u/knightarth

I believe that, like me, many people were disappointed when the new Eberron book was released and failed to include one of the setting's most iconic weapons updated for 5.5e.

I took the liberty of redesigning and reimagining the weapon to ensure it aligns with the other weapons and mechanics of the 2024 ruleset, while also addressing an aspect of the original design that always bothered me: Since it is a two-handed weapon, its previous depictions were physically impossible to handle with both hands and honestly, even with one, consequently, I have reworked it into a polearm which for me makes much more sense both mechanically and physically. This also allows it to interact naturally with Polearm Master, while the redesigned Revenant Blade feat provides its signature additional attack as part of the Attack action now (no weapon has special properties now and the Bonus Action is confliting with PAM).

I also wanted to preserve the weapon's association with Dexterity-based builds. Rather than simply giving it the Finesse property, Graceful allows the wielder to replace its Heavy property with Finesse. This creates an interesting trade-off: a Dexterity-based wielder can use the weapon effectively without needing a minimum Strength score, but gives up access to benefits that specifically require the weapon to have the Heavy property, such as the additional damage from Great Weapon Master since it specifically states "When you hit a creature with a weapon that has the Heavy property", and since you replace it it would not apply (different from Polearm master btw).

The only thing that I couldn't change is the bludgeoning damage from pole strike, would make more sense if it could be slashing, however I can totally see a strike being made with the dull side of the blade once you twist to the opposite side.

OBS: For its weapon mastery I went with graze, since I think Vex would've been a little too strong and graze still a very good option to fulfill its fantasy, also is the glaive original mastery anyway.

Please share your thoughs and how would you like to see a new DBS if released today?

After months of thinking and redesign its features, what about this subclass should do and how it shoud achieve it, I think I finally made it.

Please share your thoughts!
What do you like here? What do you've expected to see?

HEXBLADE (WARLOCK) 

Curse your enemies while wielding a hexed weapon, weave spells into every strike and fade into the cursed shadows that surround you. Your pact draws its power from the Shadowfell, a realm of shadow, death, and fading memories. There, powerful entities dwell in the darkness: the Raven Queen, the Mistress of the Night, the Dragon God of Death, or a powerful undead. You might have bargained with one of them, pledged yourself to its cause, or forged a pact with it for purposes of your own. Whoever they are, they manifest themselves through your weapon, and their objectives are often like the shadows they inhabit; those who forge these pacts and wield such powers are known as Hexblades. 

LEVEL 3: HEXBLADE SPELLS 

The magic of your patron ensures you always have certain spells ready; when you reach a Warlock level specified in the Hexblade Spells table, you thereafter always have the listed spells prepared. 

HEXBLADE SPELLS 

Warlock Level	Spells
3	Arcane Vigor, Hex, Shield, Shining Smite, Wrathful Smite
5	Bestow Curse, Conjure Barrage
7	Freedom of Movement, Staggering Smite
9	Animate Objects, Steel Wind Strike

LEVEL 3: HEXBLADE’S CURSE 

Your patron grants you the power to curse and hinder your foes. When you take the Attack action, you can curse a creature you can see within 30 feet of yourself. The target is cursed for 1 minute, during which you gain the benefits below. The curse ends early if you use this feature again, if you dismiss it (no action required), or die. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest. You also regain one expended use of Hexblade’s Curse when you use your Magical Cunning feature.  

Alternatively, when you cast a level 1+ spell that targets a creature, you can choose a creature affected by the spell to be the target of your Hexblade’s Curse as part of the same action. When you do so, the Hexblade’s Curse’s duration is either 1 minute or the spell’s duration, whichever is longer. 

Accursed Blight. When you activate your Hexblade's curse, you create a 10-foot Emanation that looks like a shadowy veil weakening the target's strength. Whenever the target of your curse hits you with an attack roll while within the Emanation, any damage dealt to you by that attack is reduced by an amount equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). 

Accursed Critical. Any attack roll you make against the target cursed by your Hexblade’s Curse scores a Critical Hit on a roll of a 19 or 20 on the d20. 

Hungering Hex. When the target cursed by your Hexblade’s Curse drops to 0 Hit Points, you regain Hit Points equal to 1d8 plus your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). 

