The best option for WotC to just not update the Hexblade. Many people just want what was in 2014. They want a subclass that was just better than the other options. I don’t think there is a way to do a 2024 Hexblade that keeps the full spirit of the 2014 version without it just being objectively better than the other warlock subclass options. I tried to.blend new and old ideas, but it seems people just want the old.
I agree. The devs should stay faithful to the original 2014 version of the Hexblade rather than remaking it. The class only needs some refinements, a few tweaks, and perhaps integration with the new weapon mastery system.
Hexblade’s Curse should remain as it was, but with CHA limited charges and integrated with Hex.
Hex Warrior should also stay the same, but expanded to include weapon mastery or new options, like what they’re currently experimenting with.
Accursed Specter should return as a Summon Undead feature. (It’s surprising how few people are talking about how this ability simply vanished.)
Armor of Hexes should remain, or alternatively provide damage reduction until the start of your next turn.
Master of Hex is the one feature that truly needs reworking. At level 14, it has always felt underwhelming. In my opinion, it should enhance curse damage, upgrading both Hexblade’s Curse and Armor of Hexes to give the capstone more weight and impact.
There are many well-received homebrew variants on D&D Beyond with strong ratings. I think that’s some of the best feedback the devs could ask for.
The best option for WotC to just not update the Hexblade. Many people just want what was in 2014. They want a subclass that was just better than the other options. I don’t think there is a way to do a 2024 Hexblade that keeps the full spirit of the 2014 version without it just being objectively better than the other warlock subclass options. I tried to.blend new and old ideas, but it seems people just want the old.
I agree. The devs should stay faithful to the original 2014 version of the Hexblade rather than remaking it. The class only needs some refinements, a few tweaks, and perhaps integration with the new weapon mastery system.
Hexblade’s Curse should remain as it was, but with CHA limited charges and integrated with Hex.
Hex Warrior should also stay the same, but expanded to include weapon mastery or new options, like what they’re currently experimenting with.
Accursed Specter should return as a Summon Undead feature. (It’s surprising how few people are talking about how this ability simply vanished.)
Armor of Hexes should remain, or alternatively provide damage reduction until the start of your next turn.
Master of Hex is the one feature that truly needs reworking. At level 14, it has always felt underwhelming. In my opinion, it should enhance curse damage, upgrading both Hexblade’s Curse and Armor of Hexes to give the capstone more weight and impact.
There are many well-received homebrew variants on D&D Beyond with strong ratings. I think that’s some of the best feedback the devs could ask for.
agree with most of it, accept for accursed specter. To me it always felt a bit weird and I did not care for it that much tbh. I would prefer Malign brutality which actually incentivizes weapon combat. Just make the attack as part of the same action of casting the spell (so its closes to the improved extra attack given to other gish subclasses and does not restrict your BA which is needed for hexblades curse itself but also smite spells and animate objects to name a few which are particular to the subclass itself), and make the inescapable hex closer to its invocation version from 2014 (teleport when you cast a curse spell or as BA if there is a ln already cursed target).
The best option for WotC to just not update the Hexblade. Many people just want what was in 2014. They want a subclass that was just better than the other options. I don’t think there is a way to do a 2024 Hexblade that keeps the full spirit of the 2014 version without it just being objectively better than the other warlock subclass options. I tried to.blend new and old ideas, but it seems people just want the old.
I agree. The devs should stay faithful to the original 2014 version of the Hexblade rather than remaking it. The class only needs some refinements, a few tweaks, and perhaps integration with the new weapon mastery system.
Hexblade’s Curse should remain as it was, but with CHA limited charges and integrated with Hex.
Hex Warrior should also stay the same, but expanded to include weapon mastery or new options, like what they’re currently experimenting with.
Accursed Specter should return as a Summon Undead feature. (It’s surprising how few people are talking about how this ability simply vanished.)
Armor of Hexes should remain, or alternatively provide damage reduction until the start of your next turn.
Master of Hex is the one feature that truly needs reworking. At level 14, it has always felt underwhelming. In my opinion, it should enhance curse damage, upgrading both Hexblade’s Curse and Armor of Hexes to give the capstone more weight and impact.
