Medium armor for Hexblade is not only about mechanics. It is also about theme. Some people argue that giving Hexblade medium armor would make it the strongest Warlock subclass. However, this is often presented as a certainty when it is actually a matter of perspective. Many of these arguments seem to come from a theoretical point of view rather than from practical frontline experience.
Armor Class plays an important role in melee survival because melee characters naturally receive more incoming attacks. Warlocks do not have Strength or Constitution saving throw proficiency by default, and these are among the most important saving throws for surviving physical threats. Even with medium armor, a Hexblade remains more fragile than dedicated martial classes.
Players who have experience in frontline combat understand how important these limitations are. Armor Class is important to survivability but real scenarios requires more than that .
Ranged Warlocks will likely remain the most common choice because several Warlock subclasses are designed to perform very well at range. Hexblade, on the other hand, is intended to be a viable melee option while still retaining some inherent risk. The previous concern about one level multiclass dips into Warlock is no longer as relevant under the 2024 rules, yet it is still frequently mentioned as if the system had not evolved.
In the current design, a single level in Fighter provides many of the defensive tools needed for melee combat, including higher hit points, access to all armor, Constitution and Strength saving throw proficiency, a Fighting Style, Second Wind, and Weapon Mastery. This shift means that the multiclass dynamic has changed significantly.
For this reason, medium armor alone would not make Hexblade overpowered. Its identity has always been defined by a balance between offensive capability and personal risk. Its sword and sorcery theme, combined with its offensive potential and relative fragility, is part of what makes it appealing.
Ideally, Hexblade should be able to function in melee without requiring a Fighter multiclass to feel complete. Encouraging self sufficiency within the subclass helps preserve its identity and allows players to fully engage with its intended role.
It seems 2024 design is to not give Gish casters better armor. Probably to avoid magical armors. Their defense comes from their features. Obviously armor of shadows shouldn’t be the only defensive option, but they aren’t going to give them medium armor. It’s not going to happen without making hexblade the de facto best warlock sub class again. The defenses need to come at a cost or be limited. I would prefer at a cost.
Valor Bard is among the gishes and they specifically get Medium Armor Training and Training with Shields. They also don't get access to Shield spell nor Absorb Elements before level 10 (or Magic Initiate). Warlocks as the sort-of OG gish have Light Armor Training. Only the 2024-Bladesinger requires a no-armor, no-shield exception because their Bladesong's defense is a bonus to AC, and not a different armor calculation like the Dex-Barb, Monk, or Drac-Sorc. It's designed to work in addition to Mage Armor. Otherwise a multiclasser Bladesinger with 1 level Fighter for Medium Armor's 15 + 2 DEX + 5 INT Bladesong + 2 Shield would be 24 static armor, achievable in start tier 2 (750g for Half Plate) AND still be able to cast Shield for a +5 more, and whatever Magic Item bonuses you eventually get.
For the Hexblade, specifically, to discard Armor Training would be strange and honestly not fitting, especially with the introduction of the Enspelled Armors - though I don't know how liberal DMs will be in given those out due to their inherent power with the proper spell inscribed (Shield). Additionally it would not address that other Warlock subclasses can freely multiclass to acquire Armor Training and thus also magic items of those types, but locking Hexblade power budget to a separate Armor Calculation would diminish that choice for the Hexblade.
Armor of Shadows is how it is and I don't think it should be changed with an expansion product. I wish they made it better than just free Mage Armor, but they didn't, so that's how it stays for 5.5e.
If anything the expansion product that includes the Hexblade could have a new invocation that works to give the frontliner Warlock a bit more AC. Although I'm really not a fan of tacking more invocations on the melee-build tax list that already includes; Pact of the Blade, Thirsting Blade, Devouring Blade and to some extent also Eldritch Mind, Lifedrinker, and Fiendish Vigor. Good additions includes Armor of Shadows, Devil's Sight, Lessons of the First Ones: Tough, and Eldritch Smite. Why am I not a fan? Because you're spending basically everything unique about the Warlock to build a poor Fighter that has access to Eldritch Blast. Then just go a Fighter and if you really want, multiclass 2 lvls Warlock for Pact of the Blade + Agonizing Blast if you want to Eldritch Blast on occasion. You build a gish because you want to mesh sword fighting and spell casting in some manner.
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I would hope the Hexblade subclass grants the Warlock the tools to be a melee frontliner - I'm not saying tank, just a frontliner. Rogues, Monks, and Barbarians also don't have amazing AC (at least not before some major investments, meaning later) but they do have other means to avoid or reduce damage (Evasion, BA-disengages, Deflect Attack, Rage's Damage Resistance). Warlocks have... 2x Absorb Elements (and Shield for the Hexblade) or Armor of Agathys (5x spell lvl Temp HP) for a majority of their career, in the level-spectrum that people play in. That's really not much to go on for their defenses.
Yes they also have Fiendish Vigor, but that's trading your main Action for 12 Temp HP - pretty good at level 2, and then quickly falling off. The UA Hexblade's lvl 6 feature that allows a BA-attack when casting a leveled spell is amazing for allowing some weaving of FV and still attacking and I hope they keep that as a small bonus piece of tech. Otherwise that feature is hardly doing work. Unless they open it up to casting any spell, so you can do a Sword-cantrip and a BA-attack, but then there's Eldritch Blast haunting our options again. Limiting the BA-attack to a melee weapon attack could reign it in, as making ranged attacks with an enemy within 5 ft. impose DisADV without having the Spell Sniper feat.
Warlocks can also pump their AC with the unreliability of Blade Ward's 1d4 for an average of +2.5 AC, but they would require to use their Action on turn 1 to do that - making it rather costly when combat usually lasts around 3-4 rounds. Additionally they likely don't have amazing CON saves, so they are likely to break Concentration - requiring another turn of casting Blade Ward. Not really a good option either.
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To make the Hexblade a bit less MAD, it could also be interesting to allow the Hexblade to use CON instead of DEX for armor calculations, wherever DEX could be used. This means the Hexblade's Light Armor Training could continue to be used and you can invest your stats into both HP and AC, AND improve your Concentration saving throws. It could still be used together with Armor of Shadows/Mage Armor, but much less required. It would not be a complete solution, because you don't invest in CON over CHA, leaving you at 12 + 3 CON for a majority of your career. The more I think about it, the less a solution it appears. At least Monks and Rogues invest in their main stat to gain attack, damage, skill, AC and AoE defense. But having Hexblade use CHA for basically everything (spell DC, attack, damage, skill, and then also AC) is also a bit iffy.
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So far the most eloquent solution I've seen is Medium Armor Training. It doesn't allow multiclass AC stacking, doesn't impose no-armor rules, it equates to Valor Bards and Rangers (minus their Shield proficiency). As for the "It would be the default Warlock subclass", I don't think that would be true when not giving Shield Training (that benefitted ranged Warlocks more), and frankly it would be more a testament to the other subclasses being really weak. If a ranged spellcaster Warlock would rather want 15 + 2 DEX AC, than whatever Fiend, GoO, Archfey can deliver... then they don't deliver enough.
A possible trade-off the Hexblade could impose that doesn't really effect the melee-build, is to disable or penalize cantrip casting to gain Armor. Thirsting Blade doesn't allow for a cantrip replacement, so even though it would be bad to not cast Booming Blade from level 3-4, I think it could be accepted in exchange for proper armor. Or just tailor the feature a bit...
If we attempt in simple terms; "You can bind yourself magically to a Medium Armor when you complete a Short Rest.
While bound to an Armor you are considered to have Training with that armor. You can use a Bonus Action to magically don or doff the armor.
If you cast a ranged Warlock cantrip that deals damage while wearing your bound Armor, you suffer a minus 2 to your AC until the start of your next turn.
<All the mumbo-jumbo about unbinding due to binding to new armor, range, or death>"
This would ensure the "Hexblade OP" crowd can pipe down, because your Eldritch Blaster would at max have a 15 Half Plate + 2 DEX - 2 Penalty for 15 AC, plus whatever magic item bonuses you get. It would be equivalent to 13 Mage Armor + 2 DEX or 12 Studded Leather + 3 DEX. Your melee Warlock could still cast ranged cantrips, especially if the enemy is out of your melee range, but at the cost of having less AC. Limiting the penalty to damaging, ranged Warlock cantrips basically tailors it to punish classic caster builds while granting a melee Warlock access to Sword-cantrips, Sword Burst (range is self + area), Blade Ward, or utility. Your ranged Warlock would mostly just be without a benefit, and thus not accomplish much. You could pick up ranged cantrips from Magic Initiate (because they would be Cleric/Druid/Wizard spells) or from multiclassing - but then you still avoid Eldritch Blasters getting access to better AC while remaining pure Warlock/caster classes.
If you happen to get Armor Training elsewhere you can just ignore this subclass feature. Otherwise it gives pseudo Medium Armor Training, so your melee Warlock can have Scalemail's 14 + 2 DEX AC until they can afford Half Plate for +1 AC. They can acquire magic armor on equal footing as other Martials or Valor Bards. Instead of a Shield they can supplement their AC with Blade Ward (hopefully along a BA-attack), Blur (don't know why it's missing on the UA Hexblade) or Darkness+Devil's Sight.
