An alternate Warlock class for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.

Alignment: Any nongood

Hit Die: d8

Class Skills

Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Arcana, Planes, Religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha)

Skill Ranks Per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Level	Base Attack	Fort	Ref	Will	Special Abilities
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Pact, Eldritch Blast, Least Invocations
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Detect Magic, Faint Whispers
3rd	+2	+1	+1	+3	DR 1/-
4th	+3	+1	+1	+4	Deceive Item
5th	+3	+1	+1	+4	Imbue Item
6th	+4	+2	+2	+5	Lesser Invocations
7th	+5	+2	+2	+5	Energy Resistance 5
8th	+6/+1	+2	+2	+6	Resilience 1
9th	+6/+1	+3	+3	+6	DR 2/-
10th	+7/+2	+3	+3	+7	Arcane Lock
11th	+8/+3	+3	+3	+7	Greater Invocations
12th	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8
13th	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8	Resilience 2
14th	+10/+5	+4	+4	+9	DR 5/-
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+5	+9	Energy Resistance 10
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+10	Dark Invocations
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+10
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+6	+11	Resilience 5
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+6	+11
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Master Warlock

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Warlocks are proficient with simple weapons and with light armor, but with no shields. Warlock invocations do not incur a spell failure penalty while wearing light armor or no armor.

Invocations: A warlock does not prepare or cast spells as other wielders of arcane magic do. Instead, he possesses a repertoire of attacks, defenses, and abilities known as invocations that require him to focus the wild energy that suffuses his soul. A warlock can use any invocation he knows at will, with the following qualifications:

A warlock’s invocations are spell-like abilities; using an invocation is therefore a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity. An invocation can be disrupted, just as a spell can be ruined during casting. A warlock is entitled to a Concentration check to successfully use an invocation if he is hit by an attack while invoking, just as a spell caster would be. A warlock can choose to use an invocation defensively, by making a successful Concentration check, to avoid provoking attacks of opportunity. A warlock’s invocations are subject to spell resistance unless an invocation’s description specifically states otherwise. A warlock’s caster level with his invocations is equal to his warlock level.

The save DC for an invocation (if it allows a save) is 10 + equivalent spell level + the warlock’s Charisma modifier. Since spell-like abilities are not actually spells, a warlock cannot benefit from the Spell Focus feat. He can, however, benefit from the Ability Focus feat (see page 303 of the Monster Manual), as well as from feats that emulate meta-magic effects for spell-like abilities, such as Quicken Spell-Like Ability and Empower Spell-Like Ability (see pages 303 and 304 of the Monster Manual).

The four grades of invocations, in order of their relative power, are least, lesser, greater, and dark. A warlock begins with knowledge of one invocation, which must be of the lowest grade (least). As a warlock gains levels, he learns new invocations, as summarized on Table 1 and described below. A list of available invocations can be found following this class description, and a complete description of each invocation can be found in Chapter 4 of Complete Arcane.

At any level when a warlock learns a new invocation, he can also replace an invocation he already knows with another invocation of the same or a lower grade. At 6th level, a warlock can replace a least invocation he knows with a different least invocation (in addition to learning a new invocation, which could be either least or lesser). At 11th level, a warlock can replace a least or lesser invocation he knows with another invocation of the same or a lower grade (in addition to learning a new invocation, which could be least, lesser, or greater). At 16th level, a warlock can replace a least, lesser, or greater invocation he knows with another invocation of the same or a lower grade (in addition to learning a new invocation, which could be least, lesser, greater, or dark).

Finally, unlike other spell-like abilities, invocations are subject to arcane spell failure chance as described under Weapon and Armor Proficiency above. Warlocks can qualify for some prestige classes usually intended for spell casters; see Warlocks and Prestige Classes, page 18 of Complete Arcane, for details.

Pact: Warlocks gain their supreme power through the alliance of a power entity, by syphoning abilities and features from the beings they’ve made a pact with. The following are all appropriate entities, but this list is not exclusive: infernal, shadow, fey, star, aberrant, an element, celestial, or draconic.

All warlock abilities and class features are themed in such a way to resemble the iconic entity; infernal eldritch blasts are most likely shrieking skulls, or gouts of black flame, while a fey eldritch blast may be different entirely.

Eldritch Blast (Sp): The first ability a warlock learns is eldritch blast. A warlock attacks his foes with eldritch power, using baleful magical energy to deal damage and sometimes impart other debilitating effects.

