How is the warlock not overpowered?

[RigaMortus2]

FAQ, errata, and at least one section in the invocation section describe eldritch blast as an invocation.

Per the Complete Arcane errata

Invocations and Eldritch Blast: Eldritch blast is an invocation. Other invocations provide a warlock with the ability to modify his eldritch blast or add new eldritch attacks.

Any other references claiming that eldritch blast is not an invocation should be disregarded.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

Warlocks are much more likely to be one-trick ponies then are fighters.

They get few evocations (12 over 20 levels) and no bonus feats. Warlocks can either be good blasters or use their evocations for other purposes and pretty much lose out on combat type damage (although they can be real sneaky and useful by careful selection of evocations at the expense of powering up their EB).

Use Magic Device as a Class Skill: CHECK
Able to "Take 10" with Use Magic Device: CHECK
Able to use every divine or arcane scroll or wand you come across: CHECK

No way thats a one trick pony!

DS

 

[irdeggman]

Use Magic Device as a Class Skill: CHECK
Able to "Take 10" with Use Magic Device: CHECK
Able to use every divine or arcane scroll or wand you come across: CHECK

No way thats a one trick pony!

DS

I said more likely not absolutely. I'm running a ranger/warlock in a game and we haven't really come across any magic items that he can attempt a UMD check on. So while this is very useful (and something I was counting on for versatility) if the setting is low on magic items it is not real useful - whereas if the setting is high on magic items it is extremely useful.

And except for the Take 10 class ability a rogue can do the same thing with UMD (albeit better since he has more skill points to spend). {My PC gets more mileage of the detect magic at will ability.}

They still need to put skill points into UMD (although that is a given) - and eventually they can create any magic item (oh wait they still need to have the appropriate craft feats and they don't get any bonus feats)

 

[Presto2112]

Warlock combined with the Whisper Gnome frpom Races of Stone makes for a supremely awesome character. My warlock was not only essentially an Eldritch Howitzer, but he was a super scout as well.

BTW, two feats that might escape people's attention - Empower Spell-Like Ability and Quicken Spell-Like Ability. Both applied to Eldritch Blast can be nasty.

 

[irdeggman]

Warlock combined with the Whisper Gnome frpom Races of Stone makes for a supremely awesome character. My warlock was not only essentially an Eldritch Howitzer, but he was a super scout as well.

BTW, two feats that might escape people's attention - Empower Spell-Like Ability and Quicken Spell-Like Ability. Both applied to Eldritch Blast can be nasty.

True enough but they are pretty limiting.

3/day and the CL required is extremly high.

EB (unmodified so a 1 SL equivalent) requires a 6th level warlock to empower and a 10th level warlock to quicken. And each feat only applies to a specific combination of EB, shape and essence invocations. That is each feat applies to one thing, the PC must spend another feat to get a different combination.

But still they are useful non the less.

 

[Felon]

With a good DM, that's virtually assured. A good DM won't punish the player of an X/day character. Sure, to spice things up he'll throw in a few situations where rest isn't possible. But for the most part, he'll play standard D&D: plenty of opportunities to recover spells and HP.

Given that assumption...

It's a pretty lousy assumption to give. It's like saying it's OK a wizard to have a d4 hit die, because a good DM won't punish a character for having low hit points by killing him.

Sure, there's got to be some opportunities to rest, but there is nothing about "good DM'ing" that mandates assuring the party that they can recharge whenever they want to. If a character has abilities with X/day uses, then it's that player's responsibility to manage those resources. If that player shoots his wad, he might have to do without a wad for a while. That's not the DM "punishing" the character, that's the player facing the consequences of his own choices, as well as the limits of what his character can do.

Of course, only at very low levels is the simplistic scenario of a caster going "OK, I'm completely out of spells, we must rest" likely to happen. 10th-level wizards aren't intended to get completely tapped. A caster will deplete his top-level spells, but will still have lowbies throw around, along with wands, scrolls, and the like.

 

[Felon]

And each feat only applies to a specific combination of EB, shape and essence invocations. That is each feat applies to one thing, the PC must spend another feat to get a different combination.

Where'd you read that?

 

[Zaruthustran]

It's a pretty lousy assumption to give. Sure, there's got to be some opportunities to rest, but there is nothing about "good DM'ing" that mandates assuring the party that they can recharge whenever they want to. If a character has abilities with X/day uses, then it's that player's responsibility to manage those resources. If that player shoots his wad, he might have to do without a wad for a while. That's not the DM "punishing" the character, that's the player facing the consequences of his own choices, as well as the limits of what his character can do.

Easy there, Tiger. I'm of the mind that the DM's job is to, by collaborating with the players, provide a fun experience for all involved. That means players should be given opportunities to use their character's geewhiz powers more often than not. I regret the tangent.

Back on topic: all I'm saying is that normally a Wizard or other X/day user will expend X by the end of the day, and be able to recover and have X available the next day.

If a Warlock is in a party with X/day characters, and those characters are tapped out (in other words, they're without their powers/unable to meaningfully contribute) then a normal party in normal circumstances will camp. They'll do what it takes so that the x/day character can contribute, and--more importantly--the player of the x/day character can have fun.

That process negates the Warlock's key advantage of unlimited uses. If the party is just going to camp whenever the other casters are out of spells, then his schtick is wasted.

-z

PS: of course certain adventures prevent camping, etc. etc. Again, the point is that the warlock really shines in a party that doesn't have characters with x/day powers.

 

[Raspen]

been playing my warloc for a long time now and well only one time the other casters got low on spells. and that realy wasnt too true they still had alot of spells just not thier big ones so they still did about what i do per round anyways (not counting the time i get in to melee they i always do more damage)

 

[jasin]

You can have a Warlock 2 with Call of the Beast and Serpent's Tongue who is a very good tracker. He gets wild empathy, speak with animals at will, scent and +5 vs. poison. Take Devil's Sight, See the Unseen and All-Seeing Eyes and you have an awesome sentry. Beguiling Influence, coupled with Intimidating Strike, Skill Focus (Intimidate) and a maximized Intimidate skill will have shaken foes left and right.

Wow, you're making me interested in the warlock. Where are the tracker invocations from?

And where are the warlock fey heritage feats from? Or are they not specific to warlocks?