There are many well-received homebrew variants on D&D Beyond with strong ratings. I think that’s some of the best feedback the devs could ask for.
No, they shouldn’t remake it at all. It wasn’t faithful to the 3.5 Hexblade or the 4e Hexblade. It was hot fix for a terrible PotB. There is no reason to be faithful to a subclass that was objectively better than the other options. It seems changing it from 2014 version (that most only multiclassed anyway) will upset too many people, so it’s best to leave it alone. Let those who want to play it use the backwards compatibility and spend page count on something else fun and properly balanced for 2024 Dnd.
The best option for WotC to just not update the Hexblade. Many people just want what was in 2014. They want a subclass that was just better than the other options. I don’t think there is a way to do a 2024 Hexblade that keeps the full spirit of the 2014 version without it just being objectively better than the other warlock subclass options. I tried to.blend new and old ideas, but it seems people just want the old.
I agree. The devs should stay faithful to the original 2014 version of the Hexblade rather than remaking it. The class only needs some refinements, a few tweaks, and perhaps integration with the new weapon mastery system.
Hexblade’s Curse should remain as it was, but with CHA limited charges and integrated with Hex.
Hex Warrior should also stay the same, but expanded to include weapon mastery or new options, like what they’re currently experimenting with.
Accursed Specter should return as a Summon Undead feature. (It’s surprising how few people are talking about how this ability simply vanished.)
Armor of Hexes should remain, or alternatively provide damage reduction until the start of your next turn.
Master of Hex is the one feature that truly needs reworking. At level 14, it has always felt underwhelming. In my opinion, it should enhance curse damage, upgrading both Hexblade’s Curse and Armor of Hexes to give the capstone more weight and impact.
There are many well-received homebrew variants on D&D Beyond with strong ratings. I think that’s some of the best feedback the devs could ask for.
No, they shouldn’t remake it at all. It wasn’t faithful to the 3.5 Hexblade or the 4e Hexblade. It was hot fix for a terrible PotB. There is no reason to be faithful to a subclass that was objectively better than the other options. It seems changing it from 2014 version (that most only multiclassed anyway) will upset too many people, so it’s best to leave it alone. Let those who want to play it use the backwards compatibility and spend page count on something else fun and properly balanced for 2024 Dnd.
You are really detached from reality and I do not blame you because a lot of ppl have a big misconception of the 2014 hexblade situation. The actual hexblade subclass from 1-14 was not as great as people seem to think. Beyond the first level features, the rest was nothing to write home about. Accursed specter was very rarely usable due to the humanoid restriction, armor of hexes was very feast or famine (all or nothing), and tied to the curse which was only a once per short rest use and master of hexes is regarded by most as a very lackluster capstone, and it is. The hexblade was broken because it was a very front-loaded subclass which gave you CHA based attacks and a free dmg booster at lvl 1, and due to this fact the hexblade was the best subclass, but not for warlocks, for paladins (and other CHA based weapon wielding classes such as a valor bard). The hexblade was referred to as the best warlock subclass by a mile due to its effectiveness of other classes (mainly paladin) and in fact it was not a very appealing choice to take from 1-14 (or beyond) as a straight up warlock. Somehow this translated into hexblade equal best subclass ever and into this narrative that the hexblade invalidated other warlock subclasses. Many hexblades played with the 2014 version where1/2 level dips on paladins, its very rare in fact to have seem a pure hexblade warlock with 0 multiclassing.
With the CHA attacks moved to PotB (and for some fuked up reason still kept as a lvl1 option meaning paladins can still take a single lvl dips into warlocks for CHA attacks) and also the subclass moved to lvl3, the dip issues are gone as far as the hexblade is concerned and its main identity and appeal needs to be restructured. Yes, PotB allows all warlocks to be able to melee and weapon wield, but, PotB alone does not provide all the necessary tools to do so (and it should not), in fact, many Bladelocks look at a fighter dip at 1st level to optimize and be able to melee properly (which makes the fighter the new hexblade in terms of the 1 level dips), and while this works because on top of the armor proficiencies you get CON saves, which are fantastic on warlock, weapon masteries and a fighting style (while leaving the door open for a 2nd level later on to get action surge), many people feel hamstrung by the fact that of they want to PotB properly they HAVE to multiclass.