LEVEL 3: HEXED WEAPON 

You imbue your weapon with a fragment of your patron's sentience. As part of a Long Rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with. You gain access to its Mastery Property. Additionally, if you have the Pact of the Blade invocation, this benefit extends to any weapon you conjure with that invocation. 

LEVEL 6: ELDRITCH KNOWLEDGE 

You gain knowledge from those who have come before you, granting you the following benefits. 

Harrowing Blade. After you cast a level 1+ spell that has a casting time of an Action, you can make one attack with a weapon as a Bonus Action. 

Hex Warrior. You can replace an Eldritch Invocation you know with a Fighting Style Feat of your choice. Every time you gain a level in this class, you can change it with another eligible option. Also, instead of choosing one of those feats, you can choose the option below. 

• Hexweaving. You can cast one of your cantrips that has a casting time of an action in place of one of your attacks. If the cantrip deals damage, when cast in this way it can't benefit from any increases gained through its Cantrip Upgrade.

 

Relentless Hex. When the target cursed by your Hexblade’s Curse drops to 0 Hit Points, instead of regaining Hit Points through your Hungering Hex you can choose to apply the curse to a different creature you can see within 30 feet of you for the remaining duration (no action required). 

LEVEL 10: MASTERFUL HEX 

The power of your Hexblade’s Curse increases, granting the following benefits. 

Hindering Curse. When you hit a target cursed by your Hexblade’s Curse with an attack roll, the target has Disadvantage on the next Saving Throw it makes before the start of your next turn. 

Mantle of Shadows. You can become momentarily incorporeal within the shadowy veil of your curse to dodge attacks and thwart your enemies. While your curse is active, if a creature hits you with an attack roll, you can use your Reaction to reduce the damage taken by the attack by an amount equal to your Warlock level, and you can immediately teleport to an unoccupied space you can see within the Emanation created by your Accursed Blight. 

LEVEL 14: ACCURSED AWAKENING 

When you use your Hexblade’s Curse, you can choose to awaken the might of your patron within your weapon to its full potential, granting the benefits below for the next minute or until you end them (no action required). Once you use this benefit, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest unless you expend a Pact Magic slot (no action required) to restore your use of it. 

Accursed Aura. Your Accursed Blight Emanation is increased to 20 feet, dim light within the area is turned into darkness, and bright light turns into dim light. Also, your Accursed Blight and Accursed Critical apply to any creature within the Emanation, regardless of whether the creature is the target of your Hexblade’s Curse. 

Awakened Blade. While holding a weapon you gain Blindsight with a range of 20 feet. In addition, once per turn, if you make an attack roll with a weapon and miss, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll. 

Draining Smite. Once per turn, when you hit a target cursed by your Hexblade’s Curse with an attack roll, you can deal an extra 1d8 Necrotic damage and can give yourself Temporary Hit Points equal to the same amount plus your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). 

After months thinking and redesign its features. Trying to imagine what this subclass should do or how it should achieve it, I think I finally made it.

Plaese share you thoughts! What do you like here, what do you've expected to see?

HEXBLADE (WARLOCK) 

Curse your enemies while wielding a hexed weapon, weave spells into every strike and fade into the cursed shadows that surround you. Your pact draws its power from the Shadowfell, a realm of shadow, death, and fading memories. There, powerful entities dwell in the darkness: the Raven Queen, the Mistress of the Night, the Dragon God of Death, or a powerful undead. You might have bargained with one of them, pledged yourself to its cause, or forged a pact with it for purposes of your own. Whoever they are, they manifest themselves through your weapon, and their objectives are often like the shadows they inhabit; those who forge these pacts and wield such powers are known as Hexblades. 

LEVEL 3: HEXBLADE SPELLS 

The magic of your patron ensures you always have certain spells ready; when you reach a Warlock level specified in the Hexblade Spells table, you thereafter always have the listed spells prepared. 

