock is granted a boon from some powerful being/force. They can use it as they wish. Course it also means they can easily be themed. Warlock one can be centered around seeing/not being seen, Warlock two can be all about summoning, ect. Gives them a different feel/play style.

To me, it would be better to have more varied invocations to allow players a broader choice of ways to customize. There are more 0 level spells in the game than invocations.

[Bobby Baratheon]

I guess that could work (with regards to prepared invocations), but I second the notion that it would homogenize warlocks too much. Warlocks, IMHO, shouldn't have all the same powers. They are each semi-unique conduits of arcane energy, and IMHO they should be distinct from one another, especially considering the differences that one would expect between a warlock whose power stems from the fey, and one whose power comes from demons.
Also, many of the invocations are redundant. Why use Witchwood Step when you could just use Fell Flight? The warlock doesn't need ALL of the invocations; he just needs enough to avoid monk syndrome (being good at useless things, or being below average at everything). I don't think making it into the arcane version of the Spirit Shaman is really going to fix its issues. If anything, the warlock's issues stem from not having enough of what it already has than especially needing new things. Making eldritch blast 1d6/2 caster levels + charisma to damage (or alternatively a d8, as was mentioned earlier) and allowing iterative attacks with eldritch glaive-type stuff and the normal ups the warlock's power by a decent amount in and of itself. Heck, even 1d6/caster level isn't all that broken (see Disintegrate if you think that's the case :smallwink:).

[John Longarrow]

Eldritch glaive already gets iterative attacks.

I think the biggest problem warlocks have is poor invocations beyond least.

It could be that they need one more level of invocations, more invocations per level to choose from, and a revamp of some of the existing ones to make them more in line with what powers casters can bring at the same level rather than trying to make them underpowered compared to casters who can already spam a lot of the stuff.

[Bobby Baratheon]

I know that eldritch glaive gets iterative attacks, but I have beef with it.
1) It's conceptually limiting. Why eldritch glaive? Why not simply Eldtritch weapon (in the op I provided an alternate invocation called eldritch lightsaber). It's focused, arcane energy shaped by the warlock, so why just a glaive? What if I want my character to use an eldritch knife, or an eldritch axe, etc?
2) AoO is annoying. Making an alt version that does not provoke AoO, and allows for more variety, is hardly going to make the warlock the equal of an uber charger. It just makes life a little easier for the character, and allows for more character variety.
I totally agree with you on the invocations though - that's why I'm trying to come up with at least a semi-reliable way of porting arcane spells into invocation form, so that I can come up with some for my campaign, and others can do the same without too much hassle.
I think buffing the invocations list would definitely help, as would giving the warlock more.
As is, these are the ("spell") level ranges for each tier of invocation.
Least: 1st - 2nd (majority are 2nd)
Lesser: 2nd - 4th (majority are 3rd)
Greater: 4th - 6th (majority are 6th)
Dark: 6th - 8th (majority are 8th)

I think the Dark invocations should be expanded, maybe with more powerful shapeshifting options than a cloud of bats, or maybe the ability to summon a patron being's servant to help. Some sort of save-or-die ability would be cool too (they get a couple of save-or-lose greater invocations, so why not a save or die dark one?), and I think some sort of dominate monster effect would be cool, and thematically appropriate.

[Grod_The_Giant]

There are some official Epic invocations out there, I think.http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ei/20061027a

[Janthkin]

or maybe the ability to summon a patron being's servant to help. This seems off-theme to me. Yes, Warlocks get their powers from somewhere (later editions turn it into a "Pact" arrangment; 3.5's version isn't quite so explicit). That said, it's always felt like a one-and-done transaction to me - you are gifted with/traded for the powers, but that's the end of the direct involvement of your "patron".

The set of powers Warlocks have generally used have largely fallen into direct energy manipulation, self-improvement, & mental effects, with some outliers - really, it's like an expanded set of Vampire (traditional, rather than D&D) & Jedi/Sith powers. The only Conj (Summon) effect I recall is Summon Swarm, which is an odd outlier (but fits the I'm-not-a-Vampire theme).

