Just hit Lvl 3 with my Hexblade and obviously taking Pact of the blade.. but I have question.
With invocations, which would you select, Improved pact weapon or devils sight? Devils sight and darkeness is obviously talked about a lot, but I think it's hard to work in a standard party setup, I can imagine most of the time it impacting other party members too much.
Improved pact weapon also makes your weapon act as a focus. Less things to juggle around if your DM follows RAW spell casting.
in all honesty, I’ve only ever seen the devil sight darkness combo work like… once. And I play a lot. Most of the time it ends up being a waste of an action and spell slot.
it’s something good if you happen to have to need darkness as a control tool, and need to use your following turns on something. Then it’s a decent strategy. But if you’re doing it for the sake of combo for damage, ehhh… there’s better things to use your spell slot on.
Dark+devil's sight can screw your party members over as well, should you be careless where you set up shop.
definitely IPW.
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Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Improved Pact Weapon all day long. There’s very little point in taking a Pact Boon and not taking at least some of the Invocations that make it great when you have the opportunity.
Currently using Agonizing blast as my ranged attack (gives a nice damage boost).
I think I'll drop Devils Sight and darkness combo for now. What other spells would be recommended instead? Already using Shield and Armour of Agathas as I've been tanking for the party a lot, maybe something like mirror image or even invisibility to add some utility
OK, so I've decided to drop Agonising blast and just rely on improved pact weapon for ranged attack (when needed). Picked up Devils sight instead.
I get it, since there's the advice stating that a heavy crossbow does better than eldritch blast until lvl 11... but I personally would advise you KEEP agonizing blast.
Here's why: 1.crossbows have that loading property. While you may have thirsting blade, unless you have crossbow expert, you can only do one shot per attack action RAW. 2. Unless you have crossbow expert feat, you'll be in quite the pickle once things get within melee range. You'd have to spend your next action to turn your pact weapon into a melee weapon.
both issues are, of course, resolved with the crossbow expert feat. but, at that point we're then comparing the argument of using a feat for a more specialized combat style, vs increasing CHA which would improve your EBs, your melee, and your spellcasting. Plus, by relying on EB, you can seamlessly switch into using your melee weapon. Of course, this assumes you want to be a hexblade that regularly goes into melee. Otherwise, maybe the heavy crossbow style might be your thing, idk.
I've agreed with my DM that instead of a Heavy crossbow I can use a pistol, same damage, and multiple shots without needing to reload, that mitigates some of the limitations of the HC. Saying that, it will be level 5 before I can get multiple shots, and by then I can pick up agonising blast again if needed.
I'm hoping that Devils Sight plus Darkeness will give me a few more options (Not just for combat, but for other situations also).
At the moment I spend a lot more time in melee combat than ranged, and with improved pact weapon I can use a pole arm or great sword, so will be even better in melee combat.
Improved pact weapon also makes your weapon act as a focus. Less things to juggle around if your DM follows RAW spell casting.
in all honesty, I’ve only ever seen the devil sight darkness combo work like… once. And I play a lot. Most of the time it ends up being a waste of an action and spell slot.
it’s something good if you happen to have to need darkness as a control tool, and need to use your following turns on something. Then it’s a decent strategy. But if you’re doing it for the sake of combo for damage, ehhh… there’s better things to use your spell slot on.
When I played a hexblade I took Devil's Sight first. But then, that party included a Shadow Sorcerer and the GM uses Drow as antagonists quite often. Which amounts to what your situation is at your table. Mine, at least in that campaign, had a ready source of Darkness spells that another party member could see through, and a high chance of those same spells being used against the party, so it made more sense to go with Devil's Sight, especially considering the character had managed to already snag a magic weapon by that point as well.
Improved Pact Weapon combined with things like Life drinker, Thirsting Blade, and Eldritch Smite will turn your Pact Weapon into a WMD at higher levels. I do believe that trying the combination with Darkness and Devil's Sight is pretty creative and fun, so don't miss out on it. You can change one Invocation every time you gain a level, remember that.
Improved Pact Weapon combined with things like Life drinker, Thirsting Blade, and Eldritch Smite will turn your Pact Weapon into a WMD at higher levels. I do believe that trying the combination with Darkness and Devil's Sight is pretty creative and fun, so don't miss out on it. You can change one Invocation every time you gain a level, remember that.
^^ this. IPW chains into really good invocations that really make blade pact work.
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Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Has anyone actually stuck with a Hexblade as a single class and not multi class? is it worth it?
Of course they have. Most people don't multiclass.
If by "worth it" you mean "playable and potentially fun in a normal campaign", all classes and subclasses are. If you mean "meets some arbitrary level of 'effectiveness'", then I don't know and don't care.
My highest level hex is 7th - hoping to get him moving upward again soonish - and I have zero plans for multiclassing. Very happy with the character as a single class.
Has anyone actually stuck with a Hexblade as a single class and not multi class? is it worth it?
I've done it twice, and it's okay. In my opinion, when others want to approach the hexblade as a gish melee combatant, you come into a couple issues like making too many trade-offs in order to perform as such. For example, if you want to be tanky, you need warcaster because you'll want to use a shield and therefore need warcaster to cast shield as a reaction spell while your hands are full. If you want to do big melee damage, GWM is of course a must, but then you're placing your trust in JUST medium armor... I don't know that I'd feel all that confident with it. Can you build around these? Yeah, for sure. Shield spell is going to help with that, as will shadow of moil. Still, a multiclass is just something that could easily remedy these short comings, and why they're so prevalent.
