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The Hellfire warlock is a prestige class introduced with Storm of Zehir.

Hellfire w2

Description[]

The hellfire warlocks are a secretive group of specialist warlocks who have mastered hellfire, a dangerous energy found only in the Nine Hells. By tapping into this infernal power, these characters learn to infuse their eldritch blasts and magic items that they wield with the dark power of hellfire. A character can achieve a maximum of 3 levels in the Hellfire warlock prestige class.

Requirements[]

Skills: Intimidate 6, Lore 12, Spellcraft 6

Spellcasting: Must have Brimstone Blast or Hellrime Blast

Class features progression[]

Hit die: d6
Proficiencies: None
Skill points: 2 + Int modifier
Class skills: Concentration, Intimidate, Lore, Spellcraft, Use Magic Device
Base attack bonus progression: Medium
Saving throws high: Will
low: Reflex, Fortitude

Additional progressions[]

Level  Features gained
1 Hellfire Blast +2d6
2 Hellfire Blast +4d6, Summon Baatezu, Resistance to Fire 10
3 Hellfire Blast +6d6, Hellfire Shield

Invocations[]

At each level, you gain new invocations known, increased damage with eldritch blast and an increase in invoker level as if you had also gained a level in the warlock class. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained.

Hellfire Blast[]

Hellfire 1

Whenever you use your Eldritch blast ability, you can change your Eldritch blast into a hellfire blast. A hellfire blast deals your normal Eldritch blast damage plus an extra 2d6 points of damage per class level. If your blast hits multiple targets (for example, the Eldritch chain or Eldritch cone blast shape invocations), each target takes the extra damage. This damage is not fire damage. Hellfire burns hotter than any normal fire.

Each time you use this ability, you take 1 point of Constitution damage. This is mainly because of the dangerous nature of Hellfire this supernatural flame burns your enemies flesh and soul, but also takes a little of you as well. If you do not have a Constitution score or are somehow immune to Constitution damage, the ability remains usable.

Resistance to Fire[]

At 2nd level, you gain resistance to fire 10. This resistance stacks with any resistance to fire you have gained from warlock class levels.

Summon Baatezu[]

Once per day, the Hellfire Warlock can randomly summon a Baatezu from the Nine Hells to fight for the party. Control of the Baatezu lasts for a number of rounds equal to 1 round per hellfire warlock level + 1d8 + their Charisma bonus. When the ability expires, the caster loses dominance over the Baatezu - which can have disastrous consequences, as devils typically despise being bothered by lesser beings. The caster is advised not to leave this up to chance, and dispel this summons before this time is up, sending the Baatezu back to the Nine Hells - though the devil might not attack, this method is the only certain way of avoiding a violent confrontation with the angry creature.

Hellfire Shield[]

hellfire blast and hellfire shield active

hellfire blast and hellfire shield active

You can call up hellfire to surround yourself with a protective barrier.

Once, at the end of every round, this barrier deals damage equal to your eldritch blast and hellfire blast essence to each enemy in melee range. This blast automatically strikes the target, which can attempt a Reflex saving throw for half damage (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Charisma modifier).

Each time you use this ability, you take 1 point of Constitution damage. This is mainly because of the dangerous nature of Hellfire: this supernatural flame burns your enemies flesh and soul, but also takes a little of you as well. If you do not have a Constitution score or are somehow immune to Constitution damage, the ability remains usable.

