Warlock and Full Attack

[pbd]

sorry iof this has been addressd before. I recently purchased Complete Arcane and am impressed with the Warlock core class. I think this is what the sorc was supposed to be, weilding crude, barely controlled magical energy.

As I read the desricption of eldrich blast (and reread it) I can't quite figure out if you can use the full attack action with it. The class has the medium BAB progression and gets 2 attacks at 8th level, at that point can you attack twice with an eldritch blast as a full attack action?

The book simply states "A warlock attacks his foes with eldritch power" (it was a little differnt to see a male pronoun in the descriptions. I am used to having the female pronoun in there. not a complaint either way.)

This would suggest that you can use the full attack with the Eldritch Blast, but I could be wrong.

Also, since using Hideaous Blow id a standard action, you wouldn't be able to get a full melee attack with thuis incatation, correct?

Any thoughts?

pbd

 

[kevmarq13]

The eldritch blast is a spell-like ability and takes a standard action to use. So no full attack. Same with hideous blow, standard action. There is some debate about if a Warlock can use quicken spell-like ability on his eldritch blast. It only works on abilities of a certain level, and its unsure if you can reduce your eldritch blast to a lower level in order to do this. If you can that would be the way to get multiple attacks but only a couple times a day.

I'm about to start playing one in a new campaign it looks rather interesting so far, hopefully it doesn't dissapoint.

 

[pbd]

The description never states that it is a spell like ability or that it takes a standard action to use.

In the desciption of invocations it states that invocations are spell-like abilities and take a standard action to use, but later the text states " Eldritch Blast is not an invocatrion".

Honestly this would suggest that EB can be used with a full attack, actually the class may start to be underpowered at higher levels is they could not use the full attck with EB.

It might seem like a lot of damage (2 ranged touch attacks for 4d6 each at 8th level) but think of the damage that an 8th level fighter (or wizard, etc) can dish out.

pbd

 

[kevmarq13]

I don't have my book on me to look it up exactly, but I'm pretty sure that somewhere in there it said the EB functions as a spell-like ability except that it is also subject to arcane spell failure in armor heavier than light.

Power wise yeah it does look like it gets weak at mid and high levels. Same amount of damage a rouge can do with sneak attack but only once per round. However, you have much better chances of hitting(ranged touch) and other than SR no way to avoid the damage. Plus you have all your other invocations at will. One roll I haven't seen many people look at for a warlock is as battlefield control. You get two wall spells(gloom and fire), black tentacles, hungry darkness, and I believe a couple others that can be used to control the terrain pretty effectively. Then you just blast away while the enemy is tied up with all these other things.

Like I said I'm just about to start playing one, so hopefully it turns out enjoyable.

 

[pbd]

I don't have my book on me to look it up exactly, but I'm pretty sure that somewhere in there it said the EB functions as a spell-like ability except that it is also subject to arcane spell failure in armor heavier than light.

I re-reread it and the desription does mention, albeit in a parenthetical ad-on to the discussion of metamagic feats, that EB is a spell-like ability.

The descriptions seems a little ambiguous. You would think that the writers would make sure to point out that EB is a spell-like ability, not just mention it in passing. Maybe i am just an idiot...

 

[Gort]

What's the point of Hideous Blow if you can't use it more than once a round? You're basically trading the auto-hit of a ranged touch attack and the safety of attacking from range for the extra damage of your weapon.

I don't get why that's something anyone would take.

 

[kevmarq13]

Only real use I can see is to use it when multiclassed with rogue. More so at the early levels when you only get one attack. Then you get another 1 or 2d6 plus a sneak attack if possible.

Or if the target has spell turning, don't want that ray coming back at you. This way its just additional damage not a spell.

Overall, yeah its pretty weak IMO.

 

[Shallown]

Another aspect of thier blast ability is the chance to crit with it. If you can apply improved critical to it it may make it a little nastier. Doubling all those dice is nice.

Also like it has been said no DR or Energy resistance. (If I remember correctly) SR can be dealt with.

later

 

[pbd]

Another aspect of thier blast ability is the chance to crit with it. If you can apply improved critical to it it may make it a little nastier. Doubling all those dice is nice.

Also like it has been said no DR or Energy resistance. (If I remember correctly) SR can be dealt with.

later

So basically you are trading an AoO and a ranged touch attack for the chance to crit with a regular melee attack? Doesn't seem worth it. Sure you may crit the guy your attacking, but you will be in melee with facing an AoO each round. You may end up on the floor regardless of critting or not....

Also, don't additional damage dice not double on a crit? Many would not even allow the Eldritch damage to double...

I may ask my DM to allow an EB as an attack action; invocations, thogh, would take the time in the description. That way the full attack would give 2 at 8th lvl and so on (at 8th it would be 2 ranged touch attacks for 4d6 each at dex+6/dex+1).

Would that overpower the class?

 

[Liquidsabre]

I re-reread it and the desription does mention, albeit in a parenthetical ad-on to the discussion of metamagic feats, that EB is a spell-like ability.

The descriptions seems a little ambiguous. You would think that the writers would make sure to point out that EB is a spell-like ability, not just mention it in passing. Maybe i am just an idiot...

Note in the Warlock entry: Eldritch Blast (Sp). The (Sp) means that EB is a spell-like ability, it requires a standard action to use. Very clear but easy to miss.