Most optimal pure hexblade build?

[Bayonet300]

I've heard phenomenal things about the hexblade warlock subclass and I'd like to put together the most broken pure setup for my local Adventure League and I'd like ideas for the most ideal weapon, feats, race, invocations, and pact for a hexblade of, maybe, level 12.

Personally, a human with early access to sentinel and polearm master feats after pact of the blade seems to really bring out the DPS and field control of this class. By level 12, he should have access to great weapon master and invocations such as lifedrinker, thirsting blade, devil's sight alongside the darkness spell, and eldritch smite to maximize your DPS at close range while repelling blast can help provide field control. Agonizing blast can still be used to provide DPS at long range.

I have not had the pleasure to try out this class yet so I'd love to hear your ideas on how hexblade should play out. Thanks!

[prototype00]

I play a vhuman Hexblade in AL and I went straight for Damage- PAM/GWM then I took Sentinel. A dead enemy is a controlled enemy.

That way by Tier 1 with darkness/Devil’s Sight up, you can already do hellacious Damage.

Invocations were : Devil’s Sight, Improved Pact Weapon (magic +2 Glaives are rare as hens teeth in AL) and Thirsting Blade. Other invocations until Lifedrinker are up to discretion.

About to start Tier 2, we’ll see how it goes.

Edit: I placed the optimal ACs to powerattack comparisons based on the Wolfram-Alpha formula on this site, so that helps.

[Chugger]

If you wanna be a pure hexblade, that's fine - no problem from me. But Hexblade works really well w/ any other charisma-based class in MC and seems to benefit from it (well at least most combos) a lot.

[th3g0dc0mp13x]

I'm super new to DnD and I've never done adventure league so I'm not sure exactly how some things work and I could easily be wrong about a lot of things. I'm making two primary assumptions, Standard array and point buy are allowed and you'll be playing from level 1 upward. (if that isn't the case then FML.)

Human (Variant)
Hexblade Warlock (Pact of the Blade)
8,14,16,8,10,20 (Point Buy)
Feats: PoleArm Master, Sentinel
Invocations: Thirsting Blade, Eldritch Smite, Devil's Sight, Relentless Hex, Lifedrinker, (one other probably either Improved Pact Weapon or Repelling Blast.
Weapon: Halberd+1
Armor: Half Plate for an AC of 16

On a Cursed target you will be dealing doing two attacks of 1d10+14 and 1d4+14 on your turn plus another 1d10+14 Opportunity attack. On both main attacks you can add an additional 5d8 damage with eldritch smite. For kicks add in Hex and add another 1d6 damage per attack.
Theoretical Maximum DPR without a Crit: 194, Avg DPR assuming all attacks hit:134

• Lvl One: Beat the Crap out of things with your charisma staff 1d8+3 and 1d4+3 per turn plus another 1d8+3 if you get an opportunity attack, (Add Curse and Hex for another 5.5 per strike)
• Lvl Two: Potent Cantrip(2), Improved Darkvision(2)
• Lvl Three: Pact of the Blade yay halberd time
• At level three replace potent cantrip for Improved pact weapon unless you already have a +1 Halberd.This is also when your going to need to choose between using Darkness or Hex. Darkness is great and going to last a while giving you advantage and your enemies disadvantage, Hex is going to add an average of 3.5 damage per attack. or 10.5 per round.
• Lvl Four: Grab Sentinel
• Lvl Five: Thirsting Blade Invocation, Try to have at least a +1 standard Halberd by now that way you can switch out Improved pact weapon for Eldritch Smite.
• Lvl Seven: This is entirely optional but I pick Relentless Hex for this invocation, If your target is trying to flee you can stop him, It also allows for a lot of great flanking maneuvers. This is also the level you gain access to fourth level spells, Darkness should be replaced by Shadows of Moil if possible.
• Lvl Eight: ASI CHR>18
• Lvl Nine: If you haven't managed to grab a +1 weapon this is where you pick up whichever invocation your missing. If you have then grab Repelling Blast if things are getting too close to you push them back 20' and stop them with sentinel when they come back in.
• Lvl Twelve: ASI Chr>20, Eldritch Invocation: Lifedrinker +CHR mod necrotic damage.

[KnotaGuru]

Easy.