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There's a bunch of other stuff I would love to see changed as well that I will just mention in passing, like lvl 10 feature changed from a restricted damage reduction to a broad saving throw assist fueled by your Hit Dice that works to reduce AoE damage, avoid some spell damage, and keep your Concentration. I would love to see Blur, Haste, and Greater Invisibility added to the spell list as good defensive buffs to keep your concentration on in contrast to Hex. The Hexblade's Curse should be more gravy than the entire focal point for any bonuses the subclass provides. The limits and restrictions put on the rider-effects could also be loosened more. The Curse provides a plan or structure, but if the entire subclass falls apart when the Curse is not available, which is quite possible with only CHA-uses per Long Rest and no transfer... then it is build poorly. We know how people feel about the Ranger's Hunter's Mark - there's really no reason to repeat that mistake and then make it worse. Definitely feels like the availability of the Hexblade's Curse needs to change for the better. Up to 5 creatures you can curse per Long Rest is not a lot.
Without the Curse you get: Some fringe AoE damage when you succeed a Concentration saving throw. BA-attack when casting a leveled spell (where you mostly have 2-3x Pact slots or possibly unlimited Fiendish Vigor - trading 1-2 weapon attacks and your BA for 12 Temp HP). First at level 14 do you get increased availability and it's slim pickings with +1 from a Short Rest or from Magical Cunning (once per Long Rest). It could be a lot better.
it all boils down to the same solution, already mentioned a lot of times: Hexblade has either a feat tax or a Multi class tax,
i personaly would rather have it to be a MC tax then a feat tax, but why is it that you are forced into taking a lvl of ftr, pala to play a hexblade that can survive and do its job in melee is the question .... Yes even giving hexblades medium armor would still result in probaly 90% of hexblade players to take that 1 lvl armor dip since they will get armor prof. shield prof, weapon mastery and in the case of paladin even the ability to smite with just a one lvl dip. if i go deeper mc i would however rather be a 14 pal / 6 hexblade then a 6 hex / 14 pal with the UA presented as it is
in 5e hexblade for armor + shield was only used for sorcerers who wanted quick & easy AC without the hassle of being MAD, but tbh most players who dipped into hexblade were paladins and used it to become SAD because of the chr to atk/dmg something you can now get with just one invocation
5.5 gish builds mostly go either 1/19 pal/warlock or 6/14 warlock if they choose warlock, any variation of 14+ valor bard or bladesinger, bard & bladesinger using cme that is imho even in its nerfed state still too powerful, espeically if you mc 1 lvl of warlock to a bard or bladesinger
Having a class or subclass that requires multiclassing in order to function properly is not considered good design. If a class or subclass depends on multiclassing just to be viable, it often suggests that there are weaknesses, flaws or gaps in its core mechanics.
The purpose of discussions, polls, and gameplay testing is to refine classes and subclasses so they are viable, thematic, and enjoyable on their own. Multiclassing should ideally be an optional way to expand or customize a character, rather than something necessary to make a class function effectively.
You may see this differently, however, in game design, the goal is to ensure that each class and subclass has a strong and complete foundation by itself, and that additional combinations serve as enhancements rather than fixes.
Giving Hexblades Medium Armor Training would lower the benefits of multiclassing, and thus the perceived need to do so. MC'ing for Heavy Armor also means you need to invest in STR - meaning your DEX saves suffers, which means you take more damage from AoE attacks - both Fireballs or just straight Cleaving melee attacks (no not the Weapon Mastery property). I'd say DEX > STR in terms of survivability. Medium Armor means you can suffice by investing 14 DEX and then focus CHA > CON for the remainder. Getting access to Fighting Style, Weapon Mastery, or Pala Smite are all nice bonuses, but they also delay your Warlock level thresholds and as such have a cost. That's good. But I wholeheartedly agree that the Hexblade itself should be sufficient to function well on the frontline - in my eyes 14 + 2 DEX AC in tier 1 is fine to me, and then 15 + 2 DEX + Blade Ward/Blur/Haste/G.Invis. + magic bonus in tier 2+. It might be better min-max'ed to MC and that's also fine.
Getting Shield proficiency means you cannot cast spells that requires Somatic components, unless the spell also have a Material component (so your Pact Weapon can cover both), or if you acquire the War Caster feat, or if you play around drawing/stowing a lot. It doesn't hinder ranged builds as they have a hand free to cast anyway. To me it is a fair enough trade-off that you get the Medium Armor but not the Shield, so you have to cover that with Blade Ward, Blur, Haste, Greater Invisibility (last 3 would have to be introduced with the Hexblade subclass spell list).
Hexblade then also provides some healing from killing cursed targets, so they get some added survivability there.
I don't really mind that the Hexblade do get hit, perhaps even more than other gishes - but I would expect means to; recover lost HP or put up defenses (Fiendish Vigor can do some work here, a cantrip replacement could go a long way to make Blade Ward do some work without costing too much in the Action economy) and means to maintain Concentration - especially since you have few Pact Slots that you likely want to use for Concentration spells that have more value than a one-and-done spell cast. Armor of Agathys has been changed to a BA, so it is also vastly better to use now, but you still only have those few spell slots and 5x spell lvl as Temp HP is still not a lot of damage reduction.
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More in general:
I would very much love to see a small bonus to Concentration saving throws in either the level 3 or level 6 features to supplement or "replace" Eldritch Mind - because there's no way you're consistently keeping concentration on your spells with just a +2-3 to CON while in melee combat. With Eldritch Mind's ADV, you're most likely to succeed when damage is <20, but with a small bonus you're seldomly dropping Concentration. Looking at Bladesinger's +INT to Conc. saving throws atop +INT to AC, they are less likely to get hit than the Hexblade and they are more likely to succeed a Conc. saving throw. Not to mention that Bladesingers get way more spell slots to cast Shield and their level 6 feature allows cantrip-replacement, so they can even cast Blade Ward with less investment than the Hexblade, or deal more damage with a Sword-cantrip.
Would it really be so terrible to have the Hexblade have a "Once on your turn you can replace an attack from the Attack action with a cantrip or cast a leveled spell and then BA for a weapon attack"? No, you can't guarantee that the Hexblade have multiple attacks, but neither would that inclusion be a bad thing for a single-attack Hexblade (which exists where?) as it would just not do anything. As for Eldritch Blast, we already have Sorlocks that metamagic for 2x EBs a turn when they wanna nuke, so adding 1-2 weapon attacks to a 1x EB seems less problematic. Furthermore you would require either Spell Sniper to cancel DisADV on ranged attack rolls while in melee or you would need to not be in melee, either through a reach weapon or taking an Opportunity Attack. Pact Weapons are restricted to melee weapons or magic weapons (seems an oversight to not impose the same restriction for magic items) so you're most likely in melee to get benefit from Thirsting/Devouring Blade this way.
If the level 10 feature was changed from a restricted damage reduction to "Whenever you fail a Saving Throw you may expend a Hit Die, roll it and add it to your Saving Throw, potentially turning it into a success." you're also more likely to avoid some AoE damage, shrug off magical effects, and to maintain Concentration when damage starts going up in the 20-40 damage per non-boss monster attack range. Using your Hit Die of d8 as the bonus means an average of 4.5 to Saving Throws. Using your Hit Dice to fuel the bonus to Saving Throws means less appeal of Lifedrinker and less healing through Short Rests - but if HB's Curse is made more available (than up to 5x per Long Rest) then its healing property can lessen that need. The current damage reduction equal to Warlock level means reducing damage by 10-20 and at the cost of your Reaction. It is worse than Monk's Deflect Attack (1d10 + DEX + Monk lvl) that they get at level 3 - even if it can work against non-physical damage 4 levels earlier than Monk (ignoring the other defenses Monk have). The Fighting Style: Interception can spend a Reaction to reduce damage when hit by an attack roll by 1d10 + Prof. Bonus (at lvl 10 that's 9.5 on average).
Having a class or subclass that requires multiclassing in order to function properly is not considered good design. If a class or subclass depends on multiclassing just to be viable, it often suggests that there are weaknesses, flaws or gaps in its core mechanics.
The purpose of discussions, polls, and gameplay testing is to refine classes and subclasses so they are viable, thematic, and enjoyable on their own. Multiclassing should ideally be an optional way to expand or customize a character, rather than something necessary to make a class function effectively.
You may see this differently, however, in game design, the goal is to ensure that each class and subclass has a strong and complete foundation by itself, and that additional combinations serve as enhancements rather than fixes.
I think given pact of the blade exists any durability for melee should not be locked behind a subclass but in the core class features like invocations.
Having a class or subclass that requires multiclassing in order to function properly is not considered good design. If a class or subclass depends on multiclassing just to be viable, it often suggests that there are weaknesses, flaws or gaps in its core mechanics.
The purpose of discussions, polls, and gameplay testing is to refine classes and subclasses so they are viable, thematic, and enjoyable on their own. Multiclassing should ideally be an optional way to expand or customize a character, rather than something necessary to make a class function effectively.
You may see this differently, however, in game design, the goal is to ensure that each class and subclass has a strong and complete foundation by itself, and that additional combinations serve as enhancements rather than fixes.
I think given pact of the blade exists any durability for melee should not be locked behind a subclass but in the core class features like invocations.
I agree with this and looking at Warlock, I think the idea they were going for was temp HP being the primary defensive ability for Warlocks. Between, Fiendish Vigor as a invocation, life drinker, armor of agathys and most subclasses having some form of ability to grant the warlock temp HP. early on fiendish vigor is good, the problem is most of these just don't scale very well as defenses.
Just as a comparison for HP between fighter and Warlock with fiendish vigor both with 14 con.
