Path of the Cursed Blade (5e Subclass)
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Hexblade (Variant)
Combining the might of the blade and the power of the arcane, a Hexblade is a vicious force to be reckoned with. With their malicious mindset and thirst for greater power, there aren't many (if any at all) that a Hexblade would allow to stand in their way.
Making a Hexblade
Hexblades start out relying solely on their blade and the innate ability to curse their foes, granting the Hexblade and his allies an edge. Though the Hexblade is strong with melee and is later granted more powerful spells, it is the early studies in their class that a Hexblade is weakest. They have the same strength as a warrior, but do not bother with encumbering themselves with larger armor, making them somewhat more fragile in combat.
Abilities: Charisma is important for many of the Hexblade's powers, including his spellcasting. Strength is important for him because of his role in combat. Dexterity and constitution benefit the Hexblade's longevity, as they do not wear heavy armor.
Races: As with sorcerers, most Hexblades are humans or half-elves. Those few gnomes who enjoy a cruel twist to their levity may take up the tradition. Elves wishing to mix magic and warfare more often become Fighter/Wizards than Hexblades. Dwarves and Halflings rarely exhibit the self-centered behavior common among Hexblades.
Among the savage humanoids, Hexblades may be found as leaders or advisers.
Alignment: Any nongood.
Starting Gold: 6d4×10 gp
Starting Age: Simple.
| Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throw | Special | Spells per Day | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Hexblade's curse 3/day | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Arcane resistance, mettle | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Prestidigitation at will, toughness | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | Greater hexblade's curse, summon familiar | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Malice and Misfortune 1/day | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +2 | +5 | Hexblades curse 4/day | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8th | +6/+1 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Aura of Unluck 1/day | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9th | +6/+1 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Dire hexblade's curse malice & misfortune 2/day | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | +7/+2 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Greater Arcane Resistance | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11th | +8/+3 | +8 | +3 | +8 | Aura of Unluck 2/day | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Malice and Misfortune 3/day | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13th | +9/+4 | +9 | +4 | +9 | Hexblade's Curse 5/day | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14th | +10/+5 | +9 | +4 | +9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +10 | +5 | +10 | malice & misfortune 4/day | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Hex's Advantage | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +11 | malice & misfortune 5/day | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Hexblade curse 6/day | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +12 | Dire Arcane Resistance(Cha bonus x4) | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Hexblade.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Hexblades are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with light and medium armor but not with shields. Because the somatic componants required for hexblade spells are simple, a hexblade can cast hexblade spells while wearing light and medium armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, a hexblade wearing heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component (and most do). A multiclass hexblade still incurs the normal arcan spell failure chance for arcane spells derived from other classes.
Hexblade's Curse (Su): Three times per day, as a standard action, a hexblade can unleash a curse upon a foe. The target must be visible to the hexblade and within 60 feet. The target of a hexblade's curse takes a -2 penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls for 1 hour thereafter. A successful Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 hexblade's class level + Hexblade's Cha modifier) negates the effect.
Every six levels after first (7, 13, 19) a hexblade gains the ability to use his curse additional times per day. Multiple hexblade curses don't stack, and any foe that successfully resists the effect cannot be affected again by the same hexblade's curse for 24 hours.
Any effect that removes or dispels a curse eliminates the effect of a hexblade's curse.
Arcane Resistance (Su): At 2nd level, a hexblade gains a bonus equal to his Charisma bonus (minimum +1) on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects. At level 10 this bonus is multiplied by 2 ( ex; a hexblade with a Charisma of 16 gets a +6 bonus). At level 20, the hexblade's resilience against opposing spells gives him a multiplier of 4.
Mettle (Ex): At 2nd level and higher, a hexblade can resist magical and unusual attacks with great willpower or fortitude. If he makes a successful Will or Fortitude save against an attack that normally would have a lesser effect on a successful save (such as any spell with a saving throw entry of Will half or Fortitude partial), he instead completely negates the effect. An unconscious or sleeping hexblade does not gain the benefit of mettle.
Prestidigitation (Sp): Because of the hexblade's calling, their desire to know more about their arcane abilities manifests itself beyond their ability to curse and the hexblade is able to cast prestidigitation as the spell at will. Doing so, however, is a free action.
Toughness: A hexblade gains Toughness as a bonus feat at 3rd level.
Summon Familiar: Beginning at 4th level, a hexblade can obtain a familiar. Doing so takes 24 hours and uses up magical materials that cost 100 gp. A familiar is a magical beast that resembles a small animal and is unusually tough and intelligent. The creature serves as a companion and servant.
The hexblade chooses the kind of familiar he gets. As the hexblade advances in level, his familiar also increases in power. Treat the hexblade as a sorcerer of three levels lower for determining the familiar's powers and ablilities (for more on familiars, clickhere).
If the familiar dies or is dismissed by the hexblade, the latter must attempt a DC 15 Fortitude saving throw. Failure means he loses 200 experiance points per hexblade level; success reduces the loss to one-half that amount. However, a hexblade's experience point total can never go below 0 as the result of a familiar's demise or dismissal. A slain or dismissed familiar cannot be replaced for a year and a day. A slain familiar can be raised form the dead just as a character can be, but it does not lose a level or a point of Constitution when this happy even occurs.
