Homebrewed PRC for a melee warlock

[Dandu]

how can a glaivelock (not allowed in game cuz no dragon magic) better than this class worked into a build focusing on warlock, this class, and no more than 2 fighter levels over time? This class gets 4 (5 with speed on a weapon) hideous blow attacks at the end, and each one can get a +5 unnamed bonus to hit from Eldritch Power; sure glaive is touch but you get less attacks and you need weapon finesse to hit with your dex instead of strength; whereas this class can just focus on strength.

Maybe you should make a level 12 character using this prestige class and we can run a comparison!

 

[Jackinthegreen]

how can a glaivelock (not allowed in game cuz no dragon magic) better than this class worked into a build focusing on warlock, this class, and no more than 2 fighter levels over time? This class gets 4 (5 with speed on a weapon) hideous blow attacks at the end, and each one can get a +5 unnamed bonus to hit from Eldritch Power; sure glaive is touch but you get less attacks and you need weapon finesse to hit with your dex instead of strength; whereas this class can just focus on strength.

about using strength instead of charisma, would that be just something built into say a Racial Sub level for Half-Orc Warlock, or is it feat worthy?

I think the point with glaive is it doesn't require a special class to make it good in the first place. Some of what your class does is already covered by EG, and as noted you've gone beyond some of EG's stuff. Though I would say it needs some clarification on how the smeg it works.

With strength instead of charisma, I was thinking since your class focuses so strongly on Hideous Blow that it would make a great (and totally natural) class feature. It could certainly be a racial sub too if you prefer, but stuff like that generally has a cost. I recall the homebrew sub levels having a cost, but I don't recall what it specifically was. It might have been nixing Detect Magic at will or something, but that leaves 1st level without the support unless the sub level was 1st and then said "This option prevents you from gaining Detect Magic at 2nd level" or something like that.

For a feat though? I'd call it unlikely, but still possible. One thought I just had was make it like the Complete Adventurer (and Scoundrel, among other splats) multiclass feats where it requires a certain feature of each class and then grants some bonus. In this case it could be fighter/warlock where fighter levels counted towards EB damage and then it gave the strength for essence use or something, plus then warlock levels counted as fighter levels for the purposes of qualifying for feats like Greater Weapon Focus.

 

[Nezkrul]

@Dandu - ok, so long as you restrict your 12th level build to PhB + PhB2 + Complete Arcane (aside from EG from dragon magic) I'll make it up and send it in a PM
[MENTION=6678119]Jackinthegreen[/MENTION] - I came up with my own homebrew set of racial sub levels, gonna post em in a different thread

 

[Dandu]

@Dandu - ok, so long as you restrict your 12th level build to PhB + PhB2 + Complete Arcane (aside from EG from dragon magic) I'll make it up and send it in a PM

Sure. Why don't we post our builds in this thread, though?

 

[Nezkrul]

this thread isn't about comparing theory building with other classes, its about what you think about the homebrew prc I presented and how it will function, not "EG is better, so what's the point?" stuff

 

[Dandu]

Yes... so we should probably see how it functions compared to other options the Warlock already has... right? I mean, isn't that one way to determine if you have too much or too little power?

If you don't want to run a comparison... why did you agree to run a comparison?

 

[Nezkrul]

Here's an example 12th level character using this build; sources used are PHB, PHB2, Complete Arcane, DMG, this class, Skip Williams' suggestion on Practiced Invoker, and Dodge gives a +2 bonus instead of +1.

