Before any damage has been done with it, would a hexed target know they have been hexed? It seems like non-damage spells that alert the target to being effected state it clearly in the description, like charm, or friends. Is there some rule about this I'm failing to find with google?
RAW: You place a curse on a creature that you can see within range. Until the spell ends, you deal an extra 1d6 necrotic damage to the target whenever you hit it with an attack. Also, choose one ability when you cast the spell. The target has disadvantage on ability checks made with the chosen ability.
A hex is a type of curse, albeit somewhat small compared to others. From p. 139 of the DMG, a curse should be a surprise to the item's user when the curse's effects are revealed.
Now granted, this is a reference to a cursed item, but I think the same logic holds. A person might figure something is wrong, but a PC, having been wounded, won't likely be able to tell the difference between force damage and necrotic in the heat of battle. It's just... More ouch. As for telling whether or not you have disadvantage on a given roll, without metagaming, how would a PC know in one instance? Over time, they might say, goodness, I've been dropping my ale all over the bar, why's that? But during the heat of the momentT?o They wouldn't know. Of course, this assumes that they aren't a low Dex character who's used to being clumsy. ;)
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May the gentle moonlinght guide you to greater wisdom
I think it also depends on how the effects are described and how much flavour or effect is put into it.
For instnace, the Celestial Warlock in the game i run has a halo appear over the head of the target of their hex and so its farily obvious something has happened but I've used NPC Hexes where Shadows have leeched into those of the target and then said they "feel a wave of weakness washes over them" for afeecting their Strength ability checks, "Intense Nausea nearly causes them to double over" for Constitution, "Numbness seep into their hands and feet" for Dexterity etc.
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Before any damage has been done with it, would a hexed target know they have been hexed? It seems like non-damage spells that alert the target to being effected state it clearly in the description, like charm, or friends. Is there some rule about this I'm failing to find with google?
RAW: You place a curse on a creature that you can see within range. Until the spell ends, you deal an extra 1d6 necrotic damage to the target whenever you hit it with an attack. Also, choose one ability when you cast the spell. The target has disadvantage on ability checks made with the chosen ability.
A hex is a type of curse, albeit somewhat small compared to others. From p. 139 of the DMG, a curse should be a surprise to the item's user when the curse's effects are revealed.
Now granted, this is a reference to a cursed item, but I think the same logic holds. A person might figure something is wrong, but a PC, having been wounded, won't likely be able to tell the difference between force damage and necrotic in the heat of battle. It's just... More ouch. As for telling whether or not you have disadvantage on a given roll, without metagaming, how would a PC know in one instance? Over time, they might say, goodness, I've been dropping my ale all over the bar, why's that? But during the heat of the momentT?o They wouldn't know. Of course, this assumes that they aren't a low Dex character who's used to being clumsy. ;)
May the gentle moonlinght guide you to greater wisdom
I think it also depends on how the effects are described and how much flavour or effect is put into it.
For instnace, the Celestial Warlock in the game i run has a halo appear over the head of the target of their hex and so its farily obvious something has happened but I've used NPC Hexes where Shadows have leeched into those of the target and then said they "feel a wave of weakness washes over them" for afeecting their Strength ability checks, "Intense Nausea nearly causes them to double over" for Constitution, "Numbness seep into their hands and feet" for Dexterity etc.