Specific help with my hexblade (I've read the guides)

[v1si0n4ry]

Hello fellow adventurers,

I am currently on a party of new players, while being a veteran of D&D myself. I decided to create a Hexblade and read a lot of guides about the archetype. Thing is, by my DM's rules, I could pick the Cursebringer eldritch invocation, while still using the Xanathar hexblade stats. Yeah, awesome.

I am currently sitting on level 4 and my current build is:

Human Variant with GWM

Skills Prof:
Deception
Insight
Investigation
Perception
Persuasion

Abilities:
(the adventure is high fantasy, so we are using a very generous ability array)
Str 13
Dex 16
Con 16
Int 10
Wis 13
Cha 18 (I still haven't used my ASI for level 4, so this is probably going to go to 20)

Spells:
Cantrips - Eldritch Blast, Booming Blade, Minor Illusion
Lvl 1 - Hex, Arms of Hadar
Lvl 2 - Suggestion, Darkness
(I still can choose my new spell from Warlock level 4)

Invocations:
Cursebringer
Devil's Sight

My party has 6 members, me, 2 barbarians (zealot & berserker), 1 artificer (gunsmith), 1 land druid (grassland, thank god for his blessed soul), 1 monk (shadow, has sentinel feat). It is a very damage oriented party, with almost only the druid for heal/control, with the monk helping with the silence+sentinel combo on casters. It is a very powerful party in an equally powerful environment.

My question is (and as you can see, almost any UA content is legal, as well as ALL official content): What should I build now? Should I go Vengeance Padlock, considering I can already smite for 2d8/slot level with the Cursebringer? Should I go Valor/Sword Bard to add utility to my character? Or should I go Shadow Sorcerer to use metamagic+font of magic to have tons of spell slots? My main goal is to be a single target nuker, while having some survivability (since I can only use medium armor and no shields).

[jacob902uhhs]

Cursebringer is insanely strong, and I'm surprised he's allowing that. I imagine he might reconsider when you use 2d8 per spell level, 6d8 at level 5. And who knows if you want to pick up eldritch smite too.

I would suggest looking into a Half Elf for this. Since you will be swinging the Greatsword with CHA at level 3, you can start using Elven Accuracy on your GWM attacks. It pushes your GWM back to level 8, but you shouldn't be using GWM that early anyways with such a low to hit. Just a thought.

[2D6GREATAXE]

I'm currently playing a level 17 character 15 Hex blade with a 2 dip I fighter.

I have taken thirsting blade, GWM, Eldritch Smite, and the invocation that lets you attack again.

So first round
Action; Cast Shadow Of Moil advantage to hit.
bonus Action; Hex blades Curse.
Action Surge
x2 attacks with advantage, crit on a 19, and use eldritch smite.

Damage on first attack is.
2D6 + 5 (CHA) + 5 (Proficiency) + 5 (Necrotic) + 10 (GWM) + 6D8 (Force)


I know you have other ideas in mind, but im really enjoying the potential this has just mainly going hex blade.

[v1si0n4ry]

I'm currently playing a level 17 character 15 Hex blade with a 2 dip I fighter.

I have taken thirsting blade, GWM, Eldritch Smite, and the invocation that lets you attack again.

So first round
Action; Cast Shadow Of Moil advantage to hit.
bonus Action; Hex blades Curse.
Action Surge
x2 attacks with advantage, crit on a 19, and use eldritch smite.

Damage on first attack is.
2D6 + 5 (CHA) + 5 (Proficiency) + 5 (Necrotic) + 10 (GWM) + 6D8 (Force)


I know you have other ideas in mind, but im really enjoying the potential this has just mainly going hex blade.

Thanks for the insight. I was wondering if I should level up enough to get SOM...

[v1si0n4ry]

Cursebringer is insanely strong, and I'm surprised he's allowing that. I imagine he might reconsider when you use 2d8 per spell level, 6d8 at level 5. And who knows if you want to pick up eldritch smite too.

I would suggest looking into a Half Elf for this. Since you will be swinging the Greatsword with CHA at level 3, you can start using Elven Accuracy on your GWM attacks. It pushes your GWM back to level 8, but you shouldn't be using GWM that early anyways with such a low to hit. Just a thought.

The campaign already started. I chose Human variant because I could get more feats overall and my party is lacking in skill diversity, since we have no bard/rogue. Anyways, we started at lvl3, so I already could use the darkness+devil's sight right of the bat and with that many melee characters besides me, flanking is very viable, so hitting with power attack is plausible, since xanathar's hexblade can hit with CHA using pact weapons.

