Did I make a better Warlock?

[Lucan_Desmond]

So I just want some opinions really. Preferrably nice ones.

I created the class in my sig, The Arcane Shaper, about a year ago. I finally posted it on the internet here and on the WotC forums a few months back. And just today, July 10th, I saw Complete Arcane and the Warlock for the very first time.

Now for the longest time I've heard so much stuff about this Warlock class. That it was awesome and amazing and the best at what it does. I'd also been told that my homebrew class was very similar to it. So I figured that this Warlock must be pretty good.

What I saw in the Complete Arcane, however, caused me nothing but grief.

The class is limited to chaotic or evil characters. Two things that don't work very well with a group... in a group orientated game. The invocations are... lackluster. As in two of the three types of invocations are there solely for the purpose of altering the classes innate blast ability: Eldritch Blast. A few invocations are useful and even interesting. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying EVERYTHING in the class is terrible. It just seems that only a few of the invocations are really worth taking, and so every Warlock in the world will end up being very similar, if not exactly the same. I also heard many people complain that the class was too powerful. I don't see how. Sure it can do some nice damage and even add in some interesting side effects in with that blast. It's definitely not a weak class. But it can't cast Wierd, so I'd say it's not too powerful. All mechanics aside though, my only really real complaint is the alignment limit. Why does the class have to be chaotic or evil? The description of the class definitely left it open for the character to gain these poweres from any source, not just demons or devils. So maybe they should favor chaos over law and evil over good, but I don't see why they should be limited to it. Also, I know that I could simply allow any alignment for the class in my games, but for now let's just assume we're playing right out of the book with no house rules.

So I just want a general opinion on this. Try to be nice and please support your opinion rather than just call me stupid.

Did I create a better version of the Warlock without ever having seen the Warlock?

Thanks!
Des

 

[Kisanji Arael]

Hmmm.... nope. You didn't. You made a better version of the sorcerer (if only due to variety).
But that's a discussion for another time. As for the Warlock:

The class operates under the principle that the wizard and sorcerers' true ability is variety and massive damage respectively. If playing a wizard, you have access to those little tiny spells with little to no battle application (as well as some nuking), and if playing a sorcerer, you have access to a large amount of nuking potential with a few application spells mixed in. However, both of these classes operate with a limited battery, much as your arcane shaper does.

In contrast, the Warlock's specialty is as an artillery weapon. He can begin firing in round 1 and be just as strong ten or twenty rounds later. However, he has almost no variety in the spells that he can cast and almost all of them are entirely self-serving. However, a warlock continues to fight with the same strength, and his most important spell-like ability operates under touch attack mechanics, making it considerably more likely that he will hit.

 

[Sravoff]

Alignment: Warlocks are often chaotic or evil (and more than a few are both). The powers they serve can be cruel, capricious, and wild, unbound by conventional views of right and wrong. However, eve warlocks who derive their powers from the most sinister of patrons have been known to turn the black powers at their command against evil. {There is more, but it just says good warlocks are rad, and they know evil}

So they can be any alighnment, they just refer chaotic and evil. Bards babarians sorcerers, they prefer chaotic. The only thing that sets this class apart from the core classes si that it bends more toward evil than good. Not a big deal, since it is simple to play a "good" warlock.

As for their limited invocations, yeah, they are pretty narrow minded when it comes to what they can do. So yes, strictly by the books, all warlocks are very similar. Thats where imagination comes in.

-EDIT-
There was a thread around here somewhere that had some varient warlocks. Fey was one I think, along with some others, not sure where it is though...
-/EDIT-

 

[Lucan_Desmond]

So they can be any alighnment, they just refer chaotic and evil. Bards babarians sorcerers, they prefer chaotic. The only thing that sets this class apart from the core classes si that it bends more toward evil than good. Not a big deal, since it is simple to play a "good" warlock.

As for their limited invocations, yeah, they are pretty narrow minded when it comes to what they can do. So yes, strictly by the books, all warlocks are very similar. Thats where imagination comes in.

-EDIT-
There was a thread around here somewhere that had some varient warlocks. Fey was one I think, along with some others, not sure where it is though...
-/EDIT-

Well thank you for the comment, and if you find some of those varient threads, please give me a link. The only thing about the alignment though, you have a quote from the "Description" section of the class in the book. Go down a few lines into the "Game Rule Information" section, it actually says: "Alighnment: Any Chaotic or Evil." So that means, no house rules included, it HAS to be chaotic, evil, or both. It can't be Neutral Good or Lawful Neutral or anything like that. And thats my biggest gruff with the class.

Thanks for the comments! Let me know what you think of the Shaper in any case!
Des

 

[Sravoff]

Well thank you for the comment, and if you find some of those varient threads, please give me a link. The only thing about the alignment though, you have a quote from the "Description" section of the class in the book. Go down a few lines into the "Game Rule Information" section, it actually says: "Alighnment: Any Chaotic or Evil." So that means, no house rules included, it HAS to be chaotic, evil, or both. It can't be Neutral Good or Lawful Neutral or anything like that. And thats my biggest gruff with the class.

Thanks for the comments! Let me know what you think of the Shaper in any case!
Des

Ah, then I say house rule it into submission!

I have never used the alignment restriction for the warlock class any way, and didn't find it overpowering. Hence how I managed to have a warlock monk, Lawful Neutral, kobold.

But any way, I'lll take a look at the shaper, and see if I can't scare upt hat thread.

 

[Lucan_Desmond]

Ah, then I say house rule it into submission!

I have never used the alignment restriction for the warlock class any way, and didn't find it overpowering. Hence how I managed to have a warlock monk, Lawful Neutral, kobold.

But any way, I'lll take a look at the shaper, and see if I can't scare upt hat thread.

Heh, Warlock Monk... can anyone say DBZ character?