PDA

View Full Version : Hexlock (3.5E base class, PEACH)



Ben Miff
2009-02-06, 05:25 AM
This is a kind of merging of the hexblade's curses and the warlock's invocations. However, the main use of this class is going to be in battlefield control, either by weakening the main threats, moving or restricting movement through the eldritch shunt and eldritch snare, or just using area control invocations such as caustic mire and hungry darkness. Please PEACH.

Hexlock

Descriptive Fluff
Born of a similar nature to a warlock, the Hexlock's powers are still dangerous, but are not gifted through any kind of deal. Rather, they are given as gifts by wild forces, fey, tricksters gods, or other chaotic forces. Unlike the warlock, there is never any expectation beyond that the gifts will be used; the gifting forces do so merely for the disorder that a Hexlock's powers will inevitably cause.

Adventures: Many Hexlocks are forced to wander since their gifts make it difficult to settle in one place. Often, they adventure out of an innate restlessness, but even then they tend to have a desire for power, wealth or renown as well.

Characteristics: Hexlock's souls are infused with massive amounts of mystical energy. This energy makes them a poweful force, capable of using this energy primarily through the manipulation of luck and through their invocations.

Alignment: Hexlock's lean towards chaos, due to the powers that gift them their abilities preferring chaotic individuals to lawful ones. However, they have no bias towards either good or evil.

Religion: By channeling the chaotic energies that they have, a Hexlock is well aware of the power that supernatural beings have. Consequentially, Hexlocks do not scorn the gods, although they tend towards more chaotic deities. Good Hexlocks tend to worship Boccob, Corellon Larethian or Olidammara, which evil Hexlocks prefer Gruumsh, Erythnul or one of the many devil lords.

Background: Hexlocks can come from nearly any background, since their abilities are the result of the decision of a chaotic being.

Races: Nearly any race can become a Hexlock, but races that tend towards chaos are much more common.

Other Classes: The Hexlock can get along with nearly any other race, but are aware that they may be viewed poorly by clerics and paladins who do not fully understand their powers. In this regard, the hexlock shares similar circumstances with several rogues, which means that their relationship is often good.

Role: A Hexlock serves the same role as a sorcerer or wizard, but their magical abilities are more limited than either a sorcerer or wizard. As a result, the Hexlock fits in better with a party that already has a spellcaster, since the Hexlock's abilties lend it towards a support role.


Class Abilities Table

{table=head]Level|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Invocations Known

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2|Consume Feat, Eldritch Blast 1d6, Invocation (least), Hex -2|1

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+3|Fortuitous Start, Luck Pool 2|2

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+3|Eldritch Blast 2d6, Eldritch Empowerment +1, Forceful Blast|3

4th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|Hex -3|4

5th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|Eldritch Blast 3d6|4

6th|
+4|
+2|
+5|
+5|New Invocation (least or lesser)|5

7th|
+5|
+2|
+5|
+5|Eldritch Blast 4d6, Invocation Manipulation, Luck Pool 3|6

8th|
+6/+1|
+2|
+6|
+6|Hex -4|7

9th|
+6/+1|
+3|
+6|
+6|Eldritch Blast 5d6, Eldritch Empowerment +2, Siphon Luck|8

10th|
+7/+2|
+3|
+7|
+7|Random Deflector 1d4 rounds 1/day|8

11th|
+8/+3|
+3|
+7|
+7|Aura Of Misfortunes 10, Eldritch Blast 6d6, New Invocation (least, lesser or greater)|9

12th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+8|Imbue Item, Hex -5, Last Minute Reprieve, Luck Pool 4|10

13th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+8|Eldritch Blast 7d6, Eldritch Snare|11

14th|
+10/+5|
+4|
+9|
+9|Random Deflector 1d4 + 1 rounds 2/day|12

15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+9|
+9|Eldritch Blast 8d6, Eldritch Empowerment +3|12

16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+10|Aura Of Misfortunes 20, Hex -6, New Invocation (least, lesser, greater or dark)|13

17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+10|Eldritch Blast 9d6, Luck Pool 5|14

18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+11|
+11|Random Deflector 1d4 + 2 rounds 3/day|15

19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+6|
+11|
+11|Eldritch Blast 10d6|15

