Economic impact of warlocks and binders [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTimePost
Pitiless_Interfector

06-06-07, 11:58 AM
The campaign I'm designing eschews the intricate spellcasting systems of most classes, as well as psionics and incarnum. The only prevalent supernaturally-talented classes are the warlock and the binder. Most monsters are either artificial (such as golems and undead) or hail from other realities (particularly outsiders and fey [the latter of whom are native to a Plane of Faerie knockoff dimension], though elementals and some aberrations are featured as well).

Warlock: This class seems utterly inconsequential when it comes to the actual economics of a campaign setting. Almost all of their powers are geared towards personal benefit, rather than any long-lasting (positive) effect on their environment. Their only real uses from an economic standpoint are as supernaturally-gifted mercenaries, soldiers, spies, lieutenants, couriers, and assassins. A few exceptions are listed below:

The Dead Walk: Animating hordes of rotting corpses to perform menial labor on your behalf may be disgusting, but it's also undeniably effective. Your undead horde can even be leased out to customers with sufficiently deep pockets (and strong stomachs).

Warlock's Call: This spell allows you to function as a living mobile phone booth

Path of Shadow: Enables you to travel long distances swiftly (though not very accurately)

Call of the Beast: You gain the ability to communicate with and influence animals: a very useful talent to have, especially in hunting, landscaping, and agriculture.

Cold Comfort: Enables you to lead a party of paying travelers to the hottest (or coldest) places on earth, without needing to worry about hypo/hyperthermia.

In short, the warlock's abilities are eminently suited to espionage, intimidation, deception, infiltration, and destruction, but hardly ideal for transportation or manufacture; the cornerstones of economics.

Binder: The binder has slightly more impact, though not as much as a standard spellcaster (especially early on).

Acererak: Speak with dead allows you to interrogate dead foes and corpses, learning secrets they never would have revealed while alive.
Agares: True Speech allows you to perform the task of translator, though your inability to lie in an unfamiliar tongue renders the ability considerably less useful than it otherwise would have been.
Andras: Mount enables you to conjure a warhorse for hours at a time, enabling you to cover considerable distances and bring cargo along with you.
Andromalius: His locate item ability enables you to prospect for minerals and other natural resources.
Buer: Her ability to delay diseases and poisons and heal hit point damage, as well as track game and identify wildlife render you a fairly capable hunter and healer.
Chupoclops: Ethereal watcher allows you to become ethereal indefinitely, provided you take no actions. Not as useful as it could be, but it still allows you to pass through up to 25 feet of solid rock or other material at a time.
Dantalion: His/her/its thought travel ability allows you to bypass even the most extreme terrain obstacles. (Read thoughts isn't half bad, either)
Eurynome: Animal friend allows you to interact with the wildlife peaceably regardless of circumstances, which is very, very useful in agriculture. Water dancing allows you to walk over rivers, lakes, and seas as easily as solid ground.
Focalor: Water breathing allows you to interact with the world under the waves as easily as the one above them.
Geryon: Swift flight allows you to soar over even large obstacles to get where you need to go.
Halphax: Secure shelter enables you to conjure a dwelling nearly anywhere
Haures: Major image allows you to turn anywhere into a veritable dream parlor
Karsus: Karsus, senses, Karsus's touch, and Karsus's will all allow you to interact successfully with the more economically-impactful magic-based classes.
Malphas: Bird's eye viewing allows you to spy unobtrusively from above.
Marchosias: Smoke form allows you to get into the tightest of places with ease.
Naberius: Naberius's skills enables you to have a go at crafting any item or practicing any occupation without prior knowledge (a very, very useful ability)
Orthos: Whispering wind enables you to send messages for miles without need for mundane couriers
Otiax: Open portal and unlock are useful in getting into secure places and items.
Ronove: Far hand allows you to move large objects without significant effort, easing the task of moving heavy cargo.