Foreward: I love the flavor of the 4th Edition Warlock, though it's much more common for me to play in 3.5 games and there's still some appeal in the 3.5 Warlock. However, it always just seems to be missing something. The 4E Pacts offer a lot of versatility in the kind of character you play as a Warlock, and so I figured I'd try my hand at combining the two versions. However, it turned out to be more difficult than I anticipated. The current write-up, below, feels like it's gotten a little out of hand. I could use some help getting it back on track, and refining/finishing up the class features.
Beyond possibly polishing up or changing the current class features, I also don't have Greater Pact Boons written up yet, though the idea was to depart from the existing boons and grant something meatier to each Pact. I also need to fill in a few levels near the end, and decide what 'Apotheosis of the Adherent' actually gives you as an enticing capstone ability. I'm also not even sure if the Star Pact Boon is worthwhile or not, so it's definitely up for review/alteration.
The Warlock“At last! With but a drop of blood, the pact is made. I swear myself to your service, master, and in return-- unimaginable power!”Some study arcane tomes and scrolls in search for ancient lore and magical secrets. Some are born with a talent for spellcasting. Others, however, pledge themselves to a greater entity in search of a quick path to power. Such a road is dangerous to tread, and most do not survive the journey. A few, however, manage not only to grasp this forbidden power, but to hold onto it and make their mark upon the world.
MAKING A WARLOCK {descriptive text}
Abilities: Charisma is by far the most important ability score of a Warlock, as it governs how strong their powers are. A Warlock’s other abilities play a considerable role in their survival, though none are entirely essential. A Warlock with a high Intelligence proves to be highly skilled, while a high Dexterity makes for a nimble Warlock who relies on finesse rather than sheer force. Constitution, as always, helps improve survivability, though it becomes much more important to Warlocks of the Fiendish and Shadow pacts.
Races: Any race can make a good Warlock, as they seek their power from beyond. Humans make for the most versatile Warlocks, though any race known for strong personalities and willpower tend to excel as Warlocks.
Alignment: Any. Almost all Warlocks have at least one Chaotic or Evil alignment component, though Warlocks are sometimes forged from noble intentions and come from all walks of life.
Starting Gold: 4d4x10 (10 gp)
Starting Age: As Rogue.
Table: The Warlock | HD: d6 |
Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| Base Attack Bonus | +0 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +3 | +4 | +5 | +6/+1 | +6/+1 | +7/+2 | +8/+3 | +9/+4 | +9/+4 | +10/+5 | +11/+6/+1 | +12/+7/+2 | +12/+7/+2 | +13/+8/+3 | +14/+9/+4 | +15/+10/+5 |
| Fort Save | +0 | +0 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +2 | +2 | +2 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +4 | +4 | +4 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +6 | +6 | +6 |
| Ref Save | +0 | +0 | +1 | +1 | +1 | +2 | +2 | +2 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +4 | +4 | +4 | +5 | +5 | +5 | +6 | +6 | +6 |
| Will Save | +2 | +3 | +3 | +4 | +4 | +5 | +5 | +6 | +6 | +7 | +7 | +8 | +8 | +9 | +9 | +10 | +10 | +11 | +11 | +12 |
|
Special | Eldritch Blast, Pact, Invocations (least) | Pact Boon, Warlock’s Curse | Shadow Walk | Occult Senses, Deceive Item | Pact Resilience | Invocations (lesser) | Improved Warlock’s Curse | Improved Pact Boon | Pact Resilience (SR) | Energy Resistance | Invocations (greater) | Improved Warlock’s Curse | Pact Resilience (2/day) | Greater Pact Boon |
| Invocations (dark) | Improved Warlock’s Curse |
|
| Apotheosis of the Adherent |
| Invocations Known | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 |
|
Skills (4 + Int modifier, x4 at 1st level): Appraise, Balance, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Disable Device, Escape Artist, Hide, Knowledge (Arch + Eng), Knowledge (Dungeoneering), Knowledge (Local), Listen, Move Silently, Open Lock, Profession, Search, Sleight of Hand, Spot, Survival, Swim, Tumble, Use Magic Device
Class FeaturesWeapon and Armor Proficiencies: Warlocks gain proficiency with all simple weapons and light armor, but not with shields. Warlocks incur a spell failure chance from any armor or shield with which they are not proficient.
