Hexblade Brainstorming
The following is just a bunch of notes I've put together while trying to brainstorm a 4e hexblade.
I made him a defender, with elements of control or leader. I wanted to use the curse as a marking power, but it seemed to me that if a hexblade cursed you, you should be cursed no matter who you attacked- which isn't true of a mark. So I came up with the idea below, which should encourage a marked foe to attack the hexblade, but which doesn't do so through regular marking techniques. THIS IS THE PART OF THE CLASS THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TO GET RIGHT! So any comments on whether you think it worked are vital!
Implement: Fetish. You may wear this like a holy symbol rather than holding it in your hand.
Weapons: Martial
Armor: Up to chain, and light shields. I kind of need to prevent them from wearing especially heavy armor, you'll see why when you read Evil Eye and Aura of Unluck.
Evil Eye: One foe in close burst 5. Weakened. This effect ends when the Hexblade takes damage. I decided this name was better than the generic "hexblade's curse."
Aura of Unluck: Adjacent foes take -2 to attacks. I really like this, but I'm concerned that it may make enemies refuse to stay near or refuse to fight the hexblade. It needs something to counteract the way it repels foes. That something could be a different power.
At Will Attacks
[luck strike]: 1[W]+Str, on a natural 1 this attack is a critical hit.
[fear strike]: 1[W]+Str, cha penalty on attacks
[wyrd strike]: 1[W]+Str, -cha on saves, does not stack with other save penalties
New Power Ideas
Wyrd: Any foe who rolls a natural 1 on an attack while in this aura takes X damage.
Bitter Blade: 2[W]+Str, some acid damage
Vampiric Blade: damage, gain temp hp related to damage dealt
Luck Eater: All foes in 5 take -cha to attacks. All allies in five get +cha.
Old spells that could be repurposed?
Entropic Shield: protects against ranged attacks
Mount: utility, summons mount
Phantom Threat: 1[W]+str, target counts as flanked v all attacks
Hideous Laughter:
Alter Self: combat alteration?
Blindness/Deafness:
Hideous Strength:
Crisis of Confidence: foes in X cannot receive bonuses from flanking or allies?
False Life: temp hp
Glitterdust: retheme this
Mirror Image:
Phantasmal Assailants: psychic damage, penalty to will defense?
Rage: attack bonus, defense penalty, usable on ally or foe?
Resist Energy:
Spider Climb:
Suggestion: make it a combat form
Whirling Blade: throw weapon and it returns
Confusion:
Hound of Doom: big summon, daily
Phantom Steed:
Poison: poison weapon instead of just poison
Slow: area of effect?
Break Enchantment: sacrifice a healing surge to automatically all effects
Cursed Blade: sucks out healing surges? theme is can't be healed normally.
Dominate: dominates
Enervation:
Fear:
Greater Invisibility:
Phantasmal Killer:
Solid Fog: target rolls twice, keeps lower roll
The following is just a bunch of notes I've put together while trying to brainstorm a 4e hexblade.
I made him a defender, with elements of control or leader. I wanted to use the curse as a marking power, but it seemed to me that if a hexblade cursed you, you should be cursed no matter who you attacked- which isn't true of a mark. So I came up with the idea below, which should encourage a marked foe to attack the hexblade, but which doesn't do so through regular marking techniques. THIS IS THE PART OF THE CLASS THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TO GET RIGHT! So any comments on whether you think it worked are vital!
Implement: Fetish. You may wear this like a holy symbol rather than holding it in your hand.
Weapons: Martial
Armor: Up to chain, and light shields. I kind of need to prevent them from wearing especially heavy armor, you'll see why when you read Evil Eye and Aura of Unluck.
Evil Eye: One foe in close burst 5. Weakened. This effect ends when the Hexblade takes damage. I decided this name was better than the generic "hexblade's curse."
Aura of Unluck: Adjacent foes take -2 to attacks. I really like this, but I'm concerned that it may make enemies refuse to stay near or refuse to fight the hexblade. It needs something to counteract the way it repels foes. That something could be a different power.
At Will Attacks
[luck strike]: 1[W]+Str, on a natural 1 this attack is a critical hit.
[fear strike]: 1[W]+Str, cha penalty on attacks
[wyrd strike]: 1[W]+Str, -cha on saves, does not stack with other save penalties
New Power Ideas
Wyrd: Any foe who rolls a natural 1 on an attack while in this aura takes X damage.
Bitter Blade: 2[W]+Str, some acid damage
Vampiric Blade: damage, gain temp hp related to damage dealt
Luck Eater: All foes in 5 take -cha to attacks. All allies in five get +cha.
Old spells that could be repurposed?
Entropic Shield: protects against ranged attacks
Mount: utility, summons mount
Phantom Threat: 1[W]+str, target counts as flanked v all attacks
Hideous Laughter:
Alter Self: combat alteration?
Blindness/Deafness:
Hideous Strength:
Crisis of Confidence: foes in X cannot receive bonuses from flanking or allies?
False Life: temp hp
Glitterdust: retheme this
Mirror Image:
Phantasmal Assailants: psychic damage, penalty to will defense?
Rage: attack bonus, defense penalty, usable on ally or foe?
Resist Energy:
Spider Climb:
Suggestion: make it a combat form
Whirling Blade: throw weapon and it returns
Confusion:
Hound of Doom: big summon, daily
Phantom Steed:
Poison: poison weapon instead of just poison
Slow: area of effect?
Break Enchantment: sacrifice a healing surge to automatically all effects
Cursed Blade: sucks out healing surges? theme is can't be healed normally.
Dominate: dominates
Enervation:
Fear:
Greater Invisibility:
Phantasmal Killer:
Solid Fog: target rolls twice, keeps lower roll
