Warlock

The Weald On Skal, travelers come and go. No one asks too many questions; the locals just want to hunt and mine in peace. But they're extra careful around the Weald.

The rumors describe the witch differently each time; some times she is covered in boils and ancient; other times, young and beautiful; one tale says she's an orc that paints her skin. All the stories go the same way though: when they saw the witch it was the last thing they remembered before waking up at the gates of Skaljard.

There are wicked things hiding out in those woods, preying on the foolish through the dark winters. Spirits of vicious cold and cruelty, it's said. But the witch was seen conversing with them like close friends; in the same league, without doubt. The bounties are posted for the witch; they fear her more than the winter creatures she works with. Because they don't know who she is; she could be among the village right now, corrupting the youth and poisoning the well. Her motives are inscrutable, but her handiwork has been confirmed only once, when a guard who went missing on patrol was found in those woods, shouting one phrase over and over again with a hoarse voice:

"Tread lightly."

Overview

Power rules the world. Those with power get what they want, and keep it from those who want it. Those without power find only lack. Sometimes people who desire power achieve it; others lack the means, or are prevented by those who already have power. If they desire power more than anything else, they can cut a deal with an evil entity and become a Warlock.

Warlocks wield an unlimited supply of magic granted to them by their patron, and become resilient and some even capable of summoning powerful creatures to aid them. Their power comes at a grave cost, however; they owe a malevolent force a great debt that they are often asked to repay, especially at personal sacrifice. This makes them hated in most goodly places, as hated as any necromancer, fiend, or undead would be. Banishment is the least a warlock can expect in such places if their pact is discovered; death is often considered a close second.

Creating a Warlock and Restrictions

Warlock is a path of Bard. Characters must take at least one level of bard to become a warlock, and all bard levels become warlock levels. They do not gain spells as a bard normally would, cannot use bard song or curse song, and lose Bardic Knowledge. Warlocks CANNOT be of good alignment. Those who truly held goodness in high regard would not deal with the dark entities that grant warlocks patronage. And they would not be able to pay the prices involved. When warlocks cast magic their eyes glow red or green based on having a fiendish or fey patron. Characters can use this to identify a warlock if they are not careful. Wearing helmets can often hide this effect. Warlocks are hated by most surface societies. Regardless of their intention, even common folk know that warlocks sold their soul or something of equal value to something that wishes them harm in exchange for their power, and will get them driven out of town at their earliest convenience. Societies that tend more towards neutrality or evil may tolerate warlocks, but they will still find it more difficult to earn trust than other characters, because no one knows when the warlock's patron will ask for their death.

Key Mechanics:

Key Mechanics at Level 20

  • BAB: 15/10/5
  • HP: 160+20xConstitution
  • Saves: +6 Fort, +12 Reflex, +12 Will
  • Skills: 80 + 20xIntelligence: Appraise, bluff, concentration, craft armor, craft trap, craft weapon, discipline, heal, hide, listen, lore, move silently, parry, perform, persuade, pick pocket, spellcraft, taunt, tumble, use magic device

Pact

  • Warlocks must choose a type of patron from which they derive their power. This choice usually can't be changed. The available sources are:
  • Infernal - A devil or other non-demon fiend grants the character power. Requires non-good and non-chaotic alignment.
  • Abyssal - A demon or other non-devil fiend grants the character power. Requires non-good and non-lawful alignment.
  • Fey - An archfey of the Unseelie court or another dark fey entity grants the character power. Requires non-good alignment.
  • Fiendish (Infernal/Abyssal) and Fey pacts grant different sets of powers and spells.
  • Eldritch Spellcasting - Based on their pact choice, warlocks receive spells as they level up which they can cast an unlimited number of times per day, generally with no cooldown (exceptions apply).
  • These spells derive their attack and DC from the character's Charisma modifier.
  • Fiend Spells involve summoning fiends, self-enhancement, and battle-themed magic.
  • Fey Spells involve enchantment, illusion, self-protection, healing, and inflicting ailments on enemies.
  • Eldritch Blast: In order for a hostile Warlock spell to affect a targeted creature, they must succeed on a ranged attack roll using their charisma modifier and base attack bonus. With exceptions of certain enchantment spells, succeeding on this roll inflicts Eldritch Blast damage to the target. This damage can have its type changed as the Warlock levels up, and available types are based on Pact type. Powerful debuff effects deal less damage, and AoE spells only deal Eldritch Blast damage to a single targeted creature. Eldritch Blast doesn't occur if the warlock targets the ground with an effect.
  • Warlock Resillience: As warlocks level up they become resistant to harm. They gain Uncanny Dodge, minor physical damage resistance, and major reduction to damage from elements associated with their pact: Fire and Acid for Fiendish and Cold/Electric for Fey.
  • Eldritch Essence: Certain Eldritch blast damage types have additional effects, which improve with level.
  • Fire (Fiendish Only): Reduces the target's attack for four rounds, and if you have a summon active, gives the summon bonus attack for this same duration.
  • Cold (Fey Only): Reduces the target's AC for four rounds, and if you have a summon active, gives the summon bonus AC for this same duration.
  • Negative (Fiendish Only): Deals bonus Negative energy damage, and if you have a summon active, heals the summon for a similar amount.

  • Summons

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  • Feindish Warlocks gain access to a suite of Summon Creature spells. These spells will only summon Fiends;
  • Infernal Warlocks will summon devils, and Abyssal Warlocks will summon demons. These summons range from tame fodder to fiendish generals at the highest levels. -
  • Summons have a cooldown of 1+spell level rounds after dying before they can be cast again.