Hexblade Warlock - Ultimate Shadow Blade Build - Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3)

Hexblade Build - Shadow Blade Hunter

Hexblade has been one of the most requested subclasses for Warlock, and with the patch 8, we get it! From the first level, it already offers a plethora of features, mainly wearing medium armor, a shield, and proficiency with any weapon.

As you play it, you will see how enjoyable it is - warlock spell list, smites like Wrathful Smite, Blinding Smite, etc. Moreover, as you reach midgame, you will be able to summon Accursed Spectre​ to aid you in battles. The build gets a huge power boost with Shadow Blade, and later, if you are up for it, Resonance Stone for double damage on psychic damage.

The build is enjoyable in a sense as you unlock more and more things, and they scale pretty well up to the last levels, which allows you to finish the build with Lifedrinker​ invocation for a significant damage boost. Overall, we just brushed the surface of what this subclass can offer.

This build is aimed at Shadow Blade. If you are looking for Two handed/dual-wield build variation, check the Bladelock Build.

So let's jump into the build!

Class Contribution

The core of the build consists of Warlock. Brace yourselves for an array of features as Hexblades are stacked:

12 Hexblade Warlock

• Warlock Spellslots that reset on short rest.
• Special invocations which give unique features like Devil's Sight, Fiendish Vigour, Lifedrinker, etc.
• Access to a strong cantrip - Eldritch Blast,​ which scales with level and gains damage bonuses throughout the game
• Gain extra attack via the Pact of the Blade​ pact.
• A vast array of control spells - Darkness, Hunger of Hadar, Command, etc.
• Mystic Arcanum - special level 6 spells that can be cast without any cost once per Long Rest.
• Hex Warrior​ with bonus proficiencies in Medium Armor and Shield. This also lets you use Bind Hexed Weapon​ to use Charisma as the main weapon stat.
• Hexblade's Curse​ - excellent action early in the game to improve damage and gain some survivability
• Unique spell list of Shield, Wrathful Smite, Staggering Smite, Banishing Smite, and many more.
• Summon special specters with a reaction thanks to the Accursed Spectre​ feature.
• Nullify damage with Armour of Hexes.

Synergy with other builds

Warlock is pretty self-sufficient in terms of what it can do. However, if you are looking to specialize in something, there are two aspects that I think are relevant:

Controllers

As this build uses Shadow Blade it comes with a lot of dice rolls for damage 4d8 at a level 5 spell slot. The more the dice, the more the build benefits from critical hits. This makes it an excellent candidate for control builds that can guarantee 100% critical chance via Hold Monster​/Hold Person. Here are the relevant builds:

• Fire Sorcerer - one of the most reliable builds for this type of setup with Hat of Fire Acuity + Scorching Ray​
• Lorecerer - similar to Fire Sorcerer, can use the same combo and can easily apply total control. Sadly it is just limited to Hold Person.
• Spellsword build - Sorcadin, Bardadin, Swords Bard Archer, other caster related builds- Lore Bard or even Arcane Trickster with access to unlimited scrolls.

If none of these are for you, no worries. In Act 3, the Hexblade can become full controller with the correct gear, so check the equipment section on how to reach that.

Darkness party

Warlock gets Devil's Sight​ and can cast Darkness​ at will. This allows you to use the areas in offense or defense. For example, you can force enemies to become blind or decrease their chances of hitting you. The best builds that complement this playstyle:

• Beast Master Ranger - with its Dire Raven Companion​ from level 11. It can create Darkness​ fields at will.
• Any variation of Eldritch Blast caster - Sorlock build, Eldritch Blast spammer, etc. They get Devil's Sight​ and can create Darkness​ easily.
• Shadow Monk build and its variations, as it has a special action Shadow Arts: Darkness. However, it will need special gear to see in darkness - Eversight Ring, Shar's Spear of Evening, etc.

So this can be a neat synergetic party, still, there are some caveats.

The main problem is that some enemies can Throw,​ and for some reason, they can hit foes inside Darkness​ even if they shouldn't. So have expectation that it might not work as you expect.

Psychic party

This is another setup that can become ridiculously powerful thanks to Resonance Stone. The hexblade can use Shadow Blade,​ so any other class that has access to psychic damage or uses Shadow Blade​ can play here:

• Psychic Assassin Monk - can get Shadow Blade Ring and use Shadow Strike.
• Eldritch Knight - a melee knight with Shadow Blade​ can be an excellent addition and very powerful at that, with 3 attacks per action point.
• Bladesinger - has access to the most spells in the game, and can be extremely versatile with its gear.
• Arcane Trickster - it also has access to Shadow Blade​ and other shenanigans to help in combat
• Open Hand Monk - from level 6, it has access to Manifestation of Mind, which gives additional psychic damage
• Psychic Bardadin - 6 Swords Bard/4 Sorcerer/2 Paladin, access to Shadow Blade​ and possible bonus action casting via Metamagic: Quickened Spell.

Of course, you can use both Darkness​ and psychic damage together; what matters is whether you have enough gear and how you approach combat.

Leveling Overview

Here is a concise table with all the main picks during your leveling progression. For more detailed reasoning, I go further in the article. Also, do not forget to check the recommended gear, as it is crucial.

