Hexblade/Barbarian?! Janky Character Idea

[KingFerret]

So I rolled a beastly set of stats today and decided what better time to try out a clunky, multiple-attribute-dependant character idea that may or may not be complete garbage! SPOLIER: this thread contains heavy use of various unearthed arcana, including the newest balance updates. It might be difficult to follow if you don't know them at least a little bit.

The basic idea of the build is a sword and board cursed warrior who fights with animal ferocity and no concern for his own well-being, utilising his dark magic to power up his evil blade, hex his enemies and give himself supernatural toughness.

The stats rolled: (Cha)17, (Con)16, (Dex)15, (Wis)13, (Int)8, (Str)11

The campaign is starting at 7th level and I get a free uncommon magic item to start the game with - which I have hesitantly selected as rod of the pact keeper for the extra spell slot every day.

I'm considering variant human as my race to bump Cha to 18, Dex to 16 and grab the Blade Master feat (+1 to hit, +1AC for the round as a reaction, advantage on opportunity attacks)

So I take five levels in Warlock - this gives me the extra attack invocation, improved pact weapon and eldritch smite. Pact of the blade of course, because what's cooler than conjuring an evil shadow sword out of thin air? Then I take two levels of Barbarian and plan to take one more to grab resistance to all damage while raging. My ability score improvement for level 4 warlock will be going to Cha to bump it up to twenty. The rest of my levels will be going into Warlock (unless anybody thinks I should take two levels of fighter for fighting style and action surge?)

In combat I'll be casting Armour of Agythys (which has synergy with Barbarian damage resistance) before the fight and then using my other slot(s) for eldritch smite goodness - pretty straightforward.

This simple, relatively spell-less fighting style will allow me to select almost purely utility/out-of-combat spells for my spell list, such as fly, comprehend languages etc to be useful to the party even when I'm not smashing faces.

Next invocation will be Cloak of Flies which gives me 5 passive poison damage in a 5ft aura around me and the next after that will of course be Lifedrinker for that big damage boost on all of my attacks.

So I hope I've explained my build idea well enough. I would have loved to wield a greatsword with great weapon master but sadly I can't use my Hexblade feature to attack with charisma with a two-handed weapon. I cried a bit when I realised that - such an annoyingly arbitrary restriction. Oh well.

Let me know what you think. I'm sure there are many problems with the build so feel free to point them all out. I'd rather know now than find out when it's too late - heck that's the whole reaeson for posting this after all.

Thanks in advance for any replies!

[PloxBox]

main issue with what you have currently as part of typing this: you habe a strength of 11. Multi classing rules say you need at least a13 strength to multi class into or out of barbarian.

[Saiga]

Why a Dex of 16? It's unnecessary if you're wearing Medium Armour.

[KingFerret]

I knew I would have missed something. So if I swap my wisdom and my strength around I'll meet the requirements. Thanks for pointing that out, I always forget about those multiclassing requirements.

As to medium armour I'm more the kind of guy who likes to fight in plate or no armour at all. Just a personal preference and it also better fits the thematic image of the character as well (at least in my mind).

[PloxBox]

Why a Dex of 16? It's unnecessary if you're wearing Medium Armour.

with a dex and con of 16 that's 16 AC, which is equal to starting gear medium armor (though, neither class gets that at 1st level.). Then there's the iconic image of the shirtless barbarians. We also don't know if armor is easily acquired or cheap.

EDIT:
Just reread the post. Didn't realize they'd be starting 7th level. Most other points still stand, though.

[PloxBox]

So I hope I've explained my build idea well enough. I would have loved to wield a greatsword with great weapon master but sadly I can't use my Hexblade feature to attack with charisma with a two-handed weapon. I cried a bit when I realised that - such an annoyingly arbitrary restriction. Oh well.


Yeah, that's a bit annoying; especially since the Curse bringer invocation says it makes a greatsword of silver.

[Misterwhisper]

Yeah, that's a bit annoying; especially since the Curse bringer invocation says it makes a greatsword of silver.

Pretty sure all the weapon specific invocations will never see print anyway.

[KingFerret]

In the recent UA updates they removed all of the weapon specific invocations. Instead there is a generic eldritch smite invocation which works with any weapon - it also tragically lost the ability to transfer your curse around, and now instead automatically knocks a huge or smaller creature prone whenever you smite.

