How to: Warlock Abilities

How to: Warlock Abilities

Warlock is a beloved class from D&D 3.5. Basically, the warlock is an arcane spellcaster whose powers originate from a pact with a powerful fiend (an sometimes other beings).

    Warlock Spellcasting

    In D&D, warlocks can use a variety of invocations that are not limited by slots or daily uses. That's pretty much Sorcery in GURPS. So, this is how I represent warlock spellcasting in my games.

    - Use Sorcery as the system.

    - Alternative Rituals from GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery, p. 7, are in effect. Optionally, the GM may allow the additional rituals from Super-Sorcery! (Pyramid 3/105: Cinematic Magic) on a case-by-case basis; note that this is a permanent change to how your character works magic. However, experience has shown that it can be unbalancing for spellcasters to invoke alternative rituals to cast repeated spells with no FP cost in a fight. Because of that, the following rule is in effect: Every sorcerous spell with no FP cost takes the longer of normal casting time or (1d+1)/2 seconds to cast (round up). Roll for this when beginning to cast; if you don't like the result, you can abort, wasting your action this turn. In most noncombat situations, you can simply ignore this limitation (PK’s Houserule).

    - Apply the Pact, -10% limitation to the Sorcerous Empowerment advantage, to spells, but not to advantages granted by Buff spells. This represents the pact made with the otherworldly powers to gain the spellcasting abilities. The new limitation requires you to take a -10-point disadvantage. 

    Evil powers usually require such disadvantages as Intolerance or a heinous major Vow (for example, “Sacrifice a living human on the night of the full moon”). As long as you do not transgress, an evil power usually lets you do as you please, but it will revoke your power instantly should you forget to perform the required deeds. It usually will turn on you, cursing you or making your life difficult in a different way, but getting the favor back should be relatively easy – a single killing or desecration, for example.

    - Warlock’s spellcasting is subject to Repeated Attempts (GURPS Powers, p. 159).

  - When rolling a critical failure on a casting roll, use the Diabolic/Horrific Table (GURPS Thaumatology, p. 258).

    - A warlock must limit his Sorcerous Empowerment with Limited Scope to represent his pact. A warlock is limited to the following options: Abyssal, Avari, Baernaloth, Chaos Sentinel, Charuntes, Demodand, Div, Infernal, Shadow Demon, and Yugoloth sorcerous bloodlines (see the Sorcerer Bloodlines).

    Eldritch Blast

    In my opinion, this is an "artificial" ability in D&D that was created just to give the warlocks some way to consistently deal damage. I would omit it in GURPS, unless such attacks are appropriate for the chosen scope limitation. If you do not want that, then treat it as a Burning Attack with No Incendiary, -10%, assign a skill to it, and allow using power techniques to change the attack's properties. Then you will accomplish exactly what the eldritch blast invocations do in D&D.

    Detect Magic

    This is just the eponymous spell from Sorcery bought as a separate ability, because it is not part of Sorcerous Empowerment's scope limitation. Unless you want it to be, then just buy it as a normal known spell.

    Damage Reduction

    This is just DR with Tough Skin, -40% and Bane, Cold Iron, -5%.

    Fiendish Resilience

  I do not think that this ability should be converted 100% accurately. I would just treat it as Regeneration (Regular) that is always on.