Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Trondant 02-17-07, 04:21 AM	the title says it all... On monday I'm gonna have a few friends over, who will play d&d for the first time. I am already somewhat experienced, and I wil lbe DM'ing. We are going to start at ecl 3. It will be a one-shot adventure in Japanese setting. One of the players wanted to play a human warlock. The problem is that I never played with a warlock in the party before, and I'm pretty stuck on good ideas for the build (I will be creating the character since the player never played before). I wanted to give the build easy-to-use feats, prefering always-on feats above times-per-day feats, in order to keep it simple for the player. I'm probably going to include weapon focus: eldritch blast, but beyond that, I'm clueless. Do any of you have any suggestions for the remaining two feats?
Fireclave 02-17-07, 04:26 AM	I don't know much about Warlocks, but I do know that Improved Initiative is a great feat for anybody.
navar100 02-17-07, 04:30 AM	Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot. Point Blank is nice for those occasions the warlock is within 30ft, but it's the Precise Shot you really want. Bad guys will be meleeing with party members. Even though you're hitting touch AC, the -4 to hit without Precise Shot is a big deal. However, since it is only touch AC I don't think Weapon Focus is as necessary, but that's just a varying mileage issue. As a 3rd level human warlock he can have all three. Also considering it is just a one-shot adventure, I would think again about taking Weapon Focus.
Trondant 02-17-07, 04:35 AM	thanks for the quick replies:) I know WF is an inferior feat, but it had a always on, easy to use bonus, which is very handy for people who never picked up a d20 before. I might go with PBS and precise shot, as Navar suggested:). I am usually very fond of imp. initiative, like Fireclave suggested, but I feel it would be wasted on a warlock, who doesn't really have to go first in a round
Majick 02-17-07, 09:45 AM	I can't remember if your aloud to use your dex for touch attacks, but if not, take weapon finesse (unarmed)for a high dex character, or perhaps improved unarmed strike and superior unarmed strike if you wanna actually bash people with your edritch stuff ;)
runestar 02-17-07, 10:08 AM	Ability focus: eldritch blast if you use invocations with saves...:)
Banatine 02-19-07, 02:41 PM	i've heard people talk about a feat called mortalbane (from savage species?), which means all your spell-like abilities do an extra 2d6 damage to mortals (basically anything from the material plane). that would be incredibly useful to a warlock. then again, i may have got it wrong. can someone clarify?
RobbyPants 02-19-07, 03:18 PM	i've heard people talk about a feat called mortalbane (from savage species?), which means all your spell-like abilities do an extra 2d6 damage to mortals (basically anything from the material plane). that would be incredibly useful to a warlock. then again, i may have got it wrong. can someone clarify? I remember a mortal hunter PrC from BoVD which requires you being an outsider, but I don't own SS, so I can't say for sure on this one. It wouldn't surprise me if it had a similar prereq. Regardless, it's a pretty potent feat, so it probably has some fairly high prereqs in the first place. As for the OP's question, the idea already posted for Point Blank Shot and Precice Shot is probably the best advice so far. If you're a high enough level, I think there's a feat that gets you an extra invocation (but I could be wrong).
WinterPsionic 02-19-07, 03:22 PM	MortalBane is BoVD... Anyway a Personal fav is Hero's Luck, it's supposed to be realm specifc but since your DM it's your call. +1 to all save's and AC is really nice at low levels. Otherwise Ability Focus and Precise Shot are both good starter feats as well.
runestar 02-19-07, 10:42 PM	The desc of what mortalbane does can be found somewhere on the wotc site, let me see if I can dig it up...:) Yes, found it... Mortalbane (from Book of Vile Darkness): Mortalbane is a damaging spell-like ability that deals an extra 2d6 points of damage to living nonoutsiders, but only half damage to outsiders, constructs, and undead. Mortalbane can be applied to the creature’s spell-like abilities a total of five times per day, but it can be applied to any of a creature’s spell-like abilities. This feat does not allow a creature to exceed its daily uses of any spell-like ability. I am not sure what prereqs it has though, the entry was not quite complete.:(
Hariman 02-21-07, 08:39 PM	Point Blank and Precise Shot are the best feats to start a warlock out with. If the character is human, Improved Precise Shot is great at third level. Weapon Focus (Eldritch Blast) should only be used as a prerequisite for either Improved Critical AND/OR Ranged Recall. (Weapon focus (EB) is the equivalent of Weapon Focus (Ranged Spell). Both IC and RR are for later levels. I can't think of anything else for a level 3 Warlock, other than give the character an Eldritch Essence invocation to add an effect to the blast.