In comes the new hexblade, which people where hoping it would be the subclass which gives them the proper tools to build their bladelock without having to multiclass. Sonwhats the problem? Well, apparently WoTC, and also a lot of people how unfortunately have no idea of game design, are so afraid of the infamous hexblade problem (which is no longer possible due to core changes in the warlock class and subclasses coming at lvl3) that they can’t bring themselves to design a proper hexblade that feels and plays good.
A revised hexblade neess to look at doing a couple of things, which in fairness, the designer seem to have identified, but they are all awfully implemented;
- Give frontline AC (they try to do this with accursed shield, but the actual AC boost is unappealing and on top of that has a bunch of conditions which make it unreliable on top of being bad).
- Helping Warlock in melee maintain concentration (unyielding will is decent, but its uses are too limited and the AoE dmg part is weak and does not scale which make it a non-feature after a couple of levels)
- Giving warlocks an incentive to actually be in melee (accursed shield is terrible at this because its not a reward for being in melee, its a punishment when are not, which is terrible design. Malign brutality and its weapon based features are a much better example of this and I think its the best designed feature in the subclass but it still has some issues, with the bonus action attack fighting with A LOT of other bonus action features for the spot and it should just be an attack you make as part of the same action of casting the spell making it closer to what other gishes have withe the ca trip and attack thing, and the movement bit triggering attacks of opportunity and the wording ‘straight’ implying not being able to move around objects, hazards, other creatures, etc. just needs to be a teleport closer to what its invocation counterpart used to be in 2014).
- Giving the D8 melee caster hybrid good defensive options (armor of hexes is not bad but also not great. I would prefer if it was tied to being active while concentrating on a spell rather then tied to a single target limited use debuff, but its ok as is)
The issue with the UA hexblade is not that ppl just want the old, is that this one gives nothing of the old that was good and the new is not exciting either, hexblades curse has been butchered and at lvl3 does nothing except for being a lackluster and unreliable defensive boost (which leaves a bad taste in people’s mouth the feature was historically a single target dmg AMP and the most iconic hexblade feature and such drastic shifts in identity are never gonna be well received), no proper AC fix and the features which are new and good (unyielding will and malign brutality) still have some glaring issues, not to mention the capstone being garbage (2 features which should be part of the base hexblade curse and a oncer per long rest dmg burst which is worst than a cantrip).
Good news all of the issues are (mostly) easily fixed;
- restore hexblades curse to its original function with mild changes (dmg boost, improved crit and healing need to be all present here. They can make it tied to Hex if they want like the horror UA version, but if they do they can’t make a bunch of other features dependent on it.)
- Design a feature that fixes they AC issue properly, without being dependent on hexbaldes curse or any other debilitating conditions and not necessarily with medium armor (make it part of the unyielding will feature, remove the stupid and very lackluster AoE which no one really cares about anyway and implement a new feature which allows warlocks to get a 17/18 AC without needing above 16 DEX to function - I still believe that it should be an AC boost which scales with CHA similarly to Draconic Sorcerers, Bladesingers, Genie Paladins or ‘Dance?’ Bards)
- make some changes to malign brutality and armor hexes so they are mire reliable and less clunky and complicated
- create an actual satisfying, fun and powerful capstone which incentivizes people to take levels into the warlock class as opposed to looking at multiclass options because they do not care for the capstone (it can be the exploding curse but with a lot more dmg and some added utility, if they make hexblades curse tied to hex you can introduce a way to use Hex without concentration, or just straightforward upgrades to the base hexblades curse - crit on 18, more dmg on hit, more healing - it could be a oncer per long rest optional curse upgrade where you make the curse super powerful for one combat.)