Still, sticking with a hexblade as a single class is going to feel alright because you're gaining more and more spells on time. Multiclassing delays these spells, and spellcasting is just the best feature in game.
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HI all,
Just hit Lvl 3 with my Hexblade and obviously taking Pact of the blade.. but I have question.
With invocations, which would you select, Improved pact weapon or devils sight? Devils sight and darkeness is obviously talked about a lot, but I think it's hard to work in a standard party setup, I can imagine most of the time it impacting other party members too much.
Seconding the choice of improved pact weapon. It's invaluable to a Hexlock.
Improved pact weapon also makes your weapon act as a focus. Less things to juggle around if your DM follows RAW spell casting.
in all honesty, I’ve only ever seen the devil sight darkness combo work like… once. And I play a lot. Most of the time it ends up being a waste of an action and spell slot.
it’s something good if you happen to have to need darkness as a control tool, and need to use your following turns on something. Then it’s a decent strategy. But if you’re doing it for the sake of combo for damage, ehhh… there’s better things to use your spell slot on.
Dark+devil's sight can screw your party members over as well, should you be careless where you set up shop.
definitely IPW.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
I would generally say Improved Pact Weapon, but it can be real fun if you have devils sight and you cast Darkness on your sword.
I wonder how plummeting hundreds of feet feels
Improved Pact Weapon all day long. There’s very little point in taking a Pact Boon and not taking at least some of the Invocations that make it great when you have the opportunity.
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Thanks.
Currently using Agonizing blast as my ranged attack (gives a nice damage boost).
I think I'll drop Devils Sight and darkness combo for now. What other spells would be recommended instead? Already using Shield and Armour of Agathas as I've been tanking for the party a lot, maybe something like mirror image or even invisibility to add some utility
OK, so I've decided to drop Agonising blast and just rely on improved pact weapon for ranged attack (when needed). Picked up Devils sight instead.
I get it, since there's the advice stating that a heavy crossbow does better than eldritch blast until lvl 11... but I personally would advise you KEEP agonizing blast.
Here's why:
1.crossbows have that loading property. While you may have thirsting blade, unless you have crossbow expert, you can only do one shot per attack action RAW.
2. Unless you have crossbow expert feat, you'll be in quite the pickle once things get within melee range. You'd have to spend your next action to turn your pact weapon into a melee weapon.
both issues are, of course, resolved with the crossbow expert feat. but, at that point we're then comparing the argument of using a feat for a more specialized combat style, vs increasing CHA which would improve your EBs, your melee, and your spellcasting. Plus, by relying on EB, you can seamlessly switch into using your melee weapon. Of course, this assumes you want to be a hexblade that regularly goes into melee. Otherwise, maybe the heavy crossbow style might be your thing, idk.
I've agreed with my DM that instead of a Heavy crossbow I can use a pistol, same damage, and multiple shots without needing to reload, that mitigates some of the limitations of the HC. Saying that, it will be level 5 before I can get multiple shots, and by then I can pick up agonising blast again if needed.
I'm hoping that Devils Sight plus Darkeness will give me a few more options (Not just for combat, but for other situations also).
At the moment I spend a lot more time in melee combat than ranged, and with improved pact weapon I can use a pole arm or great sword, so will be even better in melee combat.
When I played a hexblade I took Devil's Sight first. But then, that party included a Shadow Sorcerer and the GM uses Drow as antagonists quite often. Which amounts to what your situation is at your table. Mine, at least in that campaign, had a ready source of Darkness spells that another party member could see through, and a high chance of those same spells being used against the party, so it made more sense to go with Devil's Sight, especially considering the character had managed to already snag a magic weapon by that point as well.
Improved Pact Weapon combined with things like Life drinker, Thirsting Blade, and Eldritch Smite will turn your Pact Weapon into a WMD at higher levels. I do believe that trying the combination with Darkness and Devil's Sight is pretty creative and fun, so don't miss out on it. You can change one Invocation every time you gain a level, remember that.
^^ this. IPW chains into really good invocations that really make blade pact work.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
Has anyone actually stuck with a Hexblade as a single class and not multi class? is it worth it?
Of course they have. Most people don't multiclass.
If by "worth it" you mean "playable and potentially fun in a normal campaign", all classes and subclasses are. If you mean "meets some arbitrary level of 'effectiveness'", then I don't know and don't care.
My highest level hex is 7th - hoping to get him moving upward again soonish - and I have zero plans for multiclassing. Very happy with the character as a single class.
I've done it twice, and it's okay. In my opinion, when others want to approach the hexblade as a gish melee combatant, you come into a couple issues like making too many trade-offs in order to perform as such. For example, if you want to be tanky, you need warcaster because you'll want to use a shield and therefore need warcaster to cast shield as a reaction spell while your hands are full. If you want to do big melee damage, GWM is of course a must, but then you're placing your trust in JUST medium armor... I don't know that I'd feel all that confident with it. Can you build around these? Yeah, for sure. Shield spell is going to help with that, as will shadow of moil. Still, a multiclass is just something that could easily remedy these short comings, and why they're so prevalent.
Still, sticking with a hexblade as a single class is going to feel alright because you're gaining more and more spells on time. Multiclassing delays these spells, and spellcasting is just the best feature in game.