Anyone played a Hexblade?

[Quickbeam]

I would also agree that the class is pretty good as written. If the class seems underpowered for your game/style/campaign the changes you've suggested are OK, and I'm sure many others might apply as well.

I think this is less a case of something being wrong with what's been presented, and more a case of you wanting/needing the class to be something else for your game. I play a modified Hexblade right now, and have tweaked a few things to better suit the PC's experiences and our setting.

 

[Joshua Randall]

I played a Hexblade in an Eberron campaign. It was annoying because we kept fighting constructs and undead, which are of course immune to the Hexblade's Curse. But the class itself is very solid.

I do think the familiar comes online too late to be maximally useful -- unless you burn some feats (check Complete Warrior) to pump it up. Also, some of the spells are poor by the time you get them (e.g., Sleep is not a very exciting spell when you get it at 4th level).

With my character I also went the Intimidate route, which has uses both in and out of combat. Fortunately the party had no problem with my character cracking his knuckles and glaring menacingly at everyone we talked to....

 

[Crothian]

Got any actual insight to offer?

Having seen one played, I have yet to see any problems with the class. THe curse is a nice ability, but it isn't the focus and since they can do it is a free action it seems good as is. I see no reason to make them divine casters and let them use armor. And familars are just fine.

 

[Beholder Bob]

A great concept, the character either needs to be an archer (dex & cha based) or have 3 good stats. The lack of armor makes him a poor melee fighter unless his dex is good - low dex makes him a melee piñata. For me, the whole flavor they give the class screams for a melee fellow - making him a 3 stat class.

BB

 

[Ranger5]

I had one as part of the recent bad guy group the PCs in my campaign went up against. And I have to say, he did very well...to the point that when one of the PCs died during combat, everyone else said he should make a new character that was a hexblade because my NPC was so effective. And I don't really powergame the bad guys. I try to make them as real as possible.

Anyway, just my .02

 

[Victim]

Multiclass with fighter for feats and armor. Then you have a decent tank fighter with a curse ability, out of combat spells (CHA probably isn't so great), and much better resistance to magic.

 

[Beholder Bob]

Multiclass with fighter for feats and armor. Then you have a decent tank fighter with a curse ability, out of combat spells (CHA probably isn't so great), and much better resistance to magic.

CHA effects his curse, spells, and saves - so CHA is pretty important. He can learn medium+ armor, but loses his spells as a result (spell failure).

As a house rule I use, he gets medium armor & medium armor casting at 7th - I figure he should at least be as effective with armor & casting as a warmage. Just my 2 cents.

BB

 

[I'm A Banana]

He's not gonna fill the "spellcasting warrior" niche very well. Hexes generally enter combat only AFTER reducing the big rampaging monster to a gibbering mass of incoherence. If your group doesn't have another frontline fighter, you'll feel the loss of that armor and that hp pretty harshly; but the hexblade can easily augment what the front line does, and help out there himself for a while. Unless you burn the feats that allow you to use armor and cast spells at the same time (or suck up the small failure chance for some equipment)

Paladins can be tanks pretty easily; hexblades can't really. Hexes focus on reducing the threat an enemy poses, and THEN sticking the pointy end in it. And, like bards, they are the most effective when pitted against other humanoid-type creatures.

 

[Mystery Man]

I built a level 20 Hexblade to see what he could do, and just to see the stats. Nasty!

I have it in a file somewhere....

 

[Beholder Bob]

Kamikaze Midget speaks wisely - follow the dancing banana's advice!

Fun builds for a hex warrior -

A halfling or kobald badass on a mean junkyard dog armed with a sling and a lance yelling foul curses and pelting his foes from the sidelines.

An elf missing his left ear, armed with arrows and flasks of alchemical fire and acid. Legolas my ass, I'm gonna make a necklace out'a your fingers, boy!

A mix class bard/hex warrior who sings offensive songs about your heritage.

BB

ps - I'm sure a LOTR fan will correct my spelling for mr lego-lass.