Warlock Build plus a few Warlock related questions...

[Ravor]

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions/comments on the following Warlock build, I used Debug Mode to build it so all of the numbers should be correct...

Bare in mind that when playing Warlocks I almost always use Blasts in battle, in fact I don't think I've ever actually used a 'real' weapon after the Harvest Fair, but then again I've only just gotten to Neverwinter as well so that might not be feasible in the later parts of the game so I might have a crippled concept...

Human
Warlock (20)
Hit Points 140
Armor Class 14

Str 10
Dex 16 (+3)
Con 10
Int 16 (+3)
Wis 10
Cha 19 (+4)

Skills (The following numbers are taken directly from the game while my character was naked without anything in his pack, so the inherant bonuses should be correct as well.)

Bluff 27
Concentration 23
Diplomacy 15
Intimidate 27
Lore 28
Spellcraft 28
Use Magic Device 20

Feats
Natural Leader (Background Feat)
Luck of the Heroes
Toughness
Combat Casting
Spell Penetration
Greater Spell Penetration
Able Learner
Improved Resist Energy (Fire & Cold)
Improved Initiative
Craft Wonderous Item

Spells

Dark One's own Luck
Eldritch Spear
Leaps and Bounds

Brimstone Blast
Eldritch Chain
Walk Unseen

Devour Magic
Eldritch Cone
Chilling Tentacles

Dark Foresight
Eldritch Doom
Utterdark Blast

Now, I'm not sure whether or not my Diplomacy skill will be able to get high enough to actually be worth using a feat on 'Able Learner' or if I would be better off simply dumping those points into 'Use Magic Device' and forgetting Diplomacy altogether. (Other then getting a few 'goodies' in the very beginning of the game I can't see where it has actually helped me so far, but then again I might have just had bad rolls as well...)

Also I'm torn between trading 'Leaps & Bounds' for 'See the Unseen' and then trading two feats for "Battle Caster' and 'Armor Proficiency (Medium)' to make my Armor Class back. ('Improved Initiative' and either 'Craft Wonderous Item' or possibly 'Able Learner' would be the two feats to go.)

I'm not really sure what two elements should be choosen for my resistances, so I went with Fire and Cold as the classics.

Personally I'm not too thrilled with 'Walk Unseen', but none of the other 'Lesser' spells jump out at me as must haves, so it got picked.

I'm also torn between 'Chilling Tentacles' and 'Tenacious Plague', although in the quick test against weaker oppenents 'Chilling Tentacles' does seem more powerful for Crowd Control.

And lastly, although by reading the rules, 'Brimstone Blast' should actually do more damage, while playing 'Utterdark Blast' seemed the more powerful of the two. Is that actually the case or simply the luck of the dice while I was testing the two? Also does the 'Level Draining' from Utterdark Blast affect the ammount of exp gained?

Thanks,

P.S. Crafting Wonderous Objects doesn't actually use a Skill, just the ability to cast the proper spell even if its off a scroll right?

Thanks Again,

[mCrvn]

as i've tested diplomacy often makes great wonders if you want to NOT fight. and most often intimidate works even better... or even simply bluff and i don't find the money earned through diplomacy thing to be worth spending so many points into the skill - but that is simply my own personal feeling...

as one of my colleagues at the Playback.pl once said - you can choose 2 approaches, or mix them up. first is the most potent - the buffing up, as most of the warlocks buffs last far longer then those of sorcs or wizs... and you get offensive to use all the essences to improve your blasts, without which later on on higher difficulty (i mean the "hardcore") you won't be so gutsy with quite a big mob - do remember that 1 blast = 1 round (if not tuned up ) whereas warriors get 5 attacks per 1 round...

i dare say - forget the crafts - you won't be having spells needed to make most of the most powerful items after all. still i believe that warlocks are most potent spellcasters as most of the spells cast by sorc or wiz are also casted 1 spell per 1 round so they're having as much time as warlocks... which is almost none. but warlocks have unlimited blasts... which is far more useful!

ah and remember - blasts don't count the ac into their usage, yet they do count dicerolls... so maybe this is where that sudden decrease in hitpoints taken became apparent?

as for the resistances i chose fire and acid and can't remember if anytime be willing to change those...

as for chil.tent. and the plague - i chose the plague and i dare say it was worth it... yet i might be wrong with this...

and as for the leaps and bounds and see the unseen - the latter is useful against only those with improved invisibility... as the normal inv vanishes as soon as you're hit, and then the attacker should think twice where to run away from your blasts plus should you be attacked you have the invisibility of yours... that will damage the attacker when/after you get "found"... ah and warlock does get a feat that decreases the weight of the problem to almost noneexisting one

[Ravor]

Thanks for the suggestions, something else I was considering after playing with the character creator a bit is changing the stats so the end result looks like this:

Str 8 (-1)
Dex 16 (+3) 20 (+5) With Leaps and Bounds active
Con 12 (+1)
Int 16 (+3)
Wis 8 (-1)
Cha 20 (+5)

As far as I can tell, as long as I stick with Blasts or crossbows I should be ok, considering that the extra Cha bonus adds +1 to all my saving throws with Dark One's own Luck active to make up for the -1 Will. Plus an extra 20 HP can come in handy...

