Warlocks...how do they play?

[megamania]

The game I DM just introduced a Warlock / Mage/ with a Prestige class that makes him extremely scary. 7 times aday (13th level total) he blasts for about 20d6. Then he becomes more of a normal Warlock.

So based on my first and only time with theme- watch out for the use of other classes and prestige classes.

 

[shilsen]

3 - They are the penultimate UMD class. Expect them to buy wands and scrolls of stuff they can't otherwise do.

If they are the penultimate UMD class, what do you regard as the ultimate? Rogues? Bards?

Just curious.

 

[paradox42]

As for those compalining that the warlock won't drop an Empowered Maximized fireball upon his foes... just get a scroll with an Empowered Maximized Fireball in it. Or get a Staff of Fire. At any rate, UMD is your passport to this.

Ah, there's an interesting point in its own right, though it only works for high-level Warlocks really. Assuming they can get access to the proper materials, a Warlock who's kept UMD maxed-out can, at 12th level, start making those cool scrolls and wands she's been using since the low levels.

Actually the party Warlock in my second game is taking advantage of this to save the party having to hire a Cleric to rededicate a temple (they have two Divine spellcasters but neither one is an actual Cleric). The Warlock is going to use their upcoming week of downtime to first scribe a scroll of Hallow, and then use it, thus becoming a temporary Cleric for this one purpose. It's a cool and elegant solution to a problem that I hadn't considered when I set the party on this adventure, I was basically leaving it to their high-level resources and resourcefulness to solve. And here's how they're solving it. I had originally figured on them using RP to try finding a powerful-enough Cleric in one of the cities they frequent, but this way they avoid dealing with NPCs or needing to hire anybody- as well as the potential for spies and saboteurs that would open up in a properly rat-bastard DM's game.

Oh well.

 

[Kurotowa]

If they are the penultimate UMD class, what do you regard as the ultimate? Rogues? Bards?

Probably Eberron's Artificer class. They get Skill Mastery nine levels later, but they also get to do things like apply Metamagic feats to wands and scrolls. Between that and superior crafting they should take the title.

 

[Dykstrav]

In all fairness... I think my experience with the warlock had alot to do with the game I was playing it in. I imagine it'd be much cooler if there was an actual wizard or sorcerer in the party so people weren't expecting me to cover that base. Seems like a warlock with the right invocations (such as flee the scene and vitriolic blast) would make an effective hit-and-run type assassin in an urban campaign.

 

[Nifft]

If they are the penultimate UMD class, what do you regard as the ultimate? Rogues? Bards?

Bards must be the ultimate, thanks to their typical high Charisma.

Rogues are clearly antepenultimate.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Nifft]

Warlock and Spellthief make a great team.

Totally. They just need a Crusader and a Dragonfire Adept to make the team complete.
Or a Dragonfire Adept and a Binder.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Nifft]

If you want Warlock 2.0, check out the Dragonfire Adept from Dragon Magic.

IMHO, Dragonfire Adept would be perfect if they dropped the DR and the Natural Armor bonus, and just let them cast in light armor.

Draconic armor could be a Natural Armor granting invocation (like barkskin), and they could get DR x/magic from a Draconic Aura if they wanted it.

Anyway... I agree that Dragonfire Adept is a nice take on the Warlock.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Presto2112]

We've got a warlock and a spellthief in our party..of course, it's a low magic campaign so I think the spellthief guy is re-thinking where he's going to put future class levels.

The warlock is a shallow blaster..that's about it.

All they do is blast...

Seems pretty boring to me (but I'm the DM and just get to watch

jh

I played a warlock from levels 13 - 16 (my own stupidity got him killed). He was a better ranged attacker than the ranger. he was a better scout than the rogue. As mentioned in a previous post, his invocations were mostly self centered, but his contributions were definitely valuable to the party.

BTW, Whisper Gnomes (Races of Stone) make GREAT warlocks!

 

[Cabral]

Probably Eberron's Artificer class. They get Skill Mastery nine levels later, but they also get to do things like apply Metamagic feats to wands and scrolls. Between that and superior crafting they should take the title.

They also get a bonus to UMD for items they have the feats to create.

Plus, if I recall correctly, it's easier for an Artificer to build up the skill synergies. I don't recall the math, but I believe my wife's artificer at level 6 was "taking 1" on UMD checks ...