Warlock power sources [Archive] - Wizards Community

Warlock power sources [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Allthegoodnamesweretaken
11-18-06, 12:20 AM What are all the possible power sources a warlock can draw from? One of the obvious ones is fiends, but there are other options as well such as Fey. What do you think would make for interesting sources of power for a Warlock?

A warlock that derives power from the Far Realms would be interesting, the tentacle invocation would be an obvious choice with that sort of power source.
LiXinjian
11-18-06, 05:08 AM I don't know much about Warlocks, but since you bring this up, having a Warlock wander the land with a trapped Pixie, locked inside a bird's cage or similar contraption, and drawing it's powers from it seems interesting enough to mention.

Warlocks could also draw their power from fear, from decaying matter, or suffering. Perhaps your DM would be willing to work out a system where your spellcaster level increases or decreases the more pain is around (physical, but psychological, too). Your character would be strong indeed at a funeral, but weaker at the cheerful banquet. And once blows have been traded and the warriors are clenching their teeth to an unparried blow, your game would get going.
Fithero
11-18-06, 09:53 AM i always like the add a little flavour to my characters by modding their power sources (for instance, one of my hexblade's ability to curse was granted from his inner grief at loosing his wife)

As for the warlock, i like the idea about "pain" being his source. As for other negative emotions that could grant an evil (or neutral) warlock power, what about-

envy
hate
rage (a warlock who acts like a barbarian in battle... just goin nuts)

Or, what if instead of his powers bein fuels by his own emotion, he just rips them from somewhere else, an entire plane for instance. He could draw his evil powers from one of the layers of hell for instance, or even limbo.

Anyway, im running out of ideas.

Peace
Need_A_Life
11-18-06, 12:46 PM Had one that was basically just angry at the world (his family was enslaved by devils and he grew up in the Nine Hells), manifesting his powers through his emotions alone.

Another idea (eberron based) is that it's all an aberant dragonmark, one that does not simply have one of the standard pansy powers, but an actual and powerful benefit.
Toloran
11-18-06, 07:06 PM Traditionally, Warlocks draw their powers from chaotic or evil outsiders/magical-beings. This includes Demons, Devils, Fey (both good and bad fey), Slaadi, and (rarely) Celestials. (Note, this information is from Complete Mage). The important part is that the powers come from some sort of pact with a innately magical being who is chaotic or evil (the chaotic or evil requirement comes from the nature of the invocations themselves which have a distinctly evil/chaotic feel to them).
Mr. VanderMeer
11-20-06, 06:01 AM From a special connection with the plane of shadow maybe
HaikenEdge
11-20-06, 03:06 PM I've ran a multitude of warlocks. I've used the following as power sources:

Psionics (In a gestalt character)
Sheer force of will
Magebred template
Spellwarped template

I've never been big on Warlocks who are beholden to outside powers.
Need_A_Life
11-20-06, 03:33 PM Drop the alignment restriction... it's pure bull****.

Why is it chaotic to use invocations? Especially if you were granted such powers by eladrins to use against the forces of evil...?
Otogi
11-21-06, 07:28 PM Drop the alignment restriction... it's pure bull****.

Why is it chaotic to use invocations? Especially if you were granted such powers by eladrins to use against the forces of evil...?

Eladrins...eladrins. The same eladrins who reside on a CHAOTIC good plane, Aboria? The protectors and guardians of the souls on it, I might add!

Back on topic, I had a warforged warlock who made packs with demons only to discover he was the reason he had the power (warforged are magical after all).
YamiSouru
11-22-06, 01:31 AM One idea you could use though it might cause some grief with how you concern gods and souls is this. Every soul, no matter how small be it snail or human or dragon, holds an amount of power so great it would make a lvl 20 sorceror blush. For whatever reason however you have leared to bring out some of the potential that lies withen your very soul and begun to unleash it upon your enemies.

Given it doesnt go to far from the normal warlocks power source and begins to go into the realms of incarnum but i like it :D
Warchicken
11-24-06, 10:10 AM The one Warlock I ran got his powers when his village was overrun by the hordes of Droam (Eberron setting). He cried out for the power to take out his enemies and a dark force (spooky music time) answered his call.

