I've playing Dungeons and Dragons during these hard times. I started studying The Hexblade Warlocks and I liked the subclass concept a lot, but reading it made me very confusing.
Firstly, I thought Patron was a Magic Weapon then I discover Its was a Shadowfell Entity behind from these Weapons.
The RAW texts of Pact of the Blade and Hexblade are terrible ambiguous. There are many discussions on the internet and Sage advice.
Level 6 feature don't seen to fit and level 14 has low flavor and little to add.
Why Invest so much to be a melee or range with weapon attack if you can Eldritch Blast more times and little investment (Rod of the Pact Keeper)
If you got a artifact or a sentient weapon you cant pact with it? Come on, really? 1 attack each turn using your STR or DEX. That's even worse than The Undying hahahah
Also there are some people that love and hate this class hehehe. Too much passion on this topic :D Lets try to be constructive.
I would like to share with you some ideas of a Variant Hexblade. The goal of this variant subclass is to remain loyal to its play style and give more flavor e options as a melee.
Please, let me know what you think, what we can improve and where we can make the RAW text better. Thank you !
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Version 1.1 (Spells Fixes Ability, Multi Attack, 6th and14th Balance)
You have made your pact with a mysterious entity from the Shadowfell whose force manifests through you as shadow matter and dark energy.
The shadowy force can offer power to warlocks who form pacts with it. Many Shadowfell warlocks can manipulate shadow matter create material magic weapons that emulate those formed in the Shadowfell. Others forgo such arms, content to weave the dark energy as magic of that plane into their spellcasting.
The Shadowfell is home to a mysterious form of undead called Shadows and a race of humanoids known as Shades. Your patron could be Drasek Riven, Raven Queen, or some other Dark Powers of the Shadowfell.
Drasek Riven is a one-eyed, former Zhentarim assassin, cold-hearted and efficient killer, and never showed any sympathy towards anyone or anything other than canines. Upon the release of the remaining divinity of Mask, Riven chose to take up the task of becoming the new incarnation of the Lord of Shadows. Most Shadowfell Blades warlocks of Lord of Shadows are merciless killers that wonders on the Material Plane.
Raven Queen is known to have forged the first magical weapon, many sages speculate that she and the force are one and that the weapons, along with Shadowfell Blades warlocks, are tools she uses to manipulate events on the Material Plane to her inscrutable ends of collecting memories from the living and sometimes the souls of the dead.
Expanded Spell List
The Shadowfell lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.
Starting at 1st level, you gain the ability to place a baleful curse on someone. Once per turn, before you attack a creature with a cantrip, a Shadow Weapon or a Pact Weapon, you can curse that creature for 1 minute. The curse ends early if the target dies, you die, or you are incapacitated. Until the curse ends, you gain the following benefits:
You gain a bonus to damage rolls against the cursed target. The bonus equals your proficiency bonus.
Any attack roll you make against the cursed target is a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the d20.
If the cursed target dies, you regain hit points or temporary hit points equal to your warlock level + your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1 hit point).
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.
Spreading Shadows
Starting at 14th level, you can spread your Curse of Shadows from a slain creature to another creature. After the creature cursed by your Curse of Shadows dies, once per turn, on same turn or on the following turns, you can spread the curse to a different creature before you attack a creature with a cantrip, a Shadow Weapon or a Pact Weapon. When you spread the curse in this way, you don’t regain hit points or or temporary hit points from the death of the previously cursed creature.
Shadow Warrior
At 1st level, you acquire the training necessary to effectively arm yourself for battle. You gain proficiency with medium armor, shields, and martial weapons.
The influence of your patron also allows you to mystically channel your will through a particular weapon to become your Shadow Weapon. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with and that lacks the two-handed property. When you attack with that weapon, you can use your Charisma modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls. This benefit lasts until you finish a long rest.
If you later gain the Pact of the Blade feature, you gain the following benefits:
Creating a pact weapon is free object interaction and every pact weapon you conjure is considered a Shadow Weapon, no matter the weapon’s type.
You can affect and transform an artifact or a sentient weapon into your pact weapon. Shunting it into an extradimensional space restrictions may apply.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level in this class, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn and you can transform up to two magic weapons into your pact weapon.
The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 11th level in this class. and you can transform up to three magic weapons into your pact weapon.
Dark Energy
Starting at 6th level, when you slay a creature, you can drain and store three Dark Energy. You can manipulate these dark energy in any of the ways described below:
Dark Magic: As a bonus action, you can spend one Dark Energy to regain one warlock spell slot. Once you use this feature twice, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Dark Memories: You can spend one Dark Energy (no action required) to in the blink of an eye experience one past memories of the slayed creature. You can try to perceive one specific situation such It's conversation to someone, it's most dangerous encounter, it's last hunt, it's last dream, etc.
Dark Summon: As a reaction, immediately after you drain Dark Energy, or as a action you can spend two Dark Energy to cast one summon spells that you know from warlocks class that has a casting time of 1 action using your highest spell level up to 6th. It doesn’t require concentration, the summoned creature always obeys your verbal commands and remains in your service until the end of your next long rest, at which point it vanishes leaving nothing behind. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Once you drain dark energy with this feature, you can’t use the feature again until you finish a long rest.
