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DaTedinator
2012-10-18, 09:13 PM
So this is an idea inspired by this thread here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258130). It's not actually what the OP was looking for (I don't think), but it planted the idea in my head that, dang it, hexblades were absolutely supposed to use invocations. It just fits them perfectly.

I tried to keep things as similar to the original hexblade plus fix (http://irongamersguild.wikidot.com/forum/t-248314/unofficial-fix-for-hexblades-from-an-official-source) as possible, but the new setup obviously necessitated some changes, and I went ahead and made one or two unique changes on my own (like what I did to Aura of Unluck).

Without further ado...

HEXBLADE
Hit Die: d10



Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
Invocations Known


1st

+1

+2

+0

+2
Hexblade's curse (1 target)

0


2nd

+2

+3

+0

+3
Arcane resistance, invocations (least)

1


3rd

+3

+3

+1

+3
Mettle

1


4th

+4

+4

+1

+4
Dark companion

2


5th

+5

+4

+1

+4
Bonus feat, hexblade's curse (2 targets)

2


6th

+6

+5

+2

+5
--

3


7th

+7

+5

+2

+5
Aura of unluck (5% miss chance)

3


8th

+8

+6

+2

+6
Invocations (least or lesser)

4


9th

+9

+6

+3

+6
Hexblade's curse (3 targets)

4


10th

+10

+7

+3

+7
Bonus feat

5


11th

+11

+7

+3

+7
Aura of unluck (10% miss chance)

5


12th

+12

+8

+4

+8
--

6


13th

+13

+8

+4

+8
Hexblade's curse (4 targets)

6


14th

+14

+9

+4

+9
Invocations (least, lesser, or greater)

7


15th

+15

+9

+5

+9
Aura of unluck (15% miss chance), bonus feat

7


16th

+16

+10

+5

+10
--

8


17th

+17

+10

+5

+10
Hexblade's curse (5 targets)

8


18th

+18

+11

+6

+11
--

9


19th

+19

+11

+6

+11
Aura of unluck (20% miss chance)

9


20th

+20

+12

+6

+12
Bonus feat, invocations (least, lesser, greater, or dark)

10

[tr]
[td]Class Skills (2 + Int Modifier, x4 at 1st level): Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (arcana), Profession, Ride, Spellcraft.


CLASS FEATURES

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A hexblade is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armor, and shields (except tower shields).

Because the somatic components required for hexblade invocations are simple, a hexblade can use any of his invocations while wearing light or medium armor, or wielding a light shield or buckler, without incurring the normal arcane spell failure. However, like arcane spellcasters, a hexblade wearing heavy armor or using a heavy shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component (all invocations, including hexblade's curse, have a somatic component). A multiclass hexblade still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.

A hexblade does not prepare or cast spells as other wielders of arcane magic do. Instead, he possesses a repertoire of attacks, defenses, and abilities known as invocations that require him to focus the chaotic energy that suffuses his being.

A full explanation of invocations is provided below, spoilered to avoid inconveniencing those who already know how they work.
A hexblade can use any invocation he knows at will, with the following qualifications:

A hexblade's invocations are spell-like abilities; using an invocation is therefore a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity. An invocation can be disrupted, just as a spell can be ruined during casting. A hexblade is entitled to a Concentration check to successfully use an invocation if he is hit by an attack while invoking, just as a spellcaster would be. A hexblade can choose to use an invocation defensively, by making a successful Concentration check, to avoid provoking attacks of opportunity. A hexblade's invocations are subject to spell resistance unless an invocation's description specifically states otherwise. A hexblade's caster level with his invocations is equal to his hexblade level.

The save DC for an invocation (if it allows a save) is 10 + equivalent spell level + the hexblade's Charisma modifier. Since spell-like abilities are not actually spells, a hexblade cannot benefit from the Spell Focus feat. He can, however, benefit from the Ability Focus feat, as well as from feats that emulate metamagic effects for spell-like abilities, such as Quicken Spell-Like Ability.