20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+12|
+12|Hex -7, Lucksharing|16[/table]


Game Rule Information
Hexlocks have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Charisma fuels many of the Hexlock's special abilities as well as making its special abilities harder to resist. High dexterity is also valuable in allowing the Hexlock to aim its eldritch blast better, and increases the Hexlock's survivability. Constitution is also useful for increasing survivability.
Alignment: Any nonlawful.
Hit Dice: d6

Class Skills: The Hexlock's class skills (and the key abilities for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disquise (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int) and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points At 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points At Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Hexlock.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Hexlocks are proficient with all simple weapons. They are proficient with light armour but not with shields.
Because the somatic components required for hexlock invocations are relatively simple, a hexlock can use any of its invocations while wearing light armour without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like arcane spellcasters, a hexlock wearing medium or heavy armour or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure (all invocations, including eldritch blast, have a somatic component. A multiclass warlock still incurs the normal spell failure chance for arcane spells received from levels in other classes.

Invocations: A Hexlock does not prepare or cast spells as other wielders of arcane magic do. Rather, he gains invocations subject to the same rules as a warlock of the same level.

Eldritch Blast (Sp): One of the first things a Hexlock learns is how to focus the magical energies in his soul into a ray of magical energy. The Hexlock's eldritch blast is the same as the warlock's, starting at 1d6 damage and rising by 1d6 per 2 levels.

Hex (Su): A Hexlock may choose to curse his enemies to foul luck. When used, the Hexlock designates a target who must make a Will Save (DC 10 + 1/2 the Hexlock's class level + Hexlock's Cha modifier); should the save fail, the target suffers a -2 penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks and weapon damage rolls for a number of minutes equal to the caster's class levels in Hexlock plus their Charisma modifier. The target must be within 60 feet and visible. A Hex is treated as a curse. Hex may be used at will; using it constitutes a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity. The Hexlock may make a Concentration check to cast Hex defensively. Hex is effected by spell resistance.
If the Hexlock uses his Hex ability on a creature while another creature is still suffering the effects of that Hexlock's Hex ability, then the existing Hex ends immediately regardless of whether the new Hex succeeds or not.
At 4th level, the penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks and weapon damage rolls increases to -3.
At 8th level, the penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks and weapon damage rolls increases to -4.
At 12th level, the penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks and weapon damage rolls increases to -5.
At 16th level, the penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks and weapon damage rolls increases to -6.
At 20th level, the penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks and weapon damage rolls increases to -7.

Consume Feat:When a Hexlock takes his 1st level in the Hexlock class, he loses a little control over his destiny. As a result, he goes not gain a feat for that level. If he would not gain a feat at the level he has just taken, then he loses his next feat granted by his character levels.

Luck Pool: At 2nd level, you learn to use a little of the energies in your soul to manipulate chance. As a result, you gain 2 luck points. Luck points are restored to their maximum when you rest for 8 hours. If you ever run out of luck points, you suffer a -2 luck penalty to attack rolls, saves and skill checks until you have rested for 8 hours, as luck attempts to balance itself out.
At 7th level, you have 3 luck points instead of 2.
At 12th level, you have 4 luck points instead of 3.
At 17th level, you have 5 luck points instead of 4.

Fortuitous Start (Su): At 3rd level, you may spend a luck point to reroll your initiative check as an immediate action.

Forceful Blast: You gain Forceful Blast as a free invocation that does not count against the number of invocations you know at 3rd level.

Essence Empowerment (Sp): At 3rd level, the Hexlock learns to make his eldritch essences more effective. Any eldritch essence that offers a save has that save's DC rise by 1.
At 9th level, the bonus to save DC's is +2 instead of +1.
At 15th level, the bonus to save DC's is +3 instead of +2.

Invocation Manipulation(Sp): At 7th level, you can spend a luck point as an swift action to reroll the damage from one of your invocations or your eldritch blast. You may spend two luck points as an swift action to reroll a caster level check.

Siphon Luck (Su): At 9th level, you learn to drain what is left of a creature's luck when you inflict bad luck enough to kill them. When a creature that has been under the effect of your Hex ability for more than two rounds dies, you immediately gain one luck point. You may not exceed your maximum number of luck points in this way.

