Your thoughts on warlocks

[Thanee]

Well every encounter that FEATURES an arcane spellcaster such as a wizard or a sorcerer, generally DOES use a globe.

I believe your campaigns are pretty unique in that way ('omnipresence' of globe spells), then.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Particle_Man]

Is there a Heighten Spell-like Ability feat as well? I seem to recall seeing one when I was flipping through Complete Arcane yesterday, but I'm away from the book now. This would be a good way for a warlock to pump those save DCs, too.

I think it allows that 3x/day, at 2 levels higher.

 

[Nightfall]

Thanee,

It's entirely possible.

Elder B,

Normally I use regular Globes. Lesser ones don't worry out as well. Plus I don't recall that you CAN"T cast out of it.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

But the regular globe of invulnerability isn't nearly as good as the lesser globe. It's 6th level and it only negates 4th level spells. (The lesser globe, by contrast, is 4th level and stops 3rd level spells). If you're a level 11+ caster taking on a level <=8 party, I can see it being useful, but only after you've used your wall of force, greater blink, and greater invisibility, etc. (All much better for defense and lower level to boot). If you're lower level, though, you can't cast the spell, and if you're higher level, even the PCs second and third rank spells will generally blow right past the globe.

It's not a matter of being able to cast out of it or not (I don't think I mentioned anything about that in my post). It's simply a question of whether the action defends against spells that your enemies are actually likely to use. By my read, except for the very narrow band of an accompanied level 11+ villain vs. a level 10- party, the spells the globe protects against are not the first spells that are going to be tossed the villain's (or the PCs') way.

What kind of parties do you have and what kind of villains do you have that find that tactic effective?

Elder B,

Normally I use regular Globes. Lesser ones don't worry out as well. Plus I don't recall that you CAN"T cast out of it.

 

[Nightfall]

Parties I normally have?

Varies but generally high level PCs, ranging from 11th to 14th level.

NPC wizards, mostly 16-19th level. Most of them have permanacy blink spells, staves of force,
and either perfect invisibility OR can change into a shadow.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

OK, so what do the NPC wizards get out of putting up the globe of invulnerability? It doesn't protect them from fighter or archer PCs. It doesn't protect them from the clerics' or wizards' best spells (unless they're metamagicked low-level spells). So how does casting the globe protect them?

Parties I normally have?

Varies but generally high level PCs, ranging from 11th to 14th level.

NPC wizards, mostly 16-19th level. Most of them have permanacy blink spells, staves of force,
and either perfect invisibility OR can change into a shadow.

 

[RigaMortus]

The same is true of fighters and rogues, though. It's not a problem for those classes, so why would it be a problem for the warlock?

The Warlock isn't really designed as a melee class though. Rogues and Fighters will lose HP as a resource. And while the Warlock will occassionally be hit as well, you are hit a LOT less often when you use ranged attacks and stay out of melee than you do when you go toe-to-toe. I guess you could compare it to a Fighter or Rogue who makes an archer-type character, but then it goes back to what I was saying before. You can only shoot so many arrows before you run out, thus the resource you are using up. The Warlock doesn't have such problems. So if your DM tries to stick with the "20% resources used per encounter" rule, the Warlock will come out ahead.

I didn't even mention that Fighters and Rogues can be sundered and disarmed. A Warlock not likely. Another "resource" if you will.

 

[Nightfall]

Elder,

Most of the time, dealing with such things as fighters and archers, NPC wizards have powerful brutes to keep those guys in line OR shield guardians.

Regarding the others, clerics they don't get much protection...but then that's why I prefer to let a cleric shine. Wizardry though, they tend to have improved counterspells OR have the ability to counterspell what ever they can.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Right, so what's the point of the Globe? I'm just trying to figure out what you think it's good for since I really don't see much of a use for it.

Elder,

Most of the time, dealing with such things as fighters and archers, NPC wizards have powerful brutes to keep those guys in line OR shield guardians.

Regarding the others, clerics they don't get much protection...but then that's why I prefer to let a cleric shine. Wizardry though, they tend to have improved counterspells OR have the ability to counterspell what ever they can.

 

[Nightfall]

Just in case.