[3.5] Good feats for a Warlock?

[KillianHawkeye]

I've been working on a Dwarf Warlock/Hellfire Warlock for a game that may be starting next month, and I'm having trouble deciding on feats. Extra Invocation is a given, and since I'll be picking up eldritch glaive, I plan on taking Combat Reflexes and possibly Weapon Finesse (depending on how much I have to dump Strength). Beyond that, I'm kinda stumped. We're starting at level 1, no clue how high we'll get.

So, what're good feats for a Warlock? I'd prefer something with a bit more zing than Dodge, Improved Initiative, or +2 to skills. The last Warlock I made used those darkness-related feats from Drow of the Underdark, and I'd like to avoid a repeat performance.

And as a side question, are the earthen grasp/stony grasp invocations worth taking? Seems like something a Dwarf would take, but is it any good?

[Vizzerdrix]

The summon swarm invocation is eeeevil. Take it.

As for feats, How about some of those feats that let you bind vestages from Tome of Magic. One of those lets you heal a point to each stat every round. Will help with the hell fire blasting. Or maybe see if you can find some way to get into arcane trickster for sneak attack+Eldritch Blasting goodness.

(I had a Faen that was built like that. Game ended before I was able to play it much though)

[Douglas]

If you plan on using any Eldritch Essences that allow a save, Ability Focus (Eldritch Blast) is great.

How are you planning to deal with the constitution damage from Hellfire Warlock? It might be possible to negate it with one feat spent on Shape Soulmeld (Strongheart Vest), depending on your DM's interpretation of how the con damage immunity = no hellfire clause interacts with ability damage reduction.

The various metamagic for spell-like abilities feats are good choices, too.

As for feats, How about some of those feats that let you bind vestages from Tome of Magic. One of those lets you heal a point to each stat every round.

You have to actually take a level in Binder to get that benefit. The feat only gives some of the vestige's benefits.

[IthilanorStPete]

You can't gain Naberius's ability damage healing power from the Bind Vestige feats.

[KillianHawkeye]

If you plan on using any Eldritch Essences that allow a save, Ability Focus (Eldritch Blast) is great.

That could be a good idea to counteract the dwarven Cha penalty, although I think the only one is brimstone blast.

How are you planning to deal with the constitution damage from Hellfire Warlock?

At this point, I was just going to rely on the party Cleric or buy potions of lesser restoration, and pack a high Con score, since I don't really want to add a level of Binder or etc. Our group doesn't optimize all that much, so I don't need to be using the hellfire constantly. Plus I'm actually looking forward to the RP value of having a powerful ability that can actually kill me if I use it too much. The whole "tragic hero" thing FTW.

I basically just want some feats that don't suck or are too generic.

[IthilanorStPete]

Might be too generic for your tastes, but Flyby Attack is nice to have.
On the subject of Con dmg - why not max UMD and grab a wand of (lesser) restoration?

[Vizzerdrix]

Ah. So that needs a Binder level. Hmm... I think my Necro/Enchanter shall be dipping.

[deuxhero]

Buy Wands of Lesser Restoration with the spell provided by a Paladin/Archivist nabing it from the Paladin's list (allows for CL 1 and SL 1 making them quite cheep at 750).

[ErrantX]

You could always look at taking a couple levels in say, swordsage and get some maneuvers and an AC boost out of the deal. Take some additional maneuvers, stances, Adaptive Style, etc with those feats.

As a Glaivelock, yeah, Combat Reflexes for sure. Power Attack if you've got the Strength for it. Don't knock Improved Initiative, sometimes that +4 will make your day brighter if you get the jump on your enemy. Extra Invocation doesn't hurt, and Empower, Maximize, and Quicken Spell-like Ability is always a plus. If you plan on Fell Flight (which is not a bad idea), you can qualify for the flying feats.

The Wild Talent/Hidden Talent feat might not be a bad plan, allowing you to qualify for psionic feats like Psionic Weapon.

Just a few ideas.

-X

[oxinabox]

I enjoyed battlecaster and medium armour profiency (one furtur thought a fighter, or really any dip would have been better than spending a feat to get the profiecency)

And then the Fey Heritage feat chain, esp fey skin, from (complete mage) that boost to boost your DR, and give you some neat spell liek a bilities (warlocks always need more spell-like abilities, right?)

this isn't optimum, but it's cool.
you can front line with the best of them.

Quicken eldritch Glaive is really good, cos it lets you eldritch glaive after moving, so you'll be in position to eldrich glaive next time...
though i guess this could be acomplished by firing of a eldritch chain then moving... (why did i never think of that in game?)


