Sorry if this has already been mentioned, but as Ranadiel's stickied post hasn't been updated I assumed noone had noticed.
-Erol
It's kinda funny: other classes get new builds, but Warlocks just get new pacts. I suppose, in essence, their pacts are their builds, but that's just not how PH1 lays it out.
What would vestige pact entail? I haven't the slightest idea what that is :D
-Erol
I was kinda wondering this too, considering that 4E's Warlock seemed to kill 3.5E's Binder (Pact magic user from Tome of Magic) and take his stuff. Perhaps the Vestige-pact Warlock will be even more "Binder-y".
(Now I sorta wish I'd actually read that book. :P)
I was kinda wondering this too, considering that 4E's Warlock seemed to kill 3.5E's Binder (Pact magic user from Tome of Magic) and take his stuff. Perhaps the Vestige-pact Warlock will be even more "Binder-y".
(Now I sorta wish I'd actually read that book. :P)
Im just hoping the existing pacts get some love as well. Id like to see more options for all the warlocks not just new pacts.
But maybe that was the misprint. Unless 'vestige' is a misprint.
Oh well, it's good that warlocks are getting a new pact, whatever it's called.
I'm sure I saw a preview mentioning that warlocks had been given the eldritch pact.
But maybe that was the misprint. Unless 'vestige' is a misprint.
Oh well, it's good that warlocks are getting a new pact, whatever it's called.
Huh... 'Eldritch Pact' is the name of the class feature. All pacts are 'Eldritch' pacts.
Huh... 'Eldritch Pact' is the name of the class feature. All pacts are 'Eldritch' pacts.
Damn. The Compendium says you're right. I hate that.
All hail the new Vestige pact. No idea why it's called 'Vestige', though, apart from it having something to do with 3.5's Tome of Magic.
Damn. The Compendium says you're right. I hate that.
The name or the fact I am right? :P don't worry, I'm right a lot, it just comes with my great sense of observation ;)
The name or the fact I am right? :P don't worry, I'm right a lot, it just comes with my great sense of observation ;)
Mostly the fact that I'm wrong. It's such an unfamiliar feeling. :D
Though I am curious why it's the Vestige pact, and not the Primordial/Demonic/Buttkicker pact. Roll on more Arcane Power previews.
Though I am curious why it's the Vestige pact, and not the Primordial/Demonic/Buttkicker pact. Roll on more Arcane Power previews.
Assuming they are the same as the Binder's vestiges, they are powerful beings who died long ago and should have faded away but managed to hang on by becoming vestiges instead. They can no longer experience the world, and they exist beyond the reach of even the gods.
Incidently I think, the "plane of vestiges" could work really well as the the third plane to finish the rule of three of existence and the far realm.
Assuming they are the same as the Binder's vestiges, they are powerful beings who died long ago and should have faded away but managed to hang on by becoming vestiges instead. They can no longer experience the world, and they exist beyond the reach of even the gods.
Incidently I think, the "plane of vestiges" could work really well as the the third plane to finish the rule of three of existence and the far realm.
OK, thanks for that. Sounds like a pact that a deva warlock might be into.
As a side note, that site has the Warlord art above the Fighter power cards.
so it seems more likely it's divine.
Almost Divine. It's all divine..just twisted. Dead Gods like to gripe and complain. Why arn't you revenging me against the Primordials. Go kill Bane and give me his stuff. I want to consume the universe so everything dies with me. Whaa. Whaa. Whaa.
Vestige, I'm thinking along with my friends, is more of a divine pact. Makes sense since they already have star, fey, infernal and dark. So having a divine pact works especially since the vestige pact is mentioned on the D&D site on a tidbit about the Arcane Power book and they also mention a new warlock paragon path "Hand of God", so it seems more likely it's divine.