Random Deflector (Su): At 10th level and higher, a Hexlock has the ability to channel the chaotic energies in its soul to a protective end. Using this ability is an immediate action. When activated, the Random Deflector lasts for 1d4 rounds.
The random deflector redirects ranged attacks, ranged touch attacks, and individually targeted spells (spells designating the Hexlock as the sole target, but not area spells striking an area in which the Hexlock happens to be the sole target) so that they instead attack or affect a random target within 30 feet of the Hexlock. A Hexlock includes themselves and its allies among the possible new targets. Any creature targeted by the deflected attack is attacked or affected normally, so an attack roll is usually made against the new target's AC, the new target receives a saving throw if a spell or effect allows one, and so on.
At 14th level, a Hexlock may use this ability twice a da y, and the effect lasts 1d4 + 1 rounds instead of 1d4 rounds.
At 18th level, a Hexlock may use this ability three times a day, and the effect lasts 1d4 + 2 rounds instead of 1d4 rounds.

Aura Of Misfortunes 10(Sp): At 11th level, the chaotic energies in the Hexlock's soul become strong enough to start affecting the area around him. The Hexlock can choose to suppress this effect as a free action, and to cause it to become active again as a free action. The Aura of Misfortune affects all squares within 10 feet of the Hexlock. All affected terrain is treated as dense rubble by all creatures except for the Hexlock, as any creature that enters finds itself putting its foot in rabbit holes, banging its knee against obstacles that weren't there before, and so on. In addition, and attempt to cast a spell while in the area of the Aura Of Misfortunes requires a DC (10 + 1/2 Hexlock's class levels + Cha modifier) Concentration check to cast successfully.
At 16th level, the Aura of Misfortunes increases in radius to 20 feet.

Imbue Item (Su): A Hexlock of 12th level or higher can use the magical energies in his soul to create magic items, even if he does not know the spells required to make an item (although he must know the appropiate item creation feat). He can substitute a Use Magic Device check (DC 15 + spell level for arcane spells or 25 + spell level for divine spells) in place of a required spell he doesn't know or can't cast.
If the check succeeds, the Hexlock can create the item as if he had cast the required spell. If it fails, he cannot complete the item, and the magical backlash causes 1d6 magical damage per spell level of the spell the Hexlock was attempting to simulate. He does not expend the XP cost or gp costs for making the item; his progress is simply arrested. He cannot retry this Use Magic Device check for that spell until he gains a new Hexlock level.

Last Minute Reprieve (Sp): At 12th level, you may spend a luck point as an immediate action to reroll any saving throw you just failed. When you do so, you gain a bonus to the roll equal to the number of luck points you have remaining after spending the luck point necessary to use this ability.

Eldritch Snare: You gain Eldritch Snare as a free invocation that does not count against the number of invocations you know at 13th level.

Fortunate Strike (Sp): At 17th level, your eldritch blasts can be manipulated into hitting the enemies where they are weakest. When you use your eldritch blast, you may spend up to three luck points as a swift action. For each luck point you spend, you add 1d6 to the damage you roll and 1 to the save DC of any eldritch essence applied to the attack. You can use this ability after you have rolled to hit, but not before you have rolled to see how much damage you have done.

Lucksharing (Su): When a Hexlock attains 20th level, he gains the ability to force others to share in his bad luck and to gain the benefits of their good luck. Whenever he rolls a natural 1 on a d20, then the creature under the effect of his Hex ability treats its next d20 roll as if it had rolled a natural 1. Whenever the creature under the effect of his Hex ability rolls a natural 20 on a d20, then the Hexlock treats his next d20 as if he had rolled a natural 20.


Below is the original class, before I listened to feedback and started changing things. For the purposes of keeping everything here in case it becomes relevant, I've kept it and put it all under a spoiler tag to keep things reasonable.

Hexlock

Descriptive Fluff
Born of a similar nature to a warlock, the Hexlock's powers are still dangerous, but are not gifted through any kind of deal. Rather, they are given as gifts by wild forces, fey, tricksters gods, or other chaotic forces. Unlike the warlock, there is never any expectation beyond that the gifts will be used; the gifting forces do so merely for the disorder that a Hexlock's powers will inevitably cause.