Gameplay notes[]

  1. Contrary to the in-game description:
    • While Hellfire warlock levels will advance invocations known and increase Warlock invoker levels they will not:
      • advance Warlock blast dice damage or, consequently, the ability to bypass spell resistance by bringing native Warlock blast damage to 10d6+.
      • advance Warlocks for the purposes of qualifying for Epic Spells - a player will need actual 16 Warlock levels to do so (or the ability to cast level 9 spells in another spellcasting class).
    • Resistance to Fire (10) granted at level two by this PrC does not stack with fire resistance granted by Warlock. If the player intends to use a hellfire warlock, it is advisable to select warlock energy resistance in other areas.
  2. Both Hellfire Blast and Hellfire Shield are "play modes", in a similar vein to, for instance, Power Attack. This means you do not have to enable them at all times. Also of note:
  3. Constitution damage from use of Hellfire aspect with blasts only applies if you actually hit a target: if for instance you cast an Eldritch Doom where there is no foe to hit, constitution damage will not apply.
  4. Hellfire blast only causes 1 point of Constitution loss regardless of the number of foes damaged/round (e.g. from use of eldritch chain or eldritch doom).
  5. Due to an oversight Hellfire blast does not work with Hindering Blast or Binding Blast - neither bonus damage nor constitition drain is applied.

Summon Baatezu notes[]

Hellfire Warlock

Hellfire Warlock

Generally, only certain Baatezu summoned via this feat will turn on the party, and only then in specific settings. Mephasm and Neeshka are sympathetic devils who never turn, while Hezebel, Nrungnorog, Korarobos and Avernus Fried Chicken will if they are in certain areas. The PC controlled path to Crossroad Keep and Port Llast are consistent defection zones, while the Ruins of Arvahn and the Sunken Flagon never result in apostate summons.

If the devil turns on the party, NPCs will react accordingly (e.g. "active" town guards will attack it) and if defeated, (s)he will give XP upon its death. Repeatedly dispatching Baatezu in this manner allows a path for players to grind their way up to maximum level, albeit very slowly, especially at higher character levels. Turncoat devils yield experience based on their challenge rating, with Koraboros and Avernus Fried Chicken providing the most experience.

Hellfire Shield notes[]

Hellfire shield:

  • can be used concurrently with (improved) Combat Expertise and in Stealth mode
  • is bugged in that it halves damage on a failed save. Full damage on Successful save; in effect backwards (in theory, this could be used to advantage against high-level opponents with Evasion or Improved Evasion but Hellfire Shield wrongly ignores both.)
  • causes 1 point of Constitution damage per target damaged every round. If you plan to use this ability, it's advisable to only do so with immunity to Con/ability drain
  • does not seem to do full damage from both your blast and Hellfire (confirmed as of 07/02/17: it does, including critical hits)
  • is subject to spell resistance until the user has at least at 19 levels in Warlock (i.e. at least 10d6 normal damage with an eldritch blast) which effectively bypasses it
  • while very effective at higher levels and generally reliable, does not always work against all foes. There appears to be a scripting error in the game where, in certain areas and against certain opponents (e.g. spirit wolves in the Middle Barrow of MoTB), Hellfire shield does no damage, even versus hostile creatures in active combat with the caster. This limitation does not apply to Hellfire Blast.
  • can be dispelled (dispel check vs. character level), though its icon in the combat-mode bar will keep blinking. Turning it off and on again won't help; once dispelled it won't function again until the PC rests. Therefore, the player is advised to keep the following in mind:
    • Enabling/Disabling Hellfire Shield is a free action
    • A high rank in spellcraft (i.e. 24+ for all spells, up to and including Mordenkainen's Disjunction) will alert the PC if an opponent is in-process of casting a dispel
    • If the PC discovers a dispel in-process, Hellfire Shield can be disabled and re-enabled (without breaking stealth, see below) once the dispel has been cast and its effects completed
  • is treated by the NWN2 game engine as a persistent aura (e.g. Aura of Courage and Aura of Despair). Specifically:
    1. Damage from Hellfire Shield does not flag the user as hostile and, as such, will not break stealth or invisibility
    2. Damage from Hellfire shield will not move opponents into combat mode (if they were not already there to begin with), although it may trigger a very brief movement response - with non-player opponents only
    3. If you are patient enough (or your opponents are otherwise occupied), and your stealth ability is strong enough, Hellfire Shield can weaken - and eventually eliminate - foes without exposing the PC to risk

NWN comparison[]

This class did not exist in NWN.

Trivia[]

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