Brandishertestsubject
Human; Warlock 6 / Fighter 1 / Brandisher 5
elite monster array for attributes

Str- 15 +2 levels +4 enhancement = 21 (+5)
Dex- 13 +1 levels +2 enhancement = 16 (+3)
Con- 14 +2 enhancement = 16 (+3)
Int- 12
Wis- 10
Cha- 08

Base Attack: +10 / +5 AC: 10 +3dex +10arm +3shield +2def (+2dodge) = 28 (30)
Saves: Initiative: +3
Fort +13 Hit Points: 42+5d6+5d8+1d10
Ref +8 Speed: 8 squares (5 in armor)
Will +11 Alignment: Chaotic Good

Skill Ranks: Bluff 5, Concentration 5, Intimidate 15, Knowledge (arcana) 5, Knowledge (the planes) 5, Knowlege (relgion) 5, Listen 5, Spellcraft 15, Spot 5, Tumble 2, Use Magic Device 1

Feats: Dodge1h, Combat Reflexes1, Battle Caster (medium)3, Spell Penetration6, Weapon Focus (great sword)7f, Practiced Invoker9, Improved Buckler Defense9f, Greater Spell Penetration12

Special: eldritch blast 6d6, detect magic at will, DR 1 / cold iron, deceive item, hideous brandish, eldritch power +3, hideous flurry

Languages: Common, Celestial

Invocation Caster Level: 12 (+4 for breaching spell resistance)
Invocations Known:
Least- hideous blow, see the unseen, leaps and bounds
Lesser- brimstone blast, fell-flight, walk unseen, eldritch chain

Equipment/Money (standard wealth by level 88,000gp):
635gp
Girdle of Giant Strength +4 (16,000gp)
Greatsword +2 (8,000gp)
Mithral Fullplate +2 (14,500gp)
-Masterwork Armor Spikes (350gp)
Mithral Buckler +2 (5,015gp)
Cloak of Resistance +2 (4,000gp)
Bracers of Constitution +2 (4,000gp)
Gloves of Dexterity +2 (4,000gp)
Boots of Striding and Springing (5,500gp)
Ring of Protection +2 (8,000gp)
Greater Chasuble of Fel Power (18,000gp)

Attacks:
Hideous Flurry (sword)- +10 (base) +2 (enhance) +1 (feat) +5 (strength) +3 (eld pwr) = +21 / +13
2d6+9 slashing plus 8d6 eldritch blast
Hideous Flurry (spikes)- +10 (base) +1 (enhance) +5 (strength) +3 (eld pwr) = +19 / +11
1d6+5 piercing plus 8d6 eldritch blast
Eldritch Blast/Chain- +10 (base) +3 (dex) (+3 eld pwr if needed) = +13 ranged touch
8d6+3 non-typed energy or fire

 

[Dandu]

Here's what I have.

It would have been much better with Hellfire Warlock, though. Hellfire Warlock does some very interesting things to Warlock damage output - one of the reasons Glaivelocks can be very powerful. Without it... hm, a glaivelock will certainly be less powerful, though by how much is an interesting question.

What would be a good way to compare how the two perform in a game? Select a few monsters and discuss what they would contribute in a party setting?

Hideous Flurry (sword)- +10 (base) +2 (enhance) +1 (feat) +5 (strength) +3 (eld pwr) = +21 / +13
2d6+9 slashing plus 8d6 eldritch blast

If you are wielding a two handed weapon, though, why not grab a reach weapon?

Bracers of Constitution +2 (4,000gp)

Ok, I know we're using some houserules here, but that's not a thing. Reslotting ups the cost.

Incidentally, while the Chausiable of Fell Power takes up your neck slot, it is in fact a kind of real world garment worn around the shoulders. If you want to houserule that it takes up a shoulder slot, that is fine by me. I'll make some changes to my items list as well.

 

[Dandu]

Heads up: I noticed in the 3.5e Warlock Errata thread by Richard Baker himself, the warlock class designer, he states that

Q: Does using Hideous Blow in melee provoke an attack of oppertunity?

A: Hideous Blow does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Andy Collins will clarify that in an upcoming Sage Advice."

Of course, 3.5e FAQ and Sage Advice seem to be of the opinion that it provokes. So we have RAI of the designer, RAI of the Sage and FAQ conflicting with each other. Which one you go with is up to you.

 

[Nezkrul]

only issue I have is that a warlock doesn't know any spells, and Craft Contingent Spell isn't a magic item, it's literally a spell effect, so a warlock, by literal reading of the rules, can't use Craft Contingent Spell - he doesn't know any spells.