Level	Class	Selection
1	Warlock 1	Cantrips: Eldritch Blast, Booming Blade​
		Subclass: The Hexblade
		Spells: Wrathful Smite​, Shield​
		STR - 8, DEX - 16, CON - 14, INT - 8, WIS - 10, CHA - 17
		Skills: Deception, Intimidation
2	Warlock 2	Spells: Hellish Rebuke​
		Eldritch Invocations: Agonising Blast, Devil's Sight​
3	Warlock 3	Spells: Shadow Blade​
		Pact Boon: Pact of the Blade​
		Replace Spell: Hellish Rebuke​ -> Cloud of Daggers​
4	Warlock 4	Cantrips: Minor Illusion​
		Spells: Darkness​
		Feat: Ability Improvement +2 Charisma
5	Warlock 5	Spells: Hunger of Hadar​
		Eldritch Invocations: Repelling Blast​
		Replace Spell: Wrathful Smite​ -> Counterspell​
6	Warlock 6	Spells: Branding Smite​
		Replace Spell: Cloud of Daggers​ -> Elemental Weapon​
7	Warlock 7	Spells: Staggering Smite​
		Eldritch Invocations: Fiendish Vigour​
8	Warlock 8	Spells: Dimension Door​ or Hold Person​
		Feat: Savage Attacker​
9	Warlock 9	Spells: Banishing Smite​
		Eldritch Invocations: Beguiling Influence​
10	Warlock 10	Cantrips: any relevant to you
		Spells: Hold Monster​
11	Warlock 11	Mystic Arcanum: Create Undead​
		Spells: Hold Person​
		Replace Spell: Branding Smite​ -> Armour of Agathys​​
12	Warlock 12	Spells: Misty Step​
		Eldritch Invocations: Lifedrinker​
		Feat: Ability Improvement - +2 Dexterity

Starting the Game - Level 1

This section covers the creation screen and what would go into the best Races, Abilities, and Skills for the Hexblade build. If you have already started playing feel free to do a respec at Withers and follow along. This will make it easy to follow the build step by step.

Races

Picking a race provides various benefits - abilities, dialogue options, looks, etc.

Race	Features	Description
Wood Half-Elf	Civil Militia Darkvision​ Fey Ancestry Fleet of Foot - your movement speed is increased by 1.5m.	One of the most popular race picks. Being a melee combatant, the additional movement speed is excellent for better positioning and reaching important targets.
Wood Elf	Elven Weapon Training​ Darkvision​ Fey Ancestry Fleet of Foot - your movement speed is increased by 1.5m.
Zariel Tiefling	Darkvision​ Hellish Resistance​ Thaumaturgy​	Great race that offers unique looks and a few great features. I recommend Thaumaturgy​ as it helps immensely with dialogue checks without any negative consequences. The additional smites, like Searing Smite,​ can be helpful for a little more damage in the early and mid game.
Half-Orc	Darkvision​ Relentless Endurance​ Savage Attacks​	The most important part is Relentless Endurance,​ offering instant recovery if you are close to death.
Drow	Drow Weapon Training​ Superior Darkvision​ Fey Ancestry Dancing Lights​​	Excellent race pick, especially for Act 1 and its unique dialogue choices. Still, it offers Darkness​ spell, which synergizes well with Devil's Sight​ and saves you a spell slot.

Class

Overview
Warlock
Features
Warlock Spell Slots	These spell slots can be used to cast spells and refill each Short Rest.

Cantrips

You can only take two, so here are my recommendations:

Cantrip	Description
Booming Blade​	The new cantrip can be used with a normal attack without any cost. When enemies move while under its effect, they receive thunder damage. In later levels, it gives a direct damage boost. So no reason not to use it every turn.
Eldritch Blast​	The iconic warlock cantrip, which has good scaling with levels, gains unique invocations for further improvements. This is the go-to option for ranged warlock attacks.
Friends​	This is a somewhat optional cantrip. It can be extremely useful in dialogue checks. However, be careful not to cancel it near the affected NPC, as they can start attacking you.

Subclass

Overview
The Hexblade
Features
Bind Hexed Weapon​	This action allows you to bind any melee weapon and makes you proficient in it. This also results in using Charisma modifier instead of Strength or Dexterity. It also has a 20% chance to apply Hexblade's Curse​ without activating it.
Hexblade's Curse​	Using the bonus action, you can improve your damage and increase your crit chance. This is a great alternative to Hex,​ and it does not use a concentration slot.
Hex Warrior​	This passive is responsible for the multiple bonuses you get, specifically armor and shield proficiencies.

Spells

There are multiple good spell picks, but for now, you can only take 2:

Spell	Description
Shield​	Extremely valuable spell early in the game. Albeit with limited warlock spell slots, this becomes expensive to use in later levels. So I would only use it for the early game, or if you are in a pinch.
Wrathful Smite	One of the multiple smite spells that the hexblade gets. This is a great option to weaponise bonus action early on; later, this does lose its value.
Hellish Rebuke​	I love this spell early in the game. It allows you to indirectly attack during the enemy's turn, while you have a limited number of attacks. Sadly, it is useful for the first few levels.

Background

Backgrounds are mostly for role-playing, and you can pick whatever you prefer. If you want to optimize, then it would be good to pick backgrounds that are based on your ability points.

Abilities

Now, let's take a look at the abilities of the Hexblade build. Correct allocation will allow you to maximize the early gameplay and get good modifier bonuses.

The core mechanic to understand for ability points is that they give "ability modifiers" that apply to various skill checks. For example, Charisma works on Intimidation and persuasion checks. Wisdom on Survival or Animal Handling, and so on.

You get a higher ability modifier on even values - 10, 12, 14, etc. So keeping it on odd may be useless. However, there are various +1/2 modifiers in the game, specifically Auntie Ethel Hair or Feats that help round this up.

Ability	Value	Description
Strength	8	Not that relevant ability for Warlock as you can use Charisma for weapon modifiers.
Dexterity	16 (15+1)	The ability determines bonuses to Armor Class, initiative, and some ability checks, it's always good to have high dexterity.
Constitution	14	The Constitution will help with maintaining spell concentration and improving the HP pool.
Intelligence	8	Not a relevant ability
Wisdom	10	Just enough to remove the negative modifier for Wisdom.
Charisma	17 (15+2)	The main spellcasting and weapon modifier ability. It will also determine dialogue check success, making this ability a high priority.

