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Warlock – Class Guide ( DnD 5e)

Hexblade

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Warlock – Hexblade Subclass
LevelProficiency BonusFeaturesCantrips KnownSpells KnownSpell SlotsSlot LevelInvocations Known
1st+2Pact Magic, Otherworldly Patron2211st
2nd+2Eldritch Invocations2321st2
3rd+2Pact Boon2422nd2
4th+2Ability Score Improvement, Eldritch Versatility3522nd2
5th+33623rd3
6th+3Otherworldly Patron feature3723rd3
7th+33824th4
8th+3Ability Score Improvement3924th4
9th+431025th5
10th+4Otherworldly Patron feature41025th5
11th+4Mystic Arcanum (6th level)41135th5
12th+4Ability Score Improvement41135th6
13th+5Mystic Arcanum (7th level)41235th6
14th+5Otherworldly Patron feature41235th6
15th+5Mystic Arcanum (8th level)41335th7
16th+5Ability Score Improvement41335th7
17th+6Mystic Arcanum (9th level)41445th7
18th+641445th8
19th+6Ability Score Improvement41545th8
20th+6Eldritch Master41545th8

Pact Magic

Your arcane research and your patron’s magic have given you spellcasting ability.

Cantrips


You have two cantrips of your choice from the warlock spell list. At higher levels, you learn additional warlock cantrips of your choice, as indicated by the Warlock table’s Cantrips Known column.

Spell Slots


The Warlock table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your warlock spells from 1st to 5th level. The table also shows the level of each slot; all of your spell slots are the same level. To cast one of your warlock spells of the first or higher level, you must use a spell slot. When you finish a short or long rest, you regain all of your expended spell slots.

For example, at fifth level, you have two 3rd-level spell slots. To cast the 1st-level spell witch bolt, you must use one of those slots and cast it as a 3rd-level spell.

Spells known at the first level and higher


At 1rst level, you can choose two 1st-level spells from the warlock spell list.

When you learn more warlock spells of 1st level or higher, the Spells Known column of the Warlock table displays them. A spell you choose must have a level no higher than that indicated in the table’s Slot Level column for your level. When you reach sixth level, for example, you learn a new warlock spell that can be of the first, second, or third level.

Furthermore, when you level up in this class, you can replace one of your warlock spells with another from the warlock spell list, which must be of the same level as your spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability


Charisma is your spellcasting ability for warlock spells, so use it whenever a spell mentions your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier to determine the saving throw DC for a warlock spell you cast and to make an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + proficiency bonus + Charisma modifier.
Spell attack modifier equals your proficiency bonus plus your Charisma modifier.


Spellcasting Focus


You can use an arcane focus to cast warlock spells.

Otherworldly Patron


At the 1st level, you have made an agreement with an otherworldly being chosen from the list of available patrons. Your choice grants you features at the first level, as well as at the sixth, tenth, and fourteenth levels.

The Hexblade

You have made a pact with a mysterious entity from the Shadowfell—a force that manifests itself in sentient magic weapons carved from shadow. The most notable of these weapons, which have spread throughout the multiverse over time, is the mighty sword Blackrazor. The shadowy force behind these weapons can provide power to warlocks who form alliances with it. Many hexblade warlocks craft weapons inspired by the Shadowfell. Others choose not to use such weapons, preferring to incorporate the plane’s dark magic into their spells.

Because the Raven Queen is known to have forged the first of these weapons, many sages believe that she and the force are one, and that the weapons, along with hexblade warlocks, are tools she uses to manipulate events on the Material Plane to achieve her mysterious goals.

Hexblade’s Curse

Starting at the first level, you gain the ability to cast a curse on someone. As a bonus action, select one creature visible within 30 feet of you. The curse lasts one minute on the target. If the target dies, you die, or you become incapacitated, the curse will end early. Until the curse ends, you get the following benefits:

  • You get a bonus on damage rolls against the cursed target. The bonus is equal to your proficiency bonus.
  • Any attack roll against the cursed target results in a critical hit on a d20 roll of 19 or 20.
  • If the cursed target dies, you gain hit points equal to your warlock level plus your Charisma modifier (a minimum of one hit point).