Level 1 Fighter 12 Level 1 Warlock 10 Level 2 Fighter 20 Level 2 Warlock 29 with one cast of fiendish vigor Level 3 fighter 28 Level 3 Warlock 36 with one cast of fiendish vigor Level 4 Fighter 36 Level 4 Warlock 43 with one use of fiendish vigor Level 5 Fighter 44 Level 5 Warlock 50 with one use of fiendish vigor Level 6 Fighter 52 Level 6 Warlock 57 with one use of fiendish vigor.... so on and so forth. Of course the fighter has better armor and as levels go the fighter gets 1 more health per level and still has second wind uses second wind out paces fiendish vigor's 12 temp hp per use by level 7 and has the advantage of being a bonus action.
To be melee I feel warlock really has to build into it pretty heavily. I feel you almost have to take fiendish vigor and the tough feat either through your background or the lessons of the first one, and then you still need to use things like armor of agathys/ mirror image, and any defensive subclass spells or features. Right now I do think Fey and Fiend are the best melee locks with fiend having Dark one's blessing, Dark One's luck for saves, Fiendish resilience for trying to take half damage combined with fire shield, and the fey with steps of the fey, blink, greater invisibility, misty escape and beguiling defenses.
Having a class or subclass that requires multiclassing in order to function properly is not considered good design. If a class or subclass depends on multiclassing just to be viable, it often suggests that there are weaknesses, flaws or gaps in its core mechanics.
The purpose of discussions, polls, and gameplay testing is to refine classes and subclasses so they are viable, thematic, and enjoyable on their own. Multiclassing should ideally be an optional way to expand or customize a character, rather than something necessary to make a class function effectively.
You may see this differently, however, in game design, the goal is to ensure that each class and subclass has a strong and complete foundation by itself, and that additional combinations serve as enhancements rather than fixes.
I think given pact of the blade exists any durability for melee should not be locked behind a subclass but in the core class features like invocations.
The problem that made some people dislike the 2014-Warlock was that the Hexblade provided easy access to caster classes without the usual cost of multiclassing into a Martial class that provides a slew of features that casters generally don't care about.
The 2024-rules makes that cost a lot higher by at least requiring 3 levels invested in Warlock.
By granting defenses through Invocations, you also add to the same issue that is already plaguing a gish/melee warlock build: It requires a lot of invocations to function; Pact of the Blade, Thirsting Blade, and Devouring Blade I think we can all agree upon are "must-haves" for a melee build - if you want it to be slightly competitive. Thereafter you're looking at defensive invocations that includes; Fiendish Vigor, Armor of Shadows, Lifedrinker - though Lifedrinker is a 9th lvl and not particularly strong. If we replace Armor of Shadows with this new defensive invocation, we're still looking at minimum 5 invocation taxes (and then a choice for Lifedrinker) to make a melee build. Not to mention that many also want to dedicate their Pact slots to defenses like Armor of Agathys, meaning the spellcaster side of this gish is... basically non-existent. If you do want to use spells, you get most value out of Concentration spells like Hex/Darkness/Blur/Haste/G. Invis./Phan. Killer - but your CON is not good to clear Concentration Saving Throws, so you likely want Eldritch Mind. And basically no Warlock ever is going to say no to Agonizing Blast because Eldritch Blast is busted and the reason why Warlock cannot amount to much else. Now we count 7 and you get up to 10.
The caster builds in comparison have very few invocation taxes in just Agonizing Blast. Everything thereafter are tech choices and are not needed in order to be competitive. It brings enough damage to be on similar level to a ranged Martial.
The Hexblade subclass is specifically meant to be a focus on the Martial capabilities of the Warlock. That's how it was presented in the 2014-rules and that's why people like it. Similar to the Valor Bard and Bladesinger Wizard, you take a primarily Spellcaster class and then you turn it towards a Martial competence. True, invocations already have building stones to make a melee Warlock right now, but I don't think people will disagree when I say that Warlocks are primarily Spellcasters.
In the 2024 subclasses, the best current melee build is likely the Archfey, because they get CHA number of free cast Misty Step, that they can use as a Reaction (from lvl 6) to get out of harms way. It also provides 1d10 (5.5 avg.) Temp HP - making Fiendish Vigor less appealing between 5.5 avg. Temp HP on a BA/Reaction versus 12 Temp HP as a Magic action.
Nonetheless I don't think anyone disagrees that the current subclasses are not terribly efficient in creating a Martial/melee Warlock.
Providing a general invocation that increases Warlock survivability is mostly going to make the Spellcaster build stronger, and to avoid it becoming too strong for a Caster, it likely wont be that strong for the Melee build. One option is to lock it behind Pact of the Blade or more likely Thirsting Blade - with the obvious drawback of still being an addition to the Invocation tax, and first being achievable at level 5 by replacing a previous invocation (which could be Armor of Shadows) with this one. Another option is to make the Invocation disable Eldritch Blast (which clears basically all Caster builds from taking it), provide its defenses (could be Medium Armor Training and Shield), and have it provide another Invocation choice - so basically a "free" Invocation that introduces a choice that probably should have been implemented in the 2024-rules for Warlock on similar terms as Clerics and Druids that get the option between Caster or Martial paths. Eldritch Blast is too potent to allow it strong defenses without a cost - currently that cost is MC'ing, and this Invocation wouldn't change that. Does it suck to remove your strongest class benefit in order to gain the survivability to become a melee Warlock? Yes... yes it does.
However if you were to place the defensive additions in the Hexblade subclass, yes you would make it the default melee Warlock subclass (alongside Valor Bards and Bladesinger Wizards), but you also alleviate some of the Invocation tax - so you can choose different options, and not be locked to picking the same Invocations for every melee build, if you want it to be worth a damn. It also means the Hexblade subclass has a very clear fantasy and theme to adhere to. It doesn't have to cater to a Caster build, it can focus on making a melee Warlock. I think that would be the best choice.
Current UA has 3x 1st level spells in Hex, Shield and Wrathful Smite. Since Hex is part of the Warlock spell list and we lack a 2nd level spell I opt to give access to Shining Smite or Faerie Fire-Smite - it is Concentration though so fighting that slot. Replacing Arcane Vigor with Blur for a more value-orientated defensive spell - we don't need to force Hex on the Hexblade, so we're free to use concentration on defenses. Haste instead of Bestow Curse - difficult choice as both BC and CB are thematic but the lack of Haste as both defense, offense, and mobility is noticeable. Fire Shield instead of Freedom of Movement - no concentration and it provides a retaliation damage (2d8) similar to Armor of Agathys (20 at 4th lvl) but with a full 10 minute duration without a limit. So even though the individual retaliation strikes are lower (9 avg. damage) compared to AoA's (20 at 4th lvl) the overall damage potential over an encounter is there for Fire Shield. Animate Objects is kinda a weird spell for a melee combatant, it can provide a decent amount of damage and bodies for soaking damage, but it is messy, and slightly annoying to dedicate your Bonus Action to this. Destructive Wave is a new Paladin spell that might be a bit rude to commandeer in this way but the spell is awesome - if it works. Any >selected< target within 30 ft. has to make a CON save or take 5d6 Thunder and 5d6 Radiant/Necrotic damage and be knocked Prone. Level 5 is kinda a dry spot for good spells but this fits the bill, even if CON saves are the worst target. I did consider swapping Steel Wind Strike for Synaptic Static - but luckily that is already part of the Warlock spell list.
Level 3: Hexblade's Armaments
You gain Medium Armor Training.
Whenever you make a Constitution Saving Throw to maintain Concentration you add a bonus of 2 to your roll.
Level 3: Hexblade's Curse
As a Bonus Action, choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of yourself. The target is cursed for 1 minute, during which you gain the benefits below. The curse ends early if you dismiss it (no action required) or die. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one), and you regain one expended use when you finish a Short Rest, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest. You may expend a Pact Magic spell slot (no action required) to regain a number of expended uses of Hexblade's Curse equal to the level of the expended Pact Magic spell slot. When you cast a spell with a spell slot that can inflict a lasting effect with a duration on a creature, you can use your Hexblade's Curse as part of casting that spell instead of taking a Bonus Action. If the spell targets multiple creatures, you choose one of those creatures on which to inflict the Hexblade's Curse.
Hungering Hex. When a target cursed by your Hexblade's Curse drops to 0 Hit Points, you regain Hit Points equal to 1d8 plus your Charisma modifier.
Removed the "only one active curse" restriction, mostly because this makes it easier to just mark targets as cursed. 1 minute is enough duration that it mostly doesn't matter to keep track in the average encounter.
Added a straight out of the gate regain 1 on Short Rest for more up-time. Added converting Pact Slots to Curse uses - mostly so later levels when you might have a spare Pact Slot before a Short Rest you can restore your Curse uses. The Curse is already not terribly powerful, so I would be surprised if people have a power problem with this.
Removed the increased duration when cast with a Curse spell - it makes it cleaner that the curse is not connected with the other curse - say Hex. When you transfer Hex, you don't transfer the HB's Curse with it. I did broaden it up so the Curse can be applied with anything that inflicts a duration on the target. Basically if you do something nasty to a creature, you can sneak the HB's Curse along with it. Wrathful Smite, Synaptic Static? - go for it. The other wording is a bit cryptic regarding "what is a curse?" So far the only spells that specifically uses a wording of "X places a curse" is Hex and Bestow Curse... Technically Geas can be removed by Remove Curse or Greater Restoration and should probably be considered a curse, but it doesn't use that wording. That's not a whole lot. Basically it's there to work with Hex, because they really want you to use Hex. Is it more thematic to stick with only curses? Yes. Is it more applicable to allow it to function whenever you inflict a debuff (or buff) on a creature? Also yes. Is it easier to just say: "Does the spell have an effect on the creature with a duration, then it applies"? Also yes.
