It's difficult to say for sure why the Warlock is one of the most popular classes in 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Dungeons & Dragons, but the class's flavorful ties to a patron, whether they're good or evil, is one likely explanation. Among the patrons and subclasses available, the Hexblade in particular seems to call to many players due to its reputation as one of the few gish playstyles available in the game.
"Gish" is an old-school tabletop term used to refer to character builds that use both sword and sorcery. Alongside the 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Bladesinger Wizard, the Hexblade Warlock is one of your best options for living this fantasy in a mechanically satisfying way. Let's take a look at how to make it sing.
Species
The most optimized builds always choose either variant human or custom lineage from Tasha's Cauldron Of Everything in order to access a feat at first level. However, many tables allow all species a free feat at f🔥irst level anyways, so it entirely depends on your DM.
If your table happens to run with this house rule, you've got quite a few other great species options to pick from. If you pick a species from the Player's Handbook, select one that receives a boost to Charisma such as Half-Elf, Tiefling, or Dragonborn. The Aasimar and Yuan-ti Pureblood from Volo's Guide to Monsters also provide Charisma bonuses.
On top of these options, the Astral Elf, Eladrin, and Shadar-Kai are great options from Monsters of the Multiverse, thanks to access to built-in bonus action teleports to 𓆏a range of 30 feet. These can be extremely helpful for closing the gap between you an🔴d your foes as well as escaping from less than ideal situations.
The Orc and Goliath have some added resilience thanks to some significantly different features. Relentless endurance on Orcs makes it so that they can survive any attack that would reduce you to zero and be reduced to one hit point instead. Meanwhile, Goliaths have Stone's Endurance, which allows you to use your reaction to reduce incoming damage by a d12 + your Constitution modifier.
Ability Scores
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As mentioned above, your number one concern as a Hexblade Warlock is increasing your Charisma score. This is due to Charisma being your spellcasting ability modifier, however, the Hexblade's Hex Warrior feature also allows you to use Charisma for your weapon attacks, instead of Strength or Dexterity.
As a result, Charisma influences everything you need by the time you pick up the Pact of the✃ Blade feature at third level.
Your next highest ability score should be your Constitution. Warlocks have a pretty middling AC (Armor Class), even with added proficiency in medium armor and shields, so you're going to need to increase your hit points as high as possible if you plan on wading into melee combat.Furthermore, a high Constitution score will allow you to maintain concentration on your spells more readily.
The third and final priority for Warlocks is a decent Wisdom score. While Wisdom doesn't directly influence any of your key abilities, perception is the most important skill in the game.
Warlocks also have the benefit of proficiency in Wisdom saving throws, and you'll want to get as much mileage out of this proficiency as you can in order to protect yourself from harmful spells and abilities.
If you plan on using a two-handed weapon, it's worth noting that you may want to make sure you have at least a +1 modifier in Strength to get you through the first two levels of play. The ability to attack with two-handed weapons using your Charisma score only comes online once you reach third level.
If you plan on 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:multiclassing into Paladin or accessing heavy armor thro🐠ugh a 𝔉feat, you will need a minimum Strength score of 13.
Feats
For starters, your level one feat should be War Caster or Resilient (Constitution) in order to buff up your concentration checks.
With so few spell slots,🔯 Warlocks rely on concentration spells more than any other class in order to get🐷 the most out of their spellcasting.
Warlocks only have two more ability score improvements in the first half of their level progression at levels four and eight. Maximizing your Charisma score is very important, but if you really want to lean into melee attacks, consider taking Great Weapon Master at the fourth level in order 🌠to unlock "power attacks".
"Power attack🃏&quo✨t; is a colloquial name for the Great Weapon Master feature that allows you to take a -5 penalty to your attack roll in order to deal +10 damage.
If your Charisma isn't 20 by the time you reach the eighth level, definitely use this ability score improvement to maximize your Charisma. At later levels, other feats to consider include Heavily Armored, Eldritch Adept, Inspiring Leader, Mobile, Fey Touched, Shadow Touched, and Sentinel.
Additional stellar feat options are locked behind species ওrestrictions. Examples include Elven Accuracy, Flames of Phlegethos, and Second Chꦕance.
Spells
Seeing as you only have two or three spell slots to work with for the majority of your character's career, you'll want to make certain that you're getting the maximum value out of them. This means that adding a fair amount of concentration spells to your repertoire should be your lead concern.
At early levels, you'll want to use your concentration on spells like Hex, Wrathful Smite, Protection from Evil and Good, Hold Person, and Spider Climb. Each one of these spells ꧙will provide you with a mechanical benefit both the turn you cast it and many turns afterwards.
Wrathful Smite in particular is a great way to impose the debilitating frig🍃htened condition on an enemy for an entire combat. However, be careful who you use this spell on as many foes have immunity to this condition.
At later levels, spells like Fly, Hypnotic Pattern, Summon Lesser Demons, Banishment, Banishing Smite, Sickening Radiance, and Hold Monster are even better options for your concentration. Despite the importance of concentration spells, there are also a number of nonconcentration spells that you'll want to have handy.
These include defensive spells such as Armor of Agathys and Mirror Image as well as movement oriented spells like Misty Step, Thunder Step, and Dimension Door. Counterspell and Dispel Magic are also incredibly helpful tools that any party will be thankful to have.
Armor of Agathys is an amazing spell for a Hexblade Warlock as it both increases youꦚr hit point pool and deals a sizable amount of damage꧅ to anyone foolish enough to attack you in melee. Upcasting the spell can lead to some truly ridiculous damage exchanges.
Invocations
Last but not least, your 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:choice of invocations is what really makes the Hexblade Warlock a force to be reckoned with. At early levels, you'll want to take Improved Pact Weapon to increase the effectiveness of your Hexblade. Your other choice of invocation is largely a matter of flavor, however, Agonizing Blast and Repelling Blast are both great combat options if you want to make your eldritch blast more fearsome when you're forced to attack from range
Eldri♔tch Mind is another invocation to consider if you want to avoid spending your first feat on War Caဣster or Resilient (Constitution).
As you level up, your additional invocation slots will be needed for Thirsting Blade at fifth level and Lifedrinker at 12th level. Thirsting Blade gives you access to the extra attack feature found in other melee classes while Lifedrinker increases your melee damage by your Charisma modifier e🐽ach time you land an attack with your pact✃ weapon.
The Devil's Sight invocation can be used in tandem with the 2nd level concentration spell Darkness cast on yourself to turn the battlefield into your personal playground. Devil's Sight is one of the only ways to see through magical darkness in the game, meaning enemies inside of your Darkness spell will suffer from the blinded condition while you yourself are unaffected. In other words, enemy attacks against you will have disadvantage while your own attacks are made at advantage. However, Darkness also obscures your allies' vision, so be careful with this tactic.
Beyond these necessary inclusions, other invocations to consider include Eldritch Smite, Relentless Hex, Tomb of Levistus, and Trickster's Escape. Eldritch Smite gives you the ability to smite like a Paladin while the other invocations are mobility and defensive options that will help to preserve your character's life.
The Hexblade Warlock is in the running for the most beloved subclasses in all of Dungeons & Dragons not only because it's oozing with roleplaying opportunities but because it's just plain fun to play 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:a powerful character. One last thing to mention here is that you should advocate for your DM (Dungeon Master) to make the very weapon you summon your patron.
Magic items with personalities are great in and of themselves, however, when that item is also the source of your power things start to get really interesting. The notorious Blackrazor is a great weapo🐎n to look to for inspiration when designing such a patron. Enjoy!