Warlocks - How do prestige classes work with them?

[Enforcer]

How does a prestige class that grants +1 level to existing spellcasting class work with the Warlock from Complete Arcane?

I think the character would clearly gain new incantations, but what about his eldritch blast? The sample character for the Acolyte of the Skin makes the eldritch blast question more confusing, as the character is a Warlock 6/Acolyte of the Skin 3 yet has a 4d6 eldritch blast (a Warlock 6 would only have 3d6, but a Warlock 9 would have 5d6).

Thoughts?

 

[Staffan]

Since the Eldritch Blast is an invocation, I think anything that increases caster level (i.e. makes your invocations more effective) should increase EB damage, including feats along the lines of Practiced Spellcaster.

 

[Crothian]

not classes that increase just caster level, it actually has to be a bit more then that. Only a few of the prestige classes in there (CA) work for them. It's explained in the book.

 

[Hof]

Actually, the Acolyte of the Skin example is correct. The AotS increases spellcasting every even level. Thus, the example character has invocation and EB capabilities of a seventh level warlock.

Hof.

 

[Enforcer]

Actually, the Acolyte of the Skin example is correct. The AotS increases spellcasting every even level. Thus, the example character has invocation and EB capabilities of a seventh level warlock.

Hof.

Didn't think of that! I assumed that all three levels of Acolyte added to Warlock levels, when only Acolyte 2 does. Well, then according to the sample character a Warlock with a prestige class that adds levels to an existing spellcasting class improves eldritch blast.

Crothian, would you please point me to where in Complete Arcane it discusses Warlocks and spellcasting levels from prestige classes? Thanks!

Edit: Durr...p. 18 under the heading "Warlocks and Prestige Classes." I'm a doof.

 

[Crothian]

page 18 under Warlocks and Prestige classes

the important bit is in the second paragraph. They can only qualify for classes that have "caster level X" and not for classes that require "cast spells of X spell level"

edit: Durr...p. 18 under the heading "Warlocks and Prestige Classes." I'm a doof.

ya, I was thinking is was pretty hard to miss myself....

 

[Gez]

The problem being that classes from before CA never use the "arcane caster level X" mechanism, but always the "must cast arcane spells of level Y" mechanism.

So, warlock PrCs are only in both CA.

One could argue, for example, that the Arcane Archer, Eldritch Knight or Mystic Theurge, for example, could be opened to a Warlock. (The Dragon Disciple would fit well with the concept, I think, but mechanically it's problematic. Arcane Trickster, Archmage, and Loremaster all require specific spells rather than just spellcasting.)

 

[Nifft]

One could argue, for example, that the Arcane Archer, Eldritch Knight or Mystic Theurge, for example, could be opened to a Warlock. (The Dragon Disciple would fit well with the concept, I think, but mechanically it's problematic. Arcane Trickster, Archmage, and Loremaster all require specific spells rather than just spellcasting.)

Dragon Disciple -- only trouble is the silly "+1 Spell Slot" mechanic and the flavor of dragon-blood already being handled by Sorcerers.

Archmage would make no sense (mechanically or flavor-wise).

Arcane Archer would make a lot of sense.

Arcane Trickster... hrm. Don't really know. Warlocks are pretty trixie as they are.

-- N

 

[Crothian]

The problem being that classes from before CA never use the "arcane caster level X" mechanism, but always the "must cast arcane spells of level Y" mechanism.

So, warlock PrCs are only in both CA.

One could argue, for example, that the Arcane Archer, Eldritch Knight or Mystic Theurge, for example, could be opened to a Warlock. (The Dragon Disciple would fit well with the concept, I think, but mechanically it's problematic. Arcane Trickster, Archmage, and Loremaster all require specific spells rather than just spellcasting.)

Except, they knew that when they made the Warlock rules for taking prestige classes. All they had to do was point out that some other p[restige lcasses like certain ones in the DMG should be changed for the Warlock. Since they didn't do that I see no reason to.

 

[Gez]

Dragon Disciple -- only trouble is the silly "+1 Spell Slot" mechanic and the flavor of dragon-blood already being handled by Sorcerers.

Yeah, but think of the fiendish dragons!