Warlock

The lure of power is a siren call, singing to the downtrodden and oppressed, the outcast and the exiled. The dregs of society hunger for power; the power to destroy their oppressors, to take vengeance upon those who cast them out, and make a new, better place for themselves in the world. Yet those who have it are not immune to its wiles. Men of wealth and stature, already of great power, ever crave more. They seek the power to subjugate, to dominate and control beyond their wildest dreams. Others seek power for a nobler cause, looking to protect and heal the innocent and defenseless. Whatever the goal, the result is always the same when a man seeks to take a shortcut on the road to power. Dreadful entities seek mortal vessels to spread their agendas, and they offer incredible power in exchange for obedience, a price many mortals are all too willing to pay.

**Role:** The warlock serves a unique role in a party, as he is similar to a traditional spellcaster and yet altogether something else. A warlock’s invocations offer some out of combat utility, but most lend themselves for use on the battlefield. Warlocks specialize in abilities that allow them to deal damage over time and over a wide area, as well as debilitating foes with status effects. Their eldritch blast is also able to deliver consistent, if moderate for their level, damage to single foes, and can be altered to inflict status effects and hit multiple foes.

**Alignment:** Any. Most of the forces that grant a warlock power are evil, and those that aren’t are too alien and capricious to be considered good, but a creature of any alignment may swear to any pact; though more than a few pure souls have been corrupted by dark powers they thought they could control.

**Hit Die:** d6.

**Starting Wealth:** 2d6 x 10 (average 70 gp). In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

#### **Class skills**

The warlock’s class skills are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Perception (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha)

**Skill Ranks per Level**: 4 + Int modifier

### **Class Features**

The following are class features of the warlock.

**Weapon and Armor Proficiency:** Warlocks are proficient with all simple weapons as well as light armor and shields.

#### **Pact:**

A warlock comes into his power by forging a pact with a dark and mysterious entity, binding himself to its will in exchange for arcane might. A warlock’s pact has several effects:

• A warlock’s pact determines the type of damage dealt by his eldritch blast.

• It determines the warlock’s elemental resistances and the type of his damage reduction.

• Each pact has a number of invocations only available to warlocks who have taken that pact.

• Each pact has a particular alignment. The warlock does not have to match this alignment, but no matter what his actual alignment, he will detect only as his pact’s alignment, and is affected by alignment-based effects as if that were his true alignment. Finally, a warlock begins play with a bonus invocation based on his chosen pact. This initial invocation is in addition to the 1 invocation known at first level.A warlock may forge a pact with any number of horrible entities, but most fall into one of several categories; as such, the pacts described below are the most common, but they are by no means the only pacts possible.

#### **Fetish (Su):**

A warlock begins play with a special bond to an item called a fetish. Traditionally, a fetish is a dagger, though this is not the only form the item may take. The warlock’s fetish may be a dagger, a rod, an orb, a book, or a staff. This choice is made at 1st level, and once made it cannot be changed. The warlock’s fetish functions as a conduit for his dark powers, focusing and strengthening them. Further, as long as the fetish is in hand, the warlock’s invocations gain a special property based on his choice of fetish. Finally, each Fetish grants the warlock a minor benefit based on its form as long as it is on his person (but not necessarily in hand). If the warlock’s fetish is damaged, it returns to its full hit points the next time the warlock rests for 8 hours. If it is lost or destroyed (perhaps fallen into a great chasm, or cast into a planar portal; or otherwise taken where the warlock has no means to follow), the warlock is sickened and staggered for 1d3 rounds as his soul is shocked by the loss. The fetish can be replaced after one week with a special ritual that costs 200 gp per warlock level plus the cost of the masterwork item. This ritual takes 8 hours to complete, and the warlock must replace the fetish with one of the same type. Items replaced in this way retain none of the magical properties of the previous item. A Warlock may add magical properties to his Fetish as though he possessed the required item crafting feats, as long as he meets the level requirements for those feats. The magic properties for a Fetish, including magic properties added to it, only function for its bonded Warlock. A Warlock can designate an existing magic item as his Fetish through the aforementioned ritual. Finally, if a Warlock makes his Fetish intelligent, it can automatically speak with him telepathically; he does not have to pay for this ability, however it can only speak telepathically to the warlock, and only while on his person, unless he pays for telepathy normally.

