Warlock bolt- d6/level every d4 rounds?

[shmoo2]

I have a player running a Warlock PC in my game. I have found the class to be balanced, and useful, but a little boring as the player almost always uses eldritch bolt every round of combat.

I am considering raising the eldritch bolt damage to d6/warlock level, but usable only every 1d4 rounds; i.e. doubling the damage but reducing frequency of use by 60%. This way, the PC would be forced to do other stuff in the intervening rounds.

Does this sound balanced? Would it accomplish what I want it to?

 

[ValhallaGH]

It will only accomplish the goal if the character has other options. Depending upon invocations, feats and equipment the character might actually not have any viable options except to use Eldritch Bolt every round. Punishing a character for being boring but effective is really mean, and not in the fun-evil-DM version of mean.

Are your warrior classes also boring? Do you feel a need to fix that as well? (Serious questions, as there are real ways to fix this.)

The key to variety is having lots of effective options besides the one boring tactic. As an example, I encourage combat uses of skills to achieve various benefits. In one recent combat I ran, the PCs were fighting some warriors mounted on acquatic lizards and the lizards were deadlier than most of the warriors. One of the PCs had the idea to leap atop one of the lizards and tame it, rodeo style. I told him to make some Handle Animal checks. Upon success he effectively removed the lizard (and himself) from the fight, eventually acquiring a new pet. If I did not encourage that sort of crazed skill use in combat then he would have almost certainly done the very boring 'walk up and full attack'.

 

[Land Outcast]

I'm not sure... you see, he won't have iterative attacks, nor scorching ray (spell who laughs on the face of warlocks... 4d6 at lvl 3, 8d6 at lvl 7, 12d6 at lvl 11...)

I'd rather have Scorching Ray at will than Eldrich Blast (without the 12d6 cap, accepting 3 rays instead of one)... But I digress

doesn't seem blatantly over/underpowered and would make him.... shoot with his x-bow?
It has some resemblance with only alowing the fighter a full attack every 1d4 rounds, but that's just me

 

[Paraxis]

I have played a warlock and run a game with one currently. Think of him more like an archer and your problem should be solved, doesn't the archer just shoot arrows everyround he can?
Also once he gets higher level chilling tentacles and other cool invocations mix things up a bit. Basicly stop thinking of warlocks as casters who magic missle every round and like an archer and things will work out.

On the idea you have, one thing warlocks don't need is extra damage, with all the extra invocations that make the blast better, vitrolic and chain come to mind, double damage even every 1d4 rounds is unballancing alot of encounters will end round 1.

 

[Sravoff]

I have played warlocks on numerous occasions, and they are rather similar to fighters. They usually do one thing, and do that alot.

Some are archers, some are melee combatants.

As others have said, he is basically a warrior, with eldritch energy as his weapon as aposed to a steel greatsword.

A 5th level warlock in mithril full plat swinging a greastword arond can be quite deadly. Thats +5 to hit, and 5d6 damage per hit. And it just gets better.

Increase that damage and you open the door to some pretty bad munchkinism.

-Sravoff

 

[Bagpuss]

I play a warlock and while in combat I do spend a lot of the time eldrich blasting, I've also found myself Shattering enemies weapons, Dispelling magic effects on the enemy, and pointing out invisible attackers. It all depends on the Invocations they have picked and the challenges you present to them.

Out of combat I'm effectively the party rogue (but not as subtle), shattering locked doors, detecting magic traps, and hidden magic items, dispelling magic traps.

I don't see my main role in combat as to do damage. While I Eldrich Blast people it is mainly to try and give them negative status effects then move onto another target, same with the shatter, pick the obvious fighters using mudane weapons and make their life difficult. You are never going to beat a fighter or arcane caster for damage potential.

All that at 6th level so you don't have to be high level to have options as a Warlock.

 

[Paraxis]

A 5th level warlock in mithril full plat swinging a greastword arond can be quite deadly. Thats +5 to hit, and 5d6 damage per hit. And it just gets better.

FYI, you can only eldrich blast once per round it is a spell like ability not an attack so even channeling it to a melee weapon that extra damage is once per round not per hit.

And yes shatter and dispel are your friends, and make you very useful. Warlocks make good use as alt rogues and as a face for the party.

 

[Sravoff]

FYI, you can only eldrich blast once per round it is a spell like ability not an attack so even channeling it to a melee weapon that extra damage is once per round not per hit.

And yes shatter and dispel are your friends, and make you very useful. Warlocks make good use as alt rogues and as a face for the party.

Ah, I knew that, badly worded. Yes, standard action to deal 5d6 damage with a crit of 19-20. Pretty nice indeed.