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Melayl
2020-03-09, 07:34 PM
Pathfinder Warlock Rewrite
LetÂ’s put the War back in Warlock!

I envision the warlock as a more martial character, somewhere between the bard and the ranger. He should be able to spend time on the front line if the player wants, but he can also stand back and snipe and control the battlefield.

I still need to figure out bloodlines and bloodline abilities. I suppose I can always fall back on the Resilience/Energy Resistance/DR of the original warlock if I need to.

Warlocks and sorcerers are different branches of the same arcane tree, harnessing the power of their birthright to produce great power. While sorcerers learn to cast spells, warlocks produce their abilities by force of will alone. A warlock’s abilities tend to make them more capable of melee combat than a sorcerer.

Alignment: Any. No, I don't subscribe to the philosophy that warlocks have to be evil or chaotic any more than sorcerers do.

Hit Die: d8

Class Skills: A warlock's class skills (and the key ability for each skill are: Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Fly (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Ranks Per Level: 4 + Int Modifier

Class Features:

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A warlock if proficient with their eldritch blast, all Simple weapons, and any 2 Martial weapons OR any 1 Exotic weapon of their choice. Warlocks are also proficient with Light armors and all shields except tower shields. (A warlockÂ’s blasts and invocations are spell-like abilities, and as such have no arcane spell failure chance.)


Warlock


Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort
Ref
Will
Class Features
Invocations Known


1st
+0
+0
+0
+2
Eldritch Blast 1d6, Eldritch Blow, Invocations (least), Bloodline Ability
1


2nd
+1
+0
+0
+3
Detect Magic
2


3rd
+2
+1
+1
+3
Eldritch Blast 2d6, Bloodlline Invocation (least)
2


4th
+3
+1
+1
+4
Deceive Item, Bloodline feat
3


5th
+3
+1
+1
+4
Eldritch Blast 3d6, Bloodline Ability
4


6th
+4
+2
+2
+5
Invocations (least, lesser)
5


7th
+5
+2
+2
+5
Eldritch Blast 4d6, Bloodline Invocation (lesser)
5


8th
+6/+1
+2
+2
+6
Iterative blasts (2), Spell Resistance
6


9th
+6/+1
+3
+3
+6
Eldritch Blast 5d6, Arcane Sight
6


10th
+7/+2
+3
+3
+7
Bloodline Ability, Bloodline feat
7


11th
+8/+3
+3
+3
+7
Eldritch Blast 6d6, Invocations (least, lesser, greater)
7


12th
+9/+4
+4
+4
+8
Imbue Item
8


13th
+9/+4
+4
+4
+8
Eldritch Blast 7d6, Bloodline Invocation (greater)
9


14th
+10/+5
+4
+4
+9
Greater Arcane Sight
10


15th
+11/+6/+1
+5
+5
+9
Eldritch Blast 8d6, Iterative blasts (3), Bloodline Ability
10


16th
+12/+7/+2
+5
+5
+10
Invocations (least, lesser, greater, true), Bloodline feat
11


17th
+12/+7/+2
+5
+5
+10
Eldritch Blast 9d6
12


18th
+13/+8/+3
+6
+6
+11
Bloodline Invocation (true)
13


19th
+14/+9/+4
+6
+6
+11
Eldritch Blast 10d6
14


20th
+15/+10/+5
+6
+6
+12
Bloodline Capstone
15




Invocations:

Unlike other arcane magic users, a warlock does not cast spells. Instead, a warlock uses the eldritch power that suffuses them to produce arcane attacks, defenses, and other abilities, known as invocations.

A warlock’s invocations are spell-like abilities; using an invocation is action that provokes attacks of opportunity. An invocation can be disrupted, just as a spell can. A warlock can make a concentration check to successfully use an invocation under duress, just like a spellcaster can. A warlock can use an invocation defensively by making a concentration check to avoid provoking attacks of opportunity. Invocations are subject to spell resistance unless the invocationÂ’s description specifically states otherwise. A warlock’s caster level for invocations (his invoker level) is equal to his warlock level.

The save DC for an invocation (if it allows a save) is 10 + 1/2 warlock level + the warlock’s Cha modifier.
Since invocations are not spells, the warlock cannot benefit from the Spell Focus feat or metamagic feats. He can, however, use the Ability Focus feat and feats that emulate metamagic feats for spell-like abilities. The Spell Penetration and Greater Spell Penetration feats are exceptions and will apply to a warlock's invocations.

There are four grades of invocations, Least, Lesser, Greater, and True (known as Dark in previous warlock versions). A warlock begins with the knowledge of one invocation beyond their eldritch blast and eldritch blow. This invocation must be of the Least grade. At every 4th level, and every time the warlock gains a new grade of invocation, he may replace one invocation he knows with a new invocation of the same or lower grade than his current highest grade.

Invocations are spell-like abilities and are not subject to arcane spell failure chance due to armor. Even though invocations are SLA's, a warlock is considered to have a caster level equal to his warlock level for the purposes of magic item creation and qualifying for feats and PRC's.

Eldritch Blast (Sp): The first invocation a warlock learns is his eldritch blast, a baneful attack of eldritch energy that damages foes and can impart other debilitating effects.

The eldritch blast is a ray with a range of 60 feet. It is a ranged touch attack that affects a single target and does not have a saving throw, but is subject to spell resistance. The eldritch blast deals 1d6 points of damage at 1st level, and increases by 1d6 every odd warlock level. Eldritch blasts deal half damage to objects. The eldritch blast is the equivalent of a 1st level spell. Blast shape and essence invocations will modify the level of the blast.

Eldritch Blow (Sp): Beginning at 1st level, a warlock learns the blast shape eldritch blow. As a standard action, the warlock can make a single melee attack. If the attack hits, the target is affected by the warlockÂ’s eldritch blast, including any eldritch essence applied to the blast. The damage done by the blast is in addition to the weapon damage, although the weapon need not deal damage to trigger the eldritch blast effect. Eldritch blow counts as a blast shape and may not be used with any other blast shapes. (this replaces the Hideous Blow blast shape)

Detect Magic (Sp): Starting at 2nd level, the warlock can use detect magic as the spell at will, with a caster level equal to his warlock level. At 9th level, this becomes arcane sight, and at 14th level it becomes greater arcane sight.

Iterative Blasts (Sp): At the listed levels, the warlock gains the ability to use more than one eldritch blast or eldritch blow per round. As a full round action, a warlock can direct more than one blast or blow in a round, as listed in the table, at the respective iterative BAB. Only the first of each may use an eldritch essence and all use the same blast shape but may target different individuals.

Bloodline abilities: Gained at the levels listed, see each individual bloodline for details.

Bloodline Invocations: A free invocation known, given at the listed level, see each individual bloodline for details.

Bloodline feat: A free feat known, given at the listed level, chosen from the list of bloodline feats in each bloodline.

Deceive Item (Ex): Beginning at 4th level, a warlock can more easily use items meant for use by other characters. When making a Use Magic Device check, the warlock can take 10 even if distracted or threatened. This is an exception to the rules of taking 10 on UMD checks.

Spell Resistance (Su): Starting at 8th level, a warlock gains spell resistance of 10 + 1/2 his warlock level.

Imbue Item (Su): At 12th level and above, a warlock can use his eldritch power to create magic items, even if he lacks the proper spells to make an item (he must still have the relevant item creation feats). The warlock can substitute a UMD check (DC 15 + spell level for arcane spells or 25 + spell level for divine spells) in place of the required spell.

If the check succeeds, he can continue creating the item as if he had cast the appropriate spell. If he fails, he does not expend the gp costs for the item creation, his progress on the item merely stops. He cannot attempt another UMD check to cast this spell for this item until his next warlock level.

Warlock Invocations

Warlocks choose their invocations as the level, but their repertoire of abilities is more limited than that of their sorcerer kin, and their invocations are spell-like abilities, not spells.

In addition to their grade (least, lesser, greater, true), every invocation has a spell level equivalent, used for calculating save DCs and other purposes. A least invocation has a spell level equivalent of 1st or 2nd, lesser 3rd or 4th, greater 5th or 6th, and true 6th or more (up to 9th). The level equivalent for each invocation is listed in its description. A warlock can dismiss an invocation as a standard action, just like a spell.

