The hexblade is a type of warrior that combines the best aspects of a martial class with the dark aspect of the warlock. Hexblades rely on force of arms plus an innate connection with the dark power of Hexes to win the day. Hexblades are often seen as sinister, though they are not necessarily so.
Characteristics: With their capacity to severely weaken opponents with a variety of Hexes and Invocations, hexblades often prefer to soften opponents up at range before resorting to weapons. They find themselves at home in a variety of situations, and can often adapt their tactics to best suit the situation at hand.
Role: The strengths of the hexblade lend itself to making opponents wish they had never opted to attack a hexblade’s party. Because armor interferes with their invocations, a hexblade often relies on defensive strategies that allow them to bring the full brunt of their hexes and invocations to bear.
Game Rule Information
Hexblade’s have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Charisma is very important to Hexblades to make their invocations and hexes harder to resist. As a warrior class, Strength and Constitution are very important to hexblades. Dexterity is important to hexblades, as they often wear light armor.
Hit Die: d6+4
Starting Gold: 5d4x10
lvl BAB F R W Class Abilities
1 +1 +1 +0 +2 Hex
2 +2 +1 +0 +3 Arcane Resistance
3 +3 +2 +1 +3 Mettle, 1 Invocation (least), Eldritch Blast 1d6, Armored Casting
4 +4 +2 +1 +4 Hex, Dark Companion
5 +5 +2 +1 +4 2 Invocations (least)
6 +6 +3 +2 +5 Bonus Feat, Eldritch Blast 2d6
7 +7 +3 +2 +5 Hex
8 +8 +4 +2 +6 3 Invocations (lesser)
9 +9 +4 +3 +6 Swift Hex, Eldritch Blast 3d6
10 +10 +5 +3 +7 Hex
11 +11 +5 +3 +7 4 Invocations (lesser)
12 +12 +6 +4 +8 Bonus Feat, Eldritch Blast 4d6
13 +13 +6 +4 +8 Hex
14 +14 +6 +4 +9 5 Invocations (greater)
15 +15 +7 +5 +9 Immediate Hex, Eldritch Blast 5d6
16 +16 +7 +5 +10 Hex
17 +17 +7 +5 +10 6 Invocations (greater)
18 +18 +8 +6 +11 Bonus Feat, Eldritch Blast 6d6
19 +19 +8 +6 +11 Hex
20 +20 +9 +6 +12 7 Invocations (dark)
Class Skills: The hexblade’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points per Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the hexblade.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Hexblades have proficiency with Basic Weapons Group and three other weapon groups of their choice. They are proficient with light and medium armor and with light shields.
Hex (su): Once per round, as a move action, a hexblade can unleash a hex upon her foes. The target must be within short range (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 class level) to be affected by the hex and is entitled to a Will save (DC 10 + ½ effective character level + Cha modifier) to negate the effect. When the hexblade first gains this ability, she must choose what hexes she wants from the list of available hexes. Hexes have minimum level requirements and all have various effects. When she activates this ability, she must choose one of her known hexes to afflict the target with. If a target makes his saving throw, he is immune to that hex for 24 hours, though he may still be affected by other hexes the hexblade knows.
Any effect that removes curses or dispels magic works on Hexes as normal. Treat the Hexblade's class level as the caster level for opposed dispel checks. In addition, a hexblade may lift a hex she has placed from any creature as a non-action. She may also choose to lift one hex, but leave others in place, in the event of a creature that is suffering from more than one hex.
Hexes are not subject to spell failure from wearing armor. The gestures are simple enough that armor does not interfere with a hexblade’s ability to place a hex on her target.
The hexblade gains 2 hexes at level 1, and gains one additional hex at level 4, 7, 10, 13, 16 and 19. Each hex has a minimum level associated with it. A character must have the given number of levels of hexblade in order to take that hex. Each time a hexblade chooses a new Hex (levels 4, 7, 10, 13, 16 and 19), she may opt to replace a currently known hex with a different hex from the same or lower level.
