Does Hex Warrior Work with Greatsword? A Comprehensive Guide
The short answer is yes, but with a crucial caveat: Hex Warrior, on its own, does not work with a Greatsword right out of the gate. The Hex Warrior feature explicitly states that at the end of a long rest, you can touch one weapon you are proficient with that lacks the two-handed property, and use your Charisma modifier for attack and damage rolls with that weapon. A Greatsword, by definition, has the two-handed property, therefore bypassing this limitation.
However, the Hexblade Warlock’s power truly unlocks at 3rd level with the Pact of the Blade feature. Once you choose Pact of the Blade, you can use your action to create a pact weapon in your empty hand. This is where the Greatsword enters the equation. The benefit of using Charisma for attacks extends to every pact weapon you conjure with that feature, regardless of its type, including weapons with the two-handed property.
Therefore, while you can’t initially make a Greatsword your Hex Warrior weapon, you can make it your pact weapon and then use your Charisma modifier for attack and damage rolls. It’s a powerful combination, and a cornerstone of many Hexblade builds.
Understanding Hex Warrior and Pact of the Blade
To fully understand this interaction, let’s break down the two features:
Hex Warrior
- Functionality: Allows a Hexblade Warlock to use their Charisma modifier for attack and damage rolls with a weapon they are proficient with. This is a significant benefit, as it allows the Warlock to focus on Charisma as their primary stat, enhancing both their spellcasting and martial prowess.
- Limitation: The initial Hex Warrior feature only works with weapons that lack the two-handed property when choosing the weapon at the end of a long rest.
- Timing: Activated at the end of a long rest, allowing for a single weapon choice per rest.
Pact of the Blade
- Functionality: Grants the ability to create a pact weapon from thin air, or to transform an existing weapon into a pact weapon. This weapon is magically bonded to the Warlock.
- Flexibility: Once you choose Pact of the Blade, the Hex Warrior benefit (using Charisma) extends to any pact weapon you conjure, regardless of its properties, including two-handed weapons.
- Invocation Synergies: Several invocations, such as Improved Pact Weapon, enhance the Pact of the Blade feature, allowing you to summon ranged weapons and imbue your pact weapon with magical bonuses.
The Synergy: Why It Works
The Hex Warrior feature provides the means to use Charisma for weapon attacks, and Pact of the Blade provides the loophole to bypass the two-handed restriction on Hex Warrior for your pact weapons. Once you have both features, you can summon a Greatsword as your pact weapon and use your Charisma modifier for attack and damage rolls. This creates a powerful and versatile character that can excel in both melee combat and spellcasting.
This interaction is a key element of the Hexblade’s design, allowing them to be effective melee combatants without sacrificing their spellcasting ability. It’s important to note that this only applies to the weapon you conjure or transform with Pact of the Blade. You cannot, for example, pick up a random Greatsword and apply the Hex Warrior benefit to it directly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the intricacies of Hex Warrior and Greatswords:
1. Can Hex Warrior be used on a longsword?
Yes. If you make a longsword your hex weapon at the end of a long rest (before level 3 and Pact of the Blade) or your pact weapon (at level 3 with Pact of the Blade), then Hex Warrior applies.
2. Can Hexblades use versatile weapons?
Yes. Versatile weapons are eligible for Hex Warrior, as they do not inherently possess the two-handed property. You can choose to wield them with one or two hands, as the situation dictates.
3. Does Hex Warrior work with natural weapons?
The Sage Advice Compendium previously suggested this was possible, if the transformed form (like via Polymorph) allowed you to manipulate the natural weapon sufficiently (e.g., touch two claws together with appropriate anatomy). However, the current rules don’t explicitly allow this. Check with your DM.
4. Can you use Hex Warrior with Shadow Blade?
No. Shadow Blade is a spell-created weapon, not a physical weapon you touch at the end of a long rest. Therefore, Hex Warrior cannot be applied, and you must use Strength or Dexterity for attacks.
5. What is the interaction between Hex Warrior and two-weapon fighting?
Hex Warrior affects individual weapons. If you are dual-wielding and both weapons qualify (one-handed, no two-handed property), then Hex Warrior could apply to both. However, using Charisma for both would require two uses of the feature or one weapon being a pact weapon at level 3.
6. Can you use Hex Warrior on ranged weapons?
Initially, no. Hex Warrior requires a weapon you touch. However, with the Improved Pact Weapon invocation, you can summon ranged weapons as your pact weapon, allowing you to use Charisma for attack and damage rolls.
7. Does Hex Warrior work with Pact of the Blade?
Yes. The Hex Warrior benefit explicitly extends to your pact weapon, regardless of its properties, once you choose Pact of the Blade.
8. Can a Greatsword be a hex weapon (before Pact of the Blade)?
No. Before level 3 and the Pact of the Blade feature, the initial Hex Warrior feature cannot be used on a Greatsword.
9. Can you have a hex weapon and a pact weapon?
Yes. You could choose one weapon at the end of a long rest as your “hex weapon” (subject to the two-handed restriction), and then summon a different weapon as your pact weapon. At level 3, with the Pact of the Blade, the limitation on 2 handed weapons vanishes when using pact weapons.
10. How does Hex Warrior work before level 3?
Before 3rd level, Hex Warrior is limited to weapons you are proficient with that lack the two-handed property. You choose one such weapon at the end of a long rest, and you can use Charisma for attack and damage rolls with that weapon.
11. Can a Hexblade use martial weapons?
Yes, Hexblades are proficient with martial weapons. But, at level 1 and 2, you are still limited to one-handed weapons if using the Hex Warrior ability directly on it.
12. Can you use Hex and Hexblade’s Curse together?
Yes. Hex and Hexblade’s Curse are separate effects that can be used simultaneously. Hexblade’s Curse doesn’t require concentration, allowing you to maintain both it and the Hex spell (or another concentration spell).
13. Can a Hexblade use a longbow?
Yes, but not directly with the Hex Warrior feature without the Improved Pact Weapon invocation. You need to take Pact of the Blade and then Improved Pact Weapon to summon it as your pact weapon and benefit from Charisma-based attacks.
14. What is the Hexblade patron?
The Hexblade patron is a mysterious entity from the Shadowfell that empowers magical weapons. The exact nature of the patron is deliberately vague, allowing DMs and players to create a unique backstory. The patron is related to weapons that have become imbued with intelligence.
15. Does Pact of the Blade work with dual wielding?
While you can technically summon two separate pact weapons (using your action each time), the dual-wielding fighting style rules still apply. If you want to dual wield two great swords, you will be unable to, because the Dual Wielder feat requires the weapons to be light and neither greatswords or two-handed.
Conclusion: Mastering the Hexblade Greatsword
The Hexblade Warlock is a powerful and versatile class, and the interaction between Hex Warrior and Pact of the Blade is a key element of its design. By understanding the nuances of these features, you can create a formidable melee combatant who also excels at spellcasting. Remember the core principle: Hex Warrior initially restricts two-handed weapons, but Pact of the Blade removes that restriction for your pact weapon, allowing you to wield a Greatsword with Charisma. Be sure to check out resources like the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/ for more D&D insights and educational gaming content. Embrace the power of the blade, and may your dice rolls be ever in your favor!