Umm some nerf to watchout for:
the Comp Arcane errata, stops your effective spell leval for you elditch blast going up as you leval.
Yes, the erata turns off scaling,
so the saving throws from your earlier blast escences become pittyful.
So you have to keep up grading and using the latest escence.
cos that all that determine the ESL...

somewhere there is one that makes metaspell like abilties have a requirement of a certain number of HD, meaning you will have to be high, leval to quicken anything...

There's a couple of really cool invocations in Cityscape (or maybe city scape web enhancment) IIRC

[KillianHawkeye]

On the subject of Con dmg - why not max UMD and grab a wand of (lesser) restoration?

Er, yeah. Wands. I meant wands. UMD of course is a given.

If you plan on Fell Flight (which is not a bad idea), you can qualify for the flying feats.

I was thinking I'd opt for weighty utterance instead. (It's more dwarfy. Also, my prior Warlock was a flyer.)

Also, re: ToB/incarnum/psionics/vestiges/et al, while these are normally all good ideas, in this case I'm going for something a little simpler that "just works", y'know? The DM is new to our group and I don't wanna have a character that's really complicated.

I'll look into the metamagic-SLA feats. Aren't they all limited to x/day uses? Even so, I suppose it'd be worth it to have a couple quickened, maximized hellfire blasts on hand for emergencies.

[IthilanorStPete]

Yeah, the meta-SLA's are all x/day - I don't care much for them myself as a Warlock.

[HCL]

Well a couple easy ways to boost your UMD check if you have at least 13 con would be to use Soulmelds. Mage's spectacles from Magic of Incarnum and Elder Spirit from Dragon magic give you +4 to UMD each, +2 for each point of essentia you invest if you are a meldshaping class. So take Shape Soulmeld feats for each of them, or just dip a level of Incarnate to score both and a point of essentia for +10 UMD total.

[jiriku]

One player played a warlock from level 1 to ~18 in my last lengthy campaign. He took earthy/stony grasp as soon as he could. They sucked at every level of use.

[Radiun]

Umm some nerf to watchout for:
the Comp Arcane errata, stops your effective spell leval for you elditch blast going up as you leval.
Yes, the erata turns off scaling,
so the saving throws from your earlier blast escences become pittyful.
So you have to keep up grading and using the latest escence.
cos that all that determine the ESL...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the "nerf" you mention is the only thing that allows certain things like Quicken Spell-Like Ability, because when it scaled, it was perpetually too high level to use with that feat (the (HD/2)-4 spell level restriction)

[KillianHawkeye]

Well a couple easy ways to boost your UMD check if you have at least 13 con would be to use Soulmelds. Mage's spectacles from Magic of Incarnum and Elder Spirit from Dragon magic give you +4 to UMD each, +2 for each point of essentia you invest if you are a meldshaping class. So take Shape Soulmeld feats for each of them, or just dip a level of Incarnate to score both and a point of essentia for +10 UMD total.

I believe I covered this already:

Also, re: ToB/incarnum/psionics/vestiges/et al, while these are normally all good ideas, in this case I'm going for something a little simpler that "just works", y'know? The DM is new to our group and I don't wanna have a character that's really complicated.

One player played a warlock from level 1 to ~18 in my last lengthy campaign. He took earthy/stony grasp as soon as he could. They sucked at every level of use.

Good to know. I'll just take baleful utterance that much sooner, then.

[ravenkith]

In case you haven't noticed this particular combo:

1. Cast Invisibility
2. Cast Fell Flight (if you have it) or Spider Climb
3. Cast Summon Swarm (Spiders).
4. Profit!!!

The reason behind this is that the spider swarm is invulnerable to regular weapon damage, and can only be effectively targeted by splash damage effects.

Granted, once summoned, they go after the closest thing, but, being invisible, you are not a valid target for the swarm.

Generating separation in the third dimension is ALWAYS a good idea.

The really good news here is: You have an unlimited number of spiders, while splash damage effects tend to be limited by pesky things such as available spell slots and/or cash spent on potions.

This is an easily executed combo, becoming available as low as 5, IIRC. (AFB)

Feats for Warlocks: Go Xeph, and take a long hard look at some of the psionic feats, including Psionic Shot, Greater Psionic Shot, etc.

There are also melee versions of these feats, if you are bent on making a beatstick.

Finally, if you want to add some flavor, you can opt for a PRC like pyrokineticist (NOT optimal), or, alternatively, for bonus power, Pick up the Warmind PRC (Hrm, Psychic Warrior goodness PLUS eldritch glaive? Tasty!).

