RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32
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OK, so I was pretty much decided on playing a Warlock in the new Campaign we're starting (tomorrow night btw, better actually think about starting to make the char). That is until I went looking for more Invocations and found some in Dragon Magic. This opened up a whole new can of worms, because now I've seen the Dragonfire Adept. After weighing up the two classes, I still think I am gonna go with the Warlock, but I would like some other people's thoughts on which they think is better and why.
Cheers
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32
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They're two variations on the same theme, mechanically similar. I suppose much of the issue for me is flavor: do you want your powers to come from pacts your parents made with evil beings, fey heritage, or draconic heritage?
I have been looking for an excuse to play some kind of Draconic Character for a while now, but the Race that I had in mind for the Warlock (as it was originally going to be a Sorcerer until I read the Warlock Description) is a Celadrin (from Dragon #350).
So I suppose Fey Heritage would be the answer.
I like the Warlock better (flavour wise) but the Dragonfire Adept has the edge in terms of power gaming/blasting.
I have seen both in use and the adept (even though it has rubbish BaB) dosent have to roll to hit with his/her breath attack like a Warlock does with his spelllike ability/blast (if I recall rightly). Our Dragonfire Adept only ever had to roll to hit a couple of times in the entire campaign!
The DM at the time allowed the the Adept player to use Warlock incantations so I don't know if that contributed much into the Adept character becoming such an awesome PC.
I was going to DM Savage Tide at one point (still might hopefully) and one of my players has a Dragonfire Adept ready somewhere -it seemed like a fun class, nice to put together but fragile if you get caught in hand to hand -very powerful otherwise.
I'd say stick to being human (my friends going for raptoran) and take flaws/items to gain feats that bump up your con, AC or fort save. Oh and you get good skills -you could be the frontman/woman in the party easily with a Dragonfire Adept. Don't multiclass. Slow Breath is really handy. :)
If you want to go all dark and hellish like the Warlocks flavour -go hellbred Dragonfire Adept?! That would be simular. Hellbred can get +2 Con/+2 Charisma to start with and that would help.
A lot of it depends on your play style. I like Warlocks, but the 2 skill points per level is always a killer for me. Dragonfire adepts have the edge in Fort Saves, Hit Points, Natural AC, and Skill Points, while Warlocks have an advantage with wearable armor, base attack bonus, and 4 additional invocations. Don't count out the warlocks ability to adjust to magic items either, that's a slick bonus.
A lot of it depends on your play style. I like Warlocks, but the 2 skill points per level is always a killer for me. Dragonfire adepts have the edge in Fort Saves, Hit Points, Natural AC, and Skill Points, while Warlocks have an advantage with wearable armor, base attack bonus, and 4 additional invocations. Don't count out the warlocks ability to adjust to magic items either, that's a slick bonus.
I think Dragonfire Adepts can get scales to boost AC and go down the draconic feats tree of AC boosting as well? :) Probably qualify for monster feats that boost natural armour then as well.
They do indeed; I just rolled it into "natural AC" to save space.
They do indeed; I just rolled it into "natural AC" to save space.
Oop! Sorry. :)
Just figured I'd chime in on this..
My daughter's currently playing a Warlock (I made the character for her). It's going for all the Fey Heritage feats, plus it has Eldritch Claws (one of the last dragon mags) and Weapon Finesse for the claws.
It's a pretty strong combination, with all the spell like abilities from Fey Heritage (the Charm Monster spell like ability means she doesn't have to waste an invocation on it - who's /really/ going to need it more than once per day?), plus the ability to instantly switch from blasting at range to ripping folks to shreds in melee. All without need for an actual weapon. The Vitriolic Blast invocation lets her overcome SR, and Eldritch Doom (we're L16+) means she's a fantastic blaster. It's left my wizard needing to think of an alternate strategy aside from loading up on evocations.
I can't speak for the Dragonfire Adept, but since I saw you mentioned the combination of Fey Heritage and Warlock, I thought I'd give you a look at what you can expect at the higher levels from that combo.
Thought I'd pitch in a bit too since I'm currently playing a warlock in Kikai13's game. I'm having a real... blast... with it...ahhh, horribly pun I know, but if you are looking for something with a bit more versatility to it, I highly recommend checking out the Eldritch Theurge prestige class in complete mage. This class gives you full arcane spell casting progression as well as full progression for your invocations and eldritch blast, as well as more cold iron dr and decent BAB. Furthermore, it lets you combine your eldritch blast and invocations with spells! I'm absolutely loving the versatility of it, I mean seriously, there is no reason to take any damage dealing spells at low level due to the eldritch blast, though I might at higher level just to do even more damage. The thing I love most about my character is that I even figured out how to make him into a front line fighter having the highest AC and HP of the entire party. If you want to do this then create a sorceror/warlock so that all of your spells and abilities operate off of your Charisma, the other two highest scores need to go into Con and Str, I chose Con for my highest due to the need in the game for a tank. Oh yeah, we are level 6 right now. I currently have a +2 twilight mithril breastplate so that I only have 5% spell failure and use the eldritch glaive blast shape out of Dragon Magic. If you want to get into the PrC at level 6 then you need to play an illumian with the Krau sigil. Then take the feat improved sigil so that one of your 1st level spells is cast as a 2nd level spell, qualifying you for the prestige class (cheese I know, but it works). Then take the feat Improved Toughness for extra hp. As well as the alternate class option Stalwart Sorcerer from complete mage. This will cost you one of your highest level spells known from sorcy, however it gives you a bonus 2 hp per level of sorceror (any time you have a d4 and gain a spellcasting level of sorceror by my dm's ruling since you are still losing a higher level spell when you progress) as well as a weapon proficiency (choose glaive or if you want to use the hideous blow invocation choose any weapon you like better) This means that with a good con score, hopefully 16 or better you are gaining 6+1d4 hp per level. This is an average of 8.5 hp per level, the exact same as a fighter with a 16 con! Furthermore, the eldritch glaive can be used multiple times to attack as per your base attack bonus as a MELEE TOUCH attack!!!! Plus, as a two handed weapon, glaives add Str x 1 1/2, meaning that you get your eldritch blast damage, plus strength, plus a spell at higher levels. All in all, a great way to go in my opinion. Lots of fun in combat, with lots of cool abilities and spells to help the party out of combat, and great back story to boot, since I generally like playing the anti-hero... hero...
I guess basically what I'm saying is so great about the Warlock, is their ability to be easily customized, you can take on any role in the party, even healer through the Eldritch Disciple PrC in complete mage, so I would definitely suggest going with Warlock in the end. Plus, you never run out of magical attacks compared to other casters!
To quote from Dragon Magic:
'Breath Weapon (Su): At first level, you gain a breath weapon that you can use at will in a standard action. Each time you use your breath weapon, you can choose whether it takes the form of a 15-foot cone or a 30-foot line. this breath weapon deals 1d6 damage, a successful Reflex save (DC 10+1/2 your class level+ your Con modifier)halves the damage. as you gain levels, your breath weapon's damage increases, as shown on table 2-1.
You are immune to the effect of your own breath weapon (but not to the effects of that produce similar effects, even those of other dragonfire adepts)...'
Now, could someone else quote the warlock thing on the eldritch blast? I don't have it with me.
Splaaaarrrrcccchhhhhhhh