{3.5e} Warlock Options

[AirGuitarGod32]

I know it sux, but its already made.

In my Wednesday Night campaign (which starts tonite hopefully), I'm playing a Tasloi (jungle goblins from Shining South) Warlock with 2 flaws, Abberant Blood: Tail, Durable Form, and Starspawn as my feats, and a Morningstar as my melee weapon.

I want to be a good Secondary Caster (the Human Frost Mage/Elemental Savant) and have a Warforged Crusader played by my best friend who promised to back me up.

What are my options, using Warlock for massive nuker/blaster focus?

[Zore]

A dip in Binder for one level and then three levels of the Hellfire Warlock Prestige class. Bind the vestige Naberius to heal the Con damage from hellfire blast. Or invest in some ability damage healing wands if Binder is not available.

[AirGuitarGod32]

A dip in Binder for one level and then three levels of the Hellfire Warlock Prestige class. Bind the vestige Naberius to heal the Con damage from hellfire blast. Or invest in some ability damage healing wands if Binder is not available.

Okay. This sounds good. Should I invest one of my Invocations into Eldritch Glaive, even though my Str is only a 14?

[Zore]

Depends on what role you want to play. You don't need strength for eldritch glaive at all so if you want iteratives use it. If you want to blast from afar skip it.

[Keld Denar]

EG is finessable, so you can opt to use your dex for attacking if higher.

[AirGuitarGod32]

My dex is an 18 (with racial boost), so it may come to replace my Morningstar...

[Thiyr]

For extra blasting fun, the Mortalbane feat from BoVD is quite nice, and I've been fond of the Escalation Mage (Faiths of Ebberon) prc for (almost) free metamagic.

[AirGuitarGod32]

For extra blasting fun, the Mortalbane feat from BoVD is quite nice, and I've been fond of the Escalation Mage (Faiths of Ebberon) prc for (almost) free metamagic.

One Problem: I'm CG

but the Escalation Mage sounds fun. must reread it

[Starbuck_II]

I know it sux, but its already made.

In my Wednesday Night campaign (which starts tonite hopefully), I'm playing a Tasloi (jungle goblins from Shining South) Warlock with 2 flaws, Abberant Blood: Tail, Durable Form, and Starspawn as my feats, and a Morningstar as my melee weapon.

I want to be a good Secondary Caster (the Human Frost Mage/Elemental Savant) and have a Warforged Crusader played by my best friend who promised to back me up.

What are my options, using Warlock for massive nuker/blaster focus?

Can you use Bloodlines?

[AirGuitarGod32]

Can you use Bloodlines?

Quoth the DM: "F*** No!"

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Glaive is really a good option, just in case they do close to melee. You know, it keeps your options open. Sure, you CAN blast 'em at range... but hey, if they want to close, then you get Iterative Attacks with touch attacks. Either way works.

Quicken SLA and Empower SLA are also both fun options for when it absolutely, positively has to go down *NOW*.

Also, there's another class you may want to look into for furthering your Hellfire levels. It's called Uncanny Trickster from Complete Scoundrel. Basically, it's 2/3 Class Progression. So you can further your Hellfire Warlock levels with it, but not quite as brokenly as the Bloodline PrC's.

[Kallisti]

Glaive is really a good option, just in case they do close to melee. You know, it keeps your options open. Sure, you CAN blast 'em at range... but hey, if they want to close, then you get Iterative Attacks with touch attacks. Either way works.

Quicken SLA and Empower SLA are also both fun options for when it absolutely, positively has to go down *NOW*.

Also, there's another class you may want to look into for furthering your Hellfire levels. It's called Uncanny Trickster from Complete Scoundrel. Basically, it's 2/3 Class Progression. So you can further your Hellfire Warlock levels with it, but not quite as brokenly as the Bloodline PrC's.

If he's good-aligned, though, there will be no Hellfire for him unless he can convince the DM to let him reflavor it as Faerie Fire or something.

Glaive is really powerful, though. Finesse it with a high Dex and go Combat Reflexes AoOs. Short Grip lets you threaten adjacent squares with a reach weapon at a -2 to hit, and RAW works with Eldritch Glaive. Add on Repelling Blast and maybe Stand Still, and anytime somebody comes near you you smack them for Eldritch Blast and either send them flying or stop them in their tracks. Also, if they do go flying they leave your threatened squares as they go, which lets you smack them again. Throw on Inhuman Reach, some size-alteration magic, and any other reach enhancers desired and you've got an exceptionally nasty lockdown build. Plus, when things wise up and stop coming after you, blast them. You're still a warlock.

[Vizzerdrix]

If he's good-aligned, though, there will be no Hellfire for him unless he can convince the DM to let him reflavor it as Faerie Fire or something.

Hmm... That leads me to the question: Is their a fey variant for the warlock?

[Tokiko Mima]

If he's good-aligned, though, there will be no Hellfire for him unless he can convince the DM to let him reflavor it as Faerie Fire or something.

I don't see anything in the Hellfire Warlock PrC that would require you to be non-good aligned? In fact, it's even less restrictive than warlock, since there literally is no alignment restrictions at all. It does mention in the flavor text that good-aligned hellfire warlocks are rare, but they certainly aren't made out to be impossible.

Hellfire is not evil in and of itself, it's merely very hot fire that burns through fire immunities. It's how the hellfire warlock uses their abilities that defines them in a good/evil sense, which I think is the whole point of a good aligned warlock in the first place.

Short Grip lets you threaten adjacent squares with a reach weapon at a -2 to hit, and RAW works with Eldritch Glaive.

You know how to alter your grip on a reach weapon to use it against nearby opponents.