HEXBLADE SPELLS 

Warlock Level	Spells
3	Arcane Vigor, Hex, Shield, Shining Smite, Wrathful Smite
5	Bestow Curse, Conjure Barrage
7	Freedom of Movement, Staggering Smite
9	Animate Objects, Steel Wind Strike

LEVEL 3: HEXBLADE’S CURSE 

Your patron grants you the power to curse and hinder your foes. When you take the Attack action, you can curse a creature you can see within 30 feet of yourself. The target is cursed for 1 minute, during which you gain the benefits below. The curse ends early if you use this feature again, if you dismiss it (no action required), or die. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest. You also regain one expended use of Hexblade’s Curse when you use your Magical Cunning feature.  

Alternatively, when you cast a level 1+ spell that targets a creature, you can choose a creature affected by the spell to be the target of your Hexblade’s Curse as part of the same action. When you do so, the Hexblade’s Curse’s duration is either 1 minute or the spell’s duration, whichever is longer. 

Accursed Blight. When you activate your Hexblade's curse, you create a 10-foot Emanation that looks like a shadowy veil weakening the target's strength. Whenever the target of your curse hits you with an attack roll while within the Emanation, any damage dealt to you by that attack is reduced by an amount equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). 

Accursed Critical. Any attack roll you make against the target cursed by your Hexblade’s Curse scores a Critical Hit on a roll of a 19 or 20 on the d20. 

Hungering Hex. When the target cursed by your Hexblade’s Curse drops to 0 Hit Points, you regain Hit Points equal to 1d8 plus your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). 

LEVEL 3: HEXED WEAPON 

You imbue your weapon with a fragment of your patron's sentience. As part of a Long Rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with. You gain access to its Mastery Property. Additionally, if you have the Pact of the Blade invocation, this benefit extends to any weapon you conjure with that invocation. 

LEVEL 6: ELDRITCH KNOWLEDGE 

You gain knowledge from those who have come before you, granting you the following benefits. 

Harrowing Blade. After you cast a level 1+ spell that has a casting time of an Action, you can make one attack with a weapon as a Bonus Action. 

Hex Warrior. You can replace an Eldritch Invocation you know with a Fighting Style Feat of your choice. Every time you gain a level in this class, you can change it with another eligible option. Also, instead of choosing one of those feats, you can choose the option below. 

• Hexweaving. You can cast one of your cantrips that has a casting time of an action in place of one of your attacks. If the cantrip deals damage, when cast in this way it can't benefit from any increases gained through its Cantrip Upgrade.

 

Relentless Hex. When the target cursed by your Hexblade’s Curse drops to 0 Hit Points, instead of regaining Hit Points through your Hungering Hex you can choose to apply the curse to a different creature you can see within 30 feet of you for the remaining duration (no action required). 

LEVEL 10: MASTERFUL HEX 

The power of your Hexblade’s Curse increases, granting the following benefits. 

Hindering Curse. When you hit a target cursed by your Hexblade’s Curse with an attack roll, the target has Disadvantage on the next Saving Throw it makes before the start of your next turn. 

Mantle of Shadows. You can become momentarily incorporeal within the shadowy veil of your curse to dodge attacks and thwart your enemies. While your curse is active, if a creature hits you with an attack roll, you can use your Reaction to reduce the damage taken by the attack by an amount equal to your Warlock level, and you can immediately teleport to an unoccupied space you can see within the Emanation created by your Accursed Blight. 

LEVEL 14: ACCURSED AWAKENING 

When you use your Hexblade’s Curse, you can choose to awaken the might of your patron within your weapon to its full potential, granting the benefits below for the next minute or until you end them (no action required). Once you use this benefit, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest unless you expend a Pact Magic slot (no action required) to restore your use of it. 

Accursed Aura. Your Accursed Blight Emanation is increased to 20 feet, dim light within the area is turned into darkness, and bright light turns into dim light. Also, your Accursed Blight and Accursed Critical apply to any creature within the Emanation, regardless of whether the creature is the target of your Hexblade’s Curse. 

Awakened Blade. While holding a weapon you gain Blindsight with a range of 20 feet. In addition, once per turn, if you make an attack roll with a weapon and miss, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll. 

Draining Smite. Once per turn, when you hit a target cursed by your Hexblade’s Curse with an attack roll, you can deal an extra 1d8 Necrotic damage and can give yourself Temporary Hit Points equal to the same amount plus your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1).