Adventures: Many Hexlocks are forced to wander since their gifts make it difficult to settle in one place. Often, they adventure out of an innate restlessness, but even then they tend to have a desire for power, wealth or renown as well.

Characteristics: Hexlock's souls are infused with massive amounts of mystical energy. This energy makes them a poweful force, capable of using this energy primarily through the manipulation of luck and through their invocations.

Alignment: Hexlock's lean towards chaos, due to the powers that gift them their abilities preferring chaotic individuals to lawful ones. However, they have no bias towards either good or evil.

Religion: By channeling the chaotic energies that they have, a Hexlock is well aware of the power that supernatural beings have. Consequentially, Hexlocks do not scorn the gods, although they tend towards more chaotic deities. Good Hexlocks tend to worship Boccob, Corellon Larethian or Olidammara, which evil Hexlocks prefer Gruumsh, Erythnul or one of the many devil lords.

Background: Hexlocks can come from nearly any background, since their abilities are the result of the decision of a chaotic being.

Races: Nearly any race can become a Hexlock, but races that tend towards chaos are much more common.

Other Classes: The Hexlock can get along with nearly any other race, but are aware that they may be viewed poorly by clerics and paladins who do not fully understand their powers. In this regard, the hexlock shares similar circumstances with several rogues, which means that their relationship is often good.

Role: A Hexlock serves the same role as a sorcerer or wizard, but their magical abilities are more limited than either a sorcerer or wizard. As a result, the Hexlock fits in better with a party that already has a spellcaster, since the Hexlock's abilties lend it towards a support role.


Class Abilities Table

{table=head]Level|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Invocations Known

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2|Consume Feat, Eldritch Blast 1d6, Invocation (least), Hex 1/day|1

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+3|Bonus Luck Feat|2

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+3|Eldritch Shunt|3

4th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|Hex 2/day|4

5th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|Eldritch Blast 2d6|4

6th|
+4|
+2|
+5|
+5|New Invocation (least or lesser)|5

7th|
+5|
+2|
+5|
+5|Bonus Luck Feat|6

8th|
+6/+1|
+2|
+6|
+6|Hex 3/day|7

9th|
+6/+1|
+3|
+6|
+6|Eldritch Blast 3d6, Greater Hex|8

10th|
+7/+2|
+3|
+7|
+7|Random Deflector 1d4 rounds 1/day|8

11th|
+8/+3|
+3|
+7|
+7|New Invocation (least, lesser or greater), Luck Reroll|9

12th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+8|Bonus Luck Feat, Imbue Item, Hex 4/day|10

13th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+8|Eldritch Blast 4d6, Eldritch Snare|11

14th|
+10/+5|
+4|
+9|
+9|Random Deflector 1d4 + 1 rounds 2/day|12

15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+9|
+9|Chaotic Luck 1|12

16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+10|Hex 5/day, New Invocation (least, lesser, greater or dark)|13

17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+10|Bonus Luck Feat, Eldritch Blast 5d6|14

18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+11|
+11|Random Deflector 1d4 + 2 rounds 3/day|15

19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+6|
+11|
+11|Chaotic Luck 2|15

20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+12|
+12|Dire Hex, Hex 6/day|16[/table]


Game Rule Information
Hexlocks have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Charisma fuels many of the Hexlock's special abilities as well as making its special abilities harder to resist. High dexterity is also valuable in allowing the Hexlock to aim its eldritch blast better, and increases the Hexlock's survivability. Constitution is also useful for increasing survivability.
Alignment: Any nonlawful.
Hit Dice: d6

Class Skills: The Hexlock's class skills (and the key abilities for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disquise (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int) and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points At 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points At Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Hexlock.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Hexlocks are proficient with all simple weapons. They are proficient with light armour but not with shields.
Because the somatic components required for hexlock invocations are relatively simple, a hexlock can use any of its invocations while wearing light armour without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like arcane spellcasters, a hexlock wearing medium or heavy armour or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure (all invocations, including eldritch blast, have a somatic component. A multiclass warlock still incurs the normal spell failure chance for arcane spells received from levels in other classes.

Invocations: A Hexlock does not prepare or cast spells as other wielders of arcane magic do. Rather, he gains invocations subject to the same rules as a warlock of the same level.