The hexblade does not need to be scrapped and ppl just need to get out of their bubble and look at what ppl are actually saying. Most of you have no idea of what good game design is (and its ok its not a skill that anyone possesses like other skills I am sure that you can do things I cant) and unfortunately have a very limited view of how. to construct fun, appealing and functional content.
I agree. The devs should stay faithful to the original 2014 version of the Hexblade rather than remaking it. The class only needs some refinements, a few tweaks, and perhaps integration with the new weapon mastery system.
Hexblade’s Curse should remain as it was, but with CHA limited charges and integrated with Hex.
Hex Warrior should also stay the same, but expanded to include weapon mastery or new options, like what they’re currently experimenting with.
Accursed Specter should return as a Summon Undead feature. (It’s surprising how few people are talking about how this ability simply vanished.)
Armor of Hexes should remain, or alternatively provide damage reduction until the start of your next turn.
Master of Hex is the one feature that truly needs reworking. At level 14, it has always felt underwhelming. In my opinion, it should enhance curse damage, upgrading both Hexblade’s Curse and Armor of Hexes to give the capstone more weight and impact.
There are many well-received homebrew variants on D&D Beyond with strong ratings. I think that’s some of the best feedback the devs could ask for.
agree with most of it, accept for accursed specter. To me it always felt a bit weird and I did not care for it that much tbh. I would prefer Malign brutality which actually incentivizes weapon combat. Just make the attack as part of the same action of casting the spell (so its closes to the improved extra attack given to other gish subclasses and does not restrict your BA which is needed for hexblades curse itself but also smite spells and animate objects to name a few which are particular to the subclass itself), and make the inescapable hex closer to its invocation version from 2014 (teleport when you cast a curse spell or as BA if there is a ln already cursed target).
No, they shouldn’t remake it at all. It wasn’t faithful to the 3.5 Hexblade or the 4e Hexblade. It was hot fix for a terrible PotB. There is no reason to be faithful to a subclass that was objectively better than the other options. It seems changing it from 2014 version (that most only multiclassed anyway) will upset too many people, so it’s best to leave it alone. Let those who want to play it use the backwards compatibility and spend page count on something else fun and properly balanced for 2024 Dnd.
You are really detached from reality and I do not blame you because a lot of ppl have a big misconception of the 2014 hexblade situation. The actual hexblade subclass from 1-14 was not as great as people seem to think. Beyond the first level features, the rest was nothing to write home about. Accursed specter was very rarely usable due to the humanoid restriction, armor of hexes was very feast or famine (all or nothing), and tied to the curse which was only a once per short rest use and master of hexes is regarded by most as a very lackluster capstone, and it is. The hexblade was broken because it was a very front-loaded subclass which gave you CHA based attacks and a free dmg booster at lvl 1, and due to this fact the hexblade was the best subclass, but not for warlocks, for paladins (and other CHA based weapon wielding classes such as a valor bard). The hexblade was referred to as the best warlock subclass by a mile due to its effectiveness of other classes (mainly paladin) and in fact it was not a very appealing choice to take from 1-14 (or beyond) as a straight up warlock. Somehow this translated into hexblade equal best subclass ever and into this narrative that the hexblade invalidated other warlock subclasses. Many hexblades played with the 2014 version where1/2 level dips on paladins, its very rare in fact to have seem a pure hexblade warlock with 0 multiclassing.
With the CHA attacks moved to PotB (and for some fuked up reason still kept as a lvl1 option meaning paladins can still take a single lvl dips into warlocks for CHA attacks) and also the subclass moved to lvl3, the dip issues are gone as far as the hexblade is concerned and its main identity and appeal needs to be restructured. Yes, PotB allows all warlocks to be able to melee and weapon wield, but, PotB alone does not provide all the necessary tools to do so (and it should not), in fact, many Bladelocks look at a fighter dip at 1st level to optimize and be able to melee properly (which makes the fighter the new hexblade in terms of the 1 level dips), and while this works because on top of the armor proficiencies you get CON saves, which are fantastic on warlock, weapon masteries and a fighting style (while leaving the door open for a 2nd level later on to get action surge), many people feel hamstrung by the fact that of they want to PotB properly they HAVE to multiclass.
