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Frosty
2008-08-19, 10:52 AM
I know there's a fix for hexblades floating around somewhere. It's a fix proposed by one of the original creators of the hexblade, who even admitted that the hexblade was kinda weak. Can someone copy and paste the fix here (I can't access the gleemax forums right now)?

I want to see if it's worth taking or whether it's still a POS.

hotel_papa
2008-08-19, 11:01 AM
"The hexblade suffers a little because he came on the scene relatively early in 3.5's life.
As R&D pushes the boundaries of the game, we learn that some things we thought were risky
or potentially broken aren't. Other times, we learn things that look fine don't actually
work in play.

Armored mages fall into the first category. Them seem really powerful, but in the long run they aren't. Spells and magic items allow an unarmored mage to build great defenses. The spell mage armor is as good as medium armor, and its duration allows most mages to keep it active at all times. If you compare the hexblade to the duskblade from PH 2, you can see how the thinking has changed.

If you want to boost the hexblade, I'd try the following changes:

* Good Fortitude save
* Curse ability usable 1 + the hexblade's Cha modifier per day
* Curse ability usable as a swift action
* Curse ability does not count as used if the target makes his saving throw
* Ability to cast in light or medium armor and while carrying a light shield or buckler
* At 6th level, the hexblade can cast one hexblade spell per day as a swift action, as long as its original casting time is a standard action or faster. He gains an additional use of this power at levels 8, 11, 14, and 18.

The key to the hexblade is his curse ability, but it's a little un-fun to have it so limited in use. The hexblade also has trouble casting spells and using his melee attacks, so shifting spells to swift actions fits in with the idea of an armored mage."

BTW, I had an eberron campaign where a Daelkyr Half-Blood played one of these. With these changes and the PHB 2 alternate class feature (the shadow panther instead of a familiar) he was pretty awesome, if a little moody.


HP

RagnaroksChosen
2008-08-19, 11:04 AM
I would also add a few spells on to his list, as it is a bit limited.

ghost_warlock
2008-08-19, 11:21 AM
* Curse ability usable as a swift action

Note that this is actually a nerf. The hexblade's curse is a free action out of the box.

Not that hexblades really have much in the way of other options for swift/immediate actions, but it's always nice still having them available even if you curse someone.

Frosty
2008-08-19, 11:22 AM
But an acceptable nerf. I approve of the changes.

Dhavaer
2008-08-19, 06:19 PM
Note that this is actually a nerf. The hexblade's curse is a free action out of the box.

Not that hexblades really have much in the way of other options for swift/immediate actions, but it's always nice still having them available even if you curse someone.

True, but with the change that the curse isn't expended if the save is successful, without it being made a swift action the curse would be guaranteed to work.

Frosty
2008-08-19, 06:22 PM
True, but with the change that the curse isn't expended if the save is successful, without it being made a swift action the curse would be guaranteed to work.

Huh...you're right. Glad they changed it to swift action then.

CASTLEMIKE
2008-08-19, 06:52 PM
Try plugging it into the Prestige Paladin PRC for the Prestige Hexblade.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/prestigiousCharacterClasses.htm#prestigePaladin

Frosty
2008-08-19, 07:41 PM
Are hexlbade spells Divine spells? And also, Hexblades can't be lawful good.

Chronicled
2008-08-19, 07:43 PM
Are hexlbade spells Divine spells? And also, Hexblades can't be lawful good.

Nope, Arcane. Hence the change regarding which armor/shield they can cast in.

hotel_papa
2008-08-19, 07:44 PM
No, Hexblade is any nongood and he casts arcane. What I think Castlemike is saying, however, is to reflavor the Prestige Paladin into the Prestige Hexblade. Makes sense, as the hexblade was origionally supposed to be an anti-paladin.

Not sure how to go about doing it, though.

HP

EDIT- My first ninja! It's like I really belong!

Dhavaer
2008-08-19, 07:44 PM
Are hexlbade spells Divine spells? And also, Hexblades can't be lawful good.

I think he was suggesting changing the hexblade into a prestige class using the paladin as a template, not taking the paladin as a prestige class for a hexblade.

Frosty
2008-08-19, 09:05 PM
The prestige paladin is ok I guess...so the Presrige Hexblade will advance what...arcane casting at 1/2?

CASTLEMIKE
2008-08-19, 09:09 PM
Prestige Hexblade with 15 levels advances full arcane casting +8 give it No ASF in light armor. Probably get the most bang for the buck with a 3 level dip just like with the Prestige Paladin.


No, Hexblade is any nongood and he casts arcane. What I think Castlemike is saying, however, is to reflavor the Prestige Paladin into the Prestige Hexblade. Makes sense, as the hexblade was origionally supposed to be an anti-paladin.

Not sure how to go about doing it, though.

HP

EDIT- My first ninja! It's like I really belong!

Yes one of the easiest methods is to substitute mechanically matching the Paladin class specials (using the level yardstick) to Prestige Paladin class specials and doing the same with the Hexblade class specials to Prestige Hexblade class specials.

Change the Skills: Instead of Knowledge (religion) 2 ranks, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) 2 ranks, Ride 4 ranks. Probably Knowledge (Arcana) -2, Intimidate - 2 instead of (Knowledge Nobility and Royalty) if you keep Ride 4 Ranks you can keep the Mounted Combat Feat or the Ride skill could be changed to Bluff -4 and possibly require a feat like a Reserve Feat like a Variant of Cloudy Conjuration with each Hexblade spell would be in theme

Biffoniacus_Furiou
2008-08-19, 09:32 PM
I usually fix it by going Hexblade 4/ Talon of Tiamat. Just look at the pictures of the example NPCs, they look like half-brothers wearing each others hand-me-downs. If not for the slight race difference they could be two pictures of the same guy. Hexblade is the only class that can jump into Talon of Tiamat that early, and the build is definitely worth playing power-wise.

Thurbane
2008-08-19, 10:25 PM
I would also add a few spells on to his list, as it is a bit limited.
Maybe give him an Advanced Learning class feature that allows him to add Enchantment and Necromantic Sorc/Wiz spells to his list, or something similar...

mabriss lethe
2008-08-20, 12:32 AM
I've never had any trouble with their spell list being too limited. sure it's somewhat limited, but really, you only have so many choices you can make to begin with.

If anything, the biggest boost to spellcasting I'd give them is to make their spells known mechanic function like a beguiler/warmage/dread necro. they already know their entire list, but they'll only ever cast a handfull of each spell level in a given day. It won't exactly break the class by any reasonable stretch.

Adumbration
2008-08-20, 08:43 AM
How do you think the Hexblade - with these fixes - works at first level? Is it good, is it bad, is it fun?

RagnaroksChosen
2008-08-20, 08:46 AM
you can hex more so it isn't ... i curse you.. ok im spent for the day guys...