Halfelf (SCAG dark elf variant for spells - extra casting of darkness), point buy (after racial adjustments):
8 str
14 dex (AC 17 with half plate)
14 con
12 int
12 wis
17 cha

Hexblade patron, pact of the blade

Level 4 ASI: elven accuracy (gives +1 cha)
Level 8 ASI: great weapon master (this gives you way more damage than PAM, and you get a bonus attack on crit which should happen often rolling best of 3d20 with advantage and elven accuracy)
Level 12 ASI: +2 cha (now 20 cha)

Invocations (6 at level 12): devil's sight, thirsting blade, lifedrinker, eldritch smite, improved pact weapon, plus 1 of choice (agonizing blast? though I'd go with something more flavorful)

Cantrips (4 at level 12): eldritch blast...whatever else you like

Spells (11 at level 12): darkness and whatever you like....choose damage (hex, shatter, cloud of daggers, vampiric touch, cone of cold), movement/escape (misty step, dimension door), control (hold person/monster, banishment, hypnotic pattern, hunger of hadar), defense (shield, armor of agathys, blur, blink, mirror image), utility (invisibility, fly, dispel magic, counterspell)

Mystic arcanum (1 6th level choice): whatever you like


You swing your conjured +1 great sword for +10 to hit (+4 pro, +5 cha, +1 improved pact) for 2d6 +11 damage (+5 cha, +5 lifedrinker, +1 improved pact) with 2 sometimes 3 attacks/round.
If you've got darkness up and using GWM, swing +5 to hit (take best roll of 3d20) for 2d6+21 damage.
Can burst damage with eldritch smite 6d8 (12d8 on crit) force damage and knock most enemies prone.
More burst with Hexblade's curse.

You have ranged options of conjured longbow with improved pact weapon or agonizing EB if you selected that invocation

[Arcangel4774]

Easy.

Halfelf (SCAG dark elf variant for spells - extra casting of darkness), point buy (after racial adjustments):
8 str
14 dex (AC 17 with half plate)
14 con
12 int
12 wis
17 cha

Hexblade patron, pact of the blade

Level 4 ASI: elven accuracy (gives +1 cha)
Level 8 ASI: great weapon master (this gives you way more damage than PAM, and you get a bonus attack on crit which should happen often rolling best of 3d20 with advantage and elven accuracy)
Level 12 ASI: +2 cha (now 20 cha)

Invocations (6 at level 12): devil's sight, thirsting blade, lifedrinker, eldritch smite, improved pact weapon, plus 1 of choice (agonizing blast? though I'd go with something more flavorful)

Cantrips (4 at level 12): eldritch blast...whatever else you like

Spells (11 at level 12): darkness and whatever you like....choose damage (hex, shatter, cloud of daggers, vampiric touch, cone of cold), movement/escape (misty step, dimension door), control (hold person/monster, banishment, hypnotic pattern, hunger of hadar), defense (shield, armor of agathys, blur, blink, mirror image), utility (invisibility, fly, dispel magic, counterspell)

Mystic arcanum (1 6th level choice): whatever you like


You swing your conjured +1 great sword for +10 to hit (+4 pro, +5 cha, +1 improved pact) for 2d6 +11 damage (+5 cha, +5 lifedrinker, +1 improved pact) with 2 sometimes 3 attacks/round.
If you've got darkness up and using GWM, swing +5 to hit (take best roll of 3d20) for 2d6+21 damage.
Can burst damage with eldritch smite 6d8 (12d8 on crit) force damage and knock most enemies prone.
More burst with Hexblade's curse.

You have ranged options of conjured longbow with improved pact weapon or agonizing EB if you selected that invocation

Cant go scag and hexblade in AL due to phb +1 book rules

[th3g0dc0mp13x]

Halfelf (SCAG dark elf variant for spells - extra casting of darkness), point buy (after racial adjustments):
8 str
14 dex (AC 17 with half plate)
14 con
12 int
12 wis
17

How are you doing this with point buy and +2 dex +1 Chr? By My math you would be at 8,12,14,12,11,15 before racials and 8,14,14,12,11,16 after racial bonuses.

I didn't realize how broken GWM+Elven Accuracy+darkness is jeez.

EDIT: nvm i read half elf variant as just dark elf, Ignore me.

[KnotaGuru]

Cant go scag and hexblade in AL due to phb +1 book rules

Forgot you're limited to one or the other. Either way, halfelf would be my choice.

