Help with warlock/sorcerer build

Lanamelach · Jun 29, 2008

Hey-

What would be the best way to construct a warlock/sorcerer that would maximize the casting power of both classes?

All published books allowed, by the way.

Thanks for any help.

Jack Simth · Jun 29, 2008

Lanamelach said:
Hey-

What would be the best way to construct a warlock/sorcerer that would maximize the casting power of both classes?

All published books allowed, by the way.

Thanks for any help.

Either Gestalt (which is a campaign variant), or a pure-classed Sorcerer that makes use of the Complete Mage Reserve Feats to fake Eldritch blast and many other Warlock at-will effects. Alternately, a Pure-classed Warlock that takes the item crafting feats and crafts scrolls, wands, and staves to do the Sorcerer's casting.

Generally, for a caster, you don't want to lose caster levels - which, in standard play, this will. There's a few multiclass fix PrC's out there that'll let you do a Warlock/Arcanist, but you'll be losing about four levels from both sides, and that hurts, mechanically.

rgard · Jun 29, 2008

Hi, here are my thoughts on your question.

Eldritch Theurge from Complete Mage is the PrC built for your character. As Jack says, you'll lose 4 levels from Warlock and I think 3 levels from Sorcerer on the way to qualifying for the class. You get alot of versatility with that class.

With the above, I'd consider taking Practiced Spellcaster as one of your feats so you can cast your Sorcerer spells better. There isn't a Practiced Warlock feat in WotC's books, but it's easy enough to house rule a feat like that.

For feats, you can look at this two ways. You can take feats that benefit both classes like Point Blank Shot and that tree. That'll move you in the direction of taking 'Ray' spells for your Sorcerer casting as they are ranged touch like the Eldritch Blast. The other thing you can do is focus your feat selection making a better Sorcerer or Warlock. I don't have Complete Arcane infront of me, but you can at least look at the feats that were built for Warlocks or ones that enhance spell like abilities from other sourcers.

If you don't go the 'Ray' spells route you can focus your spell selection on spells that don't overlap with your Warlock abilities.

I'd also consider the Battle Sorcerer from UA. You can cast in light armor which works with the Warlock. You know and cast one less spell per level, but you make up for it by having the Eldritch Blast to use every round if you like keeping busy. While many consider Hideous Blow a sub-optimum invocation it is fun to use if your character is armored and likes to get into the melee.

I think I posted a Practiced Warlock feat somewhere here on EN World. I'll look for it.

Thanks,
Rich

Viktyr Gehrig · Jun 30, 2008

rgard said:
Eldritch Theurge from Complete Mage is the PrC built for your character. As Jack says, you'll lose 4 levels from Warlock and I think 3 levels from Sorcerer on the way to qualifying for the class. You get alot of versatility with that class.

...

I'd also consider the Battle Sorcerer from UA. You can cast in light armor which works with the Warlock. You know and cast one less spell per level, but you make up for it by having the Eldritch Blast to use every round if you like keeping busy.

Kinda outside the parameters of the OP's question... but you're better off with Bard here. For the most part, you're going to be relying on your Warlock invocations for combat magic, and Bards get a lot more useful utility magic.

If you space your Bard and Warlock levels properly, you can also qualify for Sublime Chord at 11th level. Take one level of Eldritch Theurge at 10th, then the other nine levels from 12 through 20. Gives you access to the kind of "big boom" Sorcerer effects that you can't get as a Bard... or as a Sorcerer/Warlock/Eldritch Theurge.

rgard · Jun 30, 2008

Korimyr the Rat said:
Kinda outside the parameters of the OP's question... but you're better off with Bard here. For the most part, you're going to be relying on your Warlock invocations for combat magic, and Bards get a lot more useful utility magic.

If you space your Bard and Warlock levels properly, you can also qualify for Sublime Chord at 11th level. Take one level of Eldritch Theurge at 10th, then the other nine levels from 12 through 20. Gives you access to the kind of "big boom" Sorcerer effects that you can't get as a Bard... or as a Sorcerer/Warlock/Eldritch Theurge.

I like your build with the Bard instead.

Thanks,
Rich

Corsair · Jul 1, 2008

Sorcerer/warlock/Eldritch Theurge: For the player who wants to play an arcanist, but is tired of arcanists being powerful.

rgard · Jul 1, 2008

Corsair said:
Sorcerer/warlock/Eldritch Theurge: For the player who wants to play an arcanist, but is tired of arcanists being powerful.

I understand your point, but 'being powerful' is not always the goal. There are character/role playing concepts that sometimes preclude building the most powerful character you normally would.

Thanks,
Rich