She may choose from the following list of hexes:
Minimum Level 1 Hexes:
Hexblade's Curse: You curse a creature to failure. The target of this hex takes a -2 penalty on attack rolls, saves, ability checks, skill checks and damage rolls for 1 hour per hexblade level. The effects of this curse do not stack.
Curse of Weakness: The target's strength score counts as 10 less than the actual score for the purpose of calculating carrying capacity and encumbrance. This hex lasts 1 hour per hexblade level and does not stack with itself.
Truth: The target cannot tell a lie. He may choose to avoid saying the truth, but if he speaks it will be a truthful statement. This hex lasts 1 hour per class level.
Minimum Level 4 Hexes:
Curse of Ineptitude: The target takes a -8 penalty to all checks made using a single skill, which you choose when you activate this hex, for 1 hour per hexblade level. Each time this hex is placed on a target, a new skill must be chosen.
Pins and Needles: One of the target's limbs becomes numb and ceases to function. The limb is chosen randomly. If an arm is chosen, any items held by that hand are dropped. If a leg is chosen, the target's land speed is halved (round down). This lasts for 1 hour and a creature can only be targeted with this hex once per hour.
Curse of Nonproficiency: You choose one, the target loses either all weapon proficiencies, or all armor proficiencies. The target suffers all appropriate penalties and may lose the ability to use any feats that require proficiency to function (such as Weapon Focus). This hex lasts for 1 hour per class level.
Social Gracelessness: The target takes a -6 penalty on Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate and Sense Motive, on Charisma checks to influence someone, and on Disguise checks when attempting to act as someone else. This hex lasts for 1 day per class level. This hex does not stack with itself.
Minimum Level 7 Hexes:
Improved Hexblade's Curse: You curse a creature to ineptitude. The target of this hex takes a -4 penalty on attack rolls, saves, ability checks, skill checks and damage rolls for 1 hour/hexblade level. This hex does not stack with itself.
A Cursed Gift for You: The target of this hex must carry an object designated by you or suffers a -5 penalty on all saves. The item can be vague (such as "a bucket") or very specific (such as "this sack of rocks"), but it cannot be something dangerous or deadly to the target. You must give the object to the target when you activate this hex. This hex lasts for 1 hour per class level. A target can only be forced to carry a single item. Any subsequent uses of this hex result in a new item the target must carry.
Curse of Fatigue: The target immediately becomes fatigued. The target now requires 12 hours of sleep or is fatigued for the remainder of the day. This hex lasts 1 day per class level.
Sanctity of Life: The target fears killing and must attempt to deal non-lethal damage whenever possible. Against any fallen foes that have not yet perished, he will attempt to stabilize them with a heal check. If taking these actions forces the target into peril, he may wait until that peril has been removed or moved away before attempting the stabilization check. The target may move out of hostile situations rather than attempt the stabilization check, but must attempt to return and stabilize once the hostile situation has ended or moved on. This hex lasts for 1 hour per class level.
Aura of Unluck: Victims of this hex have trouble hitting their foes. All attacks made by the affected creature suffer a 20% miss chance for 1 hour per hexblade level.
Minimum Level 10 Hexes:
Cursed Equipment: The hexblade chooses one item in the target’s possession. If the target fails its save against this hex, any magic that item possesses is suppressed for 1 round per 2 hexblade levels.
Weaken Natural Toughness: The target of this hex has its damage reduction, spell resistance, or one type of elemental resistance reduced by 1 per hexblade level (minimum 0), if it has the chosen ability. The duration of this hex is 1 hour per hexblade level. Each time this hex is placed on a target, a new ability must be chosen, though this hex does not stack with itself if the same ability is chosen twice.
Shakes: The target has uncontrollable shakes, and suffers a -4 penalty to all ranged attack rolls and a 20% spell failure chance for spells with somatic components. This hex lasts 1 hour per class level and does not stack with itself.
Persistent Hex: Your hexes resists almost every attempt to dispel them. A successful dispel attempt merely grants the victim a second saving throw. If this save fails, the hex still afflicts the target.
Minimum Level 13 Hexes:
Curse of Anti-Healing: The target loses the ability to gain any hit points from magical healing. This hex lasts for 1 hour per hexblade level.