You cannot use this feature again until you have completed a short or long rest.

Hex Warrior

At the first level, you receive the training required to effectively arm yourself for battle. You become proficient with medium armor, shields, and martial weapons.

The power of your patron also enables you to mystically channel your will through a specific weapon. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with but lacks the two-handed ability. When you attack with that weapon, you can use your Charisma modifier instead of Strength or Dexterity to calculate attack and damage rolls. This benefit lasts until you have completed a long rest. If you later gain the Pact of the Blade feature, this benefit applies to any pact weapon you conjure with that feature, regardless of its type.

Eldritch Invocations


In your research into occult lore, you discovered eldritch invocations, fragments of forbidden knowledge that endow you with a permanent magical ability.

At the 2nd level, you gain two eldritch invocations of your choosing. The Optional Features page contains a list of all available options. When you reach certain warlock levels, you gain access to additional invocations of your choice, as indicated in the Warlock table’s Invocations Known column.

Furthermore, as you advance in this class, you can replace one of the invocations you know with another invocation that is available at that level.

If an eldritch invocation requires prerequisites, you must meet them before learning it. You can learn the invocation while meeting the prerequisites. A level prerequisite indicates your level in this class.

Pact Boon


At the third level, your otherworldly patron rewards you with a gift for your loyal service. You receive one of the following features of your choosing.

1. Pact of the Blade


You can use your action to make a pact weapon with your empty hand. You can change the form of this melee weapon each time you create it. You are skilled with it when you use it. This weapon is classified as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Your pact weapon vanishes if it is more than 5 feet away from you for 1 minute or longer. It will also disappear if you use this feature again, dismiss the weapon (no action required), or die.

You can turn one magic weapon into your pact weapon by performing a special ritual while holding it. The ritual is performed over a one-hour period, which can be completed during a brief rest. You can then dismiss the weapon, which disappears into an extradimensional space and reappears whenever you create a pact weapon after that. This method cannot be used to affect an artifact or a sentient weapon. If you die, perform the 1-hour ritual on a different weapon, or break your bond with the weapon, it no longer serves as your pact weapon. If you are in extradimensional space, the weapon appears at your feet when the bond is broken.

2. Pact of the Chain

You learn the find familiar spell and can use it in a ritual. The spell does not count against your total number of spells known.

When you cast the spell, you can select one of your familiar’s normal forms or one of the special forms listed below: imp, pseudodragon, quasit, or sprite.

Furthermore, when you use the Attack action, you can skip one of your own attacks and allow your familiar to use its reaction to launch one of its own.

3. Pact of the Talisman

Your patron gives you an amulet, which is a talisman that can help the wearer in times of great need. When the wearer fails an ability check, they can add a d4 to the roll, potentially resulting in a success. This benefit can be used as many times as your proficiency bonus, and all expended uses are restored after a long rest.

If you lose the talisman, you can request a replacement from your patron by performing a one-hour ceremony. This ceremony can be performed during a short or long rest period and destroys the previous amulet. When you die, the talisman turns into ash.

4. Pact of the Tome

Your patron gives you a grimoire known as the Book of Shadows. When you gain this feature, select three cantrips from any class’s spell list. The cantrips do not have to come from the same spell list. You can cast those cantrips whenever you want while carrying the book. They do not count against your total number of known cantrips. Any cantrip you cast using this feature is considered a warlock cantrip by you. If you lose your Book of Shadows, you can request a replacement from your patron by performing a one-hour ceremony. This ceremony can take place during a short or long rest, and it destroys the previous book. When you die, the book turns into ash.

Ability Score Improvement


When you reach the 4th level, you can choose to increase one ability score by two or two ability scores by one. This feature cannot be used to increase an ability score above 20.

If your DM permits the use of feats, you may instead take one.

Eldritch Versatility

This is an optional feature for fourth-level warlocks.

When you reach a level in this class that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature, you can do one of the following, which represents a shift in your occult studies.

