Glaive of the Hellfire Warlock (3.5e Optimized Character Build)

"Madness!? This. Is. HELLFIRE!!"

Introduction

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.

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): 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: 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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