Level 6: Malign Brutality
Harrowing Hex. Once on your turn, you may: If you have cast a level 1+ spell that has a casting time of an action this turn, you can use a Bonus Action to make one weapon attack; or when you take the Attack action, you can replace one attack with a casting of one of your cantrips that has a casting time of an action and a range of self or touch.
Hindering Curse. When you hit a target cursed by your Hexblade's Curse with an attack roll, the target has Disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes before the start of your next turn.
Precision Curse. Once on your turn, after you make an attack roll against a target cursed by your Hexblade's Curse, before you know the result of the roll, you may choose to roll an additional D20 and pick the highest roll.
Kept the UA's leveled spell + BA attack and brought in the Cantrip replacement, but restricted it to non-ranged Cantrips so it mainly works to cast Sword-cantrips, AoE (Sword Burst) or Blade Ward. Could also cast Chill Touch... but yeah.
I replaced the catch-up feature because Warlock already have access to Misty Steps, Jump thru Invoc., Eldritch Smite for Prone, or Steel Wind Strike - meaning they have ways to catch up. I did consider a blink-to-target when placing the Curse - which can then function much the same way but decided against it.
Although I did feel like there was little reason to place the Curse if you don't need the HP. The DisADV on saving throws to assist other casters or debuffers (like grapple) is a neat little support feature, but not particularly interesting nor always applicable. Adding a pseudo-Advantage is a way to increase accuracy and/or to crit-fish.
Level 10: Armor of Hexes
Whenever you fail a saving throw, you may expend a Hit Die (no action required), roll it and add it to the saving throw, potentially turning a failed save into a successful one.
Level 10: Accursed Critical
Your attack rolls against a target cursed by your Hexblade's Curse has increased critical hit range. Lower the minimum die result on the D20 required for you to make a critical hit on a target cursed by your Hexblade's Curse by one. (For example if you normally would make a critical hit on a roll of 20 on the D20 for an attack roll, you instead make a critical hit if you roll a 19 or a 20 on the D20.)
Level 14: Destructive Hex
When you hit a target cursed by your Hexblade's Curse with an attack roll, you may cause your Curse to erupt with sinister energy, adding 3d6 Necrotic, Psychic, or Radiant damage (your choice) to the damage roll of that attack. Then choose any number of other creatures within 15 ft. of the target. Each of those creatures takes damage (of the same type as chosen when erupting) equal to half the damage roll of that attack (rounded down).
Once you use this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a Long Rest unless you expend a Pact Magic slot or a use of your Mystic Arcanum (no action required) to restore your use of it.
Instead of being its own little damage application, I thought it more interesting to give it crit synergy (to go with the increased crit range and now the pseudo-advantage).
Having the AoE be derivative of the attack's damage means it gets a jump up, and you can use it together with a Sword-cantrip. So at level 14 your attack would likely deal something along; 1d10 (versatile weapon) + 5 CHA + 2 Magic Bonus + 2d8 from Booming Blade + 3d6 from Destructive Hex = 32 avg. dmg. and halved for 16 AoE damage. Compared to current 10.5 avg. AoE dmg. A Crit is about 19% chance with ADV/Pseudo-ADV - with both it's 27% chance for 57 avg. dmg. and halved for 28 AoE damage. For reference, a lvl 3 Fireball is 8d6 or 28 avg. dmg. Granted it have a save throw for half damage, doesn't allow for selected targets (without being Sorc), but then again is a lvl 3 Fireball that at lvl 14 is not amazing.
Added Mystic Arcanum as a refresh option. There's quite a few of the Mystic Arcanum levels that a Hexblade might not find much use for, where fueling this feature would be preferable. Why it was originally limited to Pact Magic slots for the Fiend's lvl 14 subclass feature is beyond me.
Make it Medium Armor and Shield training. They're not the same.
Directed at who and in what context?
If aimed at my revised version of the UA Hexblade, I very much intended to only provide Medium Armor Training and not Shield Training.
You may wish to present your revised version in the Homebrew section to evaluate its reception. Many of the most well-received revised versions include both Medium Armor and Shield training, which suggests that this approach don't align with community preferences.
The big difference between bard and warlock is ranged attack potency (Eldritch blast). Also bard had to give up its 6th level feature to get extra attack. The warlock doesn’t. Also if the warlock wants to stay at range with better AC it can. You can be a Hexblade and never use a melee weapon. There has to be some incentive to going into melee. It can’t just be that you always have better AC. Until they come up with better design there is no reason to have a Hexblade.
Every table is different. I run different tables and the amount of rest they take/get is different. The pacing is very different between them. Partly because of players and time constraints on when we play. I’m sure if my tables are so different that tables with different DMs have a larger range of variance.
You may wish to present your revised version in the Homebrew section to evaluate its reception. Many of the most well-received revised versions include both Medium Armor and Shield training, which suggests that this approach don't align with community preferences.
Eh, I thought it better to discuss revised features of the UA material in the forum for UA feedback, rather than homebrew.
Also, I just did a quick scour of the Homebrew section, and there's only a couple of Hexblade variants for the 2024 rules that show up in a search. None of them have any real backing. Any thread before the release of the 2024 rules is most likely based on the 2014-Hexblade, which had Medium Armor and Shield proficiencies, but the 2024-rules also brought more openness to Action Economy improvements, which can be a significant boon to the Hexblade. All of those pre-2024 variants are also no longer active. As such I would mainly compare to variants posted after the release of the 2024 UA Hexblade, more specifically would I focus on those based on the Arcane Subclasses UA, rather than the poorly received Horror subclass (the Hex-focused one).
Nevertheless I question how you can base any community preference for the Hexblade's individual features in relation to the 2024-rules, based on the current threads on the Homebrew section?
The big difference between bard and warlock is ranged attack potency (Eldritch blast). Also bard had to give up its 6th level feature to get extra attack. The warlock doesn’t. Also if the warlock wants to stay at range with better AC it can. You can be a Hexblade and never use a melee weapon. There has to be some incentive to going into melee. It can’t just be that you always have better AC. Until they come up with better design there is no reason to have a Hexblade.
Indeed, the Valor Bard runs into the same problem as the half-casters, tri-casters, and any class/subclass that utilize both physical attacks and magical features. It's more the exception that 2024-Bladesingers, 2014-Hexblades and now Warlock's Pact of the Blade can unite it to one singular stat.
Fortunately for most of those who can't unite the stat, they don't rely as much on the magical potency, as they do just having the proficiency. Paladins can function quite well mainly focusing on their attack stat and then use their spell slots for spells that don't require a high spell casting stat. Valor Bards can function quite well with CHA as a secondary priority stat, relying more on their Proficiency Bonus for skill checks and using their spell slots mainly for defenses, healing, and utility. Their ranged options can rely on Bows, although handicapped if you have to switch during combat while wielding a shield (unless the DM is very kind). They have a lot of reasons to pick Origin: Magic Initiate to pick up Shield before level 10, but they often have both hands full, requiring War Caster (or allowance from DM to draw/stow from lvl 6+). Otherwise Bards tend to balance between DEX and CHA to keep both options viable, similar to 2014-Bladesinger.
Unfortunately for Warlocks... they don't have many spell slots to use for... anything basically, and have to rely a lot more on cantrips or value-orientated spells that often are Concentration spells or their invocations, of which a vast majority of the spell associated ones are not combat applicable. If only the 2024-rules had opened up for invocations being something different than free-casting, but X amount uses of casting a small selection of spells. Alas here we are.
As for "Bards giving up their subclass feature at lvl 6 to get Extra Attack (PLUS cantrip-replacement, which is significant) and the Warlock doesn't": First of all Warlocks have to give up two invocations to acquire Extra Attack, so they do give up something significant. Secondly, the Hexblade's lvl 6 subclass feature (lets take my revised version as comparison) is... not that strong in context. It is technically a more restricted version of the Bard's lvl 14 feature, but the significant part here is the restriction, as Bards use the feature to effectively get EA 3x with a Sword-cantrip. Warlocks don't have many opportunities to use the leveled-spell + BA-attack in practice. I made them gain a restricted version of the cantrip-replacement to not be the only gish without it and to give them a way to recast Blade Ward if they drop Conc. I kept the rather unreliable DisADV on next saving throw as setup for an ally, and replaced the UA's you-cant-run-away, for my 1x a turn pseudo-ATK-ADV against Cursed targets. Thirdly, in context, the Hexblade got less at level 3, seeing as they only get Medium Armor Training and a bonus to maintaining Concentration - because they will get hit more often with less AC. The HB's Curse is not significant except as a limiting force to the pseudo-ATK-ADV as the healing rely on multiple factors.
My revised Hexblades will have worse available AC than Valor Bards, simply due to the lack of Shield Training.
If ranged Warlocks opt for the Hexblade, they gain a lot of dud features in comparison to other subclasses. The HB's Curse is mainly there to benefit weapon attacks, but it could be reigned in more. The healing could require a 30 ft. range to be eligible. The DisADV on ATK-hit could be limited to weapon attacks, and similar changes to the pseudo-ATK-ADV, increased crit-range, and Explosive Hex. I do find it a bit unappealing to make restrictions everywhere, but Eldritch Blast does present a significant design obstacle when trying to offer an alternative play style. The restrictions could be based mostly on being in proximity to the Curse target, still making it eligible for EB but at least requiring a more risky play style than the more common EB sniper from 100 ft. away pushing the enemy further away with Repelling Blast.
