Hexblades in play

[shaylon]

Hi,

I am considering running a Hexblade as my next character for an ongoing campaign. Any advice or thoughts on how they play in game? I welcome anyone who is playing a hexblade that has some insight to please share.

Thanks in advance,
Shaylon

 

[Crothian]

Give me a couple of months, a guy in our group is going to play one, and I'll get back to you

 

[Talmun]

My opinion of the Hexblade has always been that it's 5-10 level prestige class strung out into a 20 level core class...it just seems too focused to be a core class.

I'd be interested to hear from those who've played them as well.

 

[Victim]

Our group has had a Fighter 1 / Hexblade X with us for a while, and he does pretty well. However, the main reason for his success is that he's the guy with heavy armor and a greatsword. His minor spellcasting hasn't done anything (especially since he wears plate). However, Endure Elements and Alarm can be pretty useful outside of combat. Still, that's a major class feature going to waste. Or was at least, between leveling up and a DM rewrite, the hexblade now has a double dose of Battlecaster and the Whirling Blade spell. Too bad he leaves the group. The hexblade curse has similarly been mostly ineffectual; without a major investment in Cha, the DC sucks. However, since it's a free action, the hexblade doesn't lose much by trying it. I suppose one interesting thing is that the character looks like a fighter and mostly operates the same way, yet has Will save far superior to the typical fighter's. So people trying the standard Charm/Dominate/Hold the meatshield trick might be in for a rude surprise.

 

[Psion]

My opinion of the Hexblade has always been that it's 5-10 level prestige class strung out into a 20 level core class...it just seems too focused to be a core class.

Oddly enough, this is my impression of the Soulknife.

The hexblade I like... and I would use if I could come up with a broad and satisfying campaign reason for them to exist as a core class.

 

[Andor]

I've got a hexblade 3/Monk 2 going for Initiate of the draconic mysteries. He's going to be a saving throw monkey. However having played through exactly one combat I can't really tell you how effective they are.

My general impressions.. The curse is cool, but the DC is too low. Their spell list mostly blows chunks and almost entirely fails to intersect with their crappy bonus feat selection. Also they are the most screwed of any class EVER if they violate their alignment. At least Paladins can atone. OTOH they get mettle. The skill list isn't bad at all. They have nifty flavor and present some interesting multi-class options.

As a straight class? I think they need tweaking. Change the spell list and/or the bonus feat list. Another option would be to make them the fight oriented warlock, with whom the share a lot of flavor. So give them one each Least, Lesser, Greater and Dark invocations where they normally get 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th level spells. Standard eldritch blast but make it hit normal AC not touch ac. Obviously the bonus feat list would nead some tweaking as well with that variant.

Just my 2¢

 

[JRRNeiklot]

I played one. I love the concept, but he turned out rather weak. In a less combat intensive game, they might be okay, but in our game, he ended up unconcious way too often.

 

[Odysseus]

I played one. I love the concept, but he turned out rather weak. In a less combat intensive game, they might be okay, but in our game, he ended up unconcious way too often.

I tried a cleric /hexblade which worked ok. I do think multiclassing hexblade does weaken them. The curse power is an important part of the class and is dependant on the hexblade class level not the character level. And if you do multiclass them, another charisma orientated class is best.