Pathfinder 1E A Pathfinder Warlock: A Conversion by Master Arminas

master arminas

First Post
Hello, folks. It has been a while since I have been around these parts and wanted to jump back in the water with both feet! This is a conversion of the 3.5 Warlock class (Complete Arcane) to Pathfinder. I would love to get your thoughts, suggestions, criticisms, and critiques of the class. Tell me what you think!

Master Arminas


The Pathfinder Warlock: A Conversion

Born with eldritch power coursing through their veins, Warlocks are a breed apart from more traditional wielders of arcane magic. They see things that no child should notice, and they know things that none of such an age should be aware of. From their childhood years onward, Warlocks are isolated, as their neighbors begin to sense the strange power within him. Eventually, all fledging Warlocks grow angry, and manifest their first eldritch blast, often with tragic consequences. For those who are not simply killed by frightened peasants or do not go mad over the results of their actions, it is the first step on a perilous career to harness the raw energy exuding from within them. Those few discover that they do not wield magic, they are magic: a living, breathing avatar of eldritch energy.
No one knows the source of a Warlock's powers, not sages, not mystics, not even the Warlock himself. Unlike a sorcerer who is born to a blood-heritage that influences his magic, many fledgling Warlocks have no history of such influences in their family tree. Nor does race seem to matter to the power that gifts a Warlock with their abilities. Every race has seen some of its children born with this precarious gift.
Because of the toll inflicted on a Warlock by the constant rejection and hostility that he faces, most are neutral in alignment--at best. A significant minority are completely evil in outlook, seeking to do unto others as they have done unto him. Although rare, good Warlocks do exist, seeking to harness the eldritch powers within them for a purpose and cause higher than one’s own self. Sadly, even these few are shunned by those who become aware of what they are, for the stories of evil wrought by more malevolent Warlocks are the common fare of bards and commoners.
To be a Warlock is to be alone, a being never fully trusted by anyone who fears what unknown forces might well be granting these perilous powers to a mere mortal.

Role: Warlocks, while no true substitute for a sorcerer or wizard, are an excellent supplement to them. While their spells lack those which cause damage, for that purpose the class possesses eldritch blast, and there are many battlefield control and utility spells on their list. They also gain more skills than more traditional arcane casters, and their proficiency with arms and armor (and higher hit points) serves them well in melee.

Alignment: Any

Hit Die: d8

Base Attack Bonus: Medium

Good Saving Throws: Will

Class Skills: Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (Local) (Int), Knowledge (The Planes) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: The warlock is proficient with all simple weapons. He is proficient with light armor, but not with medium or heavy armor, or with shields of any type. The warlock can cast warlock spells (but not arcane spells gained from other classes) in light armor without incurring the normal chance of arcane spell failure. While wearing medium or heavy armor or when using a shield, a warlock suffers the normal chance of spell failure.

CLASS FEATURES

Eldritch Blast (Su): A warlock gains a supernatural ability known as the eldritch blast; this ability allow the warlock to focus his eldritch arcane energy into a damaging blast of dark energies able to wound, or even kill, his opponents. As a standard action a warlock can make a ranged touch attack against an opponent within 60 feet, dealing 1d8 points of damage (the damage results from pure arcane energy and does not possess an energy type, therefore energy resistances and immunities offer no protection). The target of the eldritch blast receives no saving throw. Although the eldritch blast itself does not provoke an attack of opportunity, it should be noted that all ranged touch attacks in Pathfinder do provoke an attack of opportunity when the to-hit roll is made.
At 2nd level, and every two warlock levels gained thereafter, the damage inflicted by an eldritch blast increases by 1d8 to a maximum of 11d8 at 20th level.
An eldritch blast is not subject to spell resistance.
An eldritch blast deals half damage to objects.
For the purposes of the spells globe of invulnerability, lesser globe of invulnerability, and similar powers and effects, a 1st level warlock’s eldritch blast has an effective spell level equal to a 1st-level spell. At each odd-numbered warlock level gained thereafter, the eldritch blast strength increases by one level, to an effective spell of 9th-level at warlock level 17.

Invocations (Su): Warlocks learn a number of magic tricks, called invocations, which he can apply to his eldritch blast. At 1st level, a warlock gains one of the following minor invocations of his choice. He gains an additional invocation at 2nd level and for every 2 levels attained after 2nd level. A warlock cannot select an individual invocation more than once.
Unless otherwise noted, invocations are part of the same standard action a warlock uses to unleash his eldritch blast. The save (if any) to resist an invocation is equal to 10 + ½ the warlock’s level + the warlock’s Charisma modifier.
A warlock can apply only one invocation to any given eldritch blast.

