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Are Hexblade Weapons Magical? Untangling the Arcane Threads

The short answer: It’s complicated! A Hexblade’s weapon isn’t inherently magical just because the Hexblade is using it. The magic comes from different sources, primarily the Pact of the Blade feature and whether the weapon itself is already magical. The Hex Warrior feature allows you to use your Charisma modifier for attack and damage rolls with a specific weapon, but this alone doesn’t imbue the weapon with magical properties. Let’s delve deeper into this fascinating topic.

Understanding the Key Features

To accurately assess whether a Hexblade’s weapon is magical, we need to dissect the relevant features:

Hex Warrior: This Hexblade Warlock subclass feature allows you to choose one weapon upon finishing a long rest, becoming your Hex Weapon. With this feature, you can use your Charisma modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls. This does not make the weapon magical.
Pact of the Blade: This Warlock Pact Boon allows you to create a pact weapon, which does count as magical for the purpose of overcoming damage resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. The Pact of the Blade can also transform an existing magic weapon into your pact weapon. If you choose to conjure a weapon it ceases to exist if you are far enough away or it you are not able to maintain it.
Improved Pact Weapon: An optional Eldritch Invocation that allows you to conjure a +1 weapon with the Pact of the Blade. This definitely makes the weapon magical.
Magic Weapons Themselves: Naturally, any weapon already designated as magical in its description remains so when wielded by a Hexblade.

Separating the Concepts

The crux of the matter lies in distinguishing between how a Hexblade uses a weapon and what makes a weapon magical. Hex Warrior grants proficiency and allows the use of Charisma for attacks, but it doesn’t automatically make a mundane weapon magical. Pact of the Blade, however, does imbue a conjured weapon with magical properties to overcome resistances. In essence, a Hexblade can wield a non-magical weapon effectively, but that weapon remains non-magical unless another feature or the weapon’s own properties state otherwise.

The Interplay of Features

The beauty of the Hexblade lies in the synergy between these features. You can choose a greatsword, making it your Hex Weapon via Hex Warrior, and then make it your Pact Weapon. If you summon the weapon, then it counts as magical. If you transform an already magical weapon into your pact weapon then the damage also counts as magical.

The Importance of Context

Consider these scenarios:

A Hexblade wielding a mundane longsword chosen with Hex Warrior: The longsword is not magical.
A Hexblade wielding a longsword conjured via Pact of the Blade: The longsword is magical for overcoming resistance to non-magical attacks.
A Hexblade wielding a +1 longsword, and has transformed it using the Pact of the Blade: The longsword is magical (because it’s a +1 weapon), and the Hexblade can use Charisma for attacks.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some common questions surrounding Hexblade weapons and their magical nature:

Does the Hex Warrior feature make my weapon magical? No. Hex Warrior allows you to use Charisma for attack and damage rolls but does not imbue the weapon itself with magical properties.
If I conjure a weapon with Pact of the Blade, is it magical? Yes. The weapon you create with Pact of the Blade counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming damage resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Can I turn an existing magical weapon into my pact weapon? Yes. The Pact of the Blade feature explicitly allows you to transform a magic weapon into your pact weapon through a special ritual.
Does the Improved Pact Weapon invocation make my weapon magical? Yes. This invocation specifically creates a +1 weapon, which is inherently magical.
If my pact weapon breaks, does it lose its magical properties? If you conjure a pact weapon, destroying it causes it to disappear. If you had bound to a magical weapon, the magical weapon would be unaffected but it would no longer be your pact weapon.
Can my Hexblade patron be my pact weapon? No. Your Hexblade Patron is a separate entity from your pact weapon. While the patron might be a powerful weapon (like Blackrazor, as suggested in official materials), they are not the weapon you wield through Pact of the Blade.
Does Hexblade’s Curse make my weapon’s damage magical? No. Hexblade’s Curse is a magical effect that enhances your attacks, but it does not inherently change the damage type of your weapon to magical.
Can I use Eldritch Blast instead of my pact weapon? Yes! As a Hexblade Warlock, you have access to Eldritch Blast like any other Warlock. You are not forced to only use your pact weapon.
Is a Hexblade weapon an arcane focus? Not automatically. You can use a Ruby of the War Mage to make any weapon into a spellcasting focus though.
Can a Hexblade use a greatsword? Yes. The Hex Warrior feature and the Pact of the Blade allow you to use two-handed weapons like greatswords and make them viable options.
Does the Hexblade subclass have to originate from the Shadowfell? While the influence or origin of the Hexblade patron ultimately comes from the Shadowfell, where the patron currently resides is up to the DM and player to decide.
Can a Hexblade heal themselves? The Hexblade can heal themselves once per short rest when dropping their cursed target to 0 HP using the Hexblade’s Curse.
What is the best magical weapon for a Hexblade warlock? The best magical weapon depends on the specific build and playstyle. The Scimitar of Speed is often a great choice due to the extra attack it grants.
Can Hexblades have two pact weapons? You can only have one pact weapon at a time, as the Pact of the Blade feature outlines a ritual for binding a weapon. You might also have another weapon which you are using the Hex Warrior feature on.
If I dual wield, can I make both weapons my pact weapon? No. The Pact of the Blade feature only allows you to bond with one weapon at a time.

Conclusion

The question of whether Hexblade weapons are magical requires a nuanced understanding of the relevant features and how they interact. While the Hex Warrior feature doesn’t directly imbue a weapon with magical properties, the Pact of the Blade does, either through conjuring a weapon or binding to an existing magic weapon. This combination is what makes the Hexblade such a potent and versatile subclass. Want to further your understanding of game mechanics and design? Visit the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org for insightful research and resources.

Are Hexblade weapons magical?