Warlock Opinions?

[HeapThaumaturgist]

On the WotC boards, the designers went back and lookedover that ability and decided that it wasn't broken, given a RAW campaign that allowed characters to buy items.

The Warlock is giving up a feat, money, XP, and time for a scroll any other character could go out and buy. He's purchased or created a custom item giving him +10 to a skill check. If he's taken Skill Focus he's given up ANOTHER feat. He's put full ranks into a skill (of his 2 SP a level!). He's used up alot of character resources to do this one thing.

Which is one of the things that keep Warlocks in the running at later levels, since their EB damage sort of turns to crud compared to other classes' abilities to put it out.

--fje

 

[Endur]

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?

Well, it depends whether you like the DMG or PHB better. The DMG does not see much of a distinction between the creation process for a Scroll or another magic item. The PHB, however, has a different text description for scroll scribing versus other types of magic item creation. As a DM, I wouldn't have a problem pointing at the Scribe Scroll feat description in the PHB and saying that Imbue Item does not apply to Scrolls.

On the other hand, like I said above, if you allow magic item shops, there is nothing broken about letting Warlocks creating any scroll they like.

 

[Kurotowa]

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.

You are missing something, and the DM is wrong. Caster Level is not something you can fake with UMD. All Imbue Item does it let you act as if you had a spell available. A 9th level spell scroll also needs a CL17 as part of the scroll. (Note this is different from the CL higher than the spells involved that was ruled non-required.) A Warlock can only Scribe Scrolls with his own Caster Level.

 

[QuaziquestGM]

warlocks and spelltheifs?

How do warlocks interact with spell theifs?

can eldrich blast and invocations be stolen?

Maybe instead of mindblade, a warlock would be better off to multiclass as a spell theif?

Or just take a level of Scorceror for the scroll and wand use benefits?

 

[Nyeshet]

Maybe instead of mindblade, a warlock would be better off to multiclass as a spell theif?

I was just commenting, yesterday on another thread regarding gestalts, that a gestalted Soul Knife / Warlock sounded interesting and flavorful.

That said, the Spellthief can steal the EB or the invocations once he has reached 5th level (and can steal spell-like abilities). Note, however, that the ST only gains one use of the stolen effect, and the Warlock is only blocked from using that specific at will ability for one minute (10 rounds) or until the ST makes use of it. This could be an interesting way of hamstringing a Warlock. Have the Spellthief steal its Eldritch Blast and not make use of it until the last possible moment (10 rounds later). The Warlock would thus be limited to his invocations - excluding any that make use of the EB.

Hmm, or perhaps not. It says that the Spellthief cannot steal an effect that is not dispellable. The Eldritch Blast is an instantaneous effect, so I do not think it could be considered dispellable. (The damage cannot be negated by Dispel Magic, after all.) Some of the Invocations, however, are still fair game.

 

[Glyfair]

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.

Yup, being the only class that can take 10 on UMD is a huge advantage to the Warlock. The rogue player in the party was a bit envious (t

 

[Particle_Man]

You are missing something, and the DM is wrong. Caster Level is not something you can fake with UMD. All Imbue Item does it let you act as if you had a spell available. A 9th level spell scroll also needs a CL17 as part of the scroll. (Note this is different from the CL higher than the spells involved that was ruled non-required.) A Warlock can only Scribe Scrolls with his own Caster Level.

Although according to the DMG erratta, for items that are not either potions or scrolls or wands, the caster level can be set by the warlock, and the minimum caster level is that which is needed to meet the prerequisites given (which means that the 12th level warlock could make staffs and wondrous items whose prerequisites are 9th level spells, since they can meet the spell prerequisites if they have the right feat and make the right UMD check).

 

[Tetsubo]

Another thing to note about Warlocks is that you shouldnt hope to derive that much spotlight from your character's mechanics. You should have some good fluff for him to make things interesting, because warlocks are basically gunships. They can fly around and shoot their cannon over and over again, but thats pretty much it.

I've heard this opinion before. I see it differently. The Warlocks EB is just like a Fighters Specialized Weapon. No one complains, "All a Fighter does is hit things." The EB is no different. It's just what a Warlock does. Not to mention that with the right Invocation choices they are useful and flexible. Use Magic Device is every Warlocks friend.

 

[Scharlata]

[...]"All a Fighter does is hit things." The EB is no different. It's just what a Warlock does.[...]

Hi!

But the warlock attacks with a ranged touch attack, again and again and again. That's a little different than hitting with a normal melee attack.

Kind regards

 

[Kurotowa]

Although according to the DMG erratta, for items that are not either potions or scrolls or wands, the caster level can be set by the warlock, and the minimum caster level is that which is needed to meet the prerequisites given (which means that the 12th level warlock could make staffs and wondrous items whose prerequisites are 9th level spells, since they can meet the spell prerequisites if they have the right feat and make the right UMD check).

Not this again....

Caster Level
Dungeon Master’s Guide, page 215
Problem: The last two sentences in the section on Caster Level are ambiguous and potentially misleading.
Solution: Replace with this text: For other magic items, the caster level is determined by the creator. The minimum caster level is that which is needed to meet the prerequisites given.

You see it does NOT remove the CL requirement. It removes a requirement higher than the spells involved. For example, the Invulnerability armor ability lists a standard CL18 because Wish and Miracle are the usual spells involved, but because it can also be created using Stoneskin it can be crafted at a lower CL if you use Stoneskin. The same rule goes for staffs and wonderous items - you always need a CL high enough to cast the spells being using in the crafting. There is no way for a Warlock to craft items using 9th level spells before 17th level.