UA Hexblade 2025 Feedback

I stated it was a problem was specific to the 5e warlock. When you got both medium armor and shields and a damage bonus from hexblade’s curse that was still effective on eldritch blast. It made you both the best melee build and the best range build. This version is designed to force you into melee range to benefit from most of your features, so a small static increase to armor should be fine. The small static increase to AC shouldn’t make you an objectively better Eldritch blaster like the larger increase and minimum loss of features at range did in 5e. Obviously you could still just stay back and Eldritch blast, but you would be giving up parts of the features offered at every level.

They dont get the same AC unless the creature attacking them is within 10ft. Any ranged enemy that attacks them wouldn’t active accursed shield even if they are engaged with another enemy. This design was intentional. If you want to be a high defense Eldritch blaster you need to go get shield training somewhere else, and most of ways to get shield training would are also giving you redundant armor training.

Also this version doesn’t offer any crit bonuses to Eldritch blast at range like 5e did. Both this and the UA version have weaker versions of hexblade’s curse than 5e. 

Point, but I think the degree it outperforms in melee staying power is still a concern. Medium armor alone runs high enough that at the max you’re effectively getting the full effect of Mage Armor with a +2 DEX mod without actually having to invest in DEX beyond 10. Add in the magic shield, and that’s 17 AC with no DEX mod in all melee at a stage where every other Warlock- working off class/subclass features and a typical non-random stat array- has to invest an Invocation and DEX of 14 to hit 15 AC. The dip in ranged AC is something, monsters seem to heavily favor melee attacks and quite a few ranged options are saves rather than rolls, so I’d still consider melee AC the baseline for comparison. Maybe just the +2 AC works, but practically speaking I think it and Medium Armor creates too much lead on constant staying power.

Quote from Ain_Undos >>

3rd Level Hexblade’s Curse

Your patron curses you with power that creates an accursed miasma around you. It is an invisible 10 ft emanation that empowers curses you cast and hinders your foes.

This is subtly strong. It's now an all day thing. I would change the Miasma to Charisma Modifier or Proficiency Bonus uses per day for a duration of 1 minute. This makes it a bit on par with Bladesong.

Quote from Ain_Undos >>

Accursed Shield. You gain +2 bonus to your AC against any attack that originates within your miasma as long as you aren't wielding a shield or wearing heavy armor. 

...

Your patron grants you the training necessary to effectively arm yourself for battle and power over curses that make you more effective in close quarters. You gain proficiency with martial weapons and medium armor training.

Just to be explicit, with a 14 Dex, this is +5 AC over light armor and + 4 AC over Mage Armor against melee range attacks, but +3 AC/+2 AC in general. Not needing more than a 14 Dex allows for focusing on Con for HP and Concentration saves. 

Quote from Ain_Undos >>

Hex Weapon. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with. If the weapon is heavy you ignore disadvantage caused by not having the required Strength or Dexterity score.  When you attack with that weapon, you can use your Charisma modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls. As a bonus action you may send the weapon to a pocket dimension or summon it to your hand from that pocket dimension. A weapon returns from the pocket dimension if you die. These benefits last until you finish a long rest. If you have/gain the Pact of the Blade invocation these benefits extend to your pact weapon whether you bond with or conjure it.

If you make this explicitly a melee weapon it pushes the subclass further into melee. Since it is a bit of a ribbon feature, I would consider allowing storing the weapon in the pocket dimension or retrieving it from there as part of any equip or unequip. Note that storing a Pact Weapon in a pocket dimension will end the bond for that weapon. That would allow the user to pull the weapon out of the Pocket Dimension and attack as part of the Attack action. It's not powerful, but it is cool.

Quote from Ain_Undos >> 

Accursed Critical. Any attack roll you make against a target cursed by you that is within your miasma scores a Critical Hit on a 19 or 20 on the d20.

Harrowing Hex. After you cast a level 1+ spell that has a casting time of an action, you can make one attack with a weapon as a bonus action.

Hindering Curse. When you hit a target cursed by you that is within your miasma with an attack roll, the target has disadvantage on its next saving throw before the start of your next turn. 

So Accursed Critical and Hindering Curse layer onto Hex, Bestow Curse, and such instead of solely on Hexblade's Curse (now an emanation)? Be aware, that because you can move the curse with Hex, that's potentially not that limited in use, just in range.

Harrowing Hex could be restricted to melee weapons or Hex/Pact weapons, but the benefits of using a Hex/Pact weapon will probably be sufficient. 

Quote from Ain_Undos >>

Inescapable Hex. If a creature cursed by you starts its turn within your miasma and ends its turn outside of your miasma, but still within 500ft you can teleport to an unoccupied space within 10ft of the creature.

