Survivability Warlock (3.5e Optimized Character Build)
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Contents |
[edit] Introduction
The warlock isn't the best of survivors. After all, with his small hit dice and lack of good armor, he just might be one of the first to fall. However, a well-planned warlock can survive much longer than some may think.
[edit] References
Complete Arcane, Complete Warrior, Core SRD and also the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (optional)
[edit] Game Rule Components
Mostly just the invocations.
[edit] Spells, Powers, Soulmelds, Stances, etc...
The invocations used will be listed in the progression.
[edit] Items
Wands mostly, and mostly healing wands. After all, that's what the warlock lacks the most.
[edit] Progression
Starting Ability Scores (Before Racial Adjustments): Anything, but try to have at least a 15 in Charisma, a 14 in Constitution, and a 12 in Dexterity.
Race (Templates):
Humans are recommended for the bonus feat as usual, but any will work. Also, the Strongheart Halfling from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting is very good for such a build.
Starting Racial Traits:
As per race.
| ECL | Class/HD/LA | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Feats | Class Features |
Special (Invocations Included) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | ||||||
| 1st | Warlock 1 | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Point Blank Shot, Alertness | Eldritch blast 1d6; least invocations | Darkness |
| 2nd | Warlock 2 | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | Detect Magic | Devil's Sight | |
| 3rd | Warlock 3 | +2 | +1 | +1 | +3 | Battle Caster | DR 1/cold iron; Eldritch blast 2d6 | |
| 4th | Warlock 4 | +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Deceive Item | Entropic Warding | |
| 5th | Warlock 5 | +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Eldritch Blast 3d6 | ||
| 6th | Warlock 6 | +4 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Improved Toughness | Lesser invocations | Flee the Scene |
| 7th | Warlock 7 | +5 | +2 | +2 | +5 | DR 2/cold iron; Eldritch blast 4d6 | ||
| 8th | Warlock 8 | +6/+1 | +2 | +2 | +6 | Fiendish Resilience 1 | Walk Unseen | |
| 9th | Warlock 9 | +6/+1 | +3 | +3 | +6 | Obtain Familiar | Eldritch Blast 5d6 | |
| 10th | Warlock 10 | +7/+2 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Energy Resistance 5 | Fell Flight | |
| 11th | Warlock 11 | +8/+3 | +3 | +3 | +7 | DR 3/cold iron; Eldritch blast 6d6; greater invocations | Wall of Perilous Flame | |
| 12th | Warlock 12 | +9/+4 | +4 | +4 | +8 | Extra Invocation | Imbue Item | Voidsense |
| 13th | Warlock 13 | +9/+4 | +4 | +4 | +8 | Fiendish Resilience 2 | Breath of the Night | |
| 14th | Warlock 14 | +10/+5 | +4 | +4 | +9 | Eldritch blast 7d6 | ||
| 15th | Warlock 15 | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +5 | +9 | Extra Invocation | DR 4/cold iron | Enervating Shadow |
| 16th | Warlock 16 | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +10 | Dark invocations | Path of Shadow | |
| 17th | Warlock 17 | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +10 | Eldritch blast 8d6 | ||
| 18th | Warlock 18 | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +6 | +11 | Extra Invocation | Fiendish Resilience 5 | Retributive Invisibility, Devour Magic |
| 19th | Warlock 19 | +14/+9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | DR 5/cold iron | ||
| 20th | Warlock 20 | +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +6 | +12 | Eldritch blast 9d6; energy resistance 10 | Word of Changing | |
[edit] Other Components
[edit] Highlights
All of the invocations listed in the progression are there in order to help you survive a battle. By 2nd level even, you should be able to escape from pretty much any monster without darkvision thanks to the darkness invocation (Devils' Eyes allows you to see in the darkness).
At 6th level, you can run away through walls and leave an illusion of you behind. This ability is very, very powerful in allowing you to survive. In a dungeon and facing an impossible fight? Pop a few invocations, and you're gone!
And from then on, the build just gains more and more survivability. The warlock, although at first difficult to keep alive without proper planning, becomes a given survivor by higher levels. Damage reduction, fiendish resilience, energy resistance, and the invocations to boot! The warlock becomes nearly unkillable when played properly.
Battle Caster enables you to ignore heavier armor's arcane spell failure chance. Medium Armor proficiency feat is required in order to use medium armor effectively.
[edit] Munchkin-Size Me
This is far from complete. I'm looking into prestige classes to make this a more capable survivalist.
You could sacrifice a feat for Shape Soulmeld, from Magic of Incarnum, then shape a Spellward Shirt, granting SR. If you change the race to Azurin, you still gain a bonus feat as a human, but also a point of Essentia, so investing all your Essentia in the Spellward Shirt grants 9 Spell Resistance from 1st to 5th level, 13 SR from 6th to 11th, 17 SR from 12th to 17th, and 21 SR from 18 to 20.
Two feats from Tome of Magic, Bind Vestige and Improved Bind Vestige, with the Focalor and choosing the special ability Aura of Sadness grants a -2 penalty to attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks to creatures adjacent to you.
Relentless Dispelling (Lesser Invocation), from Complete Mage, lets you use a targeted version of Dispel Magic, as the spell. On your next turn, the target is subjected to a second Dispel Magic, with no action required.
[edit] Side Notes
The rest of this will be completed later.
[edit] Limitations
[edit] DM Counters
[edit] Miscellaneous
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