Warlock
Alignment: Any evil or any chaotic.
Hit Die: d6.
Class Skills
Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Fly (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcane) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Hit Die: d6.
Class Skills
Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Fly (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcane) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | Invocations Known |
1st | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Eldritch blast 1d6, Invocation (least) | 1 |
2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | Detect magic | 2 |
3rd | +2 | +1 | +1 | +3 | Eldritch blast 2d6, Damage reduction 1/cold iron | 2 |
4th | +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Deceive item, Fiendish resilience 1 | 3 |
5th | +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Eldritch blast 3d6 | 3 |
6th | +4 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Invocation (lesser) | 4 |
7th | +5 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Eldritch blast 4d6, Damage reduction 2/cold iron, Fiendish resilience 2 | 4 |
8th | +6/+1 | +2 | +2 | +6 | - | 5 |
9th | +6/+1 | +3 | +3 | +6 | Eldritch blast 5d6 | 5 |
10th | +7/+2 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Energy resistance 5, Fiendish resilience 3 | 6 |
11th | +8/+3 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Eldritch blast 6d6, Invocation (greater), Damage reduction 3/cold iron | 7 |
12th | +9+4 | +4 | +4 | +8 | - | 7 |
13th | +9/+4 | +4 | +4 | +8 | Eldritch blast 7d6, Fiendish resilience 4 | 8 |
14th | +10/+5 | +4 | +4 | +9 | - | 8 |
15th | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +5 | +9 | Eldritch blast 8d6, Damage reduction 4/cold iron | 9 |
16th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +10 | Invocation (dark), Fiendish resilience 5 | 10 |
17th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +10 | Eldritch blast 9d6 | 10 |
18th | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +6 | +11 | - | 11 |
19th | +14/+9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | Eldritch blast 10d6, Damage reduction 5/cold iron | 11 |
20th | +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +6 | +12 | Energy resistance 10 | 12 |
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Warlocks are proficient with all simple weapons. They are proficient with light armor but not with shields.
Because the somatic components required for warlock invocations are relatively simple, a warlock can use any of his invocations while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like arcane spellcasters, a warlock wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure (all invocations, including eldritch blast, have a somatic component). A multiclass warlock still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from levels in other classes.
Invocations: 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. Since spell-like abilities are not actually spells, a warlock cannot benefit from the Spell Focus feat. He can, however, benefit from the Ability Focus feat (see page ? of the Beastiery), 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 ? and ? of the Beastiery).
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 described below. A list of available invocations can be found following this class description.
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. Warlocks benefit in a specific way from prestige classes that have “+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class” or “+1 level of existing spellcasting class” as a level advancement benefit. A warlock taking levels in such a prestige class does not gain any of his class abilities, but he does gain an increased caster level when using his invocations and increased damage with his eldritch blast. Levels of prestige classes that provide +1 level of spellcasting effectively stack with the warlock’s level to determine his eldritch blast damage (treat his combined caster level as his warlock class level to determine eldritch blast damage) and his eldritch blast caster level (half his total caster level from his warlock levels and his levels in the prestige class that grant him an increased spellcasting level). A warlock also gains new invocations known at these prestige class levels as though he had gained a level in the warlock class.
A warlock cannot qualify for prestige classes with spellcasting level requirements, as he never actually learns to cast spells. However, prestige classes with caster level requirements are well suited to the warlock. A warlock’s caster level for his invocations fulfills this requirement.
Eldritch Blast (Sp): The first ability a warlock learns is eldritch blast. A warlock attacks his foes with eldritch power, using baleful magical energy to deal damage and sometimes impart other debilitating effects. 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 at 1st level and increases in power as the warlock rises in level. An eldritch blast is the equivalent of a spell whose level is equal to one-half the warlock’s class level (round down), with a minimum spell level of 1st and a maximum of 9th when a warlock reaches 18th level or higher. An eldritch blast is subject to spell resistance, although the Spell Penetration feat and other effects that improve caster level checks to overcome spell resistance also apply to eldritch blast. An eldritch blast deals half damage to objects. Metamagic feats cannot improve a warlock’s eldritch blast (because it is a spell-like ability, not a spell). However, the feat Ability Focus (eldritch blast) increases the DC for all saving throws (if any) associated with a warlock’s eldritch blast by 2. See page ? of the Beastiery.
Detect Magic (Sp): Beginning at 2nd level, a warlock can use detect magic as the spell at will. His caster level equals his class level.
