The Warlock (PC Class)

Player character options and their spells

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Post by waysoftheearth » Sat Feb 15, 2014 12:45 pm

The Warlock (PC Class)

If you're looking for a sword & spell-type class with a touch of taint about it, you might like this here Warlock. Read on...


The Warlock

Warlocks are occult astrologers, diabolists, and spellswords in pursuit of nefarious magic. Warlocks must choose neutrality; they cannot takes sides the eternal struggle and must maintain their arbitrary disposition or be stripped of their spell casting powers.

In conducting their practices warlocks are allowed the use of leather armor (and also light mithril-type mail) and protective helms as well as daggers, spears, staves, swords, and short swords.

In combat a warlock uses the cleric's attack matrix. They have use of magic items employable by magic-users and anti-clerics, as well as enchanted spears and swords. They construct magic items as do magic-users.

  Code:
========================================================================
                           Warlock Progression
========================================================================
         Experience            S a v i n g   T h r o w   V e r s u s
Warlock    Points    Hit            Wands    Paralysis    Breath
 Level    Required   Dice   Poison   Rays  Petrification  Weapon  Spells
------------------------------------------------------------------------
   1             0    1       11      12         14         16      15
   2         1,500   1+1      10      11         13         15      14
   3         3,000    2       10      11         13         15      14
   4         6,000    3        9      10         12         14      13
   5        12,000   3+1       9      10         12         14      13
   6        25,000    4        8       9         11         13      12
   7        50,000    5        8       9         11         13      12
   8        95,000   5+1       7       8         10         12      11
   9       160,000    6        7       8         10         12      11
  10       240,000    7        6       7          9         11      10
  11       320,000   7+1       6       7          9         11      10
  12       400,000   7+2       5       6          8         10       9
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A warlock requires 160,000 experience points per level beyond the 12th.
A warlock adds one hit die per four levels beyond the 9th.
A warlock begins play with a spell book containing the 1st level spells and can thereafter cast a number of spells each day appropriate for his experience level. He will gain access to spells of successive spell levels as he advances in experience, and can devise spells of his own besides.

  Code:
========================================
           Warlock Spells per Day
========================================
           Spells   Memorized   per  Day
Warlock    B y    S p e l l    L e v e l
 Level     1      2      3      4      5
----------------------------------------
   1       .      .      .      .      .
   2       1      .      .      .      .
   3       2      .      .      .      .
   4       2      1      .      .      .
   5       2      2      .      .      .
   6       2      2      1      .      .
   7       2      2      1      1      .
   8       2      2      2      1      1
   9       3      3      2      2      1
  10       3      3      3      2      2
  11       4      4      3      3      2
  12       4      4      4      3      3
-----------------------------------------
The warlock spell list includes certain magic-user and anti-cleric spells. Any additions to the magic-user or anti-cleric spell lists should extend the warlock's repertoire also, excepting that a warlock should not have any spells of the following sorts:

1) animal, plant, or weather related spells,
2) light or darkness related spells,
3) find-type spells (find traps, locate object, etc.),
4) any spells of the enchantment type (sleep, charm, geas, confusion, etc.).

  Code:
===========================================================================
                      Warlock Spells by Spell Level
===========================================================================
1st                     2nd                       3rd
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alter Self              BANE                      ANIMATE Dead
CAUSE Light Wounds      CAUSE Disease             CAUSE Serious Wounds
CHOKE                   Darkvision                Circle of Invisibility
Color Spray             Detect Invisibility       Circle of Protection from ZEAL
Comprehend Languages    Hold Person               Clairvoyance
Detect Evil             Invisibility              Dispel Magic
Detect Magic            Knock                     Fireball
Fog Wall                Levitate                  Fly
Gazeback                Phantasm                  Haste*
Hold Portal             Protection from Missiles  Lightning Bolt
Protection from ZEAL    Sixth Sense               Slow*
PUTRIFY Food and Drink  Web                       Speak with Dead
Read Magic              Witch Lock                Water Breathing
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
            4th                          5th
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
            CAUSE Critical Wounds        Baleful Polymorph     
            Control Water                Cloudkill             
            CURSE                        Contact Other Plane   
            DESTROY Food and Drink       FINGER OF DEATH
            Dimension Door               Insect Plague
            Fear                         Invoke Elemental      
            Hallucinatory Terrain        Magic Jar             
            Hold Monster                 Passwall              
            POISON                       Telekinesis           
            Polymorph                    Teleport              
            Wall of Fire                 Transmute Rock to Mud*
            Wall of Ice                  True Seeing
            Witch Eye                    Wall of Stone         
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Reversible form exists as a separate spell.
Warlock spells which function as do anti-cleric spells are nonetheless written as magic-user spells; they occur on magic-user scrolls, and require use of a read magic spell to decipher. However, the warlock's "anti-cleric" spells cannot be used by either anti-clerics or magic-users.


Choke (1st level Warlock spell)
(affects: 1 person, duration: special, range: 6") Holds a single normal man-type--or a single heroic man-type who fails to save versus petrification--within range and sight immobile, choking and gasping for air. The choking lasts for so long as the warlock continues to concentrate. Should the warlock so wish it a normal subject--or a heroic subject who fails a second save versus petrification--can be completely choked and slain after three turns.