In comes the new hexblade, which people where hoping it would be the subclass which gives them the proper tools to build their bladelock without having to multiclass. Sonwhats the problem? Well, apparently WoTC, and also a lot of people how unfortunately have no idea of game design, are so afraid of the infamous hexblade problem (which is no longer possible due to core changes in the warlock class and subclasses coming at lvl3) that they can’t bring themselves to design a proper hexblade that feels and plays good.
A revised hexblade neess to look at doing a couple of things, which in fairness, the designer seem to have identified, but they are all awfully implemented;
- Give frontline AC (they try to do this with accursed shield, but the actual AC boost is unappealing and on top of that has a bunch of conditions which make it unreliable on top of being bad).
- Helping Warlock in melee maintain concentration (unyielding will is decent, but its uses are too limited and the AoE dmg part is weak and does not scale which make it a non-feature after a couple of levels)
- Giving warlocks an incentive to actually be in melee (accursed shield is terrible at this because its not a reward for being in melee, its a punishment when are not, which is terrible design. Malign brutality and its weapon based features are a much better example of this and I think its the best designed feature in the subclass but it still has some issues, with the bonus action attack fighting with A LOT of other bonus action features for the spot and it should just be an attack you make as part of the same action of casting the spell making it closer to what other gishes have withe the ca trip and attack thing, and the movement bit triggering attacks of opportunity and the wording ‘straight’ implying not being able to move around objects, hazards, other creatures, etc. just needs to be a teleport closer to what its invocation counterpart used to be in 2014).
- Giving the D8 melee caster hybrid good defensive options (armor of hexes is not bad but also not great. I would prefer if it was tied to being active while concentrating on a spell rather then tied to a single target limited use debuff, but its ok as is)
The issue with the UA hexblade is not that ppl just want the old, is that this one gives nothing of the old that was good and the new is not exciting either, hexblades curse has been butchered and at lvl3 does nothing except for being a lackluster and unreliable defensive boost (which leaves a bad taste in people’s mouth the feature was historically a single target dmg AMP and the most iconic hexblade feature and such drastic shifts in identity are never gonna be well received), no proper AC fix and the features which are new and good (unyielding will and malign brutality) still have some glaring issues, not to mention the capstone being garbage (2 features which should be part of the base hexblade curse and a oncer per long rest dmg burst which is worst than a cantrip).
Good news all of the issues are (mostly) easily fixed;
- restore hexblades curse to its original function with mild changes (dmg boost, improved crit and healing need to be all present here. They can make it tied to Hex if they want like the horror UA version, but if they do they can’t make a bunch of other features dependent on it.)
- Design a feature that fixes they AC issue properly, without being dependent on hexbaldes curse or any other debilitating conditions and not necessarily with medium armor (make it part of the unyielding will feature, remove the stupid and very lackluster AoE which no one really cares about anyway and implement a new feature which allows warlocks to get a 17/18 AC without needing above 16 DEX to function - I still believe that it should be an AC boost which scales with CHA similarly to Draconic Sorcerers, Bladesingers, Genie Paladins or ‘Dance?’ Bards)
- make some changes to malign brutality and armor hexes so they are mire reliable and less clunky and complicated
- create an actual satisfying, fun and powerful capstone which incentivizes people to take levels into the warlock class as opposed to looking at multiclass options because they do not care for the capstone (it can be the exploding curse but with a lot more dmg and some added utility, if they make hexblades curse tied to hex you can introduce a way to use Hex without concentration, or just straightforward upgrades to the base hexblades curse - crit on 18, more dmg on hit, more healing - it could be a oncer per long rest optional curse upgrade where you make the curse super powerful for one combat.)
The hexblade does not need to be scrapped and ppl just need to get out of their bubble and look at what ppl are actually saying. Most of you have no idea of what good game design is (and its ok its not a skill that anyone possesses like other skills I am sure that you can do things I cant) and unfortunately have a very limited view of how. to construct fun, appealing and functional content.