3.5 Warlock/pew pew Alternative?

[Weiser_Cain]

Looking for a class I can take a few levels in to get infinite attacks like a warlock that doesn't potentially damn my soul to the lowest pits of the Abyss.

[Elves]

Refluff warlock to taste, there's plenty of precedent in later editions. God knows eldritch blast doesn't do enough damage to sell your soul for.

[Gruftzwerg]

Looking for a class I can take a few levels in to get infinite attacks like a warlock that doesn't potentially damn my soul to the lowest pits of the Abyss.

First, you don't need to sell your soul as warlock. It's enough if an ancestor had a pact with an evil being of certain kind.

That being said, if you still look for alternatives, how about a Dragon Fire Adept (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20060912a&page=2)?
Works also with Invocations as at will abilities. But instead of the Eldritch Blast ability you get a Breath ability. And your theme would be dragon obviously^^
This is the closest you can get to warlock without being one.

[Fizban]

You already have infinite attacks. I presume what you mean is infinite ranged touch attacks- these can be gained with a single feat, Shape Soulmeld (Dissolving Spittle), or via a couple different items such as the Talon Scepter or Nightblade of Arvandor, but generally not with the range or untyped damage of Eldritch Blast.

If your DM requires a pact with supernatural entities to be a Warlock (despite the class's background actually even using the explicit phrase "born, not made"), then go make a pact with some Fey instead. They're also listed in the background section, "many warlocks are created by nonevil powers," and there's direct mechanical links with the Fey Heritage feats in Complete Mage.

[Kitsuneymg]

Take a level of enlightened spirit on your warlock?

[StSword]

1pp for Dnd 3x-

Binders get powers that recharge after some turns, ditto Dragon Shamans and their breath attacks.

The Tome of Battle classes can replenish their maneuvers, so they can go all day

The incarnum classes can use their veils all day

Dread Necromancers have a touch attack that is usable all day.

Spellcasters can use reserve feats, which aren't as good as spells but have the benefit of being usable all day assuming you still qualify. For example, summoning a small elemental if you can cast a 4th level summoning spell.

You didn't specify 1pp, though, so I assume that's what you're looking for.

[Anthrowhale]

Cleric 5 could persist a (rod) maximized darkfire with caster boosters for a reasonably healthy (30/hit) pew-pew attack which plausibly has iteratives.

At higher levels there is persistent holy star.

[Zarvistic]

There's some kind of ritual or the like in forgotten realms book that gives you a ranged ability similar to eldritch blast, it scales with HD I think and costs experience to acquire but I forgot the name.

[daremetoidareyo]

There's some kind of ritual or the like in forgotten realms book that gives you a ranged ability similar to eldritch blast, it scales with HD I think and costs experience to acquire but I forgot the name.

The ritual is to lay prostrate in front of a dm and beg them to allow you to take the spell fire wielder feat

[ChaosStar]

Looking for a class I can take a few levels in to get infinite attacks like a warlock that doesn't potentially damn my soul to the lowest pits of the Abyss.
This


Refluff warlock to taste, there's plenty of precedent in later editions. God knows eldritch blast doesn't do enough damage to sell your soul for.

Warlocks don't have to make deals with demons and devils. They can get their powers from the Fey, Old Ones, or Celestials. You just need to be either Evil or Chaotic. Chaotic good is possible for Warlocks.

[Troacctid]

Stereotype much? Warlocks can make pacts with all kinds of non-evil entities including fey, genies, elementals, and even celestials. Even with the alignment restriction, they can still be CG. Why not just make a pact with an eladrin or a couatl or something?

I mean, if you really don't want to be a warlock, you could be an incarnate instead, I guess.

[Psyren]

Easy at-will scaling magical ranged attacks include:

- CG Warlock
- NG/LN/CN Incarnate
- Any Dragonfire Adept
- Any Dragon Shaman (recharge)
- Any Totemist (+specific melds e.g. Manticore Belt)
- Any Binder (Focalor, Otiax etc)
- {insert spellcaster} + Reserve Feats
- {insert manifester} + recharge tricks

I'm probably missing some e.g. PrCs, but that's enough to start with

[Thunder999]

The range isn't as good, but dragonfire adepts are basically warlocks who get their powers from being related to dragons and trade their blast for a breath weapon.