Hmm, if I drop Craft Wonderous Item, then what feat would do me the most good? Do Warlock Blasts have a 'Magical School' that they are considered part of that one of the Magical Focus Feats would do any good?

Thanks,

[mCrvn]

where as far as i recall no specific spell school or magical focus would work... with low str and the blasts being touch attacks i don't know if this would decrease your potential attack power... yet i'm no guru here, so i would like to hear if taking weapon finese to use the dex rolls instaed of str is useful with warlocks. otherwise i'd use either dodge + mobility for the better on the field moves, or something to increase the rolls or saves... especially will saves. still warlock's magic immunity (i believe there is one) will do its magic if encountering mind affecting spells.

ah one more thing - do consider the low hp you get from that +1 con... it might be life and death when facing enraged huge mob of different foes... but stick to the dark one's own luck - as its somewhat palladins grace and i dare say one of the best feats you can get with warlocks...

[Xandax]

where as far as i recall no specific spell school or magical focus would work... with low str and the blasts being touch attacks i don't know if this would decrease your potential attack power... yet i'm no guru here, so i would like to hear if taking weapon finese to use the dex rolls instaed of str is useful with warlocks.<snip>

Ranged Touch relies AFAIK solely on dexterity for attack bonus (and base attack bonus), so strength or finesse or similar weapon skills will do nothing for you.

[Fljotsdale]

Um. This is off topic, BUT it IS about Warlocks...

I've considered making a Warlock, but I tend to opt for CG or CN, both of which ARE open to Warlocks - but I tend to keep getting told my 'actions have moved you 1 (or even 3) points towards good'. Will this affect the status of a Warlock, which is an inherantly Evil class, or just the Prestige class(es) she could gain?

[mCrvn]

simply next time you run into a person that doesn't want to do what you believe he/she is to do - slip his/her throat

as for the warlock class there is no data if being a good natured warlock you lose any of the class skills, so only if multiclassed you'd have to take into account the other class restrictions. still better why multiclass warlock with prestige classes? you will hardly find a class that would benefit from coupling, and less known essences isn't good for the warlock either - he already has a limited amount of "spells"...

[Ravor]

Fljotsdale, well I've always played a Chaotic Good Warlock and haven't had any problems on the 'Goodness' side of things, although I have had to watch my 'Lawfulness' a time or two... *winks*

[Fljotsdale]

Thanks, guys!

Ravor - I think maybe I WILL try a Warlock! What race did you choose? I really fancy a Drow, but they level SOooooo slowly! - which wouldn't matter so much, I suppose, since they don't go for Prestige - but my patience, though fairly good, is limited!

[Ravor]

Well personally I choose human for the extra Feat and Skill Points, although I 'might' have gone Assimar if I knew for I fact I'd be able to reach 20th Level, (In my opinion Warlocks are one of the few classes that should only be single class and must be able to get to 20th level, and I'm normally a huge fan of multiclassing.) and the Stats I would have been able to get using a Gold Elf were very tempting until I couldn't decide which skill I wanted to give up. (Plus call me shallow if you want, but I just didn't like the looks of Gold Elves, and for some reason the Moon Elves seemed to have a -4 Con instead of -2, which didn't allow me to get the stats I needed.)

[mCrvn]

and that is why my first warlock was a drow bonuses to charisma and dexterity are quite very useful and you get spell resistance... what can you ask more? yet i do not remember if i've reached lvl 20 cause my machine (hdd to be exact) broke down and i had to start it over and so i ended now playing LE duergar monk if i happen not to reach lvl 20 with this build i'm pretty close to simply forget about the game 'till apropriate update is presented

major drawback for drow warlock was really the slow levelling (due to ecl+2), yet once you realize that suddenly you get quite impressive feats to simply stay alive, to keep yourself out of spells' reach... wow you quickly find yourself ready to use the one and only warlock essence you choose (with slower levelling you find yourself more thinking about the pros and cons for each of the essence to choose from).

[Fljotsdale]

I now have a Drow Warlock. She is now level 4 - and almost didn't get there because it took me an age to figure out how to use her magic. Yeah, I'm dumb, and I didn't read the manual about it - I assume the on-disc Manual explains it? I must look - so I had to play the trial and error game. Went through all the early stuff just using a mace. She 'died' a lot.

[mCrvn]

well i don't remember if i've seen the help in the manual on disk, yet taking the tutorial was the simplest step to do if not knowing the mechanics... Fljotsdale - the trial and error technique is still the best probable technique to learn something new ah now that you know how to wield warlock's potent magic - do remember that your power will increase quite fast by the time you reach nwn city and go to the tomb by the tyr's monastery you'll dish out a lot of damage...