Eldritch Blast (Sp): One of the first things a Hexlock learns is how to focus the magical energies in his soul into a ray of magical energy. The Hexlock's eldritch blast is the same as the warlock's, except that it gains damage more slowly; a Hexlock's eldritch blast does 1d6 at 1st level, 2d6 at 5th level, 3d6 at 9th level, and so on.

Hex (Su): Once per day, the Hexlock can focus the magical energies in his soul into a curse on a foe. The target must be visible to the Hexlock and within 60 feet. The target of the Hex takes a -2 penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks and weapon damage rolls for a number of minutes equal to the caster's class levels in Hexlock plus their Charisma modifier. A successful Will Save (DC 10 + 1/2 the Hexlock's class level + Hexlock's Cha modifier) negates the effect.
At 1st level and every 5th level (1st, 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th), a Hexlock gains the ability to use his curse one additional time per day, as indicated. Multiple Hexlock's curses add their duration to each other. Any foe that successfully resists the effect cannot be affected by the same Hexlock's curse for 24 hours, and any Hexes from the same Hexlock immediately end.
Any effect that removes or dispels a curse eliminates the effect of a Hexlock's curse.

Consume Feat:When a Hexlock takes his 1st level in the Hexlock class, he loses a little control over his destiny. As a result, he goes not gain a feat for that level. If he would not gain a feat at the level he has just taken, then he loses his next feat granted by his character levels.

Bonus Luck Feat: At 2nd, 7th, 12th and 17th level, you gain a luck feat for which you meet the prerequisite.

Eldritch Shunt (Sp): If you have not applied an energy essence to your eldritch blast, then you may make a bull rush attempt on one target affected by your eldritch blast as if you had bull rushed them. If your eldritch blast targets more than one creature, then you choose which creature to have affected by eldritch shunt. You use your Charisma modifier in the place of your Str modifier. The target is bull rushed as if you had entered any empty space adjacent to it. You do not suffer any attacks of opportunity for doing this except for those you would suffer had you not decided to use Eldritch Shunt on your eldritch blast.

Greater Hex (Su): When a Hexlock attains 9th level, the penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls incurred by a target of the Hexlock's Hex becomes -4 instead of -2.

Random Deflector (Su): At 10th level and higher, a Hexlock has the ability to channel the chaotic energies in its soul to a protective end. Using this ability is an immediate action. When activated, the Random Deflector lasts for 1d4 rounds.
The random deflector redirects ranged attacks, ranged touch attacks, and individually targeted spells (spells designating the Hexlock as the sole target, but not area spells striking an area in which the Hexlock happens to be the sole target) so that they instead attack or affect a random target within 30 feet of the Hexlock. A Hexlock includes themselves and its allies among the possible new targets. Any creature targeted by the deflected attack is attacked or affected normally, so an attack roll is usually made against the new target's AC, the new target receives a saving throw if a spell or effect allows one, and so on.
At 14th level, a Hexlock may use this ability twice a da y, and the effect lasts 1d4 + 1 rounds instead of 1d4 rounds.
At 18th level, a Hexlock may use this ability three times a day, and the effect lasts 1d4 + 2 rounds instead of 1d4 rounds.

Imbue Item (Su): A Hexlock of 12th level or higher can use the magical energies in his soul to create magic items, even if he does not know the spells required to make an item (although he must know the appropiate item creation feat). He can substitute a Use Magic Device check (DC 15 + spell level for arcane spells or 25 + spell level for divine spells) in place of a required spell he doesn't know or can't cast.
If the check succeeds, the Hexlock can create the item as if he had cast the required spell. If it fails, he cannot complete the item, and the magical backlash causes 1d6 magical damage per spell level of the spell the Hexlock was attempting to simulate. He does not expend the XP cost or gp costs for making the item; his progress is simply arrested. He cannot retry this Use Magic Device check for that spell until he gains a new Hexlock level.