Minor Invocations (Su):

Beshadowed Blast: The target of the eldritch blast suffers normal damage and must make a Fortitude saving throw or become blinded for 2 rounds. On a successful save, the target is instead dazzled for 1 round. A warlock must be at least 6th level to select this invocation.

Boreal Blast: The warlock alters his eldritch blast to inflict cold damage. The damage on his eldritch blast increases by +1d8; this extra damage applies only to the boreal blast.

Eldritch Spear: The warlock can use his eldritch blast at medium range (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) instead of the standard 60-foot range.

Exsanguinating Blast: The target of the eldritch blast suffers normal damage and must make a Fortitude saving throw or suffer 1d6 points of bleed damage. On a successful save, the target is instead suffers 1 point of bleed damage. Regardless, the DC for a heal check to staunch the bleeding is equal to that of the invocation; a cure wounds spell of any level automatically staunches this effect. A warlock must be at least 4th level to select this invocation.

Frightful Blast: The target of the eldritch blast suffers normal damage and must make a Will saving throw or become shaken for 2 rounds. On a successful save, the target not affected. This is a mind-affecting, fear affect.

Hideous Blow: The warlock infuses his melee weapon with the power of his eldritch blast. This invocation may be used as a standard action, and imbues one melee weapon which the warlock is currently wielding with the energy of his eldritch blast. As part of the invocation, the warlock may make a single melee attack roll with his weapon, gaining a bonus on the attack roll equal to the warlock’s Charisma modifier (if any). If the attack successful hits the warlock deals normal weapon damage plus the full damage of his eldritch blast. A successful critical hit (using the weapons critical threat range) deals normal critical hit damage for both the weapon and the eldritch blast. Since hideous blow is not a ranged touch attack, this is the only eldritch blast invocation that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. A warlock must be at least 6th level to select this invocation.

Hindering Blast: The target of the eldritch blast suffers normal damage and must make a Will saving throw or become slowed for 2 rounds. On a successful save, the target is not affected.

Inferno Blast: The warlock alters his eldritch blast to inflict fire damage. The damage on his eldritch blast increases by +1d8; this extra damage applies only to the inferno blast.

Maelstrom Blast: The warlock alters his eldritch blast to inflict electricity damage. The damage on his eldritch blast increases by +1d8; this extra damage applies only to the maelstrom blast.

Sickening Blast: The target of the eldritch blast suffers normal damage and must make a Fortitude saving throw or become sickened for 2 rounds. On a successful save, the target is not affected.

Spells: A warlock casts arcane spells drawn from the warlock spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, a warlock must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a warlock’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the warlock’s Charisma modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a warlock can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is the same as that of the Bard class. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score.
The warlock’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A warlock begins play know four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of the warlock’s choice. At each new warlock level, he gains one or more new spells, as per the Bard spells known table. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a warlock knows is not affected by his Charisma score.)
Upon reaching 5th level, and at every third warlock level after that (8th, 11th, and so on), a warlock can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the warlock “loses” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least one level lower than the highest-level warlock spell the warlock can cast. A warlock may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level.
A warlock need not prepare his spells in advance. He can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his allotment of spells per day for the spell’s level.

Cantrips (Su): Warlocks learn a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, as noted under ‘Spells Known’. These spells are cast like any other spell, but they do not consume any slots and may be used again.

Damage Reduction (Ex): At 3rd level, the warlock’s exposure to eldritch arcane energies begins to strengthen his body, providing protection from many attacks. He gains DR 2/cold iron. This increases by 1 at 5th level and every two levels gained thereafter, to a maximum of DR/10 cold iron at 19th level.

Energy Resistance (Ex): At 5th level, the warlock gains resistance 10 to two of the following energy types: acid, cold, electricity, and fire. The warlock chooses which types of energy he becomes resistant to. At 11th level, both of these resistances increase to 20. At 17th level, the warlock’s energy resistances once again increase, this time to 30.

Eldritch Intensity (Ex): At 6th level, a warlock may add his Charisma modifier (if any) as a bonus on the damage inflicted by his eldritch blast, up to a maximum bonus equal to ½ the warlock’s class level.