A character with more than one class that grants a familiar may have only one familiar at a time.
Greater Hexblade's Curse (Su): When a hexblade attains 4th level, the penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls incurred by a target of the hexblade's curse becomes -4 instead of -2.
Spells: Beginning at 4th level, a hexblade gains the ability to cast a small number of arcane spells, which are drawn from the hexblade spell list (see Chapter 3). He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time, just as a sorcerer can (see page 54 of the Player’s Handbook).
To learn or cast a spell, a hexblade must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level (Cha 11 for 1st-level spells, Cha 12 for 2nd-level spells, and so forth). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a hexblade’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the hexblade’s Cha modifier.
A hexblade begins play knowing no spells, but gains one or more new spells at certain levels. Upon reaching 12th level, and at every third hexblade level after that (15th and 18th), a hexblade can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the hexblade “loses” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level hexblade spell the hexblade can cast. For instance, upon reaching 12th level, a hexblade could trade in a single 1stlevel spell (two spell levels below the highest-level hexblade spell he can cast, which is 3rd) for a different 1st-level spell. At 15th level, he could trade in a single 1st-level or 2nd-level spell (since he now can cast 4th-level hexblade spells) for a different spell of the same level. A hexblade may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level. Through 3rd level, a hexblade has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, his caster level is one-half his hexblade level.
Alternative Spell List- Hexblades choose their spells from the same list as Sorcerers/Wizards, but are limited to three schools of their choice. Once the hexblade's magic school choices have been made, this change cannot be undone(Unless the DM says otherwise.)
| Level | Spells Known | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | ||||||
| 1st | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
| 2nd | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
| 3rd | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
| 4th | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | |||||
| 5th | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | |||||
| 6th | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | |||||
| 7th | 6 | 3 | 1 | — | — | |||||
| 8th | 6 | 4 | 2 | — | — | |||||
| 9th | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | |||||
| 10th | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | — | |||||
| 11th | 8 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||||
| 12th | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | |||||
| 13th | 9 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | |||||
| 14th | 9 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | |||||
| 15th | 9 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | |||||
| 16th | 9 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | |||||
| 17th | 9 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | |||||
| 18th | 9 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | |||||
| 19th | 9 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | |||||
| 20th | 9 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | |||||
Malice and Misfortune (Ex): At 6th level, the hexblade has taken to his blade just as intimately as he has his magic. Fusing the two together, the hexblade performs a violent stream of attacks at the cost of accuracy. The hexblade's finesse is enchanced by the spiteful link between him and his enemy. The hexblade takes a -4 penalty to each of his attacks versus a target with the effect of the hexblade's curse (Empowered Malice & Misfortune removes this). Acting on this malice, the hexblade skillfully executes a series of blows, doubling his number of attacks.
For example, a hexblade at 7th level has a BAB of +7/+2. While attacking with Malice and Misfortune, this BAB turns to +3/+3/-2/-2. Since each strike is independent of the rest, each hit receives the full strength modifier to damage done.
Hex's Advantage (Sp) : The hexblade's ability to curse his enemies has grown so strong he now gains a +1/2 levels to attack and damage to enemies struck by his curse.
I.E.: A level 18 hexblade gains a +9 to his attack rolls and damage rolls against curses targets.
Ex-Hexblades
A hexblade who becomes good-aligned loses all hexblade spells and all supernatural class abilities. His familiar becomes a normal animal and leaves the hexblade's service as soon as possible. He may not progress any farther in levels as a hexblade. He retains all the other benefits of the class (weapon and armor proficiencies and bonus feats).
Epic Hexblade
| Level | Special | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21st | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22nd | Empowered Malice & Misfortune | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23rd | Bonus feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 26th | Bonus feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 27th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 28th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 29th | Bonus feat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 30th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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4 + Int modifier skill points per level. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Anguish: The hexblades magical prowess allows him to cast the same spell twice in a row once a day. In the case of saves the second spell acts on its own saving aginst the first spell does not allow an auto save against the second. Summoning spells summon 2 monsters does not simply resummon the same monster.
Bonus Feats: The epic Hexblade gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic Hexblade bonus feats) every 3 levels after 20th.
Epic Hexblade Bonus Feat List: all feats from epic Fighter bonus feats or epic Sorcerer bonus feats.
Hexblade Starting Package
Weapons: .
Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + Int modifier.
| Skill | Ranks | Ability | Armor Check Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|
Feat: .
Bonus Feats: .
Gear: .
Gold: .
Campaign Information
Playing a Hexblade
Religion: .
Other Classes: .
Combat: .
Advancement: .
Hexblades in the World
| “ | ” | |
| —, | ||
Daily Life: .
Notables: .
Organizations: .
NPC Reactions: .
Hexblade Lore
Characters with ranks in can research to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.
| DC | Result |
|---|---|
| 5 | . |
| 10 | . |
| 15 | . |
| 20 | . |
Hexblades in the Game
Adaptation: .
Sample Encounter: .
EL : .
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