D&D 5E Hex is a WAY better spell than Hunters Mark

[Ancalagon]

It's not the first time that I've come across a rule I've been doing wrong for 5 years. Although to be fair I've never used hex that much in the past. I think in an early game the DM may have just house ruled it that way and it stuck.

DM makes mistakes, it's just part of the game. It happens to all of us

 

[AtomicPope]

I've used Hex with my Warlock to aid in Stealth. Actively hiding comes into play far more often than passively searching for a creature you Marked as it tries to hide. Hex gets the win there.

However, Hex causes necrotic damage which is a coin toss. It could be very good (against creatures normally immune or resistant to non-magical attacks) or very bad (creatures immune or resistant to necrotic).

 

[Zardnaar]

Hunters mark untyped damage. It's mostly a wash imho.

 

[Older Beholder]

DM makes mistakes, it's just part of the game. It happens to all of us

For sure,

also I have to admit I thought you needed to hit first to impose the disadvantage to a save type. I’ve learnt a lot today. Hard to argue with the thread title at this point.

I guess in the end it comes down to flavour, hexing isn’t for everyone (on a thematic level)

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The big difference, depending on how strictly you interpret spell components, is you need a free hand to cast Hex.

 

[Lyxen]

Honestly, in all these years of playing 5e since it came out, there have been extremely few times in which Hex has been useful in its secondary application of lowering an ability check made a difference. Hex is a combat spell, it's obvious when it's cast, and it does not last long enough (see below) to make a difference in combat.

Moreover, it's concentration, if you're a caster, you have a better use for your concentration, and if you're martial, you will get hit often enough that you will lose your concentration anyway.

Frankly, there are many level 1 spells that are much more useful, are cast much more often, and are actually upcast, no-one in our groups has ever upcast hex. And honestly, paying a feat for that seems extravagant to me.

Of course, depending on your campaign and personal style of play, YMMV, but a ranger has Hunter's Mark by default and it does the job perfectly fine, including when it escapes and you try to find it again.

 

[BluejayJunior]

For sure,

also I have to admit I thought you needed to hit first to impose the disadvantage to a save type. I’ve learnt a lot today. Hard to argue with the thread title at this point.

I guess in the end it comes down to flavour, hexing isn’t for everyone (on a thematic level)

I could be wrong, but I think Hex just causes disadvantage to ability checks, not saving throws.

 

[Lyxen]

I could be wrong, but I think Hex just causes disadvantage to ability checks, not saving throws.

Yes, it if was saving throws, the spell would be absolutely amazing, but ability checks are not that frequent in combat.

 

[Ancalagon]

Yes, it if was saving throws, the spell would be absolutely amazing, but ability checks are not that frequent in combat.

It's pretty good vs a grappling monster...

 

[Ancalagon]

Moreover, it's concentration, if you're a caster, you have a better use for your concentration, and if you're martial, you will get hit often enough that you will lose your concentration anyway.

Isn't hunter's mark a concentration spell too?