But the 2014 Hexblade comes with Shield Training (proficiency), and I think it should be included.
(My obligatory rant about how weird it is that the 2024 feats for gaining training in Medium and Heavy Armor don't include Shield Training.)
I don't think the 2024 Hexblade should mirror the 2014 version. Still, it's strange because I can't think of an official class example that has Light Armor proficiency with Shield Proficiency or Medium Armor Proficiency without Shield Proficiency.
The 2024 druid has proficiency in light armor and shields. The swords bard from XGE has medium armor proficiency, but not shields. Those are the only examples that come to mind, though.
The 2024 druid has proficiency in light armor and shields. The swords bard from XGE has medium armor proficiency, but not shields. Those are the only examples that come to mind, though.
Swords bard is 2014 so I don't think is fair to include in a discussion of 2024 design patterns. Still, I missed that and the Druid. Maybe I was looking for classes that had Medium Armor proficiency without Shields and didn't check all of the subclasses. After researching it, I house ruled that Moderately Armored gives Shield Proficiency and didn't change Lightly Armored.
Medium armor for Hexblade is not only about mechanics. It is also about theme. Some people argue that giving Hexblade medium armor would make it the strongest Warlock subclass. However, this is often presented as a certainty when it is actually a matter of perspective. Many of these arguments seem to come from a theoretical point of view rather than from practical frontline experience.
Armor Class plays an important role in melee survival because melee characters naturally receive more incoming attacks. Warlocks do not have Strength or Constitution saving throw proficiency by default, and these are among the most important saving throws for surviving physical threats. Even with medium armor, a Hexblade remains more fragile than dedicated martial classes.
Players who have experience in frontline combat understand how important these limitations are. Armor Class is important to survivability but real scenarios requires more than that .
Ranged Warlocks will likely remain the most common choice because several Warlock subclasses are designed to perform very well at range. Hexblade, on the other hand, is intended to be a viable melee option while still retaining some inherent risk. The previous concern about one level multiclass dips into Warlock is no longer as relevant under the 2024 rules, yet it is still frequently mentioned as if the system had not evolved.
In the current design, a single level in Fighter provides many of the defensive tools needed for melee combat, including higher hit points, access to all armor, Constitution and Strength saving throw proficiency, a Fighting Style, Second Wind, and Weapon Mastery. This shift means that the multiclass dynamic has changed significantly.
For this reason, medium armor alone would not make Hexblade overpowered. Its identity has always been defined by a balance between offensive capability and personal risk. Its sword and sorcery theme, combined with its offensive potential and relative fragility, is part of what makes it appealing.
Ideally, Hexblade should be able to function in melee without requiring a Fighter multiclass to feel complete. Encouraging self sufficiency within the subclass helps preserve its identity and allows players to fully engage with its intended role.
Valor Bard is among the gishes and they specifically get Medium Armor Training and Training with Shields. They also don't get access to Shield spell nor Absorb Elements before level 10 (or Magic Initiate). Warlocks as the sort-of OG gish have Light Armor Training. Only the 2024-Bladesinger requires a no-armor, no-shield exception because their Bladesong's defense is a bonus to AC, and not a different armor calculation like the Dex-Barb, Monk, or Drac-Sorc. It's designed to work in addition to Mage Armor. Otherwise a multiclasser Bladesinger with 1 level Fighter for Medium Armor's 15 + 2 DEX + 5 INT Bladesong + 2 Shield would be 24 static armor, achievable in start tier 2 (750g for Half Plate) AND still be able to cast Shield for a +5 more, and whatever Magic Item bonuses you eventually get.
For the Hexblade, specifically, to discard Armor Training would be strange and honestly not fitting, especially with the introduction of the Enspelled Armors - though I don't know how liberal DMs will be in given those out due to their inherent power with the proper spell inscribed (Shield). Additionally it would not address that other Warlock subclasses can freely multiclass to acquire Armor Training and thus also magic items of those types, but locking Hexblade power budget to a separate Armor Calculation would diminish that choice for the Hexblade.
Armor of Shadows is how it is and I don't think it should be changed with an expansion product. I wish they made it better than just free Mage Armor, but they didn't, so that's how it stays for 5.5e.
If anything the expansion product that includes the Hexblade could have a new invocation that works to give the frontliner Warlock a bit more AC.
Although I'm really not a fan of tacking more invocations on the melee-build tax list that already includes; Pact of the Blade, Thirsting Blade, Devouring Blade and to some extent also Eldritch Mind, Lifedrinker, and Fiendish Vigor. Good additions includes Armor of Shadows, Devil's Sight, Lessons of the First Ones: Tough, and Eldritch Smite.
Why am I not a fan? Because you're spending basically everything unique about the Warlock to build a poor Fighter that has access to Eldritch Blast. Then just go a Fighter and if you really want, multiclass 2 lvls Warlock for Pact of the Blade + Agonizing Blast if you want to Eldritch Blast on occasion. You build a gish because you want to mesh sword fighting and spell casting in some manner.
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I would hope the Hexblade subclass grants the Warlock the tools to be a melee frontliner - I'm not saying tank, just a frontliner. Rogues, Monks, and Barbarians also don't have amazing AC (at least not before some major investments, meaning later) but they do have other means to avoid or reduce damage (Evasion, BA-disengages, Deflect Attack, Rage's Damage Resistance). Warlocks have... 2x Absorb Elements (and Shield for the Hexblade) or Armor of Agathys (5x spell lvl Temp HP) for a majority of their career, in the level-spectrum that people play in. That's really not much to go on for their defenses.
Yes they also have Fiendish Vigor, but that's trading your main Action for 12 Temp HP - pretty good at level 2, and then quickly falling off. The UA Hexblade's lvl 6 feature that allows a BA-attack when casting a leveled spell is amazing for allowing some weaving of FV and still attacking and I hope they keep that as a small bonus piece of tech. Otherwise that feature is hardly doing work. Unless they open it up to casting any spell, so you can do a Sword-cantrip and a BA-attack, but then there's Eldritch Blast haunting our options again. Limiting the BA-attack to a melee weapon attack could reign it in, as making ranged attacks with an enemy within 5 ft. impose DisADV without having the Spell Sniper feat.
Warlocks can also pump their AC with the unreliability of Blade Ward's 1d4 for an average of +2.5 AC, but they would require to use their Action on turn 1 to do that - making it rather costly when combat usually lasts around 3-4 rounds. Additionally they likely don't have amazing CON saves, so they are likely to break Concentration - requiring another turn of casting Blade Ward. Not really a good option either.
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To make the Hexblade a bit less MAD, it could also be interesting to allow the Hexblade to use CON instead of DEX for armor calculations, wherever DEX could be used. This means the Hexblade's Light Armor Training could continue to be used and you can invest your stats into both HP and AC, AND improve your Concentration saving throws. It could still be used together with Armor of Shadows/Mage Armor, but much less required. It would not be a complete solution, because you don't invest in CON over CHA, leaving you at 12 + 3 CON for a majority of your career.
The more I think about it, the less a solution it appears. At least Monks and Rogues invest in their main stat to gain attack, damage, skill, AC and AoE defense. But having Hexblade use CHA for basically everything (spell DC, attack, damage, skill, and then also AC) is also a bit iffy.
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So far the most eloquent solution I've seen is Medium Armor Training. It doesn't allow multiclass AC stacking, doesn't impose no-armor rules, it equates to Valor Bards and Rangers (minus their Shield proficiency). As for the "It would be the default Warlock subclass", I don't think that would be true when not giving Shield Training (that benefitted ranged Warlocks more), and frankly it would be more a testament to the other subclasses being really weak. If a ranged spellcaster Warlock would rather want 15 + 2 DEX AC, than whatever Fiend, GoO, Archfey can deliver... then they don't deliver enough.
A possible trade-off the Hexblade could impose that doesn't really effect the melee-build, is to disable or penalize cantrip casting to gain Armor. Thirsting Blade doesn't allow for a cantrip replacement, so even though it would be bad to not cast Booming Blade from level 3-4, I think it could be accepted in exchange for proper armor. Or just tailor the feature a bit...
If we attempt in simple terms;
"You can bind yourself magically to a Medium Armor when you complete a Short Rest.
While bound to an Armor you are considered to have Training with that armor. You can use a Bonus Action to magically don or doff the armor.
If you cast a ranged Warlock cantrip that deals damage while wearing your bound Armor, you suffer a minus 2 to your AC until the start of your next turn.
<All the mumbo-jumbo about unbinding due to binding to new armor, range, or death>"
This would ensure the "Hexblade OP" crowd can pipe down, because your Eldritch Blaster would at max have a 15 Half Plate + 2 DEX - 2 Penalty for 15 AC, plus whatever magic item bonuses you get. It would be equivalent to 13 Mage Armor + 2 DEX or 12 Studded Leather + 3 DEX. Your melee Warlock could still cast ranged cantrips, especially if the enemy is out of your melee range, but at the cost of having less AC. Limiting the penalty to damaging, ranged Warlock cantrips basically tailors it to punish classic caster builds while granting a melee Warlock access to Sword-cantrips, Sword Burst (range is self + area), Blade Ward, or utility. Your ranged Warlock would mostly just be without a benefit, and thus not accomplish much. You could pick up ranged cantrips from Magic Initiate (because they would be Cleric/Druid/Wizard spells) or from multiclassing - but then you still avoid Eldritch Blasters getting access to better AC while remaining pure Warlock/caster classes.