Skills and Expertise

Overall, the skills should be impacted by your roleplaying and background decisions. However, you would still want those that will give you the best benefits. My recommendations are to pick those at which you have a high ability modifier, and these are Charisma-related.

• Deception
• Intimidation
• any other

Leveling Progression - Levels 2-12

Here is the detailed progression for the Hexblade build to get you started. You can use it as a guideline because early games can be daunting and overwhelming. Later on, once you get a feel for the class, you can start picking your options.

Level 2

By this time, you should have landed in the Wilderness area already. The level-up gives some welcome improvements for your Warlock.

Spells

Spells	Description
Armour of Agathys​	I am not a huge user of this spell, but it can be used before short rest if you have a free spell slot. It improves survivability and can inflict decent cold damage.
Hellish Rebuke​	Take it if you have not done that previously
Expeditious Retreat​	This spell can be useful in getting the Wrath​ effect from the Linebreaker Boots.

Eldritch Invocations

Invocation	Description
Agonising Blast​	One of the most important invocations to make Eldritch Blast​ more powerful.
Devil's Sight​	This is one of the most useful passives in the game. It helps with general dark areas. However, it also plays well with Darkness​ if you decide to use it.

Replace Spell

Nothing to replace at this moment

Level 3

The first level 2 spells are unlocked. You also gain some nice features that will be useful later on.

Spells

Spell	Description
Shadow Blade​	The highlight of this build is that you can use Shadow Blade​ for the rest of the game. It offers a competitive and strong sword and shield playstyle. However, if you plan on using 2 Handed weapons, take something like Cloud of Daggers​

Pact Boon

Boon	Description
Pact of the Blade​	The action overlaps with Bind Hexed Weapon; however, without it, you will not be able to access Deepened Pact,​ which gives an additional attack at level 5.

Replace Spell

Remove Spell	Add Spell	Description
Hellish Rebuke​	Cloud of Daggers​​	This spell can hit multiple targets, and it activates 2 times - on initial cast and the enemy's turn. It can destroy some early game fights when placed correctly.

Level 4

The 4th level unlocks the first feat for the build. This is generally a big improvement as it helps by providing stat improvement or unique effects.

Cantrips

You can pick only one

Cantrip	Description
Minor Illusion​	A pretty good cantrip that you can use to lure enemies to NPCs. Even before combat, you can perfectly align foes into one spot and land Cloud of Daggers.

Spells

Spell	Description
Darkness​	This would be a perfect time to pick this spell, at least to try it out. You can now set up dark areas and gain an advantage in combat

Replace Spell

I would say nothing needs replacing yet.

Feat

Here you can select from a few choices, based on your playstyle and what kind of playthrough you are doing.

Feat	Description
Ability Improvement - +2 Charisma	This is my go-to pick, especially if you are using Shadow Blade. Higher charisma also helps with dialogue checks and spell success increase.

Level 5

Level 5 plays a pivotal role in most of the builds. You will get access to level 3 spells, which are very powerful and start unlocking the class's potential.

Feature	Description
Deepened Pact​	This is the improved Pact of the Blade​ version, which gives extra attack, highly improving your damage potential.

Spells

Spell	Description
Hunger of Hadar​	This is one of the strongest control spells in the game. It covers a large area and makes enemies blind. Moreover, it inflicts damage per turn and slows them down. This is an extremely strong setup that makes multiple encounters a cakewalk.

Eldritch Invocations

Invocation	Description
Repelling Blast​	If you are interested in improving the Eldritch Blast​ cantrip further, here is my pick. This can be used to push back enemies into chasms or into the Hunger of Hadar.

Replace Spell

Remove Spell	Add Spell	Description
Wrathful Smite​	Counterspell​	This is an extremely powerful spell that can be used if you see that the enemy is casting a deadly spell. It can outright save your runs.

Level 6

The level unlocks some nice features:

Feature	Description
Accursed Spectre​	Killing an enemy with Hexblade's Curse​ allows you to raise a spectre to fight alongside. It is a cool gimmick, but to be fair, most of the Act 2 fights have undead, and in Act 3, you will be just shredding foes, leaving limited use for it. Still, it looks cool, and when you summon it can be helpful.

Spells

Spells	Description
Branding Smite​	I am a sucker for smites, even though they are not too optimal in terms of damage per action used. Still, some Act 2 foes are weak to radiant damage, and this can help you eliminate them.
Misty Step​	This can be an excellent spell to move and reach a specific place or enemy. Still, its cost is quite significant as at this stage you only have 2 spell slots per short rest.

Replace Spell

Remove Spell	Add Spell	Description
Cloud of Daggers​	Elemental Weapon​	This can be a great source of Concentration for Strange Conduit Ring and provides bonuses to damage.

Level 7

Further progression with new level 4 spells

Spells

Spells	Description
Staggering Smite​	My pick, especially relevant for Shadow Blade​ users, as it further empowers the psychic damage that you deal.

Eldritch Invocations

Invocations	Description
Armour of Shadows​	There is a powerful robe - Potent Robe, that gives an additional charisma damage modifier on all your attacks. Getting Mage Armour​ effect is crucial to sustain a good Armour Class.
Fiendish Vigour​	A free health increase to improve survivability.

Replace Spell

Feel free to replace any spell that you don't use. For example, Darkness​ can be a great pick if you no longer have use for it.

Level 8

The main highlight of this level is the additional feat.

Spells

Here are some relevant spell recommendations:

Spells	Description
Dimension Door​	Excellent mobility spell, when you want to move your ally and yourself close to a group of enemies or away from danger. Sometimes it is worth sacrificing a spell slot for that.
Hold Person​	Although I skipped this spell, it can be extremely useful if you plan on using Band of the Mystic Scoundrel in Act 3. This is an easy way to guarantee critical hits.