Eldritch Snare (Sp): If you have not applied an energy essence to your eldritch blast, then you may make a grapple attempt on one target affected by your eldritch blast as if you had grappled them. If your eldritch blast targets more than one creature, then you choose which creature to have affected by eldritch snare. You use your Charisma modifier in the place of your Str modifier. The target is grappled as if you had entered any empty space adjacent to it. You do not suffer any attacks of opportunity for doing this except for those you would suffer had you not decided to use Eldritch Shunt on your eldritch blast. Once the target is grappled, the Hexlock is free to make whatever other actions that the Hexlock desires.

Chaotic Luck (Ex): At 15th level, you focus the chaotic energies in your soul. You gain an extra luck reroll per day. However, if you use your last luck reroll, you must make a Will save against a DC of 39 minus your Hexlock class levels. If you fail, then you suffer a -2 penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks and weapon damage rolls for 1d4 hours as luck attempts to balance itself. This penalty is treated as if it were a curse.
At 19th level, you gain another extra luck reroll per day.

Dire Hex (Su): When a Hexlock attains 20th level, the penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls incurred by a target of the Hexlock's Hex becomes -6 instead of -4.

Bhu
2009-02-06, 06:28 AM
I like the concept. I havent had a chance to read it thoroughly but I definitely like the flavor.

StormingMarcus
2009-02-06, 07:15 AM
Good, i like the concept!
But, please make me sure about one thing: are you trying to make a substitute for the warlock, for the hexblade or a complete indipendent class?


Class Skills: The Hexlock's class skills (and the key abilities for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disquise (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int) and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points At 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points At Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier I'd ditch Knowledge religion and spellcraft, bringing skill points to 4/level.


Invocations: A Hexlock does not prepare or cast spells as other wielders of arcane magic do. Rather, he gains invocations subject to the same rules as a warlock of the same level. I think 16 at level 20 are too much (not as an absolute, but compared to the warlock).

Eldritch Blast (Sp): One of the first things a Hexlock learns is how to focus the magical energies in his soul into a ray of magical energy. The Hexlock's eldritch blast is the same as the warlock's, except that it gains damage more slowly; a Hexlock's eldritch blast does 1d6 at 1st level, 2d6 at 5th level, 3d6 at 9th level, and so on. I think it's not enough, i'd cap it at 10d6 @ level 20 (like the warlock should get).

Hex (Su): Once per day, the Hexlock can focus the magical energies in his soul into a curse on a foe. The target must be visible to the Hexlock and within 60 feet. The target of the Hex takes a -2 penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks and weapon damage rolls for a number of minutes equal to the caster's class levels in Hexlock plus their Charisma modifier. A successful Will Save (DC 10 + 1/2 the Hexlock's class level + Hexlock's Cha modifier) negates the effect.
At 1st level and every 5th level (1st, 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th), a Hexlock gains the ability to use his curse one additional time per day, as indicated. Multiple Hexlock's curses add their duration to each other. Any foe that successfully resists the effect cannot be affected by the same Hexlock's curse for 24 hours, and any Hexes from the same Hexlock immediately end.
Any effect that removes or dispels a curse eliminates the effect of a Hexlock's curse. I'd make it 1/encounter (with no additional uses), the penalties should stay unti the end of the encounter... And penalty should augment earlier and faster (i think -8 at level 20 is acceptable).


Consume Feat:When a Hexlock takes his 1st level in the Hexlock class, he loses a little control over his destiny. As a result, he goes not gain a feat for that level. If he would not gain a feat at the level he has just taken, then he loses his next feat granted by his character levels. Not good... I don't thik we need it as a mean to balance the class.


Bonus Luck Feat: At 2nd, 7th, 12th and 17th level, you gain a luck feat for which you meet the prerequisite. I hate luck feats but it's acceptable.


Eldritch Shunt (Sp): If you have not applied an energy essence to your eldritch blast, then you may make a bull rush attempt on one target affected by your eldritch blast as if you had bull rushed them. If your eldritch blast targets more than one creature, then you choose which creature to have affected by eldritch shunt. You use your Charisma modifier in the place of your Str modifier. The target is bull rushed as if you had entered any empty space adjacent to it. You do not suffer any attacks of opportunity for doing this except for those you would suffer had you not decided to use Eldritch Shunt on your eldritch blast. What about making an invocation that does the same thing? It'd be more practical.