A warlock’s power is sufficient to maintain up to 1 invocation per level, plus one per Cha modifier. If a warlock wishes to use an invocation in excess of this amount, he must cancel one of his ongoing invocations. Remember, each use of eldritch blast, and blast shapes and essesnce count as an invocations!

Invocation List

I have listed all WOTC printed invocations that I can find, the original soruce, and their brief descriptions. I have also added some homebrew invocations, and will happily accept more.

Least:

Frightful Blast (CArc): Target must make a will save or become shaken.
Sickening Blast (CArc): Target must make a Fort save or become sickened.
Hammer Blast (CMa): Blast deals normal damage to objects.
Voltaic Blast (new): Your eldritch blast does electricity damage, and target must make a Fort save or be stunned for 1 round per 4 warlock levels.


Lesser:

Baneful Blast (CMa): Blast does extra damage to specified creature type.
Beshadowed Blast (CArc): Target must make a Fort save or be blinded for 1 round.
Brimstone Blast (CArc): Blast does fire damage and target must make a Reflex save or catch fire.
Deteriorating Blast (DMa): Target must make a Fort save or have its damage reduction lowered for 1 round.
Hellrime Blast (CArc): Blast does cold damage and target must make a Fort save or take a Dex penalty.
Vampiric Blast (new): Gain temporary hp equal to your eldritch blast damage. These temporary hp do not stack with other sources of temporary hp.

Greater:

Bewitching Blast (CArc): Target must make Will save or be confused for 1 round.
Hindering Blast (CMa): Target must make a Will save or be slowed.
Noxious Blast (CArc): Target must make a Fort save or be nauseated.
Penetrating Blast (DMa): Target must make a Will save or have its spell resistance lowered.
Repelling Blast (CArc): Target must make a Reflex save or be knocked back.
Vitriolic Blast (CArc): Blast ignores spell resistance and deals acid damage.

True:

Binding Blast (CMa): Target must make a Will save or be stunned.
Utterdark Blast (CArc): Target must make a Fort save or gain 2 negative levels.


Least:

Eldritch Glaive (DMa): Blast takes physical hape of a melee weapon (one attack as a full round action).
Eldritch Spear (CArc): Blast range increases to 250 ft.

Lesser:

Eldritch Chain (CArc): Blast jumps from initial target to secondary targets.
Eldritch Ball (shape) (new): Your eldritch blast takes the shape of a 20 ft radius spread, which originates at a spot you designate within 100 ft + 40 ft/warlock level. (this shape otherwise follows the same “to hit” and targeting rules as fireball).

Greater:

Eldritch Cone (CArc): Blast takes the shape of a cone.
Eldritch Line (CMa): Blast takes the shape of a 60 ft line.

True:

Eldritch Doom (CArc): Blast affects all enemies within 20 ft.


Invocations

All-seeing Eyes (CMa): As comprehend languages on written material, gain bonus on Perception checks.
Arcane Gift (Prime32 on the MinMax boards): Select any 4 sorcerer cantrips (Chosen when this invocation is taken, cannot be changed unless the invocation is retaken). Use at will for 24 hours
Baleful Utterance (CArc): Speak a word and shatter objects as per the shatter spell.
Beguiling Influence (CArc): Gain a bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks.
Breath of the Night (CArc): Create a fog cloud as the spell.
Call of the Beast (CMa): Speak with animals and influence their behavior.
Cocoon of Refuse (CScape): Subject is entangled in trash and detritus from the area.
Cold Comfort (CMa): You and nearby allies are protected by endure elements.
Daylight (new): Use daylight as the spell.
Darkness (CArc): Use Darkness as the spell.
Dark One’s Own Luck (CArc): Gain a luck bonus to one save.
Devil’s sight (CArc): See normally in darkness and magical darkness.
Distortion (new): You may use blur at will.
Earthen Grasp (CArc): Use earthen grasp as the spell.
Eldritch Shield (new): As the shield spell, with an additional +1 bonus per 5 warlock levels. Duration 24 hours.
Eldritch Toughness (new): Gain one temporary hp per warlock level. These hp last for 24 hours or until the invocation is used again. These hp do not stack with other sources of temporary hp.
Entropic Warding (CArc): Deflect incoming ranged attacks, leave no trail, prevent being tracked by scent.
Expeditious Movement (new): As the spell expeditious retreat, except the duration is hours/level. (Note: since Fell Flight is based upon your land movement rate, this invocation increases your flight speed!)
Extreme Flexibility (new): As the spell extreme flexibility, but the dodge bonus increases by +1 every 5 warlock levels.
Leaps and Bounds (CArc): Gain a bonus on Acrobatics checks.
Miasmic Cloud (CArc): Create a mist cloud that grants concealment and fatigues those who enter.
Otherworldly Whispers (CMa): Gain bonus on knowledge checks.
See the Unseen (CArc): Gain see invisibility as the spell and darkvision.
Serpent’s Tongue (CMa): Gain scent, bonus on saves vs poison.
Soulreaving Aura (CMa): As reaving aura spell plus gain temporary hp if nearby creatures die.
Spectral Servant (new): You may summon an invisible servant, as the spell unseen servant, except you may summon one servant per 3 warlock levels.
Spiderwalk (CArc): Gain spider climb as the spell and immune to webs.
Swimming the Styx (CMa): Gain a swim speed and waterbreathing.
Summon Swarm (CArc): Use summon swarm as the spell.


Arcane Eye (new): You create a tiny, invisible sensor (as per the spell, arcane eye but you may hear as well as see through the sensor). This sensor lasts 24 hours. You may only have one such sensor in existence at a time.
Arcane Vigor (new): You gain fast healing equal to ½ your warlock level, but only at half hp or lower. You may instead choose to share with your allies. If you do, you and all allies within 30 ft gain your fast healing, but at half of your solo rate.
Charm (CArc): Cause a single creature to regard you as a friend.
Crawling Eye (CMa): Your eye leaves your head, grows spider legs, and can scout for you.
Curse of Despair (CArc): Curse one creature as bestow curse or hinder their attacks.
Displacement (new): As the spell, but the range is personal only.
Disembodied Hand (CMa): Your hand leaves your body and can manipulate objects or deliver attacks.
Dread Seizure (CArc): Target must make a Fort save or have reduced movement and a penalty on attacks.
Fell Flight (CArc): Gain a fly speed with good maneuverability.
Flee the Scene (CArc): Short range teleport and leave behind a mirror image.
Hungry Darkness (CArc): Create shadows filled with a swarm of bats.
Ignore the Pyre (DMa): Gain energy resistance.
Life Pact (new): As the spell life pact, except the triggering target(s) also gain hp equal to your Cha bonus, and the effect may trigger once per round per 5 warlock levels instead of once per round.
Mask of Flesh (CMa): Touch deals Cha damage and transforms you to look like target.
Phantom Beast (new): You conjure a Large, quasi-real beast of roiling dark smoke (colored as you desire), with insubstantial hooves/paws that make no sound. The beast can take the form of any terrestrial animal you desire and has what appears to be a saddle and bridle. All forms have the same stats. The beast has a speed of 20 per 2 caster levels, to a max of 140 at 12th level. It can bear the riderÂ’s weight plus 20 pounds per caster level. It has an AC of 18 and 10 hp plus 1 per caster) level. Once per round, the warlock (or rider) may command the beast to attack in battle as a free action. (bite +10, 1d8+6 damage). This requires no ride check or training. Once the beast attacks, it only lasts for 1 round per caster level. The beast otherwise gains abilities as the spell phantom steed. You may only have one phantom beast in existence at a time.
Relentless Dispelling (CMa): Targeted dispel magic that repeats the next round.
Spider Shape (DoU): Transform into a small or medium fiendish spider.
Spider’s Webs (new): Use Web as the spell. You may also extend a single strand of webbing, as a ranged touch attack (as the item spider rod, but with a range of 30 ft/caster level). The warlock can make the strand sticky or not, as desired. Additionally, you may also create a dwelling as web shelter.
Stony Grasp (CArc): Use stony grasp as the spell.
Sudden Swarm (DoU): Creatures killed by your invocations spawn a spider swarm.
The Dead Walk (CArc): Create undead as per animate dead.
Theives’ Bane (Cscape): Hold Portal that deals damage when breached.
Voidsense (CArc): Gain blindsense to 30 ft.
Voracious Dispelling (CArc): Use dispel magic at will, causing damage to creatures whose effects are dispelled.
Walk Unseen (CArc): Use invisibility at will.
Wall of Gloom (CArc): As the spell at will.
Weighty Utterance (DMa): Speak a word and cause a flying creature to be forced down.
Witchwood Step (CMa): Walk on water and move through some obstacles unimpeded.