Shortsighted: The target cannot see anything beyond 20 ft., even when using abilities that specify a longer range (such as detect magic or darkvision). This hex lasts 1 hour per class level.
Elemental Weakness: The target becomes more susceptible to one energy type chosen by you (fire, acid, electricity, cold, or sonic) and takes an additional 50% damage from that energy type. This hex lasts 1 hour per class level and does not stack with itself.
Skill-less: The target is unable to use three skills of your choosing. This hex lasts 1 hour per class level. Each time this hex is placed on a target, three new skills must be chosen.
Minimum Level 16 Hexes:
Greater Hexblade's Curse: You curse a creature to catastrophe. The target of this hex takes a -6 penalty on attack rolls, saves, ability checks, skill checks and damage rolls for 1 hour/hexblade level and does not stack with itself.
Curse of Loss: The target loses access to one class ability, such as spellcasting, sneak attack, or rage. If the class ability is a prerequisite for any feats or other class abilities, he loses access to those as well. This hex lasts for 1 round per 2 class levels. Each time this hex is placed on a target, a new class feature must be chosen.
Changing Physiology: One of the target's racial abilities (such as a dragon's breath weapon or a troll's regeneration) is lost. This hex lasts for 1 round per class level. Each time this hex is placed on a target, a new racial ability must be chosen.
No Rest for the Wicked: The target can no longer sleep soundly. He wakes fatigued each morning and cannot perform tasks that require him to be well rested, such as preparing spells. This hex lasts 1 day per class level.
Minimum Level 19 Hexes:
Reciprocal Curse: The target takes damage equal to the damage he deals to others with weapons. This hex lasts for 1 hour per class level and does not stack with itself.
Murphy's Law: Any critical threats made against the target are automatically confirmed as critical hits. This hex lasts 1 round per class level.
Word of Changing: Your curse transforms targets into inoffensive animals. This hex mimics the warlock invocation word of changing and has a duration of 1 hour per hexblade level.
Arcane Resistance (Su): At 2nd level a hexblade gains a bonus equal to his Charisma bonus (maximum equal to class level) on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects
Mettle (Ex): At 3rd level, a hexblade’s resistance to magical effects increases. If he succeeds a Fortitude or Will save against an effect with a partial effect on a successful save, he instead suffers no effects from the attack
Invocations (sp): A hexblade casts invocations in the same manner as a warlock (they no longer cast spells, as presented in Complete Warrior). See the Warlock class description on page 7 of Complete Arcane. A hexblade can only learn invocations from the Hexblade Invocations list, below. Invocations are subject to the same spell failure that afflicts all spellcasters. Information about spell failure can be found in the Spellcasting Rewrite.
Hexblade Invocations: See Complete Arcane for full descriptions.
Least:
Beguiling Influence; 2nd; +6 bluff, diplomacy, intimidate for 24 hours.
Dark One's Own Luck; 2nd; Gain a bonus equal to Charisma modifier on Fort, Ref, or Will for 24 hours. Cannot gain this for more than one save.
Devil's Sight; 2nd; See normally in darkness & magical darkness to 30 ft. for 24 hours.
Earthen Grasp; 2nd; Earthen Grasp, as the spell (CA).
Entropic Warding; 2nd; Entropic Shield as the spell plus Pass Without Trace as the spell.
Frightful Blast; 2nd; Those struck must make a Will save or be shaken for 1 minute.
Leaps and Bounds; 2nd; +6 balance, jump, tumble for 24 hours.
Miasmic Cloud; 1st; You are surrounded by a 10 ft. diameter cloud. Creatures within must make Fort save or become fatigued.
See the Unseen; 2nd; See Invisibility as the spell plus darkvision 60 ft. for 24 hours.
Sickening Blast; 2nd; Those struck must make a Fort save or be sickened for 1 minute.
Spiderwalk; 2nd; Spider Climb as the spell for 24 hours.
Lesser:
Beshadowed Blast; 4th; Those struck must make a Will save or be confused for 1 round.
Brimstone Blast; 3rd; Blast becomes fire damage. Those struck must make Ref save or catch fire for 2d6/round, persists for 1 round/5 levels.
