So of course I tried to speak to my DM about allowing a hand crossbow as my pact weapon (without it being magic). He is being a turd and wont allow it since its not RAW and therefore ins't AL legal. I want to do an archer (preferably crossbow but I am flexible in this regard) Hexblade but this is where my confusion comes in:
"The influence of your patron also allows you to mystically channel your will through a particular weapon. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with and that lacks the two-handed property. When you attack with that weapon, you can use your Charisma modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls. This benefit lasts until you finish a long rest. If you later gain the Pact of the Blade feature, this benefit extends to every pact weapon you conjure with that feature, no matter the weapon’s type."
Now of course my pact boon is Pact of the Blade. For reference, below is the exert.
"You can transform one magic weapon into your pact weapon by performing a special ritual while you hold the weapon. You perform the ritual over the course of 1 hour, which can be done during a short rest. You can then dismiss the weapon, shunting it into an extradimensional space, and it appears whenever you create your pact weapon thereafter. You can’t affect an artifact or a sentient weapon in this way. The weapon ceases being your pact weapon if you die, if you perform the 1-hour ritual on a different weapon, or if you use a 1-hour ritual to break your bond to it. The weapon appears at your feet if it is in the extradimensional space when the bond breaks."
Since magic weapons are difficult to come by and to make it an "archer", I take Improved Pact Weapon. Below is the exert.
"You can use any weapon you summon with your Pact of the Blade feature as a spellcasting focus for your warlock spells. In addition, the weapon gains a +1 bonus to its attack and damage rolls, unless it is a magic weapon that already has a bonus to those rolls. Finally, the weapon you conjure can be a shortbow, longbow, light crossbow, or heavy crossbow."
So essentially due to the Hexblade ability, the pact weapon cannot be two-handed. BUT also due to Improved Pact Weapon, the only ranged weapons are two-handed ranged options. I'm not the smartest but I'm definitely not the dumbest. This doesn't make sense to me. Any clarification or advice is very appreciated.
Also, off subject. When is a good point in the build to pick up Fighter 1 for the Archery fighting style if starting with Warlock? Thanks yall.
The trick lies in the last line of the Hexblade Warrior feature: "The influence of your patron also allows you to mystically channel your will through a particular weapon. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with and that lacks the two-handed property. When you attack with that weapon, you can use your Charisma modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls. This benefit lasts until you finish a long rest. If you later gain the Pact of the Blade feature, this benefit extends to every pact weapon you conjure with that feature, no matter the weapon’s type."
By benefit is meant, the CHA scaling. The restrictions before the last line are meant only for the Hexblade Warrior feature; effectively this means you can prepare a weapon with these restrictions additionally to your Pact weapon.
Concerning your Fighter 1: Whenever you feel you have time for it. The first three levels of Warlock are important if you want your Pact Boon. Next level is your important ASI, after that you get your Thirsting Blade and Eldritch Smite options, and you really don't want to wait another level when your teampartners are all already dishing out two attacks per round. Truth is, you will always feel a delay when dipping a level into Fighter. At least the 6th level Hexblade feature is crap so I, personally, would go 5 levels Warlock straight and then dip into Fighter.
Basically your summoned pact weapon can be any melee weapon which will be magical. The Improved Pact Weapon invocation makes them into +1 magical weapons, allows you to use them as a spell focus for Warlock spells, and can also be a shortbow, longbow, light crossbow, or heavy crossbow. Ironically it doesn't seem to give you arrows or bolts, so you'll have to carry a quiver of bolts/arrows to shoot from it. The Hex Warrior ability applies to everything you summon with the Pact of the Blade ability, including the magical weapon you make into your pact weapon if you choose to do that.
Me, I'd just stick with Eldritch Blast. You could count your Eldritch Blast as your hand crossbow.
Pact of the Blade has no prohibition against two-handed weapons.
Pact of the Blade
You can use your action to create a pact weapon in your empty hand. You can choose the form that this melee weapon takes each time you create it (see the Weapons section for weapon options)...
This expands the choices available from Hex Warrior, and the Improved Pact Weapon invocation adds some ranged weapons.
Pact of the Blade has no prohibition against two-handed weapons.
Pact of the Blade
You can use your action to create a pact weapon in your empty hand. You can choose the form that this melee weapon takes each time you create it (see the Weapons section for weapon options)...
This expands the choices available from Hex Warrior, and the Improved Pact Weapon invocation adds some ranged weapons.
Right but Hex Warrior clearly states "lacking the two-handed property".
