I'm currently playing a Beguiler Wizard from Xanathar's Lost Notes to Everything Else and absolutely loving the firebolt sneak attack mechanics. For those unfamiliar, the Beguiler is a more wizard-y Arcane Trickster that gets bonus damage with attack cantrips if the same conditions of sneak attack are met. Super fun and flexible, excellent social skills, but not overpowered.
For my next build, I have to head back to my roots with a Bard and Xanathar's Guide introduces us to the School of Whispers and the Hexblade Warlock. Both use Charisma, and a few levels of Hexblade should allow me to attack using Charisma instead of Dexterity. I'd like to play him like Jarlaxle from the Drizzt novels, being highly charismatic, confident, sarcastic, and sly. I'm torn between creating a Half Elf for the obvious reasons, a Drow, a Half-Drow, or Human variant. I expect to be in hasted in most combats after I get that at 10th, and will likely fight using a hand crossbow most of the time (crossbow mastery) gaining sneak attacks via the 3rd level Whispers ability.
Of course, the real question is how long do I go before hopping into my Hexblade dip, and for how long? With 2 levels I gain basic Hexblade options, including the shield spell, and 3 cantrips (Green Flame Blade, Eldritch Blast, plus ??), two Invocations, three spells known (HEX, plus ??), and two free 1st level spell slots per short rest. Then of course there is the Pact, which I am now considering Pact of the Chain with Gift of the Ever-Living Ones for maximum healing, and Agonizing Blast of course.
Assuming this is 12th level with 10 bard and 2 warlock, I would be throwing out 5 attacks per round (provided all conditions are met). I'll be able to cast Haste on myself, so I could be using Eldritch Blast at close range, with no disadvantage, and then fire a hand crossbow as my haste action, and the crossbow mastery bonus action shot. Thoughts? Ideas and Suggestions are welcome.
I was thinking this for my next character, something like hex 5/ rest whispers for min/max or 6 hex for accursed specter and rest bard @ 12 for rp, you can steal a humanoids physical form and memories with bard and their soul with hexblade. Either way you want Eldritch smite, thirsting blade. 9/11 or 10/10 works too, start your day with 4 5th lvl spells and 4-6 more throughout the day.
I played a similar character (Changeling Hexblade / Whispers), who was a master of disguise hell-bent on taking down a criminal organization from the inside.
I actually started hexblade for the Wisdom save proficiency, took that to 2 so I could get darkvision (as changelings don't get it naturally), and then went Whispers.
I am a Sword bard and I dipped 1 level in Hex at level 2. Yes this make me wait a level for my Bard stuff but it fit well for it. I am think of taking the second dip into Hex after I get my extra attack. (Curretly level 5 (sword 4/Hex1)).
I took him to 4th level as a Swords Bard, took one level of Hexblade and then took 3 levels of Rogue to go Swashbuckler. My next level is going to be Rogue 4 for a sorely needed ASI, but then I'm not sure where to go. That one level of Hexblade delayed my ASI, but I gained Hex Warrior, medium armor and shields (my DM let me refluff using a cloak as a shield so I can be a Spanish style cloak and rapier duelist), the Shield spell and Booming Blade, so I think it was worth it. I took Expeditious Retreat to simulate Cunning Action, but now it's a redundant spell and I can't wait to take another level of Warlock so I can replace it with something else.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Canto alla vita alla sua bellezza ad ogni sua ferita ogni sua carezza!
I sing to life and to its tragic beauty To pain and to strife, but all that dances through me The rise and the fall, I've lived through it all!
I'm currently playing a Beguiler Wizard from Xanathar's Lost Notes to Everything Else and absolutely loving the firebolt sneak attack mechanics. For those unfamiliar, the Beguiler is a more wizard-y Arcane Trickster that gets bonus damage with attack cantrips if the same conditions of sneak attack are met. Super fun and flexible, excellent social skills, but not overpowered.
For my next build, I have to head back to my roots with a Bard and Xanathar's Guide introduces us to the School of Whispers and the Hexblade Warlock. Both use Charisma, and a few levels of Hexblade should allow me to attack using Charisma instead of Dexterity. I'd like to play him like Jarlaxle from the Drizzt novels, being highly charismatic, confident, sarcastic, and sly. I'm torn between creating a Half Elf for the obvious reasons, a Drow, a Half-Drow, or Human variant. I expect to be in hasted in most combats after I get that at 10th, and will likely fight using a hand crossbow most of the time (crossbow mastery) gaining sneak attacks via the 3rd level Whispers ability.