Random Deflector (Su): At 10th level and higher, a Hexlock has the ability to channel the chaotic energies in its soul to a protective end. Using this ability is an immediate action. When activated, the Random Deflector lasts for 1d4 rounds.
The random deflector redirects ranged attacks, ranged touch attacks, and individually targeted spells (spells designating the Hexlock as the sole target, but not area spells striking an area in which the Hexlock happens to be the sole target) so that they instead attack or affect a random target within 30 feet of the Hexlock. A Hexlock includes themselves and its allies among the possible new targets. Any creature targeted by the deflected attack is attacked or affected normally, so an attack roll is usually made against the new target's AC, the new target receives a saving throw if a spell or effect allows one, and so on.
At 14th level, a Hexlock may use this ability twice a da y, and the effect lasts 1d4 + 1 rounds instead of 1d4 rounds.
At 18th level, a Hexlock may use this ability three times a day, and the effect lasts 1d4 + 2 rounds instead of 1d4 rounds. Meh... I don't think it's poorly balanced, but simply don't like... Aura of unluck should suit it better imho.


Eldritch Snare (Sp): If you have not applied an energy essence to your eldritch blast, then you may make a grapple attempt on one target affected by your eldritch blast as if you had grappled them. If your eldritch blast targets more than one creature, then you choose which creature to have affected by eldritch snare. You use your Charisma modifier in the place of your Str modifier. The target is grappled as if you had entered any empty space adjacent to it. You do not suffer any attacks of opportunity for doing this except for those you would suffer had you not decided to use Eldritch Shunt on your eldritch blast. Once the target is grappled, the Hexlock is free to make whatever other actions that the Hexlock desires. See eldritch shunt.


Chaotic Luck (Ex): At 15th level, you focus the chaotic energies in your soul. You gain an extra luck reroll per day. However, if you use your last luck reroll, you must make a Will save against a DC of 39 minus your Hexlock class levels. If you fail, then you suffer a -2 penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks and weapon damage rolls for 1d4 hours as luck attempts to balance itself. This penalty is treated as if it were a curse.
At 19th level, you gain another extra luck reroll per day. DCs with subtractions are not elegant (and i don't like it), also i'd make it more simple... Getting simply extra re-rolls.

Ben Miff
2009-02-06, 08:25 AM
@ Storming Marcus:
This is intended to be an independent base class, not a substitute.

Also, given that the warlock is considered a bit underpowered compared to most base classes, I've tried to build it to be a little bit better than the warlock to allow it to compete against said other classes. I can see what you mean about Eldritch Shunt and Eldritch Snare, though; the class would still give them as "free" invocations at that Hexlock level.

As for having lower eldritch blast damage and more invocations, it's intended to make the class less about dealing damage and more about applying effects to enemies like slower movement, sickness, etc. I'm thinking of maybe pairing the eldritch blast with a constantly-rising bonus to the saving throws of energy essences in order to make the eldritch blast still viable instead. (The Hexlock would get a +1 bonus to the save DC at 3rd level, and then it would rise every 4 levels by 1 i.e. +2 at 7th, +3 at 11th, +4 at 15th, +5 at 19th.)

I can see the issue with Chaotic Luck, but I'd rather not get rid of the save DC at all. Might be worth setting it to a set DC of 24 instead.

Personally, I like Hex as it is. -8 seems quite harsh, and per encounter is getting a bit too close to 4E for my liking. (I prefer forcing a choice of when to use limited abilities.) Also, I'm not sure how your changes would work outside of combat, for instance when attempting to sabotage another creature's attempt to climb up to where you are, or deliver an eloquent speech to convince the judge to give you a harsher sentence at a trial, and so on.

For now, the two eldritch essences can go here:-

Forceful Blast

Lesser, 4th, Eldritch Essence
A forceful blast deals d4's instead of d6's, but deals force damage. Any creature struck by the attack must make a Fortitude save or be pushed 10ft away from the caster.


Entangling Blast

Greater, 6th, Eldritch Essence
An entangling blast deals acid damage. Any creature struck by the attack must make a grapple check, opposed by the grapple check of your entangling blast. Your entangling blast has a grapple modifier of your caster level + 8. The grapple continues for either as long as it takes for the affected creature to escape, or 1 round / caster level, whichever is shorter.