Armor of Shadows
At 10th level, if the target cursed by your Curse of Shadows hits you with an attack roll, you can to roll a d6. On a 4 or higher, you can use your reaction to make the attack miss you, regardless of its roll.
Resistant Shadows
Starting at 14th level, your Armor of Shadows grows stronger. You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage of targets cursed by your spells or warlock features.
Master of Shadows
Starting at 14th level, your Armor of Shadows and Curse of Shadows grow stronger.
Resistant Shadows
You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage of targets cursed by your spells or warlock features.
Spreading Shadows
You can spread your Curse of Shadows from a slain creature to another creature. After the creature cursed by your Curse of Shadows dies, once per turn, on same turn or on the following turns, you can spread the curse to a different creature before you attack a creature with a cantrip, a Shadow Weapon or a Pact Weapon. When you spread the curse in this way, you don’t regain hit points or or temporary hit points from the death of the previously cursed creature.
Hello guy ! I hope you all are healthy and safe.
I've playing Dungeons and Dragons during these hard times. I started studying The Hexblade Warlocks and I liked the subclass concept a lot, but reading it made me very confusing.
I would like to share with you some ideas of a Variant Hexblade. The goal of this variant subclass is to remain loyal to its play style and give more flavor e options as a melee.
Please, let me know what you think, what we can improve and where we can make the RAW text better. Thank you !
------
Version 1.1 (Spells Fixes Ability, Multi Attack, 6th and14th Balance)
Shadowfell (Hexblade Variant)
The Shadowfell
You have made your pact with a mysterious entity from the Shadowfell whose force manifests through you as shadow matter and dark energy.
The shadowy force can offer power to warlocks who form pacts with it. Many Shadowfell warlocks can manipulate shadow matter create material magic weapons that emulate those formed in the Shadowfell. Others forgo such arms, content to weave the dark energy as magic of that plane into their spellcasting.
The Shadowfell is home to a mysterious form of undead called Shadows and a race of humanoids known as Shades. Your patron could be Drasek Riven, Raven Queen, or some other Dark Powers of the Shadowfell.
Drasek Riven is a one-eyed, former Zhentarim assassin, cold-hearted and efficient killer, and never showed any sympathy towards anyone or anything other than canines. Upon the release of the remaining divinity of Mask, Riven chose to take up the task of becoming the new incarnation of the Lord of Shadows. Most Shadowfell Blades warlocks of Lord of Shadows are merciless killers that wonders on the Material Plane.
Raven Queen is known to have forged the first magical weapon, many sages speculate that she and the force are one and that the weapons, along with Shadowfell Blades warlocks, are tools she uses to manipulate events on the Material Plane to her inscrutable ends of collecting memories from the living and sometimes the souls of the dead.
Expanded Spell List
The Shadowfell lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.
Shadowfell Expanded Spells
Curse of Shadows
Starting at 1st level, you gain the ability to place a baleful curse on someone. Once per turn, before you attack a creature with a cantrip, a Shadow Weapon or a Pact Weapon, you can curse that creature for 1 minute. The curse ends early if the target dies, you die, or you are incapacitated. Until the curse ends, you gain the following benefits:
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.
Spreading Shadows
Starting at 14th level, you can spread your Curse of Shadows from a slain creature to another creature. After the creature cursed by your Curse of Shadows dies, once per turn, on same turn or on the following turns, you can spread the curse to a different creature before you attack a creature with a cantrip, a Shadow Weapon or a Pact Weapon. When you spread the curse in this way, you don’t regain hit points or or temporary hit points from the death of the previously cursed creature.
Shadow Warrior
At 1st level, you acquire the training necessary to effectively arm yourself for battle. You gain proficiency with medium armor, shields, and martial weapons.
The influence of your patron also allows you to mystically channel your will through a particular weapon to become your Shadow Weapon. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with and that lacks the two-handed property. When you attack with that weapon, you can use your Charisma modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls. This benefit lasts until you finish a long rest.
If you later gain the Pact of the Blade feature, you gain the following benefits:
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level in this class, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn and you can transform up to two magic weapons into your pact weapon.
The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 11th level in this class. and you can transform up to three magic weapons into your pact weapon.
Dark Energy
Starting at 6th level, when you slay a creature, you can drain and store three Dark Energy. You can manipulate these dark energy in any of the ways described below:
Once you drain dark energy with this feature, you can’t use the feature again until you finish a long rest.
Armor of Shadows
At 10th level, if the target cursed by your Curse of Shadows hits you with an attack roll, you can to roll a d6. On a 4 or higher, you can use your reaction to make the attack miss you, regardless of its roll.
Resistant Shadows
Starting at 14th level, your Armor of Shadows grows stronger. You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage of targets cursed by your spells or warlock features.
Master of Shadows
Starting at 14th level, your Armor of Shadows and Curse of Shadows grow stronger.
Resistant Shadows
You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage of targets cursed by your spells or warlock features.
Spreading Shadows
You can spread your Curse of Shadows from a slain creature to another creature. After the creature cursed by your Curse of Shadows dies, once per turn, on same turn or on the following turns, you can spread the curse to a different creature before you attack a creature with a cantrip, a Shadow Weapon or a Pact Weapon. When you spread the curse in this way, you don’t regain hit points or or temporary hit points from the death of the previously cursed creature.