How to play a Warlock?

[Akashic Soldier]

Useless baggage to the party? Are you mad? O_O

They're like, one step down from full-blown Shifters.

The power of the Warlock is that their spells are significantly more powerful than ordinary invocations and normally permanent. Allowing them to do quite a lot if you are a quick thinker or resourceful player. Yes, their ability to summon elemental takes time but... have you actually looked at what they can summon? And once summoned there is no limit to the duration beyond whatever is "reasonable" to the Warlock and the Elemental.

My only complaint is that every single Warlock in Rifts starts with Pilot: Hovercraft. I would have liked Pilot: Pick One because to me hovercraft training doesn't really seem to be part of the core fundamental training to become a Warlock, but apparently it is. The same way every Mind Melter is an Athlete and Street Savvy. O_O

Although you are only limited to three spells you can do a lot with those spells and although they're not powerhouse acanists like a lot of other Practitioners of Magic, they level faster and gain power much more quickly. (By which I mean elemental spells are normally three or more levels higher their Invocation counterparts).

[Johnathan]

I'm going to agree with Akashic Soldier on this one. A Warlock is an elemental powerhouse, mystically speaking. These are men and women who have become so attuned to an elemental facet as to be able to hold a conversation with the very beings who wield elemental power on an earth shattering scale. On too of that, remember, not ALL elementals need to be summoned from their elemental plane of existence to utilize... They could literally show up ANYWHERE!

It's not necessarily the fact that the Warlock is limited in their spell selections... But moreso that they are the penultimate masters of forces that govern all things in nature, can interact with beings that are beyond mortal comprehension and, by proxy of those beings, wields incredible power. What other mortal can so safely interact with a being that, generally, sees mortals in the same way as we see ants? Not only that, but imagine one of those same "ants" walking up to you and then starting a conversation with you... And not only do you listen to it, but you are generally inclined to listen to it and do whatever it is that ant is asking of you. Rather than just doing what most of us would do... Stomp on it.

Just a few thoughts. Yes, Warlocks generally start off weaker than most other spell casters and are, generally less versatile. However, that is not their focus either. Few spell casters, at 5-7th level, are able to reshape the world around them like a Warlock, or so easily do so.

[Killer Cyborg]

At level 1, I'm looking at 2-3 total spells (all level 1), light MDC armor, and a character suggestion that I use regular weapons instead of magic during combat...

How many mage OCCs can you name that don't start off with regular armor or weapons?

[flatline]

So, for the warlock, general plan is to use the elemental summoning to get minions? Spells are secondary and that's why they get so few?

Useless baggage to the party? Are you mad? O_O

My point is that I don't think they are meant to be useless baggage, but I was having trouble grasping how to use them.

So, can someone give me an example level 1 warlock, and a summaryof how you'd use one in a party?

At level 1, I'm looking at 2-3 total spells (all level 1), light MDC armor, and a character suggestion that I use regular weapons instead of magic during combat...

How many mage OCCs can you name that don't start off with regular armor or weapons?

Point was that this magic class has a note that basically says, "don't use magic, use weapons." Most other classes either have preference of magic over tech weapons, or just are neutral.
-Pax

Every first level mage uses weapons. Even combat mages like Mystic Knights and Temporal Warriors. Warlock is no different.

--flatline

[The Dark Elf]

Theyre a conversion from PFRPG - in that setting the are quite a powerhouse.

[Killer Cyborg]

At level 1, I'm looking at 2-3 total spells (all level 1), light MDC armor, and a character suggestion that I use regular weapons instead of magic during combat...

How many mage OCCs can you name that don't start off with regular armor or weapons?

Point was that this magic class has a note that basically says, "don't use magic, use weapons." Most other classes either have preference of magic over tech weapons, or just are neutral.
-Pax

How many OCCs that start with tech weapons/armor can you name that state in the OCC description that they prefer using magic over using weapons?
I can't think of any offhand.

Warlocks, like everybody else who isn't a powerful supernatural creature, have to rely heavily on armor and weapons at low levels. It's not a mark against them.
In fact, if you look under "colors and clothing," you might notice the mention that "warlocks tend to avoid plastics and power armor."
Note the distinction between Warlocks "tending to avoid" using power armor, and in normal mages who prefer not to even use Heavy body armor.
I tend to avoid waterchestnuts in my food... but that doesn't mean it's really rare for me to eat them.

But whatever.
Let's look at the class and see what you can do with it.
(I'm assuming that we're looking at the original CB1)

First, they get a decent amount of PPE, 2d4x10+20, with an extra 20 if they have two elements.
At the time, that was at least as good as Line Walkers had. These days, Line Walkers have been bumped up from 2d4x10+20 PPE at first level to 3d6x10+20, though, so you might try asking your GM to be boosted up to that same amount (+another 20 if you have two elements), as the Warlock OCC has not been updated for RUE.
Even going with the low numbers, you should have an average of 70 PPE at first level, which is pretty decent since most first level spells only take 2-5 PPE to cast. So while the spells aren't great, you can at least cast them quite a few times before running out of PPE.
For example, if you're an Earth Warlock, you can cast Chameleon about 14 times on average before running out.

A lot of the Warlock's powers come from their ability to interact with elementals, so the utility of these powers depends on how common elementals are in the adventure/campaign in question. If you run into elementals, though, just the ability to talk to them could be invaluable, saving the character's life, possibly the party's life, and/or the lives of many civilians.

Other abilities:
Sense the Nature of the Life Sign
Air warlocks can reliably preduct the location and direction of a body of water within 100 miles. Which can save the party from thrist/dehydration, but can also be used to discover important landmarks. Say you're looking for the ruins of an ancient temple or Wal-Mart that you know is located near a lake, for example. Say you're running from vampires, and you need a stream or river to cross.
Earth Warlocks can not only recognize natural minerals, which helps with treasure-finding/looting and not getting cheated in trades, they can detect dangers in the earth, such as land mines. And you can navigate caves like a bat, which is really handy in dungeoncrawls.
Air Warlocks can tell the direction of the wind, tell time naturally, sense incoming storms and other atmospheric disturbances. This might be pretty useless a lot of the time, but if the adventure is set on boat, it can be invaluable.
They can also sense contaminants in the air, which can help the party avoid getting gassed, as well as possibly detecting/analyzing certain other threats before they manifest.
Fire Warlocks can sense fires within a 40 mile area. If you're trying to track people, or if people are trying to track you, this can provide a major advantage. The ability to sense air and temperature changes can be pretty handy as well, with some imagination.

Special Abilities
Water Warlocks either get a +20% bonus to the Swim skill, or they get the Swim skill for free. If you have a GM who's anything like I am, one who ensures that basic skills like Swim come up in games, that's a nice free skill to have. Also, being able to hold your breath for up to 5 minutes can be handy too, not just in the water, but any time there's poison gas, or you're being choked/suffocated.
Earth Warlocks get Holistic Medicine at 50%, and ID Plants and Fruits at 65%. Again, if your GM is anything like I am, these will be handy skills to have.
Air Warlocks get Astronomy at 65%, as well as Basic Electronics at 50%. Keep in mind that this is well above the basic proficiency level, and both of these skills can be important to have. And there's the holding the breath thing again, only for 10 minutes.
Fire Warlocks are impervious to normal fires, and take 1/2 damage from Mega-Damage fires, as an ongoing effect, no concentration necessary. That's nothing to sneeze at.

And remember: if you have the right attributes, you can have two elements. This will mean you only get 2 spells per level, but you get twice as many of the above abilities.

Summon Elementals
Once per day, you can try to summon an elemental. If you're not near a ley line or nexus, this isn't very useful, because you only have a 5% chance of it working. But if you're near ley lines or nexuses, and/or are lucky, it can be extremely useful.
Not to mention that the 5% chance is per level, so it becomes a lot more useful at higher levels.
If you're nice, you have to send the elemental back home after a day or two. But you can always try again the next day.
If you're away from ley lines and nexuses, and are only first level, this power isn't going to do much unless you're really lucky. But if you're hanging round a nexus, that's a 25% chance per day of summoning an elemental, and you can keep the elemental up to 48 hours if you're polite... up to 1 week if you're a jerk, and longer than that if you're a real dillhole (or very desperate).
At 25% chance of summoning per day, that means that you could technically summon a new Elemental every 4 days or so on average (with access to a nexus), which means that even at first level, there's a good chance of having a very powerful companion.
But 5th level, that 25% chance at a nexus is up to 50%, meaning that if you have access to a nexus, you can pretty much have at least one elemental with you at all times.
And remember, you can borrow PPE from elementals, to replenish your own stock.

If none of that does it for you, then this isn't the OCC for you.

