Improved Fate of the Void [Warlock]?

[Rystil Arden]

That's an encounter design/DM problem, not a problem with the feat. Of the 12 encounters I've designed for my PbP 4E game, only 2 of them really have minions that will group in groups larger than 2-3 (one with 8 kobold minions and 2 lurkers, and one with 14 various goblin minions). The other fights where there are minions, they're in small groups, not large packs.

People seem to be unable to think of minions as anything other than zombie hordes, for some reason.

Hey, you can make fun of me all you want, but there's no reason to go after my GM. Blame, y'know, the 4e designers themselves who wrote the adventure. My GM knows what he's doing, and he's running these guys as they come. It's true that there are sometimes as few as three or four minions, but that would be enough for massive boostage if we had a Warlock with the Rod.

 

[Zurai]

I didn't go after your GM. The first thing listed is encounter design. EDIT: I apologize if either you or your GM felt like that was an attack; that wasn't my intent at all. When you're running a published module, encounter design is more likely to be the cause of problems than the GM.

Also, there are no rods of corruption in the adventure (nor warlocks, for that matter). Thus, no problem!

 

[Rystil Arden]

I didn't go after your GM. The first thing listed is encounter design. EDIT: I apologize if either you or your GM felt like that was an attack; that wasn't my intent at all. When you're running a published module, encounter design is more likely to be the cause of problems than the GM.

Also, there are no rods of corruption in the adventure (nor warlocks, for that matter). Thus, no problem!

Whether there is a Warlock depends on what the players want to play. You are correct that our group didn't have one, though actually having the books myself rather than borrowing from an early-shipment, I would have been very tempted to make a Star Pact Warlock. But it's true that there is not only not a Rod of Corruption so far in the adventure, and it would be a pretty high level item if it did show up.

Still, if these encounters are typical, there will always be enough minions to pull off at least a few insanely high attack roll boosts with Star Pact and Corruption Rods. This only makes my Cha/Int Star Pact Warlock/DivineOracle build even happier

 

[WOLead]

I don't see a problem with this personally. A Star Pact Warlock is the most likely to worry about both Cha and Con abilities for accuracy. One Fate of the Void boon allows a 16 Con and Cha Warlock to be just as accurate as Fey or Infernal Pact Warlock with one 20 Cha/Con ability for just one d20 roll though with 2 less damage. The hard part is getting that boon when you want it, as you have to have a precharge Rod of Harvest and spend a Minor Action to use it, or hit and attack someone with subpar accuracy.

While a Star Pact could get one major boost to accuracy on one attack, trying to convince allies to not to kill all the minions in one go so you can stay accurate can be a problem.

I'm surpised there hasn't been a call of OP on the Fey Pact Misty step. Its only a 3 range teleport at level 1, but by the time the PC gets Improved Misty Step, Eladrin Armor(Chainmail)+3 and Eladrin Boots its no longer a 3 ranged teleport. It turns into a 9 ranged teleport and later a 10 ranged after the armor goes to +5. A teleport that can be stored in a Rod of Harvest to be used on a Minor Action.

Strangely, mass killing Minions for Pact Boons actually seems to be more of a waste then a boon. Star Pact gets insurance on one d20 roll it hits, but looses the benefit for further attacks later on. Especially with all the Sustain Minor/Standards a Warlock can get on his Daily abilities that require attack rolls again. Fey Pact receives multiple teleports, but later looses the option for easy movement when a non-minion approaches him. Infernal Pact before his Paragon Path doesn't receive any benefit from the mass killing, but with 1 minion going down a turn, he always has Temporary HP to absorb damage with.

At best, 2-3 cursed enemies dieing between turns seems to be best. 1-2 for Pact Boon benefits, and 1 to store into a Rod of Harvest.

 

[Rystil Arden]

I don't see a problem with this personally. A Star Pact Warlock is the most likely to worry about both Cha and Con abilities for accuracy. One Fate of the Void boon allows a 16 Con and Cha Warlock to be just as accurate as Fey or Infernal Pact Warlock with one 20 Cha/Con ability for just one d20 roll though with 2 less damage. The hard part is getting that boon when you want it, as you have to have a precharge Rod of Harvest and spend a Minor Action to use it, or hit and attack someone with subpar accuracy.

While a Star Pact could get one major boost to accuracy on one attack, trying to convince allies to not to kill all the minions in one go so you can stay accurate can be a problem.

I'm surpised there hasn't been a call of OP on the Fey Pact Misty step. Its only a 3 range teleport at level 1, but by the time the PC gets Improved Misty Step, Eladrin Armor(Chainmail)+3 and Eladrin Boots its no longer a 3 ranged teleport. It turns into a 9 ranged teleport and later a 10 ranged after the armor goes to +5. A teleport that can be stored in a Rod of Harvest to be used on a Minor Action.

Strangely, mass killing Minions for Pact Boons actually seems to be more of a waste then a boon. Star Pact gets insurance on one d20 roll it hits, but looses the benefit for further attacks later on. Especially with all the Sustain Minor/Standards a Warlock can get on his Daily abilities that require attack rolls again. Fey Pact receives multiple teleports, but later looses the option for easy movement when a non-minion approaches him. Infernal Pact before his Paragon Path doesn't receive any benefit from the mass killing, but with 1 minion going down a turn, he always has Temporary HP to absorb damage with.

At best, 2-3 cursed enemies dieing between turns seems to be best. 1-2 for Pact Boon benefits, and 1 to store into a Rod of Harvest.

Rod of Reaving lets you curse and kill a minion with the same minor action, so that means that if a minion is around, you can guarantee yourself the +2 for next round without spending your main attack on it.

 

[Nifft]

Teleportation is just movement, and movement is easy to get.

Attack bonuses are hard to find in 4e.

Cheers, -- N

 

[WOLead]

Movement may be easy to get, but Teleportation as a Free Action or Minor Action is not.

Attack Bonuses are rare, admittedly. The ones off the top of my head are +3 from Action Surge(Limited to Human and Half-elves) on the extra action, and various Paragon Class Features that give bonuses to attack rolls when an Action Point is used. So a bonus limited to once every other encounter roughly.

So Fate of the Void is in a league of its own when there are Minions on the field. If they are not there or gone, then things are trickier?

 

[Nifft]

So Fate of the Void is in a league of its own when there are Minions on the field. If they are not there or gone, then things are trickier?

"Trickier" for the DM, perhaps, in that Strikers do better when there are only a few big targets.

Minions are supposed to be action-wasters, you see. They're not supposed to be a resource you milk.

Cheers, -- N

 

[WOLead]

Minions are supposed to be action-wasters, you see. They're not supposed to be a resource you milk.

Cheers, -- N

True, I guess Warlock's point-of-view just think of minions as a resource by accident. A dangerous one, but still a resource. I guess that is a side effect of having a benefits from enemies dieing, unlike the rest of the core classes. A very cruel one, yet fits the Warlock theme. Fey have a morality different from the norm. Infernals are just that cruel. Stars...well they don't pay attention to them, and just steal what ever beneficial fate the little guys may have and leave them for dead.

Sad to say, that point that Minions are supposed to be action-wasters actually has never occurred to me when looking through a Warlock's side.

 

[AntiPaladin]

Just think of it like World of Warcraft. Warlock uses drain soul ---> more power for them to draw upon later. Makes sense both mechanically and balance-wise.