Building an Eldritch Disciple, all suggestions welcome!

[snakeman830]

Also, the clerical casting gives you access to Body Ward (Clr 2, Comp Champ), which will allow you to give the  to the hellfire blast Con damage while it is active.

Only works if your DM agrees that Strongheart Vest works.  Same principle.

[weenog]

Is up to 30 Searing Lights/Sunbeams a day for a cost of one caster level blasty enough for you?  If so, you might consider starting from cleric and getting into master of radiance, avoiding warlock altogether.

[Mixster]

Would a cleric archer do this job better?

He probably would. Especially with knowledge domain and focus on his archery build cleric archers can go pretty wacko.

However, playing a warlock/cleric is a rare combination, and if it works can be fun to try out.

I'd prefer the Ur-Priest route, but since that's barred to you, you can only do the Cloistered cleric (or regular cleric since your not pressed for feats, the BAB will help you a little) 4 warlock 1 ED 10, and then go into some other prestige class that advances clerical casting, you'll still be getting level 9 cleric spells by level 19, and also have some least, lesser and greater invocations to throw around, as well as a nifty 6d6 Eldritch blast. If your greater invocation is eldritch cone, healing the entire party 6d6 for a turning attempt (at level 15) isn't too shabby, but I wouldn't consider it overpowered at all (since a level 3 spell heals the same amount out of combat).

Well, at least you'll be more useful than the healing wand some clerics think they have to play.

[ksbsnowowl]

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=232.0

Here is a build I made for a play by post game.  It might give you some ideas.

[Unbeliever]

Given that you're more interested in the ranged combat, I'd say emphasize the Warlock and maybe use the ED stuff for emergencies, buffing, and battlefield control.  If that's the case, then you don't need that much cleric casting.  I mean, you can do a ton of battlefield control w/ relatively low level spells like Entangle and Blacklight (which might not be on your list, but you get the idea).  I second the Cloistered Cleric -- I think Knowledge Devotion has potential and also the other devotions could be a lot of fun.  Maybe stuff like the party support devotions or Earth Devotion could be good, or a couple of persisted (DMM) or chained spells could be really worthwhile. 

That being said, I'd definitely be sure to jack your blast damage to make it worthwhile.  There's the warlock compilation guide that has some good stuff in it.  Off the top of my head, I'd say the psionic shot line of things would be the way to go, especially if you want to combine them w/ travel devotion.  Travel devotion + flyby attack + psionic shotted eldritch blast = good damage and absurd mobility, nobody will get close to you. 

[Hound]

I love that build snow owl, although I'm not sure on the hellbred race... it seems interesting but what's the big hook for it?  Is Illumian worth while?  With our house rule that makes dex my casting stat for both cleric and warlock?  although I would still need Cha (some anyway) for turning attempts for healing EB's and buffs if I want to persist them.

What are the best to up the damage of EB?

[ksbsnowowl]

What are the best to up the damage of EB?

Knowledge Devotion.

Hellfire Warlock with some way to negate/repair the Con damage (Paladin- or Archivist-assisted wands of Lesser Restoration, perhaps).

[Hound]

i completely forgot that KD upped damage as well as attack rolls.  Any other suggestions?  Also, what are the best ways to buff the necessary knowledge checks?  I know there's Nature, Local, Dungeoneering, Arcana, Planes...  Am I missing any?  I've never tried to get an array of skills big, are there any feats/items that give bonus to more than one at a time?

[ksbsnowowl]

Just look in the knowledge skill description for the skills that deal with creature types.  You forgot Religion (Undead).

The only two you don't get via class levels with Warlock/Cleric/HF Warlock/Eldritch Disc are Local and Dungeoneering.  Knowledge devotion gives you one knowledge skill as a pera-class skill, so pick one of those.  I chose Local, because that's all humanoids.  I figure I'll be facing more of those than Aberrations.

[Hound]

would it be worth using a flaw to take knowledge devotion and keeping the knowledge domain for all knowledge skills as class skills?

[Rebel7284]

would it be worth using a flaw to take knowledge devotion and keeping the knowledge domain for all knowledge skills as class skills?

Totally not worth it.  Take a flaw for some other good feat.  You already have most knowledge skills as class skills and devotion gives you one more.