[flatline]

It's not necessarily the fact that the Warlock is limited in their spell selections... But moreso that they are the penultimate masters of forces that govern all things in nature, can interact with beings that are beyond mortal comprehension and, by proxy of those beings, wields incredible power.

I can't help myself. I have to point this out. I think you may be using this word (the bolded word) wrong. Penultimate means "second to last or second to last in a series or sequence". So by this logic you're saying that the Warlock is the second best "master of forces that govern all things in nature". If that's what you meant, then yeah, you're using the word correctly. If not, then you meant "Ultimate" and not "Penultimate".

Sorry for being a grammar nazi, it's just that "penultimate" gets used incorrectly a lot. As a former english educator, I feel the need to point it out.

Wouldn't the elementals themselves be the ultimate? I assumed that he meant the warlocks were right behind them...

--flatline

[Mack]

I was re-reading the warlock OCC and I love it. That said, it looks very challenging to RP as anything beyond useless baggage to the party until later levels.

At level 1, I'm looking at 2-3 total spells (all level 1), light MDC armor, and a character suggestion that I use regular weapons instead of magic during combat...

I'm also unable to learn additional spells beyond leveling, and require at at least a few hours of summoning to call any elementals to aid me in combat.

Lastly, unlike other wizards or psychics, I have nothing to mask my PPE from dog boys or psi-stalkers.

What am I missing on the OCC? There must be more to it, as the class looks fun and is an old one, but seems pretty pathetic for at least the first 5 or so levels.
-Pax

Yes, at low levels Warlocks are rather underwelming. You'll have to rely on your wits and equipment (preferably TW equipment) for several levels.

[Akashic Soldier]

"David" Gruz Moamb

Is my only full time player character and he is an Earth Warlock. Although being a Troll he has a considerable advantage over a human Warlock (being able to rely on his trollish fortitude) though that really matters little in the grand scale of things.

Here are my spells...

1. Create Wood: This gives me the ability to create permanent wood or wooden structures from thin air. From shields to wooden planks that my companions can use to cross rivers to actually full standing houses if given enough time. Used in conjunction with my Carpentry or Whittling Skill I can also use it to create salable items without needing to aquire the resources to do so. Create Wood + ??? = Profit!
During Combat I can use this ability in a wide range of ways, from creating fuel for fire or stocks to hold prisoners or as I mentioned above small shields. Admittedly they would be S.D.C. but that is still enough to absorb the damage from a single M.D. attack without the damage flowing over onto me the caster and that's better than nothing.

2. Dust Storm: Ever wondered why Ley Line Walkers always wear a gas mask? The answer is this spell. With this spell I can disable spell casters within 120 feet of me with a simple flick of the wrist. More impressively. I can take away people's ability to talk or see further than 10 feet even if they are in environmental armour. Meaning that if they are trying to attack me they are considered "Shooting Wild" and are at -6 and must roll 15 or higher to strike me. There is no saving throw. This spell can be used to stop groups from calling for backup, it can be used for blinding targets, preventing spell casters from being able to use their abilities, to conceal something you do not want people to see or just to look freaking awesome as a wild dust storm tears around you. Remember, each caster can control the finer points of his spell as he wishes so he can make this take any shape he likes (so long as it does not exceed the spell's radius), he can move it around like a snake, part it with a gesture. This spell is amazing and its Earth Warlocks (and some shifters) only as far as I know. Sure all a Ley Line Walker (or other practitioner of magic) needs to do is put on their gas mask to be immune to the choking effect so they can cast spells but most gas masks are S.D.C. so a simple Called Shot will deal with anything short of sealed environmental armour (which most PoM cannot even cast spells from anyway).

3. Mystical Falcrum: This is a spell that defies or tweaks the laws of physics. In short allowing ole David to pick up and move objects he normally could not. Admitedly for this to really count you need to be immensely strong... but David is. Still not impressed? You should be because with this spell you can lift 50% more than you could lift above your head... with a single finger or otherwise defy the laws of reality as people know them to perform monumental feats of strength and daring... like say... grabbing hold of the earth... uprooting 5000 or thereabouts pounds of earth and then placing that on top of your enemy before diving into the hole you created for total cover to avoid laser fire. I think the video (at about 1:40) is the best case for what having "strength that defies the laws of physics" can do so I will leave that argument there with my old friend.