Saving Throws: Whenever a Warlock invocation or class feature requires an enemy to make a saving throw against the effect, the DC is equal to 10 + ½ your Warlock level + your Charisma modifier.
Eldritch Blast (Sp): You gain a magical attack that takes the form of a 60-ft ray. At first level, it deals 1d6 damage on a successful ranged touch attack. This damage increases by 1d6 for every two levels beyond first. This ability is the equivalent of a 1st level spell with a caster level equal to your class level.
Your Eldritch Blast can also be altered and enhanced through the use of Blast Shape and Blast Essence invocations (See below).
Firing your Eldritch Blast is an attack action, and thus you may make multiple Eldritch Blast attacks in a round provided your base attack bonus is high enough. In this case, any Blast Shape or Blast Essence you apply to your Eldritch Blast affects all rays you fire in that round.
Invocations: As the ability in Complete Arcane, pg. 7, except as follows:
A Warlock knows all invocations of each grade they have attained. Once each day, the Warlock draws upon their Patron’s power and selects their invocations for the day, chosen from the Invocations they know. You may not select more invocations of a higher grade than you have selected for a lower grade.
For instance, if you are an 11th level Warlock, you have 7 invocations and access to least, lesser, and greater invocations. If you select 2 lesser invocations, you cannot select 3 greater invocations. Thus, you could select 3 least invocations, 3 lesser invocations, and 1 greater invocation, or you could select 3 least invocations, 2 lesser invocations, and 2 greater invocations.
Blast Shape and Blast Essence invocations do not need to be chosen in this way. Once each round as a free action, you may choose to imbue your Eldritch Blast with one Blast Shape and one Blast Essence of your choice. This does not affect the time it takes to attack with an Eldritch Blast.
Pact: You have pledged yourself to a figure of great might, or perhaps an ancestor or other relative sold your loyalty without your consent. In the end, the result is the same- you serve a powerful master who provides you with fantastic arcane prowess. Your pact also determines the Pact Boons that you gain as you reach higher levels. At 1st level, you select a Pact chosen from those outlined below.
Fiendish PactYour soul belongs to a powerful fiend. Warlocks with a fiendish pact tend, more than any others, to be driven by a desire to spread destruction and discord. Examples of fiendish pact patrons include Archdevils, Demon Lords, or other individual fiends of great power.
You gain either Abyssal or Infernal as a bonus language known, depending on what sort of fiend you choose as a patron.
You also gain the following abilities at the levels indicated on the class table:
Pact Boon: When you hit with your eldritch blast against an enemy that is under the effect of your Warlock’s Curse, your body becomes suffused with supernatural Hellfire for 1 round. The next enemy that hits you with an attack while you are under this effect automatically takes 1d6 points of hellfire damage, +1d6 for every 3 warlock levels you possess. A successful Reflex save halves this damage. Additionally, when an enemy that is under the effects of your Warlock’s Curse is reduced to 0 hit points or fewer, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Warlock level + your Constitution modifier (minimum 1). Temporary hit points gained from this pact boon last for up to an hour.
Special: Hellfire damage is detailed in Fiendish Codex II (pg. 119). Hellfire burns hotter than normal fire and thus ignores resistance and immunity to fire.
Occult Senses (Ex): You gain darkvision out to 60 ft., and can see even in magical darkness out to 30 ft. If you already have darkvision (including that gained through an invocation), it is extended by an additional 30 ft.
Improved Pact Boon: When an enemy attacks you after being damaged by your eldritch blast, the damage they take increases to 2d6 + your Constitution modifier damage. Additionally, when an enemy triggers your pact boon by dropping to 0 or fewer HP, the temporary hit points you gain now equals twice your class level plus your Constitution modifier (minimum 1).