Curse of Despair; 4th; Bestow Curse as the spell, those that save take –1 to checks, attack, saves.
Fell Flight; 3rd; Shadowy wings grant flight equal to land speed for 24hours, good maneuverability.
Flee the Scene; 4th; Dimension Door as the spell plus leave behind major image for 1 round.
Stony Grasp; 3rd; Stony Grasp, as the spell (CA).
Hellrime Blast; 4th; Blast becomes cold damage. Those struck must make Fort save or take –4 penalty to dexterity for 10 minutes (this does not stack with itself).
Voidsense; 4th; Gain blindsense 30 ft. for 24 hours.
Walk Unseen; 2nd; Invisibility as the spell for 24 hours.
Wall of Gloom; 2nd; Wall of Gloom as the spell.
Greater:
Enervating Shadow; 5th; Gain concealment if within shadowy area plus adjacent foes suffer –4 penalty to strength for 5 rounds.
Noxious Blast; 6th; Those struck must make Fort save or be nauseated for 1 minute.
Repelling Blast; 6th; Any medium or smaller target struck must make Ref save or be blasted 1d6x5 feet away and knocked prone.
Vitriolic Blast; 6th; Blast becomes acid damage and bypasses spell resistance. Those struck suffer continuous 2d6 damage per round for 1 round/5 levels.
Dark:
Dark foresight; 9th; Foresight as the spell.
Utterdark Blast; 8th; Blast becomes negative energy which can heal undead. Those struck must make Fort save or gain 2 negative levels for 1 hour.
Armored Casting: At 3rd level, a hexblade gains Armored Casting as a bonus feat.
Eldritch Blast (sp): At 3rd level, a hexblade gains the ability to shoot an eldritch blast of energy from her hand. This blast of energy is a ranged touch attack, and deals the listed damage and does not have a specific energy type (acid, cold, electricity, or fire).
Dark Companion (Su): At 4th level, the hexblade gains a Dark Companion. This Dark Companion is an animal native to the Plane of Shadow that will act on concert with the Hexblade. A Dark Companion is similar to a leopard, though the strange nature of the Plane of Shadow makes it, at best, a twisted caricature of a leopard.
As a full-round action, a hexblade may call her Dark Companion from the Plane of Shadow where it resides. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to half the hexblade’s level. The Dark Companion immediately appears in short range (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) of the hexblade, in any unoccupied square of the hexblade’s choice. The Dark Companion can be used each day for 10 rounds + 1 round per class level. It can be dismissed at any time as a free action. The Dark Companion is the same animal each time it is called, and retains any equipment or items it is outfitted with. While on the Plane of Shadow, it heals at twice the normal rate. If it is ever slain, it immediately vanishes back to the Plane of Shadow (along with equipment worn or carried) and a new Dark Companion takes its place next time the Hexblade attempts to call one forth.
Though it is an outsider, a Dark Companion advances as an animal. This means it has a Base Attack Bonus of ¾ its Hit Dice (round down), good Fort and Ref saves, and 2 skill points per Hit Die.
At 4th level, the Dark Companion has the following statistics:
Dark Companion
Medium outsider (shadow) – (Dark Companions are about 4 feet long (not including tail) and weigh about 120 pounds.)
Init +8; Senses Listen +3, Spot +3; Darkvision 60 ft.
AC 16, touch 14, flat-footed 16; (+4 dex, +2 natural)
hp 19 (3 HD); DR 2/cold iron
Fort +4, Ref +9, Will +2
Immunities Compulsions and Charms
Speed 40 ft.
Melee bite +5 (1d6+3/20/x2)
Base Atk +2; Grp +5
Atk Options natural flanker
Abilities Str 16, Dex 19, Con 13, Int 4, Wis 10, Cha 10
SQ tricks, link, natural flanker, darkvision 60 ft., improved grab, skills, uncanny dodge
Feats Dodge (1), Honed Reflexes (3)
Skills Balance +12 / 0 ranks, Climb +11 / 0 ranks, Hide +8 / 0 ranks, Jump +11 / 0 ranks, Listen +3 / 3 ranks, Move Silently +8 / 0 ranks, Spot +3 / 3 ranks
Dark Companion Abilities:
Tricks – The Dark Companion knows 6 tricks (see Handle Animal) and learns a new trick for every three hexblade levels above 4th. The hexblade does not need to train the Dark Companion these tricks; it just knows them.
