How would an Warlock adaption for Anima Mage work?

[redking]

From the adaption section of Anima Mage.

http://arena.athas.org/uploads/default/original/1X/e27f6fab0234f7d681bc0b4b944572481ef786df.jpeg

How would the various class features like exploit vestige and vestige casting operate in the context of a Warlock?

[Emperor Tippy]

From the adaption section of Anima Mage.

http://arena.athas.org/uploads/default/original/1X/e27f6fab0234f7d681bc0b4b944572481ef786df.jpeg

How would the various class features like exploit vestige and vestige casting operate in the context of a Warlock?

Badly?

Exploit Vestige: Utterly worthless for a Warlock given the limitless daily uses of their abilities.
Vestigial Awareness: works fine but only +2 Initiative
Vestige Metamagic: Only useful if you have metamagic (which Warlocks rarely take in any measure), maxes at a 3/day ability. This is great if you have Persistent Spell, otherwise it's a pretty resounding 'meh' (RAW it can't be used with Quicken) even for normal casters; for a warlock its essentially utterly wasted.
Vestige Casting: Has some edge case Char Op uses and is otherwise a nice bonus, it is also a resounding "meh" for a Warlock.

If you want a Warlock/Binder dual progression PrC then you really need to look to homebrew and/or make it yourself

[Psyren]

^ yeah - other than the dual-progression aspect, the Anima Mage class features tend to center around a theme of "use vestiges to overcome the limitations of spell slots." Since Warlocks have (in effect) already done that, they don't get a whole lot out of the PrC. Add to that the fact that you're sacrificing Imbue Item for these non-class features and other PrCs start to look much more attractive.

Your best bet would, as Tippy mentioned, be to either modify the Anima Mage class features to be more relevant to a warlock entrant, or make a new PrC that replaces them entirely.

[Troacctid]

Your best bet would, as Tippy mentioned, be to either modify the Anima Mage class features to be more relevant to a warlock entrant, or make a new PrC that replaces them entirely.
I have such a PrC in my signature.

[redking]

I have such a PrC in my signature.

I've scoured your signature for a anima warlock adaption but can't find it. Could you provide a direct link?

[Troacctid]

I've scoured your signature for a anima warlock adaption but can't find it. Could you provide a direct link?
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?427306-Prestige-Class-Gestalt-Theurge

[Fizban]

Prerequisites: Change to any Meta Spell-Like Ability feat, and Eldritch Blast 2d6.

Exploit Vestige: You can exploit the vestige for an extra use of a meta-SLA feat you have, or gain an extra use of a spell like ability you have with a daily limit. The Warlock does not have any natural daily SLAs, but the Complete Mage Fey and Fiendish Heritage feats are built with Warlocks in mind and can grant some, as do Dragonmarks, and it's easy to homebrew plenty more sources (and some people play games where SLA granting templates seem to be given out like candy). Alternatively, you could focus on the Decieve and Imbue Item features and let the Anima Warlock exploit vestiges for item charges (write your own anti-cheese limits)- this version would want to add Imbue Item as well.

Vestige Metamagic: The big benefit of Vestige Metamagic is that you can apply metamagic to a higher level spell than normal. Warlocks can only take meta-SLA feats when they're a high enough level to cast the modified spell (though people tend to assume they can Maximize first and then apply a high level essence later, I don't recall if that's officially supported), and normally these feats are locked to a single invocation. So Vestige Metamagic lets you use any invocation you want with any meta-SLA effect you have access to, at no cost and regardless of what you normally use the feat for. Simple.

Vestige Casting: It's Immediate Action casting, gee. Vestige Invoking just does the same thing.

To be clear- that adaptation section has nothing to do with Warlocks, which don't fully count as spellcasting classes for PrC entry. Aside from PrCs written to let them in, only a few happen to technically allow Warlock entry, and they usually don't work right either.

And really, the Anima Mage has almost nothing to do with Vestiges- it just arbitrarily gets bonus slots and free metamagic and out-of-turn casting because those are what all spellcasters want so something something exploit vestiges. It's also pretty funny that the adaptation suggests binding oustiders and gaining no abilities- so, lose a casting level for a bonus slot and nothing else? Great idea.

[redking]

I came up with my own adaption here (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?611755-Warlock-Binder-theurge-Adaption-of-Anima-Mage&p=24492442#post24492442).


I whipped up a warlock adaption for anima mage because I couldn't find anything satisfying. It has the same power level of anima mage, so it should be no issue to deploy in a campaign.

I would love to hear your thoughts.

PDF file here. (https://1drv.ms/b/s!At1QqAc0yBQTgYRafgkKWoYvkioAsg?e=94d3ux)