Gnorman
2016-03-26, 04:08 AM
The Warlock (E6)
Designer's Notes:
I'm always wary of the Warlock class, because it was the first class I ever designed as part of this project, and it's an archetype that's always been near and dear to my heart. So I worry that I let it succumb to power creep without knowing it. As such, I've tried to tone down some of the more ridiculous features of previous Warlock iterations, such as the one that let you have a full progression Fiendish Servant (that's now a Blackguard ability). I replaced it with a multi-use curse ability, which is in line with the Warlock's main schtick of "debuff you, then let summons tear you apart." But I'm still worried that the Warlock is too good. So, please, check me on this one!
Also, it is rather obviously not an invoking class, but a evil-themed spellcasting class. Call it "The Witch" if that's less confusing to you.
Archetypes: the Demonologist summons faster, summons stronger, and can 'roid out her summons with her Curse. The Dread Witch's curse is deadlier than most, and she can spread it more easily, and she'll scare your pants off. The Pale Master is an expert necromancer, gaining undead summons and resistances.
HD: d4
Class Skills: Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Intimidate, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (dungeoneering), Knowledge (religion), Knowledge (the planes), Profession, Spellcraft
Skill Points: 2 + Int per level (4x at 1st)
Level
BAB
Saves
Special
Spells Per Day
Fort
Ref
Will
0
1
2
3
1st
+0
+0
+0
+2
Archetype Power (Lesser), Spellcasting, Rebuke Undead
5
4
-
-
2nd
+1
+0
+0
+3
Advanced Learning, Warlock's Curse
6
5
-
-
3rd
+1
+1
+1
+3
Archetype Power (Moderate), Fell Familiar
6
6
3
-
4th
+2
+1
+1
+4
Advanced Learning, Recursive
6
6
4
-
5th
+2
+1
+1
+4
Black Speech
6
6
5
3
6th
+3
+2
+2
+5
Archetype Power (Greater), Advanced Learning, Pinnacle of the Forbidden
6
6
6
4
Proficiencies: The Warlock is proficient with simple weapons, but no armor or shields.
Spellcasting: The Warlock casts arcane spells from a specialized list, which is included below. The Warlock need not prepare spells ahead of time - she may spontaneously cast any spell on her list from the appropriate slot. She still requires eight hours of rest to refresh her spells. Her sole casting attribute is Intelligence, which dictates both the DC of her spells and her bonus spell slots. To cast a spell, the Warlock must have an Intelligence score equal to 10 + the level of spell in question.
Archetype Power: At 1st level, the Warlock chooses an archetype from the following list. Once made, the choice is final. Each archetype offers the Warlock a different set of abilities at levels 1, 3, and 6, as noted below.
Rebuke Undead: The Warlock may command or rebuke undead as a cleric of her own class level.
Warlock's Curse: As a standard action, the Warlock may curse a single opponent within 60'. That opponent must make a Will save (DC = 10 + 1/2 the Warlock's level + the Warlock's Charisma bonus); if it resists, it becomes immune to the Warlock's curse for the next 24 hours, but the Warlock regains the use of her Curse. If it fails that save, it suffers a penalty on attack rolls, saves, ability checks, and skill checks equal to half the Warlock's Charisma bonus for the remainder of the encounter. Only one opponent may be under the effects of a Warlock's curse at any one time - should the Warlock curse a new target, the old target no longer suffers from the curse's penalties. The Warlock may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1 + her Charisma bonus. Treat this ability as a spell-like ability with a caster level equal to the warlock's hit dice.
Advanced Learning: At 2nd level, the Warlock may add one spell to her list of spells known. This spell may not be of a higher level than she is capable of casting at the time, and in any case no higher than 3rd level. This spell may be drawn from spells on the cleric list or the sorcerer/wizard list, but may only be from the schools of Conjuration or Necromancy. She may add one more spell to her list of spells known at 4th level, and again at 6th.
Fell Familiar: By performing a ritual that requires 8 hours of uninterrupted meditation and the expenditure of 100gp worth of magical materials, the Warlock may summon and gain the services of a familiar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/sorcererWizard.htm#familiars) as a base wizard of her class level. Treat this creature as if it was a standard familiar, except that the Warlock does not lose experience upon the death or dismissal of her familiar, and may resummon the familiar or gain the services of a new familiar simply by repeating the ritual, rather than waiting a year and a day.
