So, how about them Hexblades?

[malien]

Honestly, before I buy that the class is weak, I'd like to hear from someone who actually has built a hexblade up to 20th level through gameplay.

That's like alot of people have serious problems with the bard. The bard is a great character when the right player uses them to play the right role. Trying to force a bard into being a front line fighter or the only party spellcaster is putting the bard out of character.

I think the same tends to be true with hexblades. People want either a fighter, or a caster, or a theif. But the hexblade isn't any of those - so in comparison to all those the hexblade will seem sub-par. I'd like to hear from a person who played a hexblade through some significant levels without PrC or multiclassing too much and see what role they did find for them.

Fair enough, that does make a great deal of sense. Perhaps someone with some experience in this vein would be willing to share with us, then! I certainly hope for as much.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

One player played a hexblade in a brief 13th level game I played in (the DM moved so we switched campaigns). He wasn't particularly impressive, but he seemed to hold his own pretty well against the other characters.

 

[Drowbane]

Has anyone here played a Hexblade? (One of the new classes in Complete Warrior.) Maybe someone in your gaming group has? Or are you DMing for one?

I'm considering allowing Hexblades into my campaign, per a player's request, and now am considering playing one myself, in another game. But they seem a bit... well, I don't know. They've got some interesting abilities, but am I the only one that thinks that -4 at 20th level isn't going to make much if any difference?

Also, the spell list is sort of... bare...

Or am I wrong here? I'd love to hear about some experiences with the class...

At first glance... its a terrible class. Absolutely weak and pathetic.

However, one of my friend (an outstanding DM btw) gave them a few feat options. Such as Extra Curse... and um... others

Personally, the Hexblade doesn't do anything that a Warlock with 6 or more levels can do better.... except survive melee (Warlock's bestow curse at will is S I C K)

(Btw, what's MAD stand for?

Multiple Ability (score) Dependancy: where a Class *must* have at least 2 really good stats to be competitive. Hex Blade, Monk (these poor bastards suffer the most from it...), Paladin, Warlock, War Mage... just to name a few.

 

[malien]

At first glance... its a terrible class. Absolutely weak and pathetic.

However, one of my friend (an outstanding DM btw) gave them a few feat options. Such as Extra Curse... and um... others

Personally, the Hexblade doesn't do anything that a Warlock with 6 or more levels can do better.... except survive melee (Warlock's bestow curse at will is S I C K)

Hmm... don't suppose you have any writeups or such of those feats your DM gave them? I'd be curious to see them. I can't help but /love/ the flavour of the Hexblade. I want to play one badly, the more I hear everyone say they suck. But the fact that they can't even get Arcane Strike as a feat till past tenth level just /galls/ me.

Multiple Ability (score) Dependancy: where a Class *must* have at least 2 really good stats to be competitive. Hex Blade, Monk (these poor bastards suffer the most from it...), Paladin, Warlock, War Mage... just to name a few.

Aha! Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[andargor]

Hmm... don't suppose you have any writeups or such of those feats your DM gave them? I'd be curious to see them.

I'm curious as well. If anybody has any builds, please post them.

A player in an upcoming campaign is looking to play one.

Andargor

 

[Particle_Man]

Multiple Ability (score) Dependancy: where a Class *must* have at least 2 really good stats to be competitive. Hex Blade, Monk (these poor bastards suffer the most from it...), Paladin, Warlock, War Mage... just to name a few.

Warlock? I heard people say that warlocks donn't need any high stats at all to be effective, so long as you avoid invocations that need saves.

 

[Sejs]

Honestly, before I buy that the class is weak, I'd like to hear from someone who actually has built a hexblade up to 20th level through gameplay.

I can't give you 20 levels, but I can give you 12.

They suck. Badly.

First off, they are, to my knowledge, the only full BA class that has only good will saves. Their list of available bonus feats is sadly lacking. Their spellcasting ability is intended to be on par with that of the paladin or the ranger, both of which get a more satisfying array of class abilities and thus can have their spells fill a supplimental role. The hexblade doesn't. They get a familiar, which, for a melee character seems like a wonderfully bad idea unless your DM is of the type to let your little buddy disappear into N-Space when not in use.

In my oppinion, the way to fix the hexblade would be two steps long:

1) Give them good fort saves in addition to their current good will saves.

2) Give them spellcasting ability that is more in line with that of a Bard. 6 level spell list, full caster progression, some spells drawn from (otherwise) divine spell lists, such as Doom and possibly a few Inflict Wounds spells.

 

[ForceUser]

At first glance... its a terrible class. Absolutely weak and pathetic.

However, one of my friend (an outstanding DM btw) gave them a few feat options. Such as Extra Curse... and um... others

Thanks man.

As for the hexblade, I love 'em thematically. That said, I can't see going straight hexblade when a multiclass fighter 2/hexblade X is sooo much cooler. You're a hybrid spellcaster, so who cares about spells? Heavy armor + curse all the way, baby.

