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Message: <blockquote data-quote="doctorhook" data-source="post: 6634446" data-attributes="member: 58401">Two 5E spells: hex and bestow curse. <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hex is a 1st-level enchantment spell which only appears on the warlock list. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Bestow curse is a 3rd-level necromancy spell which is on the bard, cleric, and wizard spell lists; it is not on the warlock spell list, although warlocks have an invocation that allows them to cast bestow curse using one of their spell slots once between long rests. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hex only requires a bonus action, but bestow curse requires an action to cast. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hex has a range of 90 feet, but bestow curse requires the caster to touch the target. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hex causes BOTH of the following conditions:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The target takes +1d6 necrotic damage from any of the caster's attacks, AND; </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The target has disadvantage on all ability checks with an ability of the caster's choice. </li> </ul>  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Bestow curse causes ONE of the following conditions:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The target takes +1d8 necrotic damage from any of the caster's attacks, OR; </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The target has disadvantage on all ability checks AND saving throws with an ability of the caster's choice, OR; </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The target has disadvantage on all attack rolls against the caster, OR; </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The target must make a Wisdom save each round or do nothing with its action, OR; </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Another effect of similar scope to the preceding effects, subject to the DM's approval. </li> </ul>  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hex allows the caster to reassign the curse to a new target as a bonus action if the original target drops to 0 HP before the spell ends, but bestow curse has no similar mechanic. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Both hex and bestow curse end when subjected to a remove curse spell. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cast as 3rd-level spells, bestow curse lasts for "Concentration, up to 1 minute", while hex has a duration of "Concentration, up to 8 hours". </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cast as 5th-level spells (the highest spell slot level for warlocks, RAW), bestow curse lasts for 8 hours and no longer requires concentration, while hex has a duration of "Concentration, up to 24 hours". </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The duration of bestow curse can be extended further by casting it as an even higher level spell, up to 9th level, where it gains a duration of "until dispelled" (no concentration required). Hex's duration maximizes at 5th level (see above). </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">For whatever it's worth, hex requires a minor material component (a petrified eye of newt) in addition to verbal and somatic components, while bestow curse is strictly verbal and somatic. </li> </ul>Clearly these spells are treading the same territory. (The text for hex even begins with the description, "You place a curse....") Yet these spells exist as similar but totally separate spells. Hex seems like it's meant to be a warlock-only version of bestow curse, and yet it's a spell rather than a class feature, meaning it's available to all bards (via their Magical Secrets class feature) and anyone who takes the Magic Initiate feat.I'm scratching my head here. There's a lot going on with these two spells, so it's hard to compare them directly, but there are aspects of them that are dirt simple: hex is easier to cast, lasts longer, and grants two of bestow curse's effects for the price of one (though both are marginally weaker: hex deals an average of 1 less point of damage, and it doesn't apply disadvantage to saving throws).So many questions: why is hex an enchantment but bestow curse a necromancy? Why doesn't the warlock have bestow curse on its spell list? Should hex have been a warlock class feature instead? Why are these two spells so redundant?Help me figure out wtf is going on here, gang. Thanks in advance.</blockquote>

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