Eventually my DM made it where I made a pact with a witch and she came out in times of dire stress (read: battle) and could take over my body. Of course I also went with Acolyte of the Skin for my PrC due to her leanings also.

Pain could be a useful source also, but I consider that more for a Barbarian.

Pacts with evil and not so evil outsiders always makes for good back story.
PiedmonSama
11-24-06, 04:54 PM A guy I game with once played a Warlock who made a pact with Pazuzu: his soul in exchange for the secret power of metal.

From then on he wandered the earth with a special artifact, the Steel Wailer (unbeknownst to him, a cordless electric guitar), teaching to all who would listen the unholy secrets of..... the power chord.

Yeah, that was a great character.
Agent Rasp
11-26-06, 07:13 PM I generally favor the use of pacts with or descent from outsiders when creating warlocks, but I have one who gets her power from being a half-vampire whose conception involved the desecration of a temple. She's a strongly thematic character, so most of her invocations were chosen because they reflect vampiric powers -beguiling influence, charm, dark discorporation- or had a "profane" nature -baleful utterance, dark one's own luck- rather than because they gave mechanical advantages.

For example, vitriolic blast may be useful against spell-resistant or magic-immune monsters, but acid isn't really something one associates with vampires, so she doesn't have it. Instead, when up against golems and the like, she uses chilling tentacles, representing "the cold clutch of death."
Raxmei
11-28-06, 03:36 AM The Lord of Blades operates a badly damaged forge of creation in the blasted magical wasteland of the Mournlands. That seems to be a likely place for warforged warlocks to come from. Some of the newly built warforged may accidentally or purposefully have a little bit of the Mourning forged into them.
Branching out into other races and settings, a person who was exposed to great magical catastrophe early in life could have that become part of their being.
One young human suddenly developed the ability to cling to sheer surfaces and fire blasts of eldritch energy after being bitten by a fiendish spider.
Demetri_Knighthawk
11-30-06, 02:01 AM I like to use major bloodlines from the unearthed arcana with charisma bonuses for the source as well as the nifty side powers