The four grades of invocation that a hexblade has access to, in order of their relative power, are least, lesser, greater, and dark. As a hexblade gains levels, he learns new invocations, as summarized on the class table and described below. A list of available invocations can be found following this class description.

At any level when a hexblade learns a new invocation, he can also replace an invocation he already knows with another invocation of the same or a lower grade. At 6th level, a hexblade can replace a least invocation he knows with a different least invocation (in addition to learning a new invocation, which could be either least or lesser). At 14th level, a hexblade can replace a least or lesser invocation he knows with another invocation of the same or a lower grade (in addition to learning a new invocation, which could be least, lesser, or greater). At 20th level, a hexblade can replace a least, lesser, or greater invocation he knows with another invocation of the same or a lower grade (in addition to learning a new invocation, which could be least, lesser, greater, or dark).

Finally, unlike other spell-like abilities, invocations are subject to arcane spell failure chance as described under Weapon and Armor Proficiency above. Hexblades can qualify for some prestige classes usually intended for spellcasters; see Warlocks and Prestige Classes, on page 18 of Complete Arcane, for details.

Hexblade's Curse (Sp): The first ability that a hexblade learns is the hexblade's curse. A hexblade ensorcels his foes with foul luck, dooming their efforts to failure.

The hexblade's curse can be used as a swift action, on any target within 60 feet that is visible to the hexblade. The target takes a -2 penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, and skill checks for 1 hour, or until the hexblade curses someone else. A successful Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 hexblade’s class level + hexblade’s Cha modifier) negates the effect, and any foe that successfully resists the effect cannot be affected again by the same hexblade’s curse for 24 hours. Even if they fail their saves, a target cannot be affect by more than one curse from the same hexblade.

The hexblade's curse is the equivalent of a 1st level spell. It's subject to spell resistance, although the Spell Penetration feat and other effects that improve caster level checks to overcome spell resistance also apply. Metamagic feats cannot improve the hexblade's curse, but the Ability Focus feat increases the DC for all saving throws associated with the curse by 2.

At first level, a hexblade can only affect a single target at a time with his hexblade's curse. If he successfully curses a new target while he already has a curse in effect, the old curse ends immediately. At 5th level, and every four levels beyond that (9th, 13th, and 17th), a hexblade gains the ability to curse one additional target at a time, as indicated on the class table. If he curses a new target when he's already cursed the maximum number of targets for his level, he may choose whose curse ends.

Any effect that removes or dispels a curse eliminates the effect of a hexblade’s curse.

Arcane Resistance (Su): At 2nd level, a hexblade gains a bonus equal to his Charisma bonus (minimum +1) on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects.

Mettle (Ex): At 3rd level and higher, a hexblade can resist magical and unusual attacks with great willpower and fortitude. If he makes a successful Will or Fortitude save against an attack that would normally have a lesser effect on a successful save, he instead completely negates the effect. An unconscious or sleeping hexblade does not gain the benefit of mettle.

Dark Companion (Sp): At 4th level, a hexblade can create an illusory companion, spun from the darkness of the night. Creating the companion takes 24 hours; once created, a dark companion stands with him in battle, hindering his enemies’ defenses.

Any enemy adjacent to a dark companion takes a –2 penalty on its saves and to its AC. The companion’s speed is equal to the hexblade's (including all modes of movement you possess) and it acts during his turn each round. It follows his mental commands perfectly—in effect, it is merely an extension of his will.

A dark companion has no real substance, and thus can’t attack or otherwise affect creatures or objects. It occupies a 5-foot space. Any creature can enter a dark companion’s 5-foot space without restriction, and it can likewise enter any creature's space; however, it must occupy its own space in order to have any effect on enemies. It is immune to any damage or other effects that might harm creatures, though it can be dispelled or suppressed just like a spell effect. A dark companion is treated as a spell-like ability whose level is equal to 1/4 the hexblade's class level. If it is dispelled, it automatically reforms at his side 24 hours later.