[Hound]

10/4.  I'm not sold on HF Warlock as a 2nd PRC.  Is it really that fabulous for Warlocking?

Also, I've recently learned (last night) that Practiced Spellcaster works for warlock (either normally or as a house rule, not sure but the DM asked why I hadn't taken it) which will keep me at full blast level.

[ksbsnowowl]

10/4.  I'm not sold on HF Warlock as a 2nd PRC.  Is it really that fabulous for Warlocking?

Also, I've recently learned (last night) that Practiced Spellcaster works for warlock (either normally or as a house rule, not sure but the DM asked why I hadn't taken it) which will keep me at full blast level.

That must be a house rule.  Eldritch Blast damage isn't based on caster level (it's based on levels in the warlock class), so Practiced Spellcaster does nothing to help up your damage.

Is HF Warlock fabulous?... You effectively get +8d6 EB damage in 3 levels.  The only thing is you need a way to heal the Con damage.  One level of Binder is usually really good for that.  For an Eldritch Disciple, I'd just invest in some wands of Lesser Restoration.

[McPoyo]

10/4.  I'm not sold on HF Warlock as a 2nd PRC.  Is it really that fabulous for Warlocking?

Also, I've recently learned (last night) that Practiced Spellcaster works for warlock (either normally or as a house rule, not sure but the DM asked why I hadn't taken it) which will keep me at full blast level.

That must be a house rule.  Eldritch Blast damage isn't based on caster level (it's based on levels in the warlock class), so Practiced Spellcaster does nothing to help up your damage.

Is HF Warlock fabulous?... You effectively get +8d6 EB damage in 3 levels.  The only thing is you need a way to heal the Con damage.  One level of Binder is usually really good for that.  For an Eldritch Disciple, I'd just invest in some wands of Lesser Restoration.

Regarding the blast advancement, there's a blurb in the beginning of the prc section of CArc that talks about something like that. It may help shed light, I am away from my books or I'd look up specifics.

[Solo]

That must be a house rule.  Eldritch Blast damage isn't based on caster level (it's based on levels in the warlock class), so Practiced Spellcaster does nothing to help up your damage.

EB isn't based on CL by RAW, though I believe Richard Baker stated that he would not find using Practiced Spellcaster in such a way unbalanced.

[dark_samuari]

10/4.  I'm not sold on HF Warlock as a 2nd PRC.  Is it really that fabulous for Warlocking?

Is HF Warlock fabulous?... You effectively get +8d6 EB damage in 3 levels.  The only thing is you need a way to heal the Con damage.  One level of Binder is usually really good for that.  For an Eldritch Disciple, I'd just invest in some wands of Lesser Restoration.

In addition if you go along with picking up the level of Binder, Naberius is a fantastic vestige on its own (not counting it's synergy with the Hellfire Warlock) as it gives you Disguise Self at will, Faster Ability Healing, the ability to access a few untrained skills, Command at will and you can take 10 on diplomacy and bluff checks as well as able to make rushed diplomacy checks.

It's really good for a warlock, also Naberius' sign (should you fail the binding check) is just that you become a narcissist (and let's not fool ourselves you're playing a warlock so he's already got that trait).

[Hound]

I'll have to look at the binder class, I've never even opened the ToM.

I'm starting to reconsider the Illumian race choice...  also, is Educated a worthwhile feat?   for a characte with Knowledge Devotion, it kind of seems to be, but it may be a trap, which I couldn't spot if it hit me in the face at speed.

[Rebel7284]

I'll have to look at the binder class, I've never even opened the ToM.

I'm starting to reconsider the Illumian race choice...  also, is Educated a worthwhile feat?   for a characte with Knowledge Devotion, it kind of seems to be, but it may be a trap, which I couldn't spot if it hit me in the face at speed.

Educated is not worth it for the same reason the knowledge domain is not worth it.  You already have enough knowledge skills as class skills and a small bonus on knowledge is just not worth it.

[Hound]

i expected that to be the case, and now realize that if i were to take a feat for all knowledge skills I'd be better to take the Kn.Devotion rather than educated and have the knowledge domain...  sometimes, i don't connect all the dots.