Meet the Warlock, the Newest Class of Solasta II
Hello there adventurers,
As you may know by now, we are bringing the highly anticipated Warlock class to Solasta II on September 10th!
Beyond being an iconic class with signature features many D&D fans already know and love, the Warlock brings a distinct set of tactical options to the battlefield. With their unusual approach to spellcasting and plenty of character-building possibilities, Warlocks can become a serious menace both at range and in close combat.
Today, we’re taking a closer look at their gameplay, their role in the party, and the unique mechanics that set them apart, including their subclasses. Patrons, Pacts, Eldritch Invocations... sign here, adventurers. Let’s discuss it all.
Sign at the Bottom and... You’re a Warlock!
Developer Insight: The vision behind the class and its place among the existing roster
The Warlock is a class capable of dealing consistent magical damage from a distance without relying too heavily on limited resources such as spell slots.
Warlocks also have access to light armor and other defensive tools, making them more resilient than most spellcasters. Combined with their offensive options, that extra sturdiness gives players room to build a character capable of standing their ground in melee combat.
On the battlefield, the Warlock’s role can feel somewhat like the Ranger’s. Both can deal damage from a distance or in melee depending on how you build them. The key difference is that Warlocks rely on magic to excel at either approach.
Tougher Than You’d Expect!
Defensive Class Tools for All Warlocks
Warlocks are spellcasters, but they are tougher than your average magic user. They have access to light armor and gain 1d8 HP per level.
In addition to those, Warlocks can pick Hellish Rebuke to burn attackers by engulfing them in green flames. This deterrent in combination with the other defensive tools can increase the class’s survivability in combat.
But survivability is only one part of what makes the Warlock tick.
Hex!
The spell which makes Warlocks deadly foes
Another signature spell available to Warlocks is Hex, and it deserves a closer look as one of the class’s major tools.
Hex is a Concentration spell that Warlocks can cast as a Bonus Action. Each time your character hits the affected target with an attack roll, the target suffers additional necrotic damage. That makes Hex a great option whether you rely on physical attacks or cantrips such as Eldritch Blast.
If your character can make multiple attacks in a single turn, Hex applies to each successful attack. At higher levels, Eldritch Blast fires several rays, allowing each successful hit to benefit from Hex’s additional damage.
When your target drops to 0 HP, you can use a Bonus Action to move Hex to a new target. This allows you to smoothly switch from one enemy to the next without sacrificing your main action nor a new spell slot to do so. Efficient, elegant, and very unpleasant for whoever is standing opposite you.
Into the Fray!
Build Your Warlock for Close or Ranged Combat
The Warlock’s gameplay is also defined by the variety of offensive options available when building your character.
You can choose a set of close-combat options to increase your character’s physical damage and turn them into a serious threat in melee. If that is the path you want to follow, you will probably want to consider the Pact of the Blade that allows you to add your Charisma bonus to physical damage, alongside Eldritch Invocations such as Fiendish Vigor.
Alternatively, you can focus on ranged spellcasting and choose the Pact of the tome. With the Eldritch invocations Agonizing Blast and Repelling Blast, your Eldritch Blast’s damage benefits from your Charisma bonus or you can push enemies back. Combined with other bonuses, Eldritch Blast can become one of your primary sources of damage without requiring you to spend a spell slot every turn.
Whichever path you choose, the Warlock offers enough options to specialize in the style of combat you prefer without tying that choice to a particular subclass.
Choose Your Patron
Warlock Subclasses: Different Paths to Shape Your Character
A Warlock’s powers do not come from nowhere. Their choice of Patron further shapes their abilities, granting them new tools and opening different ways to approach combat.
The Dreamer
From Dreams to Nightmares
The Dreamer is a new subclass introduced in Solasta II.
The Dreamer is a terrifying Patron that reaches mortals through their dreams, connecting them to the strange powers of its alien realm, where it reigns supreme. Learning to use and control these powers allows Warlocks to manipulate reality, invade the mind of others and feed them with dreams of their own creation, or if needed, nightmares.
At level 3, the Dreamer grants its followers additional versatility. Warlocks gain an additional Eldritch Invocation as well as the ability to change one of their prepared spells after a Long Rest, rather than having to wait until they gain a level.
At level 6, you can use your bonus action to transform into a nightmarish figure for 1 minute. In this form, you can inflict psychic damage when you hit a creature with an attack roll. You can also react to a successful attack by casting Sleep on an attacker you can see. Doing so requires neither Concentration nor the expenditure of a spell slot.
The Timekeeper
It’s About Time
This subclass first appeared in Solasta: Crown of the Magister and is now returning in Solasta II.
Timekeepers are strange and mysterious entities that exist beyond the fabric of time and space, and whose powers defy the laws of many worlds. By choosing one as their Patron, Warlocks gain the ability to manipulate the flow of time itself and change the course of battles, wars, and possibly History.
At level 3, when a Warlock deals damage to a creature with a spell of level 1+, that target cannot take Reactions until the start of its next turn.
At level 6, Warlocks can literally escape the consequences of an attack by jumping through time and reappearing later in the battle. When you’re about to take damage, your character briefly vanishes from the battlefield before reappearing on their next turn where they previously stood negating the effect of what caused you to jump.
How Will You Build Yours?
With their unique approach to spellcasting, powerful Eldritch Invocations, Pacts, and the abilities granted by their Patron, Warlocks offer plenty of opportunities to shape your character around the way you want to play.
Whether you prefer blasting enemies from afar with Eldritch Blast, manipulating their position on the battlefield, or getting into the thick of the fight yourself, the Warlock offers a different take on spellcasting and plenty of room to experiment.
The Warlock joins Solasta II on September 10th.
So, adventurers: are you ready to sign?
Solasta II is currently available in Early Access on Steam. The Warlock class will continue to evolve throughout Early Access as we refine its gameplay and make further improvements based on your feedback.
Give the Warlock a try and let us know what you think! You can join us on our official Discord server to share your experience, report issues, and send us your feedback.
Keregald, Servant of Light
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