Hexblade help

[Azreal]

We are starting level 5 and I want to use the Hexblade Warlock/ Blade Pact but I'm not sure how best to build it. We are doing Point buy and using Tiefling with the Devil tongue variant for the concept.

So you playground what's the best way to build this guy without relying on EB?

[jaappleton]

Hang on just a second, I took the Ritual Caster Feat.

I'm going to summon another forum user.

DracoKnight. You're the guy who has inspected the Hexblade inside and out and figured everything out.

Get in here.

[JeffreyGator]

1) You may still want some eldritch blasting for range. (EB and agonizing blast)

2) point buy 15+2 Charisma, 13+1Dex, 14+con, whatever you want for str/int/wis

3) ASI at 4th for +2 cha or 18/16 con/cha if both started with 15s.

4) Because you started at 5th and are taking BladePact, you might not feel beholden to taking SCAG melee cantrips - but I love such on my hexblade tomelock/bard.

5) Probably take improved pact weapon and attack twice besides agonizing blast.
-5a) If you take an attack cantrip then take Eldritch Smite instead of attack twice and smite after rolling a 19-20 on a Hexed foe for an extra 6d8 in addition to double weapon dice and 2d8 from GFB/BB

Hex, Misty step, shield, hunger of hadar for spells

[DracoKnight]

Hang on just a second, I took the Ritual Caster Feat.

I'm going to summon another forum user.

DracoKnight. You're the guy who has inspected the Hexblade inside and out and figured everything out.

Get in here.

Okay, so here's the thing I love about the Hexblade: you can pump the f*ck out of your CHA. Working with the Devil's Tongue Tiefling, I'd buy 15/14/14/12/8/8.

I'd arrange your stats as follows:

STR 8
DEX 14
CON 14 (we'll bump this later)
INT 9 (8 + 1 racial)
WIS 12
CHA 17 (15 + 2 racial)

4th level ASI: CON to 6, 8th split it between CON and CHA, and then grab Resilient CON at 12th, and finish by pumping CHA and CON to 20 in that order.

For your 3 Invocations, I'd take Devil's Sight, Thirsting Blade, and Improved Pact Weapon. I'd wait to take Eldritch Smite until you have a 4th Invocation Slot.

Now, it's not hard to rack up the melee damage on a Hexblade. I'd do a onehanded d8 weapon such as a Longsword or Battleaxe, and your DPR will be 4.5 + 1 (weapon + Improved Pact Weapon) + 3 (CHA) + 3 (Hexblade's Curse) + 3.5 (hex) = 15 damage per swing. 30 DPR, if you hit both attacks.

If you can convince your DM to give you a scimitar of speed later on, it gets pretty awesome, and you want Lifedrinker as your 12th level Invocation.

[Azreal]

Okay, so here's the thing I love about the Hexblade: you can pump the f*ck out of your CHA. Working with the Devil's Tongue Tiefling, I'd buy 15/14/14/12/8/8.

I'd arrange your stats as follows:

STR 8
DEX 14
CON 14 (we'll bump this later)
INT 9 (8 + 1 racial)
WIS 12
CHA 17 (15 + 2 racial)



Can they use two-handed weapons with Cha or would that be a totally different build? I'm stupid for not mentioning I might want to use one, of course I might actually go this build because it looks super fun too.

[Elric VIII]

Can they use two-handed weapons with Cha or would that be a totally different build? I'm stupid for not mentioning I might want to use one, of course I might actually go this build because it looks super fun too.

Currently, no. However it has been implied that Hexblade has been updated a bit to go along with the new invocations in the Revised Class Options UA (these replace the old ones).

However, with the exception of GWM, using a greatsword keeps you at about even with EB's dpr. Especially since Hexblade's Curse doesn't specify melee only. So I'd talk to your DM about it.

I bring this up because if your DM intends to use the new invocations in place of the old, I would recommend that the Cursebringer's ability to move your curse to be applied to the base curse ability. If not, go with a Str build and supplement that with Cursebringer and the +1/+2/+3 magic weapon invocations.



Also, if you are using the new invocations, Maddening Hex is a great way to make use of your BA when you're not moving your hex/curse.

[Rebonack]

The current iteration of Hexblade only gets to sub out Cha with one-handed weapons, so two-handers are a no-go unless you decide to pump Strength. It also sounds like the ability to swap the Curse off a slain target is being moved from Cursebringer to the base Hexblade, but we haven't gotten that in any usable form yet besides hearsay. I wouldn't worry too much about that aspect. Run it past your DM and they might let you shoe-horn it until we get something more official.

[rbstr]

Personally I think I'd try to do a two-weapon or PAM build to maximize the per-hit damage/crit fishing you can do.
Two-weapon has the advantage of still going off of CHA. Polearms don't by the current rules.