StormingMarcus
2009-02-06, 11:24 AM
As for having lower eldritch blast damage and more invocations, it's intended to make the class less about dealing damage and more about applying effects to enemies like slower movement, sickness, etc. I'm thinking of maybe pairing the eldritch blast with a constantly-rising bonus to the saving throws of energy essences in order to make the eldritch blast still viable instead. (The Hexlock would get a +1 bonus to the save DC at 3rd level, and then it would rise every 4 levels by 1 i.e. +2 at 7th, +3 at 11th, +4 at 15th, +5 at 19th.) I'd give 15 invocations and 10d6 EB at level 20. Then we can add other class features. Don't think we can overpower it...


I can see the issue with Chaotic Luck, but I'd rather not get rid of the save DC at all. Might be worth setting it to a set DC of 24 instead. I don't think it's so good as a class feature, nor it's a way to balance the hexlock... Maybe, instead of luck feats simply give some Luck points (akin to Ki points) used to activate some effects (rerolls et alia); when you run out of luck points, you suffer a -2 morale penalty to attacks, saves and checks until the end of the encounter (or other duration if you don't like encounters).


Personally, I like Hex as it is. -8 seems quite harsh, and per encounter is getting a bit too close to 4E for my liking. (I prefer forcing a choice of when to use limited abilities.) Also, I'm not sure how your changes would work outside of combat, for instance when attempting to sabotage another creature's attempt to climb up to where you are, or deliver an eloquent speech to convince the judge to give you a harsher sentence at a trial, and so on. Encounters are time periods between rests (short or long), you can use it even in 3.5 (barbarian rage, ToB) and also out of combat: to use it again you must rest for X minutes (10 could be the way to go).

Ben Miff
2009-02-06, 01:31 PM
Hrm. To be honest, once you've got an ability that you refresh after a 10 minute rest, you might as well go the whole hog and treat it as an invocation with the limitation that you can only have one active at a time. (If the Hexed creature dies, you can recast it on something else. If you cast it while something is already Hexed, the old Hex victim ceases to be Hexed.)

I also like the idea of replacing the luck feats with luck points like the ki strike, simply because it gives more control over the order the luck feat-type effects that the Hexlock gets, plus the order it gets them in. It'll make the abilities match the theming a bit closer (hopefully).

Also, having relooked at the PHB, 5d6 at lvl 17 is really poor, even with a decent save DC eldritch essence. However, I'm thinking it still worth keeping the +'s to DC's; however, using the +1d6 per two levels thing, I'd apply the +1 to save DC every 3d6 (or every 6 levels), starting with the 2d6 level.

Eeesh. Right. Since there's been a hefty amount of change, I'm going to edit my first post to put the changes in. (I'll keep the original in a spoiler at the end.)

StormingMarcus
2009-02-06, 01:47 PM
Hrm. To be honest, once you've got an ability that you refresh after a 10 minute rest, you might as well go the whole hog and treat it as an invocation with the limitation that you can only have one active at a time. (If the Hexed creature dies, you can recast it on something else. If you cast it while something is already Hexed, the old Hex victim ceases to be Hexed.) Similar to the 4e warlock's curse... Hex as an invocation can be great, i think (maybe a special invocation à la EB, thus justifying the augmenting penalty).


I also like the idea of replacing the luck feats with luck points like the ki strike, simply because it gives more control over the order the luck feat-type effects that the Hexlock gets, plus the order it gets them in. It'll make the abilities match the theming a bit closer (hopefully). You can rename them better suiting the theme you want for the clas... Luck sounds a bit dumb, may be "favor" or something like "mystic favor".

Ben Miff
2009-02-06, 02:38 PM
Changes made. In the process, I added an Aura of Misfortunes, and since the increasing Hex penalty replaced the per days, it meant Greater and Dire Hex became free for Siphon Luck and Lucksharing. In turn, Siphon Luck pretty much removed the need for Chaotic Luck.

However, I agree that luck points is a silly name. I'll change it when I come up with a decent one.

StormingMarcus
2009-02-06, 02:55 PM
The penalty for running out of luck points is too harsh; i wouldn't ever spend my last point.

Regarding the rest of the class, i've already made comments some posts above (but i think you just know it)...