Glaive of the Hellfire Warlock (3.5e Optimized Character Build)
"Madness!? This. Is. HELLFIRE!!"
Introduction
3e Summary::Use the eldritch glaive to deal massive damage to foes while locking them in place in addition to great mobility and battlefield control. Also has great versatility, being able to switch from melee to ranged and back from round to round, depending on what suits one best.
gollark: That file is ominously big.
gollark: Where would you place yourself on this programmer class diagram then?
gollark: Use Haskell. No stack limit.
gollark: So just count the stack frames, and if it goes over a thousand or something, store them elsewhere and move them back later somehow.
gollark: I think inspect and some stuff under sys lets you read and write stack frames.
References
- Flaws (Unearthed Arcana)
- Bloodlines (Unearthed Arcana)
- Complete Arcane (Base Class)
- Expanded Psionics Handbook (Stand still feat)
- Dragon Magic (Eldritch Glaive)
- Magic Item Compendium
- Fiendish Codex II (Hellfire Warlock)
- Races of Destiny (Chameleon class)
- Tome of Battle (Martial Study and Martial Stance)
- Magic of Incarnum (Shape Soulmeld feat)
Invocations
- Eldritch Glaive (1)
- Baleful Utterance (2)
- Entropic Warding (5)
- Hellrime Blast (9)
- Flee the Scene (13)
- Fell Flight (15)
- Vitriolic Blast (16)
- Eldritch Cone (18)
- Chilling Tentacles (20)
Progression
Starting Ability Scores (Before Racial Adjustments): (Assuming 32 Point Buy) 17 14 15 10 10 9
Race (Templates): 3e Race::Human
| ECL | Class/HD/LA | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Feats | Class Features |
Special | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | ||||||
| 1st | Warlock 1 | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Stand Still, Able Learner | +2 to Move Silently Checks, Edlritch Blast 1d6 | |
| 2nd | Warlock 2 | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | Power Attack | Detect Magic | |
| 3rd | Demon Bloodline 1 | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | Combat Reflexes | +1 Strength | |
| 4th | Warlock 3 | +2 | +1 | +1 | +3 | Electricity Resistance 5, Damage Reduction 1/Cold Iron, Eldritch Blast 2d6 | ||
| 5th | Warlock 4 | +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Deceive Item, Demon Affinity +2 | ||
| 6th | Demon Bloodline 2 | +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Battle Caster | Smite Good 1/day | |
| 7th | Demon Bloodline 3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | +2 to Hide Checks | ||
| 8th | Warlock 5 | +4 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Acid Resistance 5, Eldritch Blast 3d6 | ||
| 9th | Warlock 6 | +5 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Martial Study: Shield Block | +1 Constitution | |
| 10th | Hellfire Warlock 1 | +5 | +2 | +2 | +7 | +2 to Saves vs. Poison, Eldritch Blast 4d6, Hellfire Blast +2d6 | Build becomes truly combat-worthy | |
| 11th | Chameleon 1 | +5 | +2 | +2 | +7 | Aptitude Focus 1/day (+2), Demon Affinity +4 | ||
| 12th | Chameleon 2 | +5 | +2 | +2 | +7 | Martial Stance: Thicket of Blades, Shape Soulmeld: Strongheart Vest | Fire Resistance 5 | Build reaches full potential |
| 13th | Hellfire Warlock 2 | +6 | +2 | +2 | +7 | +2 to Intimidate checks, Hellfire Blast +4d6, Hellfire Infusion, Fire Resistance 10 | ||
| 14th | Hellfire Warlock 3 | +7 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Cleave | Eldritch Blast 5d6, Hellfire Blast +6d6, Hellfire Shield | |
| 15th | Warlock 7 | +8 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Quicken Spell-Like Ability (Eldritch Blast) | +1 Charisma, Damage Reduction 2/Cold Iron | |
| 16th | Warlock 8 | +9 | +3 | +3 | +8 | Cold Resistance 5, Eldritch Blast 6d6, Fiendish Resilience 1 | ||
| 17th | Warlock 9 | +9 | +4 | +4 | +8 | Demon Affinity +6 | ||
| 18th | Warlock 10 | +10 | +4 | +4 | +9 | Maximize Spell-Like Ability (Eldritch Blast) | +1 to Natural Armor, Energy Resistance 5 (Sonic) | |
| 19th | Warlock 11 | +11 | +4 | +4 | +9 | +2 to Spot Checks, Damage Reduction 3/Cold Iron, Eldritch Blast 7d6 | ||
| 20th | Warlock 12 | +12 | +5 | +5 | +10 | Damage Reduction 5/good, Imbue Item | ||
At level 20: 3e Final Class Progression::Bloodline 3 / Warlock 12 / Hellfire Warlock 3 / Chameleon 2
Items of Note
- Goggles of Foefinding (Get this ASAP to ignore soft cover)
- Greater Chasuble of Fell Power
- Gloves of Eldritch Admixture
- Warlock's Scepter (when not using Eldritch Glaive)
Highlights
- Maintain the Combat Focus version of Aptitude Focus.
