Is the Warlock built using the “standard” rules in the ACKS Player’s Companion? The class looks like it has too many custom powers for the Arcane 3 / Thievery 1.
It does look like they were built from one extra custom power. Perhaps they should have the Dark Soul custom drawback?
Hrm.
Arcane 3, Thievery 1 (3 Custom Powers) with 1 tradeoff of unknown origin as listed here: http://www.autarch.co/forums/development-and-playtest/acks-players-companion-playtest/build-points-acks-classes
1: Familiar
2: Secrets o/t Dark Arts
4: Hex
6: Contact Other Plane
8: Alter Shape
10: Summon Creature
14: Apostasy
It does seem so? The text for 13th level ("…many sacrifice body and soul in pursuit of power and become undead") may support the drawback theory, and perhaps that was supposed to be the “trade-off” listed on the linked post.
Alternatively, I’d support removing the Familiar power, as it doesn’t necessarily fit the best with the theme of the rest of the class, from my perspective anyway.
Hello,
As near as I could reverse-engineer it, the warlock is actually slightly less awesome than it could be, in that it delays one power to level 14 that it could have taken as early as level 12. I don’t know if this results from a different approach to the build or is simply a Judge’s decision. It can be difficult to communicate a build, but, as I see it, the warlock build is:
Thievery 1, Arcane 3
Eliminate one fighting style [perhaps you missed this?]
Powers Worksheet
[4]
1
2, 12
4, 10
6, 8
Warlock
1: familiar
2: black lore of zahar
4: bestow curse
6: contact other plane
8: alter self
10: invisible stalker
14(12): apostasy
Instead of delaying a power at 12th level until 14th level, the build could have exchanged a power at 12th level for a power at 13th level and 14th level. My wizard class is inspired by the warlock build, with the above exchange at 12th level.
http://www.autarch.co/forums/house-rules/hr-new-class-wizard
I hope this helps!
My first reply was queued for moderation, my second reply generated a forum error, third time’s a charm …
The warlock build eliminates one fighting style for a fourth power, over three from Thievery 1. It’s easy to miss this from the class description.
More when my first reply comes through, maybe.
Ha!
The clue was there in the “1 tradeoff” listed on the previous link, and I’d never have thought to look for a fighting style tradeoff in a class that fights as a mage.
I’m a little embarrassed. I’d always thought I was the best sort of min-maxer when it came to point-buy systems. Either way, I’ll keep that one in my back pocket.
I’ve been a little hesitant to place powers after 9th-11th level or so, depending on the type of class. There’s the raw fact of the time it takes to get to those levels, and having new things pop in after “name level” (or major research level in the case of casters) always seems less than awesome.
I’ll fully admit that’s probably my fault for having played 3.0E/3.5E for a number of years after it came out, and having some lingering expectations down in my gaming brain.
Thanks for the clarification.
Hmm; that almost seems a little cheesy. I’d be inclined to give the same tradeoff to the base Mage class in return for Cantrips (free Prestidigitation proficiency).
Hah! The Warlock is a very flavorful, though, and even though one of those flavors is cheese, it’s still not an optimized “uber-class”. A straight-up mage is more powerful.
As far as the actual trade-off, a mage can wield a staff two-handed to deal 1d6 damage in comat. The warlock class traded that way, so he is forever limited to only dealing 1d4 damage.
Whether that matters depends on whether you ever expect your mage to bonk people with his staff. Between the various buffs (Ogre Power, Giant Strength) and staffs of striking, I’ve certainly seen mages get into the fray. On the other hand, I would absolutely let a mage trade his two-handed fighting style away in exchange for Cantrips or something similar, if he wanted.
Until recently the warlock was probably my least favorite class (right after the gnome) I mean, what mage would trade away his spells for some bonus proficiencies…
Then I noticed that they make really powerfull magical assassins!
Curse+Choking Grip+Familiar+that invisible stalker thing can easily overpower marks with more class levels…