Warlock Build Questions [Archive] - Wizards Community

Warlock Build Questions [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Solaria
03-05-08, 12:31 AM I'm considering a build of:

1-3 wizard
4-6 warlock
7-10 eldritch theurge

expansion:
1-2 alternate wizard (going with focused specialist evoke)
3-4 practiced spellcaster
5-7 eldritch theurge
8 fey shirt?
9 greater chasuble of fell power
10 ring of arcane might?

feats:

1) spell focus (evoke or conjuration)
1) weapon focus(ranged spell)
1) scribe scroll (wiz bonus)
3) create wondrous item
6) practiced spellcaster (wizard)
9) practiced spellcaster (warlock)???

So, even though I'm limited to 4th level wizard spells, I cast them at 10th level effectiveness, and I get a lot of extra spells for being a specialist, while maintaining more flexibility than sorceror. Eventually I'd like to pick up insightful reflexes and improved toughness, but 2 expansion slots per feat sucks.

Questions:

1) Does unlocking warlock unlock all of the invocations? The rules don't explicitly say so, they only talk about spells. The only real reference to invocations is that you need to unlock them 1 at a time.

2) Does the practiced spellcaster feat work for warlocks? If so, will it raise the number of dice my eldritch blast does?

3) Has anybody noticed that they seem prejudiced against arcane casters? A 10th level wizard is 5 points under average on HP, while a 10th level barbarian is 15 points over. If I was a straight wizard and left my con at 8 I'd have all of 10 hp at 10th level.
Skerrit
03-05-08, 09:05 AM 1) You unlock the invocations in the same book as warlock. Other invocations (from other books) must be unlocked with expansion slots.

2) Rules call not specific to the campaign (and I don't have a book in front of me to double check).

3) Its a hold over from LGR and MOH when the campaign staff wanted there to be more difference between Hp (it seemed silly that a rogue got just one more Hp per level than a wizard).
warfteiner
03-05-08, 01:17 PM In regards to the Practiced Spellcaster feat:

Taking and using this feat (when applied to Warlock levels) would not work as you're hoping. The feat increases your effective caster level, but an eldritch blast is a spell-like ability that is tied to your class level (think of it like a rogue's sneak attack - you have to be a certain hard level to get another bonus). So: more potent invocations, yes; more eldritch blast, sadly no.
Solaria
03-05-08, 01:46 PM You think it would give more invocations? Do you think it gives more spells, too?
Solaria
03-05-08, 01:47 PM 3) Its a hold over from LGR and MOH when the campaign staff wanted there to be more difference between Hp (it seemed silly that a rogue got just one more Hp per level than a wizard).

Why is it silly? Rogues do get 1 more HP than wizards, 3.5 average vs 2.5 average. They averaged wizards down, they averaged all other classes up. That seems unjust to me.
Skerrit
03-05-08, 03:34 PM I guess I should say it seemed silly to the person writting the LGR rules. I am more or less indifferent and the FMs were originally told to go with the general campaign model from LGR and MOH so that was one of the things we were given. Since there will not be significant further rules updates before the end of the campaign, its not likely to change, but I encourage you to bring it up again when they choose admins from the next D&D Campaign.
Harliquinn
03-05-08, 11:38 PM 3) Its a hold over from LGR and MOH when the campaign staff wanted there to be more difference between Hp (it seemed silly that a rogue got just one more Hp per level than a wizard).

That is somewhat ironic, since the rogue is suppose to have 1 more HP on average than a wizard. A cleric has 1 more HP on average than a rogue, and a fighter has 1 more HP on average than a cleric.

Not that I have a huge problem with it, but it's just funny that the campaign staff modified a set of rules to fix something that the developers of the game meant to occur :)
Lightblade
03-06-08, 09:13 AM IIRC, that change wasn't present in LGR, bur started in MoH.

