Unearthed Arcana Unearthed Arcana: Wizards & Warlocks -- Hexblades, Raven Queens, and Lore Mastery!

Master of Hexes
Starting at 14th level, you can use your
Hexblade’s Curse again without resting, but
when you apply it to a new target, the curse
immediately ends on the previous target.

Does this mean you can cast it one more time, or over and over again? And does the 1 minute duration reset upon a new target, or does it continue from the previous target?

 

[Chaosrex]

I loved my Hexblade in 4th Ed.

But one of the problems it had there, and still has now, is that its just a Warlock variant.

i feel that it should be its own class, just like Swordmages in 4th where their own class, and not a Mage or Figther sub-class, variant.

Keep the Dark theme and Patronage, spell lists would be close to Paladins and rangers/sorcerors, except all the spells are delivered through the weapon, think like the magus and his Arcane strike in PF, with some of them in close aoe forms like a wide area slash attack.

While i like evocations, its a Warlock thing, so change it with "Dark Gifts" or Dark Arts "stances"?

let the Hexblade progression be tied to the Pact weapon, each weapon could have a different type of Hex tied to it, or having more then one Hex, that changes given the situation and/or pact weapon used.

 

[MoonSong]

For those regarding the Loremaster Wizard's ability to burn extra spell slots to add extra effects as too powerful: Would requiring a higher-level slot (as the 3.x metamagic used to) rather than an additional slot put the subclass into better balance?
Or would it be too far in the other direction?

(So, for example a Fireball with added force damage would cost a 4th-level slot rather than a 3rd and a 1st-level slot. A Fireball with a mile range would cost a 5th-level slot. etc.)

The effects themselves are too powerful. And they infringe on the sorcerer playing field. Shifting the cost like that won't help things, and I think it might actually make things worse as it is a lesser cost.

I would do the following changes:

The loremaster has to prepare the altered versions of the spells. If the loremaster prepares an altered version he cannot have the normal version at the same time. Each altered version can be used only once, leaving a hole in your prepared spells. Tame the abilities, no straight +2 to DC, and not turning 30' into a mile, (Maybe add like 10'-15'), and not straight damage (Instead rerroll up to 3 damage rolls) The altered versions require a higher level slot. there is a cap to them (like 1+Int bonus). The loremaster gets only some of these abilities as they level up and not all at once. And definitely remove the ability to cast any spell you want from any spell list.

 

[Mercule]

I'm kinda with cbwjm on this. I've never really understood the point of the Sorcerer: it's just a Wizard with alternative spell slot mechanics and Charisma as spellcasting stat. Everything else is fluff.

The Warlock feels more distinct, although honestly I detest "Eldritch Blast". I skipped a couple of editions and came back during Next and was stunned that so many players thought that Eldritch Blast defined the Warlock. I was all, "So...they're Evokers, fluffed with a Patron?" A nuker by another name. I wish Warlocks didn't have direct damage cantrips.

Agreed. In 3E, we just used the Sorcerer class for folks who wanted a Wizard with less crappy rules for preparation. Table fluff was that Sorcerers leaned a few things well instead of getting breadth.

Since I'm not a huge fan of Wild Mages, it seemed silly to have a class with only one kit. I actually converted the Dragon bloodline to a Warlock Patron (Elder Wyrm) and created a Pact of Blood that represented a birthright, rather than a deal. Metamagic was handled as Invocations that required Blood Pact. No one took the Blood Pact, but the Wyrm was used for a Warlock who served Eberron's Chamber. I kinda liked how it worked out.

We're starting up CoS, tomorrow night, and we'll see what happens. With all the new Sorcerer kits in UA, I'm inclined to put the Sorcerer back in and just move on with life. If folks want me to convert the bloodlines to Warlock Patrons, it's pretty darn trivial.

 

[mellored]

I would be ok with medium armor and shelds but would really put the charisma on attack rolls on an invokation so it is at least level 2 and costs you an invocation slot. So you really have to pay for the privilege of a single attribute attack stat.

Warlocks already pay heavily to use weapons.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Warlocks already pay heavily to use weapons.

Its a paladin multiclass i am worried of.

Sent from my GT-I9506 using EN World mobile app

 

[mellored]

Its a paladin multiclass I am worried of.

Tome warlock 3 already gives paladins shillelah. And they want warlock 3 anyways for the level 2 slots, and level 2 for eldritch blast.

So not much change really.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Tome warlock 3 already gives paladins shillelah. And they want warlock 3 anyways for the level 2 slots, and level 2 for eldritch blast.

So not much change really.

Level 3 and level 1 is different. Also you have to use a staff.

Sent from my GT-I9506 using EN World mobile app

 

[mellored]

Level 3 and level 1 is different. Also you have to use a staff.

There's no disadvantage with a staff. It works with polearm master and a shield.


IMO:
Level 1: You can use Cha to-hit, but still use Str/Dex for damage.

Invocation: Life Thirsting blade
You gain proficiency in martial weapons. At level 5 you can multi-attack. At level 11 you can add +Cha to your damage.

 

[Ganymede81]

I think that was me.

I don't think anyone is arguing that the warlock can't do anything that round. I'm saying that they can't take any other action that round in order to use a feature the next round. If the fighter had to forgo their actions on one round in order to use action surge the next or if the Paladin had to give up their action in order to smite the following turn I think people would be up in arms.

I think this is bad design. It's easy enough to make a invocation that adds a particular feature without requiring a specific weapon. For example, instead of a flail your weapon warps and twists in reality and gains +5ft reach. Instead of a mace your weapon is surrounded by an infernal force that blasts out when hit. Instead of a Greatsword your weapon is surrounded by energy and does extra damage of the weapons type. Even the bow is bad because it, like the greatsword, eliminate small characters from using these options. If they opened bow to any bow then small characters could create a short bow and it would work.

They are flavorful, but they're also tied to mechanics. It would be no different if they said that in order to use the two weapon fighting style you had to use scimitars or that if you wanted to use dueling it had to be a longsword. Flavor with open mechanics is 1000% better than flavor with locked mechanics. One provides options, the other limits them.

I'll be suggesting something along these lines in the next survey.

 

[Ahrimon]

The effects themselves are too powerful. And they infringe on the sorcerer playing field. Shifting the cost like that won't help things, and I think it might actually make things worse as it is a lesser cost.

I would do the following changes:

The loremaster has to prepare the altered versions of the spells. If the loremaster prepares an altered version he cannot have the normal version at the same time. Each altered version can be used only once, leaving a hole in your prepared spells. Tame the abilities, no straight +2 to DC, and not turning 30' into a mile, (Maybe add like 10'-15'), and not straight damage (Instead rerroll up to 3 damage rolls) The altered versions require a higher level slot. there is a cap to them (like 1+Int bonus). The loremaster gets only some of these abilities as they level up and not all at once. And definitely remove the ability to cast any spell you want from any spell list.

I wouldn't mind seeing that they had to prepare the modified versions ahead of time and they cost a higher slot but at the same effect level. So for example, to prepare a spell with a different element it must be cast at a minimum slot of it's level +1 and you calculate it's effect at a level of slot -1. So cold ball has to be cast at a minimum of a 4th level spell, but when calculating the damage it is considered a 3rd level spell. If you cast it as a 5th level spell the damage is at 4th level.

This allows a wizard to adjust their spells but still gives per-eminance to the sorcerer who can alter spells on the fly.