The Hexblade’s Choice: Navigating Pact Options for Optimal Power
For a Hexblade Warlock, the choice of Pact Boon is a crucial decision that significantly impacts their playstyle and effectiveness. While Pact of the Blade often feels like the default, other options can offer surprising synergy and utility. Let’s delve into the optimal Pact Boon for a Hexblade. In most scenarios, the Pact of the Blade is the best choice for a Hexblade Warlock, as it complements the subclass features and enhances their combat capabilities.
Unpacking the Pact Boons for Hexblades
The three main Pact Boons – Pact of the Blade, Pact of the Chain, and Pact of the Tome – each offer unique benefits to a Warlock. But how do they stack up when specifically considering a Hexblade?
Pact of the Blade: The Obvious Synergy
The Pact of the Blade allows you to create a magical weapon, bond with an existing one, and eventually attack twice with it using the Thirsting Blade invocation. This is where the Hexblade shines. The Hexblade subclass grants the ability to use Charisma for attack and damage rolls with a pact weapon, effectively turning you into a potent melee combatant using your spellcasting stat. This is huge because it allows you to focus your ability score increases (ASI) into maximizing Charisma and Constitution. Invocations like Improved Pact Weapon and Lifedrinker further enhance your weapon’s power, solidifying your role as a formidable damage dealer. Furthermore, using Charisma for both attacks and spellcasting creates a synergistic build that mitigates the need for multiple high ability scores. The Games Learning Society often discusses character builds with this level of strategic depth.
Pact of the Chain: A Familiar with Bite
The Pact of the Chain grants you a powerful familiar – an imp, pseudodragon, quasit, or sprite. While it might seem unconventional for a melee-focused subclass, a familiar can provide valuable utility: delivering touch spells, scouting ahead, and granting advantage on attacks through the Help action. The Investment of the Chain Master invocation makes your familiar much stronger. However, it demands a different playstyle, shifting some focus away from direct melee combat. Certain Hexblade builds can effectively use the Pact of the Chain in conjunction with crowd control spells to manage the battlefield while the familiar harasses enemies. If you want to be a summoner Hexblade this pact is the one for you.
Pact of the Tome: Versatility and Ritual Casting
The Pact of the Tome grants you a book containing three cantrips from any class’s spell list. It also allows you to learn ritual spells with the Book of Ancient Secrets invocation. While it doesn’t directly enhance your combat prowess, the Pact of the Tome provides unparalleled versatility. You gain access to invaluable utility cantrips like Guidance and ritual spells like Find Familiar (which stacks with the familiar from Pact of the Chain if you somehow obtained it), Detect Magic, and Identify. This can make you an invaluable asset to the party outside of combat. While less directly synergistic with the Hexblade’s melee focus, the Pact of the Tome offers unmatched versatility and problem-solving capabilities, rounding out your character as a whole.
Verdict: Blade is King, But Consider Your Party
Ultimately, while Pact of the Blade is the most synergistic option for a Hexblade, your choice should depend on your preferred playstyle and the needs of your party. If you want to be a front-line damage dealer, the Pact of the Blade is the clear winner. If you prefer a more tactical approach, the Pact of the Chain or Pact of the Tome can offer unique advantages.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I use a two-handed weapon with Pact of the Blade and Hexblade?
Yes, absolutely! The Hexblade’s Hex Warrior feature allows you to use Charisma for attacks and damage rolls with any weapon you are proficient with when you first gain the feature. If you later take Pact of the Blade, you can make that two-handed weapon your pact weapon.
2. Is multiclassing a good idea for Hexblades? If so, what are the best options?
Yes, multiclassing can be fantastic. Paladin, Sorcerer, and Fighter are popular choices. Paladin adds divine smites for burst damage and heavy armor proficiency. Sorcerer offers metamagic to enhance spells. Fighter can provide Action Surge for extra attacks or spells. You need at least 13 Charisma to multiclass out of warlock.
3. What are the best invocations for a Pact of the Blade Hexblade?
Essential invocations include Improved Pact Weapon, Thirsting Blade, and Lifedrinker. These directly enhance your weapon attacks. Eldritch Smite adds burst damage. Devil’s Sight combined with Darkness creates a powerful advantage for you, allowing you to see while your opponents are blinded.
4. How does the Hexblade’s Curse interact with Pact of the Blade?
The Hexblade’s Curse provides a damage bonus against the cursed target. It also grants increased critical hit range. It works seamlessly with Pact of the Blade attacks, making your weapon strikes even more deadly.
5. What is the best race for a Hexblade Warlock?
Races that offer a Charisma bonus are ideal. Tieflings, Half-elves, and Aasimar are excellent choices. Variant Human allows you to start with a feat, like War Caster or Great Weapon Master, which can significantly boost your early game.
6. Can I change my Pact Boon later?
Unfortunately, no. Once you choose your Pact Boon at 3rd level, it cannot be changed later. Choose wisely!
7. What is the difference between the Hexblade weapon and the Pact Weapon?
The Hexblade’s Hex Warrior feature allows you to make one weapon your “hex weapon” and use Charisma for attacks. The Pact Weapon is a separate weapon created via the Pact of the Blade. You can potentially have both, using Charisma for both, or choose to have your pact weapon also be the hex weapon.
8. Is Pact of the Tome useful for a Hexblade?
Yes! While not directly combat-focused, the Pact of the Tome grants access to rituals and utility cantrips that can greatly enhance your out-of-combat versatility. GamesLearningSociety.org often highlights the value of well-rounded characters.
9. Can I dual-wield with Pact of the Blade?
Yes, but it’s generally not optimal. The Hexblade’s Hex Warrior feature only applies to one weapon you are proficient with. Pact of the Blade doesn’t inherently grant dual-wielding. You would need a feat like Dual Wielder.
10. Does Armor of Agathys stack with temporary hit points from other sources?
Yes, Armor of Agathys stacks with temporary hit points. It provides a protective barrier that deals cold damage to attackers when you take damage. It’s a great defensive option for melee Hexblades.
11. Can my Pact Weapon be a ranged weapon?
Yes! You can choose a ranged weapon like a longbow or heavy crossbow as your Pact Weapon. The Hexblade’s Hex Warrior feature can still apply, allowing you to use Charisma for attacks.
12. Is the Great Weapon Master feat good for a Hexblade?
Yes, if you are using a greatsword, glaive, or other heavy weapon. The Great Weapon Master feat’s -5 to attack, +10 to damage is more viable on the hexblade thanks to the ability to max CHA.
13. How does Improved Pact Weapon work?
The Improved Pact Weapon invocation lets your pact weapon become a +1 weapon, meaning it has a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls. It also allows you to summon bows, crossbows, and firearms as your pact weapon, even if your DM hasn’t introduced them.
14. Can I use a shield with Pact of the Blade?
Yes, you can use a shield. You will need the War Caster feat to cast spells requiring somatic components if the shield is also in the hand you are using to provide somatic components for the spell.
15. Can you dismiss and resummon your Pact Weapon?
Yes, as an action, you can dismiss your Pact Weapon to an extradimensional space, and then summon it again to your hand as an action. This can be useful for concealing your weapon or switching between different pact weapons.