D&D 5E Question about hex warrior

[TrueBagelMan]

Can a hexblade change there rod arcane focus to use charisma instead of strength in AL? (Can improvised weapons benefit from hex warrior?)

 

[DND_Reborn]

I would think so.

Since the rod arcane focus is 2 lbs the DM could rule that as an improvised weapon it is the equivalent of a club, and then simple weapon proficiency would allow you to use it as such.

Since it would be covered under simple weapons, and warlocks are proficient in simple weapons, you could use it your hexblade feature on it to benefit from CHA instead of STR. Thus, it would do 1d4 plus your CHA modifier and could even be used as a second weapon in two weapon fighting.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I would think so.

Since the rod arcane focus is 2 lbs the DM could rule that as an improvised weapon it is the equivalent of a club, and then simple weapon proficiency would allow you to use it as such.

Since it would be covered under simple weapons, and warlocks are proficient in simple weapons, you could use it your hexblade feature on it to benefit from CHA instead of STR. Thus, it would do 1d4 plus your CHA modifier and could even be used as a second weapon in two weapon fighting.

Whilst I agree that most DMs would allow this, I wouldn't count on an AL DM ruling the same way.

A bigger issue is with pact weapons for a bladelock. RAW, a pact weapon must ether be summoned from the weapon list in the PHB*, or a magical weapon.


* If the DM gets too flexible about this you get warlocks** trying to summon up double bladed scimitars and laser swords.

**Well, that's what I would do if I was the warlock, anyway.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Whilst I agree that most DMs would allow this, I wouldn't count on an AL DM ruling the same way.

A bigger issue is with pact weapons for a bladelock. RAW, a pact weapon must ether be summoned from the weapon list in the PHB*, or a magical weapon.


* If the DM gets too flexible about this you get warlocks** trying to summon up double bladed scimitars and laser swords.

**Well, that's what I would do if I was the warlock, anyway.

Actually, I think an AL DM should still allow it. If you look at the information in the PHB:

It does not say the pact weapon must be from the weapon list, it only says see chapter 5, which includes Improvised weapons. Now, it does say it must be a melee weapon, and from that you could argue it must be from the list of melee weapons. But, I would then point out again that if the DM rules an Improvised weapon is close enough to an actual weapon on the weapon list, you treat it as that weapon, which IMO would include making it a melee weapon.

After all, how different is a "rod" from a club?

To the OP: If the AL DM pushed it into a "no", which is understandable even though I don't agree with it, then I would just change the rod to a staff. You can use the staff as your focus and it is a melee weapon as well. So, there shouldn't be any problem there anyway.

 

[Weiley31]

Whilst I agree that most DMs would allow this, I wouldn't count on an AL DM ruling the same way.

A bigger issue is with pact weapons for a bladelock. RAW, a pact weapon must ether be summoned from the weapon list in the PHB*, or a magical weapon.


* If the DM gets too flexible about this you get warlocks** trying to summon up double bladed scimitars and laser swords.

**Well, that's what I would do if I was the warlock, anyway.

I mean, who wouldn't want to be a Warlock with a Beam Saber?

 

[shadowoflameth]

I've been playing a Warock Hexblade with pact of the blade. With the improved pact weapon, you expand the choices. He can change the form of the weapon with a 1 hour ritual 1/per long rest and it can be any weapon. A hexblade's weapon can also be his arcane focus. Why not just make a weapon with the properties of the rod you want? My warlock made a Sunblade which has the drawback of needing a bonus action to summon the blade but so far the radiant damage is well worth it. He made a greatsword instead of the longsowrd described in the PHB

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

No.
The Pact of the Blade feature says:

You can use your action to create a pact weapon in your empty hand. You can choose the form that this melee weapon takes each time you create it (see the Weapons section for weapon options).

The definition of the phrase "melee weapon" is pretty consistent in the books - something on one of the Melee Weapon Tables.

Also, there is an invocation that lets you use your Pact of the Blade summoned weapon as an arcane focus, so I would not rule that you can do this normally.

 

[DND_Reborn]

No.
The Pact of the Blade feature says:

The definition of the phrase "melee weapon" is pretty consistent in the books - something on one of the Melee Weapon Tables.

Also, there is an invocation that lets you use your Pact of the Blade summoned weapon as an arcane focus, so I would not rule that you can do this normally.

I have to disagree. Your quote is wrong, BTW, it says "(see chapter 5 for weapon options)," not "(see the Weapons section for weapon options.)" Minor point, but FYI.

Now, don't get me started (I refuse to debate it yet again) about the "melee weapon" is something on the Melee Weapons table section. It isn't. A table leg can be wielded as a melee weapon due to its similarity to a club, as per the section on Improvised Weapons. A rod can be considered likewise, and thus, it is a melee weapon.

As far as the invocation, that is for other weapons which are not also foci (which is most of them). A staff, however, is both a simple weapon and an arcane focus.

Anyway, as I told the OP, if the DM wants to rule as you think they should, I would just switch to a staff and be done with it. If they wanted to be difficult about that point, I would find another DM because that is pretty lame.

 

[Charlaquin]

The fact that this disagreement exists is why it’s safest to assume the least permissive option when it comes to adventurer’s league.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I would find another DM because that is pretty lame.

AL DMs have to be "lame" i.e. rigid in their rule interpretations. That's why so many of us don't like playing AL.

And given that the whole point is consistency, it is unlikely a different AL DM would rule differently.