[Saiga]

Yeah, I missed that Con was also pretty high (makes sense for a Barb). That looks pretty good, then.

edit: transferring the curse that was previously tied to Curse Bringer is probably being baked into the base subclass when it is finalized.

[KingFerret]

That would be the dream but might be fairly overpowered. Right now I think it's pretty balanced as a single target slaying ability once per short rest.

Btw as a side note I'm glad this thread is becoming something of a discussion of the hexblade in general as I think it's maybe my favourite of the ua subclasses (at least in terms of concept if not mechanics). Call my tastes angsty teenage if you will but I love the trope of the cursed warrior. Sadly there's not much discussion about this subclass out there at the moment.

[DanInStreatham]

Just so you're aware, you won't get the rage damage bonus because you will be using Cha to attack and not Str. Hardly a deal breaker but it's worth being aware of.

I think you can use a longsword two handed via Versatile and still do hexblade things, if that is of interest.

I like the hexblade mechanics that make pact of the blade much more usable, and the curse mechanic and concept is also elegant. I think I'd prefer to see the Cha attack roll brought into pact of the blade and the hexblade subclass being the curse, spell list and other features, mainly because non-hexblade bladelocks are a struggle.

I'm less enamoured of the hexblade as a patron itself. I know there are great examples in literature (Elric being the archetype) but surely there aren't that many sentient weapons like that around. I think there is more depth in the patron being a 'conventional' patron that provides the pact of the blade, and the hexblade subclass features being the nature of the warlock's covenant with its patron.

[Ralanr]

For this fusion, you actually don't need a high charisma. Push your strength and con higher and have cha be at least 13.

[Steampunkette]

For this fusion, you actually don't need a high charisma. Push your strength and con higher and have cha be at least 13.

I think he's going high Charisma because Hexblades get to use Charisma when they make weapon attacks and it would allow for Lifedrinker mod stacking much higher than going with a high strength and low Charisma and grabbing Lifedrinker.

[KingFerret]

I think he's going high Charisma because Hexblades get to use Charisma when they make weapon attacks and it would allow for Lifedrinker mod stacking much higher than going with a high strength and low Charisma and grabbing Lifedrinker.

Yeah this is correct. The high charisma will also be useful for out of combat spellcasting such as my suggestion save dc, and for charisma skills, specifically intimidation. Cha is also used for the cloak of flies damage and I can eventually grab agonising blast for a ranged option in emergencies.

But yeah you're right in that you could totally do this build with low charisma and high strength - I have no idea which option would be stronger.

[Steampunkette]

The problem, there, is you're giving up rage bonus to damage while raging. The rage damage bonus requires the attack use strength, to keep dex or cha from being too strong.

But... if you do go this route, I suggest going for Berserk. Hexblade's curse shores up the lost rage bonus, but gives a 19-20 critical range. Stack it with 3 attacks and Brutal crits...

[GlenSmash!]

The problem, there, is you're giving up rage bonus to damage while raging. The rage damage bonus requires the attack use strength, to keep dex or cha from being too strong.

But... if you do go this route, I suggest going for Berserk. Hexblade's curse shores up the lost rage bonus, but gives a 19-20 critical range. Stack it with 3 attacks and Brutal crits...

Losing Rage Damage by not attacking with Strength is a bummer, but the real killer is losing the ability to Reckless Attack which is, to me, a Barbarians Bread and Butter.

[MeeposFire]

Losing Rage Damage by not attacking with Strength is a bummer, but the real killer is losing the ability to Reckless Attack which is, to me, a Barbarians Bread and Butter.

I was going to mention that and I would say personally if you are not going to make use of reckless attack you might as well choose a different warrior type class like fighter or paladin and call yourself a barbarian.

[Klorox]

I knew I would have missed something. So if I swap my wisdom and my strength around I'll meet the requirements. Thanks for pointing that out, I always forget about those multiclassing requirements.

As to medium armour I'm more the kind of guy who likes to fight in plate or no armour at all. Just a personal preference and it also better fits the thematic image of the character as well (at least in my mind).

Plate armor negates a lot of your barbarian abilities.

[GlenSmash!]

I was going to mention that and I would say personally if you are not going to make use of reckless attack you might as well choose a different warrior type class like fighter or paladin and call yourself a barbarian.

Right. If you're not going to reckless attack anyway an Outlander background Champion Fighter would be a pretty great "Barbarian".