Questions concerning Invocations

[BRC]

I just got my grubby little hands on Complete Arcane, and looked over the Warlock. One thing bugged me though, Invocations, they said they were similar to a Sorceror or Bard's spell, and they list invocations known, but I couldn't find anything about how often per day you can use Invocations. Some of them are clearly meant to be used like spells (Unless they want you to use Summon Swarm as many times per day as you want).

[Stupendous_Man]

I couldn't find anything about how often per day you can use Invocations.

OVER NINE THOUSAND!!!

[The Glyphstone]

Yes, all warlock invocations are at-will abilities. It's the major selling point of the Warlock class, their unparalled endurance.

[BRC]

Wait, so at 6th level I could start using Dispel Magic as much as I feel like, or Animate Dead, or at 16th I can Baleful Polymorph at-will? That is fairly broken.

[Draz74]

Ironically, even with infinite uses they're considered a rather underpowered class until you spice them up with clever multiclassing or some feats/PrCs/invocations from newer splatbooks.

Wait, so at 6th level I could start using Dispel Magic as much as I feel like, or Animate Dead, or at 16th I can Baleful Polymorph at-will? That is fairly broken.

That's what everyone thinks until they actually try it out ...

[Stupendous_Man]

Wait, so at 6th level I could start using Dispel Magic as much as I feel like

And what are you going to be dispelling?

or Animate Dead,

Needs the gemstone to keep the corpses alive for more than a few minutes

or at 16th I can Baleful Polymorph at-will?

It's a 5th level spell, though...

[MeklorIlavator]

As Stupendous_Man is saying, the at-will abilities are balanced by the fact that you usually get them a couple levels after a fullcaster could do it(and by the time you get it the save is kinda low for the levels you're at). Also, you have very few choices to use in your build(12 by level 20). I've never known for a Warlock to be considered overpowered by someone who knew the rules.

[Kurald Galain]

Wait, so at 6th level I could start using Dispel Magic as much as I feel like, or Animate Dead, or at 16th I can Baleful Polymorph at-will? That is fairly broken.

FYI, baleful polymorph is the only spell in that line that isn't considered broken.

[monty]

I think most people would say that Polymorph 1/day is more broken than Baleful Polymorph at-will. Also, by the time you get the latter, the full casters almost have Shapechange, which is even more broken.

[BRC]

My groups casters tend to go Blaster instead of Batman or Polycheese, so I guess I'm not used to thinking in those terms.

[The Glyphstone]

With a typical scenario of 3-4 encounters per day, which the system is based + balanced around, the fact that the warlock can spam his invocations 24 hours a day becomes irrelevant against the fact that most of that day isn't spent in a combat situation.

Warlocks only become "broken" when the normal casters don't get their intended rest periods, either for story reasons or situation (the World's Largest Dungeon, for example, is one place warlocks do excellent).

[BRC]

My group dosn't optomise muhc anyway, so I'll just pick the fun invocations over the useful ones if I decide to go Warlock.

[nightwyrm]

Think of the warlock as an archer with an infinite number of arrows and a few special tricks and you'll get a general idea of their power level.

[Kurald Galain]

My group dosn't optomise muhc anyway, so I'll just pick the fun invocations over the useful ones if I decide to go Warlock.

That's precisely what warlocks are for, yes. Many invocations are written to be fun. You can fly at will, break things by shouting at them, and produce fog clouds whenever you feel like it - how is that not fun?

[Flickerdart]

My group dosn't optomise muhc anyway, so I'll just pick the fun invocations over the useful ones if I decide to go Warlock.

Yeah, but make sure to pick widely. Your group will love you if you grab some buffs, since you can buff them whenever. I don't have their invocation list handy, but make sure you actually gain benefits from being able to cast this thing 24/7.

[AslanCross]

Chilling Tentacles is pretty evil, though. I mean, it's the closest you can get to an actual spiked tentacles of forced intrusion.

[Starbuck_II]

FYI, baleful polymorph is the only spell in that line that isn't considered broken.

Now if it was Polymorph at will: then you might be broken.

[monty]

Now if it was Polymorph at will: then you might be broken.

Even so, by 16th level, the wizard should be able to cast at least 5-6 fourth level spells per day, which is more than you need for the vast majority of situations.

[Starbuck_II]

Even so, by 16th level, the wizard should be able to cast at least 5-6 fourth level spells per day, which is more than you need for the vast majority of situations.

What if it is a Army battle like OotS comic where V used Enlarge person, Mass + Bull's Str Mass combos?
Think if they were each turned into Treants (they'd be a lot stronger).

[monty]

What if it is a Army battle like OotS comic where V used Enlarge person, Mass + Bull's Str Mass combos?
Think if they were each turned into Treants (they'd be a lot stronger).

Well, there's certainly situations where it'd be really powerful, sure, but the average party won't be leading an army.

[Starbuck_II]

Well, there's certainly situations where it'd be really powerful, sure, but the average party won't be leading an army.

Are we speaking average Metaphorically or Metaphysically?
Because OotS is average power level I'd say (the minimum a PC party can do is OotS I think).