Warlock V.S. Sorcerer

[asphen fox]

I've noticed that no one's ever made a thread loyally for this kind of argument. My issue? Who's the better Blaster?

[Zenos]

I would say the Sorcerer, he simply puts more damage in a single attack, whilst the thing with the Warlock is to win by attrition. Except if the Warlock has loaded up on blaster wands.

[Reel On, Love]

I've noticed that no one's ever made a thread loyally for this kind of argument. My issue? Who's the better Blaster?

Blaster? Sorcerer by far. I've never seen a sorcerer past, like, second level run out of spells in-game, the sorcerer can do other stuff than blast, and he can pick spells like Wings of Flurry and the Orbs and Moonbow and Radiant Assault to blast with.

He can also take Arcane Spellsurge, Imbue Familiar with Spell Ablity, and (Greater) Arcane Fusion, and pound enemies with like six spells a round.

[SamTheCleric]

Why is the Sorcerer a Blaster? Solo is gonna be rolling in his grave when he sees this.

Not that he's dead... I've just heard he likes hanging around in cemetaries.

[Saph]

Blaster? Sorcerer by far. I've never seen a sorcerer past, like, second level run out of spells in-game.

Eh? I've never seen a first- to third-level sorcerer not run out of 1st-level spells. The times they had any left, they were either hoarding them or doing milk runs.

I love Sorcerers, but they really need to get to about level 6 before they have both decent endurance and decent variety (levels 4-5 are okay if you're not fighting too many encounters per day, but you still tend to end up spamming the same thing over and over).

Vs. Warlocks: Warlocks win out at low levels, because they can use their abilities all day, every round. From mid levels up, the Sorcerer's more effective (and more fun) because he has two to three times as many spells known as the Warlock has invocations.

- Saph

[Duke of URL]

Again, in a head-to-head battle, the Sorc beats the Warlock hands-down. The Sorc gets more spells known (and better ones, at that) than the Warlock, and can outlast the Warlock even better than a Wizard can, which itself isn't all that hard. While the Sorc isn't as versatile as the Wizard in later levels, a Warlock cannot compete with any full caster on equal footing.

The only power advantage a Warlock has is the ability to keep going in situations where rest is difficult or impossible (attrition scenarios), and this is a very rare occurrence.

Now, Warlocks are much easier to play from a "book-keeping" standpoint and they generally are better balanced to the martial and support classes than a full caster would be, but there's no pretending that a Warlock is the equal of a full caster in any way, shape, or form.

[Starsinger]

It really depends on what you want this blaster for. But generally the sorcerer will win if the question is about speed of damage, also chain-lightning.

[Solo]

Why is the Sorcerer a Blaster? Solo is gonna be rolling in his grave when he sees this.

Not that he's dead... I've just heard he likes hanging around in cemetaries.

Sometimes you just need a cold one.

[GrandMasterMe]

what is the terrain like? if it is close quarters then the warlock will win because of his 3/4 BAB and as a lesser invocation he can imbue his attacks with his eldritch blast, not to mention his d6 hd. If it is medium or long range the sorcerer will most definitly win. A well developed sorcerer will be able to sit back and cast spells like avasculate followed by an icelance for nigh unstopable damage

[SilentNight]

Sorcerers will definitely win at mid level and up. I must say though that warlocks can be much funner to play and are easier on the bookeeping. Not much else to say.

[Solo]

what is the terrain like? if it is close quarters then the warlock will win because of his 3/4 BAB and as a lesser invocation he can imbue his attacks with his eldritch blast, not to mention his d6 hd. If it is medium or long range the sorcerer will most definitly win. A well developed sorcerer will be able to sit back and cast spells like avasculate followed by an icelance for nigh unstopable damage

Ice lance?

[Meat Shield]

Sometimes you just need a cold one.

Oh dear, dear dear dear dear.......that one was bad, Solo. (And by 'bad' I mean 'good, but still bad')

[Solo]

Hey, at least I won't take the joke and run with it.

[sonofzeal]

As a blaster, of course Sorcs win. Even Rogues are better Glass Cannons than Warlocks. The strength in the 'Lock is the various other things it can throw around - Summon Swarm and Shatter at low levels, unlimited flight and Vitrolic Blast at mid levels for some of the most reliable damage in the entire game combined with massive UMD and crafting utility. And at high levels, full-casters dominate everything anyway.

[Reel On, Love]

Eh? I've never seen a first- to third-level sorcerer not run out of 1st-level spells. The times they had any left, they were either hoarding them or doing milk runs.

I love Sorcerers, but they really need to get to about level 6 before they have both decent endurance and decent variety (levels 4-5 are okay if you're not fighting too many encounters per day, but you still tend to end up spamming the same thing over and over).

Vs. Warlocks: Warlocks win out at low levels, because they can use their abilities all day, every round. From mid levels up, the Sorcerer's more effective (and more fun) because he has two to three times as many spells known as the Warlock has invocations.

- Saph

I guess you have more encounters per day at low levels than I do. Of course, I haven't played level 1-3 for a while.

Spell selection also has something to do with it. You need fewer uses of Color Spray (or, DM forbid, Power Word: Pain) at level 1 than you do of Magic Missile.

[Jack_Simth]

Again, in a head-to-head battle, the Sorc beats the Warlock hands-down. The Sorc gets more spells known (and better ones, at that) than the Warlock, and can outlast the Warlock even better than a Wizard can, which itself isn't all that hard. While the Sorc isn't as versatile as the Wizard in later levels, a Warlock cannot compete with any full caster on equal footing.

The only power advantage a Warlock has is the ability to keep going in situations where rest is difficult or impossible (attrition scenarios), and this is a very rare occurrence.

Now, Warlocks are much easier to play from a "book-keeping" standpoint and they generally are better balanced to the martial and support classes than a full caster would be, but there's no pretending that a Warlock is the equal of a full caster in any way, shape, or form.

That's not entirely true.

See, after a point, a Warlock gets the Artificer ability to craft anything that he took the feats for (using UMD in place of actual spells). In an environment where there are no "magic shops" where you can simply order up an item, this can occasionally make a Warlock stronger than a Sorcerer (because the Warlock has custom items, while the Sorcerer pretty much has to take what he finds).

Likewise, a Sorcerer (or Wizard) who takes a reserve feat or two (Complete Mage) can deal with attrition scenarios as well as (and sometimes better than) a Warlock can.