Shattered Kingdoms

I never had problems with a warlock. My first char was a warlock. I barely knew how to level and since I didn't understand the game all too much I had broken stats. I never had a problem leveling, the few times he engaged in pk he came out all right.

AoE spells on a warlock rock. The only exception is earthquake, and this is just me talking, and that's because every time I've seen it used or used it, all the NPCs for several rooms around come and tear the caster's to shreds. Go ask Xyne or Maena in game if it should be cast in one of the larger area's.

First, because I felt like pointing it out somewhere else:



Second, note that this makes me fairly unqualified to talk about warlocks in end-game play, because the experience was totally skewed -- didn't even learn magma. I will say, however, that I do not believe warlocks need an additional AoE spell like call lightning, as fitting as it would be in their list. Fireball and Cone of Cold both provide adequate AoE.

Up to this point, warlocks have always been a straight damage class, and the changes in MR have dramatically reduced the potency of the warlock in particular, given that their only source of damage is spells. Now, I see two straightforward potential solutions to this:

1) Dramatically increase the spell damage against prepared players, either by bumping their overall damage (not the best solution, in my opinion), or negating the effectiveness of buffing (cut MP in half, for example).

2) Have the warlocks spells apply a debuff. I really like this idea, although I'm up to suggestion on the types of debuff:

Burning Hands / Fireball : MP penalty (character's suit/skin is burning, so he takes additional damage)
Cone of Cold: Strength loss (a la chill touch, but perhaps not quite as powerful -- also should be a different penalty from weaken / chill touch)
Earthquake: Stun (character is knocked prone on the fast effects system for the same duration as the cast, but only when in the same room as the caster - epicenter).
Shocking Grasp / Lightning Bolt / Chain Lightning: Dex loss (electrocution causes muscle spasms / paranoia about the next strike?)
Magma Spray: Sticking causes drop in concentration

Alternatively, add chill touch and make all of the "touch" spells apply debuffs, then increase the damage effectiveness of the other spells.

Also, I think it's silly that a warlock cannot have an elemental and a pet a the same time.

As the player of a recent warlock who engaged in some active PvP, I don't think that warlocks need much more at all in the way of damage against their opponents as much as a few tweaks that close the gaping holes in their defense: One being that stone skin is ignored by magical weapons, and two being that they can't get to the third row without being in a group, tribunal, or certain cabal. Lightning bolt, cone of cold, fireball, magma and staves already put a pretty heavy fear in most people offensively, in my opinion.

I do like the idea of the spells granting short-term debuffs, though: Similar to how shocking grasp lowers reflex (Even though that's totally useless in PvP). At the same time, half of the suggestions might be too OP. (Anything that decreases strength, for example, is really brutal in my opinion, because then weapons/items start dropping)

Burning Hands / Fireball : MP penalty (character's suit/skin is burning, so he takes additional damage). This sounds okay.
Cone of Cold: Weapon speed loss. The cold freezes your bones and makes it harder to move as quickly. This would be better than strength loss I think.
Earthquake: Stun (character is knocked prone on the fast effects system for the same duration as the cast, but only when in the same room as the caster - epicenter). Sounds alright, but srsly who earthquakes in PvP?
Shocking grasp: Already debuffs reflex.
Lightning Bolt / Chain Lightning: To-hit penalty. Being electrocuted causes muscle spasms which make it harder to accurately control your weapon.
Magma Spray: Leave it alone. Sticking already hurts like a mofo and applies the ticking damage.

I think that none of these penalties should stack with themselves, they should only be applied on a failed reflex save, and they should only last for a minute or so.


That said, I'd give up all of that if A) Warlocks could get third row easily or B)stone skin would work against magical weapons, even if stone skin took a nerf to the amount of hits it can take to make up for the buff. Or maybe just make it work against all non-elemental damage; At least elemental weapons have RE factored into them, but a divine, sonic, negative energy, acid or psychic weapon just runs right past stone skin and RE and wtfpwnts the warlock's face.

Why do they need a boost at all? Also unless I am mistaken isn't a debuff supposed to make the spells weaker not stronger?

By debuff, they mean that the spell would make the victim weaker in some way besides dealing damage. I cast cone of cold on someone, for example, and that someone gets worse at (insert debuff here).

Warlocks need a buff because they're very easy to kill or otherwise defeat/neutralize in a fight. It's difficult for a warlock to get into the third row. They need to be in a tribunal, in a certain cabal, or use wands of charm person/raise undead. Being in the second row means any warrior class can beat you with the kill command. Stone skin is ignored by any prepared player, including rogues who will just kill you at will. Warlocks have no access to scrolls or staves, meaning they can't get the same buffs that are available to necros, sorcs, and even shamans. Ironguard is only useful against NPCs. Their elementals are easily dispelled and don't deal great damage, and dirt in their eyes makes the warlock entirely useless.

Their best spells are completely negated by a prepared player, as well. A GM magma was doing 9% damage to my low hp sorc, last I checked, and that's without any benefit of sanctuary or protection.

Edit: There are some very easy ways of fixing warlocks. The first step would be to let them have a pet and an elemental at the same time.

You sure about that? Even Feanor with RE and protection took around 10% from a GM magma.

And if you're a warlock who dumped dex (like me) you have to just get used to carrying around a reaching weapon.

The last time I played a warlock, they couldn't be on third row, and magma spray was negated by mp and the level scaffolding was applied to iron guard and re. I still beat everyone's face in. I think I took on 5 people at once in exile (syn's sorc and some others) and beat them while being blind the entire fight.

With clever use of a wand and making sure you have your defensive spells up, a warlock can conquer any foe despite not being on 3rd row. Although halfilng priests can be annoying. Granted, third row does help immensly, but it isn't necassary. I liked giving him a polearm just so I could still magma people if I was blind. (There weren't nearly as many polemaces floating around.)

I guess I should roll another warlock and go obliterate everything again. That'd be fun but I get bored quickly when things are too easy.

Weren't you a peacekeeper at the time?

[HP:100%] [ME: 20%] [PE: 98%]
>
Terrac utters the words, \'waowa gsgrul\'.
Terrac unleashes a torrent of magma on you, charring your flesh severely!

[HP: 82%] [ME: 20%] [PE: 98%]


Well, that was 18, but it varies. . .in the same fight:

[HP: 82%] [ME: 20%] [PE: 98%]
>
Terrac utters the words, \'waowa gsgrul\'.
Terrac unleashes a torrent of magma on you, charring your flesh severely!
Your concentration has been disrupted!

[HP: 73%] [ME: 20%] [PE: 98%]

That was 9. The only buff I had helping with damage was RE in both instances.

I don't understand. If you were second row, and in the same room as your opponents, and there were more than one of them. . .why didn't they just target you and win? Is there a log of this somewhere?