Level Up (A5E) Draft of the Bladesworn Warlock: an A5e Hexblade and 1/3 Martial

[Faolyn]

The cost is what? 5 cp for an arrow? I’m comfortable letting an exertion point cover that cost, especially as features like Eldritch Riposte allow Warlocks to add damage dice to their EB at a small cost. But I’ll take your feedback into consideration.

It's not a deal breaker for me, for what it's worth.

 

[xiphumor]

Okay, I have now significantly changed the Bladesworn. I like this version much better.

 

[Sepulchre]

This is pretty unbalanced but it’d be fun to play, no doubt.

 

[xiphumor]

This is pretty unbalanced but it’d be fun to play, no doubt.

Please say more. I’m trying to balance it.

 

[Sepulchre]

Please say more. I’m trying to balance it.

The subclass basically puts everything good about martial classes on the warlock chasis. Compare it to O5E eldritch knight—it basically does everything that subclass did and then way, way more.

The biggest problem is probably allowing EBlast to become weapon attacks. More attacks than a fighter, each one potentially with Powerful Attacker or Deadeye? Plus Lifedrinker on top, all on a single attribute chassis? Insane.

This subclass can basically cast shield every turn forever given how A5e warlock casting works. So it’s got AC out the wazoo.

Maneuvers with maneuver progression on a casting chasis will always be a problem with the multiclassing rules. So instead I think access to maneuvers for a caster needs to be done differently, so you can’t merely dip Fighter for fast progression. That’s an A5e problem though, not specific to the subclass. But it makes this subclass very good with a fighter dip.

Find Steed needs to go. That spell is basically a Herald class feature. I haven’t analyzed the rest of the spell list.

 

[xiphumor]

What if I said that you could only use the Agonizing Blast invocation when you use a combat maneuver with EB?

 

[xiphumor]

As for the fighter dip, maybe the trick is that they don’t get a table, but learn maneuvers as a separate subclass feature.

 

[xiphumor]

Also, thanks for all of this. It helps me fail faster.

 

[Sepulchre]

Don’t get me wrong—criticizing is way easier than creating! I think there’s a lot of potential here.

I think a separate subclass feature makes sense. Maybe at level 1 you get some (1st degree), then more at 6 (2nd), and 10 (3rd).

I think allowing EB to be used with appropriate maneuvers (melee/ranged) is enough. To me, that is what makes the subclass concept cool and unique! And if a player really wants, they can use thirsting blade to take an ordinary attack action with two attacks for their maneuver.

You might also consider writing some thematic invocations for the subclass too!

Final note: I write for a living. Don’t be discouraged! I’ve mangled things a lot, and somehow I still get paid for all the mangling. You’re doing this for fun! Feedback is a part of it—I only provided it because you asked, although I did go a little hard on ya.