Protection from Zeal (1st level Warlock spell)
(affects: self, duration: 12 turns) This spell prevents any enchanted or conjured creature from contacting the warlock. Furthermore, attacks made against the warlock by lawful or chaotic types will be at –2 to hit and the warlock will make saving throws at +2.

Circle of Protection from Zeal (3rd level Warlock spell)
(affects: 1" radius, duration: 12 turns) As per the protection from zeal spell, except that the protection is afforded to neutral types in a 1" radius around the warlock.
[f=32]Golgildir the Elf Medium (MV 12", AC 9, HD 1, hp 1/1, AL N) great cloak, lantern; spells: color spray; scrolls: sleep, sleep, charm person
Hirelings: Georges; torch[/f]

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Post by mushgnome » Sat Feb 15, 2014 1:53 pm

Re: The Warlock (PC Class)

What kind of sick player would want to play such a character?
[f=59]Stern (Strong Hero, MV 9′′, AC 3, HD 4, hp 20, FC 4 men/hero, SV F4, L)[/f]

Posts: 134
Joined: Mon Sep 16, 2013 9:20 pm
Location: OH

Post by verhaden » Sat Feb 15, 2014 5:55 pm

Re: The Warlock (PC Class)

waysoftheearth wrote: Choke (1st level Warlock spell)
(affects: 1 person, duration: special, range: 6") Holds a single normal man-type--or a single heroic man-type who fails to save versus petrification--within range and sight immobile, choking and gasping for air. The choking lasts for so long as the warlock continues to concentrate. Should the warlock so wish it a normal subject--or a heroic subject who fails a second save versus petrification--can be completely choked and slain after three turns.
Don't try to frighten us with your sorcerer's ways, Lord Vader. Your sad devotion to that ancient Jedi religion has not helped you conjure up the stolen data tapes, or given you enough clairvoyance to find the rebels' hidden fortress...

***

Just curious -- I can see justification for not allowing those of Lawful alignment go the Warlock route, but why disallow Chaotic and strive for Neutral?

Posts: 2841
Joined: Tue Sep 17, 2013 11:12 pm
Location: Upper Miskatonic Valley

Post by mushgnome » Sat Feb 15, 2014 6:26 pm

Re: The Warlock (PC Class)

verhaden wrote:
waysoftheearth wrote: Choke (1st level Warlock spell)
(affects: 1 person, duration: special, range: 6") Holds a single normal man-type--or a single heroic man-type who fails to save versus petrification--within range and sight immobile, choking and gasping for air. The choking lasts for so long as the warlock continues to concentrate. Should the warlock so wish it a normal subject--or a heroic subject who fails a second save versus petrification--can be completely choked and slain after three turns.
Don't try to frighten us with your sorcerer's ways, Lord Vader. Your sad devotion to that ancient Jedi religion has not helped you conjure up the stolen data tapes, or given you enough clairvoyance to find the rebels' hidden fortress...

***

Just curious -- I can see justification for not allowing those of Lawful alignment go the Warlock route, but why disallow Chaotic and strive for Neutral?
I will take a stab at answering that... WotE and I both, completely independently, conceived of the Warlock as a shrouded "anti-druid" who wanders in detachment from the cosmic struggle. Also I might add on a personal note that playing Highbough as Neutral is frightening enough; the thought of a Chaotic version is too terrifying a roleplaying challenge...

Ways, I am curious why you chose "Evil" over "Zeal" ("Protection from Evil" instead of "Protection from Zeal" and the like) as we had originally discussed?
[f=59]Stern (Strong Hero, MV 9′′, AC 3, HD 4, hp 20, FC 4 men/hero, SV F4, L)[/f]

Posts: 16902
Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2013 1:15 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Post by waysoftheearth » Sat Feb 15, 2014 9:48 pm

Re: The Warlock (PC Class)

verhaden wrote:I can see justification for not allowing those of Lawful alignment go the Warlock route, but why disallow Chaotic and strive for Neutral?
In an earlier incarnation warlocks were chaotic or neutral but as Mushgnome pointed out, the class has "evolved" since then. The warlock is intended as an ultimately detached, arbitrary kind of neutral; he might simply be selfish, or he might see himself as "above" the "petty" struggles between good and evil.

In meta-game terms we already have anti-clerics and chaotic magic-users, so it's preferable that the warlock not overcrowd that particular niche. It's also useful that the warlock have a kryptonite to play against, otherwise he's all upside--with the neutral restriction he certainly won't want his alignment changed! Finally, encouraging chaotic PCs doesn't usually help party dynamics.

mushgnome wrote:I am curious why you chose "Evil" over "Zeal" ("Protection from Evil" instead of "Protection from Zeal" and the like) as we had originally discussed?
That was a pure late night oversight... I've updated it now :)
[f=32]Golgildir the Elf Medium (MV 12", AC 9, HD 1, hp 1/1, AL N) great cloak, lantern; spells: color spray; scrolls: sleep, sleep, charm person
Hirelings: Georges; torch[/f]

Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 11:45 am

Post by bestial warlust » Tue Feb 25, 2014 3:16 am

Re: The Warlock (PC Class)

I like it. I was kicking something like this around but I like this one better I'll be stealing it

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