A dark companion can’t create flanking situations, nor does it provoke attacks of opportunity from movement, because enemies automatically recognize it as an illusion. If it is more than 120 feet from the hexblade at the start of his turn, or if the hexblade ever loses line of effect to it, it instantly reappears in his space.

Bonus Feat: At 5th level, and every five levels thereafter, a hexblade gains a bonus feat, which must be selected from the following list: Ability Focus (hexblade's curse or any invocation), Arcane Mastery, Combat Casting, Extra Invocation, Heighten Spell-like Ability, Obtain Familiar, Quicken Spell-like Ability, Spell Penetration, or any feat off of the fighter bonus feat list. The hexblade must meet all prerequisites, as usual.

Aura of Unluck (Su): A hexblade of 7th level or higher creates a baleful aura of misfortune around himself, like an armor of bad luck. Any melee or ranged attack made against the hexblade has a 5% miss chance (similar to the effect of concealment). This miss chance improves by 5% every four levels, to 10% at 11th level, 15% at 15th, and finally to its maximum of 20% at 19th level.

DaTedinator
2012-10-18, 09:15 PM
HEXBLADE INVOCATIONS
Hexblades choose the invocations they learn as they gain levels, much like bards or sorcerers choose which spells to learn. However, a hexblade's arcane repertoire is even more limited than that of a sorcerer, and his invocations are spell-like abilities, not spells.

In addition to its grade (least, lesser, greater, or dark), every invocation has a spell level equivalent, which is used in the calculation of save DCs and for other purposes. A least invocation has a level equivalent of 1st or 2nd; a lesser, 3rd or 4th; a greater, 5th or 6th; and a dark, 6th or higher. The level equivalent for each invocation is given in its description.

A hexblade can dismiss any invocation as a standard action, just as a wizard can dismiss a spell.

Invocations and Hexblade's Curse: Hexblade's curse is not an invocation, but some invocations provide a hexblade with the ability to modify his hexblade's curse or add new sinister curses.

CURSE INVOCATIONS
Some of a hexblade's invocations, such as magician's hex, modify the effects of the hexblade's curse. These are called curse invocations. Unless noted otherwise, hexblade's curses modifed by curse invocations have their normal effect, in addition to imparting the effects described in the invocation description. They last for the same amount of time as your hexblade's curse: for one hour, or until you curse too many targets for your level.

A hexblade can only apply one curse invocation to a single hexblade's curse, choosing from any of the curse invocations that he knows. When a hexblade applies a curse invocation to his hexblade's curse, the spell level equivalent of the modified curse is equal to the level of the curse invocation. If this would result in a higher save DC than the hexblade's curse's normal save DC, use that DC instead.

As normal, a hexblade can only affect a limited number of targets with his hexblade's curse simultaneously, and cannot affect a target that successfully saves against the curse for 24 hours. Curse invocations don't change either of those limitations.

Least Curse Invocations
Curse of Dread : Target is shaken by your presence.
Magician's Hex : Target suffers 20% arcane spell failure.

Lesser Curse Invocations
Curse of Foul Luck : Target rolls two d20s, takes the lower result.
Curse of Uselessness : Target has a 50% chance of doing nothing each round.
Enfeebling Curse : Reduce one ability score by 4.
Jinx of Sight : Target cannot sense you.

Greater Curse Invocations
Arcanist's Hex : Target suffers 50% arcane spell failure, can't use magic items.
Curse of Broken Alliances : Target has a 25% chance of attacking allies or aiding enemies.
Deep Curse : Target takes a -8 penalty to rolls for an hour, -4 penalty forever.

Dark Curse Invocations
Curse of Failure : Target treats any d20 roll of 2 or higher as a 1.
Curse of Servitude : Target must obey your commands, or suffer massive penalties.
Curse of Vulnerability : Target takes double damage from all sources, is incapable of healing.