[Petrocorus]

For the ASI, i would suggest:
+2 Cha, for obvious reasons
Or Warcaster, for the Con and mostly for opportunity attacks with Booming Blade
Or Medium Armor Master for some additional durability (Basically + 2 AC)

For the spell, i would suggest:
Blur or Mirror Image for the durability. Mirror Image doesn't use Concentration.
Or Misty Step for the mobility
I would also consider replacing Arms of Hadar with Shatter.

Concerning the multiclassing:
Paladin would give you heavy armor proficiency, Defence FS and access to lvl 1 Paladin spells, which would help your versatility. You already have a better smite feature, though.

Sorcerer would help you with metamagic and spell slots, for a lot of nuking.

Bard could help you with some skills and versatility. Sword Bard could help a little with damage.

But the issue with MC is how many levels you want to invest in you secondary class. Paladin is interesting only with at least a two level dip, and Bard will be better with a 3 levels dip.

[CTurbo]

What are YOU wanting to be better at? It sounds like the party could benefit from more healing/utility in which case Bard would benefit you most. A few levels of Pally really help your melee and ad a bit of healing but you're party is already so melee heavy. 3 levels for Devotion lets you ad Cha mod to hit, and of course Vengeance lets you have advantage against the BBEG.

Sorcerer is always great but do you really want to be more blasty? Favored Soul would add a lot of healing though.

Consider the Inspiring Leader feat next for some reverse healing.

All things said and done you would be perfectly fine stick with your class for the duration.

[Vogie]

I'd go a utility route, and drop 1-2 levels into cleric. In addition to just having access to cleric spells (healing & utility):

Death Cleric gives you an additional Cantrip, allows you to twin a necro cantrip, and at 2nd level gives you additional Necro damage on hit to help your nova.
Forge Cleric gives either +1 to your weapon or AC and gives you access to heavy armor for later on. Also grants you a Smite ability for when you don't want to use Hex.
Grave Cleric gives you the ability to hit the OSH button, save your comrades and augment your clutch healing, in addition to giving you False Life to make yourself a smidge more tanky (since you don't have AoA)
War Cleric gives you availability Shield of Faith if someone needs an AC boost, Heavy armor, and gives you the ability to throw a third attack in there from time to time.

[CTurbo]

I'd go a utility route, and drop 1-2 levels into cleric. In addition to just having access to cleric spells (healing & utility):

Death Cleric gives you an additional Cantrip, allows you to twin a necro cantrip, and at 2nd level gives you additional Necro damage on hit to help your nova.
Forge Cleric gives either +1 to your weapon or AC and gives you access to heavy armor for later on. Also grants you a Smite ability for when you don't want to use Hex.
Grave Cleric gives you the ability to hit the OSH button, save your comrades and augment your clutch healing, in addition to giving you False Life to make yourself a smidge more tanky (since you don't have AoA)
War Cleric gives you availability Shield of Faith if someone needs an AC boost, Heavy armor, and gives you the ability to throw a third attack in there from time to time.



Favored Soul Sorcerer would be much better because he could cast Cleric spells with Cha instead of Wis.

[v1si0n4ry]

A lot of great responses. I guess I wanted to remain with the path of the spellblade archetype, maybe adding more features that can help me deal damage and survive. For example, Vengeance pally helps in this way with the channel divinity option, although limited and also gets me extra attack if I go deep enough, to release one of my invocations.

Sorcerer would give me more slots to smite and the possible access to haste on level 5.

Bard would give me more slots, although less than sorc AND extra attack, but I would have to go level 6 on valor...

So, which option is the best?

EDIT: Staying pure Warlock is also an option.

[Vogie]

I was under the assumption that

you didn't want a huge dip
you do want to continue to wade into the fray and survive.
If you decide to multiclass, you will do so after level 5 for the extra attack.


Of note: With Eldritch Smite, it requires a "Warlock Spell Slot" to smite, so you can't use Sorc or Bard slots to smite. However, Cursebringer simply says "spell slot", same as Paladin, but you may want to check with your DM before you build around the idea of using non-Warlock spell slots to fuel Cursebringer.

The main question is how you want to get increased damage and survival. You likely won't go up to 5/6 into another class unless you really hate Mythic Arcanum options.

Armor of Hexes is VERY strong by itself, and grabbing Lifedrinker at 12 for added on-hit Charisma Damage is awesome.