[Fljotsdale]

Yeah, mCrvn, I looked in the disc Manual as soon as I went off-line - I thought it was about time! But there was not a smidgeon of info on the actual mechanics of USING Warlock magic. All I had to go on when I started playing Warlock was a vague memory of having seen somewhere on this site that you have to COMBINE magics to get them to work; but combine HOW? Nothing. Combine WHAT? Nothing. But I seem to have figured it out, lol! I guess I should make more use of the SEARCH function than I do.

And yeah - trial and error is a good way of learning.

BUT! I also think the info should have been included in the Manual.

[Magrus]

It is, it is just poorly written for those who have no clue as to the game design. They basically just stated you treat Warlock invocations as sorcerer or bards treat their meta-magic feats on the quickcast menu, and you can spontaneously convert cleric and druid spells on the quickcast menu.

Given the fact they took the time to design a tutorial for user use, which is more costly and time consuming than writing and printing a manual...it is generally a good idea to bear with it at least once. Generally a good idea to do so with one of the more complex classes, generally spellcasters needing the most help. Some things are best learn when doing or seeing, rather than reading about them. They do these tutorials for exactly that purpose.

[Fljotsdale]

Well the game's Tutorial section told me nothing whatever about how to use a Warlock's magic. Neither did the on-disc manual nor the pathetic little paper Manual included in the box. It is an unforgivable omission, imo.

[truwen]

where as far as i recall no specific spell school or magical focus would work... with low str and the blasts being touch attacks i don't know if this would decrease your potential attack power... yet i'm no guru here, so i would like to hear if taking weapon finese to use the dex rolls instaed of str is useful with warlocks. otherwise i'd use either dodge + mobility for the better on the field moves, or something to increase the rolls or saves... especially will saves. still warlock's magic immunity (i believe there is one) will do its magic if encountering mind affecting spells.

ah one more thing - do consider the low hp you get from that +1 con... it might be life and death when facing enraged huge mob of different foes... but stick to the dark one's own luck - as its somewhat palladins grace and i dare say one of the best feats you can get with warlocks...

Strength does not effect a warlocks blasts as his blasts are ranged touch attacks you have to roll a D20 against your oppenents ac...I think its touch ac which I believe negates armor and maybe dex? I don't remember this I'd have to look it up. Ultimately a warlock is shooting a ray (eldritch blast) so you have to roll your d20, add your dex modifier and any bonuses you might have to that like point blank shot, without point blank shot you will lose -4 to your attack roll if you are firing from behind your group into combat...just like using a bow or cross bow you will need that point blank shot.

In NWN2 there is no quicken spell like ability feat yet, but until that exists I don't think there are a lot of feats that are warlock friendly, right now I would focus on building your warlock around either buffing or blasting, and with blasting you want to get as much bonuses to your attack roll as possible to make you even more potent, of course though when you get enough levels and the right blast shapes you won't have to roll the attack with some of your AOE shapes, like Doom, which is an automatic hit to anyone in the radious with a reflex save = half damage.

Any way I hope this clears up some things...strength is not important with blasting, only dex is.

-Truwen

[truwen]

simply next time you run into a person that doesn't want to do what you believe he/she is to do - slip his/her throat

as for the warlock class there is no data if being a good natured warlock you lose any of the class skills, so only if multiclassed you'd have to take into account the other class restrictions. still better why multiclass warlock with prestige classes? you will hardly find a class that would benefit from coupling, and less known essences isn't good for the warlock either - he already has a limited amount of "spells"...

Warlock can be any evil or any chaotic so if you are chaotic good you are in the correct allignment for the class, from what I can see if you move your alignment out of chaotic or evil you don't lose your ability to cast your invocations like a paladin if he moved from his required alignment would lose his spells/special abilities.

From the Complete Arcane....Keep in mind all of the rules from the players hand books and other source rule books are not necesarily implemented into NWN2..with that said I will quote a few things here relevent to this topic.

"Warlocks have the following game statistics.
Abilities: A high Charisma score makes a warlock’s
invocations harder to resist. High Dexterity is very valuable
to a warlock, allowing him to better aim his eldritch blasts,
and a good Constitution score is also useful.
Alignment: Any evil or any chaotic.
Hit Die: d6."


"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 qualifi cations:
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 specifi cally
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 modifi er.
Since spell-like abilities are not actually spells, a warlock
cannot benefi t from the Spell Focus feat. He can, however,
benefi t from the Ability Focus feat (see page 303 of the Monster
Manual), as well as from feats that emulate metamagic 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 1–1 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 this book.
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 Profi ciency above. Warlocks
can qualify for some prestige classes usually intended for
spellcasters; see Warlocks and Prestige Classes, page 18,
for details."

[gannthedreams]

My deep gnome warlock!!!!!!Battle warlock!!!!!!
(Hope you don't mind I paste it here again)