Monday, May 23, 2011

The Warlock

By

pokketmowse

The Warlock is a powerful magical variant on the Wizard that specializes in Demonic Magic.  The Warlock is a class that combines Affliction magic (hexing and curses) with Destructive magic (shadow magic and fire magic) with Demonology (magic dealing with the summoning, binding, and commandment of demons.)

Warlock magic is usually thought to have it's origins among the orcs, however human religious writings from Ancient Days proscribes against the use of familiar spirits and witchery.  Which could mean that Warlock magic has it's beginnings among humans as well.  Currently, the only races that are attracted to the Warlock as a class include humans, gnomes, the elves (specifically Massalian Elves and not all elves in general), and some dwarves.

Schools of Magic

Warlock magic combines spells from the following schools --

Conjuration
  • Infernal Binder
  • Teleportation 
Divination
  •  Scryer
Evocation
  • Generation
Illusion
  • Shadow
Effectively, the Warlock combines these into the following focused Black Magic schools:

Affliction 
(associated school -- Evocation)

The Affliction school is basically the Witch's set of spells and powers.  Only it focuses on spells which debilitate the enemy over time.   The student who learns magic in this school can rip the life out of their opponents, their very soul, or magical potential itself and add it to his own.  Also powerful curses, such as the Curse of Recklessness, the Curse of Weakness, and the Curse of Recklessness are a part of this particular school. 

Demonology
(associated school -- Conjuration)
The Demonology school combines the best and the worst of Teleportation and Infernal Binder schools, providing the warlock with the power to improve his demons, to summon demons, and to bind them to his will.  It also includes a number of spells that are particularly a part of other schools.   Such as Demon Skin, Fel Armor, and Eye of Kroznaz.   Also one of the most sought after spells in this school by warlocks is Metamorphosis, which makes the Warlock capable of transforming into a demon himself.  Although, a Warlock typically relies on his infernal companion to fight his battles for him than throwing spells about directly.


Destruction
(Associated school -- Evocation)
The School of Destruction is the mighty destructive aspect of the Warlock's arsenal.  Combining both the might of shadow magic and the might of fire magic, the Warlock can go to great heights blowing up his enemies.  Signature spells in this school include Shadow Bolt, Immolate, Soulburn, and Rain of Fire.

Game Mechanics

The Warlock has the same game mechanics as the Wizard except for the following:

Class Skills: The warlock's class skills are Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (cha), Fly (Dex), Intimidate (cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).


Infernal Companion -- This ability replaces the familiar class feature of the sorcerer, wizard, and witch. The warlock can summon the infernal companion and dismiss it at any time so that he may
summon a new one.

At 1st level, the warlock may choose a darkhound or imp as her fel companion. She must sacrifice a 1st-level spell slot to do so. She can regain the spell slot only if she permanently abandons the fel companion.  No mental bond exists between master and servant, but a fel companion understands any language that the warlock speaks.

As a warlock gains levels, he may replace an infernal companion he abandoned with a more powerful
demon. Doing so requires the warlock to sacrifice more spellcasting power. This information is presented on Table A–1: The Warlock’s Fel Companion (see the WoW RPG Monster Guide for more information).

Demon: Which demon the fel companion is.

Warlock Level: The master’s level in the warlock class.

Advancement Adjustment: When determining the companion’s advancement features (see below), subtract this number from the warlock’s class level.

Level of Spell Slot Sacrificed: The warlock must sacrifice a spell slot of this level in order to retain the
companion. The only way the warlock may regain this spell slot is to abandon the companion permanently, as described above.

At 1st level, a warlock may have a single fel companion, but at levels 6, 12, and 18 a warlock may
choose a new demon to add to his cadre. The demon that requires the highest-level spell slot is the warlock’s primary companion (if there’s a tie, choose one). Each other demon is a secondary companion and requires a spell slot 1 level lower than that listed on Table A–1.

Only one fel companion may accompany the warlock at a time, while the others remain in the Twisting Nether. Starting a ritual of summoning automatically dismisses the warlock’s current fel companion.

Obtaining a new fel companion requires a ceremony of binding. Performing the ceremony requires 24 hours and uses up magic materials that cost 200 gp per level of spell slot used. At the end of the ceremony, the demon tests the warlock. This test may be combat, a battle of wills, or some kind of contest (GM’s discretion). If the warlock suitably impresses the demon, it joins the warlock as a loyal fel companion. If not impressed, it likely becomes annoyed (at best) or vengeful (at worst).

As a warlock gains levels, he may choose to improve his fel companion, at the cost of additional spellcasting power, as shown on Table A–2: Fel Companion Advancement.

Adjusted Warlock Level: The warlock’s level in the warlock class, modified by the demon’s advancement adjustment from Table A–1.