The form of a Warlock’s Fetish confers special benefits upon its master:

•*Dagger:* This Fetish is a masterwork dagger. The dagger that the Warlock begins play with can be made of ordinary metal or alchemical silver. A Warlock with a dagger Fetish gains a +1 bonus on initiative checks. While the Fetish is in hand, the Warlock gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls with his Eldritch Blast and Invocations. A Dagger can be enchanted like any other weapon.

•*Orb:* This Fetish is a dense crystal ball, about the size of an apple and weighing one pound. It may be colored as the Warlock desires; appearing as a clear orb of glass, a ruby sphere, or any other form of gemstone, but it is ultimately made of simple crystal or glass; the value of its mundane component is minimal. An orb grants its master +1 hit point per 2 levels of Warlock. While it is in hand, any Invocations the warlock casts on himself last for one additional increment of time (thus, one that lasts rounds/level lasts one additional round, while minutes/level lasts one additional minute, etc.) and the DC of checks made to dispel such invocations are increased by one. A Warlock may enchant an Orb as a Crystal Ball, slotless wondrous item, or may choose to enchant it as an Ioun Stone. If enchanted as a Crystal Ball, the DC to resist its Scrying effect is based on your Charisma (or the orb’s, if higher). As long as it is enchanted, an orb may be made to orbit its master like an Ioun stone (it orbits the body, rather than the head). While orbiting its master, it is treated as though it was in their hand. An orb has hardness 2 and 10 hit points. While orbiting, its AC is 24.

•*Book:* This Fetish is a thick, leather bound tome of arcane lore. It functions as a masterwork tool, granting the Warlock a +2 circumstance bonus on a Knowledge check of his choice, chosen when the book is created, or on Spellcraft checks. A Tome Warlock receives a +1 bonus on Perception checks and Sense Motive checks. As long as the book is in hand, any Invocations the warlock casts on another creature have their durations increased by one increment of time. A Book may be enchanted as a slotless Wondrous Item; it provides its benefits as long as it is on the Warlock’s Person. Alternately, a Book may be enchanted and wielded as a light shield; the Warlock is considered to have proficiency in its use. The Warlock need not have his hands free to benefit from its shield bonus, as the book floats to shield its master at his will; it has hardness 2 and 10 hit points. While acting as a shield in this manner, it has an AC of 20.

•*Staff:* This Fetish is a masterwork Quarterstaff. The one that the Warlock begins play with may be made of wood or iron. The master of this Fetish gains a +2 bonus on Reflex saving throws. As long as it is in hand, the Warlock increases the DC of his Invocations and special effects of his Eldritch Blast by 1. It may be enchanted as an arcane staff or a magic weapon, or both. If enchanted as a magical staff, it automatically regains one charge at each sunrise or sunset (Warlock’s choice, made when created), as the Warlock has no way to recharge it normally. Alternately, a Warlock may use a Rod as his fetish; this functions as a Masterwork Heavy Mace and may be enchanted as a weapon, a rod, or both. Its effects are identical to those of a fetish staff.

•*Rod:* This Fetish functions as a Masterwork club; the one that the Warlock begins play with may be made of wood or iron. Its master receives a +2 bonus on fortitude saves. As long as the Rod is in hand, the Warlock can reduce the dice cost of a single Metablast feat each round by one (either 1d6 or 1 damage per die). It may be enchanted as a weapon or as a Rod, or both.

#### **Invocations (Sp):**

A Warlock begins play with a lesser invocation of his choice and the initial invocation of his pact. As the Warlock gains levels, he learns additional invocations at level 2 and every 2 levels thereafter. Each time a Warlock learns a new invocation, he may also exchange one Invocation he already knows for a single other invocation of its level or lower (At 12th level, in addition to learning a Major Invocation, he could switch out an existing major invocation for a major or lesser invocation, or a lesser invocation for another lesser invocation). At first level, a Warlock is limited to those Invocations noted as Lesser Invocations. Beginning at 7th level, when a Warlock learns an Invocation, he may choose from Lesser or Major Invocations. At 16th level and higher, the Warlock may also choose from Fell Invocations.