The Warlock may choose any standard familiar (toad, raven, etc.). It gains the fiendish template.
Recursive: If the subject of a Warlock's Curse dies while under its effects, she gains one additional daily use of her Curse ability.
Black Speech: The penalties conferred by the Warlock's Curse are now equal to the Warlock's full Charisma bonus, and she may now have multiple targets cursed at once.
Pinnacle of the Forbidden: Once per day, when casting a summon monster spell, the Warlock may summon creatures as if the spell was one spell level higher than it actually is. So she could summon a single creature from the summon monster IV list, 1d3 creatures from the summon monster III list, or 1d4+1 creatures from the summon monster II list. She is still restricted to non-good creatures.
Archetypes
Demonologist
Lesser Archetype Power: The casting time of any conjuration [summoning] spell cast by a demonologist is reduced to one standard action. If it is already a standard action or faster, this power has no effect.
Moderate Archetype Power: A demonologist may use her Curse ability to instead instill one of her summoned allies with unholy might. For the remainder of the encounter, that creature gains a bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saves, and hit points per hit die equal to the Warlock's Charisma bonus. These bonuses stack with effects like the Augment Summoning feat, and last until the end of the encounter or the end of the summoning spell, whichever comes first. This ability is only usable on creatures she summons with summon monster spells.
Greater Archetype Power: Any conjuration [summoning] spell cast by a demonologist is automatically extended, with no increase in the spell slot required.
In addition, the demonologist may now choose one of the following as a familiar: an imp, a hell hound, or a quasit.
Dread Witch
Lesser Archetype Power: Any opponent under the effects of a dread witch's Curse ability takes untyped damage each round equal to the dread witch's class level plus her Charisma bonus.
Moderate Archetype Power: A dread witch's fear spells and effects can affect creatures normally immune to fear, though such creatures still receive a save to resist.
Greater Archetype Power: Any opponent that fails its save against a dread witch's Curse ability becomes frightened, as per the scare spell, for the duration of the curse. In addition, if a target dies due to the damage from a dread witch's curse (and not simply while under its effects), all other opponents within 30' must make a Will save or be afflicted by the curse as well. These new curses do not use up daily uses of the dread witch's Curse ability, but neither do they restore daily uses of her Curse if their targets die, as per the Recursive ability.
Pale Master
Lesser Archetype Power: When casting a summon monster spell, a pale master may summon one of the following undead creatures instead.
summon monster I: human warrior skeleton, wolf skeleton, human commoner zombie, kobold zombie
summon monster II: owlbear skeleton, bugbear zombie, ghoul
summon monster III: troll skeleton, ogre zombie, ghast
In addition, when using her rebuke undead ability, a pale master may command a number undead whose hit dice do not exceed twice her class level.
Moderate Archetype Power: Any zombie created, commanded, or summoned by the pale master loses the Single Actions Only quality.
Greater Archetype Power: A pale master may now summon wights and shadows with a summon monster III spell. However, neither of those creatures can create spawn.
In addition, the pale master becomes immune to negative energy, ability damage, and ability drain.
Warlock Spell List:
0: Acid Splash, Detect Magic, Disrupt Undead, Inflict Minor Wounds, Mage Hand, Message, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Touch of Fatigue
1: Bane, Cause Fear, Chill Touch, Command, Deathwatch, Detect Undead, Disguise Self, Doom, Entropic Shield, Inflict Light Wounds, Protection from Alignment, Ray of Enfeeblement, Summon Monster I
2: Blindness/Deafness, Command Undead, Darkness, Darkvision, Death Knell, Desecrate, False Life, Ghoul Touch, Inflict Moderate Wounds, Spectral Hand, Scare, Spider Climb, Summon Monster II, Summon Swarm, Touch of Idiocy, Undetectable Alignment, Web
3: Animate Dead, Bestow Curse, Contagion, Crushing Despair, Deeper Darkness, Dispel Magic, Halt Undead, Inflict Serious Wounds, Magic Circle Against Alignment, Poison, Ray of Exhaustion, Remove Curse, Speak with Dead, Stinking Cloud, Summon Monster III, Vampiric Touch
Changelog:
3/26/16: Class originally posted.
