Noob Warlock Question

[RUMBLETiGER]

if a Warlock has a high enough BAB to make multiple attacks, can he fire off multiple Eldritch Blasts as a full attack?

I had thought yes, but a recent reading of Complete Arcane leaves me totally uncertain.

 

[Sekhmet]

Eldritch Blasts are Spell Like Abilities, which are (in general) standard actions.
So, nope.
Eldritch Glaive allows you to, though.

 

[emoplato]

if a Warlock has a high enough BAB to make multiple attacks, can he fire off multiple Eldritch Blasts as a full attack?

I had thought yes, but a recent reading of Complete Arcane leaves me totally uncertain.

No it doesn't because the default rule with spell-like and supernatural abilities is if it doesn't mention a different action than it is a standard action. As Sekhmet said Eldritch Glaive does allow you to make multiple attacks.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Got it, thanks.

 

[Empirate]

Most groups will be totally OK with a houserule allowing full attacks, though. I guess? I mean I'd do it?

 

[Wyvernhand]

Most groups will be totally OK with a houserule allowing full attacks, though. I guess? I mean I'd do it?

But Warlocks can fire their eldritch blast at will, which means they are OVERPOWERED by their ability to deal unlimited damage...right?

Right?

Right?

 

[Drowbane]

RAW: No (as explained above).
RAI: Uh, dunno.
Would I allow it: Yes. Warlocks are fun, but they are weaksauce. A warlock who got to throw his slightly weaker than Rogue Sneak Attack (but at far better range, and AoEs eventually) EB as iterative attacks, and perhaps even throw on Rapid Shot, would be able to better hang out with the big boys (read: the elitist clique of Cleric, Druid, and Wizard... as well as their less popular/powerful friends Psion, Sorc, Wilder...).
Would this be "balanced": An overused term that has no real meaning. The PHB 11 are not remotely "balanced" against each other and I am perfectly cool with that. If I put my head to the task of BOOM, I am sure I could do better with a scarcely optimized Wizard or Psion...

 

[nogray]

Would I allow it: Yes. Warlocks are fun, but they are weaksauce. A warlock who got to throw his slightly weaker than Rogue Sneak Attack (but at far better range, and AoEs eventually) EB as iterative attacks, and perhaps even throw on Rapid Shot, would be able to better hang out with the big boys (read: the elitist clique of Cleric, Druid, and Wizard... as well as their less popular/powerful friends Psion, Sorc, Wilder...).
Would this be "balanced": An overused term that has no real meaning. The PHB 11 are not remotely "balanced" against each other and I am perfectly cool with that. If I put my head to the task of BOOM, I am sure I could do better with a scarcely optimized Wizard or Psion...

The biggest reservation I would have in allowing it (for the record, I wouldn't) would be the layering of effects. Noxious Blast and Utterdark Blast, for instance, have nasty effects on a failed save. As touch attacks, even your last iterative attack is likely to be successful, and you could force a lot of saves each round that way.

My own near-epic warlock has a couple options to do this all the time via Eldritch Glaive. I can nauseate three targets pretty easily via glaive, chain, or cone. With glaive, though, I can force one target to save three times, drastically increasing its odds that it fails at least one of them. If I could do that at 250' (E. Spear), or to multiples (E. Chain, E. Cone, etc.), that would be pretty awesome. With utterdark, that would mean a drastically increased chance at two negative levels, or on poorer saves, up to six negative levels.

if a Warlock has a high enough BAB to make multiple attacks, can he fire off multiple Eldritch Blasts as a full attack?

I had thought yes, but a recent reading of Complete Arcane leaves me totally uncertain.

There is an epic warlock feat that lets you, as a full round action, fire two eldritch blasts as a full-round action. (No word on how this might interact with Eldritch Glaive, though.) It's called Eldritch Sculptor, and it can be found here.

 

[Drowbane]

The biggest reservation I would have in allowing it (for the record, I wouldn't) would be the layering of effects...

You are absolutely right. And to reiterate, in my opinion this would raise the lowly WotC-Warlock up into "big boy" status. Sounds fun to me.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

There is an epic warlock feat that lets you, as a full round action, fire two eldritch blasts as a full-round action. (No word on how this might interact with Eldritch Glaive, though.) It's called Eldritch Sculptor, and it can be found here.

Thanks for the link! I didn't know Epic Warlock options were online. Quite a few good things here.