OTHER INVOCATIONS
In addition to the potent curse invocations, hexblades learn a number of others that enable them to perform many tricks and attacks. These invocations are briefly described below.

Least Invocations
Beguiling Influence : Gain bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks.
Dark One's Own Luck : Gain a luck bonus on one type of saves.
Darkness : Use darkness as the spell.
Devil's Sight : See normally in darkness and magical darkness.
Entropic Warding : Deflect incoming ranged attacks, leave no trail, and prevent being tracked by scent.
Magic Insight (DM) : Detect magical auras; identify magic items.
Spiderwalk : Gain spider climb as the spell and you are immune to webs.
Summon Swarm : Use summon swarm as the spell.

Lesser Invocations
Charm : Cause a single creature to regard you as a friend.
Curse of Despair : Curse one creature as the bestow curse spell.
Flee the Scene : Use short-range dimension door, as the spell, and leave behind a major image
Humanoid Shape (DM) : Take the form of any humanoid creature.
Mask of Flesh (CM) : Touch attack imposes 1d6 Cha penalty and transforms you to look like target.
Relentless Dispelling (CM) : As targeted dispel magic, with additional targeted dispel magic the next turn.
Voracious Dispelling : Use dispel magic as the spell, causing damage to creatures whose effects are dispelled.
Walk Unseen : Use invisibility (self only) as the spell.

Greater Invocations
Chilling Fog (DM) : Create solid fog that deals cold damage.
Devour Magic : Use targeted greater dispel magic with a touch and gain temporary hit points based on the level of spell successfully dispelled.
Enervating Shadow : Gain total concealment in dark areas and impose a Strength penalty on adjacent living creatures.
Hellspawned Grace (CM) : Transform into a hellcat for 1 round/2 hexblade levels.
Nightmares Made Real (CM) : Create illusory terrain that damages foes and allows you to hide inside.
Painful Slumber of Ages (CM) : Creature falls asleep, takes damage when awakend.
Tenacious Plague : Use insect plague as the spell, but the summoned locust swarm deals damage as a magic weapon.
Terrifying Roar (DM) : Use fear as the spell; creatures shaken by effect can't attack you.

Dark Invocations
Dark Discorporation : Become a swarm of batlike shadows, gaining many benefits of the swarm subtype.
Path of Shadow : Use shadow walk as the spell and speed up natural healing
Word of Changing : Use baleful polymorph as the spell, but the effect could become permanent.

CM = Invocations found in Complete Mage.
DM = Invocations found in Dragon Magic.

INVOCATION DESCRIPTIONS

ARCANIST'S HEX
Greater; 6th

This curse invocation allows you to change your hexblade's curse into an arcanist's hex. Any creature affected by your arcanist's hex suffers a 50% arcane spell failure chance. Additionally, they are treated as if they had no spell list for the purposes of spell completion and spell trigger items, and are incapable of activating any magic items by means of a command word.

CURSE OF BROKEN ALLIANCES
Greater; 5th

This curse invocation allows you to change your hexblade's curse into a curse of broken alliances. Whenever a creature affected by your curse of broken alliances takes an action against an opponent, they have a 25% chance of instead targeting a valid ally with that action. If no valid allied targets exist, they instead spend their action doing nothing.

Additionally, whenever a creature affected by your curse takes an action to help an ally, they have a 25% chance of instead targeting a valid enemy with that action. Again, if no valid enemy targets exist, they instead spend their action doing nothing.

If an attacks would be beneficial for a targeted ally (or aid would be detrimental to targeted enemy), that ally shouldn't be considered a valid target. For instance, if a cleric attempts to cast cure light wounds on a wounded ally, but is affected by this curse, a nearby undead would not be considered a valid enemy for the purposes of this curse (as the undead would be harmed by the spell, rather than healed).