Designer's Notes:
I'm always wary of the Warlock class, because it was the first class I ever designed as part of this project, and it's an archetype that's always been near and dear to my heart. So I worry that I let it succumb to power creep without knowing it. As such, I've tried to tone down some of the more ridiculous features of previous Warlock iterations, such as the one that let you have a full progression Fiendish Servant (that's now a Blackguard ability). I replaced it with a multi-use curse ability, which is in line with the Warlock's main schtick of "debuff you, then let summons tear you apart." But I'm still worried that the Warlock is too good. So, please, check me on this one!
Also, it is rather obviously not an invoking class, but a evil-themed spellcasting class. Call it "The Witch" if that's less confusing to you.
Archetypes: the Demonologist summons faster, summons stronger, and can 'roid out her summons with her Curse. The Dread Witch's curse is deadlier than most, and she can spread it more easily, and she'll scare your pants off. The Pale Master is an expert necromancer, gaining undead summons and resistances.
HD: d4
Class Skills: Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Intimidate, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (dungeoneering), Knowledge (religion), Knowledge (the planes), Profession, Spellcraft
Skill Points: 2 + Int per level (4x at 1st)
Level
BAB
Saves
Special
Spells Per Day
Fort
Ref
Will
0
1
2
3
1st
+0
+0
+0
+2
Archetype Power (Lesser), Spellcasting, Rebuke Undead
5
4
-
-
2nd
+1
+0
+0
+3
Advanced Learning, Warlock's Curse
6
5
-
-
3rd
+1
+1
+1
+3
Archetype Power (Moderate), Fell Familiar
6
6
3
-
4th
+2
+1
+1
+4
Advanced Learning, Recursive
6
6
4
-
5th
+2
+1
+1
+4
Black Speech
6
6
5
3
6th
+3
+2
+2
+5
Archetype Power (Greater), Advanced Learning, Pinnacle of the Forbidden
6
6
6
4
Proficiencies: The Warlock is proficient with simple weapons, but no armor or shields.
Spellcasting: The Warlock casts arcane spells from a specialized list, which is included below. The Warlock need not prepare spells ahead of time - she may spontaneously cast any spell on her list from the appropriate slot. She still requires eight hours of rest to refresh her spells. Her sole casting attribute is Intelligence, which dictates both the DC of her spells and her bonus spell slots. To cast a spell, the Warlock must have an Intelligence score equal to 10 + the level of spell in question.
Archetype Power: At 1st level, the Warlock chooses an archetype from the following list. Once made, the choice is final. Each archetype offers the Warlock a different set of abilities at levels 1, 3, and 6, as noted below.
Rebuke Undead: The Warlock may command or rebuke undead as a cleric of her own class level.
Warlock's Curse: As a standard action, the Warlock may curse a single opponent within 60'. That opponent must make a Will save (DC = 10 + 1/2 the Warlock's level + the Warlock's Charisma bonus); if it resists, it becomes immune to the Warlock's curse for the next 24 hours, but the Warlock regains the use of her Curse. If it fails that save, it suffers a penalty on attack rolls, saves, ability checks, and skill checks equal to half the Warlock's Charisma bonus for the remainder of the encounter. Only one opponent may be under the effects of a Warlock's curse at any one time - should the Warlock curse a new target, the old target no longer suffers from the curse's penalties. The Warlock may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1 + her Charisma bonus. Treat this ability as a spell-like ability with a caster level equal to the warlock's hit dice.
Advanced Learning: At 2nd level, the Warlock may add one spell to her list of spells known. This spell may not be of a higher level than she is capable of casting at the time, and in any case no higher than 3rd level. This spell may be drawn from spells on the cleric list or the sorcerer/wizard list, but may only be from the schools of Conjuration or Necromancy. She may add one more spell to her list of spells known at 4th level, and again at 6th.
Fell Familiar: By performing a ritual that requires 8 hours of uninterrupted meditation and the expenditure of 100gp worth of magical materials, the Warlock may summon and gain the services of a familiar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/sorcererWizard.htm#familiars) as a base wizard of her class level. Treat this creature as if it was a standard familiar, except that the Warlock does not lose experience upon the death or dismissal of her familiar, and may resummon the familiar or gain the services of a new familiar simply by repeating the ritual, rather than waiting a year and a day.
