Warlock's Bashing

[CapnZapp]

Regarding Warlocks and melee, the PHB says "you've got powers that help you attack and defend in melee" (p130) as well as "You can shift easily from ranged attacks to melee attacks".

However, I can find nothing (at lower levels) to support these claims.

For instance, our warlock sucks against the Kobolds of the starting adventures (Kobold Hall as well as the start of Keep of the Shadowfell); they have pretty good AC and excellent Reflex defenses (for their level).

Meanwhile, yes, they do get proficiency bonuses if entering melee with a weapon like everybody else, and they get to use their Curse even on non-magical attacks. But Warlocks usually have lousy Str and Dex scores.

End result? A warlock that is gimped in melee, contrary to what the PHB says. And a Warlock that hits significantly less often, even when using his signature powers (because all opponents have greater than average Reflex defense).

To me this seems like an oversight. Would it wreck (as in unbalance) the class if Warlocks were given a chance to contribute meaningfully in melee?

Suggestion (feel free to comment):

Eldritch Bashing, Warlock (All) Attack 1
Daily * Arcane
Move Action, Personal
Effect: You may use either Charisma or Constitution in place of Strength to make melee attacks for the rest of the encounter.

Furthermore, what would you say about a Rod using this power? (Instead of allowing it as a normal Daily, that is)

Rod of Bashing +1, functions as a Club, Daily power: as above.
What level/cost would be appropriate for such an item?

I realize this goes above and beyond how Warlocks and Rods are meant to be used normally. But feel free to reply with any other possible problems (such as killer combos with unexpected powers)!

Thanks!

 

[Starfox]

My solution is a feat:

Dread Strike (Warlock)

Prerequisite: Warlock

Benefit: You can use any warlock ranged attack power as a melee attack power instead.

 

[Cadfan]

1. Warlocks kind of get the shaft in the beginning of KotS, because of the disproportionately high reflex scores of the kobolds. Same thing happens to wizards and clerics.

2. Warlocks have basically nothing to help them in melee.

3. I like steering my warlock into melee reach though. Between Eyebite, Shadow Walk, and Defensive Mobility, I don't mind provoking opportunity attacks. Particularly when I provoke them from someone marked by our Fighter. Going into melee reach can have benefits in targetting the proper foes (have to be closest to the target, have the target be closest to you, and as a tiefling have to go after bloodied targets), and if I have lots of hp at the moment, can let me wager a little damage in exchange for granting free attacks to our best melee combatants.

 

[CapnZapp]

@Starfox: Thanks for the suggestion. However, that's an awfully generic feat, essentially allowing the warlock to become a completely melee-based striker, if I understand it correctly.

I understand the warlock shares the power of being able to target different defenses with other magic-wielding classes, and am aware it increases his power if being allowed to target AC, but at least with Bashing that's only in one of the day's encounters.


@Cadfan: 1) Okay, so I was right. Strange. That Wizards of the Coast would make such a mistake, I mean. A younger, less resilient player could easily deduce Warlocks are lame and not to want to play them at all when his buddy the Ranger gets upwards to a whopping +5 better to hit. The fact neither of the treasures in Kobold Hall is useable for a Warlock hurts too...

2) Equally strange. Why isn't that language errataed then? (Along with all the other bad, misleading advice given by the PHB to beginners, I guess...)

3) Well, that strategy can drop you in a single round. Also, the concept of a "clothie" standing in harm's way as well as one taking the hurt to enable others is fairly alien to our mindset, so that needs some thinking...


Thanks both!

 

[Obryn]

I am waiting for good Warlock melee powers. I want my dwarven infernal warlock with a pact hammer to be a viable choice.

-O

 

[Cadfan]

3) Well, that strategy can drop you in a single round. Also, the concept of a "clothie" standing in harm's way as well as one taking the hurt to enable others is fairly alien to our mindset, so that needs some thinking...

Not likely. Every character has a certain amount of healing surges per day. If there are useful things you could be accomplishing by spending them, and you're ending the day with all of them intact, you're not helping the team as much as you could.

A warlock can, under the right circumstances, be very hard to hit. And they have as many hit points as most non-defender classes. In fact, some warlocks (the infernal ones) have abilities that deal extra damage when they take damage, and they have temporary hit points to mitigate that damage when it happens.

Intentionally provoking an opportunity attack is just one way you can make your extra healing surges work for you. Here's the typical scenario for my character.

The Fighter is doing battle with a bloodied orc. I want to help make that enemy die, and to get the bonus from Bloodhunt and Prime Shot and Warlock's Curse while I'm doing it. So I run around the edge of the battle and into a flanking position with the bloodied orc. Once I'm there, I tag him with my curse, and then cast something on him. Probably Eyebite. He gets an immediate attack of opportunity, but my AC is at +2 from Shadow Walk, +2 from Defensive Mobility, and his attack rolls are at -2 because he's marked. Plus, if he attacks me, the Fighter (who is now flanking) gets an attack as an Immediate Interrupt due to Combat Challenge. So the orc either attacks me at what is a net penalty of 6 to his chances to hit, and then suffers a Fighter's attack as a result, or, he lets me cast without interruption. My attack does 1d6+Int+1d6 curse damage, and makes me invisible to the foe, protecting me from future attacks, assuming the foe survives the whole process. When the foe dies, I teleport to safety.

Infernal Warlock's have a similar trick, except they get temporary hit points as a reward instead of teleportation, and their at will does extra damage when they take injury after using it.