Eldritch Resilience (Su): At 7th level, the warlock can use his eldritch energy to reknit his tissues, sinews, and bones. The warlock can use a swift action to grant himself fast healing 1 for 20 rounds. At 10th level, and every three levels gained thereafter, the fast healing granted by eldritch resilience increases by 1 to a maximum of fast healing 5 at 18th level. The warlock can use this ability twice per day at 13th level and three times per day at 19th level.

Eldritch Aura (Su): At 8th level, a warlock’s eldritch power grows strong enough that he unconsciously releases damaging attacks on those who harm him. Any melee attack that damages the warlock for at least 1 point of hit-point damage (lethal or non-lethal) causes a backlash in eldritch energy. This backlash deals 1d8 points of damage to the attacker. This damage results from pure arcane energy and does not possess an energy type, therefore energy resistances, energy immunities, and damage reduction of any type offer no protection against it. It always deals lethal damage and is not under the conscious control of the warlock. Any melee attack that inflicts hit point damage to the warlock provokes the use of this ability.
At 12th level, and every four levels gained thereafter as a warlock, the damage inflicts by the warlock’s eldritch aura increases by 1d8, to a maximum of 4d8 at 20th level.

Eldritch Knowledge (Su): At 9th level, the warlock gains a 1st-level arcane spell of his choice that he may add to his list of spells known. He may select from any 1st-level bard, magus, sorcerer/wizard, or witch spell to add to his spells known. At 11th level, and every two levels gained thereafter, the warlock gains knowledge of another arcane spell, each time of a progressively higher level (2nd-level spell at 11th level, 3rd-level spell at 13th-level, etc.). At 19th level, when the warlock gains this ability, he may select a single 7th-level sorcerer/wizard or witch spell and add it to the list of his spells known as a 6th-level warlock spell.

Major Invocations (Su): Starting at 10th level, and every two levels thereafter, a warlock can choose one of the following major invocations whenever he could select a new invocation.

Bewitching Blast: The target of the eldritch blast suffers normal damage and must make a Fortitude saving throw or become confused for 2 rounds. On a successful save, the target is dazed for 1 round.

Eldritch Line: The warlock invokes his eldritch blast in a 120-foot line that is 5-feet wide and affects all creatures within the area. No attack is needed for this invocation, but all targets in the area of effect are allowed a Reflex save for one-half damage.

Eldritch Cone: The warlock invokes his eldritch blast in a 60-foot cone that affects all creatures within the area. No attack is needed for this invocation, but all targets in the area of effect are allowed a Reflex save for one-half damage.

Entropic Blast: This invocation can only be used against objects weighing no more than 10 pounds per warlock level. The object takes normal damage from the eldritch blast, and has its hardness reduced by one-half. This is an instantaneous effect. Any single object can only be affected once by this invocation. Magical objects are allowed a Will save to negate the effects of this invocation; non-magical objects are automatically affected.

Fatiguing Blast: The target of the eldritch blast suffers normal damage and must make a Fortitude saving throw or become fatigued. On a successful save, the target is not affected. This invocation does not stack with itself. If a creature fails it’s save against this invocation twice, he remains fatigued and does not become exhausted.

Noxious Blast: The target of the eldritch blast suffers normal damage and must make a Fortitude saving throw or become nauseated for 2 rounds. On a successful save, the target is sickened for 1 round.

Repelling Blast: The target of the eldritch blast suffers normal damage and must make a Will saving throw or be moved 5 feet in a direction directly away from the warlock for every 5 points of damage he suffers. If the target strikes an immobile, solid object (such as wall) while still having movement remaining, he suffers an additional 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage for every 5 feet of movement remaining. While moving in such a fashion, the target provokes attacks of opportunity. A successful save negates the repelling effect.

Thundering Blast: The warlock alters his eldritch blast to inflict sonic damage. Unlike other invocations that alter the energy of his eldritch blast no additional damage dice are gained.

Vitriolic Blast: The warlock alters his eldritch blast to inflict acid damage. The damage on his eldritch blast increases by +2d8; this extra damage applies only to the vitriolic blast.

Weakening Blast: Any creature damaged by the warlock’s eldritch blast must make a Will save or take 2 points of Strength damage. On a successful save, the target only takes 1 point of Strength damage.

Empower Invocation (Su): At 11th level, a warlock may empower (as per the feat Empower Spell) his eldritch blast or any invocation that he knows. He may use this ability once per day. At 13th level, and every two warlock levels gained thereafter, a warlock gains one daily use of this ability, to a maximum of five times per day at 19th level.