Fey PactYour fealty is sworn to a powerful fey entity. Warlocks with a fey pact tend to be capricious tricksters and charming charlatans. Examples of fey pact patrons include the Queen of Air and Darkness, the Erlking (synonymous with the Wild Hunt), or some other Archfey of great influence.
You gain Sylvan as a bonus language known.
You also gain the following abilities at the levels indicated on the class table:
Pact Boon: When you hit with your eldritch blast against an enemy that is under the effect of your Warlock’s Curse, you become invisible to the target for 1 round. Additionally, when an enemy that is under the effects of your Warlock’s Curse is reduced to 0 hit points or fewer, you may instantly teleport up to 15 feet in a direction of your choice.
Occult Senses (Ex and Sp): You gain Low-light vision; if you already have it, you can now see four times as far in conditions of shadowy illumination instead of the normal distance. Furthermore, you can Detect Magic, as the spell, at-will.
Improved Pact Boon (Su): When you hit with your eldritch blast against an enemy that is under the effect of your Warlock’s Curse, you cannot be sensed by the target by any means for 1 round, even by special sensory abilities such as scent or blindsight. Additionally, when an enemy triggers your pact boon by dropping to 0 hit points or fewer, the distance you teleport increases to 30 feet, and an illusory copy of you appears in any other space within 30 feet of the space you left. This copy operates like the figment provided by the Mirror Image spell, and lasts 1d4 rounds.
Star PactYou serve a powerful and unspeakable being from the Far Realm, an entity ripped from the nightmares of the darkest minds of the waking world- a being so unfathomable that their very existence is a perversion of reality itself. Such patrons are so obscure and alien that many do not even have a name capable of being comprehended by mortal minds. Warlocks with a star pact tend to be deeply disturbed, transitioning between feverish mutterings to the unseen and violent ranting about ‘the end times.’
You gain Undercommon as a bonus language known.
You also gain the following abilities at the levels indicated on the class table:
Pact Boon: When you hit with your eldritch blast against an enemy that is under the effect of your Warlock’s Curse, the target is struck with visions of the Far Realm for 1 round. If the target willingly moves closer to you while affected by these visions, they must immediately make a Will save. Failure means the target becomes Confused for 1 round, while success means the target is dazzled for 1 round. Additionally, when an enemy that is under the effects of your Warlock’s Curse is reduced to 0 hit points or fewer, for 1 round you may choose to reroll any single d20 roll you make during that time (including attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, and skill checks). If this reroll is not used after 1 round, it is lost. This bonus is cumulative; if three cursed enemies drop to 0 hit points or fewer during a round, you may reroll 3 different d20 rolls during the next round.
Occult Senses (Su): You gain telepathy usable at a distance of 50 ft., and blindsense out to 20 ft.
Improved Pact Boon (Su): When an enemy under your Warlock’s Curse fails their save against your confusion effect, they must roll twice to determine their actions for the duration, and you may choose between the results. Additionally, when an enemy triggers your pact boon by dropping to 0 hit points or fewer, the cumulative bonus is now +2 instead of a +1, and the bonus remains for up to 2 rounds before it is lost.
Shadow PactYour patron is a being of darkness, death, and secrecy. Warlocks with a Shadow Pact tend to be reserved and untrusting, more at home among the dead than with the living. Examples of shadow pact patrons include ancient Shadow Dragons, powerful creatures of the Underdark, or Gods with portfolios governing darkness, death, and deceit.
You gain Undercommon as a bonus language known.
You also gain the following abilities at the levels indicated on the class table:
Pact Boon: When you hit with your eldritch blast against an enemy that is under the effect of your Warlock’s Curse, you may take a number of points of HP damage up to your level as a free action. Each point of HP damage you take increases the attack’s damage by 2. Additionally, when an enemy that is under the effects of your Warlock’s Curse is reduced to 0 hit points or fewer, choose one of your allies within 60 ft. of you. You may deal an amount of HP damage to this ally equal to your class level; if you do so, two enemies of your choice under your Warlock's Curse take the same damage and are affected by a level of Soul Chill. The effects of Soul Chill are similar to a negative level, except it never results in permanent level loss, doesn't inherently deal any damage, and lasts only as long as your Warlock's Curse is active on the target. Targets who are immune to energy drain are also immune to Soul Chill.
