I built this Warlock variant as part of a quest to build Vladimir Taltos, sorceror and assassin, from Steven Brust's fascinating Jhereg novels. Vlad is a witch (ritual caster), sorceror (combat caster), assassin (stealth and sneak attack), and has a sort of mini-dragon familiar.
"Commentary, balance considerations, and credits"Show
Easy enough build, except for that pesky familiar. The only class that currently provides an animal companion of any sort is the Beastmaster Ranger build from Martial Power, which locks us into Ranger and only leaves a single "dip" available for sorceror and assassin abilities. This is insufficient for representing Vlad's eclectic abilities.
Homebrew to the rescue! Now that we have the Beastmaster Ranger, we can tease apart the logic behind that build. Here are the steps for taking another ranger build and changing it into a beastmaster:
Remove: Prime Shot class feature
Remove: Fighting Style class feature
Gain: Beast Mastery class feature
Augment: Hunter's Quarry class feature
In short, you trade two class features for Beast Mastery, which augments one of your remaining features. This same template could be applied to other classes that might be familiar-friendly, as long as you monitor the relative strengths of the items being removed and augmented. Warlock, wizard, and swordmage all come to mind.
Applying this conversion to an infernal warlock build yields us:
Remove: Prime Shot class feature (same as ranger, no questions!)
Remove: Pact Boon class feature (Dark One's Blessing, compare to loss of Fighting Style)
Gain: Beast Mastery class feature (again the same, so no worries)
Augment: Warlock's Curse class feature (even trade with Hunter's Quarry)
In addition, we make the following even swap against the original warlock build (assuming you agree that Bestial Warding is balanced):
Remove: Level 1 At-Will Spell Hellish Rebuke
Gain: Level 1 At-Will Spell Bestial Warding
The only other question, then, is whether losing your Pact Boon (e.g. Misty Step, Fate of the Void) is as painful as a ranger losing their Fighting Style. It feels about right to me.
The feats and heroic tier powers are based on existing feats and class powers (mostly warlock and wizard) in some cases, but were invented whole cloth by myself and others in other cases (see the credits below). That's where the real "balance risks" are, so please PEACH them.
I think the beastlock makes for fun multi-classing. I will dip into rogue to build Vlad, but you could dip into ranger instead to add emphasis to the familiar. It does not make sense to multiclass into beastlock unless you are a Beastmaster Ranger (or a future class with a beast companion). That could actually be a fun build.
I would like to extend this concept to other classes, by either doing more "class variants" or by creating a beastfriend multi-class only like the Spellscarred from FRPG. Opinions and advice on that implementation are welcome.
Witchbond and Improved Witchbond feats are barely changed from his Share Spells feat.
Warlock (Beast Pact)
Some warlocks derive their arcane power not from communion with forces beyond the natural, but with a living embodiment of nature itself. The beast pact bonds together the souls of a warlock and a familiar summoned during a dream quest.
The warlock class is defined in the Player's Handbook. This section describes a new warlock eldritch pact available to choose from when you create a warlock.
You have bound your soul to that of a natural creature such as a snake, raptor, or wolf. This binding has changed you and your familiar irrevocably, making your mind more animalistic and your familiar's more human. Your shared survival instinct produces bizarre effects when you are threatened.
Beast Pact Strike: You know the bestial warding at-will spell.
Divided Focus: You lose the Prime Shot class feature.
Beastmaster Boon: You gain a beast companion, chosen from the categories available to the Beastmaster Ranger defined in Martial Power. This feature functions as the Beast Mastery ranger class feature with the exception that your Warlock's Curse class feature, instead of the ranger's Hunter's Quarry feature, is altered. When you use Warlock's Curse, you may curse the enemy nearest to you that you can see or the enemy nearest to your familiar that you can see. You or your familiar can deal the extra damage from Warlock's Curse, but only one of you can deal this extra damage per round.
Eldritch Hunter "As he can smell your blood, so can I smell your soul."
[indent]Prequisites: Warlock, beast pact[/indent]
The merging of your mind with your familiar's, begun during your dream quest, continues to deepen. You are sometimes unsure if a thought, sensation, or action is your own or your familiar's. Over time, the question loses meaning as you and your familiar become one consciousness with two bodies.
The shared bond of warlock and familiar makes you into the perfect hunting duo. Your prey can scarce escape your keen merged senses, and does not know from whom the killing blow will fall. Your animalistic instincts guide you to strike at moments of weakness, and you warn each other of incoming attacks.