Greater Invocation (Su): Starting at 18th level, and every two levels thereafter, a warlock can choose of one of the following greater invocations whenever he could select a new invocation.

Banishing Blast: The target of the eldritch blast suffers normal damage. If the target is an outsider or a creature otherwise summoned or called through a spell-effect (such as a creature summoned by any summon monster or summon nature’s ally spell) it must make a Will saving throw or suffer the effects of dismissal (as per the spell) if the target is an outsider. If the target has merely been summoned via a spell but is not an outsider, this invocation ends that spell for the targeted creature if the creature fails to make his Will saving throw, immediately sending it back to where it was summoned from.

Eldritch Doom: The warlock invokes his eldritch blast in a 20-foot radius spread with a range of 60-feet that affects all creatures within the area. No attack roll is needed for this invocation, but all targets in the area of effect are allowed a Reflex save for one-half damage.

Exhausting Blast: The target of the eldritch blast suffers normal damage and must make a Fortitude saving throw or become exhausted. On a successful save, the target is fatigued instead. This invocation does not stack with itself. If a creature successfully saves against this invocation twice, he remains fatigued and does not become exhausted.

Horrific Blast: The target of the eldritch blast suffers normal damage and must make a Will saving throw or be stunned for 2 rounds. On a successful save, the target is staggered for 1 round.

Mirror Blast: The warlock can select two targets within range of his eldritch blast, so long as both targets are within 30 feet of each other. He makes a melee touch attack against both targets, and each suffers the full damage from his eldritch blast if his attack rolls are successful.

Utterdark Blast: The target of the eldritch blast suffers normal damage and must make a Fortitude saving throw or gain 2 negative levels. On a successful save, the target does not gain any negative levels. Undead creatures suffer no damage and gain no benefit from this invocation.

Warlock Supreme (Su): At 20th level, the warlock undergoes an eldritch apotheosis that is the culmination of all that he has strived to achieve. His energy resistances improve to immunities and he gains resistance 10 against the two energy types he did not select. His damage reduction increases to DR 10/cold iron and magic. The warlock can also select one 8th-level sorcerer/wizard or witch spell of his choice and add it to his spells known as a 6th-level warlock spell. Three times per day, a warlock supreme may invoke an eldritch blast, a minor invocation, a major invocation, or a greater invocation as a swift action.

Warlock Spell List

0-level Spells: Arcane Mark, Bleed, Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Flare, Ghost Sound, Light, Mage Hand, Mending, Message, Open/Close, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Resistance

1st-level Spells: Cause Fear, Charm Person, Chill Touch, Comprehend Languages, Disguise Self, Endure Elements, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Hold Portal, Jump, Magic Aura, Obscuring Mist, Ray of Enfeeblement, Sleep, Unseen Servant, Ventriloquism

2nd-level Spells: Arcane Lock, Bear’s Endurance, Blindness/Deafness, Bull’s Strength, Cat’s Grace, Darkvision, Darkness, Fog Cloud, Invisibility, Scare, See Invisibility, Shatter, Spider Climb, Summon Swarm, Web

3rd-level Spells: Deep Slumber, Dispel Magic, Fly, Gaseous Form, Greater Magic Weapon, Major Image, Nondetection, Phantom Steed, Sleet Storm, Slow, Stinking Cloud, Suggestion, Tongues, Vampiric Touch

4th-level Spells: Animate Dead, Bestow Curse, Black Tentacles, Charm Monster, Confusion, Crushing Despair, Dimension Door, Enervation, Fear, Greater Invisibility, Hallucinatory Terrain, Phantasmal Killer, Shadow Conjuration, Solid Fog

5th-level Spells: Baleful Polymorph, Blight, Cloudkill, Dominate Person, Dream, Feeblemind, Mind Fog, Mirage Arcana, Nightmare, Overland Flight, Passwall, Shadow Evocation, Teleport, Waves of Fatigue

6th-level Spells: Acid Fog, Circle of Death, Contingency, Eyebite, Flesh to Stone, Geas/Quest, Greater Dispel Magic, Mass Suggestion, Mislead, Shadow Walk, True Seeing

Warlocks and Ability Focus: Warlocks may take the feat Ability Focus. It must be taken for a specific invocation that requires a saving throw and does not apply to any other invocation that the warlock knows or invokes. A warlock can select this feat multiple times. Each time, it applies to a different invocation.
 
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Rampant

First Post
Maybe put the invocations in Italics so they're easier to pick out from the other abilities?

