Warlock

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Details

Category: Classes

Published on Tuesday, 01 November 2011 11:39

Written by Caleb Johnson

The warlock is an enigma, a person so infused with magic that he manifests power with no training. While his repertoire of effects is small, he has little or no limits on the amount of times he can use them. Warlocks are chaotic creatures at heart, perhaps as a result of the wild magical energy that courses through their veins. They tend to be selfish and don’t work well in a rigid command structure. While understanding the need to stay within a group, the warlock won’t hesitate to leave the group to pursue something interesting. Warlocks generally adventure for curiosity or profit.

Warlocks come from varied backgrounds. It is not known how or why the magic picks them; it just does. A common thought is that the warlock has aberration, elemental, fey, or outsider blood in his veins. Many warlocks are driven out of their communities and left to fend for themselves (leading to many scholarly debates about “nature vs. nurture” in regards to the warlock’s allegiance to chaos).

Role: The warlock is a support class. He only has a few arcane tricks up his sleeve, but he can be relied on to provide them on a regular basis. While not a good substitute for a sorcerer or wizard, the warlock is a great supplement to one.

Alignment: any chaotic

Hit Die: d8

Class Skills

Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Profession (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks Per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Level	Base Attack	Fort	Ref	Will	Special Abilities	Invocations Known
1st	+0	+2	+0	+2	Eldritch Blast 1d6, Invocation (least)	1
2nd	+1	+3	+0	+3	Detect Magic, Eldritch Trait	2
3rd	+2	+3	+1	+3	Eldritch Blast 2d6	3
4th	+3	+4	+1	+4	Deceive Item, Eldritch Trait	4
5th	+3	+4	+1	+4	Eldritch Blast 3d6	4
6th	+4	+5	+2	+5	Eldritch Trait, Invocation (lesser)	5
7th	+5	+5	+2	+5	Eldritch Blast 4d6	6
8th	+6/+1	+6	+2	+6	Eldritch Trait	7
9th	+6/+1	+6	+3	+6	Eldritch Blast 5d6	8
10th	+7/+2	+7	+3	+7	Eldritch Trait	8
11th	+8/+3	+7	+3	+7	Eldritch Blast 6d6, Invocation (greater)	9
12th	+9/+4	+8	+4	+8	Eldritch Trait	10
13th	+9/+4	+8	+4	+8	Eldritch Blast 7d6	11
14th	+10/+5	+9	+4	+9	Eldritch Trait	12
15th	+11/+6/+1	+9	+5	+9	Eldritch Blast 8d6	12
16th	+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+10	Invocation (dark), Eldritch Trait	13
17th	+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+10	Eldritch Blast 9d6	14
18th	+13/+8/+3	+11	+6	+11	Eldritch Trait	15
19th	+14/+9/+4	+11	+6	+11	Eldritch Blast 10d6	16
20th	+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+12	Eldritch Trait, Eldritch Mastery	16

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Warlocks are proficient with simple weapons and light and medium armor and shields (not including tower shields). A warlock wearing light armor does not incur spell failure chance when using an invocation.

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

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 and increases in power as the warlock rises in level. An eldritch blast is an invocation that is the equivalent of a 1st-level spell. If you apply a blast shape or eldritch essence invocation to your eldritch blast, your eldritch blast uses the level equivalent of the shape or essence (whichever is higher).

An eldritch blast is subject to spell resistance, although effects that increase caster level to overcome spell resistance also apply to eldritch blast. Eldritch blast deals half damage to objects and metamagic feats cannot be used in conjunction with eldritch blast (because it is a spell-like ability, not a spell). However, the feat Ability Focus (eldritch blast) will increase the DC for all saving throws (if any).

Invocations (Sp): 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 spellcaster 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.

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 the table above. A list of available invocations can be found following this class description, and a complete description of each invocation can be found in this document.

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.

Detect Magic (Sp): Beginning at 2nd level, a warlock can use Detect Magic at will. Their warlock level equals their caster level.

Eldritch Trait: As a warlock gains levels, he learns to use his power in new ways. Starting at 2nd level, a warlock gains an eldritch trait. He gains another eldritch trait for every two levels of warlock attained after 2nd level. Unless otherwise noted, a warlock cannot select an individual trait more than once.

Additional Invocation (Sp): You gain an additional invocation of at least one grade lower than the highest grade you are capable of using. A warlock must be of at least 5th level before selecting this eldritch talent. This talent may be taken multiple times.

Arcane Mimic (Sp): A warlock with this trait chooses one 1st through 3rd level sorcerer/wizard spell of his choice. He can cast that spell a number of times per day equal to his charisma modifier as a spell-like ability. A warlock must be of at least 6th level before selecting this eldritch trait. This trait may be taken multiple times, but a different spell must be chosen each time.

Armored Invoker (Ex): A warlock with this trait can use invocations while wearing medium armor without suffering spell failure chance. A warlock must be of at least 9th level before selecting this eldritch trait.

Daunting (Ex): Once per day, a warlock with this trait can roll two dice when making an intimidation check, and take the better result. He must choose to use this trait before making the intimidation check. A warlock can use this trait one additional time per day for every 5 warlock levels he possesses.

