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2 years ago ::
Jun 09, 2011 - 10:50AM
#1
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I might be diving back into roleplaying after a long hiatus and countless bad experiences. I found a posting online from someone who says they are running a 3.5 Ravenloft campaign. He hasn't gotten back to me yet, but if this does go through, I've decided that I'm going to be a Warlock. Because what could possibly go wrong?  But here's my dilemma: I've been purchasing RPG products for 18 years, but have only played in as many games (It's...it's a long story. If anyone is dying to know what's up with that I'll repost my story from another forum). And all of my sessions have ranged from problematic to horrible. One of the reoccuring themes is my characters die horribly very quickly. I'm sick of this, and I just want to crush anything that I come up against. Now, from what I gather Ravenloft can be brutal, and nothings gonna save my character if the DM is just going to drop rocks on everyone...but everything being equal, what is the best damn Warlock Build Period. Becuase my actual game experience is pretty dismal, I would appreciate it if you would spell out why a certain ability is superior to others. I don't have the books either - if the DM gives the all-go signal and a game session is scheduled, I'll buy the pdf. Until then, I'm going to try not to blow more money on books if I'm never going to use them. Fake Edit: My other choice is a class from Book of Nine Swords. However, I know that addon is controversial in some circles, so I wanted to check with the DM first. Real Edit: Also, please nothing absolutely insane. Since I actually want to play this, I don't want to give the DM an anyeurism when I show him some half-golem half-dragon pixie warlock
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2 years ago ::
Jun 10, 2011 - 2:53AM
#2
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I might be diving back into roleplaying after a long hiatus and countless bad experiences. I found a posting online from someone who says they are running a 3.5 Ravenloft campaign. He hasn't gotten back to me yet, but if this does go through, I've decided that I'm going to be a Warlock. Because what could possibly go wrong?
You could get killed and eaten, by numerous creatures in fact it's best to assume that everything you meet wants to kill you. For one.
But here's my dilemma: I've been purchasing RPG products for 18 years, but have only played in as many games (It's...it's a long story. If anyone is dying to know what's up with that I'll repost my story from another forum). And all of my sessions have ranged from problematic to horrible. One of the reoccuring themes is my characters die horribly very quickly. I'm sick of this, and I just want to crush anything that I come up against. Now, from what I gather Ravenloft can be brutal, and nothings gonna save my character if the DM is just going to drop rocks on everyone...but everything being equal, what is the best damn Warlock Build Period.
What do you want from the class? This is the Char Op boards but we need more details. What are the other players going to make? How do you want to deal with fights, melee or ranged, blast enemies or control enemy movement, or just let zombies kill your enemies?
Et in arcadia ego~Even in paradise I am here Est Sularus Oth Mithas~My Honor Is My Life You, sir, are a liar. Or delusional. I like your style.- Zombie_Babies Spoiler:
Show
The two editions are very different...and make for two different games.
In general, 3.0/3.5 is built around more-or-less full freedom in terms of character customization.
In contrast, 4.0 is built around balance and ease of play.
Honestly, I think WotC should have maintained both lines as parallel games.
(real life friends came up with this not me) The Resident Nonexistant Antichrist Neanderthal Amish Werewolf Jesus Delusion.
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2 years ago ::
Jun 10, 2011 - 7:51AM
#3
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Date Joined:
Nov 30, 2005
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brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.p... This explains what almost every option for a warlock could do. Unlike most handbooks it doesn't rate them in a "These suck, this is good" manner which I would prefer. Do some reading, and come up with what sort of warlock you want to play. Let us know, and we can give you suggestions, hints, or warnings.
5e comments and thoughts all in one place. Check it out to provide feedback, mock, or steal ideas.
http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/28835423/Krusks_5e_Design_Goals?sdb=1
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2 years ago ::
Jun 10, 2011 - 6:52PM
#4
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For Ravenloft, you're probably best going with a Warlock that gets the Blessed Soul or whatever it is PrC for Good Warlocks. You don't get the phat Death Ward innate until level 10, but you do immediately get the dmg bonus against undead, and can hit them.
Combine with the feats that allow you to put your Blast into a weapon and attack with it, and you'll do pretty well, I'm thinking.