[KnotaGuru]

How are you doing this with point buy and +2 dex +1 Chr? By My math you would be at 8,12,14,12,11,15 before racials and 8,14,14,12,11,16 after racial bonuses.

I didn't realize how broken GWM+Elven Accuracy+darkness is jeez.

Halfelf gets +2 cha and +1 to two abilities of choice. So before racials it's 8,13,13,12,12,15. If you want more con you go 8,13(+1),15(+1),10,10,15(+2).

[th3g0dc0mp13x]

Halfelf gets +2 cha and +1 to two abilities of choice. So before racials it's 8,13,13,12,12,15. If you want more con you go 8,13(+1),15(+1),10,10,15(+2).

Gotcha, This would be perfect for the character i'm creating if it only started with a feat. (maybe i can talk my DM into it.)

[prototype00]

Re: GWM vs PAM

What people don't realize (or haven't said) is that you want both. Sure GWM is better for damage when it procs (you get the bonus action full glaive damage hit), but what if you don't score a crit or kill someone? (Happens 90% of the time when you are fighting a single tough enemy) - you want PAM so that you can make that 1d4 attack!

1d4 on it's own, who cares, right? But it can also get your Cha Mod and the +10 damage from GWM, so you always have an extremely damaging bonus action attack to thwack the enemy with.

prototype00

[KnotaGuru]

Re: GWM vs PAM

What people don't realize (or haven't said) is that you want both.

Yes, both togther are fun (I have a vengeance paladin with GWM, PAM, sentinel) but you also need to account for action economy. PAM's extra attack is a bonus action, as is GWM's. Other bonus uses for bonus action: hexblade's curse, hex spell, smite spells. Sure, it's nice to have options, so it's user preference for which feat combos you want to have first.

[trctelles]

By lvl 12 you can cast Shadows of Moil, and it work like Darkness 2.0. It gives the same bonus, plus 2d8 necrotic damage to anyone who hit you. And you don't need Devil Sight for it, freeing another invocation for something else (maybe Agonizing Blast?)

[Easy_Lee]

Elven Accuracy on a Half-elf with advantage while attacking the target of his Hexblade's Curse has a 27.1% crit chance per attack. A critical hit not only gives you an extra attack with GWM but allows you to do a critical eldritch smite if you choose, adding up to 12d8 force damage to that attack.

Just wanted to point out the crit factor.

[Chugger]

Easy Lee is right - and the slots recharge on shorties.

[BrusLi]

I know its not what OP asked for but think about samurai 17 hexblade 3 with GWM,ELVEN,Lucky :D
It's so underrated even more if you are looking for melee oriented character with some spells like blur,mirror image,maybe hex,invisibility,hold person,darkness(or dark half elf var. and u get it for free), ofc devil sight,and at.blast for some range options and toll of the dead..solid all around character..
I enjoy it so much <3

[Klorox]

I know its not what OP asked for but think about samurai 17 hexblade 3 with GWM,ELVEN,Lucky :D
It's so underrated even more if you are looking for melee oriented character with some spells like blur,mirror image,maybe hex,invisibility,hold person,darkness(or dark half elf var. and u get it for free), ofc devil sight,and at.blast for some range options and toll of the dead..solid all around character..
I enjoy it so much <3

What’s special about it? I’m curious!

[Squeeq]

My favorite is crossbow expert/sharpshooter, using your bonus action for a third hand-crossbow attack. In terms of damage output it's only a lowered damage die from GWM, but you get the option to stay at range so your darkness doesn't interfere with your party (and to hit fliers). Additionally, if you WERE into multiclassing, you can dip a few points into fighter for archery fighting style and action surge to give you even more rapid damage output. Either way, the ability to stay out of your party's way when you're throwing up your darkness effect is really really handy, since if nobody in your party can see them to hit effectively or target their spells, the DPS they could be putting out (think - Disintegrate!) should be subtracted by whatever you're generating.