Caustic Mire (CMa): Acidic sludge slow progress, deals damage.
Chilling Tentacles (CArc): As Black Tentacles, with cold damage area effect.
Devil's Whispers (Cscape): As Suggestion, subject believes the ideas are his own.
Devour Magic (CArc): As greater dispel magic with touch and gain temporary hp.
Dragon Ward (DMa): You gain resistances to the attacks and abilities of dragons for 24 hours.
Enervating Shadow (CArc): Gain total concealment in the dark and impose a Str penalty on nearby living creatures.
Hellspawned Grace (CMa): Transform into a hellcat for 1 round/2 warlock levels.
Mind over Matter (new): You may use telekinesis at will.
Mind to Mind (new): You may communicate telepathically with any creature that has a language within 100 ft/warlock level. You may communicate with 1 creature/warlock level at the same time. Additionally, you may form a bond, as the spell telepathic bond, but the duration is 24 hours.
Nightmares Made Real (CMa): Create illusory terrain that damages foes and allows you to hide.
Painful Slumber of Ages (CMa): Creature falls asleep, takes damage when awakened.
Retributive Aura (new): Your body is sheathed in your arcane power, which gives off light as a torch. Any creature attacking you with a natural or non-reach melee weapon is affected by your base eldritch blast.
Tenacious Plague (CArc): Use insect plague as spell, but it does magic weapon damage.
Wall of Perilous Flame (CArc): Create a wall of fire as the spell, but half the damage is supernatural.
Warlock’s Call (CArc): Use sending as the spell but risk damage from the recipient.


Arcane Travel (new): You may teleport, as the spell greater teleport, except you need not touch willing participants within 30 feet, and you may transport 1 additional creature or its equivalent per 2 warlock levels.
Caster’s Lament (CMa): Use break enchantment with touch, can counterspell.
Dark Discorporation (CArc): Turn into a swarm of batlike shadows, gain many of the benefits of the swarm type.
Dark Foresight (CArc): Use foresight as the spell, communicate telepathically with a close target of the effect.
Impenetrable Barrier (DMa): Create a black wall of force that blocks sight.
Path of Shadow (CArc): Use shadow walk as the spell, speed up natural healing.
Prescience (new): As the spell Moment of Prescience.
Retributive Invisibility (CArc): Use greater invisibility that deals damage in a burst if dispelled.
Steal Summoning (CMa): Take control of anotherÂ’s summoned creature.
Unknowable Mind (new): As the spell Mind Blank.
Word of Changing (CArc): Baleful polymorph as the spell with a chance to be permanent.

Melayl
2020-03-09, 07:36 PM
Basically, all I have so far is a direct port of the sorcerer bloodlines. They need work yet, and suggestions are more than welcome.
Add: giant, troll, titan?, chaotic?, axiomatic? Great old one,
Text in Red needs to be changed to something that works for warlocks.

Bloodline: Each warlock has a source of magic somewhere in her heritage that grants her spells, bonus feats, an additional class skill, and other special abilities. This source can represent a blood relation or an extreme event involving a creature somewhere in the familyÂ’s past. For example, a warlock might have a dragon as a distant relative or her grandfather might have signed a terrible contract with a devil. Regardless of the source, this influence manifests in a number of ways as the warlock gains levels.

A warlock must pick one bloodline upon taking her first level of warlock. Once made, this choice cannot be changed.

Major updates in progress


Class Skill: Knowledge (dungeoneering).

Bonus Feats: Combat Casting, Improved Disarm, Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative, Improved
Unarmed Strike, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Knowledge [dungeoneering]).

Bloodline Abilities: Extreme Flexibility (least), Displacement (lesser), Chilling Tentacles (greater), Unknowable Mind (true)

Long Limbs (Ex): At 1st level, your reach increases by 5 feet whenever you are making a melee touch attack. This ability does not otherwise increase your threatened area. At 10th level, this bonus to your reach increases to 10 feet. At 18th level, this bonus to your reach increases to 15 feet.

Aberrant Fortitude (Ex): At 5th level, you become immune to the sickened and nauseated conditions.

Unusual Anatomy (Ex): At 10th level, your anatomy changes, giving you a 25% chance to ignore any critical hit or sneak attack scored against you, treating it as a normal hit instead. In addition, you gain DR 5/-.

Alien Resistance (Su): At 15th level, your spell resistance increases to 10 + warlock level.

Aberrant Form (Ex): At 20th level, your body becomes truly unnatural. You are immune to exhaustion, fatigue, poison, critical hits and sneak attacks. In addition, you gain blindsight with a range of 60 feet.



Abyssal

Generations ago, a demon spread its filth into your heritage. While it does not manifest in all of your kin, for you it is particularly strong. You might sometimes have urges to chaos or evil, but your destiny (and alignment) is up to you.

Class Skill: Knowledge (planes).

Bonus Spells: cause fear (3rd), bullÂ’s strength (5th), rage (7th), stoneskin (9th), dismissal (11th), transformation (13th), greater teleport (15th), unholy aura (17th), summon monster IX (19th). Change

Bonus Feats: Cleave, Empower SLA, Great Fortitude, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Knowledge [planes]).

Bloodline Arcana: Whenever you cast a spell of the summoning subschool, the creatures summoned gain DR/good equal to 1/2 your warlock level (minimum 1). This does not stack with any DR the creature might have. Change

Bloodline Powers: While some would say that you are possessed, you know better. The demonic influence in your blood grows as you gain power.
Claws (Su): At 1st level, you can grow claws as a free action. These claws are treated as natural weapons, allowing you to make two claw attacks as a full attack action using your full base attack bonus. These attacks deal 1d4 points of damage each (1d3 if you are Small) plus your Strength modifier. At 5th level, these claws are considered magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming DR. At 7th level, the damage increases by one step to 1d6 points of damage (1d4 if you are Small). At 11th level, these claws become flaming weapons, each dealing an additional 1d6 points of fire damage on a successful hit. You can use your claws for a number of rounds per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.

Demon Resistances (Ex): At 3rd level, you gain resist electricity 5 and a +2 bonus on saving throws made against poison. At 9th level, your resistance to electricity increases to 10 and your bonus on poison saving throws increases to +4.

Strength of the Abyss (Ex): At 9th level, you gain a +2 inherent bonus to your Strength. This bonus increases to +4 at 13th level, and to +6 at 17th level.

Added Summonings (Su): At 15th level, whenever you summon a creature with the demon subtype or the fiendish template using a summon monster spell, you summon one additional creature of the same kind. change

Demonic Might (Su): At 20th level, the power of the Abyss f lows through you. You gain immunity to electricity and poison. You also gain resistance to acid 10, cold 10, and fire 10, and gain telepathy with a range of 60 feet (allowing you to communicate with any creature that can speak a language).

Arcane

Your family has always been skilled in the eldritch art of magic. While many of your relatives were accomplished wizards, your powers developed without the need for study and practice.

Class Skill: Knowledge (any one).

Bonus Spells: identify (3rd), invisibility (5th), dispel magic (7th), dimension door (9th), overland f light (11th), true seeing (13th), greater teleport (15th), power word stun (17th), wish (19th). change

Bonus Feats: Combat Casting, Improved Counterspell (or have it apply to the dispel magic invocations?), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Scribe Scroll, Skill Focus (Knowledge [arcana]), Spell Focus.

Bloodline Arcana: Whenever you apply a metamagic feat to a spell that increases the slot used by at least one level, increase the spellÂ’s DC by +1. This bonus does not stack with itself and does not apply to spells modified by the Heighten Spell feat. change

Bloodline Powers: Magic comes naturally to you, but as you gain levels you must take care to prevent the power from overwhelming you.