In closing I guess my point here is that all of those are just first level spells for me. Sure I only get three but I can do a lot with them. Spells are tools. Not solutions.

[Tinker Dragoon]

If you find the number of spells per level to be a turn-off, you might consider playing a Demigod or Godling with Warlock powers, then you'll have every spell of your chosen element(s) at each level of experience.

[Killer Cyborg]

If you find the number of spells per level to be a turn-off, you might consider playing a Demigod or Godling with Warlock powers, then you'll have every spell of your chosen element(s) at each level of experience.

It wasn't that it was a turn off, more a surprise at how few they start with. Not sure, but I think warlocks get less spells than most other magic classes, possibly the least total spells (not suggesting anything about the quality of those few spells).

Summoners and Diabolists get fewer spells.

[Ectoplasmic Bidet]

If you find the number of spells per level to be a turn-off, you might consider playing a Demigod or Godling with Warlock powers, then you'll have every spell of your chosen element(s) at each level of experience.

It wasn't that it was a turn off, more a surprise at how few they start with. Not sure, but I think warlocks get less spells than most other magic classes, possibly the least total spells (not suggesting anything about the quality of those few spells).

As for the demigod/godling, I'll admit, I was looking at that and drooling a bit. Does seem a bit broken, but perhaps those RCCs are more balanced than they initially appear.
-Pax

Hardly broken. Sometimes a character's level of power just doesn't quite fit in very well with the overall setting. I can't think of many places at all where playing a demigod would be game breaking.

[EmeraldToucanet]

As for the demigod/godling, I'll admit, I was looking at that and drooling a bit. Does seem a bit broken, but perhaps those RCCs are more balanced than they initially appear.
-Pax

Hardly broken. Sometimes a character's level of power just doesn't quite fit in very well with the overall setting. I can't think of many places at all where playing a demigod would be game breaking.

Yeah if you are in a game where all characters are MDC critters, unless the other players just chose particularly weak MDC critters, the demi-god is unlikely to be especially powerful compared to everyone else, particularly if the DM limits what power you can get, or what OCCs you can pair which powers with. There are lots of races that are as, or more powerful than the demi-god.

I do have to say I also think Warlocks really aren't great for the first few levels, unless you are really in the right campaign for them (though being very careful about skill choice can make up for this to an extent), but then again there's many classes that just don't work well with certain campaigns.
It really really helps to be in a campaign that takes place somewhere there's lots of ley-lines that's for sure. I ended up playing one where there were we didn't encounter many ley-lines for a long long time, and that made my summoning abilities nigh-useless. But that was just one of the problems with playing that character in that game.

[flatline]

The demigod is also unable to take many classes with more demanding xp tables, due to their supernatural nature.
-Pax

Besides bionics, what OCCs are unavailable to the demi-god due to their supernatural nature?

--flatline

[Akashic Soldier]

Demigods regenerate 1D6x5 per minute so their body will reject ANY cybernetics. So I would think anything that requires cybernetics, Cyberknight, Head Hunter, Tech Ninja, etc.

[Akashic Soldier]

and PCC classes

As of Rifts: Ultimate Edition there is no such thing as a P.C.C. (All psychic classes are now considered O.C.C.'s). So Demigods can still select them.

They just added a new classification "Psychic" so now there are Men at Arms, Adventurers and Scholars, Practitioners of Magic and Psychics.

[Nightmask]

Demigods regenerate 1D6x5 per minute so their body will reject ANY cybernetics. So I would think anything that requires cybernetics, Cyberknight, Head Hunter, Tech Ninja, etc.

Bans juicers and crazies, as both require implants.

Bans the CS ones too, as character is supernatural.

Bans all RCC and PCC classes, as the demigod can only take OCCs specifically.

There are some others, but I'm not remembering them now. There are a good number of OCCs which make the character MDC, which are mostly worthless specizations with the demigod natural ability.

He's pretty much limited to a basic magic user, scholar/adventurer, or one of the less powerful men at arms OCCs.

I suppose he could be a robot or PA pilot, but those are kinda silly choices, plus he can't use magic from inside them (at least at targets outside the vehicle).

In all cases, he does dramatically improve the strength of the class he picks.
-Pax

PS: Said "he" a lot. Totally aware that there is no such limitation...

PCC was phased out a long time ago, so a demigod has no problems with being a psychic OCC, and nothing to suggest they can't take any magical OCC they feel like that doesn't happen to be incompatible for other reasons (like the parent's a god of nature making necromancy a violation of that parent's basic nature).