You might have an argument were it not for the fact that vestige is clearly a call back to the 3.5 orgins of the current warlock class. For reference of what I mean, the current form of the warlock is very reminiscent of the binder class from 3.5's Tome of Magic. The Binder bound vestiges to his soul in order to gain their power. As there are other terms from D&D's history that could be used to describe a divine pact, such as a theruge pact, I see them repurposing an old term to be quite unlikely.
Additionally, you the Paragon Path name wrong, it is God Fragment not Hand of God. And while it does have a slight divine feel to it, it also screams binder from 3.5, as there were multiple vestiges who were dead gods that refused to be forgotten(or failed attempts to become gods or gods who renamed themselves but apparently got a split personality as a result.....basically a lot of the vestiges were at one point gods that their power splintered up at some point).
Beside we already got a pact that deals with the Astral Sea, the Infernal Pact.
You make a pact with beings, not with planes. The fact that one of the existing pacts is with beings who happen to be from the Astral Sea doesn't preclude another pact based around other beings who happen to also be from the Astral Sea.
Assuming they are the same as the Binder's vestiges, they are powerful beings who died long ago and should have faded away but managed to hang on by becoming vestiges instead. They can no longer experience the world, and they exist beyond the reach of even the gods.
Yeah, hail the return of Geryon!
You make a pact with beings, not with planes. The fact that one of the existing pacts is with beings who happen to be from the Astral Sea doesn't preclude another pact based around other beings who happen to also be from the Astral Sea.
Yes, I don't like trying to force connections between power sources etc and the planes; it goes against 4th Ed philosophy as well.
On the mechanical side of things, I'm gonna go ahead and predict that vestige-pact is Con heavy, and will contain lots of powers that buff the warlock or give him interesting and unique capabilities... including probably some good support for more melee focused characters.
QFFT (Quoted For F*%$ing Truth)
The last thing we need is more CHA-locks up in this Arcane Power. Ever since that one Dragon article (which had admittedly great fluff) broke the once-proud Star Pact into just another Charisma monkey, followed by the Dark Pact of FRPG, I've been concerned for the future of Warlock pacts.
But the confirmation of Vestige is a godsend. Going off of the Tome of Magic fluff, the Vestige magical source literally demands Constitution. It's pretty freaky-awesome.... for those unaware, the "Vestige binding" involves basically becoming the willing body-host of extra-dimensional beings. The Vestiges are all basically the forgotten hobos of the Divine... mighty mortal spirits rejected from the domain of their gods, Liches who transcended mortal existence but feared the punishment of the afterlife, minor deities of mathematics who succumbed to divide by zero errors, that sort of thing. The mechanics, like much of ToM, fluctuated between broken and nigh-useless, but the flavor was delicious.
Not to mention the fact that the simple idea of Constitution as a legitimate attack power stat is awesome. I thought that was pretty clever back when we first saw the Infernal Warlock, and have been waiting for more examples of it since.
Also, since Elder Evils like Kyuss are not Gods, but fall into the category along with Archfey, Archdevils, Demon Princes, Primordials, Shadowlords, Primal Spirits, etc, they are perfect agents to have a pact with.
But the vague and vanishing nature of the Elder Evils, and the mind-damage that ensues from the pacts with them. It's not quite Far Realm Star Pact, though some Elder Evils have Far Realm connections, but most were mortals that rose to an epic level before something going terribly, terribly wrong.
On the mechanical side of things, I'm gonna go ahead and predict that vestige-pact is Con heavy, and will contain lots of powers that buff the warlock or give him interesting and unique capabilities... including probably some good support for more melee focused characters.
Man I hope you're right for multiple reasons (more con-based powers; it would fit the character I'm playing even better than Infernal Pact), but from what I can remember about Binders, Charisma was their primary stat for making pacts.
Still, one can hope.
You might have an argument were it not for the fact that vestige is clearly a call back to the 3.5 orgins of the current warlock class. For reference of what I mean, the current form of the warlock is very reminiscent of the binder class from 3.5's Tome of Magic. The Binder bound vestiges to his soul in order to gain their power. As there are other terms from D&D's history that could be used to describe a divine pact, such as a theruge pact, I see them repurposing an old term to be quite unlikely.