===Aelryinth
Fighter vs Warblade analysis http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19573526/Analyzing_the_Fighter_vs_The_Warblade
The Lockdown F/20 iconic build http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19856162/A_little_Lock_build_for_you
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2 years ago ::
Jun 10, 2011 - 10:47PM
#5
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Date Joined:
Nov 28, 2005
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I'd reccomend the standard Warlock13/Hellfire Warlock6/Binder 1. Getting 18 dice blasts is easy with that build, nothing resists or is immune to Hellfire, and you can use Eldrich Glaive to make iterative attacks with your blast in melee. You will also be a good social char and you will regen ability damage, which is handy when fighting undead. All of this should be covered in the handbook Krusk linked.
It sounds like Aelyrinth is reccommending Enlightened Spirit from Complete Mage and Hideous Blow. If so, those are actually both pretty terrible. Elnlighted Spirit doesn't advance your invocations and doesn't give nearly enough to make up for it. Hideous Blow is completely obsolete since Eldrich Glaive was printed.
As it says in that handbook though, Enlighted Spirit might be good for a 1 level dip if you think you will be fighting a lot of incorporeal stuff but 1 level max.
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2 years ago ::
Jun 10, 2011 - 11:55PM
#6
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Thank you for all your feedback. However, I haven't heard back from the DM, so I'm going to assume that this is a bust.
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2 years ago ::
Jun 11, 2011 - 1:24PM
#7
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Actually, spell resistance applies against all Eldritch Blasts except if you take the particular ranged acid invocation. The only thing the Hellfire Warlock gets is more damage...and he has to be careful usingit.
There's a feat in the Draconomicon where a Warlock can imbue a weapon with his EB and get full iteratives with it. Can't remember the name off the top of my head.
==Aelryinth
Fighter vs Warblade analysis http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19573526/Analyzing_the_Fighter_vs_The_Warblade
The Lockdown F/20 iconic build http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19856162/A_little_Lock_build_for_you
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2 years ago ::
Jun 11, 2011 - 2:31PM
#8
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Date Joined:
Nov 28, 2005
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Actually, spell resistance applies against all Eldritch Blasts except if you take the particular ranged acid invocation. The only thing the Hellfire Warlock gets is more damage...and he has to be careful usingit.
There's a feat in the Draconomicon where a Warlock can imbue a weapon with his EB and get full iteratives with it. Can't remember the name off the top of my head.
==Aelryinth
When I said resist, I didn't mean spell resistance. I meant fire resistance. Hellfire ignores all elemantal resists and immunities. You are very much correct about spell resistance though, which is why ALL warlocks should take Vitriolic Blast, the acid essence you mention. If you dip 1 level of binder and bind Naberious, it virtually removes all of the danger of using Helllfire.
The melee invokation you are talking about IS Eldrich Glaive, it's in Dragon Magic. You don't imbue a weapon, you simply use your eldrich blast as a reach weapon. It also is not a feat, it is just a least blast shape that any warlock with the book can pick up. The only one where you imbue a weapon is the very bad Hideous Blow blast shape.
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2 years ago ::
Jun 14, 2011 - 7:21PM
#9
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Date Joined:
Jul 31, 2003
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Warlocks tend to be a fairly weak, but very survivable class. They can have invisibility, flight, and dimension door at will at fairly low levels. Their powers tend to be selfish, with a few exceptions.
Summon swarm is very powerful at low levels. Black tentacles and repelling blast are good battle field control. Some of the eldritch essesences are decent debuffs. If your dm allows legacy champion, you can get about a 30d6 blast that is weaker than what a sorcerer can do. My dm let me use my blast as an attack action, which doubled or tripled my output at higher levels.
Whatever path you choose to focus on, warlock is a very flavorful class.
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2 years ago ::
Jun 15, 2011 - 1:11AM
#10
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Date Joined:
Nov 28, 2005
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With Eldrich Glaive, you already can use your eldritch blast as an attack action essentially. With Hellfire Warlock, a greater chausible, a wand of Divine Power and haste you can do 85d6 of damage to a single target. That is by the book with no DM fiat or house rules.
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