Are Hexblades Good at Melee? A Deep Dive into the Warlock’s Martial Prowess

Yes, Hexblade Warlocks are exceptionally good at melee combat in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. While they might not always out-damage dedicated melee classes like Fighters or Barbarians in raw damage output, they compensate with versatility, powerful spells, and unique abilities that make them a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. This subclass stands out as a blend of martial prowess and magical might, offering a captivating playstyle for those who enjoy both swinging a weapon and casting spells.

Understanding the Hexblade’s Edge

The Hexblade’s effectiveness in melee stems from several key features:

• Hex Warrior: This is the cornerstone of the Hexblade’s melee capabilities. It allows you to use your Charisma modifier for attack and damage rolls with one weapon, meaning you can focus on a single, crucial stat. This eliminates the typical Warlock need for Strength or Dexterity, freeing up attribute points for other areas.
• Hexblade’s Curse: This potent ability enhances your combat effectiveness against a single target. It grants you a bonus to damage rolls, increases your critical hit range, and heals you when the cursed target dies.
• Pact of the Blade Synergy: While not exclusive to Hexblades, the Pact of the Blade is particularly powerful in their hands. It allows you to create a magic weapon and, through invocations, gain Extra Attack and further enhancements to your combat abilities.
• Spellcasting Versatility: Unlike pure melee classes, Hexblades retain access to the Warlock’s diverse spell list. This provides them with battlefield control, defensive options, and utility spells that enhance their overall effectiveness.

Comparing Hexblades to Other Melee Classes

While Hexblades excel in melee, it’s important to understand their strengths and weaknesses compared to other melee-focused classes:

• Fighters: Fighters generally have more consistent damage output and more attacks per round, particularly at higher levels. However, they lack the spellcasting versatility of the Hexblade.
• Barbarians: Barbarians boast incredible raw damage and survivability through Rage. Hexblades are more reliant on strategy and spellcasting to stay alive, but they can offer more tactical flexibility.
• Paladins: Paladins offer a blend of melee prowess, divine magic, and support abilities. Hexblades are typically more focused on damage dealing and battlefield control, while Paladins excel at healing and protecting allies.

In essence, Hexblades are “gish” characters, blending martial and magical abilities. They trade some raw damage output for increased versatility and strategic options. This makes them a dynamic and engaging choice for players who enjoy a multifaceted playstyle. If you want to learn more about the role of role-playing games in education, check out the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.

Sample Build

Here is a level breakdown of the Hexblade Warlock.

• Race: Variant Human, Dragonborn, Tiefling
• Stats:
  • STR 8
  • DEX 14
  • CON 14
  • INT 10
  • WIS 12
  • CHA 16
• Feats:
  • Polearm Master
  • Great Weapon Master
• Pact Boon:
  • Pact of the Blade
• Spells:
  • Green Flame Blade
  • Booming Blade
  • Shield
  • Armor of Agathys

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is Hexblade the best Warlock subclass for melee?

Generally, yes. The Hexblade’s Hex Warrior feature is specifically designed to make them effective in melee combat by allowing them to use Charisma for attacks and damage. While other Warlock subclasses can technically engage in melee, they lack the inherent benefits that make the Hexblade shine.

2. Does a Hexblade need Pact of the Blade?

While not strictly required, the Pact of the Blade greatly enhances a Hexblade’s melee capabilities. It allows you to summon a magic weapon and, through invocations, gain Extra Attack and other combat-focused abilities. You can play a Hexblade without it, but you would be missing a significant portion of their potential.

3. Can a Hexblade wear armor?

Yes, Hexblades are proficient with medium armor and shields. This significantly improves their survivability in melee combat, allowing them to withstand more punishment than other Warlock subclasses.

4. What are the best feats for a Hexblade?

Several feats can enhance a Hexblade’s melee prowess:

• Great Weapon Master: For dealing massive damage with two-handed weapons.
• Polearm Master: For additional attacks and reaction-based opportunities.
• Sentinel: For controlling the battlefield and hindering enemy movement.
• War Caster: For maintaining concentration on spells and casting spells as opportunity attacks.

5. Can a Hexblade use a two-handed weapon?

Yes, the Hex Warrior feature works with any weapon you are proficient with, including two-handed weapons.

6. How many attacks does a Hexblade get?

Initially, a Hexblade gets one attack per round. However, with the Thirsting Blade invocation (available with Pact of the Blade at 5th level), they gain Extra Attack, allowing them to attack twice when they take the Attack action.

7. Can a Hexblade use a shield and still cast spells?

Yes, if they take the Pact of the Blade and the Improved Pact Weapon invocation. This allows them to use their pact weapon as a spellcasting focus, freeing up their hands to wield a weapon and shield simultaneously.

8. Is multiclassing with Hexblade a good idea?

Absolutely! A few levels of Hexblade can be incredibly beneficial for other classes, particularly Paladins, Sorcerers, and Bards. The Hex Warrior feature allows these classes to focus on Charisma, making them more effective in both melee and spellcasting.

9. How does Hexblade’s Curse work?

Hexblade’s Curse is a bonus action ability that you can use to curse one creature. While cursed, you gain a bonus to damage rolls against the target, your critical hit range expands to 19-20, and you regain hit points when the target dies.

10. What are the best spells for a melee Hexblade?

Some excellent spell choices include:

• Shield: For increased survivability.
• Armor of Agathys: For temporary hit points and retaliatory damage.
• Shadow Blade: For dealing significant psychic damage.
• Darkness: For creating an area of obscured vision (often used with the Devil’s Sight invocation).
• Hold Person: For incapacitating enemies.

11. How does the Hexblade compare to other martial Warlock builds?

Hexblade is the most optimized subclass for martial warlock builds. Hexblade allows for martial weapons, medium armor and CHA for attack and damage rolls.

12. How many attacks do you get with Polearm Master and Pact of the Blade at level 5?

Using Polearm Master and Pact of the Blade you can attack twice with the Attack action using Thirsting Blade, then follow that up with a bonus action attack.

13. Is Hexblade a patron or a pact?

Hexblade is a subclass representing the warlock’s patron, a powerful entity tied to sentient weapons from the Shadowfell.

14. Can Hexblades use firearms?

The Hex Warrior feature does not inherently allow you to select a ranged weapon, like a firearm, as your pact weapon.

15. What is the best starting weapon for Hexblade?

Just take a spear and crossbow. You can make the spear your hex weapon, and it is the best simple melee weapon. Otherwise your DM might be willing to let you tweak the starting items a little/maybe put a suit of medium armor and a martial weapon somewhere in the early game for you to find.

Conclusion

Hexblade Warlocks offer a compelling blend of martial prowess and magical ability. While they may not always match the raw damage output of dedicated melee classes, their versatility, spellcasting options, and unique features make them a formidable force on the battlefield. If you are looking for a character that can both swing a sword and cast powerful spells, the Hexblade is an excellent choice. Remember that the impact of games on learning is being studied at organizations such as GamesLearningSociety.org.