Damage Reduction (Su): Fortified by the supernatural power fl owing in his body, a warlock becomes resistant to physical attacks at 3rd level and above, gaining damage reduction 1/cold iron. At 7th level and every four levels thereafter, a warlock’s damage reduction improves.
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.
Fiendish Resilience (Su): A warlock knows the trick of fiendish resilience. Beginning at 4th level, a warlock can enter a state for a number of rounds per day equal to 10 + his Charisma modifier. While in this state, the warlock gains fast healing 1. The rounds do not need to be consecutive. At 7th level and every three levels thereafter, a warlock’s fiendish resilience improves to a max of fast healing 5 at 16th.
Energy Resistance (Su): At 10th level and higher, a warlock has resistance 5 against any two of the following energy types: acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic. Once the types are chosen, this energy resistance cannot be changed. At 20th level, a warlock gains resistance 10 against the two selected types of energy.
Warlock Invocations
Warlocks choose the invocations they learn as they gain levels, much like bards or sorcerers choose which spells to learn. However, a warlock’s arcane repertoire is even more limited than that of a sorcerer, and his invocations are spell like abilities, not spells.
In addition to its grade (least, lesser, greater, or dark), every invocation has a spell level equivalent, which is used in the calculation of save DCs and for other purposes. A least invocation has a level equivalent of 1st or 2nd; a lesser, 3rd or 4th; a greater, 5th or 6th; and a dark invocation has a level equivalent of 6th or higher (maximum 9th). The level equivalent for each invocation is given in its description in Warlock Spells and Invocations.
A warlock can dismiss any invocation as a standard action, just as a wizard can dismiss a spell.
Invocations and Eldritch Blast: Eldritch blast is not an invocation, but some invocations provide a warlock with the ability to modify his eldritch blast or add new eldritch attacks.
Eldritch Essence Invocations
Some of a warlock’s invocations, such as frightful blast, modify the damage or other effects of the warlock’s eldritch blast. These are called eldritch essence invocations. Unless noted otherwise, eldritch blasts modified by eldritch essence invocations deal damage normally in addition to imparting the effects described in the invocation description.
A warlock can apply only one eldritch essence invocation to a single eldritch blast, choosing from any of the eldritch essence invocations that he knows. When a warlock applies an eldritch essence invocation to his eldritch blast, the spell level equivalent of the modified blast is equal to the spell level of the eldritch blast or of the eldritch essence invocation, whichever is higher. If a warlock targets a creature with an eldritch essence blast that has immunity to the invocation’s effect, it still takes the damage from the blast normally (provided it isn’t also immune to the eldritch blast).
A warlock can apply an eldritch essence invocation and a blast shape invocation (see below) to the same blast. When a warlock uses both kinds of invocations to alter an eldritch blast, the spell level equivalent is equal to the spell level of the eldritch blast, the level of the eldritch essence invocation, or the level of the blast shape invocation, whichever is higher.
Example: Morthos, a 1st-level warlock, decides to make his eldritch blast attack into a frightful blast. Morthos’s eldritch blast is the equivalent of a 1st-level spell, while frightful blast is an effect equivalent to a 2nd-level spell. His frightful blast is thus the equivalent of a 2nd-level spell.
Least Eldritch Essence Invocations
Frightful Blast: Target must make Will save or become shaken.
Sickening Blast: Target must make Fortitude save or become sickened.
Lesser Eldritch Essence Invocations
Beshadowed Blast: Target must make Fortitude save or become blind for 1 round.
Brimstone Blast: Blast deals fire damage and target must make Reflex save or catch fire.
Hellrime Blast: Blast deals cold damage and target must make Fortitude save or take –2 penalty to Dexterity.
Greater Eldritch Essence Invocations
Bewitching Blast: Target must make Will save or be confused for 1 round.
Noxious Blast: Target must make Fortitude save or be nauseated.
Repelling Blast: Target must make Refl ex save or be knocked back.
Vitriolic Blast: Blast ignores spell resistance and deals acid damage for several rounds.
Dark Eldritch Essence Invocation
Utterdark Blast: Target must make Fortitude save or gain two negative levels.
