I was relooking at the HExblade class found in CW and the abilities seem decent enough but to me it looks underpowered. His curse thing he can only use a very limited times a day, and extremely low spell casting ability. Anyone have any experience on how to optimise this char?
Hexblade, Any good?
- Thread starter Demoquin
- Start date
FrostedMini1337
First Post
Allow dragon magazine feats, and let them take them when they get Hexblade bonus feats helps out a lot.
Otherwise, yes, they are really underpowered IME (I've played 2, although both only made to about level 7-8.)
Otherwise, yes, they are really underpowered IME (I've played 2, although both only made to about level 7-8.)
FrostedMini1337
First Post
http://www.crystalkeep.com/d20/rules/DnD3.5Index-Feats.pdf
Page 57.
Hexblades get bonus feats every 5 or so? But they have to be SpellFocus, Blah, or Blah right? (Book not on hand) Allow them to pull from this list for that purpose.
Edit: We houserules the extra curse to be: each time you take it, it increases by one (So 1 extra use, 2 Extra uses, 3 extra uses, stacking)
Put's them much more on par.
Page 57.
Hexblades get bonus feats every 5 or so? But they have to be SpellFocus, Blah, or Blah right? (Book not on hand) Allow them to pull from this list for that purpose.
Edit: We houserules the extra curse to be: each time you take it, it increases by one (So 1 extra use, 2 Extra uses, 3 extra uses, stacking)
Put's them much more on par.
FrostedMini1337
First Post
Duskblade seems to be what the hexblade was supposed to be (If that makes any sense).
But the hexblade is cool in its own right. Easily my favorite class, but it is underpowered.
But the hexblade is cool in its own right. Easily my favorite class, but it is underpowered.
pawsplay
Hero
They are very good. Ability Focus (hexblade curse) is good, very good, and Fortitude will help bring your Mettle into play. It's important to realize they are fighters first and casters second. Using their defense against ranged attacks and mirror image, they can be very effective as stand up fighters. At much higher levels, they qualify for Arcane Strike. With a ring of wizardry, they could be adding three or four dice of damage to nearly every attack. Improved Familiar, for a winter wolf, is nice, and I personally favor a glaive with Combat Reflexes and Hold the Line for armament.
For the most part, they work best as single-class characters. However, a three level Blackguard dip gets them aura of despair, which synergizes well with their curse ability, and a Havoc Mage can eventually cast every spell they have in melee without drawing an AoO.
Against no or low SR foes, their offensive spells can be nasty, and for everything else, they should focus on buffs, and try to hit enemy spellcasters with touch of idiocy.
For the most part, they work best as single-class characters. However, a three level Blackguard dip gets them aura of despair, which synergizes well with their curse ability, and a Havoc Mage can eventually cast every spell they have in melee without drawing an AoO.
Against no or low SR foes, their offensive spells can be nasty, and for everything else, they should focus on buffs, and try to hit enemy spellcasters with touch of idiocy.
pawsplay
Hero
FrostedMini1337 said:
Duskblade is more like a base class Spellsword. Hexblades are not primarily casters, they are fighters with a magical schtick. They are the opposite of paladins; lightly armored instead of heavy, selfish instead of good, arcane instead of good, underhanded instead of forthright. But they are basically paladin like; full BAB, four levels of spells, some class bennies.
FrostedMini1337
First Post
If you are trying to build a decent hexblade:
Listen to pawsplay: remember you're a fighter, but your not a Fighter. Don't melee unless you are buffed or they are de-buffed. With only light armor, and most likely no shield you can't go toe-to-toe with other character of martial bent.
Ability Focus: Hexblade Curse.
There is virutally no reason not to use a two-handed weapon.
I'd advise against the Arcane Strike thing. There are just to many good rings at higher levels you can use. Well, at least think about it real hard before you decide.
Go after casters. Mettle and Arcane Resistance are there for a reason.
If your DM lets you take those feats, Curse of Ignorance + Curse of Distraction makes you an automatic mageslayer. Ignorance also works well on feinting rouges.
Don't forget about outside of combat. You have high Cha, put ranks in the social skills.
Consider a 2-3 level dip in to one of the evil paladin variants from UA. Tyranny for hexing goodness and survivability, Slaughter to be a melee master. Divine Grace + Arcane Resistance + Mettle= HAHAHA.
Listen to pawsplay: remember you're a fighter, but your not a Fighter. Don't melee unless you are buffed or they are de-buffed. With only light armor, and most likely no shield you can't go toe-to-toe with other character of martial bent.
Ability Focus: Hexblade Curse.
There is virutally no reason not to use a two-handed weapon.
I'd advise against the Arcane Strike thing. There are just to many good rings at higher levels you can use. Well, at least think about it real hard before you decide.
Go after casters. Mettle and Arcane Resistance are there for a reason.
If your DM lets you take those feats, Curse of Ignorance + Curse of Distraction makes you an automatic mageslayer. Ignorance also works well on feinting rouges.
Don't forget about outside of combat. You have high Cha, put ranks in the social skills.
Consider a 2-3 level dip in to one of the evil paladin variants from UA. Tyranny for hexing goodness and survivability, Slaughter to be a melee master. Divine Grace + Arcane Resistance + Mettle= HAHAHA.