Eldritch Hunter Path Features Shadow Beast (11th level): On your turn, if your familiar moves at least 3 squares away from where it started your turn, you both gain concealment until the end of your next turn. Bestial Action (11th level): When you spend an action point to take an extra action, your familiar also gains a +4 bonus to attack rolls until the start of your next turn. Beast's Curse (16th level): When you or your familiar reduces an enemy to 0 hit points (whether or not that enemy is under your curse), you can place a new curse as a free action instead of as a minor action.
At your signal, your familiar is poised for action. Encounter ✦ x ; Arcane, Beast Functions as the Swiftness of Spirit feral spirit exploit in Martial Power. "Union Strike ✦ Eldritch Hunter Attack 20"
Whether striking together or apart, you coordinate your attack with that of your familiar to maximize devestation. Daily ✦ x ; Arcane, Beast Standard Action ✦ x ; Melee beast 1 Primary Target: One creature Primary Attack: Charisma or Constitution vs. Reflex (as eldritch blast) Hit: 3 x d8 + Charisma or Constitution modifier damage (as eldritch blast) Effect: Your beast companion gains combat advantage against the primary target for the next attack the beast makes against it before the end of your next turn. Then the beast makes a secondary attack. Secondary Target: The primary target or another creature Secondary Attack: Beast's attack bonus vs. AC Hit: 2 x + beast's Strength modifier + Charisma modifier damage. [b]Effect: If the secondary target is different from the primary target, you gain combat advantage against the secondary target for the next attack you make against it before the end of your next turn.
Epic Destinies
The Beast Pact Warlock qualifies for the Beastlord epic destiny defined in Martial Power.
Drawing from the power of your eldritch bond, your familiar coughs a poisonous spittle at your enemy, leaving you both nauseous. Daily ✦ x ; Arcane, Beast, Implement, Poison Standard Action ✦ x ; Close burst 3 (beast) Target: One creature in burst Effect: You deal damage to yourself and your familiar equal to your Constitution modifier. Attack: Beast's attack bonus vs. Fortitude Hit: 4 x d8 + Constitution modifier damage. Miss: Half damage. Effect: The target takes ongoing poison damage equal to your Intelligence modifier + your Constitution modifier (save ends).
You familiar seems to take on your powers as your bond guides your attacks through his body. Encounter ✦ x ; Arcane, Beast Minor Action ✦ x ; Close burst 20 Target: Your beast within burst Effect: Your familiar is the point of origin for your next ranged attack with the Arcane keyword before the end of your next turn. This does not circumvent any conditions currently affecting you, but can circumvent concealment and cover. Share the Beast's Burden ✦ Warlock (Beast) Utility 2
The depth of your bestial bond will not allow your familiar to suffer any longer. At-Will ✦ x ; Arcane, Beast Immediate Reaction ✦ x ; Close burst 20 Trigger: Your familiar fails a saving throw to end a condition. Target: Your familiar in burst. Effect: The condition currently affecting your familiar is transferred to you, and you may immediately make a saving throw to end it.
Your familiar, summoned to your side, senses and strikes at the fear in the hearts of your victims. Encounter ✦ x ; Arcane, Beast, Fear Standard Action ✦ x ; Close blast 3 Target: Each enemy in blast. Effect: Your familiar teleports to any square adjacent to you. Attack: Charisma vs. Willpower Hit: 1 x + your Intelligence modifier damage Eldritch Cohort ✦ Warlock (Beast) Attack 3
Your familiar calls up its twins from other planes who form a pack to harass your foes. Daily ✦ x ; Arcane, Beast, Implement, Zone Standard Action ✦ x ; Close burst 1 (beast) Target: Each creature in burst Attack: Beast's attack bonus vs. Reflex Hit: 2 x d10 + Charisma modifier damage. Miss: Half damage. Effect: The burst creates a zone centered on your familiar. The zone moves when your familiar moves. Sustain Minor: When you sustain the power, you make a secondary attack. Secondary Target: Each creature in zone. Secondary Attack: Beast's attack bonus vs. Reflex Hit: 1 x d10 + Charisma modifier damage. Venemous Beast ✦ Warlock (Beast) Attack 5
You and your familiar slip in the Feywild to evade attack and regroup, then reenter the world side by side. Encounter ✦ x ; Arcane, Beast, Teleportation Immediate Reaction ✦ x ; Personal Trigger: An enemy misses you or your familiar with a melee or a ranged attack. Effect: You or your familiar can teleport 5 x spaces, then the other can teleport to an adjacent square. Witch's Eyes ✦ Warlock (Beast) Utility 6
Your familiar is a rush of teeth and claws that tear at the enemy and demand his attention. Encounter ✦ x ; Arcane, Beast, Implement Standard Action ✦ x ; Close burst 3 Target: One creature adjacent to your familiar in burst. Attack: Beast's attack bonus vs. AC. Hit: 2 x + beast's Strength modifier damage. [b]Effect: If the target is under your curse, it grants combat advantage to you and your allies until the end of your next turn.
