Remasters are a side project I've been working on recently. Typically, this involves reworking old content to fit the new design standard set with my second template, while going back and modifying what still needed amending after whatever ended up being the final draft.
And, if I can, adding some much-needed fun, extra content to old stuff.
What did I add to this one? Well, that's why we have the
CHANGELOG:
- Many small modifications to formatting, ability elements, and similar.
- Expanded Invocation Drawbacks, for it you're using the Invocation Drawbacks optional rule.
CONCERNS:
- Didn't change the balance much. The content hopefully didn't need it.
If my character was wielding an enchanted longbow that deals an extra 1d6 fire damage on a hit, then casted eldritch blast through the bow with the Eldritch Arrow invocation. Would the arrow/blast deal 1d10 force + 1d6 fire + Dex/ChaMod damage? *And the agonizing blast invocation* If so, a level 17 character with the bow and the invocation could deal, if all blasts/arrows hit, [1d10+1d6+Dex/ChaMod]x4? If all die were maxed, Dex/ChaMod = +5 and all hit, that would be 84 damage in total?
ReplyDeleteRegardless of how you channel it, Eldritch Blast is a spell attack, rather than a ranged weapon attack from your bow.
DeleteChanneling it through your bow allows you to increase its range and (with Agonizing Blast) use your DEX mod in place of CHA, if you'd like. By RAW, it doesn't add additional damage inherent to a magic weapon.
Now, this is obviously up to you and your DM, but the intent is not to let Eldritch Blast deal any more damage than the (sizable) amount it already does. I like to let WotC be the one to push the balance envelope, and to keep my own numbers in-line with what's already been released.
It doesn't work really well if someone chooses the hex-blade patron, essentially all eldritch arrows is for is trading stats for this one attack, and lowering the potency of all other spells. Honestly if you choose pact of the arch and eldritch arrow, thats a pact and an invocation to be a ranged fighter with a lower spell dc for all other spells that a regular warlock can beat out just taking eldritch blast and agonizing blast with a high charisma. It's not that a bow doesn't have potential, it's just the execution here doesn't give any real advantage over a regular ranged focused warlock with the spell sniper feat can't do without using up two invocations and their pact.
DeleteBasically Arc is 'pact of the blade' that specialize on bow weapons, so the question becomes, what does it offer that makes it stand on equal footing to the other pacts available? Blade gives all three weapon damage options and special weapon typings. Arc gives a bow or a cross bow, so piercing only, and you still need to buy ammunition and load crossbows. The only advantage you get is, it's magical, and you can't be disarmed of it, unless they take your ammo. Obviously it's lacking compared to having any melee weapon, an improved familiar, or 3 extra cantrips from any class. The point of the pact seems to be, you want a magical archer who can cast eldritch blast though it, at at this point it your focusing on ranged warlock, you have enrich blast, agonizing blast, and either eldritch spear or repelling blast. So you may as well give the bow the ability to focus eldritch blast through it right off the bat and give it some form of enhancement. Eldritch blast is basically an at will high damage, high range magic crossbow that give multiple attacks at higher level, to make the bow a valid complement to that, you can't be spending a pact choice and invocations just to make it compatible with what apparently is the main attracting feature of the pact. Either that or it needs to go a route that makes it a valid rival to eldritch blast in options.
DeleteIt offers a pact bow. Not everyone min maxes and powergames. Some people would take this purely for flavor. As a recovering powergamer I like all of these alternative pact boons.
DeleteThere's no Invocation that allows a Warlock with Pact of the Peacemaker to channel their Eldritch blast through the pistol? Was this just an oversight? The only such invocation I see in the list was for Pact of the Arc....
ReplyDeleteI've mapped the progression of the various gun damages in Pact of the Peacemaker to EB's damage progression, approximately. While there's no ability to cast EB through the pistol, using the pistol itself should do roughly the same damage.
Delete...Why would you even want to use the gun, then? EB has MUCH better range and built-in multiple attacks without need for any extra invocations, plus it strikes as magic (because it is, well..magic). Besides getting a free proficiency in firearms, I fail to see the benefit of this Pact boon...
DeleteMost of the pacts seem to be more about flavor, you have to want the gun or the bow, or the whip or the shield enough to be less effective. It takes the 'you cannot be disarmed' and 'magic for overcoming resistance' aspects of the blade pact and loses the versatility it offers, while ignoring the advantage that eldritch blast alone has over conventional ranged weapons. There great if your looking for an unconventional warlock, but not so great for playing into the warlocks core strengths.
DeleteFor example, the shield is more or less just a shield you can summon. It gives no inherent bonus over just going hexblade and carrying a regular shield. Personally I would have expanded it to include 'armors you are proficient with' for more options, and given it an inherent magical AC bonus like 'half your proficiency' to set it apart as more valuable then then regular armor options, and made invocations that give extra shielding options that are not merely casting spells once a day, like allowing you gain a specific resistance type, adding bonuses to saving throws, or something more inherent to the shield, rather then a more limited tome.
Also, the Eldritch Arrows invocation *has* to use Dexterity instead of Charisma to hit? Or is that optional?
ReplyDeleteYou can still cast EB normally, in which case it uses CHA, but casting it through your bow causes it to use DEX instead.
DeleteAgain--why would you really want this Pact, then? Any well-built Warlock is going to have higher Charisma than Dexterity, so apparently the ONLY advantage to using EB with a bow is range, and even then really only if you also buy the Eldritch Arrows invocation so long range isn't disadvantaged. Simply by buying Eldritch Spear, you are basically getting all the same benefits except for the (exceedingly rare) instances when you might need to hit something 600' away...
Delete>Any well-built Warlock is going to have higher Charisma than Dexterity
DeleteNot necessarily. Most blade-locks will have a higher starting STR/DEX than CHA, and will build their spells around that. It's perfectly viable to make a lower-CHA warlock if you build for it, taking spells that don't function off of your spellcasting ability modifier or require attacks/saves.
Further, DEX is a solid stat for any character in general, increasing AC, a variety of skills, and initiative as it does. The arc-lock functions off the assumption that you'll make DEX your priority stat, as you'll get a wealth of benefits from it, just not spellcasting.
Also: I totally mis-read the text there. It IS a choice, RAW, whether or not you use DEX or CHA when casting through a bow. Been a while since I made this one, sorry.
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ReplyDeleteI know this is an older post, but if the author still checks it I could use an opinion. Would you let players use some of the Blade Pact invocations with the Pact of the Arc? Specifically, improved pact weapon and thirsting blade? A lot of improved weapon's features are redundant, and if you only use it for Eldritch Blasts they're both unnecessary, but if you ever did wanna shoot arrows getting an extra attack and treating the bow as a +1 magic weapon could be handy.
ReplyDeletePtron's Own Pistol still doen't make sesne to me regarding the extra attack . What Firearm does not have a loading property? Aren't those wands? LOL. Even energy weapons like blasters and lasers use betteries or some power source for ammunition. Are you perhaps saying that a prequisite is having the Gunner Feat where you ignor the Loading property of a fire arm?
ReplyDelete