Your thoughts on warlocks

[Thanee]

Bewitching Blast is only 4th level, I think. Not a huge difference, tho.

Bye
Thanee

 

[kigmatzomat]

Human race. Twelfth level character. Started with an 18 (+4), level boosted it to 20 (+5), spent a lot to get a +6 to charisma item (+3 more), took a feat to increase spell like ability DC by 2... It was only +10. I think the spell (invocation) was a sixth level one... (this would have to be checked). So I believe the Bewitching effect was a DC 25 will save. Which is nice for a 12th level character, and wouldn't have been a problem at all if not for the fact that he could throw that once per round, it was in addition to his damage that round, and it hit multiple opponents each round. He never ran out!

Ability focus applies to one special ability. Since Eldritch Blast does not have a save, it would apply to a single Essence invocation. Note that the "meta spell-like" feats also have the restriction of applying to a single spell-like ability, meaning only one invocation, so that must have been the 12th level feat choice. The player also had about half his total DMG recommended wealth tied up in that charisma cloak. Not illegal, per se, but something to be aware of.

A caster with the same stats, feats, items would have:
sorceror would have 18 spell slots with DC 24+ (4th & greater)
wizards would have 12 spell slots with DC24+
clerics would have 15 spell slots with DC24+

This warlock has *one* trick, a trick he burned a lot of resources to get. It's a good trick but it fails against plants, constructs, most casters, undead, and a lot of creatures with SR. I'm not sure, but I think this would be an enchantment effect so elves of all variants would be harder to affect.

The casters can hurl a bit more than a dozen spells of similar power before starting to fade but in 4 encounters a day that's 3 high power spells per fight. Most of our fights are ~5 rounds or less so add in a party buff/utility spell/encounter and they're done.

 

[satori01]

Bewitching Blast is only 4th level, I think. Not a huge difference, tho.

Bye
Thanee

Revised due to awareness of the errata

If Eldritch Blast is considered a first level spell this will in general lower the DCs of Invocations.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Errata may have changed this, I'm not sure, as I generally do not keep up on the errata.

EB has been errataed ... It now reads:

Page 7: Eldritch Blast
Second paragraph of the Eldritch Blast ability

description:

Change “An eldritch blast is the equivalent of a spell whose level is equal to one-half the warlock’s class level (round down), with a minimum spell level of 1st and a maximum of 9th when the warlock reaches 18th level or higher” to “An eldritch blast is the equivalent of a 1st-level spell. If you apply a blast shape or eldritch essence invocation to your eldritch blast (see page 130), your eldritch blast uses the level equivalent of the shape or essence.”

Any other references to eldritch blast being something other than the equivalent of a 1st-level spell should be disregarded.

Any other references claiming that eldritch blast is not an invocation should be disregarded.

A warlock can use eldritch blast at will.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Errata may have changed this, I'm not sure, as I generally do not keep up on the errata.

Ding ding.

Page 7: Eldritch Blast
Second paragraph of the Eldritch Blast ability
description:
Change “An eldritch blast is the equivalent of a spell
whose level is equal to one-half the warlock’s class
level (round down), with a minimum spell level of 1st
and a maximum of 9th when the warlock reaches 18th
level or higher” to “An eldritch blast is the equivalent
of a 1st-level spell. If you apply a blast shape or eldritch
essence invocation to your eldritch blast (see page 130),
your eldritch blast uses the level equivalent of the shape
or essence.”
Any other references to eldritch blast being something
other than the equivalent of a 1st-level spell should be
disregarded.
Any other references claiming that eldritch blast is not
an invocation should be disregarded.
A warlock can use eldritch blast at will.

It's a fairly important piece of errata.

EDIT: Oh slow internet, why hast thou forsaken me?

 

[satori01]

Yes indeedy a very important piece of information. This basically mandates that a Warlock take an Eldritch Blast enhancing Invocation equivalent to a 5th level spell or higher to get around Globe of Invulnerbility.

 

[Coredump]

The 'always on' aspect of see invis, etc. interests me. Would you allow your player to say he is automatically reactivating it every X rounds, so that it is always on?


I am pretty sure I would not allow that. If it was for a specific period of time, or action. "While sneaking over the wall and up to the house, I will keep reactivating it" is fine Or "I keep see invis active while staring down the hall until the rogue finishes opening the door.

But I don't think I would treat it as always on.

 

[satori01]

The Invocation description indicates quite clearly that the Darkvision and See Invisibility last for 24 hours. This would mean to me that the Warlocks sight operates with these new powers.

 

[dedicated]

Why would a character keep reactivating a 24-hour duration SLA evry few rounds? If you don't have CA don't post things based on the spells in the PHB, because the WArlock's invocations are completely different

 

[Jhulae]

Even a conservative reading of the See the Unseen invocation says the 'See Invisibility' aspect is as the spell. Reading the spell notes for 'See Invisibilty, the duration is listed as 10 min/caster level, so a warlock would still have the ability for at least 10 minutes.

I'm actually interested to know if there's any clarifciation of the ability allowing it for 24 hours, as my DM only uses the 10 min/level interpretation.