Replace Spell

Feel free to replace any spell that you do not use with something more useful.

Feat

There are a few relevant picks here:

Feat	Description
Savage Attacker​	This is a very powerful pick for Shadow Blade​ users as all of its rolls will be rerolled, improving damage by an average of 25%.

Level 9

Level 5 spell slots are unlocked with some additional invocations:

Spells

Spells	Description
Banishing Smite​	Unique to Hexblade, this is a great pick, and can serve as a great source of alternative damage to your main psychic from Shadow Blade. This can also make foes Banished,​ greatly improving the combat situation.

Eldritch Invocations

For now, I think the build has everything covered. So feel free to pick anything of interest:

Invocations	Description
Mire the Mind​	The Slow​ spell can be extremely useful for the upcoming Myrkul fight, where you will have difficulties applying strong control effects.
Beguiling Influence​	Additional proficiencies for charisma dialogue checks.
Otherworldly Leap​	Free access to Enhance Leap​ is, good utility option.

Replace Spell

Nothing to replace of note.

Level 10

A new feature is unlocked

Feature	Description
Armour of Hexes​	A somewhat decent passive that helps with survivability. The unfortunate part is that this is not a guaranteed success.

Cantrips

As most of the core aspects are covered, here are some suggestions:

Feat	Description
Mage Hand​	A solid cantrip that can help with world exploration, throwing potions, or items.
Bone Chill​	It can be useful for the Myrkul fight if you have not done it yet.
Friends​	Good option for dialogue checks. However, be careful not to cancel it near the affected NPC, as they can start attacking you.

Spells

Plenty of spell picks, but I would say the core ones have already been picked. Here is what I could recommend:

Spells	Description
Hold Monster​	A very powerful option, but you would need a way to increase Spell Save DC or weaken foes' Saving Throws.
Mirror Image​	An excellent defensive spell that gives a huge boost to Armour Class against 3 enemy attacks.

Level 11

This level is a big spike. First, it grants you the third spell slot, greatly improving your casting capabilities. Second, you get new high-level spells that don't use spell slots.

There is one thing that I would do at this stage: start removing smites from the spell list. They will not serve much purpose in Act 3, as you will be aiming to use Belm, which will use the bonus action attack.

Mystic Arcanum

Spells	Description
Create Undead​	As this gets a free use per Long Rest, I do not see a reason not to take it.
Eyebite​	Debilitate and control creatures. This can be recast without costing a spell slot as long as you maintain concentration.

Spells

Spells	Description
Hold Person​	Late pick, but it can be useful if you plan on using Band of the Mystic Scoundrel.

Replace Spell

Remove Spell	Add Spell	Description
Branding Smite​	Armour of Agathys​ or Mirror Image​	The smite becomes worthless at this stage in the game.

Level 12

The last level, which surprisingly does bring plenty of goodwill and significant damage improvement

Spells

To be honest, pick anything that you prefer; the core of the build is covered. For example, need more mobility? Get Misty Step. Want more defensiveness? Mirror Image​ is there for you. And so on.

Eldritch Invocations

The final Invocation is something that will give a big boost to damage.

Invocations	Description
Lifedrinker​	Improves your damage by the charisma modifier when using melee attacks. At level 12, this should be 6-7 damage per hit, which is a good amount for a melee build.

Replace Spell

Remove Spell	Add Spell	Description
Staggering Smite​	Any spell	The smite becomes worthless at this stage in the game.

Feat

You have plenty of options here, depending on what you feel is needed for your Hexblade:

Feats	Description
Ability Improvement - +2 Dexterity	Improves initiative and Armor Class if you have medium armor with removed limits.
Sentinel: Vengeance​​	Great feat, which allows you to attack additional time if the enemy hits your ally. You can use an ally to provoke opportunity attacks.
Alert​	Well, a bit late to take, but it can still be relevant for multiple Act 3 fights.

That's it, the build is done!

Maximizing Ability Scores

Now, as the build progression is covered, there are a few aspects and important decisions you will have to make throughout the game. These will decide your final score for abilities.

Charisma

1. 17 Charisma - the base from character creation.
2. Act 1 - Auntie Ethel Hair - you will want to get +1 Charisma if you pick this choice.
3. Feat- Ability Improvement - +2 Charisma.
4. Act 3 - Mirror of Loss - pick +2 Charisma.
5. Act 3 - Mirror of Loss - Patriar's Memory, additional +1 Charisma, to counteract Auntie Ethel Hair if it was skipped in Act 1.

These will allow you to reach 22 natural Charisma, which results in a +6 spellcasting modifier and improved Spell Save DC.

Potions, Elixirs, and Consumables

Let's take a look at what consumables you can use to further empower the build.

Potions

These are general consumables, and most of them are activated for a few turns. Potions are separate from Elixirs and can be active together.

Consumable	Description
Potion of Speed	This is a very powerful potion. It gives an additional action point which can be used to cast a spell or attack. The activation is generally by drinking using a bonus action. However, you can stack together with party members and make one member Throw​ it on the ground, giving Hastened​ to everyone.
Potion of Animal Speaking	Although not something powerful, it is worth stocking up and saving a spell slot.
Potion of Invisibility	It can be used to get a perfect position before the encounter starts.

Elixirs

Unfortunately, only one Elixir can be active at a time. However, the good thing is that they last until a long rest, making them very useful and economical.

Be sure to activate them before combat, as otherwise, you will need to use Bonus Action.

