Warlock with an Artificer splash?

[Citadel97501]

Hello all, I have a game coming up and I was thinking of having a Warlock with a few levels of Artificer splashed in? My reasoning behind this was using Flame Blade or Flame Dagger to give myself a melee touch attack weapon that I can enhance with Hideous Blow. I have always liked the crafting feats and getting those for free a long with some craft only experience just sounds as a great way to give more utility to the limited invocation pool of a Warlock.

So now that I have explained my reasoning and how I plan on using the Artificer Splash I was wondering how many levels the community would suggest, I know that 7 gets me most of the crafting feats especially Craft Wand, but that also stops me from getting 3d6 of my eldritch blast, and any Dark Invocations?

Just a note, our party will be rather small at 3 with a Warblade with Iron Dragon & White Raven, a Cleric, and myself.

[ATHATH]

To put it bluntly, Hideous Blow blows hideously.

If you want to go melee, why not use Eldritch Claws or Eldritch Glaive? Eldritch Claws in particular combos well with the Beast Strike feat and either the Superior Unarmed Strike feat (which is NOT the Improved Unarmed Strike feat) or a Monk's Belt.

If you absolutely, positively, must use Hideous Blow, why not use it with a poison ring (from Dragon Compendium), which can let you perform your Hideous Blow attack as a touch attack?

[ATHATH]

Here, have a handbook: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?252715-The-New-Warlock-Handbook-3-5-WIP

[Nifft]

So, the idea is that you get a Wand with a spell that gives you a melee Touch attack weapon, and then you use Hideous Blow to enhance the Touch attack weapon damage?

That's actually a pretty decent idea at very low levels.

The main issue I can is that Hideous Blow only gives you a single melee attack, so the damage won't keep up at mid level or higher.

My suggestion would be to take Leadership and acquire an Artificer Cohort, and stay Warlock-focused yourself... or just buy an Eternal Wand (3/day spell use) instead of spending seven levels on one piece of gear.

But really, you should plan to swap out Hideous Blow as soon as Eldritch Glaive could get you a 2nd attack.

[weckar]

Warlock and Artificer have some decent synergy at higher levels (read: 17th if you want to get the most out of it IMO), but if it is JUST for weapons to use with Hideous Blow... I'd be more inclined to go Warlock/Kensai or something. Although, at that point you may be better off using the Kensai abilities to upgrade an Eldritch Glaive (which happens to be entirely legal and hideously hilarious).

[TalonOfAnathrax]

Hideous blow is seriously terrible. How about using Eldritch Glaive? It's just plain better: you get Reach, you still make touch attacks, and eventually you will be able to make several attacks when your BAB gets high enough.

If Dragon Magazine stuff is allowed, how about using the Eldritch Claw feat? It also makes your Eldritch blast a melee attack, but you can stack anything that modifies Eldritch blast, natural weapon, ect... Check the handbook!
I've never really tried that myself, but I've seen builds that stacked everything they could onto the claws and got quite good damage. It's apparently a very good base weapon for stacking modifiers on.

But why play an Artificer? Why not get one as a cohort, or just buy the stuff you want?

[Telonius]

Hideous blow is seriously terrible. How about using Eldritch Glaive? It's just plain better: you get Reach, you still make touch attacks, and eventually you will be able to make several attacks when your BAB gets high enough.

If Dragon Magazine stuff is allowed, how about using the Eldritch Claw feat? It also makes your Eldritch blast a melee attack, but you can stack anything that modifies Eldritch blast, natural weapon, ect... Check the handbook!
I've never really tried that myself, but I've seen builds that stacked everything they could onto the claws and got quite good damage. It's apparently a very good base weapon for stacking modifiers on.

But why play an Artificer? Why not get one as a cohort, or just buy the stuff you want?

I can think of at least two good reasons: crafter characters get the gear at half the price (given time and XP); and for what the guy has planned, Invocations can add on weapon enhancements beyond the usual +X from Magic Weapon and Greater Magic Weapon. (Imagine stacking Wounding onto an Eldritch Blast).

[skunk3]

I have a warlock character and I gotta say that Hideous Blow just plain blows no matter how you look at it. Eldritch Glaive is far better and IMO Eldritch Claws is even better than that, but it depends on a very melee-centric build. I personally prefer to keep warlocks out of melee range. Have you looked at Hideous Shot? You can add infuse your bow (or arrows, whatever) with your EB damage once per round. Greater Bracers of Archery give you proficiency with all bows, and with bow/arrow enchantments + EB damage and you can be a sniper dealing massive damage. Just a thought. Also, if you want to be a warlock crafter, look into Chameleon. That floating feat per day lets you craft basically anything you want.

[ATHATH]

I have a warlock character and I gotta say that Hideous Blow just plain blows no matter how you look at it. Eldritch Glaive is far better and IMO Eldritch Claws is even better than that, but it depends on a very melee-centric build. I personally prefer to keep warlocks out of melee range. Have you looked at Hideous Shot? You can add infuse your bow (or arrows, whatever) with your EB damage once per round. Greater Bracers of Archery give you proficiency with all bows, and with bow/arrow enchantments + EB damage and you can be a sniper dealing massive damage. Just a thought. Also, if you want to be a warlock crafter, look into Chameleon. That floating feat per day lets you craft basically anything you want.
Hideous Blow sucks because it converts your touch attack into a normal attack, not necessarily because it converts your eldritch blast into a melee attack (although that doesn't really help it, either).

[skunk3]

Hideous Blow sucks because it converts your touch attack into a normal attack, not necessarily because it converts your eldritch blast into a melee attack (although that doesn't really help it, either).

Yeah, I know. I'd rather make touch attacks any day. The only thing that sucks about glaive vs. hideous blow is that with HB you can use (enchanted) weapons and get more damage out of it than the glaive. Also it doesn't have the reach of the glaive. This is why I say that the claws are the best option overall of all if you're going with melee. There's tons of items and enchantments and buffs that can amp up that damage output and synergize with it really well. One of these days I'll play a clawlock, preferably in a gestalt campaign where I can go monk/warlock and basically be a Mortal Kombat character lol.

[ATHATH]

Yeah, I know. I'd rather make touch attacks any day. The only thing that sucks about glaive vs. hideous blow is that with HB you can use (enchanted) weapons and get more damage out of it than the glaive. Also it doesn't have the reach of the glaive. This is why I say that the claws are the best option overall of all if you're going with melee. There's tons of items and enchantments and buffs that can amp up that damage output and synergize with it really well. One of these days I'll play a clawlock, preferably in a gestalt campaign where I can go monk/warlock and basically be a Mortal Kombat character lol.
Honestly, the multiple attacks from the glaive will probably let you deal more damage than Hideous Blow ever will.