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Burley
2008-10-16, 11:07 AM
Okay. If you are part of Burley's Proof of Existance campaign, please stop reading. I will find out, and rocks will fall on your character.

Moving on:
In my 3.5 campaign, I'm planning on using a group of lieutenants at different intervals of the campaign to go against the PCs. The lieutenants are all Gestalt 'solo' enemies, with full warlock on one side, but something different for each one on the other. Also, monstrous races would be a plus.
What I'm thinking so far is one Pixie rogue//warlock, a swordsage//warlock focusing on eldritch glaive, a warlock//warmage (he'll be for higher levels, having a large battalion between him and the PCs).
Any other ideas or suggested builds for the above ideas? Super Optimizing is not a good thing, but forcing the PCs to retreat every so oftern is part of the theme of the campaign.

Epinephrine
2008-10-16, 11:19 AM
Binder can fit well with warlock, both are charisma based, both dabble in magic that isn't traditional, and is somewhat shunned, and binder vestiges can stack nicely with the warlock's powers. Manifesting the signs of your vestiges can make for an intimidating impression too.

Many vestiges have decent passive bonuses, or one can use the more active effects. Since gestalt characters are most limited by not having extra actions, getting passive bonuses from all-day warlock buffs and from vestiges can be really economical - and since the binder can choose to bind different vestiges and different pact augmentations if they meet a second time, s/he can be that much better suited to fighting them. (plus, I really like Dahlver-Nal's Shield Self, splitting half the damage you take with a target. If you summon things as a warlock, you can share your damage with them, or with your loyal meat shields, or if the enemy fails a save you can share your damage with them - nothing like a big warrior opponent power attacking you and half-killing his team's rogue or caster.)

Animefunkmaster
2008-10-16, 11:20 AM
Perhaps I am misguided, but I always assumed gestalt was for players and not npcs.

With that said: Have you looked at the Martial Base Class? Not amazing, I know, but gestalted is pretty decent. Also, obvious group buffers is a must. Black Guard/Paladin, Crusader, and Bard make healthy lieutenants. Team buffing is good, gives the edge without those pesky saving throws.

streakster
2008-10-16, 11:31 AM
Warlock//Bard with The Dead Walk. "Thriller, Thriller night...."

monty
2008-10-16, 11:50 AM
Perhaps I am misguided, but I always assumed gestalt was for players and not npcs.

This isn't 4E. PCs and NPCs use the same character creation rules.

Edit to be somewhat on topic:
Warforged Warlock/Bard. He can fly in using Fell Flight while singing Iron Man. The players will be so busy laughing that they won't be able to fight effectively.

Swooper
2008-10-16, 12:01 PM
I'm partial to Warlock//Spellthief.

Duke of URL
2008-10-16, 12:17 PM
Perhaps I am misguided, but I always assumed gestalt was for players and not npcs.

Actually, the gestalt rules recommend making key NPCs gestalt as well.

To the topic, since they're "solo" encounters, throw the "archer/blaster" archetype straight out of the window. Your pixie rogue/warlock may be able to get away with it if the party isn't very good at detecting invisibility, but otherwise, forget it.

So, that leaves glaivelock and controller. Controllers are good for messing with the party, pair them with something that can do well in 1-on-1 fights or apply large amounts of damage in a short amount of time, isolate members of the party, and go to town.

Glaivelock is simple -- go for the best light-armored martial type you can get, and augment it with enhancements to Eldritch Glaive and self-buffs from other invocations. Warblade//Warlock with a focus on DEX/INT (and, to a lesser degree, CHA, though CON would be more important to an HFW for extra damage) with Weapon Finesse, Combat Reflexes, and Improved Critical could be fun here... maybe:

{table]Level | Classes | Feat | Bonus Feat(s) | Class Features
1 | Warblade 1 // Warlock 1 | Weapon Finesse | | Battle Clarity, Weapon Aptitude, Eldritch Blast
2 | Warblade 2 // Warlock 2 | | | Uncanny Dodge, Detect Magic
3 | Warblade 3 // Warlock 3 | Weapon Focus | | Battle Ardor, Damage Reduction
4 | Warblade 4 // Warlock 4 | | | Deceive Item
5 | Warblade 5 // Warlock 5 | | Combat Reflexes |
6 | Warblade 6 // Warlock 6 | Weapon Specialization | | Improved Uncanny Dodge
7 | Warblade 7 // Warlock 7 | | | Battle Cunning
8 | Warblade 8 // Warlock 8 | | | Fiendish Resilience
9 | Warblade 9 // Warlock 9 | Improved Critical | |
10 | Warblade 10 // Hellfire Warlock 1 | | Improved Initiative | Hellfire Blast
11 | Warblade 11 // Hellfire Warlock 2 | | | Battle Skill, Hellfire Infusion, Resist Fire 10
12 | Warblade 12 // Hellfire Warlock 3 | Greater Weapon Focus | | Hellfire Shield
13 | Warblade 13 // Warlock 10 | | | Energy Resistance
14 | Warblade 14 // Warlock 11 | | |
15 | Warblade 15 // Warlock 12 | Greater Weapon Specialization | Blind Fight | Battle Mastery, Imbue Item
16 | Warblade 16 // Warlock 13 | | |
17 | Warblade 17 // Warlock 14 | | |
18 | Warblade 18 // Warlock 15 | Power Critical | |
19 | Warblade 19 // Warlock 16 | | |
20 | Warblade 20 // Warlock 17 | | BONUS FEAT | Stance Mastery[/table]