Arcane Bond (Su): At 1st level, you gain an arcane bond, as a wizard equal to your warlock level. Your warlock levels stack with any wizard levels you possess when determining the powers of your familiar or bonded object. This ability does not allow you to have both a familiar and a bonded item. Rules for arcane bonds appear on page 78. Once per day, your bonded item allows you to cast any one of your spells known (unlike a wizardÂ’s bonded item, which allows him to cast any one spell in his spellbook).

Metamagic Adept (Ex): At 3rd level, you can apply any one metamagic feat you know to a spell you are about to cast without increasing the casting time. You must still expend a higher-level spell slot to cast this spell. You can use this ability once per day at 3rd level and one additional time per day for every four warlock levels you possess beyond 3rd, up to five times per day at 19th level. At 20th level, this ability is replaced by arcane apotheosis. Change to allow an sla metamagic effect

New Arcana (Ex): At 9th level, you can add any one spell from the warlock/wizard spell list to your list of spells known. This spell must be of a level that you are capable of casting. You can also add one additional spell at 13th level and 17th level. Change

School Power (Ex): At 15th level, pick one school of magic. The DC for any spells you cast from that school increases by +2. This bonus stacks with the bonus granted by Spell Focus. Change

Arcane Apotheosis (Ex): At 20th level, your body surges with arcane power. You can add any metamagic feats that you know to your spells without increasing their casting time, although you must still expend higher-level spell slots. Whenever you use magic items that require charges, you can instead expend spell slots to power the item. For every three levels of spell slots that you expend, you consume one less charge when using a magic item that expends charges. Change


Celestial

Your bloodline is blessed by a celestial power, either from a celestial ancestor or through divine intervention. Although this power drives you along the path of good, your fate (and alignment) is your own to determine.

Class Skill: Heal.

Bonus Spells: bless (3rd), resist energy (5th), magic circle against evil (7th), remove curse (9th), f lame strike (11th), greater dispel magic (13th), banishment (15th), sunburst (17th), gate (19th). Change

Bonus Feats: Dodge, Iron Will, Mobility, Mounted Combat, Ride-By Attack, Skill Focus (Knowledge [religion]), Weapon Finesse.

Bloodline Arcana: Whenever you cast a spell of the summoning subschool, the creatures summoned gain DR/evil equal to 1/2 your warlock level (minimum 1). This does not stack with any DR the creature might have. Change

Bloodline Powers: Your celestial heritage grants you a great many powers, but they come at a price. The lords of the higher planes are watching you and your actions closely.

Heavenly Fire (Sp): Starting at 1st level, you can unleash a ray of heavenly fire as a standard action, targeting any foe within 30 feet as a ranged touch attack. Against evil creatures, this ray deals 1d4 points of damage + 1 for every two warlock levels you possess. This damage is divine and not subject to energy resistance or immunity. This ray heals good creatures of 1d4 points of damage + 1 for every two warlock levels you possess. A good creature cannot benefit from your heavenly fire more than once per day.
Neutral creatures are neither harmed nor healed by this effect. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.

Celestial Resistances (Ex): At 3rd level, you gain resist acid 5 and resist cold 5. At 9th level, your resistances increase to 10.

Wings of Heaven (Su): At 9th level, you can sprout feathery wings and f ly for a number of minutes per day equal to your warlock level, with a speed of 60 feet and good maneuverability. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be used in 1-minute increments.

Conviction (Su): At 15th level, you can reroll any one ability check, attack roll, skill check, or saving throw you just made. You must decide to use this ability after the die is rolled, but before the results are revealed by the GM. You must take the second result, even if it is worse. You can use this ability once per day.

Ascension (Su): At 20th level, you become infused with the power of the heavens. You gain immunity to acid, cold, and petrification. You also gain resist electricity 10, resist fire 10, and a +4 racial bonus on saves against poison. You also gain unlimited use of the wings of heaven ability. Finally, you gain the ability to speak with any creature that has a language (as per the tongues spell).


Draconic

At some point in your familyÂ’s history, a dragon interbred with your bloodline, and now its ancient power flows through your veins.

Class Skill: Perception. (Redundant)

Bonus Spells: mage armor (3rd), resist energy (5th), fly (7th), fear (9th), spell resistance (11th), form of the dragon I (13th), form of the dragon II (15th), form of the dragon III (17th), wish (19th). Change

Bonus Feats: Blind-Fight, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Quicken SLA, Skill Focus (Fly), Skill Focus (Knowledge [arcana]), Toughness.

Bloodline Arcana: Whenever you cast a spell with an energy descriptor that matches your draconic bloodlineÂ’s energy type, that spell deals +1 point of damage per die rolled. Change

Bloodline Powers: The power of dragons flows through you and manifests in a number of ways. At 1st level, you must select one of the chromatic or metallic dragon types (see the Pathfinder RPG Bestiary). This choice cannot be changed. A number of your abilities grant resistances and deal damage based on your dragon type, as noted on the following table.

Dragon Type Energy Type Breath Shape
Black Acid 60-foot line
Blue Electricity 60-foot line
Green Acid 30-foot cone
Red Fire 30-foot cone
White Cold 30-foot cone
Brass Fire 60-foot line
Bronze Electricity 60-foot line
Copper Acid 60-foot line
Gold Fire 30-foot cone
Silver Cold 30-foot cone

Claws (Su): Starting at 1st level, you can grow claws as a free action. These claws are treated as natural weapons, allowing you to make two claw attacks as a full attack action using your full base attack bonus. Each of these attacks deals 1d4 points of damage plus your Strength modifier (1d3 if you are Small). At 5th level, these claws are considered magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming DR. At 7th level, the damage increases by one step to 1d6 points of damage (1d4 if you are Small). At 11th level, these claws deal an additional 1d6 points of damage of your energy type on a successful hit. You can use your claws for a number of rounds per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.

Dragon Resistances (Ex): At 3rd level, you gain resist 5 against your energy type and a +1 natural armor bonus. At 9th level, your energy resistance increases to 10 and natural armor bonus increases to +2. At 15th level, your natural armor bonus increases to +4.

Breath Weapon (Su): At 9th level, you gain a breath weapon. This breath weapon deals 1d6 points of damage of your energy type per warlock level. Those caught in the area of the breath receive a Reflex save for half damage. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 your warlock level + your Charisma modifier. The shape of the breath weapon depends on your dragon type (as indicated on the above chart). At 9th level, you can use this ability once per day. At 17th level, you can use this ability twice per day. At 20th level, you can use this ability three times per day.

Wings (Su): At 15th level, leathery dragon wings grow from your back as a standard action, giving you a fly speed of 60 feet with average maneuverability. You can dismiss the wings as a free action.

Power of Wyrms (Su): At 20th level, your draconic heritage becomes manifest. You gain immunity to paralysis, sleep, and damage of your energy type. You also gain blindsense 60 feet.

Elemental

The power of the elements resides in you, and at times you can hardly control its fury. This influence comes from an elemental outsider in your family history or a time when you or your relatives were exposed to a powerful elemental force.

Class Skill: Knowledge (planes).

Bonus Spells: burning hands* (3rd), scorching ray* (5th), protection from energy (7th), elemental body I (9th), elemental body II (11th), elemental body III (13th), elemental body IV (15th), summon monster VIII (elementals only) (17th), elemental swarm (19th). *These spells always deal a type of damage determined by your element. In addition, the subtype of these spells changes to match the energy type of your element.

Bonus Feats: Dodge, Empower Spell, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Knowledge [planes]), Weapon Finesse.

Bloodline Arcana: Whenever you use an invocation that deals energy damage, you can change the type of damage to match the type of your bloodline. This also changes the invocationÂ’s type to match the type of your bloodline. Or keep??

Bloodline Powers: One of the four elements infuses your being, and you can draw upon its power in times of need. At first level, you must select one of the four elements: air, earth, fire, or water. This choice cannot be changed. A number of your abilities grant resistances and deal damage based on your element, as noted below.

Element Energy Type Elemental Movement
Air Electricity Fly 60 feet (average)
Earth Acid Burrow 30 feet
Fire Fire +30 feet base speed
Water Cold Swim 60 feet

Elemental Ray (Sp): Starting at 1st level, you can unleash an elemental ray as a standard action, targeting any foe within 30 feet as a ranged touch attack. This ray deals 1d6 points of damage of your energy type + 1 for every two warlock levels you possess. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.