If you happen to get Armor Training elsewhere you can just ignore this subclass feature. Otherwise it gives pseudo Medium Armor Training, so your melee Warlock can have Scalemail's 14 + 2 DEX AC until they can afford Half Plate for +1 AC. They can acquire magic armor on equal footing as other Martials or Valor Bards. Instead of a Shield they can supplement their AC with Blade Ward (hopefully along a BA-attack), Blur (don't know why it's missing on the UA Hexblade) or Darkness+Devil's Sight.
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There's a bunch of other stuff I would love to see changed as well that I will just mention in passing, like lvl 10 feature changed from a restricted damage reduction to a broad saving throw assist fueled by your Hit Dice that works to reduce AoE damage, avoid some spell damage, and keep your Concentration. I would love to see Blur, Haste, and Greater Invisibility added to the spell list as good defensive buffs to keep your concentration on in contrast to Hex. The Hexblade's Curse should be more gravy than the entire focal point for any bonuses the subclass provides. The limits and restrictions put on the rider-effects could also be loosened more. The Curse provides a plan or structure, but if the entire subclass falls apart when the Curse is not available, which is quite possible with only CHA-uses per Long Rest and no transfer... then it is build poorly. We know how people feel about the Ranger's Hunter's Mark - there's really no reason to repeat that mistake and then make it worse. Definitely feels like the availability of the Hexblade's Curse needs to change for the better. Up to 5 creatures you can curse per Long Rest is not a lot.
Without the Curse you get: Some fringe AoE damage when you succeed a Concentration saving throw. BA-attack when casting a leveled spell (where you mostly have 2-3x Pact slots or possibly unlimited Fiendish Vigor - trading 1-2 weapon attacks and your BA for 12 Temp HP). First at level 14 do you get increased availability and it's slim pickings with +1 from a Short Rest or from Magical Cunning (once per Long Rest). It could be a lot better.
it all boils down to the same solution, already mentioned a lot of times:
Hexblade has either a feat tax or a Multi class tax,
i personaly would rather have it to be a MC tax then a feat tax, but why is it that you are forced into taking a lvl of ftr, pala to play a hexblade that can survive and do its job in melee is the question ....
Yes even giving hexblades medium armor would still result in probaly 90% of hexblade players to take that 1 lvl armor dip since they will get armor prof. shield prof, weapon mastery and in the case of paladin even the ability to smite with just a one lvl dip.
if i go deeper mc i would however rather be a 14 pal / 6 hexblade then a 6 hex / 14 pal with the UA presented as it is
in 5e hexblade for armor + shield was only used for sorcerers who wanted quick & easy AC without the hassle of being MAD, but tbh most players who dipped into hexblade were paladins and used it to become SAD because of the chr to atk/dmg something you can now get with just one invocation
5.5 gish builds mostly go either 1/19 pal/warlock or 6/14 warlock if they choose warlock, any variation of 14+ valor bard or bladesinger, bard & bladesinger using cme that is imho even in its nerfed state still too powerful, espeically if you mc 1 lvl of warlock to a bard or bladesinger
Having a class or subclass that requires multiclassing in order to function properly is not considered good design. If a class or subclass depends on multiclassing just to be viable, it often suggests that there are weaknesses, flaws or gaps in its core mechanics.
The purpose of discussions, polls, and gameplay testing is to refine classes and subclasses so they are viable, thematic, and enjoyable on their own. Multiclassing should ideally be an optional way to expand or customize a character, rather than something necessary to make a class function effectively.
You may see this differently, however, in game design, the goal is to ensure that each class and subclass has a strong and complete foundation by itself, and that additional combinations serve as enhancements rather than fixes.
@AlleneOfLeHigh:
Giving Hexblades Medium Armor Training would lower the benefits of multiclassing, and thus the perceived need to do so. MC'ing for Heavy Armor also means you need to invest in STR - meaning your DEX saves suffers, which means you take more damage from AoE attacks - both Fireballs or just straight Cleaving melee attacks (no not the Weapon Mastery property). I'd say DEX > STR in terms of survivability. Medium Armor means you can suffice by investing 14 DEX and then focus CHA > CON for the remainder. Getting access to Fighting Style, Weapon Mastery, or Pala Smite are all nice bonuses, but they also delay your Warlock level thresholds and as such have a cost. That's good. But I wholeheartedly agree that the Hexblade itself should be sufficient to function well on the frontline - in my eyes 14 + 2 DEX AC in tier 1 is fine to me, and then 15 + 2 DEX + Blade Ward/Blur/Haste/G.Invis. + magic bonus in tier 2+. It might be better min-max'ed to MC and that's also fine.
Getting Shield proficiency means you cannot cast spells that requires Somatic components, unless the spell also have a Material component (so your Pact Weapon can cover both), or if you acquire the War Caster feat, or if you play around drawing/stowing a lot. It doesn't hinder ranged builds as they have a hand free to cast anyway. To me it is a fair enough trade-off that you get the Medium Armor but not the Shield, so you have to cover that with Blade Ward, Blur, Haste, Greater Invisibility (last 3 would have to be introduced with the Hexblade subclass spell list).
Hexblade then also provides some healing from killing cursed targets, so they get some added survivability there.
I don't really mind that the Hexblade do get hit, perhaps even more than other gishes - but I would expect means to; recover lost HP or put up defenses (Fiendish Vigor can do some work here, a cantrip replacement could go a long way to make Blade Ward do some work without costing too much in the Action economy) and means to maintain Concentration - especially since you have few Pact Slots that you likely want to use for Concentration spells that have more value than a one-and-done spell cast. Armor of Agathys has been changed to a BA, so it is also vastly better to use now, but you still only have those few spell slots and 5x spell lvl as Temp HP is still not a lot of damage reduction.
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More in general:
I would very much love to see a small bonus to Concentration saving throws in either the level 3 or level 6 features to supplement or "replace" Eldritch Mind - because there's no way you're consistently keeping concentration on your spells with just a +2-3 to CON while in melee combat. With Eldritch Mind's ADV, you're most likely to succeed when damage is <20, but with a small bonus you're seldomly dropping Concentration.
Looking at Bladesinger's +INT to Conc. saving throws atop +INT to AC, they are less likely to get hit than the Hexblade and they are more likely to succeed a Conc. saving throw. Not to mention that Bladesingers get way more spell slots to cast Shield and their level 6 feature allows cantrip-replacement, so they can even cast Blade Ward with less investment than the Hexblade, or deal more damage with a Sword-cantrip.
Would it really be so terrible to have the Hexblade have a "Once on your turn you can replace an attack from the Attack action with a cantrip or cast a leveled spell and then BA for a weapon attack"? No, you can't guarantee that the Hexblade have multiple attacks, but neither would that inclusion be a bad thing for a single-attack Hexblade (which exists where?) as it would just not do anything. As for Eldritch Blast, we already have Sorlocks that metamagic for 2x EBs a turn when they wanna nuke, so adding 1-2 weapon attacks to a 1x EB seems less problematic. Furthermore you would require either Spell Sniper to cancel DisADV on ranged attack rolls while in melee or you would need to not be in melee, either through a reach weapon or taking an Opportunity Attack. Pact Weapons are restricted to melee weapons or magic weapons (seems an oversight to not impose the same restriction for magic items) so you're most likely in melee to get benefit from Thirsting/Devouring Blade this way.
If the level 10 feature was changed from a restricted damage reduction to "Whenever you fail a Saving Throw you may expend a Hit Die, roll it and add it to your Saving Throw, potentially turning it into a success." you're also more likely to avoid some AoE damage, shrug off magical effects, and to maintain Concentration when damage starts going up in the 20-40 damage per non-boss monster attack range. Using your Hit Die of d8 as the bonus means an average of 4.5 to Saving Throws.
Using your Hit Dice to fuel the bonus to Saving Throws means less appeal of Lifedrinker and less healing through Short Rests - but if HB's Curse is made more available (than up to 5x per Long Rest) then its healing property can lessen that need.
The current damage reduction equal to Warlock level means reducing damage by 10-20 and at the cost of your Reaction. It is worse than Monk's Deflect Attack (1d10 + DEX + Monk lvl) that they get at level 3 - even if it can work against non-physical damage 4 levels earlier than Monk (ignoring the other defenses Monk have). The Fighting Style: Interception can spend a Reaction to reduce damage when hit by an attack roll by 1d10 + Prof. Bonus (at lvl 10 that's 9.5 on average).
I think given pact of the blade exists any durability for melee should not be locked behind a subclass but in the core class features like invocations.
I agree with this and looking at Warlock, I think the idea they were going for was temp HP being the primary defensive ability for Warlocks. Between, Fiendish Vigor as a invocation, life drinker, armor of agathys and most subclasses having some form of ability to grant the warlock temp HP. early on fiendish vigor is good, the problem is most of these just don't scale very well as defenses.
Just as a comparison for HP between fighter and Warlock with fiendish vigor both with 14 con.
Level 1 Fighter 12 Level 1 Warlock 10
Level 2 Fighter 20 Level 2 Warlock 29 with one cast of fiendish vigor
Level 3 fighter 28 Level 3 Warlock 36 with one cast of fiendish vigor
Level 4 Fighter 36 Level 4 Warlock 43 with one use of fiendish vigor
Level 5 Fighter 44 Level 5 Warlock 50 with one use of fiendish vigor
Level 6 Fighter 52 Level 6 Warlock 57 with one use of fiendish vigor.... so on and so forth. Of course the fighter has better armor and as levels go the fighter gets 1 more health per level and still has second wind uses second wind out paces fiendish vigor's 12 temp hp per use by level 7 and has the advantage of being a bonus action.