Consumable	Description
Elixir of Bloodlust	The elixir gives an easy option to get an additional action point - just kill a foe. This can then be used to attack one more time or cast a full spell.
Elixir of Vigilance	For some encounters, you will want to go first. This elixir will ensure that it overcomes even surprise mechanics.
Elixir of Peerless Focus	Another good choice that allows for better maintenance of spell Concentration.
Elixir of The Colossus	Provides bonus damage of 1d4 and some other good bonuses.
Elixir of Heroism	Boosts attack rolls by 1d4; this is good because Shadow Blade​ has no enchantment.
Superior Elixir of Arcane Cultivation	Grant's a single level 3 spell slot. It could be useful in case you are preparing for a longer encounter.
Supreme Elixir of Arcane Cultivation	Grant's a single level 4 spell slot. Could be useful in case you are preparing for a longer en

Illithid Powers

This special mechanic in Baldur's Gate 3 allows you to consume tadpoles and unlock special Illithid Powers.

At first, you can only use the base powers. As you move to Act 3, you will be able to unlock the outer ring powers, also called Elite.

Illithid Power	Type	Description
Favourable Beginnings	Base	Beneficial power to take as it does not have any costs, and provides only benefits on the first hits with attack rolls.
Luck of the Far Realms​	Base	It's an easy way to ensure you land critical hits.
Cull the Weak​	Base	It can help to kill an enemy faster if it is left with a few HP.
Psionic Backlash​	Base	A great way to weaponize your reaction before obtaining Counterspell.
Ability Drain​	Base	Decreases enemy ability score.
Illithid Expertise​	Elite	It can be used to maximize the effectiveness of charisma-based skills, especially those relevant to the main character.
Black Hole​	Elite	Potent spell that can be used to pull enemies together. You can then follow up with area-of-effect spells or attacks. In general, it is a very effective action in the hands of any character.
Psionic Dominance​	Elite	It can be used to save yourself from a deadly spell. This is especially relevant as you will have a disadvantage on mental saving throws.
Freecast​	Elite	Remove the cost of spell slots or charges.

Equipment Recommendations

Now I would like to go through some gear recommendations to maximize the Hexblade Build. Items are especially important as they take the build to the next level thanks to their unique effects.

Act 1

Until you obtain Shadow Blade,​ feel free to use any weapon that you can get your hands on. If possible, it can be with +1 enchantment for higher attack rolls.

Slot	Item	Description
Melee (One-Handed)	Shadow Blade	Can be summoned by casting Shadow Blade​ from level 3.
	Any +1 weapon	Get any weapon with +1 enchantment or with the highest damage rolls - Rapier, Longsword, etc.
Shield	Adamantine Shield	It provides a substantial defensive boost by reducing critical hit damage.
	Absolute's Warboard	Gives bonuses to Saving Throws if you have Absolute's brand from the Priestess in the Goblin Camp
	Safeguard Shield	Gives a bonus to saving throws, easily accessible early in the game.
Ranged	Bow of Awareness	Gives bonus initiative, allowing one to go earlier in combat.
	Gandrel's Aspiration	Gives easy Advantage against monstrosities.
Head	Diadem of Arcane Synergy	This is outright the best headwear for Hexblade throughout most of the game. It gives Arcane Synergy,​ which boosts damage.
	Haste Helm	Improves movement speed, allowing one to reach important targets easily, early in the game.
Cloak	The Deathstalker Mantle	Accessible if you are Dark Urge.
Armor	Adamantine Scale Mail	The best medium armor for Act 1 will give good protection and Reeling​ effect when enemies attack you.
	Scale Mail +1	Gives a slight damage reduction against slashing damage.
	Githyanki Half Plate	The item is a solid one for early Act 1. You can remove it from Lae'zel.
Gloves	Gloves of Baneful Striking	Gives an easy way to apply Baneful Strike,​ which enables your casters (or yourself) to increase the chance of spell success.
	Gloves of Dexterity	A decent source of higher Dexterity and a bonus to attack rolls. In a sense, this is +1 to AC (as you already have 16 Dexterity) and +1 to attack rolls boost.
	Wondrous Gloves	Gives additional armour class for survivability.
	Gloves of the Growling Underdog	Pretty good gloves as they give an easy Advantage, however, Shadow Blade already provides it on Lightly Obscured​ targets, so the benefit is marginal in my opinion.
	Gloves of Missile Snaring	Defensive gloves against ranged attacks.
Boots	Disintegrating Night Walkers	One of the best boots in the game with all the bonuses and easy use of Misty Step.
	Boots of Elemental Momentum	With the use of Booming Blade,​ you can easily activate these boots and greatly improve the hexblade's mobility.
	Linebreaker Boots	These boots can be combined with Expeditious Retreat​ spell to get a damage boost from Wrath. The unfortunate part is that you are limited by spell slot use, and I would use them on smites at this stage in the game.
	The Speedy Lightfeet	Similar to Linebreaker Boots can be activated with Expeditious Retreat.
	Boots of Genial Striding	Allows movement without limits on Difficult Terrain.
Amulet	Broodmother's Revenge	If you can acquire it, this can be the best amulet option for most of the game.
	Amulet of Misty Step	Gives a free Misty Step,​ which greatly improves your mobility.
Rings	Ring of Arcane Synergy	Can be easily activated thanks to Booming Blade​ on the first attack. Wear this or Diadem of Arcane Synergy.
	Strange Conduit Ring	Excellent ring with a boost to damage via psychic damage rider. You will need a concentration spell for this.
	Caustic Band	The majority of Act 1 doesn't offer that many good ring options. So use these when you acquire them.
	Crusher's Ring
	Ring of Protection