Elemental Resistance (Ex): At 3rd level, you gain energy resistance 10 against your energy type. At 9th level, your energy resistance increases to 20.

Elemental Blast (Sp): At 9th level, you can unleash a blast of elemental power once per day. This 20-foot-radius burst does 1d6 points of damage of your energy type per warlock level. Those caught in the area of your blast receive a Reflex save for half damage. Creatures that fail their saves gain vulnerability to your energy type until the end of your next turn. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 your warlock level + your Charisma modifier. At 9th level, you can use this ability once per day. At 17th level, you can use this ability twice per day. At 20th level, you can use this ability three times per day. This power has a range of 60 feet.

Elemental Movement (Su): At 15th level, you gain a special movement type or bonus. This ability is based on your chosen element, as indicated on the above chart.

Elemental Body (Su): At 20th level, elemental power surges through your body. You gain immunity to sneak attacks, critical hits, and damage from your energy type.

Fey

The capricious nature of the fey runs in your family due to some intermingling of fey blood or magic. You are more emotional than most, prone to bouts of joy and rage.

Class Skill: Knowledge (nature).

Bonus Spells: entangle (3rd), hideous laughter (5th), deep slumber (7th), poison (9th), tree stride (11th), mislead (13th), phase door (15th), irresistible dance (17th), shapechange (19th). Change

Bonus Feats: Dodge, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Quicken SLA, Skill Focus (Knowledge [nature]).

Bloodline Arcana: Whenever you cast a spell of the compulsion subschool, increase the spellÂ’s DC by +2. Change

Bloodline Powers: You have always had a tie to the natural world, and as your power increases, so does the influence of the fey over your magic.

Laughing Touch (Sp): At 1st level, you can cause a creature to burst out laughing for 1 round as a melee touch attack. A laughing creature can only take a move action but can defend itself normally. Once a creature has been affected by laughing touch, it is immune to its effects for 24 hours. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. This is a mind-affecting effect.

Woodland Stride (Ex): At 3rd level, you can move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at your normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. Thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion, however, still affect you.

Fleeting Glance (Sp): At 9th level, you can turn invisible for a number of rounds per day equal to your warlock level. This ability functions as greater invisibility. These rounds need not be consecutive.

Fey Magic (Su): At 15th level, you may reroll any caster level check made to overcome spell resistance. You must decide to use this ability before the results are revealed by the GM. You must take the second result, even if it is worse. You can use this ability at will.

Soul of the Fey (Su): At 20th level, your soul becomes one with the world of the fey. You gain immunity to poison and DR 10/cold iron. Creatures of the animal type do not attack you unless compelled to do so through magic. Once per day, you can cast shadow walk as a spell-like ability using your warlock level as your caster level.

Infernal

Somewhere in your familyÂ’s history, a relative made a deal with a devil, and that pact has influenced your family line ever since. In you, it manifests in direct and obvious ways, granting you powers and abilities. While your fate is still your own, you canÂ’t help but wonder if your ultimate reward is bound to the Pit.

Class Skill: Diplomacy.

Bonus Spells: protection from good (3rd), scorching ray (5th), suggestion (7th), charm monster (9th), dominate person (11th), planar binding (devils and creatures with the fiendish template only) (13th), greater teleport (15th), power word stun (17th), meteor swarm (19th). Change

Bonus Feats: Blind-Fight, Combat Expertise, Deceitful, Improved Disarm, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Knowledge [planes]), Spell Penetration.

Bloodline Arcana: Whenever you cast a spell of the charm subschool, increase the spellÂ’s DC by +2. Change

Bloodline Powers: You can draw upon the power of Hell, although you must be wary of its corrupting influence. Such power does not come without a price.

Corrupting Touch (Sp): At 1st level, you can cause a creature to become shaken (see page 568) as a melee touch attack. This effect persists for a number of rounds equal to ½ your warlock level (minimum 1). Creatures shaken by this ability radiate an aura of evil, as if they were an evil outsider (see detect evil). Multiple touches do not stack, but they do add to the duration. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.

Infernal Resistances (Ex): At 3rd level, you gain resist fire 5 and a +2 bonus on saving throws made against poison. At 9th level, your resistance to fire increases to 10 and your bonus on poison saving throws increases to +4.

Hellfire (Sp): At 9th level, you can call down a column of hellfire. This 10-foot-radius burst does 1d6 points of fire damage per warlock level. Those caught in the area of your blast receive a Reflex save for half damage. Good creatures that fail their saves are shaken for a number of rounds equal to your warlock level. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + ½ your warlock level + your Charisma modifier. At 9th level, you can use this ability once per day. At 17th level, you can use this ability twice per day. At 20th level, you can use this ability three times per day. This power has a range of 60 feet.

On Dark Wings (Su): At 15th level, you can grow fearsome bat wings as a standard action, giving you a f ly speed of 60 feet with average maneuverability. The wings can be dismissed as a free action.

Power of the Pit (Su): At 20th level, your form becomes infused with vile power. You gain immunity to fire and poison. You also gain resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, and the ability to see perfectly in darkness of any kind to a range of 60 feet.

Undead

The taint of the grave runs through your family. Perhaps one of your ancestors became a powerful lich or vampire, or maybe you were born dead before suddenly returning to life. Either way, the forces of death move through you and touch your every action.

Class Skill: Knowledge (religion).

Bonus Spells: chill touch (3rd), false life (5th), vampiric touch (7th), animate dead (9th), waves of fatigue (11th), undeath to death (13th), finger of death (15th), horrid wilting (17th), energy drain (19th). Change

Bonus Feats: Combat Casting, Diehard, Endurance, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Knowledge [religion]), Spell Focus, Toughness.

Bloodline Arcana: Some undead are susceptible to your mind-affecting spells. Corporeal undead that were once humanoids are treated as humanoids for the purposes of determining which spells affect them. Change

Bloodline Powers: You can call upon the foul powers of the afterlife. Unfortunately, the more you draw upon them, the closer you come to joining them.

Grave Touch (Sp): Starting at 1st level, you can make a melee touch attack as a standard action that causes a living creature to become shaken for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your warlock level (minimum 1). If you touch a shaken creature with this ability, it becomes frightened (see page 567) for 1 round if it has fewer Hit Dice than your warlock level. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.

Death’s Gift (Su): At 3rd level, you gain resist cold 5 and DR 5/— against nonlethal damage. At 9th level, your resistance to cold increases to 10 and your DR increases to 10/— against nonlethal damage.

Grasp of the Dead (Sp): At 9th level, you can cause a swarm of skeletal arms to burst from the ground to rip and tear at your foes. The skeletal arms erupt from the ground in a 20-foot-radius burst. Anyone in this area takes 1d6 points of slashing damage per warlock level. Those caught in the area receive a Ref lex save for half damage. Those who fail the save are unable to move for 1 round. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 your warlock level + your Charisma modifier. The skeletal arms disappear after 1 round. The arms must burst up from a solid surface. At 9th level, you can use this ability once per day. At 17th level, you can use this ability twice per day. At 20th level, you can use this ability three times per day. This power has a range of 60 feet.

Incorporeal Form (Sp): At 15th level, you can become incorporeal for 1 round per warlock level. While in this form, you gain the incorporeal subtype. You only take half damage from corporeal sources as long as they are magic (you take no damage from non-magic weapons and objects). Likewise, your spells deal only half damage to corporeal creatures. Spells and other effects that do not deal damage function normally. You can use this ability once per day.

One of Us (Ex): At 20th level, your form begins to rot (the appearance of this decay is up to you) and undead see you as one of them. You gain immunity to cold, nonlethal damage, paralysis, and sleep. You also gain DR 5/—. Unintelligent undead do not notice you unless you attack them. You receive a +4 morale bonus on saving throws made against spells and spell-like abilities cast by undead.

ChaosCircle
2020-03-10, 08:02 AM
I think for a Capstone, you should make it a unique power per-bloodline like the Sorcerer does.

Melayl
2020-03-10, 06:58 PM
I think for a Capstone, you should make it a unique power per-bloodline like the Sorcerer does.

That is a good idea. Now I just need to get them done.:smallamused:

KatsOfLoathing
2020-03-10, 07:24 PM
Overall, it seems alright. Mostly a straight port to PF with some things smoothed around the edges, as far as I can tell? Some notes:

Invocations are already spell-like abilities, which means they encounter SR unless otherwise noted (meaning you don't have to indicate as much in the feature description).

