Warlock, Abyssal (3.5e Class)

Abyssal Warlock
The Abyss is an endless creator, constantly giving birth to more and more powerful and bizarre entities, as per the undying will of the Queen of Chaos. However, it is also a source of vast power, although it takes a great toll on those who would use it. To do so requires becoming more and more like one of its demonic inhabitants in both mind and body, and dedication to the entities that rule the Abyss, involving painful and complex rituals and actions. However, those that persevere and succeed become abyssal warlocks - mortals that wield the power of the Abyss.

Making an Abyssal Warlock
As powerful magic-users, abyssal warlocks can fulfill many roles if they choose to. However, most tend to specialize towards ranged support.

Abilities: Charisma is very important to an abyssal warlock, as it determines their save DCs and many of their class abilities. A high Constitution and Dexterity aren't amiss either - they need to survive somehow!

Races: Only mortals (a creature that isn't an outsider, an undead, an elemental, or a fey) can become abyssal warlocks. Otherwise, they can be found among all races, but races with a disposition towards evil tend to have more of them.

Alignment: Abyssal warlocks must be either chaotic or evil (or both). This limits their alignments to chaotic good, chaotic neutral, lawful evil, neutral evil, or chaotic evil. Note that non-evil and non-chaotic abyssal warlocks are exceedingly rare (although possible).

Starting Gold: 4d4&times;10 gp (100 gp).

Starting Age: Moderate

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Abyssal warlock.

Weapon and armour proficiencies: Abyssal warlocks are proficient with all simple weapons, and one martial weapon of their choice. They are proficient with light armour, but not with shields.

These are considered to be at-will spell-like abilities. They always have a caster level equal to the abyssal warlock's character level, and DCs equal to 10 + 1/2 the abyssal warlock's character level + the abyssal warlock's Charisma modifier. Unlike most spell-like abilities, invocations have an effective spell level, as noted in their descriptions. A full list of all abyssal warlock invocations is available here.

Abyssal warlock come in five grades: least, lesser, greater, dark and dire. The table above indicates when an abyssal warlock can learn higher grades of invocations. At any level when an abyssal warlock learns invocations, they can learn any invocation up to the highest grade they can use.

At 4th level, and every even-numbered level after that, an abyssal warlock can permanently forget one invocation they know and replace it with another invocation that they could have learned at that level.

Invocations come in three types: general invocations, abyssal essence invocations and abyssal shape invocations. Abyssal essence invocations and abyssal shape invocations modify an abyssal blast, with the former changing something about the blast's nature, while the latter changing its shape or form. Any given abyssal blast use can only have a maximum of one abyssal essence invocation and/or one abyssal shape invocation applied to it. Applying these invocations requires no time. Other invocations require a standard action to use unless noted otherwise.

 : An abyssal warlock can hurl some energy from the Abyss at their enemies. This can be used in two ways: a proximity blast or a ranged blast. The abyssal warlock can choose which they use. Regardless of the form chosen, the ability always deals 1d6 damage per level of the abyssal warlock. Half of this damage is fire, the other half is acid.

If the abyssal warlock chooses a proximity blast, they can use it at any time that a melee attack could have been made (such as part of a full attack, at the end of a charge, an attack of opportunity, etc). No more than one attack per round can be a proximity blast.

If the abyssal warlock chooses a ranged blast, this ability has a range of Close (25ft + 5ft/2 character levels of the abyssal warlock), and requires a ranged touch attack to hit. This requires a standard action to use.

If the abyssal warlock has used a proximity blast this round, they cannot also use a ranged blast. Likewise, if the abyssal warlock has used a ranged blast this round, they cannot also use a proximity blast.

 : From 2nd level, an abyssal warlock becomes powerful enough emotionally to project what they feel, much like a demon can. They gain an aura of primal emotion identical to a demon of their HD, of a type of their choice (either anger, arousal or fear). This choice cannot later be changed. Note that they are immune to their own auras, despite being mortal.

At 6th level, the abyssal warlock gains a second type of aura of their choice. They may change between them as a swift action. At 10th level, the abyssal warlock has all three types of aura (they may still change between them as a swift action).