Additionally, you the Paragon Path name wrong, it is God Fragment not Hand of God. And while it does have a slight divine feel to it, it also screams binder from 3.5, as there were multiple vestiges who were dead gods that refused to be forgotten(or failed attempts to become gods or gods who renamed themselves but apparently got a split personality as a result.....basically a lot of the vestiges were at one point gods that their power splintered up at some point).
You know, I forgot about the binders and vestiges in 3.5 so yeah good point. Well either would be neat. Though considering how Arcane Power is going to intro us to the summoning warlock, and Primal power will have summons for the druid, I actually think Arcane Power's Vestige pact would involve at least some atks that're summons, that makes sense what do you guys think, kinda fits with all the summoning previews huh?
You know, I forgot about the binders and vestiges in 3.5 so yeah good point. Well either would be neat. Though considering how Arcane Power is going to intro us to the summoning warlock, and Primal power will have summons for the druid, I actually think Arcane Power's Vestige pact would involve at least some atks that're summons, that makes sense what do you guys think, kinda fits with all the summoning previews huh?
Actually summoning is being introed in PHBII as the Invoker has summoning powers. That aside, I doubt that the vestige pact will be a summoning pact. We already know that the wizard is going to be getting summoning in Arcane Power, and based off of Martial Power I would guess that they are going to try to provide some diversity to the new builds. Also summoning, as it currently stands, seems to be more of a control ability than a striker one(confirmed summoning classes are invoker, wizard, and druid). I could certainly see the vestige pact providing summons(and they would certainly be weird and interesting), but I don't think they'll go that route.
would make sense if you are in fact housing an extra terrestrial godish being in your body and then exerting your mental control over it. It would provide good symetry as well:
Infernal: con
fey: Chr
Star: Chr and con
Dark: Chr and Int
Vestige: Con and int
I can't wait! and hope they do have some summony goodness.
So for nicknames we have:
Infernal Pact: Hellock
Fey Pact: Feylock
Star Pact: Starlock
Dark Pact: Darklock
So what's Vestige Pact going to be? Bindlock, in honour of it's cross reference to Tome of Magic's Binder? Any thoughts?
V-lock. ?
V-lock looks like that
Vestlocj i would call it, or Bindlock
Wait, no.
Personally, I'm rooting for Vestalock.....yeah I just made that one up.:P
That sounds like someone who made a pact with vestals... ;)
That sounds like someone who made a pact with vestals... ;)
We love them!
...
GOLDILOCKS!!!!
I was wondering if there would be a Vestige pact at-will that's a melee power, and while we're on the subject, I'm earnestly hoping for alternate At-Will powers that can be taken instead of Eldritch Blast or alternately for the normal Pact At-Will.
One way or another, an Infernal warlock who can at-will melee would be glorious.
Vestlock?
TLC approves.
"Infernalocks" should plainly be Warlocks, or Diabolists.
"Feylocks" should be Enchanters or Enigmists (to honor the best 3.5 custom class of these boards, although the name was the only not awesome thing of it).
"Starlocks" should be Astromancers or Alienists.
"Darklocks" should be Arachnomancers.
And "Vestilocks" should be Binders.
And if you simply want to specify the pact of your Warlock, by not abbreviating it you don't make it sound cheap.
Beside they're technically not abbreviations, they're portemanteaux.
Joykill. Its just fun.
Beside they're technically not abbreviations, they're portemanteaux.
Portemanteaux, good to know.
I don't like them, you know why? Because you may get so accustomed to them that you'll make your character refer to him/herself like that within the game world, and they are really far from a good fantasy feeling, also because in the fantasy world warlock is supposed to be a word known for its true origin "wǣrloga": wǣr being "promise/agreement" and loga "deceiver".
So all the Xlocks would be "Xdeceivers", which is not even representative.