If you just want spells, Sorcerer is your best bet. Doubly so if you're either going Shadow for extra Darkness Castings (and being hard to kill) or Divine for powerful healing/utility spells... but you won't get much more survivability or melee damage

If you just want utility and off-healing, Bard will give that to you. Going 2 levels in will also give Song of Rest, which would be good if your druid healer is burning all of their slots & Healing Spirits keeping everyone alive during the fight

If you want more nova in your melee damage and survivability, going 2 levels into Paladin for Heavy Armor & an extra couple of smites... but you won't get any more cantrips or utility

If you want more survivabilty, off-healing, AND Utility, 1 level into cleric for heavy armor and utility spells & class effects would be gold, as I covered above. Forge (heavy armor & more spells for your blade), Grave (clutch Healing) or War (heavy armor & more attacks) are probably your best options there.

[Petrocorus]

Bard would give me more slots, although less than sorc AND extra attack, but I would have to go level 6 on valor...

You will have extra attack as a Warlock next level, along with level 3 spells. GFB and BB can be better than doing two attacks depending on the situation.



So, which option is the best?

EDIT: Staying pure Warlock is also an option.
Staying Warlock is a good option. I just thought you could also take Magic Initiate (Warlock) for GFB and Shield. This with Miror Image could already improve your durability.

The other options have been pretty much layed out. You can do a lot of thing, just not everything at once.
So, you need to prioritize what is the most important for you, and more importantl, how many levels you want to invest in your second class.




Grave Cleric gives you the ability to hit the OSH button,
What exactly o you call the OSH button?

[v1si0n4ry]

I was under the assumption that

you didn't want a huge dip
you do want to continue to wade into the fray and survive.
If you decide to multiclass, you will do so after level 5 for the extra attack.


Of note: With Eldritch Smite, it requires a "Warlock Spell Slot" to smite, so you can't use Sorc or Bard slots to smite. However, Cursebringer simply says "spell slot", same as Paladin, but you may want to check with your DM before you build around the idea of using non-Warlock spell slots to fuel Cursebringer.

The main question is how you want to get increased damage and survival. You likely won't go up to 5/6 into another class unless you really hate Mythic Arcanum options.

Armor of Hexes is VERY strong by itself, and grabbing Lifedrinker at 12 for added on-hit Charisma Damage is awesome.

If you just want spells, Sorcerer is your best bet. Doubly so if you're either going Shadow for extra Darkness Castings (and being hard to kill) or Divine for powerful healing/utility spells... but you won't get much more survivability or melee damage

If you just want utility and off-healing, Bard will give that to you. Going 2 levels in will also give Song of Rest, which would be good if your druid healer is burning all of their slots & Healing Spirits keeping everyone alive during the fight

If you want more nova in your melee damage and survivability, going 2 levels into Paladin for Heavy Armor & an extra couple of smites... but you won't get any more cantrips or utility

If you want more survivabilty, off-healing, AND Utility, 1 level into cleric for heavy armor and utility spells & class effects would be gold, as I covered above. Forge (heavy armor & more spells for your blade), Grave (clutch Healing) or War (heavy armor & more attacks) are probably your best options there.

Cleric DEFINITELY looks like a nice dip to gain proficiency with heavy armor. As it is, though, my character won't be able to move at full speed while wearing plate. I will consider it in higher levels for SURE.

[v1si0n4ry]

Just to clarify, I intend to get level 5 with Warlock to get Extra Attack as soon as possible. But if I can get Extra Attack from another class, I would be able to switch the invocation necessary to another one.

[Vogie]

What exactly o you call the OSH button?

When someone dies - they go O SH** - and Spare the Dying as a Bonus action from up to 30 ft away. No other class can do that, as spare the dying is normally a touch spell & full action. You would also be able to then cast Cure Wounds to give the nearly-dead at least 9 health (or healing word for at least 5 health, at range) because the Circle of Mortality domain ability allows you to automatically use the highest number possible for each healing die on a creature with 0 HP.

This is how a 1 level dip of grave cleric with the minimum amount of wisdom can still be a decent clutch healer

[Petrocorus]

When someone dies - they go O SH** - and ...

So OSH is an acronym for Oh SH**. Fun.

Well, every cleric has access to Healing Word. It cost a spell slot, but the Grave domain doesn't let you do the same without a spell slot, it just maximize the effect. Spare the Dying as an BA at range is good, but in many situations, it's better to spend the slot and cast HW, IMHO.

[2D6GREATAXE]

Just to clarify, I intend to get level 5 with Warlock to get Extra Attack as soon as possible. But if I can get Extra Attack from another class, I would be able to switch the invocation necessary to another one.

I do very much recommend shadow of moil as a lv 5 for a hexblade build.
Advantage to hit, disadvantage to be hit.
plus 2D8 necrotic if they hit you.

[v1si0n4ry]

Great ideas, folks. I think I will go straight 8 as Warlock so I can get shadow of moil and ASI in the right progression, then dip 2 levels on cleric on the War or Grave domain, still thinking about which one.

Thank you all for the so helpful insight