Richard Baker used to have an (unofficial) FAQ on the WotC boards about the Warlock, in which he touched on expanding the invocations list - IIRC, his rule of thumb was to treat an invocation as roughly 3-4 levels higher than the corresponding spell, as it was unlimited in use. That was probably a bit too harsh, given how few invocations a Warlock gets, but the underlying concern for balance is valid - if you give a Warlock a level 9-equivalent spell as a Dark invocation, he's going to be able to cast it unlimited times. Be selective.

[Bobby Baratheon]

Well yeah, I mean it's fairly obvious you're not going to give him time stop or wish or something silly like that. I would still advocate my example - some sort of save or die effect. If you want to be mean, make it like weird (double save). As far as unlimited uses go, most fights in D&D don't last quite long enough for unlimited save-or-die to be too much of a factor (especially if it's a double save), though in some sort of gauntlet scenario it would be a LOT more valuable.
I don't think it's really all that far off thematically to summon aid, but I can see where you're coming from on that one. It doesn't necessarily have to be the patron. Warlocks, in the fluff, are either fey or demonic oriented (although the celestial variant does exist), and it would make sense for them to have some sort of connection to those beings. I suppose you could just RP that though, and not necessarily make it an invocation.
I do like the Sith analogy though :smallamused:

EDIT: Improved shape-shifting would be cool. I've always wondered why they just kind of stopped with the bats and the hellcat. Why not something really cool (without going overboard, as it is a 24 hour transformation)? Also, why no fey themed shapeshifting? Going with the traditional vampire analogy, that's not super far off. IIRC, traditional slavic vampires were also basically werewolves, IIRC.

[Troacctid]

Technically, you do get a 9th level spell, Foresight.

[Bobby Baratheon]

True. But it's not like expanding the dark invocations would make the warlock overpowered.

@Grod: Those are technically feats, but most of them do essentially give you an invocation. Some of the prereqs are pretty hefty - the good ones tend to require 3-4 invocations, some of which are kind of useless. That's around 25% to 35% of the average warlocks resources.

With regards to summoning, several of the epic feats allow you to summon stuff (one gives you access to elementals in the summon monster list), so that kind of punches a hole in the "warlocks shouldn't summon" theory.

[tsj]

I still don't get this. If there are a bunch of functional very specific applications, and they can only change out by day, they will still never use those invocations. Why not just let them have all the invocations?

I agree that a warlock should get all invocations, and in addition, his eldrict blast damage dice should be a D12 instead of a D6.

That way the hellfire prestige class would also become much more interesting...

PLUS it would be a better deal (taking stat damage in order to deal more damage)

Also, perhaps the warlock could have a power along the lines of spell to spell like ability... such that he is able to on rare occasions perhaps, to convert a wizard spell in to a spell like ability aka an invocation...

This should be combined with a nerfing of all tier 1 and 2 classes, such that they become tier 3 at best.
Classes such as warmage would also need tweaking (they have low versatility like the warlock, they should get access to all wizard spells for starters)

I pains me that the warlock is so weak, because it is by far my favorite class regarding play style


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EDIT


It occured to me, that some of the problems with the warlock and warmage base classes might be solved this way:

when playing a warlock or a binder, you always play a new base class called the warlock binder, the warlock binder is actually a binder gestalted with a warlock

when playing a sorceror or a warmage, you always play a new base class called the war sorceror, the war sorceror is actually a sorceror gestalted with a warmage

[Bobby Baratheon]

How are you going to handle the spell list on the warceror? Warmages automatically know their entire list; a sorceror that knows every spell on the sorceror list automatically becomes probably the strongest class, and is defintely a high end tier one. A sorceror's firepower, with that kind of automatic versatility? Ouch. Binder/warlock is more interesting, but it's probably not the route I would take. I want to leave room for fey warlocks. I think that's kind of what 4e did though, IIRC.