[Mortis_Elrod]

My favorite is crossbow expert/sharpshooter, using your bonus action for a third hand-crossbow attack. In terms of damage output it's only a lowered damage die from GWM, but you get the option to stay at range so your darkness doesn't interfere with your party (and to hit fliers). Additionally, if you WERE into multiclassing, you can dip a few points into fighter for archery fighting style and action surge to give you even more rapid damage output. Either way, the ability to stay out of your party's way when you're throwing up your darkness effect is really really handy, since if nobody in your party can see them to hit effectively or target their spells, the DPS they could be putting out (think - Disintegrate!) should be subtracted by whatever you're generating.

i agree with this, best build would be a hand crossbow build. If you happen to be in melee just use an action to make your pact weapon into a melee weapon. For invocations ignore agonizing blast, and just pick up your choice of push/pull/slow for EB control. Devil sight plus the Smite/improved/Thirsting/Lifedrinker will take up the rest. For feats you can do xbowxpert, sharpshooter, Cha +2. If you happen to be a human you can make your Charisma 20. if Elf take Elven accuracy over Cha.


At level 20 your ASI's should be assigned as:

vHuman: SS(vhuman), XBE, PAM, GWM, +2 CHA +2 CHA

Half-Elf: EA, SS, XBE, GWM, PAM

Everyone Else: SS, XBE, PAM, GWM, +2 CHA


This way you are just as effective in melee as in ranged. Humans get to reach 20 charisma, everyone else should look into a magic item for feel fine about being less than a human by 1 point. half-elves are special so they get EA, and just have to live with their OP 16 charisma. -2 damage won't be that bad considering you'll be more accurate.

[Armored Walrus]

Half-Elf: EA, SS, XBE, GWM, PAM
Half-elves are special so they get EA, and just have to live with their OP 16 charisma. -2 damage won't be that bad considering you'll be more accurate.

Half elf can still get 18 CHA. Start with 17, EA gives them one more.

Edit: It's why EA is so good. Double advantage and it only costs half a feat.

[Mortis_Elrod]

Half elf can still get 18 CHA. Start with 17, EA gives them one more.

Edit: It's why EA is so good. Double advantage and it only costs half a feat.

well then even better. And this is why i hate elves.

[Vogie]

What’s special about it? I’m curious!

I think it's the combination of 3 attacks per turn, with 2 action surges, 3 Rapid Strikes, and 3 Indomitable, with a +1 weapon. You could nova with effectively 7 attacks per turn for the first two turns of any fight. The Temp HP from Fighting Spirit also fills in a melee hexblade's deficiency.

[BrusLi]

What’s special about it? I’m curious!

For starters you are SAD,Cha is your main stat for melee and a little bit of casting.

Mechanically speaking its strong,if the campaign lasts, you are becoming stronger and stronger due to ASI,Feats,Class Progression abilities.

I mean,imagine this... having regular 5 attacks per turn,not counting Action Surge and all with TRIadvantage,elven accuracy :D

Badguys fall like leaves..heads will roll,you are whirlwind of death..you are John Wick in dnd setting,equipped for everything

Even from RP standpoint, CHA is force of will,samurai main thing is fighting spirit..so you have strongest fighting spirit in the universe...you are fighter equipped for both pillars of the game... battle and social events + you have decent range option with eldritch blast

Warlock spells add utility and flavor,feats are there as well.. in my opinion you got all your bases covered to feel like a protagonist

There is nothing wrong with pure Hexblade its even a little bit ahead at 12 level compared to this build,which is obvious due to multiclassing.

IMHO, its weird being melee god and having ability to cast highlevel spells ..i dont like it from aesthetic and RP reason.to each their own :D

[BrusLi]

I think it's the combination of 3 attacks per turn, with 2 action surges, 3 Rapid Strikes, and 3 Indomitable, with a +1 weapon. You could nova with effectively 7 attacks per turn for the first two turns of any fight. The Temp HP from Fighting Spirit also fills in a melee hexblade's deficiency.

Yes,that sums it up and good thing is Surges are per short rest cooldown like hexblade curse XD
You Crit CHAnce is high,GWM procs often if you have advantage from somewhere else it becomes 8 attacks per round with Surge and twice that at 20th wet dream level.

But even before that you roll a lot of D20's thats fun B)

[xen]

For starters you are SAD,Cha is your main stat for melee and a little bit of casting.

Mechanically speaking its strong,if the campaign lasts, you are becoming stronger and stronger due to ASI,Feats,Class Progression abilities.