Benefit: When wielding a pole arm with reach that you are proficient with, you may treat the weapon as if it did not have reach. The weapon is unwieldy when used in this fashion and you suffer a -2 penalty on attack rolls when attacking an opponent you normally could not. You cannot use this feat with the awl pike.
Normal: Reach weapons cannot be used against adjacent foes.

Shorten Grip only works on pole arms. Eldritch Glaive is an melee touch attack weapon-like SLA with reach, even if it's name is the same as a pole arm.

Short Haft would work, but it has a prerequisite Weapon Focus feat. Or you could take a 5' step.

[AirGuitarGod32]

If I forgo the CG alignment, in favor of CN, could I become an Ur Preist?

[Tokiko Mima]

If I forgo the CG alignment, in favor of CN, could I become an Ur Preist?

Ur-Priest requires 'any evil alignment,' so you must be evil.

[Optimystik]

Hmm... That leads me to the question: Is their a fey variant for the warlock?

Fey is an official power source for warlock - they just didn't develop the fluff quite as well.

They did a much better job of this in 4e, so borrow the power names from there and slap them on appropriately fey abilities in 3.5 - or make up your own names. (E.g. Fell Flight becomes Fey Flight, Devil's Sight becomes Nixie's Sight, Beguiling Influence stays the same, etc.)

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Also, if you never want to ever be surprised, not even then, take a dip of Mindbender, which promotes spellcasting, then grab the feat Mindsight. You will always know where your non-mindless opponents are. Yes, even then.

Prerequsite of non-good, but you can be CN and pull it off.

[Burley]

Personally, the Glaive-lock is my favorite build. You get to throw out some decent melee damage, and still feel a little mystical.
My favorite is Eldritch Glaive & Fell Flight, coupled with Weapon Finesse and Fly-by Attack. Swoop over their heads, and mix them up like some sort of meat martini. (Doesn't have to be meat. Sometimes it's plants and stuff.)
Also, everybody can say it's a bad idea, but Hammer Blast is a solid choice. I took it with my first warlock and I was breaking in doors like a mo'fo'. The Shatter invocation is useful until you start breaking the treasure inside the chest you're trying to break into.

Also, that repelling blast is a great idea. If I ever get a DM who allows Warlocks again... I'll throw that in there. Hm...

[Duke of URL]

My dex is an 18 (with racial boost), so it may come to replace my Morningstar...

Weapon Finesse will only gain you +2 with Dex 18 vs. Str 14. (Unless you're going to boost Dex further.) It's probably not worth it when you consider that Eldritch Glaive is a touch attack.

[Optimystik]

Also, if you never want to ever be surprised, not even then, take a dip of Mindbender, which promotes spellcasting, then grab the feat Mindsight. You will always know where your non-mindless opponents are. Yes, even then.

Caveat - your Mindsight is dependent on your Telepathy range, so anything that blocks one blocks both. It's unclear whether that applies to mind blank et al., but it does apply to a foot of stone, 3 foot of wood/dirt, and the like.

@ OP: if you go Glaivelock, consider picking up Telflammar Shadowlord so you can gain Shadow Pounce, and full attack for free whenever you Flee the Scene.

[AirGuitarGod32]

Personally, the Glaive-lock is my favorite build. You get to throw out some decent melee damage, and still feel a little mystical.
My favorite is Eldritch Glaive & Fell Flight, coupled with Weapon Finesse and Fly-by Attack. Swoop over their heads, and mix them up like some sort of meat martini. (Doesn't have to be meat. Sometimes it's plants and stuff.)
Also, everybody can say it's a bad idea, but Hammer Blast is a solid choice. I took it with my first warlock and I was breaking in doors like a mo'fo'. The Shatter invocation is useful until you start breaking the treasure inside the chest you're trying to break into.

Also, that repelling blast is a great idea. If I ever get a DM who allows Warlocks again... I'll throw that in there. Hm...

To Fell Flight: I have wings (Starspawn)

I was more asking a hypathetical on Ur Preist. I forgot the "Any Evil". I still though consider taking the following:

Warlock 10/Binder 1/Hellfire Warlock 3/Enlightened Spirit 6

Feats (M

[Duke of URL]

HFW only has 3 levels.

[appending_doom]

The Shatter invocation is useful until you start breaking the treasure inside the chest you're trying to break into.

Why would shatter destroy the treasure inside of the box?

From the spell description:

Area or Target: 5-ft.-radius spread; or one solid object or one crystalline creature

[Burley]

Yeah... Well... So?

Also, if you really want some neat blasting, check the Elritch Theurge. It's possible to get into this full dual progression class with a one level dip in Sorceror or Wizard.
It's in the Complete Mage. Check it out, it's pretty tight.

[2xMachina]

HFW only has 3 levels.

Legacy Champion. 8/10 progress anything (though you might want to take 5/6 only)

[AirGuitarGod32]

I corrected it. My Bad.

Is this a good way of approaching Warlock, or am I wrong entirely?

[Duke of URL]

My favorite is Eldritch Glaive & Fell Flight, coupled with Weapon Finesse and Fly-by Attack. Swoop over their heads, and mix them up like some sort of meat martini.

That doesn't work, does it? EG is a full-round action, which means you can't use it with Flyby Attack.

[AirGuitarGod32]

So considering that I use Eldritch Blast as my blast/nuke, what sort of damage output am I looking at with my earlier build?

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Enlightened Spirit stinks on dry ice.

If you are wanting to do a 'holy warlock' thing, try this:

Cleric3/Warlock1/Eldritch Disciple10/HFW3/Uncanny Trickster3

Uncanny Trickster from Complete Scoundrel is a neat 3 level class that promotes class progression for 2/3. So that means you promote HFW, get an extra 4d6 to your hellfire blast and get invocation/EB progression.

And you're a freekin' cleric. Lesser Restoration.