Assumed stats at level 20:
- Strength: 17 (Base) + 1 (Bloodline) + 5 (Level) + 6 (Item) + 5 (Tome) = 34 (+12)
- Attack Bonus: 12 (BAB) + 12 (Str) - 12 (Power Attack) + 2 (Aptitude Focus) = +14/+9/+4
- Damage: 7d6 (Eldritch Blast) + 6d6 (Hellfire Blast) + 2d6 (Greater Chasuble of Fell Power) + 18 (Strength) + 24 (Power Attack) + 2 (Aptitude Focus) = 15d6+44
- Total damage per attack comes out to 117.5 (on average). Should all attacks hit, that's 352.5 damage.
- Nova: Spend all the charges on Gloves Eldritch Admixture while Maximizing your Eldritch Blast to deal 194 damage with each attack. Add on a Quickened/Maximized Eldritch Cone beforehand for even more damage.
- Able to craft any item by level 20 with the combination of Imbue Item and the Chameleon's floating feat.
Tactics
- Use Entropic Ward as a defense against ranged attacks.
- Use Chilling Tentacles as battlefield control.
- Flee the Scene and Fell Flight will confuse enemies.
- Use Vitriolic Blast against enemies with Spell Resistance.
- Use Eldritch Cone to clear out mooks.
- Use Eldritch Glaive in combination with Stand Still and Thicket of Blades to stop enemies from getting move closer or farther from you, and punish them with attacks.
- Take no Constitution damage from Hellfire Blast through the use of the Strongheart Vest soulmeld.
- The bloodline stacks with Hellfire Warlock for increases in the damage of Hellfire Blast since it's level-based.
Munchkin-Size Me
- Pick up augmented Psionic Tattoos of Expansion to get a bigger reach for even better zone control.
- Epic level Power Attack feat will allow to add up to BAB instead
- Epic level items could improve this build alot
- Cloak of Resistance (price +50% to set in unusual slot such as belt) to offset low saves
- Shadow Cloak from Drow of the Underdark will allow to teleport 3/day 10 ft, avoiding gank situations or sneak-attacks.
Limitations
- Low saves, teleporting foes, concealment.
- Poor combat abilities before level 10-12.
- Power attack only adds maximum +5 to the damage.
- Flaws not outlined
- Build cannot work as shown. Chameleon cannot be taken before 17th level as Bluff and Disguise cannot be at 8 ranks by 11th level.
DM Counters
- Defenses apart from AC (illusions, concealment, etc)
- Target low saves.
- Foes attacking from all sides en masse.
FLAWS
- Eldritch Glaive is a melee touch attack, so you DON'T get any str bonus to damage or power attack bonus damage
- I can't find any place where it stands: Bloodlines stack with hellfire class level
Variants
- The Storm Giant major bloodline also works well if you'd rather not be quite so fiendishly aligned. If doing so, raise Wis by one and lower Cha by one.
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