Anyway I'm a touch concerned that this may be a bit Overpowered, especially the auto-swifted blast at level 20. Maybe say that the auto-swifted blast can't be used with an invocation?

Another thing is the aura, I'm a little confused, why doesn't it activate for non-lethal damage? I mean what's different about getting hit with a sap vs. a light mace that doesn't trigger the aura?

The Eldritch blas damage is a little high. I mean jumping to d8s, adding in an extra die, or adding cha mod to the damage would have been fine, but all three?
 

master arminas

First Post
Maybe put the invocations in Italics so they're easier to pick out from the other abilities?

Done!

Anyway I'm a touch concerned that this may be a bit Overpowered, especially the auto-swifted blast at level 20. Maybe say that the auto-swifted blast can't be used with an invocation?

One of the things I was worried about. I have changed it to three times per day at 20th level and it cannot be used for greater invocations.

Another thing is the aura, I'm a little confused, why doesn't it activate for non-lethal damage? I mean what's different about getting hit with a sap vs. a light mace that doesn't trigger the aura?

It seemed to fit with the capricous nature of the Warlock, providing defense against lethal attacks but not protecting him from nonlethal damage. It can be changed easily if you think it should be (but ti would mean that there is no such thing as a good-natured barroom brawl for a Warlock!).

The Eldritch blas damage is a little high. I mean jumping to d8s, adding in an extra die, or adding cha mod to the damage would have been fine, but all three?

I changed the bonus damage to just Charisma modifier above, instead of increasing to CHA mod times two at 11th level. The die progression I bumped up to keep pace with rogue's sneak attack so that the two are now advancing at the same rate. But unlike the rogue, the Warlock gets one shot a round.

One thing I have noticed playing and running warlocks is that their damage is always several steps behind other characters. By increasing the damage die to a d8 (from a d6) and allowing them to add their Charisma modifier it provides a little bit of a bump. Still, by 20th level they willl do 11d8+13 maximum (if the Warlock starts with a 20 Charisma, puts all of his level ups into Charisma, buys a +5 tome, and has a +6 stat item), getting either one attack a round or two attacks per round (but three times per day now).

This is normally against a single target, with nearly all of the area of effect invocations having a Reflex save for half. At the same level, a sorcerer/wizard can crank out a Polar Ray for 20d6, a rogue can sneak attack three (or four, or five, or six) times a round for their weapon damage plus 11d6, and a barbarian or fighter type can lay truely massive amounts of damage with their melee or ranged attacks.

It is more powerful than the original Warlock, but I think that it fits in well with the overall power level of the Pathfinder classes.

The biggest change to the class is getting rid of all the at-will utility invocations for a Bard progression spells per day mechanism. So far, reaction I have seen from the Paizo boards indicates people either love that change or they hate it. :confused: It gives the warlock a great deal more flexibility, but now he has to manage his resources (except for the eldritch blast, which is still at will). This version isn't quite the one-trick pony of the 3.5 class, but it still lacks the extremely flexible and powerful versatility of a core wizard.

Thanks for your input, Rampant and for your suggestions--most of which I have already edited into the text.

Master Arminas
 

Rampant

First Post
Well if you've cut back to three per day I don't think allowing the use of greater invocations is a problem.

In fact a cool trick might be to let them get additional swift EBs at the cost of health. So long as they're not tossing out two tricked out EBs every round for free.

Well me personally I like to give my classes the ability to control their auras, however if the warlock is not in full control of the magic they wield then maybe it would be an interesting character point for warlocks to not be able to participate in friendly brawls or rough sports. On the other hand if the magic comes from capricious spirits or the like then it might make sense to only punish deadly attacks. It just kinda depends where the magic comes from.

Damage reduction, energy resistance, eldritch aura, eldritch aura, and eldritch knowledge, these could be replaced or altered to represent pacts ala the 4e warlock. (fey, infernal, shadow, etc)

Now I know your fluff right now is set up to be rather vague, but I like the idea of warlocks as people who made deals with dangerous magical beings to gain power. Helps carve out a distinct place for them you know.
 

master arminas

First Post
Well if you've cut back to three per day I don't think allowing the use of greater invocations is a problem.

In fact a cool trick might be to let them get additional swift EBs at the cost of health. So long as they're not tossing out two tricked out EBs every round for free.

Done. I've changed it to once again allow the greater invocations. How would you suggest implementing the cost of health for more quickened blasts? Perhaps 2 points of Con damage per quickened blast in excess of three per day?