Eldritch Blast and related could use some cleaning up. You don't need to include the wording on spell resistance and Spell Penetration, since it's already a spell-like ability and noted as an invocation in the first line (meaning it inherits the earlier clause about Spell Penetration). And why keep Eldritch Blow and Iterative Blasts separate class features instead of just allowing EB to be used as a ranged or melee touch attack, eventually granting iterative attacks once your BAB grows high enough? Seems like it'd make for less reading, at least.

Imbue Item is awkward because you don't have a caster level until you gain this feature (only a context-specific CL for your various class features), and Paizo FAQs have stated SLAs don't qualify you for having a caster level, meaning they in turn can't qualify you for item creation feat prereqs. Other classes with similar totally-not-item-creation abilities (like the Alchemist and 3PP Vizier) gain those abilities at 1st level; maybe do the same here, since you can only craft items with feats you possess anyway?

Finally, a suggestion for bloodlines: perhaps take cues from 5e's Warlock and have them grant you a bonus invocation unique to the bloodline at each tier?

Melayl
2020-03-10, 07:38 PM
Overall, it seems alright. Mostly a straight port to PF with some things smoothed around the edges, as far as I can tell? Some notes:

Invocations are already spell-like abilities, which means they encounter SR unless otherwise noted (meaning you don't have to indicate as much in the feature description). A good point. Fixed.


Eldritch Blast and related could use some cleaning up. You don't need to include the wording on spell resistance and Spell Penetration, since it's already a spell-like ability and noted as an invocation in the first line (meaning it inherits the earlier clause about Spell Penetration). And why keep Eldritch Blow and Iterative Blasts separate class features instead of just allowing EB to be used as a ranged or melee touch attack, eventually granting iterative attacks once your BAB grows high enough? Seems like it'd make for less reading, at least.This is something I considered, and may still do. I did want them to have the ability to use it in additon to a weapon without needing to have another blast shape.


Imbue Item is awkward because you don't have a caster level until you gain this feature (only a context-specific CL for your various class features), and Paizo FAQs have stated SLAs don't qualify you for having a caster level, meaning they in turn can't qualify you for item creation feat prereqs. Other classes with similar totally-not-item-creation abilities (like the Alchemist and 3PP Vizier) gain those abilities at 1st level; maybe do the same here, since you can only craft items with feats you possess anyway? Oops! I had forgotten to add that. Thanks!


Finally, a suggestion for bloodlines: perhaps take cues from 5e's Warlock and have them grant you a bonus invocation unique to the bloodline at each tier?
It would mean creating new unique invocations, but that is a good idea.

Thanks for the review!

KatsOfLoathing
2020-03-17, 01:01 PM
Back for a second round of review!

Absence of Diplomacy from the class skill list is odd to me. You have the three other social skills, a healthy amount of skill points, and a Cha-dominant chassis. Including it feels like a natural choice.

Invocations really should just use the normal formula for class -specific powers to determine their save DC's (10+1/2 level+relevant ability modifier). This would place them more on-par with the all-day abilities of some other classes (bardsongs, alchemist bombs, witch hexes, and kineticist talents to name a few). The old method of determining saving throw DC has always felt unnecessarily clunky and limiting to me, plus quite a few invocations make reference to spells that don't exist anymore in PF.

Deceive Item doesn't function as-written, since you can't take 10 on UMD at all in PF. This is probably just a rules typo in the jump between systems.

I'll try to come back to bloodlines and invocations in-specific at some point in the future. It is interesting that you've chosen to tie the class's fluff to sorcerers instead of forming pacts with some kind of patron, but I guess that would cause them to step on the toes of witches and summoners.

Overall, I'd be interested to see how this class handles itself in the actual game. Your damage is acceptable, though you'll need to invest class resources to get a lot of mileage out of it. You have some limited but all-day utility with your invocations. You can do some alright skill stuff with social skills and UMD for crafting. That's basically it. Hopefully your bloodlines create some more versatility? Looking forward to seee what you come up with there.

Melayl
2020-03-19, 06:07 PM
Back for a second round of review!

Absence of Diplomacy from the class skill list is odd to me. You have the three other social skills, a healthy amount of skill points, and a Cha-dominant chassis. Including it feels like a natural choice. An oversight on my part, and thank you for the correction.


Invocations really should just use the normal formula for class -specific powers to determine their save DC's (10+1/2 level+relevant ability modifier). This would place them more on-par with the all-day abilities of some other classes (bardsongs, alchemist bombs, witch hexes, and kineticist talents to name a few). The old method of determining saving throw DC has always felt unnecessarily clunky and limiting to me,I will look into this. I know it was originally to make save DC's scale with the level of the spell the invocation was based on. I will likely end up making this change.


plus quite a few invocations make reference to spells that don't exist anymore in PF. All of the invocations were direct copies of the original descriptions (as a time saver). I will look at them and make updates as I find them.


Deceive Item doesn't function as-written, since you can't take 10 on UMD at all in PF. This is probably just a rules typo in the jump between systems. This I'm actually keeping as written. While you can't normally take 10 on UMD in Pathfinder, the warlock is going to be an exception to this rule.


I'll try to come back to bloodlines and invocations in-specific at some point in the future. It is interesting that you've chosen to tie the class's fluff to sorcerers instead of forming pacts with some kind of patron, but I guess that would cause them to step on the toes of witches and summoners. Yeah, I still have a lot of work to do on those. Coming up with unique invocations for each bloodline at each teir, making changes to some of the other abilities so they aren't direct copies and so they are more applicable to the warlock... Yeah, a lot of work to do yet.

I didn't do the pact fluff for several reasons. Firstly, I didn't really like it; there were other classes that did it, and it didn't fit with my vision of the class. It also would have been, I think, more work to figure out pacts, and having any specific Powers that they formed pacts with could make it hard to fit them into existing worlds. It also made them feel more cleric-like to me.

I preferred the fluff that their powers were the result of inborn arcane power bubbling up from inside them. They are, to me, even more instinctive and natural in the use of their abilities than sorcerers are.


Overall, I'd be interested to see how this class handles itself in the actual game. Your damage is acceptable, though you'll need to invest class resources to get a lot of mileage out of it. You have some limited but all-day utility with your invocations. You can do some alright skill stuff with social skills and UMD for crafting. That's basically it. Hopefully your bloodlines create some more versatility? Looking forward to seee what you come up with there. I'm aiming for them being useful in most situations, but still not able to do everything on their own well. They're best function will, I think, be battlefield control and moderate damage/debuffs.

I'm hoping the bloodlines bring good flavor and some unique versatility without being overpowered. And I'm looking forward to finding out how they play, too. I'll have to see what others think when they play it, however. I don't have a group to game with right now.

Thanks for your critique! Hopefully I can pull this all together.

Morphic tide
2020-03-22, 12:03 AM
I have complaints about using Bloodlines on the basis of Pact Magic being well-tread. There's just the Summoner and Witch. There isn't a melee caster like the Bloodrager or the Magus, who can be Bloodline-based with the Eldritch Scion archetype, other than the often-hated Syntheswist, there isn't item crafting as with the Arcanist's Item Creation exploit or the Arcane Bloodline's access to Item Bond or being a full caster with a highly-supported list like the Sorcerer, and there isn't actually much in the way of direct blasting magic.

"Melee Bloodline Spellcaster" is something done by the Eldritch Scion Magus Archetype and Bloodrager and the Blade Adept Arcanist Archetype and the Eldritch Scrapper Sorcerer Archetype, each in notable-distinct ways that you'd need to take a degree of care to avoid stepping on. All the sub-niches this has are unoccupied in Pact-based magic while having some occupation in existing Bloodline-based spellcasters, and there's a lot more of bloodlines than pacts. And Warlock is all about pact flavor in D&D proper, so it's really bad form to change the theme of the magic source and call it the same class.

Granted, I like the thought of a defensively-focused Bloodline, as well as the thought of having at-will-ish abilities be the focus, I just don't think such is appropriate for porting 3.5's Warlock. Maybe try to figure a class made for that to fit, then design this specifically for smooth Archetype integration of how you go at it there. As it is though, Pact magic's very light on sub-niches of magic-user while Bloodlines are currently pretty much feature-complete, as far as what niches you want to occupy with Warlock, and the Warlock is very heavily tied to Pact magic themes.