Replace one cantrip learned through this class’s Pact Magic feature with another from the warlock spell list.
Replace the option you selected for the Pact Boon feature with one of its other options.
If you are 12th level or higher, replace one of your Mystic Arcanum spells with another warlock spell of the same level.
If this change makes you ineligible for any of your Eldritch Invocations, you must replace them with invocations for which you are eligible.

Otherworldly Patron Feature

At the 6th level, you gain a feature granted by your Otherworldly Patron.

Accursed Specter

Beginning at the sixth level, you can curse the soul of a person you kill, temporarily binding it to your service. When you kill a humanoid, its spirit can rise from its corpse as a specter, with statistics available in the Monster Manual. When the specter appears, it gains temporary hit points equivalent to half your warlock level. Take initiative for the specter, which has its own turn. It follows your verbal commands and gains a special bonus to attack rolls equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum +0).

The specter remains at your service until the end of your next long rest, at which point it vanishes into the afterlife.

Once you bind a specter with this feature, you cannot use it again until after a long rest.

Ability Score Improvement


When you reach the 8th level, you can choose to increase one ability score by two or two ability scores by one. This feature cannot be used to increase an ability score above 20.

If your DM permits the use of feats, you may instead take one.

Otherworldly Patron Feature


At level 10, you gain a feature granted by your Otherworldly Patron.

Armor of Hexes

At the tenth level, your hex becomes more powerful. If your Hexblade’s Curse-cursed target attacks you, you can use your reaction to roll a d6. On a 4 or higher, the attack misses you regardless of the roll.

Mystic Arcanum (6th level):


At 11th level, your patron bestows upon you a magical secret known as an arcanum. Choose one 6th-level spell from the warlock spell list for this arcanum.

You can cast the arcanum spell once without using a spell slot. You must take a long break before you can do it again.

At higher levels, you gain more warlock spells of your choosing that can be cast in this manner: one 7th-level spell at 13th level, one 8th-level spell at 15th level, and one 9th-level spell at 17th level. After a long rest, you regain full use of your Mystic Arcanum.

Ability Score Improvement


When you reach the 12th level, you have the option of increasing one ability score by two or two ability scores by one. This feature cannot be used to increase an ability score above 20.

If your DM permits the use of feats, you may instead take one.

Mystic Arcanum (7th level):


At 13th level, your patron bestows upon you a magical secret known as an arcanum. Select one 7th-level spell from the warlock spell list for this arcanum.

You can cast the arcanum spell once without using a spell slot. You must take a long break before you can do it again.

Otherworldly Patron Feature


At level 14, you gain a feature granted by your Otherworldly Patron.

Master of Hexes

Starting at 14th level, you can transfer your Hexblade’s Curse from one slain creature to another. When the creature cursed by your Hexblade’s Curse dies, you can transfer the curse to another creature within 30 feet of you, as long as you are not incapacitated. When you apply the curse in this manner, you do not gain hit points from the death of the previously cursed creature.

Mystic Arcanum (8th level):


At 15th level, your patron bestows upon you a magical secret known as an arcanum. Choose one 8th-level spell from the warlock spell list for this arcanum.

You can cast the arcanum spell once without using a spell slot. You must take a long break before you can do it again.

Ability Score Improvement


When you reach the 16th level, you have the option of increasing one ability score by two or two ability scores by one. This feature cannot be used to increase an ability score above 20.

If your DM permits the use of feats, you may instead take one.

Mystic Arcanum (9th level):


At level 17, your patron bestows upon you a magical secret known as an arcanum. Choose a 9th-level spell from the warlock spell list for this arcanum.

You can cast the arcanum spell once without using a spell slot. You must take a long break before you can do it again.

Ability Score Improvement


When you reach the 19th level, you can choose to increase one ability score by two or two ability scores by one. This feature cannot be used to increase an ability score above 20.

If your DM permits the use of feats, you may instead take one.

Eldritch Master


At 20th level, you can tap into your inner reservoir of mystical power while begging your patron to restore expended spell slots. You can spend 1 minute begging your patron for help to reclaim all of your expended spell slots from your Pact Magic feature. Once you’ve regained spell slots using this feature, you must take a long rest before you can do it again.

Further Reading

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Credits

The Archfey is a Warlock Subclass from Dungeons and Dragons 5e.

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