Bonus HD and Spell Slot Adjustment: Extra 8-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Stamina modifier, as normal. Remember that extra Hit Dice improve the fel companion’s base attack bonus, special attack save DCs, and base save bonuses. A fel companion’s base attack bonus is equal to its total HD. Save DCs for special attacks are equal to 10 + 1/2 the companion’s total Hit Dice + its appropriate ability score modifier.

A fel companion has good Fortitude, Reflex, and Will saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the demon’s HD). A fel companion gains additional size, skill points, and feats for bonus HD as normal when advancing its racial Hit Dice. (See Chapter 3: Improving Monsters for more information.)

Each bonus HD the companion gains also has the drawback of adding 1 to the level of the spell slot the
warlock must sacrifice to retain it as a companion.

Special: The fel companion increases its ability scores (warlock’s choice of which ones) and gains special abilities called companion powers, described below.

Companion Powers
As a fel companion’s bond with a warlock grows, its master may use a demonic grimoire to teach it new abilities. Instructing a demon with a grimoire requires 8 to 48 hours of reading and reciting Infernal incantations.

The grimoires providing the abilities listed below are relatively easy for a warlock with reasonable connections to acquire (without significant cost), though tales speak of other rare and more powerful grimoires. Unless otherwise noted, a fel companion can learn each power only once.

Ability Enhancement (Ex): The fel companion gains a +4 enhancement bonus to one ability score. A fel companion can gain this ability up to six times (i.e., once for each ability).

Aura of Suffering (Su) (voidwalker only): Any enemy that begins its turn within 10 feet of the voidwalker is affected by its tormenting strike ability as though the voidwalker had struck it in melee.

Blood Pact (Su): The warlock and all allies (not including the fel companion) within 30 feet of the fel
companion gain a +2 enhancement bonus to Stamina.

Damage Reduction (Ex): The fel companion gains damage reduction 5/good or 5/truesilver (your choice). If the fel demon already has damage reduction, you may instead add 5 to its existing damage reduction.

Fel Strike (Su): The fel companion gains the fel strike ability if it did not already have it (see Chapter 5: Monster Types, Subtypes, and Abilities).

Improved Firebolt (Ex) (imp only): The imp’s lesser firebolt ability becomes firebolt. An imp of 6 or more Hit Dice may gain this ability a second time, improving its ability again to greater firebolt. (See More Magic & Mayhem for firebolt and greater firebolt.)

Invisibility (Sp) (succubus only): The succubus can use invisibility as a spell-like ability at will. She can use this ability only on herself. Caster level 7th.

Paranoia (Su): The warlock and all allies (not including the fel companion) within 30 feet of the fel
companion gain a +4 enhancement bonus on Spot and Sense Motive checks.

Spell Lock (Su) (felhound only): Three times per day, the felhound may attempt to counterspell any spell as if casting greater dispel magic (caster level equals the warlock’s class level –2). As with any counterspell attempt, this ability requires the felhound to ready an action. If a caster foiled in this way attempts to cast the same spell again within the next 1d4 rounds, it fails automatically, as if countered again.

Spell Resistance (Su): The fel companion gains spell resistance equal to 10 + 1/2 the warlock’s class level. If the creature already has spell resistance, this ability replaces it, but you may add 1/2 the companion’s outsider Hit Dice to the above total.
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Warlock Spells:

0 - Level: Acid Splash, Arcane Mark, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Resistance, Sense Demons, Spark, Touch of Fatigue.

1st level: Alarm, Cause Fear, Charm Person, Comprehend Languages, Corruption✝, Disguise Self, Identify, Infernal Healing✝, Lesser Demon Skin, Lesser Immolate✝, Lesser Shadow Bolt✝, Mask Dweomer, Mount, Protection from Evil, Ray of Enfeeblement, Silent Image, Shocking Grasp, Summon Monster I, Unseen Servant

2nd Level: Burning Gaze, Curse of Recklessness✝, Detect Thoughts, Dust of Twilight, Invisibility, Lesser Searing Pain✝, Minor Image, Mirror Image, Orb of Anhilation, Resist Energy, See Invisibility, Spontaneous Immolation, Summon Monster III, Summon Swarm, Touch of Idiocy

3rd Level: Chains of Binding, Create Firestone, Demon Skin, Explosive Runes, Dispel Magic, Heatstroke, Life Tap, Magic Circle Against Chaos/Evil/Good/Law, Phantom Steed, Protection from Energy, Searing Pain, Shadow Bolt, Summon Monster III, Tongues, Unravel Destiny, Water Breathing