Act 2 - mid-game

Slot	Item	Description
Melee (One-Handed)	Shadow Blade	Continues to be the best weapon
	Knife of the Undermountain King	If you are up for dual-wielding, especially early on, this can be a decent off-hand pick. Still, I prefer the shield at this time in the game.
Ranged	Bow of Awareness	The bonus initiative still plays a major role
	Darkfire Shortbow	Allows casting Haste.
Shield	Ketheric's Shield	The best shield for casters, as it gives +1 Spell Save DC, increasing spell success.
	Shield of Devotion	Gives a free spell slot that can be used by the Shield​ spell.
	Sentinel Shield	What makes this shield amazing is that by wearing it, you will be going first most of the time during encounters. This is a great way to apply some control spells or weaken enemies.
Head	Diadem of Arcane Synergy	Still serves as the best headwear in terms of damage boost. If another character is using it, an alternative is Ring of Arcane Synergy.
	Helmet of Arcane Acuity	Allows stacking Arcane Acuity​ for increased Spell Save DC. This allows casting spells with a higher success chance.
	Covert Cowl	It can give a marginal boost to damage with a decrease in critical hit rolls.
	Fistbreaker Helm	A distant option to improve Spell Save DC and initiative. I would say this is a low priority and would rather use this on a dedicated caster.
Cloak	Cloak of Protection	Improves survivability and Saving Throw success. You want to equip this cloak to maintain that good Armour Class.
Armor	Dark Justiciar Half-Plate	One of my favourite armors for the game in terms of looks. They also come with good boosts like Advantage on Constitution Saving Throws and Shar's Aegis.
	Dark Justiciar Half-Plate
	Potent Robe	Excellent option for Act 2. The additional charisma modifier bonus is great for Shadow Blade + Booming Blade​ and Eldritch Blast. You will also need Armour of Shadows​ invocation and cast Mage Armour​ to have a decent Armour Class, otherwise, enemies will gang up on you as an easy target.
	Adamantine Scale Mail	The armor is still a solid choice for Act 2 with Reeling​ effect and immunity to critical hits.
	Yuan-ti Scale Mail	Comes with full dexterity bonus to Armour Class.
Gloves	Flawed Helldusk Gloves	All of these gauntlets are great options as they give a permanent damage rider. Just choose which damage you prefer - fire or necrotic.
	Dark Justiciar Gauntlets
	Dark Justiciar Gauntlets
	Gloves of Battlemage's Power	The gloves can be useful to get Arcane Acuity​ with Shadow Blade attack.
	Braindrain Gloves	Can be excellent gloves for weakening foes, sadly, in terms of damage, they provide minimal improvements and they are obtained at the end of Act 2.
Boots	Evasive Shoes	Gives +1 Armour Class, which a significant survivability boost.
	-	Boots from Act 1 are still extremely good.
Amulet	Broodmother's Revenge	Continues to be the best amulet in terms of damage boost.
	Amulet of the Harpers	Excellent pick with Shield​ spell, without using your spell slots.
	Silver Pendant	Gives an option for easy Concentration spell (precast it before combat) to activate Strange Conduit Ring.
	Periapt of Wound Closure	Excellent amulet that can help in tight situations when you are Downed.
Rings	Strange Conduit Ring	In terms of damage, this is one of the best rings, but you have to have a Concentration spell active - Hunger of Hadar, Elemental Weapon, Expeditious Retreat, etc.
	Shadow-Cloaked Ring	A very good ring that inherits damage from your weapon and works especially well in Act 2.
	Ring of Arcane Synergy	Can be easily activated thanks to Booming Blade​ on the first attack.
	Caustic Band	Still good options from Act 1, that prove useful, especially in the first hours.
	Ring of Protection

Act 3 - Final Build setup

Here, I see multiple setups that you can do with the Hexblade build. I would like to list two that I think are the most relevant and offer good setup options:

Shadow Blade Hunter

This setup goes hard on Psychic damage and utilizes its gear fully for maximum melee combat effectiveness. This shines if you have another controller like Fire Sorcerer, Sorcadin, etc., to apply Hold Monster​/Hold Person and guarantee 100% critical hits.

Slot	Item	Description
Melee (One-Handed)	Shadow Blade	The creme-de-la-creme of the build, it gets ridiculously powerful with level 5 spell slots, add Resonance Stone, and you get double damage.
	Drakethroat Glaive	Only used to buff your main weapon with Draconic Elemental Weapon.
Melee (Off-Hand)	Belm (BiS)	The goal is to equip Belm in off-hand, which gives Perfectly Balanced Strike​ and fully replicates main-hand weapon damage. The distant second option is Rhapsody with its Scarlet Remittance​ effect. Otherwise, before these, just use a Shield.
	Rhapsody
Ranged	Hellrider Longbow	The bonus initiative is an excellent boost to go early in combat. If it is not a surprise round, it is almost guaranteed. I would only use this if you are concentrating on melee attacks and spell casting.
	The Dead Shot	The second option, which slightly improves damage by giving a bonus to critical hit chance
Shield	Viconia's Walking Fortress	The shields are relevant only until you obtain the dual-wielding gear options - Belm or Rhapsody.
	Ketheric's Shield
Head	Diadem of Arcane Synergy (BiS)	Both of these work. In theory, Diadem of Arcane Synergy can help you reach higher total damage, as you unlock ring slots by not using Ring of Arcane Synergy. However, in practice, Birthright can be useful as it raises Charisma and gives other benefits besides damage.
	Birthright
Cloak	Cloak of Displacement (BiS)	It provides an increased chance of avoiding enemy attacks with attack rolls.
Armor	Armour of Agility	With this armor, you can get a full Dexterity bonus to Armour Class, which gives a good survivability boost.
	Bhaalist Armour	In terms of AC, this can be a decrease, however, if you are the only melee character and have archers in the group, they can greatly benefit from the Aura Of Murder​ effect.
	-	Previous Acts armors
Gloves	Legacy of the Masters (BiS)	The top gloves for martial builds, which rely on hitting with weapons. They add a bonus to attack rolls and damage.
	Craterflesh Gloves	These gloves can be ridiculously overpowered if you can guarantee critical hits.
	Helldusk Gloves	Gives additional fire damage and slightly boosts Spell Save DC.
Boots	Boots of Persistence (BiS)	To be fair, any of these will work and are excellent boot choices. The Boots of Striding can shine if you cast the Concentration spell and use them together with Strange Conduit Ring. Otherwise, Boots of Persistence give everything you need.
	Disintegrating Night Walkers
	Boots of Striding
Amulet	Broodmother's Revenge (BiS)	In terms of offensive power, it is the best option.
	Fey Semblance Amulet	Can be used to negate the effect of Resonance Stone.
	Amulet of Greater Health	Increase HP and gives an advantage on Constitution saves.
	-	Options from previous acts
Rings	Strange Conduit Ring (BiS)	These rings are the best picks in terms of pure damage, as they deal psychic damage and will work well with Resonance Stone. Just remember to use the Concentration spell to activate Strange Conduit Ring - Elemental Weapon, Hunger of Hadar, etc.
	Shadow-Cloaked Ring (BiS)
	Ring of Arcane Synergy	This ring is an alternative to Diadem of Arcane Synergy and helps improve damage by applying Arcane Synergy.
	Ring of Regeneration	Can work together with Broodmother's Revenge to apply the poison effect automatically during combat.
	Killer's Sweetheart	If your group doesn't have party members that can apply Hold Monster​/Hold Person, this ring can be used to deal maximum damage using Shadow Blade.
	Ring of Protection	Gives additional protection for improved survivability