Sstoopidtallkid
2008-10-16, 12:20 PM
There are a few Warlock archetypes, I'd suggest grabbing one of each and applying a passive class to the other side. An idea of level would be nice too.
Glaivelock//Monk 1/Fighter 2(maybe)/Swordsage X(Tiger Claw-focused)
Scout 3/Rogue X//Warlock X(Ranged SA, Invis Invoc, Swift Hunter)
Warlock/HFW//Bard(buff first round, kill after that)

ShneekeyTheLost
2008-10-16, 12:21 PM
Warlock//Marshall is good NPC BBEG or leutenant, because he can buff up his mooks to make them more difficult to face. Warlock//Cleric for the same reason, and because he can heal his mooks when the party closes with them. Nothing more annoying than to have a healer in the mooks. And, being a Warlock, he's going to be harder to take down, not only because of his blasting ability, but because he can take Darkness and Devil's Sight (which gives him Concealment, making him immune to sneak attacks).

Warlock//Favored Soul isn't too overpowering, but extremely annoying.

Fax Celestis
2008-10-16, 01:05 PM
I'm partial to Warlock//Spellthief.

This.

Fell Flight and Flee The Scene to sow confusion and snipe at your foes with Sneak-Attacking Eldritch Blasts. Adaptable Flanker feat plus Eldritch Glaive to flank with yourself in melee. Crazy UMD check with a stack of wands (and by "stack of wands", I mean like this (http://pifro.com/pro/view.php?id=5)). 6+Int skills on pretty much any skill you'll ever want on your list (including Speak Langauge!). Use the Spellthief's Steal Spell Effect from thirty paces to strip your players' buffs and apply them to yourself. Revel in the fact that at high levels you can say things like, "I'm going to need some more dice," or when you're asked how many d6s you'll need you can legitimately reply, "All of them" in an ominous voice.

If you feel like going more melee than sniper with this, splash three levels of Duskblade (on either side), for Arcane Channeling, take Master Spellthief (if you can get your hands onit) and go to town.

Burley
2008-10-16, 01:15 PM
Real Quick:
Adaptive Flanker: What book, and what are the prerequisites?

Fax Celestis
2008-10-16, 01:20 PM
Real Quick:
Adaptive Flanker: What book, and what are the prerequisites?

PHB 2. Combat Reflexes, Vexing Flanker, base attack bonus +4. Here (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Adaptable_Flanker,PH2).

Cuddly
2008-10-16, 03:41 PM
To the topic, since they're "solo" encounters, throw the "archer/blaster" archetype straight out of the window. Your pixie rogue/warlock may be able to get away with it if the party isn't very good at detecting invisibility, but otherwise, forget it.

Don't most detects have a range of 120'?

If there was a way to get your eldritch blast range up (say, a fifth of a mile), you could have one hell of an annoying sniper. Or anything outside of that 120' range.

Fostire
2008-10-16, 04:07 PM
Don't most detects have a range of 120'?

If there was a way to get your eldritch blast range up (say, a fifth of a mile), you could have one hell of an annoying sniper. Or anything outside of that 120' range.

Eldritch spear gives you a 250 feet range

Rei_Jin
2008-10-16, 04:46 PM
A Hexblade//Warlock combo would be very flavorful, and have an interesting mix of powers. Only problem is that Hexblade gets strong Will, same as Warlock. Although, as DM, you are able to adjust that...

Depending on the level, you could do..

Hexblade 8/Monk 2/Knight X // Warlock X



Charisma bonus to AC (Ascetic Spellcaster), Charisma bonus to saves against spells (Hexblade), Glaivelock with Knight levels, Mettle, and Evasion. You're also only 1 point off a full BAB.

Only restriction is that he has to be Lawful Evil, but as a Lieutenant in an army, I don't see that as a problem

Fax Celestis
2008-10-16, 04:59 PM
A Hexblade//Warlock combo would be very flavorful, and have an interesting mix of powers. Only problem is that Hexblade gets strong Will, same as Warlock. Although, as DM, you are able to adjust that...

Depending on the level, you could do..

Hexblade 8/Monk 2/Knight X // Warlock X



Charisma bonus to AC (Ascetic Spellcaster), Charisma bonus to saves against spells (Hexblade), Glaivelock with Knight levels, Mettle, and Evasion. You're also only 1 point off a full BAB.

Only restriction is that he has to be Lawful Evil, but as a Lieutenant in an army, I don't see that as a problem

Put this on a Ghost and it gets terrifying.

Cuddly
2008-10-17, 02:43 PM
A Hexblade//Warlock combo would be very flavorful, and have an interesting mix of powers. Only problem is that Hexblade gets strong Will, same as Warlock. Although, as DM, you are able to adjust that...

Depending on the level, you could do..

Hexblade 8/Monk 2/Knight X // Warlock X



Charisma bonus to AC (Ascetic Spellcaster), Charisma bonus to saves against spells (Hexblade), Glaivelock with Knight levels, Mettle, and Evasion. You're also only 1 point off a full BAB.

Only restriction is that he has to be Lawful Evil, but as a Lieutenant in an army, I don't see that as a problem

I'd go with swordsage over monk, since you can wear light armor and get some nifty sword magic. Not limited on the law-chaos axis, either.