If this curse triggers when the target is using a spell or effect that affects an area (such as a fireball), the target should instead shift the area of the spell as though he were intending to harm his allies (or aid his enemies). The DM should determine the target location with this in mind.

CURSE OF DREAD
Least; 1st

This curse invocation allows you to change your hexblade's curse into a curse of dread. A target affected by your curse of dread is shaken whenever within 30 feet of you.

CURSE OF FAILURE
Dark; 7th

This curse invocation allows you to change your hexblade's curse into a curse of failure. Whenever a target affected by your curse of failure makes an attack, save, skill check or ability check, he treats a roll of 2 or higher as if he had instead rolled a 1. This is not considered a natural 1, meaning (for example) that attack rolls and saving throws are not automatically considered failures.

CURSE OF FOULED LUCK
Lesser; 4th

This curse invocation allows you to change your hexblade's curse into a curse of foul luck. A target affected by your curse of foul luck must roll two d20s whenever making an attack, saving throw, skill check, or ability check, and take the lower of the two rolls.

CURSE OF SERVITUDE
Dark; 8th

This curse invocation allows you to change your hexblade's curse into a curse of servitude. Unlike a normal curse invocation, the curse of servitude inflicts no immediate penalty - not even the standard -2 from your hexblade's curse. Additionally, this curse has no maximum duration.

Upon successfully cursing a target with a curse of servitude, select a single service or course of activity that the target must carry out, or alternatively, must completely refrain from. The orders must not be such that would result in certain death; however, virtually anything else is allowable.

The cursed creature has an instinctive understanding of your commands; no speech is necessary. Even animalistic or mindless creatures can be affected, and will seek to follow your orders.

If the creature refuses to follow your orders (or is prevented from doing such) for 24 hours, or if it engages in a forbidden activity, it takes a -2 penalty on all attacks, saves, skill checks and ability checks. Each day (or instance or forbidden activity), another -2 penalty accumulates, up to a maximum penalty of your caster level. The penalties are removed 24 hours after the subject resumes obeying the orders given to it, or after two weeks of abstaining from a forbidden activity.

If a target dies while under the penalties for refusing to follow its orders, it returns 24 hours later as a ghost. It cannot rest in peace until its task has been completed, or until you lift the curse.

You may only have one curse of servitude in effect at a time. If you successfully curse a second creature with this curse, the former curse is lifted.

CURSE OF USELESSNESS
Lesser; 4th

This curse invocation allows you to change your hexblade's curse into a curse of uselessness. A target affected by your curse of uselessness has only a 50% chance of acting in a round; otherwise, they take no action.

CURSE OF VULNERABILITY
Dark; 9th

This curse invocation allows you to change your hexblade's curse into a curse of vulnerability. A target affected by your curse of vulnerability experiences a number of negative effects.

First, any nonlethal damage it takes is instead converted to lethal damage. This overrides any regeneration ability the creature may have.

Second, any damage resistances or immunities it has are temporarily suppressed. So a Red Dragon could take fire damage while under the effect of this curse, and a 20th level Barbarian has no Damage Reduction.

Third, all damage the target takes is doubled.

Fourth and finally, the creature is completely incapable of being healed, by either natural or magical means, for the duration of this curse.

DEEP CURSE
Greater; 6th

This curse invocation allows you to change your hexblade's curse into a deep curse. A target affected by your deep curse takes a -8 penalty to attacks, saves, skill checks and ability checks, rather than the -2 penalty normally inflicted by your hexblade's curse.

Additionally, even after the effects of this curse pass - whether because the duration elapses, because you target someone else with a curse, or even because the curse is removed - the target takes a -4 penalty to all afflicted rolls. This is treated as a new curse, with a duration of permanent. If it is removed, the target takes a -2 penalty to all afflicted rolls, as a third, final permanent curse. If that curse is removed, the deep curse is truly gone.

