Warlock question!

[Keoki]

Not really.

An eldritch blast at that level (7th) does, what, 3d6 points of damage? That's an average of 10.5 per shot, one shot per round.

A Masterwork Composite Longbow (Mighty+3) does 1d8+3, or an average of 7.5 damage per shot, three shots per round. Add in specialization, and it's 9.5 damage per shot, three shots per round.

You're right, but we're talking about an eldritch blast with sneak attack, for 7d6 damage, which only has to hit the opponent's touch AC. Assuming the fighter misses one shot per round and the rogue/warlock has Improved Feint, that's an average of 24.5 points of damage per round (possible non-critical maximum of 42) vs. 19 points of damage (possible non-critical maximum of 26). Throw in a warlock's scepter to account for the weapons and armor the fighter is likely to have, and the difference gets even larger.

And unless there's an unlimited supply of arrows, the fighter can't shoot forever.

Overall, of course it's better to have a fighter in a fight (hence the name). They have better armor, hp, etc. However, it seems unbalancing to me that a non-warrior who has other magic, skills, and so on should be able to do just as much or more damage in a fight.

 

[Darmanicus]

That'd have to be a pretty expensive bow to come even close to the same damage.

Well within the characters cashpot and no not really that expensive at all, even for a bow that allowed the fighter to take care of a +4 Str bonus. It's still gonna probably fall slightly short of the 7d6 I agree but it's pretty comparable.

 

[Keoki]

Well within the characters cashpot and no not really that expensive at all, even for a bow that allowed the fighter to take care of a +4 Str bonus. It's still gonna probably fall slightly short of the 7d6 I agree but it's pretty comparable.

I agree, it is well within a 12th-level character's cashpot. But please see the post just above your last one, and keep in mind that averages don't always tell the whole story, which is why I posted the possible maximum damages. Say, for example, both character get bad rolls, rolling all 2s. For the rogue/warlock, this means 14 points of damage, while for the fighter described above, it's only 7. If they roll well, the difference is even greater.

Of course, you could have a magic bow, but a warlock can get a warlock's scepter.

When dealing with mighty bows, I always get them one point shy of the character's Str. That way, should his Str be reduced slightly, he can still use the bow. Otherwise, he can't afford to lose practically any Str, or he can't use the bow at all except as an improvised weapon! Spellcasters love to sap fighters' Str, and not just when the DM is a bastard like me! But I digress...

 

[Mekabar]

Can we agree that a grappled warlock is in trouble? And that they're not good at grappling? And that grappling is a favourite thing for many monsters?

If I were ever to play a Warlock, I would get a Ring of Freedom of Movement ASAP. No more grappling troubles, never ever.

 

[Henry]

While the Warlock who does sneak attack damage is innovative, if the Warlock7/Rogue5 were instead a Warlock 12, he'd be doing 6d6 every round, instead of 7d6 every OTHER round, and have a heck of a lot more invocations and probably other special abilities to boot. On the other hand, 5 levels of rogue does make a very well-rounded suite of skills useful in non-combat.

 

[Darmanicus]

If I were ever to play a Warlock, I would get a Ring of Freedom of Movement ASAP. No more grappling troubles, never ever.

I've always wanted to sunder a ring, hehe!

 

[Keoki]

While the Warlock who does sneak attack damage is innovative, if the Warlock7/Rogue5 were instead a Warlock 12, he'd be doing 6d6 every round, instead of 7d6 every OTHER round, and have a heck of a lot more invocations and probably other special abilities to boot. On the other hand, 5 levels of rogue does make a very well-rounded suite of skills useful in non-combat.

Get Improved Feint and you can do it every round. I just came upon the idea when I noticed that a lot of the rogue's skills jive with the warlock's, and many of the warlocks invocations suit rogues well. Since then, however, I've discarded the idea in favor of a ninja/iaijutsu master from the Crane clan, who can get both sudden strike AND iaijutsu damage...

 

[jabberwocky]

Get Improved Feint and you can do it every round....

Only in melee - which would work with hideous blow, but there are downsides to being a rogue/warlock in melee.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

You're right, but we're talking about an eldritch blast with sneak attack, for 7d6 damage, which only has to hit the opponent's touch AC. Assuming the fighter misses one shot per round and the rogue/warlock has Improved Feint, that's an average of 24.5 points of damage per round (possible non-critical maximum of 42) vs. 19 points of damage (possible non-critical maximum of 26).

You can't Improved Feint an Eldritch Blast.

Eldritch Blast is a ranged attack.

Feint applies to melee combat only.

Therefore, we aren't really talking about a 7d6 Eldritch Blast. My point stands.

Feinting in Combat: You can also use Bluff to mislead an opponent in melee combat (so that it can’t dodge your next attack effectively). To feint, make a Bluff check opposed by your target’s Sense Motive check, but in this case, the target may add its base attack bonus to the roll along with any other applicable modifiers.

Also, you may claim not to be insulting others:

If anyone thinks I've insulted them, it's entirely in their mind

but you come off like one of the biggest jerks I've ever had the luck to debate on an internet message board.

You might want to tone down the rhetoric a bit.

And I suggest that you pay attention to whom you're quoting and replying to. Saves embarrassment sometimes.

 

[Particle_Man]

If anyone thinks I've insulted them, it's entirely in their mind, as my posts have contained no insults. And I'm not the one putting words into others' mouths. That is indeed impolite.

Keoki, when not one but two moderators think you have crossed the line, you have crossed the line. I suggest you refrain from references to body parts or odor in your posts. But in any case, I am sorry if I have offended you in some way.

For the record, I agree that a ring of freedom of action would be great, but alas, far out of my price range (compared to, say, a fighter getting a strength bow, or even various strength bows set for various strength levels, all in a Quiver of Ehlonna). I have to survive to get to a level where I could afford such things. And warlock's scepters have charges as far as damage goes (adding to their expense); magic bows do not. And Warlock's scepters are more rare than magic bows, unless I bite the bullet and get the craft rod feat. I do like the Warlock's Chasuble though. No charges to keep track of. And I like the class because I hate keeping track of things.

I think the main advantage of the warlock is the ranged touch attack part, compared to ranged regular attacks. I don't do killer damage, but I am more likely to do it every round.