To be melee I feel warlock really has to build into it pretty heavily. I feel you almost have to take fiendish vigor and the tough feat either through your background or the lessons of the first one, and then you still need to use things like armor of agathys/ mirror image, and any defensive subclass spells or features. Right now I do think Fey and Fiend are the best melee locks with fiend having Dark one's blessing, Dark One's luck for saves, Fiendish resilience for trying to take half damage combined with fire shield, and the fey with steps of the fey, blink, greater invisibility, misty escape and beguiling defenses.
The problem that made some people dislike the 2014-Warlock was that the Hexblade provided easy access to caster classes without the usual cost of multiclassing into a Martial class that provides a slew of features that casters generally don't care about.
The 2024-rules makes that cost a lot higher by at least requiring 3 levels invested in Warlock.
By granting defenses through Invocations, you also add to the same issue that is already plaguing a gish/melee warlock build: It requires a lot of invocations to function; Pact of the Blade, Thirsting Blade, and Devouring Blade I think we can all agree upon are "must-haves" for a melee build - if you want it to be slightly competitive. Thereafter you're looking at defensive invocations that includes; Fiendish Vigor, Armor of Shadows, Lifedrinker - though Lifedrinker is a 9th lvl and not particularly strong. If we replace Armor of Shadows with this new defensive invocation, we're still looking at minimum 5 invocation taxes (and then a choice for Lifedrinker) to make a melee build. Not to mention that many also want to dedicate their Pact slots to defenses like Armor of Agathys, meaning the spellcaster side of this gish is... basically non-existent. If you do want to use spells, you get most value out of Concentration spells like Hex/Darkness/Blur/Haste/G. Invis./Phan. Killer - but your CON is not good to clear Concentration Saving Throws, so you likely want Eldritch Mind. And basically no Warlock ever is going to say no to Agonizing Blast because Eldritch Blast is busted and the reason why Warlock cannot amount to much else. Now we count 7 and you get up to 10.
The caster builds in comparison have very few invocation taxes in just Agonizing Blast. Everything thereafter are tech choices and are not needed in order to be competitive. It brings enough damage to be on similar level to a ranged Martial.
The Hexblade subclass is specifically meant to be a focus on the Martial capabilities of the Warlock. That's how it was presented in the 2014-rules and that's why people like it. Similar to the Valor Bard and Bladesinger Wizard, you take a primarily Spellcaster class and then you turn it towards a Martial competence. True, invocations already have building stones to make a melee Warlock right now, but I don't think people will disagree when I say that Warlocks are primarily Spellcasters.
In the 2024 subclasses, the best current melee build is likely the Archfey, because they get CHA number of free cast Misty Step, that they can use as a Reaction (from lvl 6) to get out of harms way. It also provides 1d10 (5.5 avg.) Temp HP - making Fiendish Vigor less appealing between 5.5 avg. Temp HP on a BA/Reaction versus 12 Temp HP as a Magic action.
Nonetheless I don't think anyone disagrees that the current subclasses are not terribly efficient in creating a Martial/melee Warlock.
Providing a general invocation that increases Warlock survivability is mostly going to make the Spellcaster build stronger, and to avoid it becoming too strong for a Caster, it likely wont be that strong for the Melee build. One option is to lock it behind Pact of the Blade or more likely Thirsting Blade - with the obvious drawback of still being an addition to the Invocation tax, and first being achievable at level 5 by replacing a previous invocation (which could be Armor of Shadows) with this one.
Another option is to make the Invocation disable Eldritch Blast (which clears basically all Caster builds from taking it), provide its defenses (could be Medium Armor Training and Shield), and have it provide another Invocation choice - so basically a "free" Invocation that introduces a choice that probably should have been implemented in the 2024-rules for Warlock on similar terms as Clerics and Druids that get the option between Caster or Martial paths. Eldritch Blast is too potent to allow it strong defenses without a cost - currently that cost is MC'ing, and this Invocation wouldn't change that. Does it suck to remove your strongest class benefit in order to gain the survivability to become a melee Warlock? Yes... yes it does.
However if you were to place the defensive additions in the Hexblade subclass, yes you would make it the default melee Warlock subclass (alongside Valor Bards and Bladesinger Wizards), but you also alleviate some of the Invocation tax - so you can choose different options, and not be locked to picking the same Invocations for every melee build, if you want it to be worth a damn. It also means the Hexblade subclass has a very clear fantasy and theme to adhere to. It doesn't have to cater to a Caster build, it can focus on making a melee Warlock. I think that would be the best choice.
Personally I would rather look toward the design that I built upon in my previous post: Separate Magic resource design
But if I were to change the UA design to something I consider fulfilling, I would likely go for something like this:
Level 3: Hexblade Spells
Warlock Level Spells
3 Shield, Wrathful Smite, Blur, Shining Smite
5 Conjure Barrage, Haste
7 Fire Shield, Staggering Smite
9 Destructive Wave, Steel Wind Strike
Notes:
Current UA has 3x 1st level spells in Hex, Shield and Wrathful Smite. Since Hex is part of the Warlock spell list and we lack a 2nd level spell I opt to give access to Shining Smite or Faerie Fire-Smite - it is Concentration though so fighting that slot.
Replacing Arcane Vigor with Blur for a more value-orientated defensive spell - we don't need to force Hex on the Hexblade, so we're free to use concentration on defenses.
Haste instead of Bestow Curse - difficult choice as both BC and CB are thematic but the lack of Haste as both defense, offense, and mobility is noticeable.
Fire Shield instead of Freedom of Movement - no concentration and it provides a retaliation damage (2d8) similar to Armor of Agathys (20 at 4th lvl) but with a full 10 minute duration without a limit. So even though the individual retaliation strikes are lower (9 avg. damage) compared to AoA's (20 at 4th lvl) the overall damage potential over an encounter is there for Fire Shield.
Animate Objects is kinda a weird spell for a melee combatant, it can provide a decent amount of damage and bodies for soaking damage, but it is messy, and slightly annoying to dedicate your Bonus Action to this. Destructive Wave is a new Paladin spell that might be a bit rude to commandeer in this way but the spell is awesome - if it works. Any >selected< target within 30 ft. has to make a CON save or take 5d6 Thunder and 5d6 Radiant/Necrotic damage and be knocked Prone. Level 5 is kinda a dry spot for good spells but this fits the bill, even if CON saves are the worst target. I did consider swapping Steel Wind Strike for Synaptic Static - but luckily that is already part of the Warlock spell list.
Level 3: Hexblade's Armaments
You gain Medium Armor Training.
Whenever you make a Constitution Saving Throw to maintain Concentration you add a bonus of 2 to your roll.
Level 3: Hexblade's Curse
As a Bonus Action, choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of yourself. The target is cursed for 1 minute, during which you gain the benefits below. The curse ends early if you dismiss it (no action required) or die.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one), and you regain one expended use when you finish a Short Rest, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.
You may expend a Pact Magic spell slot (no action required) to regain a number of expended uses of Hexblade's Curse equal to the level of the expended Pact Magic spell slot.
When you cast a spell with a spell slot that can inflict a lasting effect with a duration on a creature, you can use your Hexblade's Curse as part of casting that spell instead of taking a Bonus Action. If the spell targets multiple creatures, you choose one of those creatures on which to inflict the Hexblade's Curse.
Hungering Hex. When a target cursed by your Hexblade's Curse drops to 0 Hit Points, you regain Hit Points equal to 1d8 plus your Charisma modifier.
Removed the "only one active curse" restriction, mostly because this makes it easier to just mark targets as cursed. 1 minute is enough duration that it mostly doesn't matter to keep track in the average encounter.
Added a straight out of the gate regain 1 on Short Rest for more up-time. Added converting Pact Slots to Curse uses - mostly so later levels when you might have a spare Pact Slot before a Short Rest you can restore your Curse uses. The Curse is already not terribly powerful, so I would be surprised if people have a power problem with this.
Removed the increased duration when cast with a Curse spell - it makes it cleaner that the curse is not connected with the other curse - say Hex. When you transfer Hex, you don't transfer the HB's Curse with it.
I did broaden it up so the Curse can be applied with anything that inflicts a duration on the target. Basically if you do something nasty to a creature, you can sneak the HB's Curse along with it. Wrathful Smite, Synaptic Static? - go for it. The other wording is a bit cryptic regarding "what is a curse?" So far the only spells that specifically uses a wording of "X places a curse" is Hex and Bestow Curse... Technically Geas can be removed by Remove Curse or Greater Restoration and should probably be considered a curse, but it doesn't use that wording. That's not a whole lot. Basically it's there to work with Hex, because they really want you to use Hex.
Is it more thematic to stick with only curses? Yes. Is it more applicable to allow it to function whenever you inflict a debuff (or buff) on a creature? Also yes. Is it easier to just say: "Does the spell have an effect on the creature with a duration, then it applies"? Also yes.
Level 6: Malign Brutality
Harrowing Hex. Once on your turn, you may:
If you have cast a level 1+ spell that has a casting time of an action this turn, you can use a Bonus Action to make one weapon attack;
or when you take the Attack action, you can replace one attack with a casting of one of your cantrips that has a casting time of an action and a range of self or touch.