A fantasy-like portemanteaux should maintain the war part of the word, maybe written waer to emulate the old English without having the special "ǣ" character, and add the other word maybe before.
Something like Faewaer should be a fantasy word for "feylock". However, much research for something that could sound bad, so that's why I simply don't like these portemanteaux in general. Especially with "warlock", in which two old words got transliterated in a way that make them equal to other common words, adding confusion. Because a "feylock" could very well be the thing that seals a portal to the Feywild and that requires a "feykey" to be opened.
It's less of a headache to refer to a Dark Pact Warlock as either a Darklock or a Boomlock depending on who I'm talking too. Most new players are going to look at me funny if I start refering to them as Arachnomancers. I get where your coming from. I just beg to differ.
Assuming they are the same as the Binder's vestiges, they are powerful beings who died long ago and should have faded away but managed to hang on by becoming vestiges instead. They can no longer experience the world, and they exist beyond the reach of even the gods.
Incidently I think, the "plane of vestiges" could work really well as the the third plane to finish the rule of three of existence and the far realm.
Vestiges are, by definition, non-planar.
they exist "between" the planes, not on their own plane.
Vestiges are, by definition, non-planar.
they exist "between" the planes, not on their own plane.
As far as we know. They might have changed it for 4E.
As far as we know. They might have changed it for 4E.
True, but they lose what made them nifty if they get a plane now. (IMO.)
LordArchaon, While I can understand that the legal term for these variation son the classes should be something unique...in the parlace of modern gamers (including the MMO crowd that has joined us) Portemanteaux, and compound nick names will continue to be easier for explications.
It's less of a headache to refer to a Dark Pact Warlock as either a Darklock or a Boomlock depending on who I'm talking too. Most new players are going to look at me funny if I start refering to them as Arachnomancers. I get where your coming from. I just beg to differ.
Agreed. LordArchaon, while I am completely in agreement with your ruling on what they are called in-game, and I would actually call many of them by the names you've used when I'm referring to them by characters in the story, I still say its a LOT easier to use the abbreviations for metagame. I like to make lists, such as of which races favour which classes and class builds, and it just takes up too much space to write out "Deceptive Dark Pact Warlock" when I could easily just say "Deceptive Darklock" and people would know what I meant. Warlock is the ONLY Class that you need to say which Class Feature you're using as opposed to saying which Class Build, and for Star Pact Warlocks, you need to say both the Build and the Pact because they could be either. Writing out Build + xPact + Warlock is a lot longer than any other Class Build. That's my rationale for using them, at least. It's also a lot easier to type when posting on the forums. I've never actually said the words in real life with my gaming group.
Oh, and Dark Pact isn't solely about Spiders. Actually, there's very few spider references at all; I've noticed more ties to the Shadowfell than actual Spidery powers. It's a Pact about Darkness, and hurting your allies to hurt your foes more. So it draws from the Underdark, the Shadowfell, and other dark sources. Just because the Drow developed it in Forgotten Realms doesn't mean that it's a Pact with Driders and Drægloths.
The Dark Pact is really a mess IMO. The few references to spiders kind of "spoil it" and make it irremediably tied to Drow. I don't know if it's purposefully made like this, or if the developer simply just didn't realize how he was wasting many cool opportunities developing it this way.
Plus, if one wants to find a name for practitioners of the Dark Pact, since nothing really screams "shadow power", one must find something different than "Shadowcaster". And what's left? Drow flavor, hence Arachnomancer is the only thing that came to my mind.
You know, the difficulty of finding a one-word common name for it kind of testifies the messy flavor.
Yes yes, nothing bad about it when limited to metagame. They don't sound good to me, but always better than "Chaladin" or "Taclord"...
The Dark Pact is really a mess IMO. The few references to spiders kind of "spoil it" and make it irremediably tied to Drow. I don't know if it's purposefully made like this, or if the developer simply just didn't realize how he was wasting many cool opportunities developing it this way.
