Note: Warlock is under active development and will continue to see changes post-release as we adjust its balance
Power is a tempting thing, and the prices to possess it can be steep indeed. Warlocks are individuals who have gained magical talents through a pact with a force of considerable power. Stories of warlocks binding themselves to fiends are widely known, but many warlocks serve patrons that are not of the lower planes - sometimes a traveler in the wilds comes to a strangely beautiful tower, meets its fey lord or lady, and stumbles into a pact without being fully aware of it; other times poring over tomes of forbidden lore leads a brilliant student’s mind to be opened to realities beyond the material world and to the alien beings that dwell in the outer void. Even some celestial creatures offer the power of a warlock to those they find of suitable character for their benign but lawless intentions.
The strange, dark, or pricey pacts into which a warlock has somehow entered often demand some service of them, if not their very soul. Certainly not all warlocks are evil, but their shady reputations make it difficult for a warlock to forget that every ounce of eldritch power they call upon came at a steep price.
/essence menu, and new Essences are automatically unlocked as the Warlock progresses in levels.All Warlocks must select a Pact on their first level post character creation. The Pact is the supernatural source of a Warlock's power, usually made with an Outsider, Fey, or other Supernatural entity. Pact selection is a permanent choice, and cannot be changed once selected. Warlock abilities will not function if a Pact is not selected, or is otherwise broken. Additionally, Pact selection will determine the type of dual resistance a Warlock gains, and may provide further boons as they grow in power.
The following Pacts may be chosen, depending on the Warlock's alignment:
| Lvl | BAB | Saves | Feats | HP | Known invocations | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | Least | Lesser | Greater | Dark | |||||
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Pact Selection, Eldritch Blast, Entropic Warding | 6 | 1 | - | - | - | |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | 12 | 2 | - | - | - | ||
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +1 | +3 | Damage reduction I, Uncanny Dodge I | 18 | 2 | - | - | - | |
| 4th | +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Deceive Item | 24 | 3 | - | - | - | |
| 5th | +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Frightful Essence | 30 | 3 | - | - | - | |
| 6th | +4 | +2 | +2 | +5 | 36 | 3 | 1 | - | - | ||
| 7th | +5 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Brimstone Essence, Damage Reduction II | 42 | 3 | 1 | - | - | |
| 8th | +6/+1 | +2 | +2 | +6 | Bonded Strength | 48 | 3 | 2 | - | - | |
| 9th | +6/+1 | +3 | +3 | +6 | Hellrime Essence | 54 | 3 | 2 | - | - | |
| 10th | +7/+2 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Beshadowed Essence, Energy Resistance I | 60 | 3 | 3 | - | - | |
| 11th | +8/+3 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Damage Reduction III | 66 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | |
| 12th | +9/+4 | +4 | +4 | +8 | Bewitching Essence | 72 | 3 | 3 | 1 | - | |
| 13th | +9/+4 | +4 | +4 | +8 | 78 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | ||
| 14th | +10/+5 | +4 | +4 | +9 | Noxious Essence | 84 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | |
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +5 | +9 | Damage Reduction IV, Vitriolic Essence | 90 | 3 | 3 | 3 | - | |
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +10 | 96 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | ||
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +10 | Utterdark Essence | 102 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | |
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +6 | +11 | 108 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | Damage Reduction V, Hindering Essence | 114 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +6 | +12 | Energy Resistance II | 120 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
Bonus Feats: The epic Warlock gains a bonus feat every three levels after 20th. In other words, at levels 23, 26 and 29.
Warlock Pact: Demonic
Required Alignment: Chaotic Evil, or Neutral Evil
Demonic Pact enables the Warlock to use their Charisma instead of Intelligence if higher for Knowledge: Arcana.
Demonic Pact provides 5/- resistance to Electrical and Poison at Warlock level 10, scaling up to 10/- at level 20.
Vicious and vile, demons are not prone to keeping their sides of a deal, but neither are they averse to giving power to mortals, be it as part of an agreement of fealty, worship, or simple convenience or part of a greater scheme. Many who draw upon the endless might of the Abyss are as mad and cruel as its denizens, while others tap warily into an infinite wellspring of power, ever treading on the edge of knowing it might consume them at any moment.
Warlock Pact: Infernal
Required Alignment: Lawful Evil, or Neutral Evil
Infernal Pact enables the Warlock to use their Charisma instead of Wisdom if higher for Sense Motive.
Infernal Pact provides 5/- resistance to Fire and Hellfire at Warlock level 10, scaling up to 10/- at level 20.
The most traditional and widely-understood pact for warlocks is that of the Infernal contract - a harrowed warlock signing away their soul in exchange for a boon of power, wealth, or fortune from a devilish sponsor. Imbued with the might of the Nine Hells, the warlock can draw upon their archdevil patron to fuel their magical strength, even wielding the cruel and malevolent power of hellfire.
Warlock Pact: Celestial
Required Alignment: Chaotic Good, or Chaotic Neutral
Celestial Pact enables the Warlock to use their Charisma instead of Wisdom if higher for Heal.
Celestial Pact provides 5/- resistance to Electrical and Cold at Warlock level 10, scaling up to 10/- at level 20.
While the majority of warlocks are bound to malevolent fiends, inscrutable fey, or bizarre aberrations of the Far Realm, there is room for goodness and holiness even in the spheres of warlock power. Celestial warlocks almost always draw their power from a high-ranking eladrin, though pacts with lillends, asura, and guardinals are not completely unheard of. These free-spirited celestials empower their pacts with the strength to fight against evil, even if it means breaking the rules from time to time.
Warlock Pact: Fey
Required Alignment: Any Chaotic
Fey Pact enables the Warlock to use their Charisma instead of Wisdom if higher for Survival.
Fey Pact provides 5/- resistance to Sonic and Acid at Warlock level 10, scaling up to 10/- at level 20.
Words and promises are as ironclad as chains and manacles to the people of Faerie, and an oath given thrice is one that cannot be broken. Deals struck with the noble sídhe of Faerie are the most common source of Fey pacts, just as often as part of seeking a boon from the Fey and being empowered to undertake a task or quest on their behalf as it is for the sake of gaining power itself. Fey-pact warlocks draw their power from the Courts of Faerie, and often act as emissaries, agents, and assassins on behalf of their whims.
Warlock Pact: Star
Required Alignment: Any Evil, or Chaotic Neutral
Star Pact enables the Warlock to use their Charisma instead of Intelligence if higher for Knowledge: Planar.
Star Pact provides 5/- resistance to Acid and Psionic at Warlock level 10, scaling up to 10/- at level 20.
To gaze into the beyond and extend one's thoughts past the barriers of reality risks dipping into wells of both power and madness in equal measure. Those who have glimpsed the un-reality of the Far Realm, the alien depths of the Plane of Shadow, the deepest reaches of the unending starry void, and other realms of inexplicable phenomena - be it through direct interaction with the creatures of that alien realm or through delving into forbidden knowledge and taboo secrets - often exchange their fractured or shattered sanity for a warlock's might. The powers-that-be of these unknown domains ask little of their followers... though in their insanity, many seek goals they believe inspired by their alien masters.