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In terms of more specific design concerns, I'd make Iterative Blasts come in at 5th level and be for splitting Eldritch Blast, allowing for applying the rider effects between several targets or forcing multiple simultaneous saves but not escalating the damage output of the at-will ranged touch attack, then have Eldritch Glaive to replace Eldritch Blows to turn the Eldritch Blast into a melee weapon of its own, which also disables the great majority of other options one may take to stack the damage and thereby keeping the damage output from escalating wildly beyond the norm to counterbalance having the Essences for on-hit effects.

Maybe also have almost-token spell slots for access to the various tie-ins and Bloodline Spells, possibly have Invocations act as an at-will-ifying of that highly-confined spell list (and similarly turning the Invocations into formal spells), or otherwise turning it into the Pathfinder-typical class-specific option list. The upsides to this would mostly center on having less of a blunt "pass/fail" element than at-will abilities normally end up driving due to the issues of being able to use an ability as many times as desired, by extending the options with spellcasting as a daily limit to them.

For Bloodlines, you could go with the Magus/Bard/Warpriest slots, as that's still unoccupied by a base class since Eldritch Scion is a Magus archetype, while Pact magic would be best filled by the Paladin/Ranger/Bloodrager slots. In the case of a Bloodline version, there could be a shapeshifting mechanic for physically expressing the Bloodline to a considerable degree to gain various temporary and considerable bonuses, while in the case of a Pact version, access to higher-level plot-magic could be done through a summoning mechanic.

Melayl
2020-03-28, 07:32 PM
I have complaints about using Bloodlines on the basis of Pact Magic being well-tread. There's just the Summoner and Witch. There isn't a melee caster like the Bloodrager or the Magus, who can be Bloodline-based with the Eldritch Scion archetype, other than the often-hated Syntheswist, there isn't item crafting as with the Arcanist's Item Creation exploit or the Arcane Bloodline's access to Item Bond or being a full caster with a highly-supported list like the Sorcerer, and there isn't actually much in the way of direct blasting magic.

"Melee Bloodline Spellcaster" is something done by the Eldritch Scion Magus Archetype and Bloodrager and the Blade Adept Arcanist Archetype and the Eldritch Scrapper Sorcerer Archetype, each in notable-distinct ways that you'd need to take a degree of care to avoid stepping on. All the sub-niches this has are unoccupied in Pact-based magic while having some occupation in existing Bloodline-based spellcasters, and there's a lot more of bloodlines than pacts. And Warlock is all about pact flavor in D&D proper, so it's really bad form to change the theme of the magic source and call it the same class.

Granted, I like the thought of a defensively-focused Bloodline, as well as the thought of having at-will-ish abilities be the focus, I just don't think such is appropriate for porting 3.5's Warlock. Maybe try to figure a class made for that to fit, then design this specifically for smooth Archetype integration of how you go at it there. As it is though, Pact magic's very light on sub-niches of magic-user while Bloodlines are currently pretty much feature-complete, as far as what niches you want to occupy with Warlock, and the Warlock is very heavily tied to Pact magic themes.I didn't say it was well-tread, merely that there were other classes that did it. I can appreciate your point of view, but I don't really like the fluff of warlocks gaining power from pacts. I prefer the idea that it is innate. The 3.5 warlock had only vauge pact flavor, anyway. It got the firm pact association in 4e and 5e. Also, from what I've been able to research, the term warlock is an adaptation of words that mean pact-breaker or oath-breaker in Old English.

The sorcerer, historically, has more pact flavor associated with it than the warlock.

Really anyone in a fantasy world can make a pact with a powerful entity to gain extra power (like 3.5's dragonpacts). In fact, if I have time, I may come up with some pacts for any class to take to gain power.


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In terms of more specific design concerns, I'd make Iterative Blasts come in at 5th level and be for splitting Eldritch Blast, allowing for applying the rider effects between several targets or forcing multiple simultaneous saves but not escalating the damage output of the at-will ranged touch attack, then have Eldritch Glaive to replace Eldritch Blows to turn the Eldritch Blast into a melee weapon of its own, which also disables the great majority of other options one may take to stack the damage and thereby keeping the damage output from escalating wildly beyond the norm to counterbalance having the Essences for on-hit effects.I don't think the way I have it written will lead to extreme damage levels compared to other classes.


Maybe also have almost-token spell slots for access to the various tie-ins and Bloodline Spells, possibly have Invocations act as an at-will-ifying of that highly-confined spell list (and similarly turning the Invocations into formal spells), or otherwise turning it into the Pathfinder-typical class-specific option list. The upsides to this would mostly center on having less of a blunt "pass/fail" element than at-will abilities normally end up driving due to the issues of being able to use an ability as many times as desired, by extending the options with spellcasting as a daily limit to them.I really don't like the idea of giving the warlock spells instead of invocations. One of the things I really like about the warlock is the fact that it is different from the other caster classes. I like the invocations and the fully at-will abilities (with the limited options). To me, it was one of the coolest things about the class.


For Bloodlines, you could go with the Magus/Bard/Warpriest slots, as that's still unoccupied by a base class since Eldritch Scion is a Magus archetype, while Pact magic would be best filled by the Paladin/Ranger/Bloodrager slots. In the case of a Bloodline version, there could be a shapeshifting mechanic for physically expressing the Bloodline to a considerable degree to gain various temporary and considerable bonuses, while in the case of a Pact version, access to higher-level plot-magic could be done through a summoning mechanic.I do like the idea of some shapeshifting abilities coming with the bloodlines...

I do appreciate your feedback, despite not agreeing with it. It looks like you have some solid ideas of what a Pathfinder warlock should be like. I would actually love to see what you'd come up with if you decided to post a version. I'd even happily link to it in my 1st post so people can see another take on it. Let me know if you decide to post one, please.

Morphic tide
2020-03-29, 08:26 PM
The Hellfire Warlock Prestige class is the main "hard" mechanic (burn Constitution for more damage dice on Eldritch Blast), I'll admit, but the concept of Invoking something belies the external nature of the ability. As does, to a certain extent due to the general habits of the system, the fact the abilities are at-will. As for what made me think that, it was you saying "there were other classes that did that". And my point was that the use of the power doesn't overlap on Pact classes (Summoner and Witch), where it did have overlap on Bloodline classes (Bloodrager, item making bonuses, melee archetypes on Sorcerer and Arcanist)

As for damage, Eldritch Blow turns it into feature vs. feature, with general item-based bonuses being irrelevant. The usual for weapon bonuses atop other weapons is getting +1d6 per 4 levels, and is generally limited to a few minutes per day. For at-will, the Fighter gives us +1 per 4 levels starting at level 5 via Weapon Training, and that's basically it without digging hard into bonus feats. Eldritch Blow is a problem because it's essentially an at-will enhancement-equivalent with doubled scaling that doesn't need the item to be even just Masterwork to start with for its full damage leverage, and the downside of not applying to ranged weapons is virtually nonexistent due to the baseline 30 ft. Touch attack mode of Eldritch Blast, which also generally bypasses the issues of not getting an attack bonus. Including the fact that Iterative Blasts doesn't add the iterative attack penalty.

A 17th level Magus gets a +5 Enhancement bonus on a weapon they are using for 8+Int minutes per day. Going with Flaming Freezing Speed, the feature has given +8d6 (1d6 Fire and 1d6 Cold four times each) and an additional instance of the feature-external damage on Full Attacks. For this Warlock at 17th level, they get +27d6 on Full Attacks (9d6 three times). They get more on their at-will Standard Actions than the Magus's minutes-per-day full attacks. Yes, the Magus can add a spell to this, but those are another per-day resource and generally will be deal about twice the damage of a single Eldritch Blast in varying areas and types, due to the general 1d6/CL pattern, so the raw single-target damage added by them brings the Magus to a total two-daily-pool damage increase over a blank weapon of +25d6, still less than the at-will Eldritch Blow full attack. At 19, the Magus has gained 2d6 "blank build" damage from their caster level, while this Warlock gains 3d6 damage in a similar "blank" capacity from Eldritch Blast scaling, increasing the feature-based "blank build" gap to 3d6. Which is admittedly not very difficult to make up for with Speed, but still

And that's assuming all the attacks of each hit. The Warlock can additionally replace the almost-certain-to-fail third attack with an Eldritch Blast Touch attack, in addition to being +9d6 at full BAB against the Magus' +4d6 and extra instance of the weapon damage, though the "typical" 17d6 spell would likely bias the average in the Magus' favor, depending on the target's AC values and saves. Important to note that the Warlock expends no resources on this, and requires no preliminary equipment. They can throw out Spell Combat superior damage on an at-will basis unless we start bringing Metamagic and Arcana in, making the Magus bleed even more resources and actually bringing in the question of proper optimization.