Hindering Curse. When you hit a target cursed by your Hexblade's Curse with an attack roll, the target has Disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes before the start of your next turn.
Precision Curse. Once on your turn, after you make an attack roll against a target cursed by your Hexblade's Curse, before you know the result of the roll, you may choose to roll an additional D20 and pick the highest roll.
Kept the UA's leveled spell + BA attack and brought in the Cantrip replacement, but restricted it to non-ranged Cantrips so it mainly works to cast Sword-cantrips, AoE (Sword Burst) or Blade Ward. Could also cast Chill Touch... but yeah.
I replaced the catch-up feature because Warlock already have access to Misty Steps, Jump thru Invoc., Eldritch Smite for Prone, or Steel Wind Strike - meaning they have ways to catch up. I did consider a blink-to-target when placing the Curse - which can then function much the same way but decided against it.
Although I did feel like there was little reason to place the Curse if you don't need the HP. The DisADV on saving throws to assist other casters or debuffers (like grapple) is a neat little support feature, but not particularly interesting nor always applicable. Adding a pseudo-Advantage is a way to increase accuracy and/or to crit-fish.
Level 10: Armor of Hexes
Whenever you fail a saving throw, you may expend a Hit Die (no action required), roll it and add it to the saving throw, potentially turning a failed save into a successful one.
Level 10: Accursed Critical
Your attack rolls against a target cursed by your Hexblade's Curse has increased critical hit range. Lower the minimum die result on the D20 required for you to make a critical hit on a target cursed by your Hexblade's Curse by one.
(For example if you normally would make a critical hit on a roll of 20 on the D20 for an attack roll, you instead make a critical hit if you roll a 19 or a 20 on the D20.)
Level 14: Destructive Hex
When you hit a target cursed by your Hexblade's Curse with an attack roll, you may cause your Curse to erupt with sinister energy, adding 3d6 Necrotic, Psychic, or Radiant damage (your choice) to the damage roll of that attack. Then choose any number of other creatures within 15 ft. of the target. Each of those creatures takes damage (of the same type as chosen when erupting) equal to half the damage roll of that attack (rounded down).
Once you use this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a Long Rest unless you expend a Pact Magic slot or a use of your Mystic Arcanum (no action required) to restore your use of it.
Instead of being its own little damage application, I thought it more interesting to give it crit synergy (to go with the increased crit range and now the pseudo-advantage).
Having the AoE be derivative of the attack's damage means it gets a jump up, and you can use it together with a Sword-cantrip. So at level 14 your attack would likely deal something along; 1d10 (versatile weapon) + 5 CHA + 2 Magic Bonus + 2d8 from Booming Blade + 3d6 from Destructive Hex = 32 avg. dmg. and halved for 16 AoE damage. Compared to current 10.5 avg. AoE dmg. A Crit is about 19% chance with ADV/Pseudo-ADV - with both it's 27% chance for 57 avg. dmg. and halved for 28 AoE damage. For reference, a lvl 3 Fireball is 8d6 or 28 avg. dmg. Granted it have a save throw for half damage, doesn't allow for selected targets (without being Sorc), but then again is a lvl 3 Fireball that at lvl 14 is not amazing.
Added Mystic Arcanum as a refresh option. There's quite a few of the Mystic Arcanum levels that a Hexblade might not find much use for, where fueling this feature would be preferable. Why it was originally limited to Pact Magic slots for the Fiend's lvl 14 subclass feature is beyond me.
Make it Medium Armor and Shield training. They're not the same.
Directed at who and in what context?
If aimed at my revised version of the UA Hexblade, I very much intended to only provide Medium Armor Training and not Shield Training.
You may wish to present your revised version in the Homebrew section to evaluate its reception. Many of the most well-received revised versions include both Medium Armor and Shield training, which suggests that this approach don't align with community preferences.
The big difference between bard and warlock is ranged attack potency (Eldritch blast). Also bard had to give up its 6th level feature to get extra attack. The warlock doesn’t. Also if the warlock wants to stay at range with better AC it can. You can be a Hexblade and never use a melee weapon. There has to be some incentive to going into melee. It can’t just be that you always have better AC. Until they come up with better design there is no reason to have a Hexblade.
Every table is different. I run different tables and the amount of rest they take/get is different. The pacing is very different between them. Partly because of players and time constraints on when we play. I’m sure if my tables are so different that tables with different DMs have a larger range of variance.
Eh, I thought it better to discuss revised features of the UA material in the forum for UA feedback, rather than homebrew.
Also, I just did a quick scour of the Homebrew section, and there's only a couple of Hexblade variants for the 2024 rules that show up in a search. None of them have any real backing. Any thread before the release of the 2024 rules is most likely based on the 2014-Hexblade, which had Medium Armor and Shield proficiencies, but the 2024-rules also brought more openness to Action Economy improvements, which can be a significant boon to the Hexblade. All of those pre-2024 variants are also no longer active. As such I would mainly compare to variants posted after the release of the 2024 UA Hexblade, more specifically would I focus on those based on the Arcane Subclasses UA, rather than the poorly received Horror subclass (the Hex-focused one).
Nevertheless I question how you can base any community preference for the Hexblade's individual features in relation to the 2024-rules, based on the current threads on the Homebrew section?
Indeed, the Valor Bard runs into the same problem as the half-casters, tri-casters, and any class/subclass that utilize both physical attacks and magical features. It's more the exception that 2024-Bladesingers, 2014-Hexblades and now Warlock's Pact of the Blade can unite it to one singular stat.
Fortunately for most of those who can't unite the stat, they don't rely as much on the magical potency, as they do just having the proficiency. Paladins can function quite well mainly focusing on their attack stat and then use their spell slots for spells that don't require a high spell casting stat. Valor Bards can function quite well with CHA as a secondary priority stat, relying more on their Proficiency Bonus for skill checks and using their spell slots mainly for defenses, healing, and utility. Their ranged options can rely on Bows, although handicapped if you have to switch during combat while wielding a shield (unless the DM is very kind). They have a lot of reasons to pick Origin: Magic Initiate to pick up Shield before level 10, but they often have both hands full, requiring War Caster (or allowance from DM to draw/stow from lvl 6+). Otherwise Bards tend to balance between DEX and CHA to keep both options viable, similar to 2014-Bladesinger.
Unfortunately for Warlocks... they don't have many spell slots to use for... anything basically, and have to rely a lot more on cantrips or value-orientated spells that often are Concentration spells or their invocations, of which a vast majority of the spell associated ones are not combat applicable. If only the 2024-rules had opened up for invocations being something different than free-casting, but X amount uses of casting a small selection of spells. Alas here we are.
As for "Bards giving up their subclass feature at lvl 6 to get Extra Attack (PLUS cantrip-replacement, which is significant) and the Warlock doesn't": First of all Warlocks have to give up two invocations to acquire Extra Attack, so they do give up something significant.
Secondly, the Hexblade's lvl 6 subclass feature (lets take my revised version as comparison) is... not that strong in context. It is technically a more restricted version of the Bard's lvl 14 feature, but the significant part here is the restriction, as Bards use the feature to effectively get EA 3x with a Sword-cantrip. Warlocks don't have many opportunities to use the leveled-spell + BA-attack in practice. I made them gain a restricted version of the cantrip-replacement to not be the only gish without it and to give them a way to recast Blade Ward if they drop Conc. I kept the rather unreliable DisADV on next saving throw as setup for an ally, and replaced the UA's you-cant-run-away, for my 1x a turn pseudo-ATK-ADV against Cursed targets.
Thirdly, in context, the Hexblade got less at level 3, seeing as they only get Medium Armor Training and a bonus to maintaining Concentration - because they will get hit more often with less AC. The HB's Curse is not significant except as a limiting force to the pseudo-ATK-ADV as the healing rely on multiple factors.
My revised Hexblades will have worse available AC than Valor Bards, simply due to the lack of Shield Training.
If ranged Warlocks opt for the Hexblade, they gain a lot of dud features in comparison to other subclasses. The HB's Curse is mainly there to benefit weapon attacks, but it could be reigned in more. The healing could require a 30 ft. range to be eligible. The DisADV on ATK-hit could be limited to weapon attacks, and similar changes to the pseudo-ATK-ADV, increased crit-range, and Explosive Hex. I do find it a bit unappealing to make restrictions everywhere, but Eldritch Blast does present a significant design obstacle when trying to offer an alternative play style. The restrictions could be based mostly on being in proximity to the Curse target, still making it eligible for EB but at least requiring a more risky play style than the more common EB sniper from 100 ft. away pushing the enemy further away with Repelling Blast.
Well, it's your build, so you can make it how you want.
But the 2014 Hexblade comes with Shield Training (proficiency), and I think it should be included.
(My obligatory rant about how weird it is that the 2024 feats for gaining training in Medium and Heavy Armor don't include Shield Training.)
I don't think the 2024 Hexblade should mirror the 2014 version. Still, it's strange because I can't think of an official class example that has Light Armor proficiency with Shield Proficiency or Medium Armor Proficiency without Shield Proficiency.
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The 2024 druid has proficiency in light armor and shields. The swords bard from XGE has medium armor proficiency, but not shields. Those are the only examples that come to mind, though.
Swords bard is 2014 so I don't think is fair to include in a discussion of 2024 design patterns. Still, I missed that and the Druid. Maybe I was looking for classes that had Medium Armor proficiency without Shields and didn't check all of the subclasses. After researching it, I house ruled that Moderately Armored gives Shield Proficiency and didn't change Lightly Armored.
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