Occult Senses (Ex and Su): You gain darkvision out to 60 ft., and can see invisible or ethereal creatures and objects as if they were normally visible, though only while in areas of dim light or darker. If you already have darkvision (including that gained through an invocation), it is extended by an additional 30 ft.
Improved Pact Boon (Su): When you hit with your eldritch blast against an enemy that is under the effect of your Warlock’s Curse, each point of HP damage you take as part of your boon increases the attack’s damage by 1d4. Additionally, when an enemy triggers your pact boon by dropping to 0 hit points or fewer, you may now target up to two allies and affect up four enemies under your Warlock's Curse. Your Soul Chill now also affects targets who are immune to energy drain.
Warlock’s Curse (Su): As a swift action once per round, you may place your Warlock’s Curse on a single enemy within Close range (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels). Against an enemy under your Warlock’s Curse, your eldritch blasts deal extra damage equal to your Charisma modifier. Your target takes this damage whether your attack hits or misses. Furthermore, your Pact Boon (see below) provides an enhanced effect against enemies under your curse. Your Warlock’s Curse lasts for 1 minute, although you can dispel the curse on any number of targets as a free action on your turn.
Your Warlock’s Curse improves as you gain levels.
At 7th level, you can now place your Warlock’s Curse on two enemies in range with a single swift action, and now all enemies currently affected by your Warlock’s Curse other than the primary target also take the bonus damage whenever you successfully hit with your eldritch blast. The duration extends to 1 minute per Warlock level you possess.
At 12th level, your Warlock’s Curse can affect three enemies in range, and it can now be placed as a free action on your turn (no more than once per round). The bonus damage increases to twice your Charisma modifier, and the duration becomes 1 hour per Warlock level you possess.
At 17th level, your Warlock’s Curse can instead affect all enemies in a 20-ft. radius burst from a point you specify within Medium range. Once per day as an immediate action, you may force an enemy under your Warlock’s Curse to reroll any one d20 roll it just made and take the worse result. If the target still succeeds on their roll, you do not lose the use of this ability. Lastly, you may choose to make your Warlock’s Curse duration permanent until you dispel it.
Pact Boon (Su): Throughout your career, your patron bestows you with new abilities and other gifts.These boons are dependent on which pact you made at 1st level. You are immune to any harmful effects of your own Pact Boons, and you may decide not to trigger them if you wish.
Shadow Walk (Su): On your turn, if you move at least 15 ft. away from where you started your turn you gain concealment for 1 round. Concealment imposes a 20% miss chance on all attacks made against you (unless the attack ignores concealment).
Occult Senses: At 4th level, the pact with your Patron empowers your awareness in new and mystical ways. See the Pact listings for descriptions of these abilities.
Deceive Item: As the ability in Complete Arcane, pg. 8.
Pact Resilience: At 5th level, your Patron’s gifts begin transforming your body, making it hardier and more resilient. You gain fast healing 1, and damage reduction equal to ½ your level, overcome by cold iron.
Once per day as a free action, you can enter a heightened state that lasts for 2 minutes. During this time, your fast healing improves to ½ your level and you gain energy resistance equal to your Warlock level against two different energy types (chosen from fire, cold, electricity, and acid). Once the duration ends, these abilities return to normal.
At 9th level, your Pact Resilience improves, improving your fast healing to 2 and granting you Spell Resistance equal to 11 + your level. While in your heightened state, your Spell Resistance improves to 15 + your level.
At 13th level, your fast healing improves to 3 and your damage reduction can only be overcome by weapons that are both magic and cold iron. Furthermore, you can enter your heightened state twice per day, and your energy resistance in this state applies to all four energy types.
Energy Resistance (Su): At 10th level, your patron’s influence grants resistance to specific types of harmful energy, typically influenced by your pact. Choose two from the following energy types: acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic. You gain resistance to those two types of energy equal to your Warlock level. This stacks with the energy resistance gained through Pact Resilience while in your heightened state.