ENFEEBLING CURSE
Lesser; 3rd

This curse invocation allows you to change your hexblade's curse into an enfeebling curse. A target affected by your enfeebling curse takes a -4 penalty to a single ability score of your choice.

JINX OF SIGHT
Lesser; 3rd

This curse invocation allows you to change your hexblade's curse into a jinx of sight. A target affected by your jinx of sight is incapable of seeing or hearing you, as though you are invisble and in the area of a silence spell. The target can still sense you through other senses (such as scent), or if they use a spell such as see invisibility.

MAGICIAN'S HEX
Least; 2nd

This curse invocation allows you to change your hexblade's curse into a magician's hex. Any creature affected by your magician's hex suffers a 20% arcane spell failure chance.

Amechra
2012-10-19, 03:18 AM
Why only the first 3 tiers of Invocations? I see no reason why this can't have Dark invocations (or equivalent.)

Also, I would suggest looking through the Hexblade spell list for cool things to turn into Invocations.

DaTedinator
2012-10-19, 09:42 AM
There are no Dark invocations for two main reasons. First, the Hexblade is not a full caster, nor even a half caster, he's just a partial caster. Even just giving him greater invocations gives him access to higher spell levels than he had access to before.

Second, I tried to base which invocations he got off of the class's spell list. There were a couple that just really fit the flavor (like, say, Curse of Despair), but even with those, he tended to have a capability in that realm anyway (the hexblade doesn't have any spells that give a bonus to social skills, like Beguiling Influence, but he does have Charm Person, and that's close enough). And largely because of the levels involved, there are very few dark invocations that a hexblade has the spells of (Caster's Lament, Retributive Invisibility, and Word of Changing) - those ones that he does, I don't know if I'd be down with letting him cast all day.

That said! I'm not dead set against dark invocations. But, you said you didn't see any reason, and so I thought I'd give mine. I'm perfectly willing to add them in if others think it's a good idea.

As for original invocations, yeah, I've considered it, but really, most of the good, fitting ones already are invocations. I think if I do end up adding more, I'd add a suite of Dark Companion-themed invocations, letting it do more things. I don't really know how that would pan out/if it would work, but it's an idea.

Garryl
2012-10-19, 09:58 AM
Any particular reason you give 4 Lesser and Greater invocations, but only 2 Least?

If you want more invocations, feel free to use any of mine. You can find a summary of them all here (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=241.0;msg=1915). Off-hand, the following should work well.

http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=888.0;msg=5346
Aligned Armament
Unholy Radiance
Censure Foes
Spellbreaker

http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=1128.0;msg=7931
Psychic Strike
Blademaster's Will
Heroic Fury
Volatile Mind
Knife to the Soul

Xefas
2012-10-19, 03:43 PM
Any particular reason you give 4 Lesser and Greater invocations, but only 2 Least?

I found this odd, too. It gets Greater Invocations three levels later than the Warlock, but Lesser Invocations at the same level?

super dark33
2012-10-20, 11:24 AM
Add elderitch blast and this class is my favourite.

Amechra
2012-10-20, 11:45 AM
You know, "the hexblade is a partial caster" is not really a reason why your improved version can't get a full Invocation progression; the Hexblade is poorly designed in the first place (compare the Hexblade and the Duskblade; the Hexblade was designed before people figured out that, hey, Full BAB and casting in armor isn't strong enough to make you have to give them only 4 levels of casting.)

So, seriously, toss 'em a bone! This thing wouldn't be run in the same campaign as a normal Hexblade anyway, and the class without invocations feels like it sits at about the same balance point as a Warlock without invocations...

DaTedinator
2012-10-20, 12:13 PM
Thanks for the link, Garryl, I'll think about including some of those.

As for eldritch blast, I really don't think that fits the hexblade, so I'm not gonna make it an official part of the class. That said, mine is not the only opinion, so for the record, I think it would be fair to let the hexblade take it as a least invocation, or perhaps gain it instead of his Dark Companion. Probably the second is the better option, but either would work.