The Warlock may choose any standard familiar (toad, raven, etc.). It gains the fiendish template.
Recursive: If the subject of a Warlock's Curse dies while under its effects, she gains one additional daily use of her Curse ability.
Black Speech: The penalties conferred by the Warlock's Curse are now equal to the Warlock's full Charisma bonus, and she may now have multiple targets cursed at once.
Pinnacle of the Forbidden: Once per day, when casting a summon monster spell, the Warlock may summon creatures as if the spell was one spell level higher than it actually is. So she could summon a single creature from the summon monster IV list, 1d3 creatures from the summon monster III list, or 1d4+1 creatures from the summon monster II list. She is still restricted to non-good creatures.
Archetypes
Demonologist
Lesser Archetype Power: The casting time of any conjuration [summoning] spell cast by a demonologist is reduced to one standard action. If it is already a standard action or faster, this power has no effect.
Moderate Archetype Power: A demonologist may use her Curse ability to instead instill one of her summoned allies with unholy might. For the remainder of the encounter, that creature gains a bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saves, and hit points per hit die equal to the Warlock's Charisma bonus. These bonuses stack with effects like the Augment Summoning feat, and last until the end of the encounter or the end of the summoning spell, whichever comes first. This ability is only usable on creatures she summons with summon monster spells.
Greater Archetype Power: Any conjuration [summoning] spell cast by a demonologist is automatically extended, with no increase in the spell slot required.
In addition, the demonologist may now choose one of the following as a familiar: an imp, a hell hound, or a quasit.
Dread Witch
Lesser Archetype Power: Any opponent under the effects of a dread witch's Curse ability takes untyped damage each round equal to the dread witch's class level plus her Charisma bonus.
Moderate Archetype Power: A dread witch's fear spells and effects can affect creatures normally immune to fear, though such creatures still receive a save to resist.
Greater Archetype Power: Any opponent that fails its save against a dread witch's Curse ability becomes frightened, as per the scare spell, for the duration of the curse. In addition, if a target dies due to the damage from a dread witch's curse (and not simply while under its effects), all other opponents within 30' must make a Will save or be afflicted by the curse as well. These new curses do not use up daily uses of the dread witch's Curse ability, but neither do they restore daily uses of her Curse if their targets die, as per the Recursive ability.
Pale Master
Lesser Archetype Power: When casting a summon monster spell, a pale master may summon one of the following undead creatures instead.
summon monster I: human warrior skeleton, wolf skeleton, human commoner zombie, kobold zombie
summon monster II: owlbear skeleton, bugbear zombie, ghoul
summon monster III: troll skeleton, ogre zombie, ghast
In addition, when using her rebuke undead ability, a pale master may command a number undead whose hit dice do not exceed twice her class level.
Moderate Archetype Power: Any zombie created, commanded, or summoned by the pale master loses the Single Actions Only quality.
Greater Archetype Power: A pale master may now summon wights and shadows with a summon monster III spell. However, neither of those creatures can create spawn.
In addition, the pale master becomes immune to negative energy, ability damage, and ability drain.
Warlock Spell List:
0: Acid Splash, Detect Magic, Disrupt Undead, Inflict Minor Wounds, Mage Hand, Message, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Touch of Fatigue
1: Bane, Cause Fear, Chill Touch, Command, Deathwatch, Detect Undead, Disguise Self, Doom, Entropic Shield, Inflict Light Wounds, Protection from Alignment, Ray of Enfeeblement, Summon Monster I
2: Blindness/Deafness, Command Undead, Darkness, Darkvision, Death Knell, Desecrate, False Life, Ghoul Touch, Inflict Moderate Wounds, Spectral Hand, Scare, Spider Climb, Summon Monster II, Summon Swarm, Touch of Idiocy, Undetectable Alignment, Web
3: Animate Dead, Bestow Curse, Contagion, Crushing Despair, Deeper Darkness, Dispel Magic, Halt Undead, Inflict Serious Wounds, Magic Circle Against Alignment, Poison, Ray of Exhaustion, Remove Curse, Speak with Dead, Stinking Cloud, Summon Monster III, Vampiric Touch
Changelog:
3/26/16: Class originally posted.