Eldritch Cleaver (3.5e Optimized Character Build)
Introduction
3e Summary::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): 3e Race::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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