Of course, the real question is how long do I go before hopping into my Hexblade dip, and for how long? With 2 levels I gain basic Hexblade options, including the shield spell, and 3 cantrips (Green Flame Blade, Eldritch Blast, plus ??), two Invocations, three spells known (HEX, plus ??), and two free 1st level spell slots per short rest. Then of course there is the Pact, which I am now considering Pact of the Chain with Gift of the Ever-Living Ones for maximum healing, and Agonizing Blast of course.
Assuming this is 12th level with 10 bard and 2 warlock, I would be throwing out 5 attacks per round (provided all conditions are met). I'll be able to cast Haste on myself, so I could be using Eldritch Blast at close range, with no disadvantage, and then fire a hand crossbow as my haste action, and the crossbow mastery bonus action shot. Thoughts? Ideas and Suggestions are welcome.
Going through this now, atm at 5th bard and wondering when to dip and how far. Thoughts have been 1, 2, 3 or 5.
Eld blast, handcrossbow, shortbow, or bow out of hex and go for old one.
I was thinking this for my next character, something like hex 5/ rest whispers for min/max or 6 hex for accursed specter and rest bard @ 12 for rp, you can steal a humanoids physical form and memories with bard and their soul with hexblade. Either way you want Eldritch smite, thirsting blade. 9/11 or 10/10 works too, start your day with 4 5th lvl spells and 4-6 more throughout the day.
I just got 6th lvl now and got my first hexblade lvl. As I was pondering this choice I had a crazy multi-dip idea.
Whisper bard - 11
Hexblade warlock - 5
War wizard - 2
Fighter - 2 (+2 ranged attack and action surge)
Thirsting blade, devil sight, improved pact weapon.
Bow and rapier for the cha bonus from hex warrior
One feat being warcaster for the sword and board casting. Have atm a solid base of hp, getting a breastplate and shield next time we go to town.
Darkness and melee when able, bow and spells when not.
Focus and drive are revenge, and I Can Not Fail. Its the one thing that he fears. Because there is no plan b.
I played a similar character (Changeling Hexblade / Whispers), who was a master of disguise hell-bent on taking down a criminal organization from the inside.
I actually started hexblade for the Wisdom save proficiency, took that to 2 so I could get darkvision (as changelings don't get it naturally), and then went Whispers.
Site Info: Wizard's ToS | Fan Content Policy | Forum Rules | Physical Books | Content Not Working | Contact Support
How To: Homebrew Rules | Create Homebrew | Snippet Codes | Tool Tips (Custom) | Rollables (Generator)
My Homebrew: Races | Subclasses | Backgrounds | Feats | Spells | Magic Items
Other: Beyond20 | Page References | Other Guides | Entitlements | Dice Randomization | Images Fix | FAQ
I am a Sword bard and I dipped 1 level in Hex at level 2. Yes this make me wait a level for my Bard stuff but it fit well for it. I am think of taking the second dip into Hex after I get my extra attack. (Curretly level 5 (sword 4/Hex1)).
I spell Goodly.
This is my current character: Fiego Laurentis de Gryphon
I took him to 4th level as a Swords Bard, took one level of Hexblade and then took 3 levels of Rogue to go Swashbuckler. My next level is going to be Rogue 4 for a sorely needed ASI, but then I'm not sure where to go. That one level of Hexblade delayed my ASI, but I gained Hex Warrior, medium armor and shields (my DM let me refluff using a cloak as a shield so I can be a Spanish style cloak and rapier duelist), the Shield spell and Booming Blade, so I think it was worth it. I took Expeditious Retreat to simulate Cunning Action, but now it's a redundant spell and I can't wait to take another level of Warlock so I can replace it with something else.
Canto alla vita
alla sua bellezza
ad ogni sua ferita
ogni sua carezza!
I sing to life and to its tragic beauty
To pain and to strife, but all that dances through me
The rise and the fall, I've lived through it all!
You should take some levels in shadow monk