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Table of Contents
Starting Warlock Build
Class Level Summary: Warlock (36), Blackguard (3), Rogue (1)
Race: Halfling
Starting abilities: Str (13), Dex (16), Con (8), Wis (8), Int (14), Cha (16)
| Level | Class to Take | Ability Increase | Feats | Skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warlock (1) | Expertise | ||
| 2 | Warlock (2) | |||
| 3 | Warlock (3) | Improved Expertise | ||
| 4 | Warlock (4) | Charisma (17) | ||
| 5 | Warlock (5) | |||
| 6 | Warlock (6) | Combat Casting | ||
| 7 | Warlock (7) | |||
| 8 | Warlock (8) | Charisma (18) | ||
| 9 | Warlock (9) | Spell Focus (Invocations) | ||
| 10 | Warlock (10) | Warlock Acid Resistance, Warlock Fire Resistance | ||
| 11 | Warlock (11) | |||
| 12 | Warlock (12) | Charisma (19) | Power Attack | |
| 13 | Warlock (13) | |||
| 14 | Warlock (14) | |||
| 15 | Warlock (15) | Cleave | Hide 5 | |
| 16 | Blackguard (1) | Charisma (20) | ||
| 17 | Blackguard (2) | |||
| 18 | Blackguard (3) | Divine Shield | ||
| 19 | Warlock (16) | |||
| 20 | Warlock (17) | Charisma (21) | ||
| 21 | Warlock (18) | Epic Fiendish Resilience I | ||
| 22 | Warlock (19) | |||
| 23 | Warlock (20) | |||
| 24 | Warlock (21) | Charisma (22) | Improved Combat Casting | Concentration 25 |
| 25 | Warlock (22) | |||
| 26 | Warlock (23) | Epic Extra Invocation I | Spellcraft 24 | |
| 27 | Warlock (24) | Lord of All Essences | ||
| 28 | Warlock (25) | Charisma (23) | ||
| 29 | Warlock (26) | Epic Extra Invocation II | ||
| 30 | Warlock (27) | Epic Eldritch Blast I | ||
| 31 | Warlock (28) | |||
| 32 | Warlock (29) | Charisma (24) | Epic Eldritch Blast II | |
| 33 | Warlock (30) | Epic Eldritch Blast III | ||
| 34 | Warlock (31) | |||
| 35 | Warlock (32) | Epic Eldritch Blast IV | ||
| 36 | Warlock (33) | Charisma (25) | Improved Aura of Despair | |
| 37 | Warlock (34) | |||
| 38 | Rogue (1) | Tumble 40, Open Lock 20, Disable Trap 20 | ||
| 39 | Warlock (35) | Epic Eldritch Blast V, Epic Eldritch Blast VI | ||
| 40 | Warlock (36) | Charisma (26) | Concentration 43, Spellcraft 43 |
Ending abilities: Str (13), Dex (16), Con (8), Wis (8), Int (14), Cha (26)
Level 40 Invocations
Least: Frightful Blast (requirement for Lord of All Essences), Dark One's Own Luck (useful to cap important save, perhaps replace later when you got +20 from items)
Lesser: Brimstone Blast (must have), Eldritch Chain (I suppose there can be situations where it can be better than Doom)
Greater: Vitriolic Blast (must have), Chilling Tentacles (must have), Wall of Perilous Flame (must have), Caustic Mire
Dark: Eldritch Doom (must have), Utterdark Blast (must have), Dark Foresight (must have), Retributive Invisibility (must have), Binding Blast (very useful for NPCs with low will), Instill Vulnerability
Levelling Advices
Start with Hungry Darkness, this invocation is the only AoE that Warlock has early and it is just overpowered. It has no limit on number of targets and most NPCs don't have ultravision so they will stand clueless inside or trying to attack missing all the time. I recommend to do hunting+alchemy craft to craft your own ultravision potions then you don't need Devil's Sight invocation. Or just take it…. Leaps and Bounds is quite good early too as it is basically +2 AC.
Once you get access to lesser invocations take Eldritch Chain and Brimstone Blast. Brimstone Blast changes damage to fire which is the most common element that NPCs have vulnerability to (and also immunity/resistance so if you see lower damage, disable it).
At level 11 you get access to Greater invocations, if you don't have Haste from item take Flee the Scene. If you do, take Eldritch Cone. Starting the moment you get Cone/Doom you will want to use it on NPCs that have low saves.
Do not forget that Warlock can cast in light armor. So wear leather armor for AC. Vendor one if needed as it might be hard to find good random one.
Dungeons
Great at killing Balrog, including HC version. Also Shadow Crypt including HC of course. Should be able to handle Minotaur Maze too, Moria, Frosty Tower and Kuo Toa although whether it can do HC I am not so sure about. If so probably not very fast and efficient I am afraid. So not very universal build as it cannot beat Mechanical dungeon. Hence off-meta. But it is fun to play for sure!
Build Notes
I still have to playtest this in the field. It is possible it needs a penetration feats rather than raw blast damage I took.
I highly recommend Halfling race, it is +1AC and immunity to Chilling Tentacles. The skill points are enough, or rather I did not find need for UMD since Warlock can use anything with Sorc/Wiz/Bard use limitation without UMD.
I don't recommend to use shield. Even that 5% arcane failure is too much and happens way too often. The 1 AC doesn't make a lot of difference, while under effect of Divine Shield, together with IE, you should have enough AC for everything.
This is just the starting build and you will want to remake it once you farm any of these: Kobold race book, Hellfire Warlock, Acolyte of the Skin.