Personally I'd take AoE over range any day, anyone can just get a ranged weapon, but good AoE damage is usually the sole purview of spells.

[StSword]

There's some kind of ritual or the like in forgotten realms book that gives you a ranged ability similar to eldritch blast, it scales with HD I think and costs experience to acquire but I forgot the name.

You are apparently thinking of the spellfire feat which allows one to absorb spell energy to blast and heal.

There's also a prestige class (https://www.realmshelps.net/charbuild/classes/prestige/realms/sfirechanneler.shtml) linked.

But it's only conditionally an all day thing- it requires spell energy to consume. So if your enemies or allies stop helping you out, you are done for the day.

So it's similar to the spellthief in that regard.

[Zarvistic]

The ritual is to lay prostrate in front of a dm and beg them to allow you to take the spell fire wielder feat


You are apparently thinking of the spellfire feat which allows one to absorb spell energy to blast and heal.

There's also a prestige class (https://www.realmshelps.net/charbuild/classes/prestige/realms/sfirechanneler.shtml) linked.

But it's only conditionally an all day thing- it requires spell energy to consume. So if your enemies or allies stop helping you out, you are done for the day.

So it's similar to the spellthief in that regard.
It wasn't spellfire, but the ritual of dark flames by being a member of the church of cyric (lords of darkness). I went looking for it today but it's not exactly as I remembered it.. 1d6/HD which is great, but range is 10 feet only and needs some way to deal with 2 wisdom damage per use. Supernatural tho. Looking at the other ones, ritual of shadowwalking seems interesting too.

[Asmotherion]

If you want a spam-able gun-spell that's more or less 5e cantrips, look into Reserve Feats: Acidic Splatter, Fiery Burst or Invisible Needle seem to be the feats that do exactly what you're looking for.

[Thurbane]

You can get a 10 foot ranged touch attack that does 1d6 negative energy per character level, with the Ritual of Dark Flames (Lords of Darkness, p.11). Downside is you take 2 Wis damage each time you use it, so you may want a level of Binder, or that Soul Meld that helps with ability damage.

The ritual itself costs 100gp and 1200xp.

Always been interested in Doing a Binder 1/Rogue 19 (or similar) build, and then sneak attacking with the black flames using a ranged touch.


It wasn't spellfire, but the ritual of dark flames by being a member of the church of cyric (lords of darkness). I went looking for it today but it's not exactly as I remembered it.. 1d6/HD which is great, but range is 10 feet only and needs some way to deal with 2 wisdom damage per use. Supernatural tho. Looking at the other ones, ritual of shadowwalking seems interesting too.

Ninja'd by several hours - I wanted to look this up while working today, but couldn't get a chance.

[Psyren]

I mean, if OP wanted to avoid the Warlock class because he was worried about even appearing evil, I don't think joining the Church of Cyric would be a viable alternative :smalltongue:

[Weiser_Cain]

I mean, if OP wanted to avoid the Warlock class because he was worried about even appearing evil, I don't think joining the Church of Cyric would be a viable alternative :smalltongue:

Yeah, that is an issue...

[Bonzai]

There are plenty of reserve spell feats that let you deal damage every turn as long as you hold back a spell. The acid one is my favorite.

[Thurbane]

Yeah, that is an issue...

I mean, the fluff says the ritual was developed by the church of Cyric - it doesn't say that others outside the church haven't learned it since.

If you really wanted it, maybe you find a disgruntled ex-Cyric worshipper and learn it from them. Or some kind of quest to find an obscure scroll or tome that details the ritual, and learn it for yourself?

Personally I think the ritual is a great "Eldritch Blast type attack without being a Warlock" option. Doesn't even cost you class levels or feats.

[StSword]

Personally I think the ritual is a great "Eldritch Blast type attack without being a Warlock" option. Doesn't even cost you class levels or feats.

The OP is fine with costing class levels, the goal is "infinite attacks," which with the wisdom damage this isn't.