Well me personally I like to give my classes the ability to control their auras, however if the warlock is not in full control of the magic they wield then maybe it would be an interesting character point for warlocks to not be able to participate in friendly brawls or rough sports. On the other hand if the magic comes from capricious spirits or the like then it might make sense to only punish deadly attacks. It just kinda depends where the magic comes from.

I take your point. It is very much uncontrolled (or perhaps, barely controlled might be a better turn of phrase) and could make for fun times in the city. Changed to respond to lethal and nonlethal attacks. And it gives the common folk another reason to really fear warlocks in their midst.

Damage reduction, energy resistance, eldritch aura, eldritch aura, and eldritch knowledge, these could be replaced or altered to represent pacts ala the 4e warlock. (fey, infernal, shadow, etc)

Now I know your fluff right now is set up to be rather vague, but I like the idea of warlocks as people who made deals with dangerous magical beings to gain power. Helps carve out a distinct place for them you know.

I don't really like the way Wizards did 4th, and I am also on the fence with the whole nature of pacts. I wanted to leave it up to the individual DM, without putting my own bias in the text. Perhaps it is a pact (sub-consciously entered into by the Warlock without him being consciously aware of it) or something more sinister. That is for each DM to determine for himself in his own campaign.

In the same line of thought, I didn't want to step on the shoes of the sorcerer and their bloodlines (or the witch and her patrons, which are very close to many pact mechanisms). And I really did not want to transform the class into a Binder (Tome of Magic).

Thanks again!

Master Arminas
 

Rampant

First Post
I think it could be done without stepping on the sorc's shoes, but yeah it would be tricky. Ok just a thought.

Well I was thinking maybe 1 hp per warlock level which is about equivalent but without the fortitude penalty, probably better to play test with 2 con and see if that works before decreasing the price.
 


master arminas

First Post
Glad you liked it Walking Dead. I wanted to make the class fit better into Pathfinder, but as written in 3.5 the Warlock had several really big problems.

First of all, was the inability to inflict meaningful damage at higher levels. The eldritch blast was simply not up to par with any melee, ranged, or spellcasting class after 5th or 6th level. Sure, he could do it every round in the day, but it left the player feeling almost useless. This version doesn't (I hope) make it overpowered in that respect, but does give it a needed boost in both damage dice and the ability to add a few bonuses. In fact, the damage is just slightly higher than would be inflicted by a Wizard evocation spell against which the target made a successful save (on average).

Second, it was the at-will nature (as much as I loved them) of the pure utility abilities that made the class so difficult for DMs. In this area, we had some invocations that were weak, some that were good, and some that were simply far too good to use at will, every round, all 'de day long (black tentacles, word of changing, devouring touch being some of the examples). Added to that, many of the invocations were 24 hours in duration, so you didn't really need to use them at will--and you couldn't use them on others, only yourself.

The third flaw was the really limited array of abilities that the class received. So few, in fact, that many people constantly referred to the class as a one-trick pony. And as much as I loved the flavor, I had to agree with that description--well, a two or three trick pony between spamming EBs, black tentacles, and morphing commoners into toads.

When I started to work on this class revision, I wanted to fix these problems and I desperately wanted to keep the feel of the Warlock. But as I kept looking at the class, I decided that the simplest way to fix things would be to split the EB (and essence and shape invocations) off from the utility aspects. I kept the at-will, all-day usage of the EB and those invocations that affect the EB, but for the rest a limited spell list seemed more appropriate--although I fully acknowledge that players used to the old warlock will complain about being hit by a nerf bat!

This change gives my Warlock a bit more flexibility and versitility, especially in the number of different spells that he can cast per day--putting him just about on par with the Bard as a spellcaster. It lets a DM breath a sigh of relief, because now the Warlock has to deal with finite resource management just like every other spellcasting class in the game. It also makes the Warlock more attractive to a party because his spells can be cast on folks other than himself.

I did flavor the spell list to (heavily) reflect the nature of the original invocations that the Warlock had available, with selections like shatter, fly, overland flight, dimension door, baleful polymorph, and animate dead. But these has been fleshed out with good, solid utility spells that make the class better suited to an adventuring party. And he can still blast things all day long if he wants to.

It is more book keeping for the player to deal with, but if you can play a bard or a magus, you will find my Warlock fairly simple. It is still easier to play than a sorcerer, and much less complicated than a Wizard or a Witch. The end result, I think, is a fun class that can provide a great deal of enjoyment and utility to your party.

I hope that explains my reasoning.

Master Arminas
 
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