Yes I AM recommending you get out of warlock at later levels, primarily because by that point you are seriously boned by your lack of variety of powers - there just isn't the expansion support for invocations.

In case anybody's going "WTF???", first consider the implications of manifesting Vampiric blade, for instance, while wielding an Eldritch Glaive.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

At least Quicken SLA is pretty decent. 3x/day, you get two shots for the price of one. Not too shabby.

An exceedingly cheezy thing to do would be to use things like the Trickster PrC's from Complete Scoundrel (I'm assuming you are wanting to avoid the inherent cheese in Legacy Champion) to get extra bang for your buck. Don't know if that's your 'thing', though.

Eldritch Chain/Cone would be very useful to hit multiple opponents with your WTFPWN EB damage output when you aren't Glaiving. If you pick up Cone, make sure to pick up extra DC from feat.

Flee The Scene is a good 'WTF GET AWAY' invocation. It even leaves behind an illusion of yourself for them to continue attacking.

Utterdark Blast is one I normally suggest, in conjunction with Eldritch Chain, but if you are going the Hellfire route, that won't be very useful.

Baleful Polymorph is fun. Fort save or Sheep.

[Dimers]

I like Greater Resilience (one point better DR of whatever type you've got). You get DR early -- make the most of that. Also, it's a fairly dwarfy thing to have.

[NeoVid]

The Vitriolic Blast essence is a necessity, since it ignores SR.

I second the Strongheart Vest cheat.

[oxinabox]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the "nerf" you mention is the only thing that allows certain things like Quicken Spell-Like Ability, because when it scaled, it was perpetually too high level to use with that feat (the (HD/2)-4 spell level restriction)

Not if you avoid the second nerf i mentioned - the one that changes metaspell-like abilities from being just X/day, to X/day, with requir5ed number of HD.

I might be wrong, maybe the orignal meta spellike ability feat in the MM had it, and i missed it...

[Tokiko Mima]

Question: Since you are set on being a dwarf have you considered, instead of Warlock, choosing Dragonfire Adept from Dragon Magic? As a dwarf you're eating a -CHA penalty already. With DFA at least your +CON is working for you via your Breath Weapon DC. DFA's play a lot like warlock but are less concerned with finesse and apply their damage over a larger number of targets with no chance of SR. Just a suggestion!

If you did pick DFA, then Entangling Exhalation (RoD) at level one is the feat you want to start with.

[jiriku]

Buy Wands of Lesser Restoration with the spell provided by a Paladin/Archivist nabing it from the Paladin's list (allows for CL 1 and SL 1 making them quite cheep at 750).

Am I the only one who sees tremendous irony in the thought of purchasing wands from a band of paladins to heal the ravages inflicted on your body from the use of the very fires of hell itself?

[ErrantX]

Am I the only one who sees tremendous irony in the thought of purchasing wands from a band of paladins to heal the ravages inflicted on your body from the use of the very fires of hell itself?

Ahem. Win sir. Point and a cookie to you.

-X

[Dusk Eclipse]

Am I the only one who sees tremendous irony in the thought of purchasing wands from a band of paladins to heal the ravages inflicted on your body from the use of the very fires of hell itself?

IIRC in one of the passages on hellfire the book mentions that many HFW carry wands of lesser restoration so I guess WotC didn't found that Ironic

[Radiun]

Not if you avoid the second nerf i mentioned - the one that changes metaspell-like abilities from being just X/day, to X/day, with requir5ed number of HD.

I might be wrong, maybe the orignal meta spellike ability feat in the MM had it, and i missed it...

I think it was HD / 2 - 4 in the 3.5 MM, can't comment on the 3.0 maybe...

As for Wands of Lesser Restorations, who said they're purchased instead of pulled from the paladin's cold dead hands, or tokens from the infernal planes for sending so many Paladins to their untimely end?

[tyckspoon]

IIRC in one of the passages on hellfire the book mentions that many HFW carry wands of lesser restoration so I guess WotC didn't found that Ironic

The writers assumed you were going to be buying the normal versions created by Clerics (or possibly Druids). The Archivist runaround for early access/lower spell level versions of spells is not, generally speaking, what they have in mind when they write anything. And even there you're not getting the wand from a Paladin, you're getting it from somebody who just happens to know a lower-level version of Lesser Restoration.. so still not seeing irony.

[deuxhero]

Or an Archvisist who duped a Paladin into helping him make a scroll.

[sonofzeal]

Note - Artificers can also make them, without ever having associated with an icky icky paladin man.

[deuxhero]

Thought they could, wasn't sure.