[3.5 Revision]Hexblade

[lvl 1 fighter]

I'm a Hexblade!

Purpose: To make the Hexblade a class that someone would actually consider taking all 20 levels in AND have an unique and effective ability at all reasonable levels.

Reasonable meaning before Primary Casters have the ability to drastically change or eliminate whatever plane of existence you find yourself on. I'm not going to redesign a warrior class that's balanced with those guys. Hopefully this Hexblade won't be gimped from the start.

The change to the mechanic of his curse is modeled on two successful classes: The Warlock and The Dragonfire Adept.

The Curse is changed to an Invocation, usable at-will as a swift action. The duration is reduced to 2 rounds.

Instead of learning other Invocations or Spells, a Hexblade learns Curse Effects that modify his Curse Invocation. These function similarly to the Dragonfire Adepts Breath Effects.

So the end result is that you have an ability that is based on established rules, scales in power, and actually makes the class useful besides a 3-level dip.


Note:This isn't complete, but this is the basis for my idea. Any thoughts or criticisms are weclome. I will update this post as I have time to develop the class./Note

Key Changes: No Spells, Familiar, or Bonus Feats
Components Adapted from Mike Mearls Hexblade "Fix" | Dead Levels II |


Alignment: Any nongood
Hit Die: d10

Class Skills (2+Int modifier per level): Bluff(Cha), Craft(Int), Diplomacy(Cha), Intimidate(Cha), Knowledge(Arcana)(Int), Profession(Wis), Ride(Dex), Spellcraft(Int)

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: All Simple and Martial weapons, Light and Medium Armor, and Shields (except tower shields). Because the somatic components for a Hexblades Curse are relatively simple, a Hexblade can use light armor and light shields without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance.


HEXBLADE
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|

+1

|

+2

|

+0

|

+2

|Hexblades Curse, Armored Mage(Light)

2nd|

+2

|

+3

|

+0

|

+3

|Arcane Resistance, Curse Effect

3rd|

+3

|

+3

|

+1

|

+3

|Mettle

4th|

+4

|

+4

|

+1

|

+4

|Armored Mage(Medium)

5th|

+5

|

+4

|

+1

|

+4

|Curse Effect

6th|

+6

|

+5

|

+2

|

+5

|Armored Mage(Heavy Shield), Forced Omens

7th|

+7

|

+5

|

+2

|

+5

|Greater Curse

8th|

+8

|

+6

|

+2

|

+6

|Forced Omens (Silent),Aura of Unluck 1/day

9th|

+9

|

+6

|

+3

|

+6

|

10th|

10x

|

+7

|

+3

|

+7

|Curse Effect

11th|

+11

|

+7

|

+3

|

+7

|Forced Omens (Still)

12th|

+12

|

+8

|

+4

|

+8

|Aura of Unluck 2/day, Curse Effect

13th|

+13

|

+8

|

+4

|

+8

|Improved Mettle

14th|

+14

|

+9

|

+4

|

+9

|Dire Curse

15th|

+15

|

+9

|

+5

|

+9

|Curse Effect

16th|

+16

|

+10

|

+5

|

+10

|Forced Omens (at will)

17th|

+17

|

+10

|

+5

|

+10

|Greater Aura of Unluck 3/day

18th|

+18

|

+11

|

+6

|

+11

|

19th|

+19

|

+11

|

+6

|

+11

|

20th|

+20

|

+12

|

+6

|

+12

|Greater Aura of Unluck 4/day, Curse Effect[/table]

Class Features:

Hexblades Curse(Sp): The Hexblade knows only a single Invocation: the Hexblade Curse. At low-levels the Curse is weak and temporary. As a Hexblade gains in power, so does the effectiveness and potency of his Curse increase. At first level a hexblades Curse imposes a -2 penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls for 2 rounds. A successful Will save negates the effect (DC 10 + 1/2 hexblade's class level + Cha mod).

A Hexblades Curse is the equivalent of a spell whose level is equal to one-half the hexblade's class level (round down), with a minimum spell level of 1st and a maximum spell level of 9th when a hexblade reaches 18th level or higher.

A Hexblades Curse is subject to spell resistance, although the Spell Penetration feat and other effects that improve caster level checks to overcome spell resistance also apply to a hexblades curse. Metamagic feats cannot improve a hexblades curse, though the feat Ability Focus (hexblades curse) increases the DC for all saving throws associated with a hexblades curse.

