Warlock Character Build, Advice Sought

After a long dry spell of not gaming I've decided to scare up a game to join. To get back into the mood I've created a 1st level Warlock. I've never designed a Warlock before. I'm wondering how this looks and can anyone offer any advice? TIA.

Pavel the Enervated (AKA Coenric Winterhaven)

Human Male, Warlock, 1st Level, Chaotic Neutral

Str: 10 (2 points) +0
Dex: 14 (6 points) +2
Con: 10 (2 points) +0
Int: 14 (6 points) +2
Wis: 10 (2 points) +0
Cha: 16 (10 points) +3
28 Point Buy

Base Speed 30
Languages: Common, Draconic, and Abyssal.

HP: 6
Initiative: +6 (+2 DX, +4 Improved Initiative)
BAB: +0
BAB Melee: +0
BAB Missile: +2
Eldritch Blast: 1d6, 60’ range +2 BAB (Ranged Touch Attack)
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +2 (+2 DX), Will +2
Armour Class: 15 (+3 Studded Leather, +2 DX)

Skills: 1st level points: 20 (2 + 2 (+2 IN)) x 4 + 4 (Human Bonus) = 20
5 each following level (2 + 2 (+2 IN)) +1 (Human Bonus) = 5

Class Skills:
Bluff (CH) +5 (2 ranks + CH Bonus)
Concentration (CN) +2 (2 ranks)
Disguise (CH) +2 (CH Bonus)
Intimidate (CH) +7 (4 ranks + CH Bonus)
Knowledge (Arcana) (IN) +4 (2 ranks + IN Bonus)
Knowledge (The Planes) (IN) +4 (2 ranks + IN Bonus)
Knowledge (Religion) (IN) +4 (2 ranks + IN Bonus)
Spellcraft (IN) +4 (2 ranks + IN Bonus)
Use Magic Device (CH) +7 (4 ranks + CH Bonus)

Feats: 2 total at 1st level
Improved Initiative: +4 to Init.
Precise Shot: No BAB penalty for shooting into melee.

Invocations:
Eldritch Spear (Least, 1st level): Eldritch Blast range increased to 250’.

Equipment:
Studded Leather Armour (+3 AC, -1 Armour Penalty) Black color
Backpack
Bed Roll
Mess Kit
Waterskin
Two changes of clothes
1 Dagger (1d4 19-20/x2, 10 ft. RI. 1 lb. Piercing or slashing)
Spear (1d8/x3, 20 ft. RI, 6 lb. Piercing)
Flint & Steel
Rations (week)
Grooming Kit
Belt Pouch (7 gp)

Description:

Pavel is of slightly above average height (5’ 10”) and of slim build. He has thick, light brown hair (slightly darker than blond) which he wears long and often in a single braid. He also sports a neatly trimmed beard and moustache, which is kept short. His one most noticeable facial feature is his slightly off-centered nose (leans to the left). This gives him a bit of a rakish air.

Personal History:

Pavel the Enervated was born Coenric Winterhaven to Lord Cedric Winterhaven and Lady Gillian Winterhaven. His parents were both Wizards in good standing of the Northwall Mage’s Guild. His parents were very much stay at home, bookish Wizards. Not prone to leaving the city of Northwall let alone go adventuring. The most exciting bit of family “gossip” was that his Mother’s maternal Grandfather had been a Tiefling. The elder Winterhavens very much wanted their only child to grow up and become a Guild Mage as they had.

Coenric had a much different future planned…

He had learned at an early age that his parent’s Guild connections would gain him access to the Guild Library’s Restricted Stacks. Not only was this a good place to get away from people but it gave his parents the impression that he was studious. Mostly Coenric used his time to read old memoirs of past Guild spellcasters. He also took advantage of the quiet area to “entertain” female adepts and Guild apprentices. It was in these stacks that he first stumbled on information about Warlocks.

Warlocks appealed to Coenric’s rather volatile nature and interest in the raw magical power of the multiverse. He read every book he could find on the topic. He taught himself Draconic and Abyssal to gain the knowledge contained in the truly esoteric volumes on Invocations.

Coenric decided to try and become a Warlock in secret. After months of study, meditation and physical toil he found The Key. His power awakened and he let loose with his first Eldritch Blast. This was an eye opening experience for Coenric. Not least of which because he damaged a number of valuable books in the stacks. He couldn’t hide his research from his parents any longer. The Head Librarian informed his parents of what he had done and how he had done it. The ensuing row shook the walls of the Guild Tower.

Coenric took his belongings, a bit of gold he had and left the Tower and his parents behind.

As soon as he had left the city limits he changed his name and struck out into the world to make a name for himself as a Warlock.

Goals:

Pavel wants to become a great Warlock. He takes great pleasure in using his Eldritch Blast as often as he can. He sees himself as some sort of arcane living weapon, a mythic archer who never needs an external item to take down his targets. He also wants to show his parents that a Warlock can be just as important as a Guild Wizard can. He also secretly wants to earn a Lordship in his own right, rather than inherent such a title from his parents.

Personality:

Pavel is the quintessential 80’s era punk. Rebelling against his parent’s conservatism. He has a very selfish worldview. He is also rather short sighted. The larger, world picture is beyond him. He knows that there are starving people in the world. But that happens “over there”. If he were to encounter such a person face to face he would react on a personal level. He is fiercely loyal to those that except him for whom he is, Pavel the Enervated, Warlock at large. He enjoys being the charming rogue. He also enjoys the success with the ladies that his charm gains him.