Curse of Bestial Poison ✦ Warlock (Beast) Attack 9
You channel power through your familiar, whose very presence becomes noxious to a nearby enemy. Daily ✦ x ; Arcane, Beast, Implement, Poison Standard Action ✦ x ; Melee beast 1 Target: One creature. Attack: Beast's attack bonus vs. Fortitude. Hit: 2 x d8 + Charisma modifier damage. Effect: If the target moves for any reason, your familiar may shift to end adjacent to the target and can make a basic attack against it (save ends). If the target saves, you cannot sustain this power. Sustain Minor: The target takes 2 x d8 poison damage. Damnation's Grinding Heel✦Warlock (Beast) Attack 9
You pour strange energy through the bond with your familiar, who erupts with your dire attack. Encounter ✦ x ; Arcane, Beast Minor Action ✦ x ; Close burst 20 Target: Your beast within burst Effect: Your familiar is the point of origin for your next close attack with the Arcane keyword before the end of your next turn. This does not circumvent any conditions currently affecting you, but can circumvent concealment and cover. "Two-Bodied Beast ✦ Warlock (Beast) Utility 10"
In addition, the following new heroic tier feats are available:
Beast of the Dark Prerequisites: Warlock, beast pact Benefit: Your familiar gains darkvision and resistance 5 to necrotic damage.
Luminescent Beast Prerequisites: Int 13, Warlock, beast pact Benefit: Your familiar gains the use of the Light wizard cantrip. You must still command the familiar to use this power using the rules defined by the Beast Mastery class feature. When the power is used, the familiar is both the caster and the target of the power.
In addition, the following new paragon tier feats are available:
Daemon's Curse Prerequisites: Cha 17, warlock, beast pact Benefit: When your familiar is hit by an attack, the attacker falls under your Warlock's Curse.
Distracting Familiar Prerequisites: Warlock, beast pact, Warlock's Curse Benefit: If an enemy under the effect of your Warlock's Curse is adjacent to your familiar when you hit the enemy with an attack, the target takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls against you and your familiar until the start of your next turn.
Sleeping with One Eye Open Prerequisites: Con 15, Warlock, beast pact Benefit: Your familiar does not take the normal -5 penalty to perception checks made while sleeping.
Witchbond Prerequisites: Warlock, beast pact Benefit: When you use a personal range spell, you may choose for the spell to also affect your familiar if it is adjacent to you. If your familiar becomes non-adjacent to you, it no longer receives the benefit even if it returns to you before the duration expires.
The following epic tier Ranger Feats from Martial Power are available to Beast Pact Warlocks. Prerequisites are changed as listed.
Quick Beast Command (Wis 17, Warlock, beast pact)
In addition, the following new epic tier feats are available:
Baneful Daemon Prerequisites: Cha 19, warlock, beast pact Benefit: When your familiar is targeted by an attack, the attacker falls under your Warlock's Curse.
Speed Daemon Prerequisites: Int 17, warlock, beast pact Benefit: When you make a basic attack, your familiar can take a move action after your attack.
Improved Witchbond Prerequisites: Warlock, beast pact, Witchbond Benefit: When you choose for a personal range spell to affect your familiar, it does not need to remain adjacent to you to receive the benefit for the full duration of the spell.
I think you mean "Augment: Warlock's Curse" since Warlock's Quarry doesn't exist.
Anyway, it sounds good. It'll make multiclassing into it problematic using the existing Pact Initiate feat... unless you aren't intending on any other classes to multiclass into it. In fact, the only class that *could* potentially multiclass into it would be a Ranger using the Beast Master build, since it would be the only class able to make use of the Beast keyword powers.
I think you mean "Augment: Warlock's Curse" since Warlock's Quarry doesn't exist.
Good catch, thanks. Fixed.
Undrhil wrote:
Anyway, it sounds good. It'll make multiclassing into it problematic using the existing Pact Initiate feat... unless you aren't intending on any other classes to multiclass into it. In fact, the only class that *could* potentially multiclass into it would be a Ranger using the Beast Master build, since it would be the only class able to make use of the Beast keyword powers.
I see what you mean. I hadn't even considered multi-classing from the other direction.
The only fix I can think of would be to invent a different level 1 at-will power without the Beast keyword, then to sprinkle more of the same through the other power levels. Some of these powers could perhaps be enhanced by the presence of a familiar without requiring it.
