Origins of a Hexblade
There is much debate about what a "Hexblade" actually is. Xanthar tells us, "...You have made your pact with a mysterious entity from the Shadowfell - a force that manifests in sentient magic weapons carved from the stuff of shadow..."
The Hexblade, therefore, can be seen as both a sentient entity, the force that manifests itself, and a physical object, the weapon into which it manifests itself.
Further it tells us several of these weapons have been spread across the multiverse over the ages. And the, "...shadowy force behind these weapons can offer power to warlocks who form pacts with it..". For many, this implies that there is something to find, some lost artifact that a Hexblade warlock should locate and should be able to interact with.
Xanthar is also very vague about how a warlock would create such a pact or receive this power. And it is quite vague about how a prospective warlock would undertake such a pact.
Moreover, due to how it is described in the XGE, many PCs look for a "wieldable" weapon in which they can create the pact, "..Many hexblade warlocks create weapons that emulate those formed in the Shadowfell...". While the possession of an actual weapon is not technically consistent with how the mechanics of the Hexblade as defined by the XGE, it can add a dramatic focus and a symbol of power to a PC. And, PC's often want this symbol of power as a functional tool they can wield. Most importantly, it adds drama to the story and it gets a player to invest in their character. And for these two factors alone, it is worth inclusion into a campaign.
The Mechanics
It is important to recognize that the "sentient entity" is not necessarily supposed to be a weapon that a PC can wield. The "Hexblade" is actually just another type of Patron from the Shadowfell realm. There is no mechanic anywhere in the rules that would allow a level 1 player to possess or wield a "patron entity", and the Hexblade should be no different. Yet, the PC may still want a special weapon they can wield as the focus for their pact, and all of the Pact of the Blade features as well. It seems like a natural extension of the specialty. In addition, several of the mechanics defined for a Hexblade, Hex Warrior, Pact of the Blade, Eldritch Smite, Improved Pact Weapon, focus on a weapon.
The Hex Warrior's Blade
In order to achieve this we can simply create a special blade or weapon of significance that is gifted to the Hex Warrior at some point in their service to their Hexblade Patron.
Giving a magical weapon to a PC at level 1 when they make their initial pact is fine, but it cannot be so powerful as to upset the balance of the game at that level. There is also a great opportunity here to add both drama and storyline to your adventure. And opportunities like this should not be overlooked..
The challenge therefore is to provide the opportunity for the Hex Warrior to obtain a special magical weapon that does grant additional powers and does provide that symbol of devotion that many PCs are looking for.
As a general rule, nothing of real value should be "free". Boons of any real significance should be earned, and may often require some kind of personal sacrifice. If you do give them a weapon at level 1, it should just be a common +1 sword that they can use as their initial weapon.
They have graduated from The Mage's Academy as a Hex Warrior Initiate and are heading out to the world so it is reasonable that they would be equipped with a +1 sword that suits their adventuring needs. The Hex Warrior has expressed their intention to create the pact and has been trained in the skills and rituals for the subclass. But in order to complete the pact they must find the Hexblade and swear their fealty to it.
Putting this all together, to obtain a real Hex Warrior Blade the character should have to undergo a quest or a trial to find a prospective Hexblade patron. This trial should be difficult but not impossible. There should be some form of required sacrifice. And at the end of all this, they should be awarded with a proper Hex Warrior's Blade (or whatever kind of weapon suits the character).
The Hex Warrior's Quest
The following is presented as an example quest outline that can be used to walk a new Hex Warrior through the processes of obtaining their Hex Warrior's Blade (or whatever). There are several parts to this all of which can be expanded to add drama, storyline or complexity to the adventure.
- Finding a Hexblade
- Learning the Ritual
- Gathering Materials
- The Journey There
- The Ritual
- The "Reward"
This quest can be run as a side-quest within the context of a larger story. Characters can be blended with NPCs that already exist in whatever campaign you are running and the Hex Warrior simply gathers pieces of their story as they progress within the context of a larger storyline.