Anyway, it won't be a problem in 4th edition, since from the Rogue class writeup HP gains are static, and don't involve rolling dice.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Solaria 03-05-08, 12:31 AM	I'm considering a build of: 1-3 wizard 4-6 warlock 7-10 eldritch theurge expansion: 1-2 alternate wizard (going with focused specialist evoke) 3-4 practiced spellcaster 5-7 eldritch theurge 8 fey shirt? 9 greater chasuble of fell power 10 ring of arcane might? feats: 1) spell focus (evoke or conjuration) 1) weapon focus(ranged spell) 1) scribe scroll (wiz bonus) 3) create wondrous item 6) practiced spellcaster (wizard) 9) practiced spellcaster (warlock)??? So, even though I'm limited to 4th level wizard spells, I cast them at 10th level effectiveness, and I get a lot of extra spells for being a specialist, while maintaining more flexibility than sorceror. Eventually I'd like to pick up insightful reflexes and improved toughness, but 2 expansion slots per feat sucks. Questions: 1) Does unlocking warlock unlock all of the invocations? The rules don't explicitly say so, they only talk about spells. The only real reference to invocations is that you need to unlock them 1 at a time. 2) Does the practiced spellcaster feat work for warlocks? If so, will it raise the number of dice my eldritch blast does? 3) Has anybody noticed that they seem prejudiced against arcane casters? A 10th level wizard is 5 points under average on HP, while a 10th level barbarian is 15 points over. If I was a straight wizard and left my con at 8 I'd have all of 10 hp at 10th level.
Skerrit 03-05-08, 09:05 AM	1) You unlock the invocations in the same book as warlock. Other invocations (from other books) must be unlocked with expansion slots. 2) Rules call not specific to the campaign (and I don't have a book in front of me to double check). 3) Its a hold over from LGR and MOH when the campaign staff wanted there to be more difference between Hp (it seemed silly that a rogue got just one more Hp per level than a wizard).
warfteiner 03-05-08, 01:17 PM	In regards to the Practiced Spellcaster feat: Taking and using this feat (when applied to Warlock levels) would not work as you're hoping. The feat increases your effective caster level, but an eldritch blast is a spell-like ability that is tied to your class level (think of it like a rogue's sneak attack - you have to be a certain hard level to get another bonus). So: more potent invocations, yes; more eldritch blast, sadly no.
Solaria 03-05-08, 01:46 PM	You think it would give more invocations? Do you think it gives more spells, too?
Solaria 03-05-08, 01:47 PM	3) Its a hold over from LGR and MOH when the campaign staff wanted there to be more difference between Hp (it seemed silly that a rogue got just one more Hp per level than a wizard). Why is it silly? Rogues do get 1 more HP than wizards, 3.5 average vs 2.5 average. They averaged wizards down, they averaged all other classes up. That seems unjust to me.
Skerrit 03-05-08, 03:34 PM	I guess I should say it seemed silly to the person writting the LGR rules. I am more or less indifferent and the FMs were originally told to go with the general campaign model from LGR and MOH so that was one of the things we were given. Since there will not be significant further rules updates before the end of the campaign, its not likely to change, but I encourage you to bring it up again when they choose admins from the next D&D Campaign.
Harliquinn 03-05-08, 11:38 PM	3) Its a hold over from LGR and MOH when the campaign staff wanted there to be more difference between Hp (it seemed silly that a rogue got just one more Hp per level than a wizard). That is somewhat ironic, since the rogue is suppose to have 1 more HP on average than a wizard. A cleric has 1 more HP on average than a rogue, and a fighter has 1 more HP on average than a cleric. Not that I have a huge problem with it, but it's just funny that the campaign staff modified a set of rules to fix something that the developers of the game meant to occur :)
Lightblade 03-06-08, 09:13 AM	IIRC, that change wasn't present in LGR, bur started in MoH. Anyway, it won't be a problem in 4th edition, since from the Rogue class writeup HP gains are static, and don't involve rolling dice.