 : Starting at 3rd level, an abyssal warlock begins to resemble a demon a little more. They gain a least transformation from the list below. At 7th level, they also gain a lesser transformation, at 11th, a greater transformation, at 15th, a dark transformation, and at 19th, a dire transformation.

These transformations, although practical, make abyssal warlocks incredibly unnerving to non-evil mortals. For each transformation that the abyssal warlock gains, they receive a -3 penalty on all Charisma-based checks (except Intimidate) against mortals.

Least Transformations

 * Skin of the Demon: The abyssal warlock gains resistance to acid, cold and electricity 5.
 * Essence of the Demon: The abyssal warlock gains resistance to fire 10.
 * Constitution of the Demon: The abyssal warlock becomes immune to mundane poison (magical poisons still affect them as normal).

Lesser Transformations

 * Mind of the Demon: The abyssal warlock gains telepathy out to 100ft.
 * Abyssal Toughness: The abyssal warlock gains 3 additional hit points + 1 hit point per level. If they later gain additional levels, increase the hit points gained at those levels by 1.
 * Iron Hide: The abyssal warlock gains DR X/-, where X is 2 + one-half their character level.

Greater Transformations

 * Halo of Fire: Only an abyssal warlock that has taken Essence of the Demon can select this transformation. They become immune to fire, and also project an aura of abyssal energy, dealing 1d6 damage per two character levels to any adjacent creature or object (not including anything they are wearing, carrying etc). This damage ignores DR and hardness. The abyssal warlock can exclude any creature or object from the aura if they choose.
 * Venomous Blood: Only an abyssal warlock that has taken Constitution of the Demon can select this transformation. They become immune to all poison. Additionally, if they bleed on any creature (any adjacent creature to the abyssal warlock when they are injured will be bled on), that creature must make a Fort save (DC 8 + 1/2 the abyssal warlock's character level + the abyssal warlock's Constitution modifier) or become affected as if by a poison spell. Note that a creature cannot be forced to make more than one save against this ability each round - any subsequent exposure in the same round uses the same outcome as the first.
 * Warping Flesh: Only an abyssal warlock that has taken Skin of the Demon can select this transformation. Their resistance to acid, cold and electricity improves to 10. Additionally, they gain fast healing 5, but only when they are at half their normal hit points or lower.

Dark Transformations

 * Dark Blessing: Only an abyssal warlock that has taken Abyssal Toughness can select this transformation. They may use their Charisma modifier instead of their Constitution, Dexterity or Wisdom modifier on their Fort, Ref and Will saves respectively, if this would give a higher result. Additionally, they no longer fail a save on a natural 1 automatically.


 * Closed Mind: Only an abyssal warlock that has taken Mind of the Demon can select this transformation. Whenever they are forced to make a Will save, they roll twice and choose the better result. Additionally, they treat any result of less than 3 on their Will saves as 3 instead.


 * Adamantine Hide: Only an abyssal warlock that has taken Iron Hide can select this transformation. Their DR improves to equal their character level +2. Additionally, they treat any result of less than 3 on their Fort saves as 3 instead.

Dire Transformations

 * Blight Upon Nature: The abyssal warlock causes plants to wilt (as per the blight spell) within Medium range (caster level equal to their character level, and DCs identical to their invocation DCs). Animals will not naturally enter this area, and if forced, will only do so if they can make a Will save (DC identical to the abyssal warlock's invocation DC). If they fail this save, they will flee as if panicked. Lastly, any good or lawful creature is sickened within this range (and lawful good creatures take double the normal penalties) automatically.


 * Walking Madness: Any living creature within Medium range (calculated based on the abyssal warlock's character level) of the abyssal warlock must make a Will save (DC identical to their invocation DC) or become confused as long as they remain in this area. A successful save renders the creature immune to this effect for 1 hour. The abyssal warlock is always immune to their own Walking Madness. Additionally, lawful or good creatures in this area receive a -2 penalty on Will saves (and the penalty is -4 for lawful good creatures).


