Gnome Warlock - help

[waytoomuchcoffee]

Ok, I need to make a Gnome character.  For an optimized char, that only leads to Wiz and Warlock.  I would rather play Warlock, as when I am blearly-eyed at 9am at a con I hate to pick spells.

So that leads to a Fey Warlock.  Infernal would be nice for the constitution and hp, but I really want the extra +1 attack I could get with the 20 Cha for Fey.

I don't see that much I can do to optimize a Fey Warlock.  I can go feat multiclass with Paladin and get Wrath of the Gods (add Cha mod to damage for the encounter), but that takes two feats.  Or go multi with Ranger to get Hunter's Quarry, but that takes a feat for just +1d6 for one target for the encounter.  Plus the Str or Dex prereq.

Is that the best I can do?  Any suggestions?

[tsuyoshikentsu]

Or you could go Rogue.  For awesome sneak attack synergy.

[waytoomuchcoffee]

Sneak needs a light blade, crossbow, or sling.  That doesn't help at all.

[brislove]

or you could go warlock/wizard to gain some good AoE damage options, and make that +2 int work for ya on both ends of the coin. this build isn't done yet but here ya go...I took all the multi-class feats somewhere in there, but I didn't finish fleshing the build out.

Gnome Warlock/wizard, Fey pactParagon 11th

[pfooti]

Sneak needs a light blade, crossbow, or sling.  That doesn't help at all.

I don't understand this comment, really. The gnome's racial power to turn invisible 1/encounter is pretty boss, and helps SA a bit. Then again, I like the looks of the warlock -> wizard multiclass as well.

[brislove]

I believe the point was that since sneak attack requires those specific weapons, you wouldn't be able to sneak attack with eldritch blast, making rogue an ineffective option as sneak attack would likely not be useful. 

[pfooti]

Aha, that makes sense. I think we ought to problematize the assumption though: an optimized gnome must be wizard or warlock. I assume that's due to the new Small-Size rules being so annoyingly painful, but I still think it's possible to make a VERY good gnome rogue, without worrying about all that magic stuff.

[waytoomuchcoffee]

or you could go warlock/wizard to gain some good AoE damage options, and make that +2 int work for ya on both ends of the coin. this build isn't done yet but here ya go...I took all the multi-class feats somewhere in there, but I didn't finish fleshing the build out.

Hmm, I wasn't thinking of that for some reason - that is very interesting.

Yes, I was thinking that I couldn't use sneak with the Warlock powers.  So I am afraid I would end up with a bad rogue (can't do a good dex, str, and cha) that doesn't synergize with the Warlock.  The small size doesn't seem to be a big deal however, as small and med. use light blades just as well.

And while a Rogue that multiclasses into Warlock is doable (and would work well with the Gnome racial, at least once per encounter), the stats would be sub-optimal.  I think other races can do this better, like Shadar-kai.

[tsuyoshikentsu]

Perhaps I should have rephrased that as "...Or you could NOT automatically discard Rogue, which works well, and consider that class."

[brislove]

Perhaps I should have rephrased that as "...Or you could NOT automatically discard Rogue, which works well, and consider that class."

Tsuyoshi likes rogue's this edition .

They are good class, I'm a fan. Some of my friends think they are the best class in 4e, it's possible.

[tsuyoshikentsu]

I really do.  I also like Ranger, and hear the Warlord is the new Dragonfire Inspirationist.

[AlienFromBeyond]

I really do.  I also like Ranger, and hear the Warlord is the new Dragonfire Inspirationist.

Just finished playing a game of 4e. Warlords are pretty awesome, and Furious Smash is ridiculous for an At-Will power.

[brislove]

I really do.  I also like Ranger, and hear the Warlord is the new Dragonfire Inspirationist.

Just finished playing a game of 4e. Warlords are pretty awesome, and Furious Smash is ridiculous for an At-Will power.

really? it does like 8 damage, assuming the other target hits and you have 18s in both str and cha. sure it gives a +1 bonus to hit for an ally, but it doesn't seem that amazing tbh.

[AlienFromBeyond]

It's not +1 to hit, it's +Cha mod to hit for the ally in addition to +Cha mod to damage. That's a huge amount in helping an ally hit with an attack.

[Shigunaru]

It's not +1 to hit, it's +Cha mod to hit for the ally in addition to +Cha mod to damage. That's a huge amount in helping an ally hit with an attack.

It is also a Strenght vs. Fortitude strike. Fortitude tends to be lower or on par with AC for most mobs.

[AlienFromBeyond]

It's not +1 to hit, it's +Cha mod to hit for the ally in addition to +Cha mod to damage. That's a huge amount in helping an ally hit with an attack.

It is also a Strenght vs. Fortitude strike. Fortitude tends to be lower or on par with AC for most mobs.

This too. It was totally the MVP of our session that ability.