Making a Warlock (ideas?)

[Tricky]

I've been reading a bit of Hellblazer lately and I'm pitying the fact that BG2 doesn't have a Warlock class like NWN2 did. I'm not saying NWN2 pulled the class off particularly well, the Eldritch Blast powers in particular were kinda pulled out of a high hat, but the fire resistances were appropriate. I sorely missed better demonic summons in NWN2 though, and most other spells were demonic in name only.

So I've been cracking my walnut over how to best emulate a warlock in BG2, while not making use of Shadowkeeper.

In my vision a warlock:
- Flings purely fire-based magic at foes
- Would draw pentagrams and stuff on the ground (Symbol Of Death, Fear, etc.)
- Will be conjuring demons to do his bidding (no undead, no animals)
- Has good fire resistances (can be attained through equipment)

In NWN2 it's kind of a class that relies on DEX due to Eldritch Blast, but I already stated my opinions that weird power. I could just as easily see a warlock swing an axe or a sword. Should it perhaps be dualed to a Fighter or Swashbuckler?

Also, a surprising amount of Clerical spells are fire based. In total there are fewer of them, but they come at lower levels than their respective Mage spells. The advantage of using a cleric this way would be the indiscriminate use of armor like in NWN2. I'm not saying that Warlocks should be able to wear armor, though. I am merely comparing it to NWN2.

Specialist Mage or Sorcerer? I suppose both kinda go. Since Warlocks draw their powers from some innate connection to the lower planes, I sort of place them closer to Sorcerers. All in all they won't be needing as many different spells anyway, so it would probably suffice.

~
I could use some thoughts on.. well just about everything. Your ideas on warlocks, D&D or other fiction sources. And of course on how to best emulate one, with or without dual classing, item usage and particular spells.

[galraen]

I guess it all depends oh how you define Warlock Tricky, I gather from your post it means something different in Dutch than in English. Where does the fire resistance come into it for example?

Excuse me if I'm missing some obscure meaning here, but in English a Warlock is effectively a male witch, or an alternative term for wizard.

[Crenshinibon]

I believe that he wants to mimic the D&D class here. And for that, I would reccomend using a melee class with a not so good THAC0, and one that's not bad either. A Swashbuckler as you said, would be good, except it would make the class overpowered once you get the HLA, so it might be better to dual class. At the epic levels, I'd give yourself Demogorgon's demon summoning spell.

[galraen]

I missed the obvious, I guess the idea of trying to use a class from a different game hadn't occured to me, I should have read Tricky's post more thoroughly. Not sure why someone would want to use a class from Not-D&D 3.5 in a D&D game, but each to their own.

[Tricky]

Appeal, that's all. Maybe you're right, this is just too much in my own head to convey to others. I don't even particularly like NWN2 Warlock. I guess it comes from both fiction, tv, other games and I don't know..

You know.. never mind. I'll probably just end up trying a character for an hour before quitting. Don't think this over too deeply on my behalf.

[Silvanerian]

Hmm...based on your criteria, a 'simple' solution in my opinion would be to make your warlock out of a cleric/mage build. Either dual or multi - your choice. I'd add the following amendments:

- Edit the weapon(s) of your choice wieldable by this class via near infinity
- Swap to needed weapon proficiencies via Shadowkeeper
- Edit the armour(s) of your choice usable by this class and allowing spellcasting (near infinity)
- Limit yourself to pure fire damage spells, demon summoning and 'symbols'/'powerwords', by not memorizing/scribing anything else
- Set your paperdoll to what you wish in SK - the standard might not suit you if you wish to wear armour.

Balance issues:
The unrestricted weapon selection, I don't see as unbalancing, as for instance staff of the magi is one of the most powerful weapons around - usable by cleric/mages.
The armour (plate types) are not all that much better than the best elven chainmails, and offset by all the defensive/protective spells you won't be using.

If anything, I'd say you'd be making this more difficult for yourself.
You could offset this by making a custom spell that lowers fire resistance a la Firkragg's. Possibly of type (cleric/arcane) and level which you would otherwise not have any fire spells for.
If you want a melee character a bit more tough than a standard cleric/mage with no defensive spells (suspect he'd be killed quickly otherwise), you could add some HP and an extra attack in SK.

For effect, (now I'm starting to ramble), you could edit your weapon to grant a fireshield upon equiping. Add 50% resistance to fire as innate, and your fire resistance is taken care of (alternatively, use equipment).
If you don't want that animation on constantly, de-select the weapon when not in combat. (who runs around with a sword drawn all the time anyway?)
I'd personally probably add the weapon to Firkragg's horde or the one of the demons outside the Planer Sphere. I find it more interesting to fight for your gear than buy it at a shop. Not too many Warlock outlet's around anyway in Amn


All in all, I'd say it could turn out fairly interesting...

[Tricky]

Originally Posted by Silvanerian

Hmm...based on your criteria, a 'simple' solution in my opinion would be to make your warlock out of a cleric/mage build. Either dual or multi - your choice.

Interesting idea. I should look over possible distinct advantages of some of the lower-level clerical spells, and then top it off with sorcerer levels.

Anyway, this topic is closed.