Probably an Obvious Warlock Question

[SpiderMonkey]

Hi, all.

I'm coming back to 3.5 after a few years off, and my wife wants to play a Warlock. Can those with multiple attacks use Eldritch Blast more than once a round?

I intuit that the answer's yes, but I thought I'd ask to be sure.

Thanks!

 

[SPECTRE666]

No. Its a standard action to use. Unless you use the Quicken Spell-like Ability feat from the MM. 3/Day then.

 

[Shin Okada]

I'm coming back to 3.5 after a few years off, and my wife wants to play a Warlock. Can those with multiple attacks use Eldritch Blast more than once a round?

Basically, the answer is "No". Eldritch Blast is a spell-like ability which does not have corresponding spell. So you refer to "Actions in Combat" table in the combat section of PHB.

"Use spell-like ability" is classified as a standard action which provokes AoO. So, one use of Eldritch Blast (one ranged touch attack) is a standard action.


There are several ways to use Eldritch Blast more than once/turn. But most of them are not based on the BAB of the character.

Eldritch Glaive blast shape invocation (Dragon Magic) turns your Eldritch Blast into a virtual melee (touch) reach weapon. The invocation specifically note that if you have high BAB you can make multiple attacks. You can also make AoO with this. This seems to be the only exception you can make multiple Eldritch Blast attacks based on your BAB.

Quicken Spell-Like ability feat allows you to use a specific spell-like ability as a swift action, 3 times per day. So, with Quicken Spell-Like Ability (Eldritch Blast) feat, you can use one blast as a swift action and another as a standard action in the same turn (though only 3/day).

There is an Epic Feat called Eldritch Master which allows you to use 2 Eldritch Blasts per turn.

 

[SolitonMan]

There is an Epic Feat called Eldritch Master which allows you to use 2 Eldritch Blasts per turn.

Hi Shin, do you have a reference link for this? I'm playing in a Shackled City game and we might just make it to epic levels. It'd be great to have a feat to improve my number of attacks.

Thanks!

 

[SpiderMonkey]

Thanks all; much obliged!

 

[Shin Okada]

Hi Shin, do you have a reference link for this? I'm playing in a Shackled City game and we might just make it to epic levels. It'd be great to have a feat to improve my number of attacks.

Thanks!

It seems that I was memorizing the feat in the wrong name. That was Eldritch Sculptor, not Eldritch Master (the latter is an epic feat in NWN 2 PC game).

And Eldritch Sculptor feat is in WotC's online article. So your DM may consider it to be semi-official.

Epic Insights: Epic Warlock Feats

 

[neth123]

actually I don't believe quicken spell like ability will allow you to use the feat with eldritch blast, iirc there is a maximum level that quicken spell like ability can affect, and eldritch blast counts as being half your warlock level, which is always over the limit for quicken spell like ability.

but this is from memory so please check my facts in the complete arcane and the feat in the back of the monstrous manual instead of just taking my word for it.

 

[Shin Okada]

actually I don't believe quicken spell like ability will allow you to use the feat with eldritch blast, iirc there is a maximum level that quicken spell like ability can affect, and eldritch blast counts as being half your warlock level, which is always over the limit for quicken spell like ability.

Caster level of Eldritch Blast got an errata. Check the official errata for Complete Arcane.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/files/CompArcaneErrata03162005.zip