The world is Pavel’s oyster… and he’s hungry. Now if he just had some money…

Alignment View:

Pavel will not knowingly harm an innocent. He will not attack an unarmed person unless in self-defense. If he perceives an armed person as a threat he is not above a “preemptive strike”. He bases his views on how people act, rather than what they preach. He is a bit of a cad when it comes to women. He sees them as conquests rather than equals. This view could change but he would need to see a strong female in action first. He sees much of the world as resources for his own, personal use.

Build Plan: Feat, Invocation Choices and Ability Boosts

1st Level: Feats (Improved Initiative, Precise Shot), Invocation (Eldritch Spear)

2nd Level: Invocation (See the Unseen)

3rd Level: Feat (Ability Focus: Eldritch Blast)

4th Level: Invocation (Beguiling Influence), +1 CH

5th Level: N/A

6th Level: Feat (Empower Spell-like Ability: Eldritch Blast), Invocation (Fell Flight)

7th Level: N/A

8th Level: Invocation (Walk Unseen), +1 CH

9th Level: Feat (Maximize Spell-like Ability: Eldritch Blast)

10th Level: Invocation (Brimstone Blast)

11th Level: Invocation (Vitriolic Blast)

12th Level: Feat (Improved Critical: Eldritch Blast), +1 CH

13th Level: Invocation (Eldritch Cone)

14th Level: N/A

15th Level: Feat (Quicken Spell-like Ability: Eldritch Blast), Invocation (Chilling Tentacles)

16th Level: Invocation (Retributive Invisibility, swap out Walk Unseen for Eldritch Chain), +1 CH

17th Level: N/A

18th Level: Feat (Inured to Energy: Fire ER +10), Invocation (Eldritch Doom)

19th Level: N/A

20th Level: Invocation (Dark Discorporation), +1 CH

One thing of note: Precise Shot has Point Blank Shot as a prerequisite.

Vyvyan Basterd said:

One thing of note: Precise Shot has Point Blank Shot as a prerequisite.

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Yeah, I screwed up on that. I'll have to drop Improved Initiative and take Point Blank Shot. I thought I checked all the Feat conflicts...

You should probably focus less on blast shapes and eldritch essences. You can only use one of them each at a time, especially picking up almost all blast shapes seems excessive.

Also I don't really know what Brimstone Blast is good for, except making the Eldritch Blast weaker. Now Noxious Blast, that's a nasty one.

Bye
Thanee

For Raw Damage, Brimstone Blast is pretty good. But I agree that once you get Vitrolic Blast, you do not want Brimstone Blast anymore.

Personally, I'd dump the Empower, Maximize, and Quicken spell like ability feats. I disagree with Thanee on the usefulness of these feats; the feats are useless if you invest in blast shape and eldritch essences. Furthermore, they are contrary to the whole idea of the Warlock, which is unlimited use of powers, since those feats can only be used 3 times a day.

Weapon Focus and Improved Critical are interesting, but I'm not sure how useful.

Personally, I think Extra Invocation is the mandatory feat to be taken two or three times-- Warlocks never get enough invocations.

Also, don't forget Spell Penetration and Greater Spell Penetration. These feats are mandatory against High SR targets in high level games. Although the title of the feat might lead you to believe they only apply to spells, the description talks about caster level checks which would also apply to invocations.

Endur said:

For Raw Damage, Brimstone Blast is pretty good. But I agree that once you get Vitrolic Blast, you do not want Brimstone Blast anymore.

Personally, I'd dump the Empower, Maximize, and Quicken spell like ability feats. I disagree with Thanee on the usefulness of these feats; the feats are useless if you invest in blast shape and eldritch essences. Furthermore, they are contrary to the whole idea of the Warlock, which is unlimited use of powers, since those feats can only be used 3 times a day.

Weapon Focus and Improved Critical are interesting, but I'm not sure how useful.

Personally, I think Extra Invocation is the mandatory feat to be taken two or three times-- Warlocks never get enough invocations.

Also, don't forget Spell Penetration and Greater Spell Penetration. These feats are mandatory against High SR targets in high level games. Although the title of the feat might lead you to believe they only apply to spells, the description talks about caster level checks which would also apply to invocations.

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I think the ablility to create fire, at will, is pretty darn useful. Many of my choices were for role-playing rather than min-maxing purposes.

Spell Penetration and Greater Spell Penetration effect spells, not Invocations.

Tetsubo said:

Spell Penetration and Greater Spell Penetration effect spells, not Invocations.

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Read the descriptions of the feats. It does not say anything about spells in the descriptions.

That's the same reason you can apply Weapon Focus, Improved Critical, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, and other similar feats to your invocations. Because it does not contain any limiting language in the descriptions, even though those feats were designed for weapons originally.

Endur said:

Read the descriptions of the feats. It does not say anything about spells in the descriptions.

That's the same reason you can apply Weapon Focus, Improved Critical, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, and other similar feats to your invocations. Because it does not contain any limiting language in the descriptions, even though those feats were designed for weapons originally.

Click to expand...

You might be right on that. But the Ability Focus from Savage Species has a similair effect.

The Feats you mention also effect Rays and Touch Spells. Which is the reasoning they apply to the Eldritch Blast. It is a Ray after all...