Warlock

The Pros and Cons of a Warlock

The warlock's dark heritage gives him a limited array of useful powers. Most warlocks carry at least a small taint of evil, but a few manage to rise above their ancestry to become great heroes. Sinister or valiant, a warlock offers plenty of challenges and rewards for any player.

Warlock Assets

The warlock has access to several powerful abilities that he can use over and over. Though he can't produce many magical effects, choosing the right ones creates a potent spellcaster who can hold his own in any adventuring party. Though he is a specialist in arcane combat, the warlock can also gain bonuses on a variety of skill checks and create numerous other useful magical effects. Below are several assets you have going for you when you choose a warlock.

• Winning Ways: A warlock needs to have a high Charisma score because that ability governs his spellcasting. But high Charisma also gives him an edge in negotiations.

• Good Will Saves: A warlock uses the best save progression in the game for Will saves (see Table 3-1 in the Player's Handbook). This natural mental strength helps him resist most effects that fool his mind or assault his spirit, including charms, compulsions, illusions, fear effects, and even inflict spells.

• Eldritch Blast: Starting at first level, a warlock gains the spell-like ability to release a magical ray that can damage creatures or objects. This eldritch blast affects only one target at a time, and it has a fairly short range, but the warlock can use it as a standard action as often as he likes.

• Invocations: Starting at first level, and once every even-numbered level thereafter, a warlock can choose an invocation. A warlock invocation is a spell-like ability that works at will. Some invocations merely alter the warlock's eldritch blast, but others provide new abilities that expand your capabilities beyond merely dealing damage.

• Many Class Features: A warlock's supernatural heredity grants him many useful abilities, including damage reduction, fast healing, energy resistance, and the ability to make and use magic items of all kinds.

• Fair Weapon Selection: The warlock is proficient only with simple weaponry. Though simple weapons aren't the most deadly ones available, the fact that the warlock has access to the whole category gives him more options than most other arcane spellcasters have. That versatility can be a lifesaver if his spells happen to fail him.

• Fair Armor Selection: The warlock is proficient with light armor, but not with shields. Light armor doesn't provide great protection, but it's better than what many arcane spellcasters have available.

• Good Attack Bonus: A warlock's base attack bonus -- +3 per four levels -- is second only to that of the more martial classes, such as the fighter. So if your warlock decides to enter combat, he can make a pretty good showing. He also has an excellent chance to hit most foes with his eldritch blasts, which are ranged touch attacks

Warlock Weaknesses

Warlocks pay a heavy price for their powerful magic. Here are a few of the disadvantages you should keep in mind if you're considering a warlock character.

• Fairly Low Hit Points: The warlock's 6-sided Hit Dice give him a few more hit points than most arcane spellcasters have. Nevertheless, he is still quite vulnerable to damage.

• Low Skill Points: At a mere two skill points per level, most warlocks don't accumulate many skill ranks, even with quadruple skill points at 1st level.

• Poor Reflex and Fortitude Saving Throws: Warlocks have the worst progression for Fortitude and Reflex saves in the game (see Table 3-1 in the Player's Handbook). Thus, they aren't so great at avoiding attacks on their bodies.

• Limited Magical Choices: You begin play with your eldritch blast ability and a single invocation. During your entire career, you'll choose only 11 more invocations. You have a limited ability to change the invocations you know, but for the most part you're stuck with what you choose, so choose carefully.