Blast Shape Invocations
Some of a warlock’s invocations, such as eldritch spear, modify the range, target(s), or area of a warlock’s eldritch blast. These are called blast shape invocations. Unless noted otherwise, eldritch blasts subject to blast shape invocations deal damage normally in addition to imparting the effects described in the invocation description. A warlock can apply only one blast shape at a time to an eldritch blast, and he can choose from any of the blast shape invocations that he knows. A warlock need not apply a blast shape invocation to his eldritch blast. When a warlock applies a blast shape invocation to his eldritch blast, the spell-level equivalent is equal to the spell level of the eldritch blast or of the blast shape invocation, whichever is higher.
A warlock can apply a blast shape invocation and an eldritch essence invocation (see Eldritch Essence Invocations above) to the same blast. When a warlock uses an eldritch essence and a blast shape to alter an eldritch blast, the spell-level equivalent is equal to the spell level of the eldritch blast, the eldritch essence invocation, or the blast shape invocation, whichever is higher.
Example: Morthos decides to make his eldritch blast attack a hellrime eldritch spear. As a 6th-level warlock, Morthos’s eldritch blast is the equivalent of a 3rd-level spell. Eldritch spear is the equivalent of a 2nd-level spell, while hellrime blast is the equivalent of a 4th-level spell. His hellrime eldritch spear is therefore the equivalent of a 4th-level spell.
Least Blast Shape Invocations
Eldritch Spear: Blast range increases to 250 feet.
Hideous Blow: Melee attack channels eldritch blast.
Lesser Blast Shape Invocation
Eldritch Chain: Blast jumps from initial target to secondary targets.
Greater Blast Shape Invocation
Eldritch Cone: Blast takes the shape of a cone.
Dark Blast Shape Invocation
Eldritch Doom: Blast affects all enemies within 20 feet.
Other Invocations
In addition to the potent blast shape and eldritch essence invocations, warlocks learn a number of others that enable them to perform many tricks and attacks. These invocations are briefly described below, and their full descriptions can be found under Warlock Spells and Invocations.
Least Invocations
Baleful Utterance: Speak word of the Dark Speech and shatter objects as the shatter spell.
Beguiling Influence: Gain bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks.
Breath of the Night: Create a fog cloud as the spell.
Dark One’s Own Luck: Gain a luck bonus on one type of saves.
Darkness: Use darkness as the spell.
Devil’s Sight: See normally in darkness and magical darkness.
Entropic Warding: Deflect incoming ranged attacks, leave no trail, and prevent being tracked by scent.
Leaps and Bounds: Gain bonus on Balance, Jump, and Tumble checks.
Miasmic Cloud: Create a cloud of mist that grants concealment and fatigues those who enter.
See the Unseen: Gain see invisibility as the spell and darkvision.
Spiderwalk: Gain spider climb as the spell and you are immune to webs.
Summon Swarm: Use summon swarm as the spell.
Lesser Invocations
Charm: Cause a single creature to regard you as a friend.
Curse of Despair: Curse one creature as the bestow curse spell, or hinder their attacks.
The Dead Walk: Create undead as the animate dead spell.
Fell Flight: Gain a fly speed with good maneuverability.
Flee the Scene: Use short-range dimension door as the spell, and leave behind a major image.
Hungry Darkness: Create shadows filled with a swarm of bats.
Voidsense: Gain blindsense 30 feet.
Voracious Dispelling: Use dispel magic as the spell, causing damage to creatures whose effects are dispelled.
Walk Unseen: Use invisibility (self only) as the spell.
Greater Invocations
Chilling Tentacles: Use Evard’s black tentacles as the spell, and deal extra cold damage to creatures in the area.
Devour Magic: Use targeted greater dispel magic with a touch and gain temporary hit points based on the level of spells successfully dispelled.
Enervating Shadow: Gain total concealment in dark areas and impose a Strength penalty on adjacent living creatures.
Tenacious Plague: Use insect plague as the spell, but the summoned locust swarm deals damage as a magic weapon.
Wall of Perilous Flame: Create a wall of fire as the spell, but half the damage from the wall results from supernatural power.
Warlock’s Call: Use sending as the spell, but risk damage from recipient.
Dark Invocations
Dark Discorporation: Become a swarm of batlike shadows, gaining many benefits of the swarm subtype.
Dark Foresight: Use foresight as the spell, and communicate telepathically with a close target of the effect.
Path of Shadow: Use shadow walk as the spell and speed up natural healing.
Retributive Invisibility: Use greater invisibility as the spell (self only) that deals damage in a burst if dispelled.
Word of Changing: Use baleful polymorph as the spell, but the effect could become permanent.