This should cost a Reaction at the least. Some other options:

• creatures that start their turn in your miasma halves their speed until the end of their turn. Could be comboed with the reaction to move towards them.
• If you hit a creature with an opportunity attack with your Hex/Pact weapon while it is within your miasma reduces its speed to 0 until the start of your next turn. (Mini Sentinel)

Like Accursed Critical, Hindering Curse, and Armor of Hexes, it would probably be better for any of these effects to be restricted to a creature cursed by the Hexblade,

Some elements I think are too strong, but I like this a lot better than the UA version.

I wasn’t worried about it Hexblade’s cures being an always on effect because most of the features require you to have cursed the target. Considering warlocks have so few spell slots I was thinking no big deal, but hex extends its duration when cast at higher levels and can change targets, so that is overly useful. Targets will always be cursed. I need to scale that down. Also the pocket dimension had a sentence that read “the weapon stored there is considered 1ft away from you.”  This was an update of a previous attempt and I couldn’t remember why I wrote that sentence. I deleted it but it was important. 

I made changes to it, but not enough to repost it yet. 
Made the Hexblade curse accursed miasma last 1 minute. Limited it to Cha bonus times per long rest. That should fix 90% of the power use problem. Also it’s visible, so intelligent creatures can make observations and decisions about it. 

Dropped medium armor training, improved accursed shield so it provides a bonus equal to your pact magic slot level. So you have to stay warlock til 9th level to get the full +5 benefit. But remember the miasma is limited use now and this +5 does nothing against attacks originating outside of the 10ft emanation. That would include melee attacks from creatures with 15ft reach. 

Made Hex Weapon pocket dimension your inner world so weapons within it are considered in your possession or as physically close to you as possible.

Made Harrowing hex only give you a melee attack with a weapon as a bonus action.

Going to make inescapable hex work like the UA version for free, or teleport as a reaction. Also bring back the UA Hex restoration to allow more uses of Hexblade’s Curses miasma per day. 

Im thinking maybe it should cost a bonus action to create the miasma or I should follow the UA and say it happens when you cast a spell that curses a creature. Only Accused Shield functions when no creature is cursed, so maybe the balance is to make it only work when you cast a spell to curse a creature. I don’t know, open to all suggestions.

Quote from Ain_Undos >>

Here is a version with medium armor and improved defensive abilities compared to the UA. It is very reliant on being within 10ft and hexblade’s curse is really just an aura that other features use. I brought accursed critical down to 6th because I feel that is more important to Hexblade than inescapable hex. I did improve inescapable hex at 14. I did nothing for hindering curse. I think that is meant for an Ally. Or for when you have extra attack you can hit with an attack to trigger hindering curse then attack again and use a smite spell on hit. Honestly it could be argued it works if you use a smite spell on the first hit that triggers hindering curse.  I don’t know if I would use smite spells on a pure warlock. 

3rd level Hexblade Spells

3 Arcane Vigor, Hex, Shield, Wrathful Smite

5 Bestow Curse, Conjure Barrage

7 Freedom of Movement Staggering Smite

9 Animate Objects, Steel Wind Strike

 

3rd Level Hexblade’s Curse

Your patron curses you with power that creates an accursed miasma around you. It is an invisible 10 ft emanation that empowers curses you cast and hinders your foes.

Accursed Shield. You gain +2 bonus to your AC against any attack that originates within your miasma as long as you aren't wielding a shield or wearing heavy armor. 

Hungering Hex. When a creature cursed by you that is within your miasma drops to 0 hit points you regain 1d8+ your Charisma Modifier hit points. 

3rd Level Hex Warrior

Your patron grants you the training necessary to effectively arm yourself for battle and power over curses that make you more effective in close quarters. You gain proficiency with martial weapons and medium armor training.

Hex Weapon. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with. If the weapon is heavy you ignore disadvantage caused by not having the required Strength or Dexterity score.  When you attack with that weapon, you can use your Charisma modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls. As a bonus action you may send the weapon to a pocket dimension or summon it to your hand from that pocket dimension. A weapon returns from the pocket dimension if you die. These benefits last until you finish a long rest. If you have/gain the Pact of the Blade invocation these benefits extend to your pact weapon whether you bond with or conjure it.

Unyielding Will. When you succeed on a saving throw to maintain Concentration, each creature of your choice in your miasma takes 2d6 Necrotic damage. Once you use this benefit, you can’t do so again until the start of your next turn.

In addition, when you fail a saving throw to maintain Concentration, you can choose to succeed instead, and you gain temp hp equal to 1d10 plus your warlock level. Once you use this feature you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

 

6th Level Malign Brutality

Accursed Critical. Any attack roll you make against a target cursed by you that is within your miasma scores a Critical Hit on a 19 or 20 on the d20.

Harrowing Hex. After you cast a level 1+ spell that has a casting time of an action, you can make one attack with a weapon as a bonus action.

Hindering Curse. When you hit a target cursed by you that is within your miasma with an attack roll, the target has disadvantage on its next saving throw before the start of your next turn. 

10th Level Armor of Hexes

If an enemy that is cursed by you deals damage to  you,  you can use your reaction to roll a d6. You reduce the damage by your Warlock level + the number rolled. If the attack originated within your miasma and you rolled a 5 or 6 you instead take no damage. 