Plus, if one wants to find a name for practitioners of the Dark Pact, since nothing really screams "shadow power", one must find something different than "Shadowcaster". And what's left? Drow flavor, hence Arachnomancer is the only thing that came to my mind.
You know, the difficulty of finding a one-word common name for it kind of testifies the messy flavor.
To be fair I reflavour everysingle power I use. Twilight of the soul is me calling up vengul spirits to possess and poison the enemy from within. Flames of ptheygos is me summoning flaming fiends of hell to strike my foes. So no spiders show up in my powers. I use the imagery in the book as just an idea for what it looks like. The mechanics might be the same but I figure every warlocks powers look different.
To be fair I reflavour everysingle power I use. Twilight of the soul is me calling up vengul spirits to possess and poison the enemy from within. Flames of ptheygos is me summoning flaming fiends of hell to strike my foes. So no spiders show up in my powers. I use the imagery in the book as just an idea for what it looks like. The mechanics might be the same but I figure every warlocks powers look different.
Yes, I know it's easy to reflavor. Maybe I'm overly critical sometimes, but when I see that things are done a little poorly I tend to loose interest in them. So even with the good things that it has, the Dark Pact never inspired me any character.
To return on topic, I'm sure the Vestige pact is going to be a big hit. If they presenting us only one new pact for the Warlock, they're gonna make it good.
I've no doubt it'll be a hit. I always loved Binders, even if the classes in Tome of Magic were far too weak compared to Cleric, Druid, or Wizard.
But Shadowcasters and Binders were really cool ideas. And as we know, Shadowcaster inspired most of the Shadow Power Source.
Anyways, do people think we'll get Demons from the Lesser Key of Solomon again? I mean, converting those crazy spirits that you're supposed to bind into servitude with the magic circles and such as Pact Spirits? It's going to have to work very differently than the Binder did, because the Binder went around and made more and more pacts with different Vestiges, that granted different powers. That's not very kind to the Warlock mechanic, which assumes a single pact (without the multipact feat, but that's not the same as multiple pacts within an Eldritch Pact Class Feature). Instead, I see the Vestige-granted powers to be reworked into the Warlock's generic Vestige Pact-based powers, and to have Paragon Paths associated with a few exceptional spirits, names that invoke great power, like Dantalion, Andras, Marchosias, etc. I would say Zagan and Alastor and many others, but they've been reworked as unique Devils and Demons. Looks like the Ars Goetia has been broken up between Hell, the Abyss, and beyond the fabrications of the universe.
Wait... if Vestiges shouldn't exist, and exist only beyond the normal fabrications of the universe, that means... Don't tell me they're primarily from the Far Realm, or were entities touched by its Madness...
[And while that is cool, I thought that was the purpose of the Star Pact...]
Hopefully that is reworked a bit so it isn't too similar to Star Pact in flavour.
Maybe make them work like Channel Divinity and be special encounter boon?
Either that a new type of magical item ('Vestige Fragment'?) that would have a power only accessible to Vestige Warlocks??
Another idea could be that the old Vestiges are now dailies for the warlock, and all of them include an effect that lasts until the end of the encounter.
Yeah, the dailies could be called bindings?
Wait... if Vestiges shouldn't exist, and exist only beyond the normal fabrications of the universe, that means... Don't tell me they're primarily from the Far Realm, or were entities touched by its Madness...
[And while that is cool, I thought that was the purpose of the Star Pact...]
Hopefully that is reworked a bit so it isn't too similar to Star Pact in flavour.
They don't exist there. They exist Between the Planes. The Far Realm is a plane. Therefore, they don't live on the Far Realm.
They exist in a place that doesn't exist. There isn't a Far Realm feel to it at all.
Unless thye refluff it. And even then, trust me when I say, it won't step on the Star Pact's toes, Flavorwise.
Maybe "Fraglocks" if "God Fragment" is a vestige paragon path.
God I hope not.
No offense, but "Fraglock" sounds REALLY lame.
