Mulligan wrote:Hey all.
Having played various D&D titles over the years, i have yet one class to investigate, the Warlock. I sense that he can be built in many different ways, and if going Epic there are some interesting things about beeing pure classed.
But i have only the OC with SoZ installed, so max level for me should be 19-21 ish. I can make the Hellfire PRC class, but is it worth it ?
What about a bit of multiclassing ? I was particular curious about the lvl 1 Shadow dancer add-in for the HiPS feat, is it worth it ? Scottg has a Damned Soul build i read and fell in love with instantly on NWN Builder site, and makes heavy use of HiS/MS skills + Warlock invisibility spells.
I tried some different things so far: lvl 1 Rouge with high Dex/Cha, for a skill-master Warlock that utilize Weapon Finesse later on with his Hideous Blow to do some serious damage in meele, and Able learner Feat for Fredom in Skill selection.
I also tried to lvl 12 a more Pure Caster Build with Spell Penetration, GSP, and Combat Casting, taking later Creation Feats ( Arms & Armor + Wondrous Items ) but i seem to have too few skill points to make him effective.
Sometimes i just fiddle with the building, but i would really like some insights from the experts
on how to make an effective Warlock through the OC.
There are "pickup class" 'locks, hybrids, and pure Warlocks.
The "pickup class" versions generally use just one level for The Dark One's Own Luck.. OR sometimes just for See the Unseen (or occasionally two levels for both). Blackguard's are the best type of character/class combo for both Invocations.
Hybrids are pretty rare, (like my "Damned Soul" build). For them it's about more than the "juiciest" of invocations - specifically extending more levels of the Warlcok class to achieve specific benefits for the build overall.
Oddly, pure Warlocks are at once very "particular", and yet not terribly difficult to build. In the context of a non-epic build (as it is for the OC), it's all about class level vs. the campaign.
1. No racial penalty. Even more than a Rogue (though less than Wizard/Sorcerer), class level for access to increasing Eldritch Blast attack is a priority. You want that Eldritch Blast increasing in power as quickly as possible, and want faster access to increasing Eldritch "chains" + no delays in BAB. Delaying just one level often puts your character behind the "curve" as far as opponents are concerned (..particularly their total hit points, but also their saves vs. your "disabling" essences).
2. No non-Warlock classes. NONE. Not even a level of Rogue. See #1.
3. Be exceedingly careful with Invocation selection. ALWAYS look at the Invocation's/Essence's/Blast Shape's benefits relative to your build's needs - specifically when looking at opponents (and your character's capability).
4. In context with #3 - when planning your Invocation selections, specifically consider swapping-out invocations at latter levels (odd class levels). The best example I can give here is:
.........................at first level select Eldritch Spear. You can often stand so far back from any opponent (including the one your are specifically targeting) that you can kill that one opponent before they can reach you. (..of course this also depends on your attack numbers and Eldritch Blast dice relative to the opponents hit dice.) In practice it's usually more effective than the excellent "slow" effect of Draining Blast.
.........................at 2nd level select Leaps and Bounds. The added attack modifier of +2 makes a difference at low levels.
..........................at 4th level select Draining Blast.
..........................at 6th level select Eldritch Chain.
..NOW and 7th level remove Eldritch Spear and select The Dark One's Own Luck. Eldritch Chain in combination with Draining Blast is simply more effective than Eldritch Spear. You don't need Eldritch Spear any longer so you can take a more defensive Invocation. Note: if you can do this at level 6 then do so, it's just that I think I remember with NON-Kaedrins that you couldn't.
The same is true for Leaps and Bounds once you have enough Dexterity modifier equipment to offest it's +4 to Dexterity.
5. Build your attributes on Charisma, NOT Dexterity. Look to the calculations on Ranged Touch Attacks.. Here it's all about BAB. As your BAB get's higher with class level, your attack numbers become less important overall. This is because your opponent's AC isn't scaling in a manner with respect to Ranged Touch Attacks when compared to your BAB. The one exception to this is scoring a "critical". The higher your attack numbers the better your chances, but generally it's not something you want to build "around", most notably because the Improved Critical feat isn't even available until character level 12. Start Dexterity with a 16 (or 18 depending on race), and leave it there (and of course improve it with modifiers like Leaps and Bounds). Charisma on the other hand directly effects your "disabling" essences.
6. Stongheart Halfling is the race of choice. It has no level penalty, Dexterity bonus (with a resulting attack and AC bonus), an AC bonus (size), and an extra feat. It "gives-up" Strength, but strength isn't needed. If you need a pack mule or two then use your companions. I tend to go with Charisma 16 and Dexterity at 17, with first attribute point in Dexterity to 18, and the rest in Charisma. (..i.e 6/17/14/14/10/16, or 8/17/14/14/8/16 - and usually the later for the added Strength vs. +1 in Will saves.)
7. Feats: Assuming NON-Kaedrins and a Strongheart Halfling (in order): Spellcasting Prodigy, Fey Heritage, Combat Expertise, Fey Power, Improved Combat Expertise, Improved Critical Ranged Touch Attack, Shield Proficiency, Fey Skin.
Spellcasting Prodigy, Fey Power and Fey Heritage are there for a cumulative +2 to an essences's DC. Caution: I'm not sure that Fey Power transfers to "enchantment" essences, I've always thought it did, but I don't remember testing it. (..and with Kaedrins installed a current test wouldn't be helpful.) If it doesn't then you can drop the Fey feats if you want and put in others.. Blind Fight would be nice (..though not a requirement with only Slyphs and Shadows giving you problems and being overall rare in the game).
The "combat expertise/improved combat expertise" is an exploit of NON-Kaedrins that doesn't effect ranged touch attacks (even though the character page shows a reduction in attack numbers).
Perhaps the best advice I can give however, is that a Warlock is primarily a "support" class. Unless using Eldritch Spear, generally do NOT attack enemies until after a meat-shield has done so and "drawn threat". Once that has occurred - fire away. At that point your combination of distributed damage and disabling essence effects make your companion's attacks that much more effective.