While all Invocations are different, they all share some characteristics: First, and most importantly, a Warlock is not limited in his use of Invocations like a Wizard or a Cleric is. Each Invocation known to the Warlock is usable at will. All Invocations are Spell-Like Abilities (Unless otherwise noted; a few are Supernatural). They function in all ways like spell-like abilities; they cannot be used for Counterspelling or be counterspelled, they do not function in an antimagic field, they are subject to dispel magic and spell resistance. Using an Invocation is a Standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity, unless otherwise noted. An Invocation’s effective spell level is noted in its description. The Warlock’s caster level for his invocations and his Eldritch Blast is equal to his warlock level. A Warlock’s Invocations do not benefit from metamagic or spell focus; however they can benefit from ability focus (Each Invocation is a separate ability) and feats that emulate metamagic for spell-like abilities, such as Quicken Spell-Like Ability. An Invocation can be identified as it is being cast with a successful spellcraft check; however if the person identifying it is not a Warlock, the DC of the check is increased by 5. The DC of a Warlock’s Invocation is equal to 10 + ½ the Warlock’s level + the Warlock’s Charisma modifier. A Warlock can dismiss any of his invocations before the end of their duration as a free action.

#### **Aura (Su):**

A Warlock has a strong aura, as a Cleric of his level. His Aura exactly matches the alignment of his Pact.

#### **Eldritch Blast (Sp):**

A Warlock is able to call upon the dark power of his pact to form a terrible weapon of arcane energy. At 1stlevel, a warlock’s eldritch blast deals 1dx\* points of damage plus his Charisma modifier. Each other level thereafter, this damage increases by 1dx, to a maximum of 10dx at 19th level. A Warlock’s Eldritch Blast has the following properties: It is a Spell-Like ability, usable at will as a Standard Action or part of a Full Attack Action that provokes attacks of opportunity. Eldritch Blast is a ranged touch attack with a range of 60 feet, and is affected by Spell Resistance and spell immunity. The damage type is determined by the Warlock’s Pact. Eldritch Blast’s effective spell level is equal to half the Warlock’s Class level, with a minimum level of 1 and a maximum level of 9, when the warlock is at 18th level. It is treated as a Ray for the purpose of feats like Weapon Focus, spell effects, and other effects that mention rays. Unlike a normal ray, a damaging Eldritch Blast can be used in conjunction with Deadly Aim. As Eldritch Blast requires a Ranged Touch Attack, it can critically hit; it has a critical threat range of 20 with a times 2 multiplier. A Warlock may fire his Eldritch Blast an additional number of times equal to the number of attacks you can make due to a high bab (Maximum 4 from high BAB) as a full attack action.

One important thing to note: each pact decides the eldritch blast’s damage type as well as the dice used, and adds a special effect; for example, the Infernal Eldritch Blast deals fire damage, and half of its damage ignores fire resistance and immunity. These special abilities (for instance here, the ability to ignore fire resistance) only function while the Eldritch Blast is dealing with the damage type decided by the pact. In other words, if the damage type changes; due to a spell effect or a Metablast feat, the blast loses that special ability for that attack

Metablast feats only affect the first attack on each round.

#### **Arcane Sense (Su):**

The Warlock’s darkened soul reacts to the presence of magic, alerting him to it. The warlock is able to detect magic items and auras within 60 feet of himself as though constantly under the effects of Detect Magic. In addition, he receives a +2 bonus on Spellcraft checks to identify magic items and spell effects.

#### **Dark Resistance (Su):**

At 3rd level, the Warlock gains DR 1 susceptible to a specific substance and Resistance 5 to a particular element. The type of damage that bypasses the Warlock’s DR, as well as the element he resists, are both determined by his Pact. At 6th level, this increases to DR 2. At 9th level, this increases to DR 3 and Resistance 10. At 11th level this increases to DR 4. At 14th level this increases to DR 5. At 17th level this increases to DR 6 and Resistance 15.

#### **Metablast Feat:**

At 3rd level, and every 3 levels thereafter, the Warlock may select a single Metablast feat that he meets the prerequisites for as a bonus feat.

#### **Dark Ascension (Ex):**

At 20th level, the Warlock reaches the pinnacle of his power, transforming body and soul into a creature of Arcane might. He stops aging and his type changes to one determined by his Pact; however regardless of his new type, he may be resurrected as a member of his previous type (if his previous type could not be resurrected but his new one can, then he still can be resurrected). Any aging penalties he has accrued are removed, though he continues to gain bonuses from aging. In addition, his DR increases to DR 10/- and his elemental resistance becomes outright immunity. Finally, once per day he may manifest an Invocation as a move action.

## **Archetypes**

Incarnist

Oathblade

Pactbound Crusader