A creature can only be affected by a single Curse at a time. If a creature is under the effect of a Hexblades Curse and they are targeted by the same or another Hexblades Curse, the second Curse automatically fails, causing no effect.

Armored Mage(ex):The somatic components for the Hexblades curse are simple enough that a Hexblade can use light armor and light shields without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. This ability only applies to the Hexblades Curse, not other spells or spell like abilities a Hexblade may learn through another class.

At 4th level this ability extends to medium armor.

At 6th level a Hexblade may use a heavy shield while ignoring the arcane spell failure chance.

Arcane Resistance(Su): As Hexblade.

Mettle(ex): As Hexblade.

Curse Effect:
At second level a Hexblade learns his first Curse Effect. A Hexblade may alter his Curse with a Curse Effect that he knows. The chosen effect modifies or replaces the standard effect of the curse. A Hexblade may apply only one Curse Effect to a Curse at a time. At 5th, 10th, 12th, 15th, and 20th level a Hexblade may select a Curse Effect for which he meets the minimum level prerequisite.

Hexblade Curse Effects
{table=head]Minimum Level|Curse Effect|Benefit


2nd |Cripple |Curse applies a -2 penalty to a single ability score. Penalty increases with Greater and Dire curse (-4 & -6).
2nd |Inhibit |Each turn the target has a 50% chance to act normally; otherwise it takes no actions.
2nd |Silent |Creature is affected as if by Silence spell, affecting only the target.
5th |Slow |Creature is affected as if by Slow spell.
5th |Split |Curse affects two targets which must be within 30ft of each other.
10th |Extend |Duration of the Curse is doubled.
10th |Sleep |Creature is affected as if by Sleep spell for 1 round. Creatures that make their saving throw are instead exhausted for 1 round. Any creature whose Hit Dice exceeds your Hexblade level is unaffected by this curse effect.
10th |Burst |Curse affects all enemies within a 20ft radius emanation, centered on you.
15th |Paralyzing |Curse Paralyzes target for 1 round.
15th |Fear |Creature is affected as if by Fear spell. Creatures that make their saving throw are instead shaken for 1 round.
15th |Chain |Curse affects up to the Hexblades Charisma modifier in targets. Each secondary target must be within 30ft of the primary target and no target may affected more than once.[/table]

Forced Omens(ex): Hexblades gain the ability to use Prestidigation as a Spell Like Ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + their Charisma modifier. The Hexblades Armored Mage ability applies to Forced Omens.

At 8th level the Forced Omens ability instead reproduces a Silent Prestidigitation effect.

At 11th level the Forced Omens ability duplicates a Stilled, Silent Prestidigation effect.

At 16th level a Hexblade may use his Forced Omens ability at will.

Greater Curse(Sp): The penalty imposed by a Curse or Curse Effect increases to -4 and the Hexblades Curse last's 4 rounds.

Aura of Unluck(Su): As Hexblade.

Improved Mettle(ex): If subjected to an effect that allows a Fortitude or Will save for a partial or half effect, a Hexblade takes only the partial or half effect on a failed save (and no effect on a successful save, just as with Mettle).

Dire Curse(Sp): The penalty imposed by a Curse or Curse Effect increases to -6 and the Hexblades Curses lasts 6 rounds.

Greater Aura of Unluck(Su): The miss chance granted by the Aura of Unluck increases to 50%.

[lvl 1 fighter]

8/15/09 - Updated the post with Curse Effects.

[lvl 1 fighter]

No one's got anything to say? Over a hundred views and no comments...

[SlaadLord]

Hmmm. I think this is a good fix for the Hexblade, making it more like a specialized warlock/fighter than a "ranger sorcerer" or sorts. Mind you, I've never played with the published Hexblade, but I like the sound of this. I'd be willing to give this a quick playtest.

[lvl 1 fighter]

Hmmm. I think this is a good fix for the Hexblade, making it more like a specialized warlock/fighter than a "ranger sorcerer" or sorts. Mind you, I've never played with the published Hexblade, but I like the sound of this. I'd be willing to give this a quick playtest.

If you do test it please let me know how it plays. I'm starting a new campaign with a 2nd level Hexblade soon, so I'll post my experiences with it as well.