14 Level Master of Hexes

Explosive Hex. When you deal damage to the target cursed by you, you can cause your curse to explode with sinister energy. The target and each creature of your choice in a 30-foot Emanation originating from the target take 3d6 Necrotic, Psychic, or Radiant damage (your choice), and their Speed is reduced by 10 feet until the start of your next turn. Any creature that takes this damage that is in your miasma at the start of their turn takes an additional 3d6 damage of the same type.  Once you use this benefit, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest unless you expend a Pact Magic slot (no action required) to restore your use of it.

Inescapable Hex. If a creature cursed by you starts its turn within your miasma and ends its turn outside of your miasma, but still within 500ft you can teleport to an unoccupied space within 10ft of the creature.

no offense meant, but this  still does not fix the AC problem. Even in this case i would rather take an one lvl dip in ftr/pal to gain medium armor and shield proficiency because this "fix" does not work with a shield and as soon as you get a +1 shield its already better then your version. 99% of all pact of the blade warlocks do a one lvl 1 dip of paladin to fix their AC problem since the warlock 20th lvl ability is so lackluster it is an easy choice.
hexblade in either the presented UA version nor your changes does not offer anything to do it different.
The hexblade imho needs medium armor & shield to be viable without taking a MC dip, if you give it just medium armor you need to do the dip or take lightly armored to get these two and one of your subclass abilities does do nothing ....

Harrowing Hex: is way too early, other subclasses with similiar abilities get this ability way later
Inescapable Hex: this is too OP as an ability, its similiar to a vengeance Paladin lvl 7 ability, but without needing an AoO cost and "teleporting" up to 500' even if the target used a teleport itself without any restriction of use ....

Quote from AlleneOfLeHigh >>

Quote from Ain_Undos >>

 

3rd Level Hex Warrior

Your patron grants you the training necessary to effectively arm yourself for battle and power over curses that make you more effective in close quarters. You gain proficiency with martial weapons and medium armor training.

...

Harrowing Hex. After you cast a level 1+ spell that has a casting time of an action, you can make one attack with a weapon as a bonus action.

 

no offense meant, but this  still does not fix the AC problem. Even in this case i would rather take an one lvl dip in ftr/pal to gain medium armor and shield proficiency because this "fix" does not work with a shield and as soon as you get a +1 shield its already better then your version. 99% of all pact of the blade warlocks do a one lvl 1 dip of paladin to fix their AC problem since the warlock 20th lvl ability is so lackluster it is an easy choice.
hexblade in either the presented UA version nor your changes does not offer anything to do it different.
The hexblade imho needs medium armor & shield to be viable without taking a MC dip, if you give it just medium armor you need to do the dip or take lightly armored to get these two and one of your subclass abilities does do nothing ....

I disagree.

1. The game is balanced against the assumption that you do not have magic items.
2. With a 14 Dex, this would have an AC of 17 and a miasma AC of 19. A great weapon or dual wielding Fighter with a Plate Armor and without the Defense Fighting Style would have an 18 AC. I think this is a great place for the Hexblade to be defensively. The fighter will have slightly better HP, but the Hexblade will have innate healing from Arcane Vigor, Hungering Hex, and potentially Lifedrinker or other Invocations. They are a melee striker, not a tank. This is a pretty solid place for them to be.

I would say Fighter is a better dip for medium armor because you get Fighting Styles and Weapon Masteries. If you can stand a level 3 dip, College of Dance Bard or Armorer Artificer are worth considering for AC (10+Dex+Cha - college of dance, Heavy Armor + Shields for Armorer)

Quote from AlleneOfLeHigh >>

Harrowing Hex: is way too early, other subclasses with similiar abilities get this ability way later

This is the same level that the UA Hexblade gets the exact same ability.

Bladesinger Wizard and College of Valor Bard get a similar ability at level 14, but there are some significant differences:

• At level 6, they got the ability to replace a cantrip with one attack of the Attack action
• The Bard and Wizard version works with Cantrips (so they can do it every turn) while the Harrowing Hex requires a level 1+ spell.
• Casting a level 1+ spell is much harder for a Warlock to do in a useful manner. They can use their Invocation spells, but there really aren't any useful spells there so you'll be relying on their class spell slots mostly. At that level, they have 2 spell slots (effectively 3 per day with Magical Cunning).
• That Bonus Action attack is also competing with other things, like moving the [spell]Hex[/spells] target.

It's much weaker than in the hands of a Wizard or Bard.

Eh, I don't think one Warlock subclass outperforming heavy armor AC is a good vibe- that returns to the issue previously brought up that it will be the massively superior pick for a martial Warlock. Look at the current crop of Warlock subclasses- many of them are designed to provide some degree of staying power, but on a limited use or reactive basis. Warlocks, like every other Gish setup, aren't supposed to be specced to hold the front solo in a party, they're supposed to have the staying power to skirmish alongside dedicated frontliners.