Yes, veils could alleviate it- but if the OP goes incarnum than infinite attacks are already had, making the ritual superflous.

And if being beholden to dark powers is too hardcore an option, the curse of undeath is certainly off the table as an acceptable choice.

[Thurbane]

The OP is fine with costing class levels, the goal is "infinite attacks," which with the wisdom damage this isn't.

Yes, veils could alleviate it- but if the OP goes incarnum than infinite attacks are already had, making the ritual superflous.

And if being beholden to dark powers is too hardcore an option, the curse of undeath is certainly off the table as an acceptable choice.

I was speaking in more general terms, rather than just to OP directly, with that part.

There's also the option of a Binder dip to mitigate Wis damage.

In this particular case, though, the ritual may not be the best option.

[Zaq]

You can get a 10 foot ranged touch attack that does 1d6 negative energy per character level, with the Ritual of Dark Flames (Lords of Darkness, p.11). Downside is you take 2 Wis damage each time you use it, so you may want a level of Binder, or that Soul Meld that helps with ability damage.

The ritual itself costs 100gp and 1200xp.

Always been interested in Doing a Binder 1/Rogue 19 (or similar) build, and then sneak attacking with the black flames using a ranged touch.



Ninja'd by several hours - I wanted to look this up while working today, but couldn't get a chance.

I've also always wanted to use it (seems like a decent way to get a backup at-will attack on a shadowcaster), but 10 ft is a ridiculously short range.

Especially considering that, as a ranged attack, it provokes, so under many circumstances you have to be EXACTLY 10 ft away from the target to use it "safely" (assuming the target has a 5 ft reach), which makes it basically a weird longspear. (Something something eldritch glaive something something.) Just kind of weird considering I always want to staple it onto caster-types who aren't especially durable at that range under normal circumstances.

[Telonius]

The option's pretty terrible, but Soulknife/Soulbow technically does what you're asking.

Hank's Energy Bow gives you the thematics without even needing any levels, just some GP investment.

[Thurbane]

Hank's Energy Bow gives you the thematics without even needing any levels, just some GP investment.

In terms of items, Gloves of the Uldra Savant gives you Ray of Frost at will (as well as the ability to add the frost property to a weapon 3/day). It's only 1d3, but it's an at will ranged touch attack, with a 45 ft range.

[StSword]

Yes, why I didn't mention the Eidolon class from Ghostwalk.

While they can fly around intangible and do touch attacks all day, the damage is minimal.

An Eidolancer with some reserve feats would seem more appropriate for what the OP is looking for.

[Weiser_Cain]

Yes, why I didn't mention the Eidolon class from Ghostwalk.

While they can fly around intangible and do touch attacks all day, the damage is minimal.

An Eidolancer with some reserve feats would seem more appropriate for what the OP is looking for.

How would the Eidolancer + reserve feat work?

[StSword]

How would the Eidolancer + reserve feat work?

While Eidolancer is technically a base class, it advances the spellcasting of another spellcasting class.

So you can use it to be a ghost wizard, or cleric, or sorcerer, etc.

So you would have the same access to reserve feats as any other caster.

But you would also have access to ghost feats, which gives more options.

Like giving out negative levels with enervating touch.

[ShurikVch]

Sculpt Self feat (Dragon #304), Flame focus: CL 3 Produce Flame at will

[SirNibbles]

A spitter build will take a little bit to come online — it really needs Venomfire — but once it does, it's pretty low on resource consumption.

[Elves]

At mid levels, cleric can become a budget warlock with persistent darkfire (via DMM or metamagic wand grip). Doesn't scale past 10th, but can be maximized/empowered if you get your hands on more MM reducers. Alternately, reasonable to homebrew a greater version -- following pattern of dispel magic, would be 6th for max CL 20.

[Bphill561]

It was a low optimization game of dragonlance where divine magic was not available until later in the campaign. Only got to level 10

Duskblade 1/ Fighter 6/Duskblade 1/Divine Crusader 2/ Sacred Fist 10

Divine Crusader with the Force domain and invisible needle.