[kaid]

I was re-reading the warlock OCC and I love it. That said, it looks very challenging to RP as anything beyond useless baggage to the party until later levels.

At level 1, I'm looking at 2-3 total spells (all level 1), light MDC armor, and a character suggestion that I use regular weapons instead of magic during combat...

I'm also unable to learn additional spells beyond leveling, and require at at least a few hours of summoning to call any elementals to aid me in combat.

Lastly, unlike other wizards or psychics, I have nothing to mask my PPE from dog boys or psi-stalkers.

What am I missing on the OCC? There must be more to it, as the class looks fun and is an old one, but seems pretty pathetic for at least the first 5 or so levels.
-Pax

Warlocks are odd balls at the start they are pretty squishy and have a more limited number of spells. But and this is the big but warlock combat spells once you get some levels are the most potent of any of the casters i can think of. Once you hit level 8 you are a natural force of destruction capable of massive MDC damage over a wide area for reasonable costs.

Typically you will want to get some magic armor pretty quick something that has built in armor of ithan or something of that nature. Once you get that they have all the offensive and utility powers any caster could want.

If you want lots of variety go LLW but if you want to raze battlefields go warlock.

[kaid]

If you find the number of spells per level to be a turn-off, you might consider playing a Demigod or Godling with Warlock powers, then you'll have every spell of your chosen element(s) at each level of experience.

One other option also is the elemental shaman from spirit west. You have the fetish creation abilities of the other native american shaman and starting fetishes and all the spell powers of warlocks. They have to be a bit nicer to the elementals but still otherwise similar in that respect combined with very good starting armor and the ability to make more of it as needed as you level.

If you don't mind not using tech items the elemental shaman is a pretty good option all the offensive punch of a warlock with shored up defensive capabilities at lower levels to off set a normal warlocks initial squishiness.

[Shark_Force]

Warlocks are odd balls at the start they are pretty squishy and have a more limited number of spells. But and this is the big but warlock combat spells once you get some levels are the most potent of any of the casters i can think of. Once you hit level 8 you are a natural force of destruction capable of massive MDC damage over a wide area for reasonable costs.

Typically you will want to get some magic armor pretty quick something that has built in armor of ithan or something of that nature. Once you get that they have all the offensive and utility powers any caster could want.

If you want lots of variety go LLW but if you want to raze battlefields go warlock.

even before then warlocks get some pretty powerful attack spells (and often some very interesting and useful spells of other types as well).

i'm not just talking about the ones that can wipe out armies either. air gets what is probably the most powerful single-target attack spell around, for example, and earth warlocks are great at building and making stuff, and can be very handy for making money.

the first few levels will probably be a little rough. but it gets better pretty quick

[kaid]

Warlocks are odd balls at the start they are pretty squishy and have a more limited number of spells. But and this is the big but warlock combat spells once you get some levels are the most potent of any of the casters i can think of. Once you hit level 8 you are a natural force of destruction capable of massive MDC damage over a wide area for reasonable costs.

Typically you will want to get some magic armor pretty quick something that has built in armor of ithan or something of that nature. Once you get that they have all the offensive and utility powers any caster could want.

If you want lots of variety go LLW but if you want to raze battlefields go warlock.

even before then warlocks get some pretty powerful attack spells (and often some very interesting and useful spells of other types as well).

i'm not just talking about the ones that can wipe out armies either. air gets what is probably the most powerful single-target attack spell around, for example, and earth warlocks are great at building and making stuff, and can be very handy for making money.

the first few levels will probably be a little rough. but it gets better pretty quick

Oh yes warlocks get the scaling nukes at level 3 or 4 which means you can use them for one melee action. Things like call lightning and fire ball. Other mages tend to not get the spells that increase in potency with level until level 6 which means two actions to cast them. Warlocks sacrifice defense and some utility for offensive power. Their nukes are stronger at a given level and less expensive to cast.

For those off put by the somewhat limited spells per level again I would recommend checking out the elemental shaman. If you are willing to stick with magic weapons and not laser blasters they have all the offensive abilities of a normal warlock and get 3 shaman spells per level and can make fetishes. The lesser elemental spirits they can summon are a bit less potent than true elementals but an elemental shaman has a 40% chance at level one at a nexus of being able to summon it. So you are much more likely to have an elemental to help you when you need it than normal warlocks.