You could also run this kind of quest as 1-Shot session highlighting the Hexblade. This can be a good way to get a new member who wants to play a Hexblade into an existing group.
Finding the Hexblade
An NPC should be provided to explain the history of the Hexblades. This NPC can come in the form of a librarian, an artificer, an elder warlock or similar person of authority. This person provides the context for the Hexblades and may even be able to answer questions about the mechanics of the subclass.
The original Hexblades have been scattered across the multiverse over the ages. The most famous of these is the mighty sword, Blackrazor. It has been centuries since anyone has seen this mighty blade. It may not even be in this realm, if it ever was here..
Most importantly they need to point the initiate towards their next action in the quest, How do you find such an item. someone who would likely know how to infuse a material object with a spirit or sentient consciousness.
I can't say how you would find such an item. It is possible that a Master Artificer would have some idea, they are skilled in the art of manipulating objects with spells. Maybe an elder warlock, or even a shadow sorcerer would know.
Here we have to make some assumptions. There are only a few ways in 5e to really find something that is not personally known by the PCs. A Hexblade, hidden away for a centuries would certainly be considered unknown to most of the worlds population. This would logically negate the use of the Locate spells. Therefore, the chosen method for this example uses the Scrying spell.
By definition Scrying could work on a "creature" that you simply know of. The trick therefore is to find information about one Hexblade by name that someone can then cast Skry on. As a "sentient entity" that is manifested in a "physical form", it could reasonably be argued that for our purposes it qualifies as "a creature". Therefore, a high enough level magic NPC is required who can cast Scrying (Druid, Warlock, Wizard or possibly even a Bard or Cleric). Also, as the point of focus for this spell is an expensive object (1000gp) it is reasonable for them to charge for the spell. Considerations should be made to the level of the party. A spellcaster NPC with this ability may have other reasons to help your party besides mere coin, possibly providing an additional opportunity for added content and drama to a more improvisational adventure (yet another side quest).
Since the Hexblade is not well known to the caster (by name only) you may consider imposing a +5 penalty to the save modifier for the Skrying spell. Since this is a required step however, and since the target of the spell already has a prospective bond to the PC (a sworn allegiance), you may also just allow the Skry to work successfully as if the Hexblade "voluntarily failed its save". Given the dependencies of this spell working, the later is recommended.
Finding a Hexblade's name can be accomplished by finding some text in an old document or book. It should not be too easy but it should also not just be handed to the PC outright.
Among the journals you find an old and tattered book from the Hexblade, Killian, from the last century. Many words are unreadable (marked with Xs) due to age and wear of the journal.
From: The Killian Texts: Volume VI, Chapter 13; Part 5: The Lineage of Dael's Hexblade
...I knew that before leaving this plane Dael's Razor begat XXXXXX Shadow to protect XXX XXXXXX XXXXXXX upon her departure. In turn, Razor's Shadow begat the Shadow Warden. It would take me years to find her..
...I offered the Shadow Warden a soul suited to my purpose. ...I then heard, in words that were never spoken, "I give you the XXXXXX of Darkness to guide and protect you". And she consumed the soul and breathed life into my blade. There was a bright flash of spectral light and a force like an explosion filled the entire room. I fell XX XX XXXXXX XXXXX XXX shattering my body.
...What followed was both dream and nightmare XXXXX XXXXX XX XXX XXXXX. After two days of unbearable torment, I was revived, but XXXXXXX changed...
From that point forward, The Shadow would never be seen again, but The Warden would never leave my side...
These kind of clues offers little challenge to the average player. In the end, the name should be clear to the PC, "I have found it, the Warden of Darkness".
Learning the Ritual
It is likely that a Hexblade Warlock would already know of this ritual. It could have been discussed in their initial lessons for the subclass. It is also possible that the ritual itself was implied in the text used to identify the name of the Hexblade.
In its most basic form, the ritual should require a trapped soul to be presented to the Hexblade who could then transfer the soul into the form of a new Hexblade. But the result is, to get the weapon your Hex Warrior will need a trapped soul.
Find a necromancer. After explaining that you need a trapped soul for a ritual they give you a soul cage for 100gp and tell you how to fill it, "...just place this upon the chest of a newly fallen creature and it's soul will be encased within. Once captured you only have eight hours to complete the task or the soul will leave this realm".
The ritual simply requires the initiate to offer the trapped soul along with their weapon to the Hexblade and swear thier loyalty to their new patron. The Hexblade will use the items to create an "offspring" of sorts that the Hex Warrior can use in combat. The new blade is fed by the souls it conquers and gradually grows in strength until it is itself a full Hexblade.
Gathering Materials
The only difficult requirement is to find a soul you want to trap in the soul cage and have it transferred to the new blade. The individual's personality will influence the character of the blade so advise the PC to chose wisely.
Good aligned characters would have an issue with killing an innocent for this purpose. But they should have an even bigger issue with transferring the soul of a villainous NPC into a sword they plan to use for the rest of their life as a Hex Warrior. Warrior focused players may be encouraged to assume that the soul must be slain in combat. But be sure to offer them a battle for this purpose.
The one who donates their soul may voluntarily do it for other reasons. A sickened NPC may see it as a way to free themselves from their mortal shell and be immortal.
The Journey
You could have someone teleport the Hex Warrior there, but where is the drama in that? For the sake of the story, this should require a journey of some complexity and conflict. This may include armed conflicts or puzzles to solve. Given that the Hexblade has been hidden away for so long it is reasonable to expect the journey to be a challenge to the team. Use your GM discretion.
The Ritual
The ritual should be the climactic event of the quest. It should be very descriptive and full of drama, pyrotechnics and maybe even trauma. Pump up the drama!
You see what appears to be giant marble statue of an ancient battle-mage about 30 feet ahead of you holding an elegant looking Sword.
As you approach the figure you hear a voice inside your head calling to you, beaconing you to come closer. You instinctively raise up the trapped soul in one hand and your weapon in the other. You speak the words your master taught you, "Warden of Darkness, I call upon your might and swear fealty to your power, grant me a blade with which to wield it". Suddenly, you collapse in a heap on the floor, and you are dead!
[pause for effect]
At this point, encourage the rest of the party to heal the warlock and try and help him. Whatever they try has no effect. The spells simply can't be cast, as if a veil of silence or "Godblind" had been cast around the area. Once the party realizes they have no recourse to save the fallen warlock you continue..
Speaking directly to the Warlock:
You see a bright flash of light and feel a fire burning inside of you as if your very bones were ignited... In an instant you find yourself, or a portion of yourself, in what feels like a dream world. There is no sense of the world you were just in, no substance, no place, no time. Your body totally numb as if it didn't even exist. Only the shimmering ghostly shape of a woman stands before you. Her hair glistens and her eyes shine with a pale light.
You hear an ethereal voice, "I am the Warden of Darkness". She reaches out her hand containing the soul cage. It glows slowly at first and gets brighter and brighter. The imprisoned soul rises naked out of its cage and returns to an ethereal image of it's previous self. Like a cloud being consumed by a mild whirlwind, the soul begins to rotate slowly around you passing through you, caressing you.
Then in one swift motion, the soul becomes a torrent all around you. It whips around you, cutting through your soul with long claws and sharpened teeth. You hear a multitude of voices rising louder and louder into a frenzied scream that seems to go on forever. The numbness of your body is replaced with a searing pain that extends from the tips of each limb throughout your very core. You start to feel the passage of time. Minutes seem to pass, then hours. Excruciating hours of torment and torture.
Finally, after what feels like an eternity of damnation, your sword hand rises as if on its own and begins to glow brighter and brighter. The soul passes through you again and again as you feel it enter into the sword, or be absorbed by it.
Your body feels numb again, the screams replaced with total silence. You then hear the voice say, "I accept you into my family". The sword dims to a low light, but you can somehow sense its power. The woman looks directly at you and says, "I give to you my child, Dark Shadows, to guide and protect you".
You hear your voice being called and you start to feel the presence of the world again. You are lying on the ground in front of the marble statue, your sword feels warm in your hand. Your companions kneeling around you as if in mourning.
The dream sequence felt like an eternity to the warlock but it happens in just a few minute. During that time, your companions tried to heal you back to consciousness but nothing would work. The memory of the pain still lingers in your mind, the screams and the torment are not easily forgotten.
The pupil of the right eye of the warlock is now permanently a pale white color, like that of the woman from the dream state. The warlock is exhausted (level 1 or 2) and will need a full rest to recover for each level of exhaustion.
The veil of silence is lifted from around your party. Once you have services of your full faculties you feel the blade, Dark Shadows, in your hand, ripe with its newfound power. You have completed your quest..
The Reward
The weapon received from this quest should look different in some visual way, a blue gunmetal effect or a silvered engraving should now appear on the once an ordinary object (use your discretion).
The effect of the sword should scale with the level of the Hex Warrior. A level 1 PC should not be able to wield an overpowered weapon. Moreover, a level 15 PC would not find much value in a standard weapon with modestly increased capabilities. So the item needs to be something that scales with the PC.
The Blade should grow in power (damage) based on the souls its wielder defeats in combat (or just based on PC level). When it is new, the sword has little power, but the power should amplify as the player advances with the Hexblade.
The blade should provide some unique and special abilities. These abilities should not be overpowering to the team but should add dramatic elements to its wielder.
As presented, the new sword is basically a fledgling Hexblade. Or to put it another way, if it were a tree it would be the acorn from which a mighty oak will grow. It does not have great powers but it is sentient and therefore could interact with the PC. In my campaign, a warlock would enter into a dream state during a long rest with the entity and be able to interact with it there. Another approach would be to use it like the Cortana character from Halo. But it is not developed in any way and is therefore limited and weak compared to its creator. And its power should be limited to the effects of the sword itself (see below). This compromise satisfies the subclasses definition as written. But it also satisfies the players desire to have a symbol of that growing power
The Hex Warrior's Blade
This is a sample weapon that can be given to a Hexblade warlock at the conclusion of the quest. (subject to change and always open for modifications)
Dark Shadows
If the PC is a Hexblade Warlock, starting at PC Level 5 You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls and to your damage modifier made with this magic weapon. At Level 10 it becomes +2 and +3 at level 15. In addition, the weapon ignores resistance to slashing and piercing damage. If the wielder is not a Hexblade Warlock then it functions as a normal non-magical sword.
When you get a critical roll with this weapon, the target is also stunned for one turn and will have disadvantage against all attack rolls and saving throws during that time. If the wielder is not a Hexblade Warlock then it functions as a normal weapon.
You can speak the magic weapon’s name to cause the blade to shed dim light in a 10-foot radius. Speaking the name again or sheathing the weapon puts out the light.
While attuned with this weapon, during long rests Hexblade Warlocks can astral project their consciousness to a Shadowfell pocket realm to interact or commune with an astral projection of the weapon's soul.
This weapon requires attunement.
- Name: Dark Shadows (Longsword)
- Type: Martial Melee
- Damage: 1d8 + (PC Level/5)
- Properties: Versatile (1d10)
Other Variations:
| Name | Type |
|---|---|
| Longsword | Martial Melee |
| Scimitar | Martial Melee |
| Rapier | Martial Melee |
| Damage* | Properties |
|---|---|
| 1d8 +1 | Versatile |
| 1d6 +1 | Finesse, light |
| 1d8 +1 | Finesse |
- Damage modifiers scale with PC every 5 levels
Homebrew by Leconian
Formatting and hosting thanks to GM Binder.
Image from... I don't know where but it is not mine..