I mean,imagine this... having regular 5 attacks per turn,not counting Action Surge and all with TRIadvantage,elven accuracy :D

Badguys fall like leaves..heads will roll,you are whirlwind of death..you are John Wick in dnd setting,equipped for everything

Even from RP standpoint, CHA is force of will,samurai main thing is fighting spirit..so you have strongest fighting spirit in the universe...you are fighter equipped for both pillars of the game... battle and social events + you have decent range option with eldritch blast

Warlock spells add utility and flavor,feats are there as well.. in my opinion you got all your bases covered to feel like a protagonist

There is nothing wrong with pure Hexblade its even a little bit ahead at 12 level compared to this build,which is obvious due to multiclassing.

IMHO, its weird being melee god and having ability to cast highlevel spells ..i dont like it from aesthetic and RP reason.to each their own :D

In order to get the 5 attacks you have to give up your advantage so no trivantage with it. Fighting spirit is 3 times per long rest, plus 1 round per battle after you've used those starting at ECL 13.

Not sure I'm seeing this multiclass the same way. Looks interesting though and strong in social pillar. Am i missing something?

[BrusLi]

In order to get the 5 attacks you have to give up your advantage so no trivantage with it. Fighting spirit is 3 times per long rest, plus 1 round per battle after you've used those starting at ECL 13.

Not sure I'm seeing this multiclass the same way. Looks interesting though and strong in social pillar. Am i missing something?

Yeah,just one thing which is confirmed by SAGE advice on twitter.

Giving up advantage on one attack doesn't make the other one to be without advantage,so you still make 4 attacks with and only one attack without advantage for the sake of having one extra attack.
Read it yourself anyways. :D

SOURCE https://www.sageadvice.eu/2017/12/06...ave-advantage/

[xen]

Yeah,just one thing which is confirmed by SAGE advice on twitter.

Giving up advantage on one attack doesn't make the other be without advantage,so you still make 4 attacks with and only one attack without that you given up the advantage for the sake of having one extra attack

SOURCE https://www.sageadvice.eu/2017/12/06...ave-advantage/

That does help. But wouldn't you still only be able to do it 3 rounds per long rest until level 13 (10 samurai + 3 hexblade in this build). Most games are done by then. The 5 attack thing comes online at 18 ECL.

Seems like a long time before you can go all john wick.

[BrusLi]

That does help. But wouldn't you still only be able to do it 3 rounds per long rest until level 13 (10 samurai + 3 hexblade in this build). Most games are done by then. The 5 attack thing comes online at 18 ECL.

Seems like a long time before you can go all john wick.

You still wreck faces before that,you are fighter after all..it's just the unfortunate thing that samurai's sweet stuff comes later unlike all the other classes :/

You still have darkness combo for example...

But usually fighting spirit is meant to be used once per action surge to get the most out of it. Thats the synergy.

And yes,I am fully aware that majority of games end around between 14-16,but still :D

I am all up for Pure Hexblade nevertheless warlocks are sooo much fun and versatile you cant go wrong and mess up the builds :D

Although, I would recommend to start with 1 level fighter if you plan on using concentration spells a lot or even 3 level dip later on is alright for ACtion Surge or Battlemaster,Eldritch KNight,Samurai <3

[Matrix_Walker]

i agree with this, best build would be a hand crossbow build. If you happen to be in melee just use an action to make your pact weapon into a melee weapon. For invocations ignore agonizing blast, and just pick up your choice of push/pull/slow for EB control. Devil sight plus the Smite/improved/Thirsting/Lifedrinker will take up the rest. For feats you can do xbowxpert, sharpshooter, Cha +2. If you happen to be a human you can make your Charisma 20. if Elf take Elven accuracy over Cha.

The only real drawback is that hand crossbow isn't an option for a pact weapon, so you can't use it with Eldritch Smite or Lifedrinker unless you make a magic hand crossbow your pact weapon, eliminating your ability to use Pact weapons for melee.

[xen]

The only real drawback is that hand crossbow isn't an option for a pact weapon, so you can't use it with Eldritch Smite or Lifedrinker unless you make a magic hand crossbow your pact weapon, eliminating your ability to use Pact weapons for melee.

That's always seemed like a huge oversight to me. Does anyone know why or has anyone asked the designers the intent behind leaving that out of improved pact weapon? They could have just said "you can make ranged weapons now, yo", but it's like they went out of their way to specifically list every ranged weapon but hand xbows.