Eldritch Resilience (Su): The warlock learns to harness eldritch power to heal his wounds. Once per day as a free action, the warlock enters a state that lasts for a number of minutes equal to his charisma modifier. During this time, the warlock has fast healing 1. A warlock must be of at least 8th level before selecting this eldritch trait.

Eldritch Scholar (Ex): You gain a +4 bonus to Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (the planes), or Knowledge (religion). The trait may be taken multiple times, but each time you must choose a different knowledge skill.

Eldritch Veil (Su): You gain spell resistance equal to 6 + your warlock level. A warlock must be of at least 6th level before selecting this eldritch trait.

Familiar (Ex): A warlock with this trait gains a familiar as the familiar option of the wizard’s arcane bond class feature. This ability functions exactly like that part of the class feature, but the warlock’s effective wizard level is his warlock level -4. A warlock must be of at least 5th level before selecting this eldritch trait.

Feat: A warlock may gain any feat that he qualifies for in place of a warlock trait. A warlock must be of at least 10th level before selecting this trait. This trait may be taken multiple times.

Hard to Fool (Ex): Once per day, a warlock with this trait can roll two dice when making a sense motive check, and take the better result. He must choose to use this trait before making the sense motive check. A warlock can use this trait one additional time per day for every 5 warlock levels he possesses.

Honeyed Words (Ex): Once per day, a warlock with this trait can roll two dice when making a bluff check, and take the better result. He must choose to use this trait before making the bluff check. A warlock can use this trait one additional time per day for every 5 warlock levels he possesses.

Imbue Item (Su): A warlock with this trait can use his supernatural powers to create magic items, even if he doesn't know the spells required to make the item (although he must still have the appropriate Item Creation feat). He can substitute a Use Magic Device check (DC 15 + the spell level for arcane spells; DC 25 + the spell level for divine spells) in place of a required spell he doesn't know or can’t cast. If successful, the warlock can create the item as if he had cast the required spell. If the warlock fails, he cannot complete the item. A warlock must be of at least 12th level before selecting this trait.

Infernal Presence (Su): A warlock with this trait can instill fear in his enemies. A number of times per day equal to his charisma modifier, the warlock can release his eldritch power in a horrifying display, causing all enemies within 30 feet to make a will save (DC 10 + ½ the warlock’s level + the warlock’s charisma modifier) or gain the frightened condition. Any creature that successfully makes its will save is immune to that warlock’s infernal presence for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting fear effect. A warlock must be of at least 16th level before selecting this eldritch trait.

Primordial Resistance (Ex): You gain resistance 5 to two energy types of your choice (acid, cold, fire, electricity, and sonic). A warlock must be of at least 5th level before selecting this eldritch trait. This trait may be taken multiple times, but each time you do your resistance to the two types you chose increases by 5.

Spell Replication (Sp): A warlock with this trait is able to “cast” an arcane spell he successfully identified using a spellcraft check and was the target of. During the warlock’s next turn, he can cast the spell as a spell-like ability. The warlock must be the target of the spell, not simply within the area of effect. A warlock must be of at least 14th level before selecting this eldritch trait.

Warlock’s Luck (Su): Once per day, a warlock may add his Charisma modifier to a saving throw before the results are known. A warlock can use this trait an additional time per day for every 5 warlock levels he possesses.

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.

Eldritch Mastery: When a warlock reaches 20th level, the eldritch power that he commands infuses with his very being granting the warlock DR 10/cold iron. Finally, the warlock’s command over eldritch power grants him one of the following features. Once this choice is made, it cannot be changed.

Eldritch Sculptor (Ex)

• You can use two eldritch blasts per round as a full attack action, rather than the normal limit of one. You can apply eldritch essences to both blasts.
• The area and range of all your eldritch blasts is doubled. Activating this ability is part of the action to use an eldritch blast. If you imbue your eldritch blast with the eldritch spear blast shape, the range increases to 500 feet. If you are using the hideous blow invocation, you no longer suffer attacks of opportunity for invoking this power in melee and all attacks of opportunity you make can include hideous blow. If you imbue your eldritch blast with the eldritch chain blast shape, you may start the chain up to 120 feet away from you and the maximum distance between each target increases to 60 feet. The area of the eldritch doom blast shape increases to 40 feet from you. The range of your eldritch cone increases to 120 feet.
• You gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls to hit an opponent with your eldritch blast.

Eldritch Visionary (Su)

• You can see through illusions, magical darkness, shapechangers, and other effects (as true seeing).
• You are automatically aware of all spells or magical effects you see. Simply by looking at a creature, you can determine if it is a divine or arcane caster, whether it has any spell-like abilities, and the highest spell or spell-like abilities it knows.
• When you use the voidsense invocation, you gain blindsight 60 feet.

Lord of All Essences (Ex)

• When you use the eldritch blast ability, you can apply two eldritch essence invocations simultaneously. This also allows you to apply the same effect twice, though this is not beneficial in the case of all eldritch essences. The effects of each essence are resolved separately. If you imbue your eldritch blast with two different types of damage, half of the damage (rounded down) is dealt by each source. You must choose which essences you will use in conjunction with your eldritch blast before you start your action.
• In addition, the DC of all eldritch essence invocations you use increases by 2.

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