I wouldn't use the Hex spell then, since there's a lot of bonus action going on. Since hex can't go up on a target until the second round anyway the average damage isn't that different. (In the second round Hex would add 2d6, Two-weapon would be d6+proficiency, PAM d4+mod+prof)

[Azreal]

Personally I think I'd try to do a two-weapon or PAM build to maximize the per-hit damage/crit fishing you can do.
Two-weapon has the advantage of still going off of CHA. Polearms don't by the current rules.

I wouldn't use the Hex spell then, since there's a lot of bonus action going on. Since hex can't go up on a target until the second round anyway the average damage isn't that different. (In the second round Hex would add 2d6, Two-weapon would be d6+proficiency, PAM d4+mod+prof)

Wouldn't you just lose out on one bonus weapon attack for 1d4 in exchange for 2d6 extra with PAM? Assuming Extra Attack.

The argument for two weapon fighting is still changing out one bonus weapon attack for 1d8 for 2d6 extra again assuming Extra Attack.

Or am I missing something?

[rbstr]

If you've Hexblade-cursed the target you add your proficiency bonus to damage on attacks. That's +3 at level 5. So not hexing would exchanging 2d6 for 1d6+3 (twf) or 1d4+3+strmod (PAM)
That means hex isn't nearly as valuable if you have a bonus action attack of some sort. With TWF you're at a loss of ~5 damage over two rounds but you save a spell slot and concentration. The difference gets smaller as your prof bonus grows. (PAM is better and gets even better, but you need strength so there's a trade off)

So first round, 3 options (going to assume +3 str/cha mod for simplicity):
One-Handed:Curse as BA, Attack 2x with longsword - 2x(1d8+3+3) = 21
TWF: Curse BA, Attack 2x w/Shortsword - 2x(1d6+3+3) = 19
PAM: Curse BA, Attack 2x w/Halberd - 2x(1d10+3+3) = 23

Second round
One-hand: Hex as bonus action, Attack 2x w/ Longsword 2x(1d8+3+3+1d6) = 28
TWF: Attack 2x w/Shortsword 2x(1d6+3+3), bonus action attack (1d6+3) = 25.5
PAM: Attack 2x w/Halberd 2x(1d10+3+3+1d6) bonus action attack (1d4+3+3) = 31.5

[JeffreyGator]

The current iteration of Hexblade only gets to sub out Cha with one-handed weapons, so two-handers are a no-go unless you decide to pump Strength...

Technically this is weapons that lack the two-handed property. So you can sub out CHA for versatile weapons and still dump STR.

If you take PAM at 4th you are looking at:
Quarterstaff 2x(d8+1+3) +(d4+1+3) = 23.5 + 3x[3+d6] = 43

Pump cha at 4th TWF is 2x(d6+1+4) + (d6) = 20.5 + 3x[3+d6] = 40 (no auto +1 weapon off-hand)
(TWF with a level of fighter is +4 better of course.)

Pump cha at 4th Versatile weapon is:
is 2x(d10+1+4) = 21 + 2x[3+d6] = 34 (and you have not committed the bonus action)

[Spiritchaser]

I'm a recurring advocate of the fighter 1, Hexblade X darkness GWM greatsword STR>Cha>Con setup.

I think it works best with a half elf and elven accuracy, but that's not the only way to go

Wear plate, forget hex, cast darkness, let them try and hit you while you hit them like a train.

[Iamcreative]

Technically this is weapons that lack the two-handed property. So you can sub out CHA for versatile weapons and still dump STR.

If you take PAM at 4th you are looking at:
Quarterstaff 2x(d8+1+3) +(d4+1+3) = 23.5 + 3x[3+d6] = 43

Pump cha at 4th TWF is 2x(d6+1+4) + (d6) = 20.5 + 3x[3+d6] = 40 (no auto +1 weapon off-hand)
(TWF with a level of fighter is +4 better of course.)

Pump cha at 4th Versatile weapon is:
is 2x(d10+1+4) = 21 + 2x[3+d6] = 34 (and you have not committed the bonus action)

Thats what Im talking about! The best thing is you can use a quaterstaff in 1 hand and bap people over the head while still having a shield and a bonus action attack from PAM. Very silly, lots of fun, and pretty good!

[DracoKnight]

Can they use two-handed weapons with Cha or would that be a totally different build? I'm stupid for not mentioning I might want to use one, of course I might actually go this build because it looks super fun too.

Unfortunately they can't currently use two handed weapons with CHA, so if you want to pull out a two-hander, you're still gonna be MAD.

Currently one-handed weapons are the best route to go, although if you had really good STR, CHA, and decent CON, a PAM Hexblade could be a lot of fun! :smallbiggrin: