The Ultimate Dungeons & Dragons Warlock Hexblade Build
If you love the Hexblade Warlock subclass, but wish it had more gish-style abilities, then our ultimate build is for you. The Warlock class has been a beloved character in Dungeons & Dragons for years, with players drawn to the flavorful ties your character has to their patron. Whether good or evil, your patron can be a celestial being, fiendish devil, or even a neutral entity that offers power in exchange for your service.
With so many patrons available in Dungeons & Dragons, and even more subclasses to choose from, it can be tough to build the ultimate Warlock. We’ve gone through all of the options to craft the best Dungeons & Dragons Warlock Hexblade build, while remaining true to the fluff of the subclass. Our recommendation is to choose either variant human or custom lineage from Tasha’s Cauldron Of Everything, as they allow for access to a feat at first level. If your table allows all species a free feat at first level, we have a list of great options below.
Additonal Species Options:
These additional species offer bonuses to your Charisma score. If your dungeon master allows players to choose any species regardless of their alignment, these are good options to choose, but they may require additional feats to access their full potential.
The Half-Elf, Tiefling, Dragonborn, Aasimar, and Yuan-ti Pureblood are all good options to consider, as they provide bonuses to your Charisma score. These can be helpful if your ability scores aren’t turning out how you originally planned, or if you want to play a more charismatic character, but your DM doesn’t allow Charisma-boosting magic items.
Additional Options from Monsters of the Multiverse:
The Astral Elf, Eladrin, and Shadar-Kai all have built-in bonus action teleports, which can be very helpful for both engaging enemies and escaping tricky situations.
The Orc and Goliath essentially add more resilience to your character, with the Orc’s Relentless Endurance allowing you to survive attacks that would reduce you to zero hit points, and the Goliath’s Stone’s Endurance, which allows you to reduce incoming damage.
Improving your Charisma score is absolutely crucial, as it influences your spellcasting ability and weapon attacks. To that end, you want to focus on increasing that score as much as possible. Constitution is your next most important ability score, as it increases your hit points and helps with maintaining concentration on spells. Having a decent Wisdom score is advantageous for perception and proficiency in Wisdom saving throws. If you plan on using a two-handed weapon or multiclassing into Paladin, you will need a minimum Strength score of 13.
Key Feats to Consider:
Maximizing your Charisma score is crucial, and there are several feats you can take that can improve your ability to work with various allies, inspire them to greater efforts, and even lead large groups. Feats like Heavily Armored, Eldritch Adept, Inspiring Leader, Mobile, Fey Touched, Shadow Touched, and Sentinel can all be beneficial at later levels.
Species-specific feats like Elven Accuracy, Flames of Phlegethos, and Second Chance offer additional options for certain characters.
Concentration spells are essential for a Hexblade Warlock, with options like Hex, Wrathful Smite, Protection from Evil and Good, Hold Person, and Spider Climb providing both immediate and long-term benefits.
As you progress, spells like Fly, Hypnotic Pattern, Summon Lesser Demons, Banishment, Banishing Smite, Sickening Radiance, and Hold Monster become even more powerful for concentration.
Nonconcentration spells like Armor of Agathys, Mirror Image, Misty Step, Thunder Step, Dimension Door, Counterspell, and Dispel Magic are also valuable additions to your spell repertoire.
Choosing the Right Invocations:
Choosing the right invocations is crucial for a Hexblade Warlock. Some options include:
Thirsting Blade and Lifedrinker are essential invocations at later levels, as they offer you extra attacks and increased melee damage. Other options to consider include:
Other invocations to consider include:
The Hexblade Warlock is a beloved subclass in Dungeons & Dragons, offering both roleplaying opportunities and a powerful character to play. If you’re playing in Eberron, advocating for your DM to make the weapon you summon your patron can add an extra layer of intrigue and storytelling to your Hexblade Warlock character. Consider the infamous Blackrazor as inspiration for such a patron. Happy gaming!