That said, yeah, the MAD does suck a bit, but even so, they don't fare too badly on the standard array. I'd probably go Str 14, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 15. Not too bad in a 25-point game, actually.

This is my writeup of the hexblade, which is more detailed than the pathetic excuse for flavor text that exists in Complete Warrior.

HEXBLADE

“Bewares the hexblades curses/Mes littles time is nigh/For by an’ by I be afflicted/O’ th’ whoresons evil eye.”

From folklore about evil spirits and the restless dead, wives’ tales of black faeries of the wood that steal the children of the unwary, and the dying curses of those truly wronged comes the hexblade, a solemn warrior blessed (some would say cursed) with innate power in the dark arts. More an antihero than a hero, most hexblades grew up among poor or disenfranchised communities, such as the Vistani who wander Eriador endlessly. Some hexblades claim they were taught their art by fey, others by the ghosts of dead loved ones, while a few hexblades simply remain silent on the origin of their power. Whatever their history, hexblades are distrusted, feared and often hated for their ability to curse those who have offended them. Outcast, loner, misfit, thief, assassin, knave, opportunist, and mercenary--all these terms and more are thrust upon the hexblade, and as such they develop little love or respect for “normal” people and legitimate authority. Likewise, many hexblades turn from the gods in a dogged pursuit of greater secrets in the black arts, and it is the rare hexblade that does not scorn society and turn to a life of self-centered, callous evil.

Hexblades are warriors who combine a natural aptitude in arcane magic with skill at arms. Often they seem to be swathed in an aura of unluckiness – black cats cross their paths, mirrors shatter in their presence, water tastes foul and murky, small objects go missing or fall off shelves, untouched. Even hexblades who try to fit in with society inevitably deal with accusations of witchcraft and bringing bad luck upon a community. When a hexblade focuses this ambient power in the fury of battle, however, he is a terrifying force to be reckoned with. Many warriors are loathe to face down a hexblade and risk being cursed for life…or death.

Perhaps because of their fey heritage and the stigma that carries in human society, aelfborn make natural hexblades, and other half-breeds occasionally gravitate to the role as well. Outcast gnomes sometimes become hexblades, and goblins occasionally gravitate to the class as well. Hexblades are exceedingly rare among most humans, although tales of them abound within the Vistani tribes, and some have been known to spring from Ulvmann or Vangal origins. It is almost unheard of for a warforged or lizardfolk to become a hexblade.

Read more on this class on page 5 of Complete Warrior.

Role: Though a capable melee combatant, the hexblade relies on opportunistic use of his spells and special abilities to augment this role in the group. A hexblade with the proper skill selection can make a fine leader for a group comfortable with his style.

Hexblade Options: A number of the following options make good choices for the hexblade.

Feats: Extra Curse, Greater Potent Curse, Legendary Curse, Legion’s Curse, Lingering Curse, Potent Curse, Wracking Curse.

EXTRA CURSE [GENERAL]
You may use the hexblade's curse ability more frequently than normal.
Prerequisites: Hexblade curse ability.
Benefit: You can perform a hexblade curse two more times per day than you otherwise could.
Special: You can take this feat multiple times. Its effects stack.

The other feats are more rough, since I haven't had a need to flesh them out. As follows...

Blinding Curse – (mst have a BAB +4) if target fails save, he is blinded for 1d4 rounds in addition to the normal curse effects.

Curse of Decay – (must be at least 15th level, must expend four curse attempts)
a single target that you successfully touch with a melee touch attack must save or instantly decay and die.

Greater Potent Curse - (must have Potent Curse feat) additional +1 to save DCs against your curses.

Legendary Curse – (must be at least 18th level, must expend five curse
attempts) the hexblade can curse all enemies in sight

Legion’s Curse – (must be at least 9th level, must expend three curse attempts)
the hexblade can curse all enemies in a 20-ft. radius who are within 60 ft.

Lingering Curse – curse’s effect lasts for 1 hour/level of the hexblade.

Potent Curse – +1 to save DC of curses.

Wracking Curse – if the target fails his save, he is nauseated for one round in addition to the normal curse effects.

 

[Connorsrpg]

We use the hexblade as a variant mage blade (AU/AE rules).

They are granted familiarity with magic (as a mage blade at same level - 12th).

For spells they have access to Simple arcane spells as well as Complex and Exotic spells with the Combat - Melee and Weapon, and Curse descriptors.

BTW we have very extensive spell lists and make more use of descriptors for granting spells IOCS - including making up several new descriptors.

Seems to boost the magic flavour of the class somewhat.

Connors

 

[Scharlata]

I'd love to hear about some experiences with the class...

Hi!

I recently considered playing a hexblade with the goal to multiclass into rogue to get METTLE and EVASION. After researching the mettle-able spells and adding up all ST, attack boni, and other abilities, I dropped that character concept.

But hexblade is the only non-prestige-class class with Mettle. The only other way to get Mettle is to prestige class into a Pious Templar (CW).

The hexblade needs a better "hexblade's curse" option, and those additional spells from the Complete Arcane don't really embellish their repertoire.

Kind regards