gelalshawr 02-21-07, 08:45 PM	if you want to be exotic I liked the idea of Exotic Weapon Proficiency (whip) to be used with Hideous Blow Blast Shape Evocation
Father Dale 02-22-07, 10:13 AM	Point Blank and Precise Shot are the best feats to start a warlock out with. If the character is human, Improved Precise Shot is great at third level. Weapon Focus (Eldritch Blast) should only be used as a prerequisite for either Improved Critical AND/OR Ranged Recall. (Weapon focus (EB) is the equivalent of Weapon Focus (Ranged Spell). Both IC and RR are for later levels. I can't think of anything else for a level 3 Warlock, other than give the character an Eldritch Essence invocation to add an effect to the blast. Imp Precise Shot is indeed a great feat. But it has some prereqs that would be impossible for a human to get at lvl 3, namely Dex 19 and base attack of +11! Weapon Focus (EB) isn't bad, but its not necessary to take it as a prereq for Imp Critical.
RobbyPants 02-22-07, 11:08 AM	Imp Precise Shot is indeed a great feat. But it has some prereqs that would be impossible for a human to get at lvl 3, namely Dex 19 and base attack of +11! I thought I remembered it having some pretty steep prereqs, which is why I didn't suggest it. Although, it certainly is worth a feat if you're a ranged fighter-type, once you qualify. Too bad the warlock would never be able to qualify outside of multi-classing.
Oliver D'Argent 02-23-07, 02:42 PM	I thought I remembered it having some pretty steep prereqs, which is why I didn't suggest it. Although, it certainly is worth a feat if you're a ranged fighter-type, once you qualify. Too bad the warlock would never be able to qualify outside of multi-classing. Actually, a single-class Warlock can qualify for the feat - he would just have to wait until 15th level. For a Warlock in a one-shot, low-level game, I would recommend a Human with Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, and one of the following (depending on what your DM will allow and what you want the character to be good at): Luck of Heroes: This is a FR regional feat, so your DM may not allow it - but it's a good one if he does. Weapon Focus (Eldritch Blast): If you are mostly just going to blast things, this will increase your chance to hit. Ability Focus (Eldritch Blast): If you are going to use an eldritch essence that forces a save often, this will improve the DC the target has to beat. Improved Initiative: Never underestimate the value of getting the first shot. Dash (from Complete Warrior): This feat increases your movement by 5 feet. Greater Resiliency (from Complete Warrior): This feat will increase your DR from 1/cold iron to 2/cold iron.
RobbyPants 02-23-07, 02:51 PM	Actually, a single-class Warlock can qualify for the feat - he would just have to wait until 15th level. I thought that Improved Precise Shot had a BAB +11 for a prereq and that warlocks had the poor (1/2 level) BAB advancement. That would mean that a level 20 warlock would only have a BAB of 10. Also, by my understanding, epic classes don't improve their BAB, but rather gain a bonus to attack rolls (to prevent huge numbers of iterative attacks), so his BAB would never exceed 10. Now, a multi-classed warlock would be a different story...
gelalshawr 02-23-07, 03:00 PM	I thought that Improved Precise Shot had a BAB +11 for a prereq and that warlocks had the poor (1/2 level) BAB advancement. That would mean that a level 20 warlock would only have a BAB of 10. Also, by my understanding, epic classes don't improve their BAB, but rather gain a bonus to attack rolls (to prevent huge numbers of iterative attacks), so his BAB would never exceed 10. Now, a multi-classed warlock would be a different story... Actually Warlocks get Moderate BAB, same as Cleric
Oliver D'Argent 02-23-07, 03:01 PM	I thought that Improved Precise Shot had a BAB +11 for a prereq and that warlocks had the poor (1/2 level) BAB advancement. That would mean that a level 20 warlock would only have a BAB of 10. Also, by my understanding, epic classes don't improve their BAB, but rather gain a bonus to attack rolls (to prevent huge numbers of iterative attacks), so his BAB would never exceed 10. Now, a multi-classed warlock would be a different story... No, Warlocks get 3/4 BAB advancement - they end up with a BAB of +15/+10/+5 at 20th level.