Is the Hexblade any good?

[RigaMortus]

Anyone have experience playing one? Any good combo's or character builds around the Hexblade?

Is there a save for their "curse" ability?

What is the -2 (from the curse) penalty considered? Is it a named penalty? Does it stack with itself? Does it stack with other forms (such as that from being shaken, or perhaps the Bane spell)?

 

[iceifur]

Anyone have experience playing one? Any good combo's or character builds around the Hexblade?

Is there a save for their "curse" ability?

What is the -2 (from the curse) penalty considered? Is it a named penalty? Does it stack with itself? Does it stack with other forms (such as that from being shaken, or perhaps the Bane spell)?

Well, IIRC the Hexblade gets Mettle (evasion for Fort and Will saves) at 3rd level. Combined with Evasion (either from Rogue levels or, even better, Divine Oracle levels) and the Hexblade's Cha to saves vs. spells ability, you can have a "nyaa-nyaa-I-can-dodge-whatever-you-throw-at-me" kind of character. From the builds I've seen before, some people like to tack on Dragon Disciple levels for stat increases and natural attacks.

As for the Hexblade’s Curse – Will Negates (DC = 10 + 1?2 Class level + Charisma modifier). Multiple curses do not stack & an opponent that successfully saves cannot be targeted again by that Hexblade for 24 hours. I don't think the Curse is a named ability, so it would stack with the shaken condition and such.

--B--

 

[noeuphoria]

The one I thought of is that hexblade can actually take arcane archer at 6th level, which is one level earlier than any other character. Other than that, they seem pretty decent, kind of like a paladin but without having to be a big wuss. Hexblade/rogue seems pretty cool, evasion for all saves, plus you get that nifty hexblade spell that lets you flank.

 

[sledged]

If you want to make the most out of mettle + evasion, take levels in classes that all good saves such as of monk, tattooed monk, favored soul, and/or survivor (Savage Species).

Off-topic: Has anyone noticed that the survivor class is one of the few PrCs that can be taken before 6th level? A Fighter 1/Rogue 1/Hexblade 1 (character level: 3, highest base save +2) qualifies for the PrC. So does a commoner 1, but, of course, the drawback to that is you have to take a level of commoner.

 

[xazil]

Most combinations for hexblade seem to revolve around using the the first 3 or 4 levels as it comes across as a very front loaded class.

Im my party we currently have a hexblade/rogue as this is a pairing of classes that work very well together. It also seems a good prelude to going a Dragon Disciple without having to 'throw' a level into a non-combat class.

A single classed hexblade comes across as a weak class if you want fighting unless you discard the spells and jump into heavier armor. While as a spell caster it is only on par with a ranger or paladin despite all the bonus feats being magically inclined. A hexblade with good INT could play a party face man with his social skills. An archer build would suit hexblade as then the armor is less of a problem, but that is going to use up all of your feats through normal levels.

Oh, and the hexblade comes across as suiting a dwarf as he is able to curse people who have slighted him or his clan in a very 'Warhammer Book of Grudges' way.

 

[Sejs]

Short version: no, it's not that good a class. It's ..eh, so-so for a short dip, but its not really worth staying the course and sticking with for all of your character's progression.

 

[Pax]

Hexblade/Monk is a nasty Gestalt combination. Rogue/Hexblade would be similar, and the large number of Rogue skills helps with the "faceman" angle quite well.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Does not really seem to quite have what it takes as a standalone class. Multiclassing is the most obvious route.

What did strike me about Hexblade is it has enormous team synergy potential if you go the Greater Kiai Shout route and singleclass as Hexblade. KS/GKS to harass the mooks, the Curse to hamper an Enemy Boss. All those lovely minuses on to hit and save will give his allies a big tactical edge even if the Hexblade may not be able to dish it out himself.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Hexblade/Monk is a nasty Gestalt combination. Rogue/Hexblade would be similar, and the large number of Rogue skills helps with the "faceman" angle quite well.

Going that route, I prefer to get my Mettle and Charisma bonus to saves from Paladin/Monk to Pious Templar/Monk. Especially if your campaign features a LG deity with unarmed strike as a preferred weapon.

 

[swordsmasher]

In my homebrew campaign i made it so hexblades are natural necromancers. I give them a Medium Fortitude and Will save, and a Poor reflex save. At 1st level they get a skeletal minion as described in Unearthed Arcana. at 4th level instead of summon familiar, the hexblade gains the ability to raise undead as the spell animate dead once per day. at 8th level the hexblade can have a number of skeletal minions equal to 1/2 his hexblade level.
They also get Undead Apotheosis and Enhanced Undead as described in UA without modification.