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Message: <blockquote data-quote="GMSkarka" data-source="post: 4879664" data-attributes="member: 763">Sorry that I haven't kept this updated -- I've been having a helluva time connecting to ENWorld.Here's our latest preview:  Orsini the Warlock!OrsiniMale human warlock 8CN Medium humanoid (human)Init +5; Senses Perception +7DEFENSEAC 16, 12 touch , 15 flat-footed  (+4 armor, +1 Dex, +1 bracers of armor)hp 54 (8d8 + 8)Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +8OFFENSESpeed 30 ft.Melee  +1 Keen Longsword +6/+1 (1d8+1, crit 17-20 x2)Special Attacks Arcane Bolt (5d6, electric), Arcane Burst (5d6, electric, 20ft burst), Turn Undead (5/day, DC 17)Warlock Abilities (CL 8th) Cantrips: Detect Magic, Light.Gained at 1st Level: Arcane Bolt, Power over UndeadGained at 2nd Level: Hand of the ApprenticeGained at 4th Level: LevitateGained at 8th Level: Dimensional StepsSTATISTICSStr 10, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 16Base Atk +6/+1; CMB +6; CMD 17Feats Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Light Armor Proficiency, Magical Aptitude, Martial Weapons Proficiency, Turn UndeadSkills Bluff +8, Knowledge (arcana) +12,  Knowledge (the planes) +10, Linguistics +7, Perception +7, Sense Motive +6, Spellcraft +14, Use Magical Device +13Languages Common, Elven, DraconicSQ Arcane Armor Mastery (medium), DR/3 (except cold iron, silver and fire)Combat Gear: +1 Keen LongswordOther Gear:  Bracers of Armor +1I'm very glad that the Paizo blog gave us a look at the Wizard this week, because it makes explaining Orsini here much easier!We wrestled a bit on how to handle warlocks in the Tome of Secrets. The warlock was designed to be a non-book keeping player’s dream; he has a small list of spells that he can cast all day long. He does not need to prepare a list, nor must he check off slots. This presented something of a challenge, as Pathfinder, like its spiritual predecessors, is built around the concept that spellcasters burn through a limited repertoire each day. We didn't want to go the 4e route with Paths, because we felt that was a bit too much like the Sorcerer's bloodlines.Pathfinder offered a solution. As you've seen in the Paizo blog entry on Ezren the Wizard, the arcane schools grant powers --magical abilities usable by wizards of that school. For the warlock, we simply expanded those lists and confined the warlock to those abilities -- they do not cast spells, but instead are creatures infused with magic who display these abilities as a result.At 1st Level, Orsini got to pick a number of cantrips equal to his intelligence modifier, and two abilities taken from either the arcane school granted powers, or the warlock's abilities lists. He received another at 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th level. He could choose any ability, as long as he was of sufficient level, regardless of whether or not he had taken the lower-level abilities from that school.Orsini's abilities are a mix of combat (Arcane Bolt and the Arcane Burst improvement from evocation, the Hand of the Apprentice -- the same power described in the wizard preview -- from universalist) and movement (Levitate -- taken from trasmutation -- and Dimensional Steps, from conjuration), with Power over Undead (taken from Necromancy -- which gives him the Turn Undead feat and the limited ability to channel energy for this purpose alone).This gives our warlock less overall available magic than the dedicated spellcasting classes, but makes him more versatile in its availability and application.Aside from their natural magic abilities, warlocks also gain Arcane Armor Mastery (which increases by type and effectiveness as they gain in level), and Damage Reduction (starting at 2, with three exceptions chosen from a list -- and with the ability at 7th, 11th, 15th and 19th level to either increase the DR by 1, or remove one of the exceptions).Orsini wears a chain shirt (despite being able to wear medium armor by now --he just likes the look, I suppose), and wields a +1 Keen Longsword in combat (often pairing it with his Hand of the Apprentice power to use it at range).Like all Warlocks, Orsini is chaotic in nature -- in his particular case, Chaotic Neutral -- manifesting as a largely selfish outlook. Orsini looks after himself.So that's a brief look at one of the eight new classes that will be presented in the Tome of Secrets. For our final preview before the release (which I'll be posting tomorrow) we'll meet Anir, the dwarven artificer!Also:  Our pre-order period is ending at 11:59pm this Sunday (August 9th), after which the only option will be PDF (available 8/13), grabbing the book at GenCon (via the Paizo or Cubicle 7 booths), or waiting until November (the general release to game stores).</blockquote>

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