Any Warlocks that *didn't* get Vitriolic Blast?

[Falling Icicle]

Vitriolic Blast seems to be a "must have" invocation to me. I haven't ever heard of a warlock that didn't get it or doesn't plan on getting it. It makes sense, being the only way a warlock can ignore SR and hurt golems. The automatic (no save), stacking extra 2d6 per round is pretty impressive as well.

Is there anyone out there that declined this invocation? If so, what did you get instead and why? Is it possible for a warlock to get by without it?

 

[Crothian]

My character didn't take it. We never ran into golems and he had other tricks to use verse SR opponents. The character is a year or so retired and I don't recall what other invocations he took.

 

[Falling Icicle]

We never ran into golems and he had other tricks to use verse SR opponents.

If I may ask, what other tricks are you referring to?

 

[Crothian]

use magic device, the most versatile trick in the game

 

[Falling Icicle]

use magic device, the most versatile trick in the game

I'm not sure what you mean by this, spells cast from items allow SR as normal, as far as I know.

 

[theredrobedwizard]

Not "Orb of X" spells cast from a wand or staff. Staves are a Warlock's best friend, because they let you use your full Warlock CL with a rather trivial UMD check at the levels you'll have them.

At the Greater Invocation stage, my warlock took the Evard's Black Tentacles invocation.

-TRRW

 

[irdeggman]

Yup, it very common for people to underestimate the warlock's UMD class feature and focus instead on invocations. They are pretty much the best class for UMD (a case could be made for the Eberron artificer).

 

[Drowbane]

Any warlock who takes Supernatural Transformation (savage species).

But for the most part, Vitriolic Blast is a no-brainer (as many DMs would say "hell no" to S.T.).

 

[Victim]

The warlock in our group ran Noxious and Spell Pen feats instead of Vitriolic. The main effect of the blast was the 1 minute Nausea; damage was strictly secondary even with items, feats, and chaining.

If you need Vitriolic to beat SR, then you're going to be big trouble when you run into stuff with SR and Acid resist (like Devils AND Demons).

UMD, Invocs like Chilling Tentacles, and other party members can help out versus Spell Immune targets.

 

[Particle_Man]

Another trick is to take the three feats Spell Penetration, Greater Spell Penetration, and the Complete ARcane one that lets you "take 10" on caster level checks. In effect, you get to "take 14", which often is good enough to beat the SR of CR-appropriate opponents.