Gish setup

There is another possibility of both attacking and then casting illusion/enchantment spells with a bonus action - Hold Monster, Hypnotic Pattern, etc. Mostly, this can be done with two specific items, but this requires juggling around other gear:

Slot	Item	Description
Shield	Rhapsody	Offhand option for the good bonuses of
	Viconia's Walking Fortress	As a bonus action is taken by Band of the Mystic Scoundrel effect, shield is a perfect option.
	Ketheric's Shield
Head	Helmet of Arcane Acuity	Gives an easy way to stack Arcane Acuity, which is then used to cast a spell with Band of the Mystic Scoundrel.
Rings	Band of the Mystic Scoundrel	Allows casting with bonus action illusion and enchantment spells, this includes ultimate control spells - Hold Monster, Confusion, Hold Person, etc.
	Ring of Arcane Synergy	This ring is an alternative to Diadem of Arcane Synergy and helps improve damage by applying Arcane Synergy.

Build Mechanics

In this section, I would like to dive deep into how to play the Hexblade Build. This will help you utilize it to the fullest and correctly use various actions and spells throughout the game.

Important Mechanics and Combos

Let's go through key mechanics and tips on how to use the build effectively.

Using any melee Weapon - Bind Pact Weapon

So the key thing that you must not forget to do is cast Bind Hexed Weapon​ after each long rest. It ensures you get the correct ability modifier - charisma, on your weapon. It also gives a chance to apply Hexblade's Curse​ on a hit.

There is another question mark: What does the Bind Pact Weapon​ from Pact of the Blade​ do? Well, its purpose is revealed at level 5 when you gain Deepened Pact​ for a Deepened Pact: Extra Attack. So there is some overlap between core warlock features and hexblade, but both of these picks are necessary if you want to engage in melee combat.

Switching between melee and ranged

So Warlock is especially versatile in mid-game, and it's thanks to a few options that you have. First, you get access to Eldritch Blast,​ which is your go-to option for ranged attacks. This cantrip gets significant boosts with eldritch invocations:

• Agonising Blast​
• Repelling Blast​

These are great options, but your core attacks with Shadow Blade will be stronger. Still, you want to use Eldritch Blast​ when you see that you will not be able to reach enemies. You can also use it to apply some battlefield control with Hunger of Hadar​ and Darkness​ about which I will talk next...

Darkness with Devil's Sight

Using Darkness​ spells with a Warlock is one of the ways to guarantee success. You will, of course, need Devil's Sight​ Eldritch Invocation. Once you have it, you can stay inside and either attack with Eldritch Blast, cast spells, or wait for enemies to come and bash them with advantage, while they are blind.

Sadly, this doesn't work perfectly. Some enemies can throw weapons outside of the fog without penalties, easily breaking your concentration. So be mindful of that, and try to force enemies into the Darkness​ so that they would be at a disadvantage and Blinded.

Preparing Armour of Agathys and other Long Rest spells

So you can do some next-level precasting with Warlock, especially if you are getting ready for a big fight. For example, you can cast Armour of Agathys, Expeditious Retreat,​ or Elemental Weapon, spending your spell slots. Then use Short Rest to restore spell slots, and go into a fight with maximum preparation.

You can also take Minions of Chaos​ and cast Conjure Elemental​. This minion stays until Long Rest, so it will also help with this setup.

Maximum Psychic Damage

This build goes all in for Psychic damage, with Shadow Blade. The weapon itself is very powerful and, with level 5 spell slots, deals 4d8 - huge damage compared to other weapon options. Still, you can further improve the damage of it:

• Booming Blade​ - use it on the first attack, to get additional thunder damage rider.
• Diadem of Arcane Synergy or Ring of Arcane Synergy for Arcane Synergy​ effect and additional damage bonus.
• Shadow-Cloaked Ring - inherits weapon damage, which becomes 1d4 psychic.
• Strange Conduit Ring - you deal 1d4 additional psychic damage, which can be activated by concentration spell - Elemental Weapon, Hunger of Hadar, Expeditious Retreat, etc.
• And to top it all off, you can double all of this damage with Resonance Stone.

So with this setup, you can expect to see 60+ damage per hit, outright melting enemies

Booming Blade go-to attack option

Booming Blade​ is one of the best cantrips for builds that use melee attacks. You should use it every turn, and on the first melee attack, as in many cases, it can activate Arcane Synergy​ from items.

