Hex question

[Mad_Saulot]

Regarding Hex, would it be unreasonable to switch the Hex to a horse or volunteer between fights so that the warlock need not expend slots per fight.

Example, so the group enters the dungeon, gets into fight with goblin ninja vampires and the warlock casts Hex on one of them as usual switching as they die etc, but when all the goblins are dead could he then switch the Hex to a familiar or volunteer player to reserve for the next fight, so the players carry on after the goblin fight and within ten minutes of the first fight they spot a mad jelly and roll initiative, the warlock switches the Hex from his mule to the jelly and fight as usual.

Is this scenerio possible/normal for warlocks?

[Aett_Thorn]

You don’t want to switch it to anything that you want to stay alive, since i’m pretty sure that you can only move it if the creature it is currently on dies.

However, there is no reason why Hex wouldn’t stay up if you keep concentration on it from fight to fight as long as it has duration remaining.

[Keravath]

The spell says that you can transfer it to another target after the current one dies but there is NO time limit in the spell so you do not need to transfer it immediately. As long as you maintain concentration on the spell and are within the stated maximum duration you can use a bonus action to transfer the hex to any creature as long as the creature it was on previously has died.

[BreaktheStatue]

If you're okay with playing a seriously evil character (and you can convince your party to go along), you could keep the last enemy in an encounter alive but incapacitated, and afflicted with Hex. Tie him up, drag him with you to the next fight, then execute him and move the Hex elsewhere.

The spell only lasts for an hour though, so there's that.

[DeTess]

You don’t want to switch it to anything that you want to stay alive, since i’m pretty sure that you can only move it if the creature it is currently on dies.

However, there is no reason why Hex wouldn’t stay up if you keep concentration on it from fight to fight as long as it has duration remaining.

Yeah, you don't have to move the hex spell immediately after a creature dies, so you could just move it at the start of the next combat if you're still concentrating on it.

[Zhorn]

To a horse or player? Allowable, but the only way you're getting that Hex off them and onto the next target is if they die.
If you have access to a bag of tricks, that may make your plan more feasible, though you'll still need to have your summoned critters die for the Hex transfer, but at least you're not killing you mount or fellow party members.
As for maintaining concentration on Hex on a corpse and transferring it... I'd feel like the ruling should be a no but I can see a case for it being allowed. If you can hold concentration long enough, and your DM is lenient in allowing you to transfer Hex over a large distance (assuming you're not dragging a corpse around, and the next combat is a non-negligible distance from the previous encounter), then I don't think there's anything in the rules saying you CAN'T do that, unless you rule that "on a subsequent turn" restricts you to either the very next turn, or within the encounter while turns are being tracked.

[Mad_Saulot]

Yeah, you don't have to move the hex spell immediately after a creature dies, so you could just move it at the start of the next combat if you're still concentrating on it.

Ah I didnt consider that, I assumed that you had to switch it as soon as the target dies as others here seem to think.

[DeTess]

Ah I didnt consider that, I assumed that you had to switch it as soon as the target dies as others here seem to think.

There's even a crawford tweet that seems to confirm this reading. https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/641348983093248000

No where does the text state you need to transfer it immediately, just in a round after the initial creature died. This'd also explain why upcasting it allows for significantly longer durations, as that'd be useless in most dungeon-crawl campaigns if you lost it after every fight unless you take special, and potentially evil, precautions.

[sophontteks]

I asked this question a couple months back and found that the spell can be transferred as long as you continue concentrating (which is the primary cost of the spell.) Additionally, short resting doesn't break concentration so you can even get your slot back. You can even try to find a creature to sacrifice early in the day in order to get that slot back before combat begins. This is a good task for your familiar, if you went chain. Finally, the Verbal, Somatic, and Material components required to cast hex are only needed during the initial casting. Moving hex to a new target is functionally similiar to subtle spell, giving the secondary effect some use outside of combat.

But, concentration is a big expense. If you want to use hex past early levels you'd want to invest in it. Fiendlocks make the best candidates because they have the most non-concentration options. Lots of blasting spells plus command and blindness/deafness. If you are burning yout concentration on hex, consider picking up maddening hex invocation as well. It gives a small aoe on a bonus action.

Hex along with Sign of ill Omen make for a great witch-like character.

[Mad_Saulot]

There's even a crawford tweet that seems to confirm this reading. https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/641348983093248000

No where does the text state you need to transfer it immediately, just in a round after the initial creature died. This'd also explain why upcasting it allows for significantly longer durations, as that'd be useless in most dungeon-crawl campaigns if you lost it after every fight unless you take special, and potentially evil, precautions.

