Infernal pacts - appropriate for player characters?

[Wulfram]

Well, except for scary good guys. They're pretty well covered.

The sending people to hell, people chewing, murdering people to be rewarded by outworld masters, allied to demons type of good guys? Well, that's a diverse group of characters catered too, certainly.

 

[danzig138]

Everytime someone has to explain a joke, a fairy dies.

Only if it's a funny joke. I think the faeries are pretty safe right now.

 

[Rechan]

The sending people to hell, people chewing, murdering people to be rewarded by outworld masters, allied to demons type of good guys? Well, that's a diverse group of characters catered too, certainly.

Versus the good rogue that guts people or the good fighter that bashes their head in with a hammer versus the good wizard that shoots them in the gut with an arrow of acid that gnaws at their insides? I seem to recall that summoning fiendish monsters isn't an alignment issue for wizards; the good wizard can still Summon Monster a fiendish shark in the middle of an aquatic battle and it's kosher.

And of course we all know that the only option for 4e Warlocks are infernal paths. There aren't other pacts available at all.

 

[Kahuna Burger]

I seem to recall that summoning fiendish monsters isn't an alignment issue for wizards; the good wizard can still Summon Monster a fiendish shark in the middle of an aquatic battle and it's kosher.

There's some question on that. It's not forbidden by alignment, but it's been argued that it still constitutes an evil act and repeated use of [evil] spells could have long term consequences when someone fires off a Holy Smite....

 

[Rechan]

There's some question on that. It's not forbidden by alignment, but it's been argued that it still constitutes an evil act and repeated use of [evil] spells could have long term consequences when someone fires off a Holy Smite....

It's "argued", but IIRC, the only alignment issue is for clerics. Unless you can point me to it in the SRD, then it's "Houserule territory".

 

[Kahuna Burger]

It's "argued", but IIRC, the only alignment issue is for clerics. Unless you can point me to it in the SRD, then it's "Houserule territory".

It is not a houserule that casting an [evil] spell is an evil act. It's an application judgement, not a houserule, that continued evil acts may effect your alignment. But it is true that the only characters for whom the ability to cast the spell in the first place (as opposed to the consequences thereof) is based on alignment is clerics.

 

[Dr. Prunesquallor]

Well, except for scary good guys. They're pretty well covered.

Honestly, I'm thinking they won't even be scary good guys. They'll be Naruto. Friendly little dude powered by a demon inside. As popular as that cartoon is, I don't think the Warlock will be a PR problem for 4e. I think we are bringing a lot of 80s baggage to this discussion that a 12 year old simply won't have.

 

[pemerton]

it could mean the character is learning to use their initial gifts more effectively, like a fighter getting weapon specialiation with a cursed blade he is forced to use. Or perhaps the warlock has rejected his initial power source but discovered that the talents he learned when they were fueled by infernal might could, with a little more effort, draw on his own personal power....

Good ideas!

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

The sending people to hell, people chewing, murdering people to be rewarded by outworld masters, allied to demons type of good guys? Well, that's a diverse group of characters catered too, certainly.

Based on what we've seen, you might as well have said, "the sending people to their eternal reward, killing bad guys like every other adventurer, stealing power from demons type of good guys."

 

[Pbartender]

I didn't say "you can't make two different tiefling warloks". I said "if you make more than one different tiefling warlock, the second one will be a stretched concept". An that's what has happened.

If D20 Modern had Tiefling Warlocks...

He is the unholy progeny of a witch and the devil Sheol. He was summoned to earth by Nazis bent on destroying the world. He was raised by a benevolent secret organization that gives him missions to combat supernatural evil. He is exceptionally strong and resilient (high Str and Con scores). He has other superhuman abilities that "stem from his demonic nature". His right hand and forearm is an oversized fist of stone that hits like a sledgehammer and he carried an immense pistol made from church bells and fragments of the true cross that shoots "really big bullets" made of holy water, silver shaving, garlic and other stuff specifically meant to harm supernatural creatures (together, the fist, pistol and special bullets all count as his eldritch blast).

Likely, he's multiclassed with a martial class, such as Fighter or Barbarian.