Hello, and congratulations on bringing the Hexblade subclass to Baldur’s Gate 3! 🎉

Hexblade is a fascinating Warlock subclass, but implementing it properly is quite challenging. Here’s why:

Challenges of Hexblade in BG3

1. Eldritch Blast Dominance – Warlocks already have access to one of the best cantrips in the game: Eldritch Blast. It’s ranged, scales with Charisma for attack and damage rolls, pushes creatures without a saving throw, and gains three beams at level 11.

2. Pact Weapon Limitations – In BG3, Pact Weapons are currently restricted to melee only, making it difficult for Hexblade’s melee playstyle to compete with Eldritch Blast.

Suggested Improvements

To make melee Hexblades more viable and provide a compelling alternative to Eldritch Blast, here are a few tweaks:

1) Rename Bind Hexed Weapon to Pact Hexed Weapon and allow it to apply Hexblade’s Curse as a bonus action when you hit.
2) Merge Hexblade’s Curse with Hex, creating a more streamlined and powerful version:

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Hexblade’s Empowered Curse (1st Level)

Your Hexblade Patron enhances your curses. You always have the Hex spell prepared and can cast it without expending a spell slot. While cursed, you gain the following benefits:

- Hex no longer requires concentration.
- You gain your proficiency bonus to damage rolls against the cursed target.
- Attack rolls against the cursed target score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
- If the cursed target drops to 0 HP, you can choose to end Hex to regain HP or temporary HP equal to your Warlock level + Charisma modifier (minimum of 1 HP) or transfer the curse to another creature on a later turn (no action required).

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once), regaining all expended uses after a Long Rest.

3) Add Two New Eldritch Invocations:

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Eldritch Smite

Prerequisite: Level 5+ Warlock, Pact of the Blade Invocation

Once per turn when you hit a creature with your pact weapon, you can expend a Pact Magic spell slot to deal an extra 1d8 Force damage to the target, plus another 1d8 per level of the spell slot, and you can give the target the Prone condition if it is Huge or smaller.

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Devouring Blade

Prerequisite: Level 11+ Warlock, Pact of the Blade Invocation

The Extra Attack of your Pact of the Blade Invocation confers two extra attacks rather than one.

Final Thoughts

Let me know what you think about these changes! I believe they would make the Hexblade feel more rewarding in melee combat while maintaining balance.

Also, feel free to check out my highly rated 2024 Hexblade update on D&D Beyond:
👉 Shadowfell (Hexblade 2024)

Looking forward to your feedback! 😊

Last edited by emery; 06/03/25 04:31 PM.