They don't exist there. They exist Between the Planes.
They exist in a place that doesn't exist. There isn't a Far Realm feel to it at all.
Not that I think the planes & cosmology need to be tied into this at all, but isn't what you describe above in fact the feel of the Far Realm? "Some scholars claim that...something else exists beyond the Astral Sea and the Elemental Chaos. Evidence for this idea appears in the form of the most alien creatures known, abberrant monsters" which "don't seem to be a part of the world or any known realm" (DMG 161).
I can kinda see a possible (albeit very slight) distinction from a non-existence existence, but ultimately how does that avoid being reduced to just "the Really Far Realm?"
Maybe "Fraglocks" if "God Fragment" is a vestige paragon path.
Heh. Hehheh. KoboldAvenger...please don't take my giggling as mean. It's a good effort, but the term immediately makes me think of the old kids show Fraggle Rock!
It won't bother everyone, but I'm sure it's the absolute wrong effect for a large swath of gamers. ;)Heh. Hehheh. KoboldAvenger...please don't take my giggling as mean. It's a good effort, but the term immediately makes me think of the old kids show Fraggle Rock!
So it wasn't just me.
Not that I think the planes & cosmology need to be tied into this at all, but isn't what you describe above in fact the feel of the Far Realm? "Some scholars claim that...something else exists beyond the Astral Sea and the Elemental Chaos. Evidence for this idea appears in the form of the most alien creatures known, abberrant monsters" which "don't seem to be a part of the world or any known realm" (DMG 161).
I can kinda see a possible (albeit very slight) distinction from a non-existence existence, but ultimately how does that avoid being reduced to just "the Really Far Realm?"
Not to me. The Far Realm has always been it's own plane. Just because it's even more remote in 4e than 3.5 doesn't change that fact.
Note the bolded word up there.
Beyond the known planes and Between the planes is very different. It's supposed to be difficult to concieve of the place where the Vestiges lie. It doesn't require lateral thinking, it requires thinking in the direction known as "purple." The Shadowfell and Feywild overlay the Material plane. there is no space between those three planes. And in that Between space, some vestiges live.
Not that I think the planes & cosmology need to be tied into this at all, but isn't what you describe above in fact the feel of the Far Realm? "Some scholars claim that...something else exists beyond the Astral Sea and the Elemental Chaos. Evidence for this idea appears in the form of the most alien creatures known, abberrant monsters" which "don't seem to be a part of the world or any known realm" (DMG 161).
I can kinda see a possible (albeit very slight) distinction from a non-existence existence, but ultimately how does that avoid being reduced to just "the Really Far Realm?"
By making it the oppisite of the Far Realm? The Far Realm is a place that exists outside of out cosmos that is so alien, that it causes brains to pop upon witnessing it. The place where vesitges exist should be a place so inhospitable that it causes bodies to implode upon entering, while keeping the mind mostly in tact as a bodiless being.
The Shadowfell and Feywild overlay the Material plane. there is no space between those three planes. And in that Between space, some vestiges live.
The Far Realm is a place that exists outside of out cosmos that is so alien, that it causes brains to pop upon witnessing it. The place where vesitges exist should be a place so inhospitable that it causes bodies to implode upon entering, while keeping the mind mostly in tact as a bodiless being.
Okay, these sound more plausible and interesting.
Thanks for the elaboration/clarification.Back to vestige pact warlock nicknames, what about:
[indent]Vestigimon?!!
[/indent]Okay, these sound more plausible and interesting.
Back to vestige pact warlock nicknames, what about:
[indent]Vestigimon?!!
No. Just, no.
Okay, these sound more plausible and interesting.
Back to vestige pact warlock nicknames, what about:
[indent]Vestigimon?!!
Gotta bind 'em all!
Gotta bind 'em all!
All of a sudden, I'm thinking of an "adult" S&M version of Pokemon.
I need brain bleach.
Gotta bind 'em all!
Except that Vestigimon sounds sounds more like a creature from Digimon.
