Eldritch Cleaver (3.5e Optimized Character Build)

Introduction

A strong striker capable of doing damage to everyone around him while providing some battlefield control. .

References

Flaws (Unearthed Arcana)

Bloodlines (Unearthed Arcana)

Complete Champion

Complete Arcane

Dragon Magic

Player's Handbook II

Magic of Incarnum

Expanded Psionics Handbook

Fiendish Codex II

Game Rule Components

Spells, Powers, Soulmelds, Stances, etc...

Strength Domain

Travel Domain

Eldritch Glaive from Dragon Magic. (1)

Entropic Warding (4)

Devil's Sight (7)

Hellrime Blast (12)

Flee the Scene (14)

Fell Flight (18)

Vitriolic Blast (19)

Items

Warlock's Scepter (Complete Arcane)

Greater Chasuble of Fell Power and Gloves of the Eldritch Admixture (Magic Item Compendium).

A Nightstick from Libris Mortis will let you use Travel Devotion more often.

Progression

Starting Ability Scores (Before Racial Adjustments): (Assuming 32 Point Buy) Str: 17 Dex: 12 Con: 14 Int: 14 Wis: 11 Cha: 8

Race (Templates): Human

ECL	Class/HD/LA	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Feats	Class Features	Special
			Fort	Ref	Will
1st	Warlock 1	+0	+0	+0	+2	Stand Still, Battle Caster, Combat Reflexes, Education	Eldritch Blast 1d6,
2nd	Storm Giant Bloodline 1	+0	+0	+0	+2	Power Attack
3rd	Cleric 1	+0	+2	+0	+4	Travel Devotion (Complete Champion)	Turn Undead	Travel Domain and Strength Domain
4th	Warlock 2	+1	+2	+0	+5		Detect Magic
5th	Warlock 3	+2	+3	+1	+5		Elritch Blast 2d6, DR 1/Cold Iron
6th	Storm Giant Bloodline 2	+2	+3	+1	+5	Cleave
7th	Warlock 4	+3	+3	+2	+6		Deceive Item
8th	Warlock 5	+3	+3	+2	+6	Shape Soulmeld: Strongheart Vest	Eldritch Blast 3d6	Gained Bonus feat from bloodline by having cleave already.
9th	Fighter 1	+4	+5	+2	+6	Martial Study: Shield Block, Weapon Focus (Eldritch Glaive)
10th	Fighter 2	+5	+6	+2	+6	Martial Stance: Thicket of Blades
11th	Storm Giant Bloodline 3	+5	+6	+2	+6
12th	Warlock 6	+6	+7	+3	+7	Great Cleave
13th	Hellfire Warlock 1	+6	+7	+3	+9		Eldritch Blast 4d6, Hellfire Blast 2d6	Build begins to take off.
14th	Hellfire Warlock 2	+7	+7	+3	+10		Hellfire Blast +4d6, Hellfire Infusion, Fire Resist 10
15th	Hellfire Warlock 3	+8	+8	+4	+10	Maximize Spell-Like Ability	Eldritch Blast 5d6, Hellfire Blast +6d6, Hellfire Shield
16th	Fighter 3	+9	+8	+5	+11
17th	Fighter 4	+10	+9	+5	+11	Weapon Specialization: Eldritch Glaive
18th	Warlock 7	+11	+9	+5	+11	Melee Weapon Mastery	Damage Reduction 2/Cold Iron
19th	Warlock 8	+12	+9	+5	+12		Eldritch Blast 6d6, Fiendish Resilience 1
20th	Warlock 9	+12	+10	+6	+12

Highlights

Eldritch Glaive requires a touch attack to hit, allowing you to Power Attack for added damage.

Strength Domain allows use to use wands and scrolls of Enlarge Person to go large multiple times a day.

Battle Caster allows you to use your invocations while wearing heavy armor.

With 17 starting strength after racial mods, your strength will be 17 + 5 (level) +1 (bloodline) + 5 (tome) + 6 (item) = 34 when not enlarged at level 20. Full attack (every attack is a touch attack) will be 12 (Str) + 12 (BAB) - 12 (Power Attack) + 1 (Weapon Focus) + 2 (Melee Weapon Mastery) = +15/+9/+5, with damage being 18d6 (Eldritch Glaive + Hellfire Blast) + 2d6 (Greater Chasuble of Fell Power) + 18 (Two-Handed Weapon Strength) + 2 (Weapon Specialization) + 2 (Melee Weapon Mastery) + 24 (Power Attack with a two-handed weapon) = 18d6+44 or 98 on average. Should all attacks hit, that comes out to 294 damage per round on average.

If you drop a foe, great cleave allows you a strike against anyone within your reach.

Maximize your eldritch blast to deal 164 damage per attack.

At higher level, vitriolic blast bypasses spell resistance.

Munchkin-Size Me

Find a way to gain haste for another attack per round. Extra Dex allows more AoO's, as well as boost your reflex save.

Limitations

Low hit die (mostly d6's) means you'll be rather squishy for being up in melee.

Lower warlock levels means Spell Resistance can cripple the build until you gain vitriolic blast.

DM Counters

Creatures that can teleport. Spells that require reflex saves and hinder movement.

Creatures with Spell Resistance at lower levels.

Variants

Alternately, you could could switch out Entropic Warding with Darkness and cast it on yourself. Devil's Sight would allow you to see through it, and everyone around you would have a 20% miss chance against you.

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