When the floor on one end starts to force talk of metamagic, weapon quality optimization and combat endurance out of a single at will against Magus using Arcane Pool Spell Combat Full Attacks, the nova output of a rather balls-in aggression class, it needs to get some toning down. And while using the weapon replacing Eldritch Glaive for iteratives may result in sub-par damage relative to the Magus going all-out, that's okay. It's an at-will ability, it should be doing less raw damage than the Magus using its whole pile of features. Eldritch Essences giving on-hit effects like knocking Prone and Fear effects are where the niche should be at, allowing this class to operate as a high-magic version of the Spiked Chain Tripper of 3.5 and other "Big Scary Martials" occupying the "tank" space of keeping enemies from getting the squishy casters who can break the world if they're not vigorously pummeled.

As for making my own Pathfinder Warlock... I've had a rough draft of a lot of stuff for a Summoner/Paladin hybrid class sitting for a few weeks, and I'd probably be more prone to making my suggestion of a half-caster defensive Bloodline class to workshop the stuff you need for your Bloodlines on a frame I like the idea being in more. I'll again refer to the Bloodrager, who takes several Bloodlines in massively different directions. Such as the Bloodrager's Arcane bloodline being the anti-caster option. Think about re-defining what the Bloodline does with its theme, rather than focusing on re-fitting the Sorcerer's to a different paradigm.

Melayl
2020-03-30, 05:49 PM
The Hellfire Warlock Prestige class is the main "hard" mechanic (burn Constitution for more damage dice on Eldritch Blast), I'll admit, but the concept of Invoking something belies the external nature of the ability. As does, to a certain extent due to the general habits of the system, the fact the abilities are at-will. As for what made me think that, it was you saying "there were other classes that did that". And my point was that the use of the power doesn't overlap on Pact classes (Summoner and Witch), where it did have overlap on Bloodline classes (Bloodrager, item making bonuses, melee archetypes on Sorcerer and Arcanist)
Ok, I see your point.

I had thought about adding the ability to do Con burn to gain extra damage, with the explicit statement that if they find a way to avoid the burn, you don't get the extra damage.


As for damage, Eldritch Blow turns it into feature vs. feature, with general item-based bonuses being irrelevant. The usual for weapon bonuses atop other weapons is getting +1d6 per 4 levels, and is generally limited to a few minutes per day. For at-will, the Fighter gives us +1 per 4 levels starting at level 5 via Weapon Training, and that's basically it without digging hard into bonus feats. Eldritch Blow is a problem because it's essentially an at-will enhancement-equivalent with doubled scaling that doesn't need the item to be even just Masterwork to start with for its full damage leverage, and the downside of not applying to ranged weapons is virtually nonexistent due to the baseline 30 ft. Touch attack mode of Eldritch Blast, which also generally bypasses the issues of not getting an attack bonus. Including the fact that Iterative Blasts doesn't add the iterative attack penalty.
I had intended for iterative blasts to use the iterative attack penalty. I edited that ability to explicitly state that now.
I can see where you're coming from with Eldritch Blow and magic weapon bonuses. Using a version of Eldritch Glaive will avoid that, but then all the attacks are touch attacks. You do make a good point, but I'm not sure what to do yet. I'm wanting to keep the warlock "Tier 3", and to not be the heaviest DPS in the party...


A 17th level Magus gets a +5 Enhancement bonus on a weapon they are using for 8+Int minutes per day. Going with Flaming Freezing Speed, the feature has given +8d6 (1d6 Fire and 1d6 Cold four times each) and an additional instance of the feature-external damage on Full Attacks. For this Warlock at 17th level, they get +27d6 on Full Attacks (9d6 three times). They get more on their at-will Standard Actions than the Magus's minutes-per-day full attacks. Yes, the Magus can add a spell to this, but those are another per-day resource and generally will be deal about twice the damage of a single Eldritch Blast in varying areas and types, due to the general 1d6/CL pattern, so the raw single-target damage added by them brings the Magus to a total two-daily-pool damage increase over a blank weapon of +25d6, still less than the at-will Eldritch Blow full attack. At 19, the Magus has gained 2d6 "blank build" damage from their caster level, while this Warlock gains 3d6 damage in a similar "blank" capacity from Eldritch Blast scaling, increasing the feature-based "blank build" gap to 3d6. Which is admittedly not very difficult to make up for with Speed, but still

And that's assuming all the attacks of each hit. The Warlock can additionally replace the almost-certain-to-fail third attack with an Eldritch Blast Touch attack, in addition to being +9d6 at full BAB against the Magus' +4d6 and extra instance of the weapon damage, though the "typical" 17d6 spell would likely bias the average in the Magus' favor, depending on the target's AC values and saves. Important to note that the Warlock expends no resources on this, and requires no preliminary equipment. They can throw out Spell Combat superior damage on an at-will basis unless we start bringing Metamagic and Arcana in, making the Magus bleed even more resources and actually bringing in the question of proper optimization.

When the floor on one end starts to force talk of metamagic, weapon quality optimization and combat endurance out of a single at will against Magus using Arcane Pool Spell Combat Full Attacks, the nova output of a rather balls-in aggression class, it needs to get some toning down. And while using the weapon replacing Eldritch Glaive for iteratives may result in sub-par damage relative to the Magus going all-out, that's okay. It's an at-will ability, it should be doing less raw damage than the Magus using its whole pile of features. Eldritch Essences giving on-hit effects like knocking Prone and Fear effects are where the niche should be at, allowing this class to operate as a high-magic version of the Spiked Chain Tripper of 3.5 and other "Big Scary Martials" occupying the "tank" space of keeping enemies from getting the squishy casters who can break the world if they're not vigorously pummeled.
As I said above, I don't want them to be the max damage class, but I do want them to contribute meaningfully in that regard.
I had honestly thought classes like the fighter and the barbarian (and the rogue) were doing significantly more damage at those levels than the warlock would be... I will admit that I haven't done any of the math myself in that regard. I have seen posts about the DPS for some of the various classes, and remembered it to be more than that.
I may need to try to find a breakdown of "average" and "max" damage output for the various classes at various levels (on the 5's perhaps) and do a compareson.


As for making my own Pathfinder Warlock... I've had a rough draft of a lot of stuff for a Summoner/Paladin hybrid class sitting for a few weeks, and I'd probably be more prone to making my suggestion of a half-caster defensive Bloodline class to workshop the stuff you need for your Bloodlines on a frame I like the idea being in more. I'll again refer to the Bloodrager, who takes several Bloodlines in massively different directions. Such as the Bloodrager's Arcane bloodline being the anti-caster option. Think about re-defining what the Bloodline does with its theme, rather than focusing on re-fitting the Sorcerer's to a different paradigm.
I very much intend to try to make the warlock's bloodline abilities different fromt he sorcerer's. Ijust cut-and-pasted the sorcerer's stuff in there as a placeholder.
Thank you for directing me to the bloodrager's bloodline stuff. That gives me more to work with.
I'd kind of like to give each bloodline a unique invocation for each tier, but I don't know that I'll be able to. I'm thinking the warlock bloodlines will have fewer abilities than the sorcerer or bloodrager, but I'll have to see what I come up with.

Do let me know if/when you make that half-caster -- I'd like to take a look at it.

And thank you for the feedback. I may not act on all of it, or act quickly on any of it (because, life, you know), but I will definitely consider your advice.

Melayl
2020-04-18, 04:39 PM
Updated the invocations list, added some other minor changes to the first post.

I am currently making progress on the bloodlines, and will hopefully have those posted in a week or two...