Warlocks are arcane casters who don't quite spellcast instead they have invocations which are slightly different than spells and as a result certain feats benefit them which wouldn't benefit spellcasters and vice versa. Warlocks also gain resistances and magic item creation abilities later on

Role: Spell DPS

Characteristics: Arcane caster that gains powers from otherworldly beings

Source: Complete Arcane

Game Rule Information

The Warlock has the following game statistics.

Abilities: Charisma for casting, Constitution and Dexterity for Survivability,

Alignment: Any Evil or Chaotic

Hit Die: d6

Starting Gold: 3d4x10

Class Skills

The Warlock's class skills are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge(arcana) (Int), Knowledge(the planes) (Int), Knowledge(religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), and Use Magic Device (Cha

Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) × 4

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Warlock.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Warlock is proficient with all simple weapons, and light armor but not shields

Invocations: A warlock does not prepare or cast spells as other wielders of arcane magic do. Instead, he possesses a repertoire of attacks, defenses, and abilities known as invocations that require him to focus the wild energy that suffuses his soul. A warlock can use any invocation he knows at will, with the following qualifications:

A warlock's invocations are spell-like abilities; using an invocation is therefore a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity. An invocation can be disrupted, just as a spell can be ruined during casting. A warlock is entitled to a Concentration check to successfully use an invocation if he is hit by an attack while invoking, just as a spellcaster would be. A warlock can choose to use an invocation defensively, by making a successful Concentration check, to avoid provoking attacks of opportunity. A warlock's invocations are subject to spell resistance unless an invocation's description specifically states otherwise. A warlock's caster level with his invocations is equal to his warlock level.

The save DC for an invocation (if it allows a save) is 10 + Caster Level. Since spell-like abilities are not actually spells, a warlock cannot benefit from the Spell Focus feat. He can, however, benefit from the Ability Focus feat, as well as from feats that emulate metamagic effects for spell-like abilities, such as Quicken Spell-Like Ability and Empower Spell-Like Ability.

The four grades of invocations, in order of their relative power, are least, lesser, greater, and dark. A warlock begins with knowledge of one invocation, which must be of the lowest grade (least). As a warlock gains levels, he learns new invocations, as summarized on Table: The Warlock and described below. A list of available invocations can be found on the warlock invocations page.

At any level when a warlock learns a new invocation, he can also replace an invocation he already knows with another invocation of the same or a lower grade. At 6th level, a warlock can replace a least invocation he knows with a different least invocation (in addition to learning a new invocation, which could be either least or lesser). At 11th level, a warlock can replace a least or lesser invocation he knows with another invocation of the same or a lower grade (in addition to learning a new invocation, which could be least, lesser, or greater). At 16th level, a warlock can replace a least, lesser, or greater invocation he knows with another invocation of the same or a lower grade (in addition to learning a new invocation, which could be least, lesser, greater, or dark).

Finally, unlike other spell-like abilities, invocations are subject to arcane spell failure chance as described under Weapon and Armor Proficiency above. Warlocks can qualify for some prestige classes usually intended for spellcasters; see below.

Eldritch Blast Sp: The first ability a warlock learns is eldritch blast. A warlock attacks his foes with eldritch power, using baleful magical energy to deal damage and sometimes impart other debilitating effects.

An eldritch blast is a ray with a range of 60 feet. It is a ranged touch attack that affects a single target, allowing no saving throw. An eldritch blast deals 1d6 points of damage at 1st level and increases in power as the warlock rises in level. An eldritch blast is the equivalent of a 1st-level spell. If you apply a blast shape or eldritch essence invocation to your eldritch blast, your eldritch blast uses the level equivalent of the shape or essence.

An eldritch blast is subject to spell resistance, although the Spell Penetration feat and other effects that improve caster level checks to overcome spell resistance also apply to eldritch blast. An eldritch blast deals half damage to objects. Metamagic feats cannot improve a warlock's eldritch blast (because it is a spell-like ability, not a spell). However, the feat Ability Focus (eldritch blast) increases the DC for all saving throws (if any) associated with a warlock's eldritch blast by 2.

A warlock can use eldritch blast at will.

Detect Magic Sp: Beginning at 2nd level, a warlock can use detect magic as the spell at will. His caster level equals his class level.

Damage Reduction Su: Fortified by the supernatural power flowing in his body, a warlock becomes resistant to physical attacks at 3rd level and above, gaining damage reduction 1/cold iron. At 7th level and every four levels thereafter, a warlock's damage reduction improves as shown on Table 1-1: Warlock Progression

Deceive Item Ex: At 4th level and higher, a warlock has the ability to more easily commandeer magic items made for the use of other characters. When making a Use Magic Device check, a warlock can take 10 even if distracted or threatened.

Fiendish Resilience Su: Beginning at 8th level, a warlock knows the trick of fiendish resilience. Once per day, as a free action, he can enter a state that lasts for 2 minutes. While in this state, the warlock gains fast healing 1.

At 13th level, a warlock's fiendish resilience improves. When in his fiendish resilience state, he gains fast healing 2 instead. At 18th level, a warlock's fiendish resilience improves to fast healing 5.

Energy Resistance Su: At 10th level and higher, a warlock has resistance 5 against any two of the following energy types: acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic. Once the types are chosen, this energy resistance cannot be changed. At 20th level, a warlock gains resistance 10 against the two selected types of energy.

Imbue Item Su: A warlock of 12th level or higher can use his supernatural power to create magic items, even if he does not know the spells required to make an item (although he must know the appropriate item creation feat). He can substitute a Use Magic Device check (DC 15 + spell level for arcane spells or 25 + spell level for divine spells) in place of a required spell he doesn't know or can't cast.

If the check succeeds, the warlock can create the item as if he had cast the required spell. If it fails, he cannot complete the item. He does not expend the XP or gp costs for making the item; his progress is simply arrested. He cannot retry this Use Magic Device check for that spell until he gains a new level.

Table 1-1: Warlock Progression

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Invocations Known
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Eldritch blast 1d6, invocation (least)	1
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Detect magic	2
3rd	+2	+1	+1	+3	Damage reduction 1/cold iron, eldritch blast 2d6	2
4th	+3	+1	+1	+4	Deceive item	3
5th	+3	+1	+1	+4	Eldritch blast 3d6	3
6th	+4	+2	+2	+5	New invocation (least or lesser)	4
7th	+5	+2	+2	+5	Damage reduction 2/cold iron, eldritch blast 4d6	4
8th	+6/+1	+2	+2	+6	Fiendish resilience 1	5
9th	+6/+1	+3	+3	+6	Eldritch blast 5d6	5
10th	+7/+2	+3	+3	+7	Energy resistance 5	6
11th	+8/+3	+3	+3	+7	Damage reduction 3/cold iron, eldritch blast 6d6, new invocation (least, lesser, or greater)	7
12th	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8	Imbue item	7
13th	+9/+4	+4	+4	+8	Fiendish resilience 2	8
14th	+10/+5	+4	+4	+9	Eldritch blast 7d6	8
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+5	+9	Damage reduction 4/cold iron	9
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+10	New invocation (least, lesser, greater, or dark)	10
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+5	+10	Eldritch blast 8d6	10
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+6	+11	Fiendish resilience 5	11
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Damage reduction 5/cold iron	11
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Eldritch blast 9d6, energy resistance 10	12