Warlock Opinions?

[HeapThaumaturgist]

Something I'd like to do is go through the Call of Cthulhu d20 book and convert some of the spells from that into Invocations. I think a sort of CoC-themed 'lock could be cool.

--fje

 

[ForceUser]

So, anyone have any thoughts on the Warlock class from Complete Arcane? Is this a viable class for most campaigns, or is it broken?

Warlocks rock.

 

[Particle_Man]

They are also the DM's best friend, if you need a magic-using bad guy RIGHT NOW! Way faster to dream up than a wizard.

 

[Scharlata]

So, anyone have any thoughts on the Warlock class from Complete Arcane? Is this a viable class for most campaigns, or is it broken?

Hi!

I have a warlock IMC, and I asked similar questions around here at the board. The answers were as in this thread. My impression is still that warlocks are front-loaded character types at lower levels because they can lay their hands on SLAs (like summon swarm with major advantages to the corresponding spell) and detect magic at will that disrupt the normal game flow. The ability to fire rays (ranged touch attacks) at will is a great advantage at lower levels. I still wait how it works out at middle and higher character levels.

I couldn't agree more with Particle Man when to make an instant BBEG at lower levels.

Kind regards

 

[Legildur]

...At 4th level he has a +10 UMD, which means he can use any wand automatically by taking 10 on his UMD.

PHB, p86, Use Magic Device skill description:

Special: You cannot take 10 with this skill....

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

PHB, p86, Use Magic Device skill description:

As per p. 8 of Complete Arcane, a 4th level Warlock can "take 10 even if distracted or threatened". So yes, in fact, they can use wands at will after gaining a +10 UMD check.

--fje

 

[Drowbane]

Warlocks rock.

quoted for truth

 

[AntiStateQuixote]

Potential Brokenness

If you have some downtime and some cash a Warlock can be VERY broken in the lower end of high levels (12th level example here):

Assume charisma 15 to start, +3 from levels, +4 from cloak = 22 CHA (+6 on checks)
Max ranks in UMD = 15
Item of UMD +10

UMD = 31

Feat: scribe scroll

This character (using the Imbue Item class feature) can take 10 on UMD (Decieve Item class feature) and scribe a scoll of ANY spell with no chance of failure. The most difficult spells to create using Imbue Item are divine spells (DC 25 + spell level UMD check = 34 max DC on this check) which means this character can take 10 (+31) and successfully scribe a scroll of mass heal, greater teleport, or pretty much anything else that comes to mind. After scribing the scroll he can then cast said spell from scroll using UMD (take 10 via Deceive Item) and succeed automatically as long as the scroll caster level was no greater than 21 (UMD DC 20 + caster level to use a scroll).

At the upper end of mid levels/lower end of high levels this is potentially very broken. The ability to use 9th level spells from ANY source when the clerics and wizards are limited to 6th level spells is broken.

Maybe I'm missing something on the Imbue Item class feature with regard to caster level for scrolls scribed in this way. . . I dunno. It's come up in a game I play in (we're all 12th and 13th level right now) and the DM has allowed the warlock to use Scribe Scroll, Imbue Item and Deceive Item to scribe and use scrolls of many 9th level spells.

Yeah, sour grapes, but it's still . . . broken.

 

[Endur]

Feat: scribe scroll

This character (using the Imbue Item class feature) can take 10 on UMD (Decieve Item class feature) and scribe a scoll of ANY spell with no chance of failure.

At the upper end of mid levels/lower end of high levels this is potentially very broken. The ability to use 9th level spells from ANY source when the clerics and wizards are limited to 6th level spells is broken.

Maybe I'm missing something on the Imbue Item class feature with regard to caster level for scrolls scribed in this way. . . I dunno. It's come up in a game I play in (we're all 12th and 13th level right now) and the DM has allowed the warlock to use Scribe Scroll, Imbue Item and Deceive Item to scribe and use scrolls of many 9th level spells.

Yes, you are missing something. The wording of Imbue Item does not apply to the Scribe Scroll feat. But it does apply to all of the other item creation feats.

That said, I don't have any issues with a GM that lets Imbue Item apply to Scribe Scroll. I don't think its any more broken than having a magic item shop, and there seem to be more campaigns with magic item shops than with out them.

 

[AntiStateQuixote]

Yes, you are missing something. The wording of Imbue Item does not apply to the Scribe Scroll feat. But it does apply to all of the other item creation feats.

I don't know what I'm missing though . . .

A warlock of 12th level or higher can use his supernatural power to create magic items, even if he does not know the spells required to make an item (although he must know the appropriate item creation feat). He can substitute a Use Magic Device check [DC blurb ignored] in place of a required spell he doesn't know or can't cast.

If the check succeeds, the warlock can create the item as if he had cast the required spell.

Emphasis added.

Scribe Scroll is an item creation feat. The only thing required to scribe a scroll is time, money, XP and the appropriate spell to scribe. The warlock can UMD the spell. So, what am I missing?