celestial, devils, demons, dragons, efreeti, fey, vampires, a few others I'm sure. they all have each worked so well for me.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Allthegoodnamesweretaken 11-18-06, 12:20 AM	What are all the possible power sources a warlock can draw from? One of the obvious ones is fiends, but there are other options as well such as Fey. What do you think would make for interesting sources of power for a Warlock? A warlock that derives power from the Far Realms would be interesting, the tentacle invocation would be an obvious choice with that sort of power source.
LiXinjian 11-18-06, 05:08 AM	I don't know much about Warlocks, but since you bring this up, having a Warlock wander the land with a trapped Pixie, locked inside a bird's cage or similar contraption, and drawing it's powers from it seems interesting enough to mention. Warlocks could also draw their power from fear, from decaying matter, or suffering. Perhaps your DM would be willing to work out a system where your spellcaster level increases or decreases the more pain is around (physical, but psychological, too). Your character would be strong indeed at a funeral, but weaker at the cheerful banquet. And once blows have been traded and the warriors are clenching their teeth to an unparried blow, your game would get going.
Fithero 11-18-06, 09:53 AM	i always like the add a little flavour to my characters by modding their power sources (for instance, one of my hexblade's ability to curse was granted from his inner grief at loosing his wife) As for the warlock, i like the idea about "pain" being his source. As for other negative emotions that could grant an evil (or neutral) warlock power, what about- envy hate rage (a warlock who acts like a barbarian in battle... just goin nuts) Or, what if instead of his powers bein fuels by his own emotion, he just rips them from somewhere else, an entire plane for instance. He could draw his evil powers from one of the layers of hell for instance, or even limbo. Anyway, im running out of ideas. Peace
Need_A_Life 11-18-06, 12:46 PM	Had one that was basically just angry at the world (his family was enslaved by devils and he grew up in the Nine Hells), manifesting his powers through his emotions alone. Another idea (eberron based) is that it's all an aberant dragonmark, one that does not simply have one of the standard pansy powers, but an actual and powerful benefit.
Toloran 11-18-06, 07:06 PM	Traditionally, Warlocks draw their powers from chaotic or evil outsiders/magical-beings. This includes Demons, Devils, Fey (both good and bad fey), Slaadi, and (rarely) Celestials. (Note, this information is from Complete Mage). The important part is that the powers come from some sort of pact with a innately magical being who is chaotic or evil (the chaotic or evil requirement comes from the nature of the invocations themselves which have a distinctly evil/chaotic feel to them).
Mr. VanderMeer 11-20-06, 06:01 AM	From a special connection with the plane of shadow maybe
HaikenEdge 11-20-06, 03:06 PM	I've ran a multitude of warlocks. I've used the following as power sources: Psionics (In a gestalt character) Sheer force of will Magebred template Spellwarped template I've never been big on Warlocks who are beholden to outside powers.
Need_A_Life 11-20-06, 03:33 PM	Drop the alignment restriction... it's pure bull****. Why is it chaotic to use invocations? Especially if you were granted such powers by eladrins to use against the forces of evil...?
Otogi 11-21-06, 07:28 PM	Drop the alignment restriction... it's pure bull****. Why is it chaotic to use invocations? Especially if you were granted such powers by eladrins to use against the forces of evil...? Eladrins...eladrins. The same eladrins who reside on a CHAOTIC good plane, Aboria? The protectors and guardians of the souls on it, I might add! Back on topic, I had a warforged warlock who made packs with demons only to discover he was the reason he had the power (warforged are magical after all).
YamiSouru 11-22-06, 01:31 AM	One idea you could use though it might cause some grief with how you concern gods and souls is this. Every soul, no matter how small be it snail or human or dragon, holds an amount of power so great it would make a lvl 20 sorceror blush. For whatever reason however you have leared to bring out some of the potential that lies withen your very soul and begun to unleash it upon your enemies. Given it doesnt go to far from the normal warlocks power source and begins to go into the realms of incarnum but i like it :D
Warchicken 11-24-06, 10:10 AM	The one Warlock I ran got his powers when his village was overrun by the hordes of Droam (Eberron setting). He cried out for the power to take out his enemies and a dark force (spooky music time) answered his call. Eventually my DM made it where I made a pact with a witch and she came out in times of dire stress (read: battle) and could take over my body. Of course I also went with Acolyte of the Skin for my PrC due to her leanings also. Pain could be a useful source also, but I consider that more for a Barbarian. Pacts with evil and not so evil outsiders always makes for good back story.
PiedmonSama 11-24-06, 04:54 PM	A guy I game with once played a Warlock who made a pact with Pazuzu: his soul in exchange for the secret power of metal. From then on he wandered the earth with a special artifact, the Steel Wailer (unbeknownst to him, a cordless electric guitar), teaching to all who would listen the unholy secrets of..... the power chord. Yeah, that was a great character.
Agent Rasp 11-26-06, 07:13 PM	I generally favor the use of pacts with or descent from outsiders when creating warlocks, but I have one who gets her power from being a half-vampire whose conception involved the desecration of a temple. She's a strongly thematic character, so most of her invocations were chosen because they reflect vampiric powers -beguiling influence, charm, dark discorporation- or had a "profane" nature -baleful utterance, dark one's own luck- rather than because they gave mechanical advantages. For example, vitriolic blast may be useful against spell-resistant or magic-immune monsters, but acid isn't really something one associates with vampires, so she doesn't have it. Instead, when up against golems and the like, she uses chilling tentacles, representing "the cold clutch of death."
Raxmei 11-28-06, 03:36 AM	The Lord of Blades operates a badly damaged forge of creation in the blasted magical wasteland of the Mournlands. That seems to be a likely place for warforged warlocks to come from. Some of the newly built warforged may accidentally or purposefully have a little bit of the Mourning forged into them. Branching out into other races and settings, a person who was exposed to great magical catastrophe early in life could have that become part of their being. One young human suddenly developed the ability to cling to sheer surfaces and fire blasts of eldritch energy after being bitten by a fiendish spider.
Demetri_Knighthawk 11-30-06, 02:01 AM	I like to use major bloodlines from the unearthed arcana with charisma bonuses for the source as well as the nifty side powers celestial, devils, demons, dragons, efreeti, fey, vampires, a few others I'm sure. they all have each worked so well for me.