4th Level: Agonize, Aura of the Unremarkable (rare)✝, Charm Monster, Confusion, Create Spellstone, Crushing Despair, Curse of Tongues, Dimensional Anchor, Eye of Nortorgo (Arcane Eye), Fire Trap✝, Greater Infernal Healing✝, Elscon's Mnemonic Enhancer, Rain of Fire✝, Shadow Projection, Summon Monster IV, Tardan's Black Tentacles, True Form

5th Level: Baleful Polymorph, Carrion Swarm, Contact Other Plane, Covetous Aura, Curse of the Elements, Curse of Shadow, Dismissal, Elscon's Private Sanctum, Fire Snake, Greater Chains of Binding, Greater Searing Pain, Greater Shadow Bolt, Hold Monster, Immolate, Lesser Planar Binding, Life Drain, Magic Jar, Mind Fog, Ritual of Summoning, Sending, Shadow Evocation, Soul Drain✝, Summon Monster V, Waves of Fatigue

6th Level: Acid Fog, Antimagic Field, Contagious Flame, Disintegrate, Elscon's Lucubration, Form of the Dragon I, Guards and Wards, Getaway, Greater Demon Skin, Greater Dispel Magic, Hellfire Ray, Planar Binding, Sirroco, Shadow Walk, Soulstone, Summon Monster VI, Symbol of Fear, Symbol of Persuasion, True Seeing, Unwilling Shield


7th Level: Banishment, Conflagrate✝, Dark Metamorphosis, Delayed Blast Fireball, Elscon's Magnificent Mansion, Ethereal Jaunt, Expend, Form of the Dragon II, Greater Arcane Sight, Greater Shadow Conjuration, Greater Teleport, Instant Summons, Mass Hold Person, Nortorgo's Sword, Phase Door, Plane Shift, Prismatic Spray, Symbol of Weakness, Sequester, Summon Monster VII, Teleport Object, Waves of Exhaustion

8th Level:  Antipathy, Binding, Demand, Dimensional Lock, Form of the Dragon III, Greater Planar Binding, Hellfire, Incendiary Cloud, Mass Charm Monster, Protection from Spells, Scintillating Pattern, Shadowburn, Summon Monster VIII, Temporal Stasis, Wall of Lava

9th Level: Dominate Monster, Etherealness, Fiery Body, Freedom, Foresight, Gate, Greater Immolate, Imprisonment, Meteor Swarm, Nortogo's Disjunction, Shades, Summon Monster IX, Teleportation Circle, Wall of Suppression, Winds of Vengeance

✝ denotes a spell that is not in the Core Player's Handbook for Pathfinder.  Maybe in the World of Warcraft Roleplaying Game, More Magic and Mayhem, or another Paizo source.
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OGL Section 15:

Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game Copyright 2003, Blizzard Entertainment
Warcraft Roleplaying Game: Manual of Monsters
Copyright 2003, Blizzard Entertainment
Warcraft Roleplaying Game: Alliance & Horde Compendium
Copyright 2004, Blizzard Entertainment
Warcraft Roleplaying Game: Magic & Mayhem
Copyright 2004, Blizzard Entertainment
Warcraft Roleplaying Game: Lands of Confl ict
Copyright 2004, Blizzard Entertainment
Warcraft Roleplaying Game: Shadows & Light
Copyright 2004, Blizzard Entertainment
World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game
Copyright 2005, Blizzard Entertainment
World of Warcraft: More Magic and Mayhem Copyright 2005, Blizzard Entertainment
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook. Copyright 2009, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.
Pathfinder Companion: Cheliax, Empire of Devils. Copyright 2009, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Jonathan H. Keith, Colin McComb, Steven E. Schend, Leandra Christine Schneider, and Amber E. Scott.
Pathfinder Chronicles: Princes of Darkness, Book of the Damned Vol. I. Copyright 2009, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: F. Wesley Schneider. 
Advanced Player's Guide. Copyright 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn.


Pathfinder Companion: Orcs of Golarion. Copyright 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Steve Kenson, Rob McCreary, Richard Pett, Sean K Reynolds, and JD Wiker.
Pathfinder Companion: Sargava, the Lost Colony. Copyright 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: JD Wiker.
Pathfinder Campaign Setting: The Inner Sea World Guide. © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Keith Baker, Wolfgang Baur, Clinton J. Boomer, Jason Bulmahn, Joshua J. Frost, Ed Greenwood, Stephen S. Greer, Jeff Grubb, James Jacobs, Michael Kortes, Tito Leati, Mike McArtor, Rob McCreary, Erik Mona, Jason Eric Nelson, Jeff Quick, Sean K Reynolds, F. Wesley Schneider, Leandra Christine Schneider, David Schwartz, Amber E. Scott, Stan!, Owen K.C. Stephens, Todd Stewart, James L. Sutter, Greg A. Vaughan, Jeremy Walker, and JD Wiker.

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