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Scipio
2008-11-04, 01:22 PM
Spoilers: If you are playing Expedition to Castle Ravenloft, please be warned.

I am running the module in Eberron, and I am working on a version of Strahd that fits better in pulp horror instead of the gothic tradition. We are using the gestalt rules.

My gestalt version of Strahd is a Warlock 11 on one side and a Beguiler 7/Nightmare Spinner 4 (Complete Mage) on the other. He focuses on illusion and enchantments, but he layers fear effects into everything he does.

This leaves me with two questions.

Can you use your eldritch blast, when you are in an alternate form? Regular spell-like abilities are no problem, but the eldritch blast has a few differences related to somatic components.

I want Strahd to have a powerful fear attack as his signature eldritch essence. Frightful Blast just isn’t that great. The Nightmare Spinner has an ability that adds non-lethal damage on to any fear effect you create.

Does this look balanced?

Nightmare Blast
Lesser
Invocation (Eldritch Essence) [Mind-affecting, Fear]

Effect – Any creature struck by the invoker's Eldritch Blast also becomes Frightened for 5 rounds or Shaken for 1 round (Will partial).

Effective Spell Level – 4th

Shishnarfne
2008-11-04, 01:40 PM
Well, I think that as a gestalt, dropping a full BAB class down the other side to make your friendly villain a nastier grappling monster might be more beneficial than Warlock... I rather like the Beguiler idea, however. A lot of the Warlock's more common abilities don't seem to add much beyond what his alternate forms already provide...

Though I would definitely allow for Eldritch Blast in alternate form for a pulp horror setting... (Oh, no, the bat just launched a blast of energy at us!)

Also, any reason for ditching the wizard levels? I've had lots of fun with Strahd's spells and vampiric powers...

Tokiko Mima
2008-11-04, 01:54 PM
Eldritch Blast is a regular Spell-like Ability, and is not an invocation. See page 8 of Complete Arcane, under the section Warlock Invocation: Invocations and Eldritch Blast.


Eldritch blast is not an invocation, but some invocations provide a warlock with the ability to modify his eldritch blast or add new eldritch attacks.

Somatic components are not required for eldritch blast, so it should not pose a problem for it to be used in an alternate form as long as the transformation allows SLA's based on class levels.

Scipio
2008-11-04, 02:05 PM
I like a full BAB progression, but I am trying to keep Strahd as a pure caster type. Warlock gets some nifty abilities that enhance his horror/vampiric qualities, plus it gets average BAB.

I really like the idea of Strahd in bat form hiding in the middle of a summoned bat swarm, while he throws eldritch blasts at the party.

The wizard (necromancer) levels are very attractive, and it keeps the same caster stat as Beguiler. For this type of adventure though, I think the warlock fits him well.

Strahd is part of a three way power struggle in Karrnath between Kaius and Erandis D'Vol, so I get a lot of mileage out of undead. Strahd often seems like the week one of the group, but he does have absolute dominion over his lands. Neither of the other two can say that.