Newbie advice: Should I make my first run as a warlock?

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I've played a good number of D&D cRPG games out there over the years. Starting with Curse of the Azure Bonds and picking up the first game Pool of Radiance, to the Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale series. I also recently completed Neverwinter Nights 1 and the two expansions. I know there is another in the "diamond" package, but I've only got Platinum.

Anyways, I'm not exactly a newbie. All of these games advise new players to play as a fighter. I usually like playing mages better.

So, I'm looking at the classes and see the new Warlock. That's new. Would it be inadvisable to choose that one new class for my first run-through? I've never played a warlock before. Although playing around with the classes, it doesn't seem that different from an archer build, just cooler looking attacks.
As an archer's answer to every battle is to pelt them with arrows from a distance, a warlock's answer is an eldrich blast from a distance.

At least, that is my impression so far. The choices for the other spells all seem non-combat related.

 

That's pretty accurate. 'Loks ain't particularly powerful, but they have some good abilities and can make extremely useful one-stop crafters. A few levels of Blackguard can synergise nicely with your High CHA - just remember you'll need 13 STR for PA & Cleave, and Battle Caster to wear medium armour. If you have SoZ, then there's the Hellfire Warlock PrC, too.

 

What would I need Power Attack & Cleve for with a warlock? Unless I'm using that option to cast an eldrich blast on my weapon (can't recall the name and don't feel like looking it up).
I admit I'm a newbie, but I took the picks that induce fear and extend the range of the blast. When I start facing tougher opponents I'll swap it for the slow effect.
Did I go wrong? Should I seek out guides on warlock builds instead?
If so, can you make some suggestions on where to look? I was kinda having fun figuring it out for myself, but I don't want to have to restart to go back to an earlier save because I made a lousy build that will get me killed half way through the game like what happened repeatedly in Icewind Dale II.

 

Warlocks keep getting good advantages from being pure-class all the way to level 30 so I wouldn't multiclass them at all.

I only played the OC with a Sorcerer but I don't see why a Warlock wouldn't work. They both suffer the same disadvantage, namely that it takes a while before they start getting real power, but both are extremely powerful by the end. The Warlock may be tougher because he takes longer to grow in power, but once you get the level 4 invocations he's unstoppable.

IIRC DotW played through the OC with a Warlock and enjoyed himself immensely, so not only is it doable it's also fun. I say go for it