Pact of the Blade has no prohibition against two-handed weapons.
Pact of the Blade
You can use your action to create a pact weapon in your empty hand. You can choose the form that this melee weapon takes each time you create it (see the Weapons section for weapon options)...
This expands the choices available from Hex Warrior, and the Improved Pact Weapon invocation adds some ranged weapons.
Right but Hex Warrior clearly states "lacking the two-handed property".
Reread Bleikopfs comment, Hexblade warrior is very specifically written so that Pact of the blade overwrites this restriction. That is the point of taking the Pact of the blade with Hexblade.
Given that this is going to be in AL, in this current season, getting to level 5 guarentees you a +1 item of your choice, whether it's a weapon or focus is up to you. Take your ranged weapon of choice here; as per how Pact of the Blade works, you can set a magic weapon you find as your pact weapon. The restriction to melee weapons only applies to having a non-set pact weapon that can change forms. If you really want the versatility of choice, the Improved Pact Weapon invocation lets you take bows and non-hand crossbows.
If you're looking for the highest numbers, I'd recommend going the hand crossbow route; start as a variant human Hexblade with Crossbow Expert and pump your charisma. Rely on eldritch blast until level 5, then receive a +1 hand crossbow. Set it as your pact weapon, take the Thirsting Blade invocation and go to town.
I personally prefer going with the Fiend patron as the flavor, combat bonuses and build intricacies appeal to me more than Hexblade's. I've made it work with that, so theoretically it should be easier for you.
The trick lies in the last line of the Hexblade Warrior feature:
"The influence of your patron also allows you to mystically channel your will through a particular weapon. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with and that lacks the two-handed property. When you attack with that weapon, you can use your Charisma modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls. This benefit lasts until you finish a long rest. If you later gain the Pact of the Blade feature, this benefit extends to every pact weapon you conjure with that feature, no matter the weapon’s type."
By benefit is meant, the CHA scaling. The restrictions before the last line are meant only for the Hexblade Warrior feature; effectively this means you can prepare a weapon with these restrictions additionally to your Pact weapon.
Concerning your Fighter 1:
Whenever you feel you have time for it.
The first three levels of Warlock are important if you want your Pact Boon. Next level is your important ASI, after that you get your Thirsting Blade and Eldritch Smite options, and you really don't want to wait another level when your teampartners are all already dishing out two attacks per round.
Truth is, you will always feel a delay when dipping a level into Fighter. At least the 6th level Hexblade feature is crap so I, personally, would go 5 levels Warlock straight and then dip into Fighter.
Basically your summoned pact weapon can be any melee weapon which will be magical. The Improved Pact Weapon invocation makes them into +1 magical weapons, allows you to use them as a spell focus for Warlock spells, and can also be a shortbow, longbow, light crossbow, or heavy crossbow. Ironically it doesn't seem to give you arrows or bolts, so you'll have to carry a quiver of bolts/arrows to shoot from it. The Hex Warrior ability applies to everything you summon with the Pact of the Blade ability, including the magical weapon you make into your pact weapon if you choose to do that.
Me, I'd just stick with Eldritch Blast. You could count your Eldritch Blast as your hand crossbow.
Pact of the Blade has no prohibition against two-handed weapons.
This expands the choices available from Hex Warrior, and the Improved Pact Weapon invocation adds some ranged weapons.
Right but Hex Warrior clearly states "lacking the two-handed property".
Reread Bleikopfs comment, Hexblade warrior is very specifically written so that Pact of the blade overwrites this restriction. That is the point of taking the Pact of the blade with Hexblade.
Given that this is going to be in AL, in this current season, getting to level 5 guarentees you a +1 item of your choice, whether it's a weapon or focus is up to you. Take your ranged weapon of choice here; as per how Pact of the Blade works, you can set a magic weapon you find as your pact weapon. The restriction to melee weapons only applies to having a non-set pact weapon that can change forms. If you really want the versatility of choice, the Improved Pact Weapon invocation lets you take bows and non-hand crossbows.
If you're looking for the highest numbers, I'd recommend going the hand crossbow route; start as a variant human Hexblade with Crossbow Expert and pump your charisma. Rely on eldritch blast until level 5, then receive a +1 hand crossbow. Set it as your pact weapon, take the Thirsting Blade invocation and go to town.
I personally prefer going with the Fiend patron as the flavor, combat bonuses and build intricacies appeal to me more than Hexblade's. I've made it work with that, so theoretically it should be easier for you.
Ok awesome. Thanks everyone for their replies. I'm excited to play this toon.