Link (ex) - The Dark Companion understands the hexblades desires and commands. Though it cannot verbally communicate with the hexblade, it understands the hexblade’s commands regardless of what language is used. The hexblade does not need to use Handle Animal to command or push the Dark Companion.
Natural Flanker (ex) – The Dark Companion always attempts to flank with the hexblade. When it does flank with the hexblade, the flanked foe must make a Will save (DC 10 + ½ Hit Dice + Charisma Modifier) or both the hexblade and the Dark Companion increase their bonus to hit the flanked creature by +2.
Improved Grab (ex) - To use this ability, the Dark Companion must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.
Skills – Dark Companions have a +8 racial bonus on Balance, Climb and Jump checks and a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks. *In areas of shadowy illumination or darkness, the Hide bonus improves to +8.
As a hexblade advances in level, the Dark Companion grows in power.
Hexblade Bonus Cha/Int Str/Dex Natural
Level HD Adj Adj Armor Adj Special
7th +2 +1 +2 +2 evasion, secondary claw attacks
10th +4 +2 +4 +4 pounce, rake
13th +6 +3 +6 +6 secondary tentacle attacks, improved evasion
16th +8 +4 +8 +8 spell resistance, shadowy breath weapon
19th +10 +5 +10 +10 confusion, poison attacks
Evasion (ex): A Dark Companion can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If it makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, it instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the Dark Companion wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless Dark Companion does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Secondary Claw Attacks: The Dark Companion gains two claw attacks that suffer the standard penalties for being a secondary attacks (-5 to hit and ½ str bonus to damage). These claw attacks deal 1d6 + ½ Str damage.
Pounce: If a Dark Companion charges a foe, it can make a full attack, including its rake attack.
Rake: The Dark Companion gains a rake attack as a secondary attack. This is only usable with Pounce.
Secondary Tentacle Attack: The Dark Companion can spontaneously generate a tentacle-like appendage from its shoulder or chest. This tentacle attack suffers the standard penalties for being a secondary attack (see above). It deals 1d6 + ½ Str damage.
Improved Evasion (ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, an animal companion takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and only half damage if the saving throw fails.
Spell Resistance (ex): A Dark Companion’s spell resistance equals the hexblade’s class level + 5.
Shadowy Breath Weapon (su): A dark companion gains a breath weapon. This is a line of dark energy 5 ft. wide x 50 ft. long. Any creatures in the effect take 11d6 damage and may make a Ref save (DC 10 + ½ HD + Cha modifier) for ½ damage.
Poison Attacks (ex): The Dark Companion’s tentacle attacks drips with a shadowy poison. Creatures struck must make a Fort save (DC 10 + ½ HD + Charisma Modifier) or suffer 1d6 Con damage. Like all poisons, this ability damage repeats itself 1 minute later.
Confusion (sp): The Dark Companion may make a gaze attack against a single creature to cause confusion (as the spell), with a caster level equal to its Hit Dice. The creature targeted by this gaze attack may make a Will save (DC 10 + ½ HD + Cha mod) to negate.
Bonus Feat: At 6th level, and every 6 levels thereafter (12th, 18th), a hexblade gains a bonus feat from the following list: Ability Focus, Combat Casting, Empower Spell-like Ability, Extra Invocation, Heighten Spell-like Ability, Maximize Spell-like Ability, Quicken Spell-like Ability.
Swift Hex: At 9th level, a hexblade has learned to place her Hexes on targets as a swift action. She may place a Hex as a swift action a number of times each day equal to her Charisma modifier. She is still limited to 1/round.
Immediate Hex: At 15th level, a hexblade can place one of her Hexes on a target as an immediate action. She may do this a number of times each day equal to her Charisma modifier. She is still limited to 1/round.