Yes, I would agree with your assessment, and to clarify I'm the DM the warlock is a player, he hasnt brought it up yet but its just a matter of time so I want to be ready with a decent answer.

So I'll say to him you can maintain Hex as suggested above and that the actual Hex exists in the "Ether" til you need it again as long as you maintain concentration.

Cheers for the help o/

[Arial Black]

As already mentioned, the hex can be switched to a new target in any subsequent round; it is not limited to the the round directly following.

Some other clarifiactions:-

* 'dying' isn't the condition which allows you to curse a new creature. 'If the target drops to 0 hit points' is the condition. Although targets usually die when they go to 0 hp, it also applies when you take the choice to knock a creature out instead of killing it

* when the target drops to 0 hp, you CAN move it, you are not COMPELLED to move it! You have a choice. You can cast it on a creature, drop that creature to 0 hp (instantly satisfying the 'you CAN move it' condition) but only knock it out. You can then move it at any time after the round where it went to 0 hp. You can even wait for the creature to wake up and it is still hexed, and even while it is awake you can choose to move the hex to a new creature because you satisfied the 'move' condition back when you originally knocked the creature out

* note that when you cast it you also choose an ability (Str, Dex, etc.), and when you move it the same ability is hexed; you don't get to choose a different ability score

[Malifice]

Regarding Hex, would it be unreasonable to switch the Hex to a horse or volunteer between fights so that the warlock need not expend slots per fight.

Example, so the group enters the dungeon, gets into fight with goblin ninja vampires and the warlock casts Hex on one of them as usual switching as they die etc, but when all the goblins are dead could he then switch the Hex to a familiar or volunteer player to reserve for the next fight, so the players carry on after the goblin fight and within ten minutes of the first fight they spot a mad jelly and roll initiative, the warlock switches the Hex from his mule to the jelly and fight as usual.

Is this scenerio possible/normal for warlocks?

Read the spell again. You dont need to.

You can re-apply the Hex on any subsequent turn as long as you're concentrating on it.

So you finish a fight with some goblins, and 10 minutes later start a fight with some orcs. You can shift Hex on turn 1 of that combat (it's a subsequent turn to the final turn of the last fight).

[Mad_Saulot]

My Warlock has asked for a magic item that allows him to concentrate on 2 spells at the same time, should I allow this is it overpowered, if I should allow it how valuable would such a thing be gold wise?

[sophontteks]

Magic items are inherently overpowered. Concentrating on two things is overpowered as well. It is extremely powerful.

[DeTess]

My Warlock has asked for a magic item that allows him to concentrate on 2 spells at the same time, should I allow this is it overpowered, if I should allow it how valuable would such a thing be gold wise?

I agree that it is extremely powerful. If he's looking specifically for something to keep hex up though, that might not be too bad, as long as it requires atunement (so it'd be an item specifically for holding concentration on hex, and nothing else). Another option would be for him to get a ring of spell-storing, load it with the spells of his choice and hand it to a party-member that doesn't have concentration spells. Especially for a long-duration spell like hex, it would be a suitable solution.

[Mad_Saulot]

So I've decided to allow it here's what I told my Warlock:

"ok, such an item does exist but they are rare, only the enclave can source the item, they call it a Hex Ring (Rare) requires attunement by a Warlock and it allows free concentration on a Hex castby you. They charge 5,000g, They dont have it on site and must order it from Thay"

He doesnt have the money...yet

[sophontteks]

So I've decided to allow it here's what I told my Warlock:

"ok, such an item does exist but they are rare, only the enclave can source the item, they call it a Hex Ring (Rare) requires attunement by a Warlock and it allows free concentration on a Hex castby you. They charge 5,000g, They dont have it on site and must order it from Thay"

He doesnt have the money...yet
That's a steal. I'd be careful giving such items away with money.

[Mad_Saulot]

That's a steal. I'd be careful giving such items away with money.

Aye I agree with you, but The Thayan Enclave are shady mothers so dealing with them isnt always a good plan, esp when in this game they use warlocks as cannon fodder, thing is though I cant just send him off on an adventure to get it, thee group as a whole is involved in a grand quest and going off on personal quests for purely selfish reasons probably would be a none starter for my lot.

[sophontteks]

They don't have to quest for the item. You could have the item available in the quest they are on. Its typical to have items relevent to the characters as awards. In 5e players don't usually get to make requests for specific items IC and expect any answers due to their rarity.

[Mad_Saulot]

Good point

[Laserlight]

That's a steal. I'd be careful giving such items away with money.


Yeah, I would be extremely cautious about that one, particularly with a long duration spell like Hex.

[Zhorn]

If they do obtain it, I'd be sure to clarify that if concentration is broken on one spell, the other is also broken.