Another good thing is that if the enemy moves, they will receive additional Thunder damage. They will not always move, but if it happens, that's a great source of additional damage that scales with your level.

Psychic Damage problems

Some enemies, specifically in Act 3, have psychic immunity (looking at you Steel Watcher). This is kind of a problem, but there are ways to deal with that.

First, there are story decisions that allow you not to fight them, but this kind of limits you.

Another option is to carry some alternative weapons, specifically with piercing damage like  Shar's Spear of Evening, Nyrulna, Duellist's Prerogative, and equip Bhaalist Armour when needed. This is not perfect, but well, that's the only decent choice that you have.

Spectres and their usefulness

At level 6, you will unlock Accursed Spectre,​ which allows raising spectres from dead enemies. This is a cool ability, but I think it is somewhat limited. Overall, here are its main features:

• Restores half of the damage dealt as HP to the caster.
• Has a special reaction, Right Behind You,​ which deals bonus damage to Hexblade's target.
• They cannot move, although they have pretty good range.
• In most situations, when they are summoned, the combat will have turned in your favour, and they will have minimal contribution to the combat outcome.
• Summoning them requires that the enemy is under the effect of Hexblade's Curse​ and they are not undead (most of the enemies in Act 2 are undead). This greatly limits their potential.

So all in all, I view them more as a gimmick rather than a huge boost to Hexblade's kit. Still, there were situations where fights were prolonged, and Spectre's help was immense.

Act 2 - Githzerai Mind Barrier

To have good resistance and counteract Steeped In Bliss​ from  Resonance Stone, you can get a special buff late in Act 2 (illithid colony). You will need to find the Mind Puzzle, solve it, and unlock the door.

Once the doors are unlocked, go inside and pick up the Waking Mind:

Now, go back to the interface and place the mind. After that, you will be able to get the Githzerai Mind Barrier​ effect.

This is a great buff that will improve your saving throws, giving advantage on intelligence. This will be extremely valuable in the upcoming fight. Sadly, it will disappear if you die, so try to avoid that.

Radiant Orbs and light effects

One thing that might have a negative impact on the build is Radiating Orb​ effect. Some of the items - Shadow Blade, Shadow-Cloaked Ring do not work on enemies that are illuminated. This negates part of your combat potential.

So if you have a cleric that heavily applies Radiating Orb, I would probably not use Shadow-Cloaked Ring and get some bonus coatings for Shadow Blade. Of course, there are other ways of getting an advantage, to increase your hit chance.

Better Resource Management with Bard

One of the unique aspects of Warlocks is that their Spell slots get reset each short rest. On the one hand, this can be a disadvantage as you are pretty limited. However, looking at this from a different perspective at level 5, you can have something like Hunger of Hadar​ cast 6 times per long rest. No other caster can do this, this early in the game.

But for even better improvements, I do recommend using Bard Build with Song of Rest​ to give another short rest to the party, to extend the offensive capabilities of this build.

Early Game Combat

Let's cover how you should progress through combat levels 1-6.

• Always Bind Hexed Weapon​ after a long rest.
• Hexblade's Curse​ is an excellent option for bonus action usage early in the game. It also slightly boosts your damage against this enemy.
• When melee attacking, always first hit with Booming Blade. This can be a source of extra damage and activate items like the Diadem of Arcane Synergy.
• Use Eldritch Blast​ when you cannot reach your foe.
• Expeditious Retreat​ + Linebreaker Boots can be another source of damage boost with a bonus action early in the game.
• Cloud of Daggers​ is excellent early game, multi-target foe. There are encounters like Gnolls, Goblins, where enemies are stuck together or need to pass through a passway and get damaged.
• Use Shield​ in some moments where you are about to die, otherwise, it is quite expensive to use.
• At level 3, your go-to spell is Shadow Blade. Don't forget to use Bind Hexed Weapon​ for extra bonuses and charisma scaling.
• Hunger of Hadar​ is perfect for breaking large groups of enemies. While in the fog, use Eldritch Blast​ to push enemies back in with Repelling Blast.
• Use Darkness​ + Devil's Sight​ for some difficult combat encounters like Githyanki's or Orc Camp.
• If you pick Friends,​ avoid cancelling it close to the target NPC, as they may attack you.

Mid to Late Game Combat

The mid and late-game setup unlocks more potential and options for Hexblade. Overall, the combat becomes simpler imo, as your core weapon, Shadow Blade, gets a big scaling boost to damage:

• When you can raise some spectres with the Accursed Spectre​ feature to give a slight boost in combat.
• In Act 2, the smite effects like Branding Smite, Staggering Smite​are fun and decent sources of alternative damage. Later on, they lose their value.
• If using Strange Conduit Ring apply Concentration spells like Expeditious Retreat​ or Elemental Weapon​.
• Once you get Belm, your bonus action becomes extremely powerful, and using it on effects like Hexblade's Curse​ becomes redundant.
• With Resonance Stone + Shadow Blade, you will be shredding foes left and right.
• So you can start combat by casting spell (for example Hunger of Hadar​) or attacking with main hand using Booming Blade​. After that you have an option to hit with Perfectly Balanced Strike​ using bonus action, which will deal a lot of damage as it replicates main hand attack.

Build Variations

Here are some variations that work similarly and utilize the same classes at their core.

Setup	Description
10 Lv Warlock 2 Lv Fighter	People love Fighter Lv 2. It's hard to argue with Action Surge. I would not go with this option, as this removes the third spell slot, and it is a huge improvement for fights that take two or more turns.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading the Hexblade Build for Baldur's Gate 3. This is an extremely enjoyable build that offers interesting features from the first levels. It gets better and better as you play, and the core of it revolves around Shadow Blade.

Cheers!