[Keld Denar]

Forced Omens seems....a lot lackluster. Don't get me wrong, Prestidigitation is probably the coolest 0th level spell...but its still 0th level. If you made it, like, Silent Image or something, that would be much cooler. Otherwise, maybe do something else.

I mean, as it stands, an 11th level character can undetectably...turn someone's hair blue. Wooooooo.....

[lvl 1 fighter]

Forced Omens seems....a lot lackluster. Don't get me wrong, Prestidigitation is probably the coolest 0th level spell...but its still 0th level. If you made it, like, Silent Image or something, that would be much cooler. Otherwise, maybe do something else.

I mean, as it stands, an 11th level character can undetectably...turn someone's hair blue. Wooooooo.....

It's definitely not one of the most powerful abilities. It's meant to fill in the dead levels, as the article says, mainly with weak, fluff powers.

Consider this though: It's an unique ability that, as far as I know, only the Hexblade has. Silent & Stilled cantrips X number of times per day aren't that powerful, but I think it fits with the flavor of the class. They aren't powerful casters, yet they have an unique understanding of magic. To me this is just another example of that.

[Cedrass]

I agree with you on the intend of the Forced Omen ability, but Prestidigitation may be fun, but it is still a useless spell =/

My advice is to make it some spell like Read Magic or Detect Magic. Or even Amanuensis (Spell Comp). It's nothing game breaking, however it is still a lot more useful than Prestidigitation.

[lvl 1 fighter]

I agree with you on the intend of the Forced Omen ability, but Prestidigitation may be fun, but it is still a useless spell =/

My advice is to make it some spell like Read Magic or Detect Magic. Or even Amanuensis (Spell Comp). It's nothing game breaking, however it is still a lot more useful than Prestidigitation.

Hmmm. What if a Hexblade was able to choose 3 zero level Sorcerer/Wizard spells instead of Prestidigation? There's a few feats out there that grant a similar ability.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Hmmm. What if a Hexblade was able to choose 3 zero level Sorcerer/Wizard spells instead of Prestidigation? There's a few feats out there that grant a similar ability.

Honestly, letting them cast any cantrip wouldn't be overpowering at all at the level they get it, and would give a very nice flavor to the class.

[Flame of Anor]

Honestly, letting them cast any cantrip wouldn't be overpowering at all at the level they get it, and would give a very nice flavor to the class.

I was so sure you had said "catnip".

[Cedrass]

Hmmm. What if a Hexblade was able to choose 3 zero level Sorcerer/Wizard spells instead of Prestidigation? There's a few feats out there that grant a similar ability.

This, I like really. I say do it!

[Dragon Elite]

I agree too. 3 0th or maybe 1 1st

[deuxhero]

Honestly, letting them cast any cantrip wouldn't be overpowering at all at the level they get it, and would give a very nice flavor to the class.

I don't know, Cure Minor Wounds would be broken if they could use it at will. Only one cheesy binder combo allows endless healing like that as far as I know.

But as sorc/wiz cantrips go, yes, not that powerful.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

I was so sure you had said "catnip".

Well, there's a launch item spell, so he technically could cast catnip at things all day long....

I don't know, Cure Minor Wounds would be broken if they could use it at will. Only one cheesy binder combo allows endless healing like that as far as I know.

But as sorc/wiz cantrips go, yes, not that powerful.

That's why I said "cantrip" and not "0th-level spells"--CMW is an orison.

[Mr.Smashy]

I agree with you on the intend of the Forced Omen ability, but Prestidigitation may be fun, but it is still a useless spell =/

My advice is to make it some spell like Read Magic or Detect Magic. Or even Amanuensis (Spell Comp). It's nothing game breaking, however it is still a lot more useful than Prestidigitation.

Not to an assassin. Colorless and tasteless... poison anyone?

[UserClone]

Yeah, definitely make it any three sor/wiz cantrips of their choice. We need to fill in those dead levels, methinks. What about a choice between Fighter bonus feats and Spelltouched feats, with no prereq for the latter except that he may only select ones whose prereq normally includes a spell that would be castable by a wizard of his level. So he could only choose Controlled Immolation, say, as a bonus feat if he were 5th level or higher, since that's the earliest level a Wizard could cast the prerequisite fireball spell...something like that? Just throwing ideas out there. Or no prereq at all, idunno. Throw the class a bone.

[Lord_Gareth]

You may wanna check my Hexblade re-write for some ideas in my siggy.