D&D 3E/3.5 3.5 warlock question

[rogueone]

I am enjoying playing a 3.5 warlock in a couple of campaigns. Have any of you ever tried using some of the 3.5 warlock variants that are available online? I tried using one of the variants, and we all agreed that it was overpowered for our group. However, I have convinced our DMs to let me use the "invocations known" from the variants. This allows for extra blast shapes and essences every couple of levels. Does this make the warlock too powerful?

 

[Empirate]

I'd like to give this some thought, but you're not being very specific. "Some of the 3.5 warlock variants that are available online"... Could you at the very least provide a link to a variant that you find interesting and would like to hear people's thoughts about? Or maybe just some up some of the more important changes? Or something?

 

[rogueone]

Thanks for the reply...sorry for being a little vague. Here a couple of links to warlock variants:

Warlock, Variant (3.5e Class) - Dungeons and Dragons Wiki

Warlock 2.0 - WIP - Giant in the Playground Forums

Specifically...our group found that multiple attacks were overpowered because a warlock has a much better "to hit" with a touch attack. So, we decided to stick with the warlock as written in Complete Arcane. However, I did make a successful case for expanding the number of invocations known as shown in the variant links.

I'm just curious if others have played the warlock and used any of these or any other variants. I'm always looking for other points of view.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

I've played a Warlock that was able to choose from the Dragonfire Adept Invocations as well as the Warlock ones. A few good options from that list.

 

[Empirate]

I like the D&D Wiki variant quite a bit. The main changes are invocations known (you get more, in that shape and essence invocations are tracked separately - very good idea), iterative attacks with the eldritch blast (it helps to keep EB relevant at mid to high levels), and eldritch surge (which isn't explained too well, and I don't really like the way they handled it). The wonky EB damage progression is also fixed. Very much appreciated are the 4+Int skill points/level - now you can actually make use of the Warlock's good list of class skills!

Balance-wise, I think most of these changes just help to make Warlocks a little more flexible, and to keep them at all interesting in a mid to high level game. The Complete Arcane Warlock loses much of its luster from level 6-8 onwards. Also, the very limited number of invocations known made it a pain to pick blast shapes and essences - especially since you know that your blast damage won't be able to keep up at all once the group's Barbarian hits his stride.