Does Hex Warrior Work with Pact of the Blade? A Deep Dive
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Yes, Hex Warrior works with Pact of the Blade, but it’s not quite as straightforward as it might seem at first glance. The interaction between these two key Warlock features creates a powerful synergy, but also some limitations that every aspiring Hexblade should understand. The core concept is this: Hex Warrior allows you to use your Charisma modifier for attack and damage rolls with specific weapons, and Pact of the Blade lets you conjure a magical weapon. The crux of the matter lies in how these two features intertwine, which we will now delve into.
Understanding Hex Warrior
The Hex Warrior feature, a cornerstone of the Hexblade Warlock subclass, grants you the ability to channel your patron’s power through weapons. Here’s how it works:
- One Weapon per Long Rest: After a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with and that lacks the two-handed property. This weapon becomes your “Hex Weapon” for the day.
- Charisma Modifier: When attacking with your Hex Weapon, you use your Charisma modifier instead of Strength or Dexterity for attack and damage rolls. This is a significant benefit, as it allows Warlocks, who typically focus on Charisma, to be effective melee combatants.
This initial benefit is potent, allowing you to be a potent spellcaster and a formidable melee threat. However, this is not the end of the Hex Warrior feature. It is important to remember that this feature is also extended to any weapon you create with your Pact of the Blade.
Understanding Pact of the Blade
Pact of the Blade is a Pact Boon option for Warlocks that enhances their martial capabilities. It works as follows:
- Conjure a Melee Weapon: You can use an action to conjure a melee weapon of your choice in your empty hand. You gain proficiency with this weapon as long as you are holding it.
- Pact Weapon: The weapon you summon is considered your Pact Weapon. This pact weapon can be any melee weapon of your choice provided that you do not take the Improved Pact Weapon Invocation.
- Magical Bond: This weapon is an extension of your pact, a channel for your power.
This makes the Pact of the Blade very versatile and powerful in that you can create any melee weapon you desire, at will. However, there is another layer that improves this pact boon.
The Synergy: Hex Warrior and Pact of the Blade
Here’s where the magic happens. Hex Warrior’s benefit isn’t limited to the single touched weapon; it also extends to your Pact Weapon. This means:
- Charisma with Pact Weapon: The moment you choose Pact of the Blade, the Hex Warrior feature automatically applies to any weapon you conjure as your Pact Weapon. You can now use your Charisma modifier for attack and damage rolls with that weapon.
- Two potential Hex Weapons: This combination grants you two ways to wield a Hex Weapon, one from touching it after a long rest, and one from conjuring your pact weapon.
This creates a very effective build that focuses on using the Warlock’s Charisma stat for both casting spells, and striking down your foes with melee attacks. It must be noted that a character can only have one active Pact Weapon at a time, and the Hex Warrior effect only applies to one touched weapon that you choose after a long rest.
Limitations and Considerations
While the synergy is potent, there are some important limitations:
- Two-Handed Weapons: Initially, Hex Warrior specified that the touched weapon cannot have the two-handed property. While this is not the case with Pact of the Blade, it is a restriction you must adhere to if you choose a weapon to touch after a long rest to make it your Hex Weapon.
- One Pact Weapon: The rules clearly state that a Warlock can only have one active Pact Weapon at a time. If you dismiss your pact weapon and summon another, the Hex Warrior benefit will apply to the new Pact Weapon.
- No Natural Weapons: Natural weapons, such as claws or bites from racial features, do not qualify as weapons under the rules and cannot be used with Hex Warrior.
- Improved Pact Weapon: It is important to note that the invocation Improved Pact Weapon allows the warlock to conjure a shortbow, longbow or crossbow as their Pact Weapon as well.
The Power of a Hexblade Pact of the Blade Warlock
This combination solidifies the Hexblade as a potent melee combatant. The ability to use Charisma for both attacks and spells makes them incredibly efficient. You can invest primarily in Charisma, making you a powerful spellcaster and a competent warrior. The benefit of proficiency with martial weapons, granted by the Hexblade subclass, ensures that you have access to the tools you need to succeed with the Pact of the Blade.
In summary, the combination of these two features makes the Hexblade subclass one of the most effective and popular subclasses in the game, and it is for very good reason.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can my Pact Weapon be a Greatsword?
Yes, the Hex Warrior benefit extends to any weapon you conjure with Pact of the Blade, including a greatsword. While Hex Warrior initially specifies that a weapon touched after a long rest cannot be two-handed, this does not apply to Pact Weapons.
2. Can I have two Hex Weapons at once?
You can have the benefit of Hex Warrior on two potential weapons at once, one that you touch after a long rest, and the other on your conjured Pact Weapon, but not two weapons at the same time. You will always only have one active Pact Weapon, however you can use the benefit of Hex Warrior on one weapon you touch after a long rest.
3. Does Improved Pact Weapon change how Hex Warrior interacts with my Pact Weapon?
No, Improved Pact Weapon does not change how Hex Warrior interacts with your Pact Weapon. It allows you to conjure ranged weapons as your Pact Weapon. You can still use Charisma for attack and damage rolls with them.
4. Does Hex Warrior work with natural weapons like claws?
No, Hex Warrior does not work with natural weapons. Body parts aren’t considered weapons under the rules, even if you can make melee weapon attacks with them.
5. Can a weapon I touch after a long rest be two-handed?
No, a weapon you touch after a long rest for Hex Warrior cannot be a two-handed weapon. However, your pact weapon can be two-handed.
6. Can my Pact Weapon also be my spellcasting focus?
Not by default, you must take the Improved Pact Weapon invocation for your Pact Weapon to function as a spellcasting focus.
7. If I dismiss my Pact Weapon, do I lose the Hex Warrior benefit?
No, the Hex Warrior benefit extends to any Pact Weapon you conjure. If you dismiss your weapon and conjure a new one, the benefit automatically applies to the new one.
8. Does Hex Warrior work with thrown weapons?
Yes, Hex Warrior works with thrown weapons as long as the weapon qualifies (not two-handed and you are proficient).
9. Is the Hexblade patron the best choice for Pact of the Blade?
Yes, the Hexblade patron is designed to work seamlessly with Pact of the Blade. It provides Charisma-based attacks and medium armor proficiency, making it the ideal choice.
10. Can I use dual wielding with a Pact Weapon and Hex Warrior?
Yes, you can dual-wield with a Pact Weapon and another weapon. However, Hex Warrior only extends to the Pact Weapon and one other touched weapon.
11. Can I bond with a magic weapon as my Pact Weapon?
Yes, you can bind with a specific magic weapon as your Pact Weapon. However, this would mean that your Pact of the Blade will always summon that specific magic weapon.
12. Is the Hexblade Warlock available in Baldur’s Gate 3?
No, the Hexblade Warlock subclass is not available in Baldur’s Gate 3.
13. Does the Hex Warrior work with a weapon I am not proficient in?
No, the Hex Warrior feature only works with weapons you are proficient in. You must be proficient with the weapon to apply the benefit.
14. Can a longsword be a hex weapon?
Yes, a longsword can be a hex weapon as long as it’s the weapon you touch after a long rest (and it’s not two-handed), or it is the pact weapon you conjure with Pact of the Blade.
15. Can I choose a ranged weapon as my pact weapon if I haven’t chosen Improved Pact Weapon?
No, without the Improved Pact Weapon Invocation you are restricted to melee weapons for your Pact Weapon. The Improved Pact Weapon invocation specifically changes this restriction to shortbow, longbow, light crossbow, or heavy crossbow.