 * 'Walking Desecration: The area within Medium range of the abyssal warlock is desecrated and unhallowed (caster level for both is equal to the abyssal warlock's character level, and save DCs are the same as their invocation DCs). Additionally, lawful or good creatures in the area are automatically fatigued (and lawful good creatures are exhausted instead).

 : From 4th level, an abyssal warlock's abyssal blast ability deals either acid or fire damage, as chosen by the abyssal warlock. This choice cannot be changed later. Additionally, the blast ignores an amount of energy resistance equal to the abyssal warlock's character level, and treats energy immunity as resistance equal to one-half of the damage that the blast would normally deal.

 : At 8th level, an abyssal warlock sprouts large wings. These can have whatever appearance the abyssal warlock wants (batlike, feathered, skeletal, etc). These wings grant them a fly speed of 60ft, with good maneuverability.

 : From 12th level, an abyssal warlock has so advanced in their demonhood that one of the great lords of the Abyss takes notice. However, some choose to tread a different path, and owe no allegiance to any lord but themselves.

When this class feature is gained, the abyssal warlock can choose one demon lord, or choose no lord at all. This choice is permanent, and cannot be changed later.

If the abyssal warlock chooses to a lord, they can command any creature that has that lord's ravaged class (thus, if they chose Pazuzu, they could command ravaged by Pazuzu) as if they were the lord themselves (see each individual lord's description in Chapter 5: Lords of the Abyss for more information on this). Additionally, they can bestow that lord's ravage on a creature as if they were the lord themselves, but cannot do it to any creature whose CR is greater than the abyssal warlock's level - 6.

If the abyssal warlock chooses no lord, they can command any retrievers (regardless which lord they serve) as if they were a demon lord, and can also create them in the same way a demon lord would, except that they cannot do it to any creature whose CR is greater than the abyssal warlock's level - 6 (see any demon lord's description in Chapter 5: Lords of the Abyss for more information on this).

 : A 14th level abyssal warlock is so in-tune with the emotions of others that they can simply know what's truly going on. Additionally, their connection with the Abyss is so strong that nothing made by the First Ones can hide from them. Abyssal warlocks of this level are constantly under a detect thoughts and a true seeing.

They become an outsider, and gain all of the associated benefits. An abyssal warlock who reaches this level also cannot be permanently killed outside of the Abyss, and if killed elsewhere, simply returns to life six days later somewhere in the Abyss. Additionally, they also gain either the benefits of the tanar'ri or obyrith subtype. This choice can only be made once, and cannot later be changed.

 : An 18th-level abyssal warlock has gained some of the great power of the demon lords, and the Queen of Chaos. The Abyss and the Material Plane now responds to their will in a powerful (and dangerous) way. While on the Abyss or the Material Plane, an 18th-level abyssal warlock can use limited wish as an at-will spell-like ability. Its caster level is always considered to be equal to their character level, and any DCs it requires identical to the abyssal warlock's invocation DC.

Outside of the Material Plane, the abyssal warlock can still use this abilities, but the other planes resist their influence, and each use of this ability gains the abyssal warlock a negative level. This never causes actual level loss, and are automatically removed when one day has passed. An abyssal warlock that is immune to negative levels still takes the appropriate penalties. An abyssal warlock that ever gains as many negative levels as actual levels by use of this abilities is ejected by the plane, placing them in a random layer of the Abyss, unconscious until they have a number of negative levels equal to their character level - 1.

 : At 20th level, an abyssal warlock becomes a minor demon lord. As part of this ascension, the Abyss itself creates a pocket demiplane for the abyssal warlock. This is identical to the genesis spell, except that it's cast only once, on behalf of the abyssal warlock, by the universe. The planar traits of this plane are identical to any layer of the Abyss the abyssal warlock designates, but otherwise, any other traits of the demiplane can be defined as the warlock chooses.

Additionally, the warlock can use plane shift as an at-will spell-like ability to either reach their demiplane, or to leave it to go to a location on the Material Plane or in the Abyss.

Ex-Abyssal Warlocks
An abyssal warlock that ceases to be in one of the allowed alignments immediately loses access to all supernatural and spell-like abilities of this class. They also cannot advance further in the class. Both can be restored by an atonement spell from a chaotic or evil character.