How to enhance a Warlock at 11th level?

[Angellis_ater]

Ok, in case this got misunderstood - the group consists of more than just Strikers - all classes except Swordmage are represented. However, the Warlock is/will be compared to how the other strikers are dishing it out.

Now, looking at the above advice, beyond Twofold Pact to increase her "good" choices a little the main thing is to multiclass into wizard, get a Staff of Ruin and change the Paragon Path? Besides the Bloodmage (which we already have one of in the game and I think both Wizard and Warlock would be kinda miffed about that), what other Paragon Paths are good? How about the God Fragment PP?

 

[Lord Ernie]

Well... you wanted more damage, and Bloodmage with some of the Warlock push powers always seemed to be a good way to do things to me (Personally, I never understood why Bloodmage isn't a Warlock PP).

Other routes? Warlocks are a little underpowered in the damage department, which is why I tried multi-classing.

The God Fragment PP looks weak to me, with more defensive than aggressive features, and a very weak encounter power; the Utility is good, but not exactly damage dealing.

Sea Tyrant Oracle looks a bit better, but it's not exactly built for dealing lots of damage, and seems to lean more towards control.

How about Academy Master? Its utility power is like a painless Sacrifice to Caiphon, which is not that great, but it's level 16 feature boosts at-will attacks, and you can use a once/encounter 3d10 Eldritch Blast.

Honestly, except for some Ranger cheese (MC ranger to pick up Spitting Cobra stance, and abuse with Power Salves), or building a Hexhammer Gish (see Hexhammer Gish - Wizards Community for more details), I'm not sure how to turn a Warlock into a damage machine.

 

[chitzk0i]

Called Shot is the single biggest damage boost you will find on a Warlock with the only restriction being that it keys off of Prime Shot. But if you're vestige pact, you have ways of getting Prime Shot. Win/win!

 

[Ryujin]

Called Shot is the single biggest damage boost you will find on a Warlock with the only restriction being that it keys off of Prime Shot. But if you're vestige pact, you have ways of getting Prime Shot. Win/win!

Yup, that extra +5 damage is better than an additional D8 on average, barring criticals. We only have one defender (our Cleric thinks he's a striker) so I swapped out Eladrin Soldier for Called Shot and took Melee Training, Arcane Implement Proficiency (heavy blades), Toughness, and Durable so that I can survive a couple of rounds in melee if need be, and took Grave Caller as my Paragon Path.

It's far from an optimized character but when I add Prime Punisher at 12th I'll be hitting in melee with a +17 (+2 longsword, +3 proficiency bonus, +6 level, +5 attribute, +1 Focused Expertise) for 1D8+2D6+12 damage, then hightailing it out with a teleport (four of them, one of which can be used to drop the battlerager fighter in my place).

 

[Eric Finley]

Alternately to all of this, you could guide her toward the "debuffer" side of the class. The whole "is a striker" thing does, in many ways, lead people to misread the warlock's strengths. As a support and debuff rule, it's generally excellent. In which case something like Sea Tyrant Oracle becomes interesting.

The other way to go would be to give her either Arcane Prodigy (MC Sorcerer, grants "And you can use Sorcerer implements" including dagger, isn't limited to "with Sorcerer and Sorcerer PP powers"), or if her MC slot is taken simply Arcane Implement Proficiency, so that she can pick up a Radiant dagger implement, and go with Student of Caiphon. Which is pretty freaking awesome as a paragon path. [Better solution, since you're the DM: Give her a rod with properties based on the Sunburst or Radiant weapon classes. My own PC's shiny new Caiphon's Finger unique rod is a Sunburst Weapon's specs, minus the daily power, plus an encounter power which lets her effectively emulate the Explorer's Fire ritual to hide the light from enemy eyes. I love it.]

 

[Eric Finley]

Or, possibly as a cooler version: Give her a rod which makes all her attacks "Fear" (and can be turned on and off as a free action like the damage-type weapons). That would work with Student of Caiphon as well, or could let her go Twin Pact (Starlock) / Doomspeaker. [This may or may not work by RAW, but you're the DM; certainly it's not overpowered IMO.]

 

[Old Gumphrey]

Yup, that extra +5 damage is better than an additional D8 on average, barring criticals. We only have one defender (our Cleric thinks he's a striker) so I swapped out Eladrin Soldier for Called Shot and took Melee Training, Arcane Implement Proficiency (heavy blades), Toughness, and Durable so that I can survive a couple of rounds in melee if need be, and took Grave Caller as my Paragon Path.

It's far from an optimized character but when I add Prime Punisher at 12th I'll be hitting in melee with a +17 (+2 longsword, +3 proficiency bonus, +6 level, +5 attribute, +1 Focused Expertise) for 1D8+2D6+12 damage, then hightailing it out with a teleport (four of them, one of which can be used to drop the battlerager fighter in my place).

Don't forget that battlerager got a recent nerf.

 

[Ryujin]

Don't forget that battlerager got a recent nerf.

Believe me; after tonight's session I'm not forgetting.

 

[Markn]

I am currently a Level 12 Warlock with the Starpact & Darkpact Pacts (using Twofold pact). My PP is Master of the Starry Night. I have my Con and Cha maxed out with an above average Int which gives me a wide selection of powers and only slightly less damage due to the lower Int. I use the Vicious Rod +3, Quickcurse Rod +2, Gloves of Arcane Admixture. I have also taken the Twofold Curse (I think thats whats its called), so on the first round of combat I can have 3 cursed enemies - 1 of them anywhere on the battlefield. With proper tactics I could get 2 more people on the second round and then using one my Starry Path abilities strip the curses off to apply to Darkspiral Aura or the Fate of the Void benefits of attack/defense as needed. Add in an Amulet of Elusive Prey and it bumps my defenses quite a bit.

All in all, I'm sure there are better damaging builds, but in terms of versatility it is pretty strong because you can boost defenses or attacks as required by the cicrumstances of the encounter. Some fights I hardly take any damage, others where I am getting hit, the Darkspiral Aura lets me do more damage back so its win/win.

Good luck.

 

[Iron Sky]

I don't think the warlock has much chance of competing with other strikers in terms of damage. Our group for our (now suspended) campaign that went from level 1 to 16 has a Stormwarden Ranger, a Daggermaster Rogue, and a Feytouched Warlock and the Warlock probably does 1/2 to 3/4 the damage the Rogue and Ranger do.

He's probably as useful (sometimes more so) than our other two strikers due to his ability to impose status effects, drop zones, and, of course, since he's our primary ranged attacker. His 3 at-wills (half-elf with Versatile Master) target each of the 3 NADs so he can pick and choose vs the Rangers AC only and the Rogue's AC + Ref.

Plus, he destroys minion encounters.