An eldritch blast is a ray with a range of 60 feet. It is a ranged touch attack that affects a single target, allowing no saving throw. An eldritch blast deals 1d6 points of damage at 1st level and increases in power as the warlock rises in level. An eldritch blast is the equivalent of a spell whose level is equal to one-half the warlock’s class level (round down); with a minimum spell level of 1st and a maximum of 9th when a warlock reaches 18th level or higher.

An eldritch blast is subject to spell resistance, although the Spell Penetration feat and other effects that improve caster level checks to overcome spell resistance also apply to eldritch blast. An eldritch blast deals half damage to objects. Meta-magic feats cannot improve a warlock’s eldritch blast (because it is a spell-like ability, not a spell). However, the feat Ability Focus (eldritch blast) increases the DC for all saving throws (if any) associated with a warlock’s eldritch blast by 2. See page 303 of the Monster Manual.

Detect Magic (Sp): Beginning at 2nd level, a warlock can use detect magic as the spell at will. His caster level equals his class level.

Faint Whispers (Su): Warlocks are given forbidden knowledge thanks to the pact they make with their otherworldly source. Beginning at 2nd level a warlock may add a +2 competence bonus to all knowledge and use magic device checks.

Damage Reduction (Su): Upon his 3rd level, a warlock gains damage reduction 1/special, where special is either cold iron, silver, good or evil. Once chosen, the type required to bypass the damage reduction cannot be changed. Upon reaching 9th level this damage reduction increases to 2 points, and once again at 14th level, it increases to 5 points of protection.

Deceive Item (Ex): At 4th level and higher, a warlock has the ability to more easily commandeer magic items made for the use of other characters. When making a Use Magic Device check, a warlock can take 10 even if distracted or threatened.

Imbue Item (Su): A warlock of 5th level or higher can use his supernatural power to create magic items, even if he does not know the spells required to make an item (although he must know the appropriate item creation feat). He can substitute a Use Magic Device check (DC 15 + spell level for arcane spells or 25 + spell level for divine spells) in place of a required spell he doesn’t know or can’t cast.

If the check succeeds, the warlock can create the item as if he had cast the required spell. If it fails, he cannot complete the item. He does not expend the gp cost for making the item; his progress is simply arrested.

Energy Resistance (Su): At 6th level and greater, the warlock gains resistance 5 to two energy types (fire, cold, acid, lightning, or sonic). Upon reaching 15th level, these resistances increase to 10 points each.

Resilience (Su): This ability grants the warlock with an awesome power of fast healing 1 beginning at 8th level. This state of resilience lasts a number of minutes equal his charisma bonus. These minutes need not be consecutive, but must be used in whole minute increments. Once a warlock reaches 13th level, she instead gains fast healing 2; and increases again at 18th level to fast healing 3.

Arcane Lock (Sp): Warlocks are very keen on guarding information and possessions. Their rare artifacts and insights into unseen things tends to require they lock away secrets, and such all warlocks gain arcane lock as a spell like ability they she may cast a number of times per day equal to 3 + charisma bonus. The caster level for this ability is equal to his warlock level.

Master Warlock: Once a warlock reaches 20th level he begins to fade from this reality and into the grip of the source of his power. He may tap into the potential of this entity 3 times per day, to gain one of the following abilities.

Instant Knowledge (Su): He may roll for any knowledge check, even if he is untrained in the skill, and is considered as having ranks in the knowledge equal to his character level. This is an automatic success, but otherwise follows the normal rules involving skill checks.

Wisk Away (Sp): Upon activating this ability, the warlock is teleported to a location of his choosing as if he had cast greater teleport. This ability also leaves behind a persistent image of the warlock, with a caster level equal to the warlock’s level. The image acts as the warlock programs it, but fades after 1 minute regardless of what the warlock does.

Transform (Su): Listening to and following powerful entities comes with great reward. The warlock may transform her body into an image resembling that of her source of power. While in this form, which lasts a number of minutes equal to his warlock level, he gains the following benefits:

• +4 to attack rolls
• Spell resistance of 10 + warlock level
• Two natural attacks of an appropriate type that cause 1d6 damage + charisma modifier. These are considered primary attacks, and are made at the warlock’s full base attack bonus. In addition, the attacks deal additional +1d6 damage, with the damage type being one of her chosen energy resistances
• Gain a fly speed equal to twice your base speed with good maneuverability
• Your energy resistances instead become energy immunities

While in this form, the warlock is in full control and is merely syphoning a fraction of the potential energy, and may even use invocations or her eldritch blast as normal

Additional Ratings
Balance:	1 2 3 4 5 ( 13 Votes )
Utility:	1 2 3 4 5 ( 11 Votes )
Clarity:	1 2 3 4 5 ( 12 Votes )