And then invocations... For now, I pushed lesser invocations back two levels - now he gets 3/3/4, which is more balanced, and he gets lesser invocations later, which does fit better.

For dark invocations, I think you might be overestimating an invocation-less warlock just a little bit, but that logic does hold. I guess giving him one or two dark invocations a little later in the game wouldn't be uncalled for, and it would let me come up with a couple really vicious curse invocations.

Give me a little time to consider how to best implement it, but feel free to give me your opinions/ideas on how it should be done, in the meantime.

Kyuu Himura
2012-10-20, 01:34 PM
Is it just me or HD and skills are missing?? are they the same as the CW Hexblade??

DaTedinator
2012-10-22, 04:01 PM
Hahahaha, I don't know how I forgot those. Fixed, and thank you!

For the record, though, they are entirely unchanged.

Lyndworm
2012-11-03, 02:50 AM
This turned out really well, DaTedinator. I'm impressed, but not surprised. :smallwink:

Ive been working on my own version of the invoking hexblade, and I may just have to a yoink an idea or two from your marvelous work. I wish I could add something constructive, but... Thats how it is, sometimes. All compliment, no commentary. :smalltongue:

lightningcat
2012-11-05, 05:09 PM
I like it, but a few things.

When I made my own invoking Hexblade, I found out that it worked out on paper, but was kinda boring in play. Not enough of it's own nitch, although your Curse invocations may be the fix to that.

Second, I do agree with only having greater invocations. It makes it so there is a serious difference between the Warlock and the Hexblade. Just like there is a difference between a Druid and a Ranger or Cleric and Paladin. Although if you go into Epic levels, than maybe they should get Dark.

Third, why did you go with a d10 for hit die? With the heavy reliance on casting, it seems more like it should be a d8 class.
Or are you going with the PF idea, of linking hit die and BAB?

DaTedinator
2013-03-09, 02:17 PM
Alright, I finally updated this to include dark invocations. I'm a little uncertain about the power level of the dark curses, though; I want them to be over the top (which I'm not sure they all are), but not too over the top (which some of them might be). So thoughts on that would be welcome.


When I made my own invoking Hexblade, I found out that it worked out on paper, but was kinda boring in play. Not enough of it's own nitch, although your Curse invocations may be the fix to that.

Hopefully my curse invocations do fix it. Otherwise, I don't really know what to tell you. It's unlikely this class is gonna get much playtesting in my own games. On the off chance you see this response four months later, do you think you could give me any more information on your invoking hexblade, and specifically on what it looked like in play?


Second, I do agree with only having greater invocations. It makes it so there is a serious difference between the Warlock and the Hexblade. Just like there is a difference between a Druid and a Ranger or Cleric and Paladin. Although if you go into Epic levels, than maybe they should get Dark.

I hear you, because that was originally my thinking too. But as I thought more about it, I decided a single dark invocation makes a better capstone than the somewhat awkward expansion of Aura of Unluck I'd had before. In fact, it makes a great capstone, that fits with the progression of invocations given (now it's 3/3/3/1, with a new tier available every six levels).


Third, why did you go with a d10 for hit die? With the heavy reliance on casting, it seems more like it should be a d8 class.
Or are you going with the PF idea, of linking hit die and BAB?

I really don't think it's too heavy a reliance on casting. This is still a martial class in my mind, and given that it's only proficient in light armor, I think the d10 HD helps. That said, I'm not married to the idea of a d10 HD, and could be swayed otherwise.

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll
2013-03-09, 02:28 PM
I once made a class in the style of the Ultimate Classes project that mixed invocations, eldritch blast and binding, where you focused on one, but got low levels of the other two, which this reminds me a lot of. Of course, I was really young so it didn't work at all, but it was an interesting idea I think... This seems much better executed.