I don't know if it's worth it, though. Beast Mastery is far too cool of a class feature to grant with a multiclass feat, but without it, you might as well multiclass into a different pact. Also, there's no way to multiclass into Beastmaster Ranger, so I figure I'm up to "production quality".
I'm starting this workspace for "version control" of various aspects of this class. This allows me to have revisions in progress so I can try things out without necessarily pushing them to the "canonical" version in the first few posts. I also store old versions of things for possible reference.
"Old version of heroic tier powers with a lot less originality"Show
Your curse deepens, and you and your familiar seem to stalk each of your enemies personally. Encounter ✦ x ; Arcane, Implement, Fear, Psychic Standard Action ✦ x ; Close burst 20 Target: Each creature in burst under your curse. Attack: Charisma vs. Willpower Hit: 2 x d8 psychic damage. Beast Pact: The attack deals extra damage equal to your Intelligence modifier.
Through subtle communications, you and your familiar act almost as if you share senses. At-Will ✦ x ; Arcane, Beast Functions as the Pack Alertness ranger power in Martial Power. Share the Beast's Burden ✦ Warlock (Beast) Utility 2
The depth of your bestial bond will not allow your familiar to suffer any longer. At-Will ✦ x ; Arcane, Beast Immediate Reaction ✦ x ; Close burst 20 Trigger: Your familiar fails a saving throw to end a condition. Target: Your familiar in burst. Effect: The condition currently affecting your familiar is transferred to you, and you may immediately make a saving throw to end it.
Injury, whether yours or your familiar's, provokes an instant assault from the beast that leaves your adversary momentarily hobbled. At-Will ✦ x ; Arcane, Beast Functions like the Bloodied Frenzy ranger power from Martial Power. Manifest Horde ✦ Warlock (Beast) Attack 5
Your urging pushes your familiar onward, despite fatigue and injury. At-Will ✦ x ; Arcane, Beast, Healing Functions like the Invigorate the Beast ranger power from Martial Power. Beastslip ✦ Warlock (Beast) Utility 6
As your foes cry for blood, you and your familiar slip in the Feywild, exchange greetings, then reappear in the world having traded positions. Encounter ✦ x ; Arcane, Beast, Teleportation Immediate Reaction ✦ x ; Personal Trigger: An enemy misses you or your familiar with a melee or a ranged attack. Effect: You and your familiar trade places.
Your familiar is a rush of teeth and claws that tear at the enemy and demand his attention. Encounter ✦ x ; Arcane, Beast, Implement Standard Action ✦ x ; Close burst 3 Target: One creature adjacent to your familiar in burst. Attack: Beast's attack bonus vs. AC. Hit: 2 x + beast's Strength modifier damage. [b]Effect: If the target is under your curse, it grants combat advantage to you and your allies until the end of your next turn.
Curse of Bestial Poison ✦ Warlock (Beast) Attack 9
You channel power through your familiar, whose very presence becomes noxious to a nearby enemy. Daily ✦ x ; Arcane, Beast, Implement, Poison Standard Action ✦ x ; Melee beast 1 Target: One creature. Attack: Beast's attack bonus vs. Fortitude. Hit: 2 x d8 + Charisma modifier damage. Effect: If the target moves for any reason, your familiar may shift to end adjacent to the target and can make a basic attack against it (save ends). If the target saves, you cannot sustain this power. Sustain Minor: The target takes 2 x d8 poison damage. Eldritch Cry ✦ Warlock (Beast) Attack 9
Your familiar issues a piercing cry, chilling the blood of nearby enemies. At-Will ✦ x ; Arcane, Beast, Fear Functions as the Menacing Cry ranger power from Martial Power.
You give your familiar a message for a far-off creature, and empower your familiar to deliver the message. Daily ✦ x ; Arcane, Beast, Teleportation Standard Action ✦ x ; Ranged 100 miles Effect: You whisper a message to your familiar, who disappears, reappears next to the creature you wish to speak to, and delivers your message. If the creature has a reply, your familiar appears adjacent to you at the end of your next turn to utter it. If the creature has no reply or is not within range, your familiar appears adjacent to you at the end of your next turn to tell you so. Your familiar cannot be harmed while it is with the creature you wish to speak to. Eldritch Emplacement ✦ Warlock (Beast) Utility 10
You move into position, and you order your familiar to warily do the same. At-Will ✦ x ; Arcane, Beast Functions as the Companion Emplacement ranger power from Martial Power.
This is frickin' awesome! I'll have to give it a good read over later, but I really like how you did the powers. Very thematic. Would you mind if I borrow some of these ideas for my own familiar homebrew
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