Tell Me About the Warlock's Hideous Blow

[irdeggman]

I'm very confident that I read, last night, in the Player's Handbook that a Spell-like Ability can be "cast" defensively (just like a spell).

It's in the MM and it can be done the same as a spell (you use the highest SL for the invocation and shape and essences modifiers so for a Hideous Bloww/EB it is treated as a 1st level spell for the check in question).

 

[Darklone]

Well.... then where's the problem? Can't remember the last time a melee oriented spellcaster wasted his check to cast defensively.

 

[Tetsubo]

Have you considered the Eldritch Claw feat from Dragon #358? Turns your Eldritch Blast into claws that don't trigger an AoO...

 

[Tetsubo]

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=206395

 

[Hrothgar Rannúlfr]

No, I haven't.

I've never been a Dragon subscriber/reader.

Thanks for the link.

From what I see, it looks like a free action that allows the formation of "Eldritch Claws" that can be used to deliver a melee attack. Since the formation of the Eldritch Claws seems very much like a spell-like ability, it seems likely that the formation of the claws would provoke and AoO.

However, if it's a supernatural ability, things might be different.

Feats don't normally provide either supernatural or spell-like abilities, though, do they?

 

[Hrothgar Rannúlfr]

Well.... then where's the problem? Can't remember the last time a melee oriented spellcaster wasted his check to cast defensively.

That's what I'm thinking. As long as the Concentration skill is maxed out, I don't see this as being a problem. Especially, if the eratta is followed that states that Eldritch Blast is always the equivalent of a 1st level spell. If the eratta isn't used, then the scaling level of the Eldritch blast makes the difficulty check for casting defensively scale with level.

Either way, a maxed out concentration skill is about all it would take to make this effective. And, since concentration is based on constitution, it shouldn't be a problem for the character in question who is built like a fighter with a high strength and constitution, anyway. Throw in a feat to boost concentration and it should be relatively simple.

 

[IanB]

The eldritch glaive invocation from Dragon Magic (as I recall) gets around this by being a reach weapon. I think it might be a level higher though.

 

[irdeggman]

The eldritch glaive invocation from Dragon Magic (as I recall) gets around this by being a reach weapon. I think it might be a level higher though.

IIRC it is a lesser invocation - but it is pretty potent. Full attack (i.e., multiple attacks if BAB is high enough) and considered "armed" until your next round (and a reach weapon to boot).

 

[Hrothgar Rannúlfr]

Wouldn't Hideous Blow work with a reach weapon?

If so, what's the advantage of Eldritch Glaive?

 

[Gloombunny]

Wouldn't Hideous Blow work with a reach weapon?

If so, what's the advantage of Eldritch Glaive?

Iterative attacks.