Except that Vestigimon sounds sounds more like a creature from Digimon.
What level would he be?
Or maybe be like a few of those evil Digimons who have the same name over multiple levels...
And if he's a Digimon then you could call him Vestigemon (and it would sound better at that...but its not much of a portemanteaux if its too long...)
I'm sorry, but now I can't think of anything but Fraglocks.
Let the music play! :D
I'm going to call them Godlocks, it rolls off the tongue better than the others.
You mean "Goldilocks"? But what good would a thieving blond girl do for a warlock pact? Would you get a bonus if attacks bears or stealing their stuff? hahaha, sorry...couldn't help myself.
But what good would a thieving blond girl do for a warlock pact?
Master Spark?
Bindlock
though binder works too.
they need A CHA at will option for starlock.
or else the CHA starlock is screwed on at wills.
the wish upon a star article does indeed have a lot of charisma based encounter/daily powers. but no charisma at will as far as i know.
I beleive they should be able to choose a con at will or a cha at will. and at wills are really important. the PHB CON/CHA powers try to be equal in number.
i beleive PHB should have released 4 pacts, 2 con 2 cha.
Vestige pact could be a nice con pact, but wheres the optional Star Charisma at will choice?
How about Ghostlocks? Vesitages are almost a like God ghosts, no?
Not really.
Except for Tembrenos(sp?), there really aren't any former Gods there.
Vestiges are souls lost between the planes.
In 3.5 terms:
The Astral Plane connecte the Material Plane with the other planes, right?
And it connects to the Material Plane(s) at all points thereof, right?
The vestiges are in between those connections.
There's no real consistency for how they get there, either.
A few were mortals thrown there by the Gods. (The Jester guy with the 10/12 hands, the crazy elf-chick.)
One is the last bits of Divine Essence of a God. (Big T.)
Some just, ended up there. (Paimon, the tooth guy, others.)
Some might be from there (The Wind thing.)
So essentially, the 4e warlock has merged the 3.5 warlock with the hexblade and binder?
BTW, I'm asking out of genuine curiosity. I don't play 4e, but I'm curious if this mashup is something I can work out for 3.5.
BTW, I'm asking out of genuine curiosity. I don't play 4e, but I'm curious if this mashup is something I can work out for 3.5.
4e warlocks are largely based off of the 3.5 warlock. With Arcane Power and the vestige pact they are now being blended with binders as well. Their really isn't much in the way of hexblade to them, they don't have nearly enough melee prowess. The only particular connection they have to hexblades is that both classes "curse" their enemies, but the warlock's curse shares more in common with a rogues sneak attack than the debuffing mechanic that hexblades had.
Warlocks also had a bit of the alienist rolled into them; though I could see them making a whole power source dealing with aberrants (oh wait; that's Psionic, isn't it...), and I wouldn't be surprised if the Alienist came back as a Paragon Path or Epic Destiny for Starlocks and Cosmic Sorcerers... or something to that extent...
As to the nature of Vestiges, the preview gives us a pretty good ideal of what they are - They are essentially Ghosts of various power levels, whether as weak as the Last King of the Nerath or as strong as a mighty Primordial-defeating Primal Spirit (or perhaps Archfey... the line between them is pretty hazy, except that Archfey usually take the shape of humanoids).
Vestiges Pact Warlocks are essentially Mediums that deal with the spirits of the lingering dead, binding them to their command. Mechanically, the Bindlock is very similar to the Binder, being able to make multiple pacts within the Eldritch Pact, as opposed to a singular pact with Tiandra or Dispater or with some Cosmic Horror; however, the Hellock probably better gets across the nature of the Binder's art because of how the Binder was very much based off the Goetia, which has been folded back into Devils and Demons, as it should be (rather than split between Fiends and the Vestiges). While still split between the Devil Archdukes and the Demon Princes and Lords, the Goetia is much better suited in those roles than to have their names just be used to refer to random mad, misplaced souls.