An errata for Warlocks?

[Particle_Man]

You are trading off one attack that will probably hit vs. multiple attacks. Invisibility not being that hard to get around, archers can bring warlocks "down to earth" in fairly short order.

Of course, my experiences might be slightly different as my DM has fumble rules.

 

[Shin Okada]

Now I am playing a cleric in a 10th-level party. As party wizard has craft wands feat, the wizard, my cleric (with magic domain) and my cleric's cohort (a ranger/barbarian/wizard) each have wand of magic missile of CL9. So those 3 can automatically inflict 17.5 damage per round against most opponents. Being auto-hit, more efficient than eldritch blast. And that is not their most effective attacks.

So I never think warlock to be overpowered. Maybe slightly underpowered I gues. But not that much sure about that.

 

[3d6]

By the way, a Warlock can't do it. In 3.5e, UMD skill check does not give you caster level. The DC is just for activating a spell trigger item. So, a 9th-level wizard can use either his CL or the staff's CL whichever is higher. But a warlock must always use the staff's CL.

A warlock has a caster level. It is for spell-like abilities, but he still has a caster level.

 

[juliaromero]

I can't figure out why anyone would ever take the Hideous Blow invocation. It seems a waste of a good invocation spot. You still only get one attack per round, so by wasting that invocation all you have done is traded your touch attack attack at range for a melee attack and gained a little extra damage from a weapon. Hardly seems worth it, unless you are talking about a really jazzed up weapon, in which case you are better off getting itterative attacks with that weapon anyway if it's that good (especially if you cast divine power on yourself and get a fighter's full BAB).

The only way I could see it working out would be if you designed a spring attack character who would only get one attack anyway, but then again, why not just stay at range and get another cool invocation instead?

So, what am I missing?

 

[RigaMortus]

So, what am I missing?

You are missing flaming/bursting/level draining/etc. abilities that magical weapons give.

 

[Rystil Arden]

She mentioned those and then pointed out that you might as well get iterative attacks with a weapon with so many abilities (or give it to the fighter so that he can get iterative). The other thing is that those abilities are expensive, and by the time you have them on your weapons, you can probably be doing a multiple-target blast shape instead.

 

[3d6]

The best thing I can think of to do with hideous blow is tripping. Hideous blow says you make a "melee attack", and its my understanding that you can substitute a trip for any melee attack. Thus, using, say, a whip and the Improved Trip feat, you would make a melee touch attack (to start the trip), and if it hits you deal eldritch blast damage and then move to the opposed Strength checks and so forth.

That seems like it could work as a warlock melee build.

 

[UltimaGabe]

His barbarian level upped his flight move by 10' (which was really handy).

I would have to disagree. Fell Flight allows you to fly at a speed equal to your BASE speed. A Barbarian's Fast Movement, if I'm not mistaken, adds to your LAND speed, and specifically does not increase any other forms of movement.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Fly up into the air if outside, or to the ceilling if inside. Blast, blast again.. With a +5 dex modifer and his BAB, he pretty much cant miss against heavy armored opponents. Now its a a low magic world, and I know that has a effect on it.. but still.

Also, hes using a touch attack, so has a chance to crit. Normally critical hits about twice a night ( unless hes up close and personal, using his rapier to really dish out some damage. )

Even a fighter isn't going to hit as often as he is, despite being able to do more damage.

In a vanilla D&D style game, a Fighter who gets in a fair number of iterative attacks will still do more damage on average. Monster ACs do not scale up very quickly. I have seen 8th level Fighter/Barbarian builds in play that average ~40-45 points of damage per round against CR appropriate foes -- much, much more if buffed. A Warlock cannot come close and buffing does not really help his offense.

The Achille's Heel of standard sorceror tactics is line of sight. Cast down a Web, Fog Cloud, or Sleet Storm and the Warlock might as well go home. The Wizard and Cleric can at least buff/heal. Pumping the EB through the sword is a cute trick for impressing the mooks, but how well do you think it will work against a Hill Giant? Would you dare find out?

 

[Shin Okada]

A warlock has a caster level. It is for spell-like abilities, but he still has a caster level.

Yeah. But as he can't cast any spells with that caster level, he still must always use staff's CL.