Just for the flavour of this attack alone, I would base an entire character.
Eh, but all other Star-pact powers are Charisma, except a bare minimum from PHB1 and AP.
If YOU were DM, would you blame me if I asked for this ONE power to switch to a CHA for the attack stat? Maybe make me take a feat for it? (I'd be willing to go to a PP path just for it, I think.) I want to see if I really am as crazy as my student of caiphon warlock is, or if there's some validity in asking for this one little treat.
For the Star Pact, your At Will is also Con. There are several other nice Con powers. A couple of nice Int-based ones too. At least one Paragon Path has both Con and Cha powers. Face it, the build is MAD. Still, you only need a 16 in Con/Cha and can buff them both each level --- the Pact Boon makes up the rest.
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Would you ask your DM to allow you to take a feat to change the attack stat of a power?
If YOU were DM, would you blame me if I asked for this ONE power to switch to a CHA for the attack stat? Maybe make me take a feat for it? (I'd be willing to go to a PP path just for it, I think.) I want to see if I really am as crazy as my student of caiphon warlock is, or if there's some validity in asking for this one little treat.
It's worth asking. Your DM may feel it's not justice that warlocks essentially are shoehorned into two main stats or a smaller pool of power options, and he/she may be fine with allowing you to use whichever you elected to be your main stat for all warlock powers you select. I, personally, would be fine with it as a DM.
And it is a neat power. What's to stop the jerk that you're dealing all that damage to from beating you to death while you do it, though?
The power is neat, and strong. But not THE strongest (unless I get it down to 10D10+) attack in the game. I love the flavour of it is all, and think that the best part IS how vulnerable and damageing it is to me.
i would suggest paying attention to what they did in arcane power, when they removed the "XXX pact" line from the names of warlock powers. Go with star pact, pick con-based powers, and pick them regardless of their listed pact. There are 5 pacts for the warlock, 2 con, 2 cha, and 1 split. You can take the split path with only one stat, but it involves choosing from the other pacts' powers when there isn't an obviously desirable one for star.
i would suggest against changing the stat it uses, merely because the warlock already has so many different powers to choose from, but your DM might look forward to your character concept and interest in the idea and say "go ahead"
If this attack was human, I would probably make it the mother of my children. Aw, hell -- I'd do that even if it was some strange jellyfish. But more to the point, is it not the most flavour-full attack in the game? The damage to the caster - perfect for in-game sacrifice certain death. I begin to jiggle when I imagine using it and sustaining it until I drop to 0.
Just for the flavour of this attack alone, I would base an entire character.
Eh, but all other Star-pact powers are Charisma, except a bare minimum from PHB1 and AP.
If YOU were DM, would you blame me if I asked for this ONE power to switch to a CHA for the attack stat? Maybe make me take a feat for it? (I'd be willing to go to a PP path just for it, I think.) I want to see if I really am as crazy as my student of caiphon warlock is, or if there's some validity in asking for this one little treat.
Nope, i'd make a CON focused Warlock. I'd take Vestige Pact or Infernal Pact powers if there wasn't a decent CON based Star Pact power at a level.
Or multi to Battlemind. (I'm sure one of their powers might be worth it.)
You'd probably get further by allowing each warlock to pick which stat he wants as his primary, or at the very least do so for the starlock (who is the only one that's really hit by this problem since the other pacts almost all focus around one stat anyway).
If YOU were DM, would you blame me if I asked for this ONE power to switch to a CHA for the attack stat? Maybe make me take a feat for it? (I'd be willing to go to a PP path just for it, I think.) I want to see if I really am as crazy as my student of caiphon warlock is, or if there's some validity in asking for this one little treat.
If I were DM I would allow it with a feat. Why not? There are feats that let PCs change their basic attack stat.
I would only have a problem with it if you were intentionally doing it to to circumvent the rules to make an overpowered PC, but it sounds like you genuinely like the power, and would like it to marry up with the rest of the powers you seem to like (CHR based Warlock powers).
BTW - somebody's Warlock Handbook describes this power as "the Ion Cannon of attack powers". If you have a LOT of healing available (or make your own magic item with Regeneration 10; that will cover the averages) and friends to keep the target busy, you can eventually build up to any damage level you want.