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The Hex spell allows afflicting a target with a Disadvantage on Ability checks. I'm having a hard time deciding which Ability to target when hexing a target. What factors are there that should influence my choice in favour of a given Ability during a typical combat?

I understand that no choice is perfect, but I would still like to understand whether (or when) a given choice is usually good (e.g. due to some check being commonly and usefully exploitable by almost any party), situationally good (e.g. in combination with a given class/subclass/build, and/or when facing certain types of enemies), or usually bad (due to lacking meaningful ways to capitalise on it).

vicky_molokh- unsilence Monica
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2 Answers2

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I will list what I perceive to be the most common ability checks in combat, though keep in mind that they are still rather situational.

Grapple checks (Str/Dex)

Initiating a grapple is Str(Athletics) and defending against one is either that or Dex(Acrobatics). Sadly, the use of hex here is fairly limited.

Most monsters that have abilities linked to grappling (eg. vampires) will be able to do so with attacks and no checks. Breaking the grapple is also against a DC printed in the statblock, but a DM could consider it affected as a passive score would be (YMMV). If the party wants to initiate the grapple, you could hex the better of the enemy's Str or Dex, but they can use the other one.

I will also list telekinesis here, which is always opposed by a Str check. If you plan to use that spell, hex will be a big help.

Perception checks (Wis)

This is most useful if someone in your party will try to Hide from the opponent, usually a rogue. Hiding is done against the passive Perception score as a DC, and having disadvantage will impose a -5 penalty on that.

Spellcasting ability checks (Int/Wis/Cha)

This is more common on higher levels, and is mostly used for counterspell. Other notable spells are dispel magic and telekinesis. If your party is casting lv4+ spells, the enemy will have to make an ability check to counterspell or dispel them (or use a higher slot themselves).

Szega
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    May be helpful to mention INT would be great if there's an illusionist amongst the casters and that can begun as low as level 1 with minor illusion support. – NotArch Feb 09 '21 at 15:32
  • Str/Dex is also important for Disarming (optional DMG p.271). Which can be quite strong because you can pick it up and the enemy needs a weapon attack to counter disarm you. – findusl Feb 09 '21 at 15:40
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    If you manage to do it before combat, disadvantage on dex checks would be disadvantage on initiative. – findusl Feb 09 '21 at 15:41
  • @NautArch I have never seen ilusions that can be disbelieved used in combat. You might set up an ambush with it, but hex is VSM, so casting it might give you away. – Szega Feb 09 '21 at 16:17
  • This is how my players tend to use it, when they plan things out. They try first to bolster party tactics (make enemies easier to shove or knock prone, for example), nerf enemies (hex STR for grapplers, DEX for stealthy monsters, etc.). But overall the Warlocks seem to go for the extra damage above all, so they rarely feel they've made a mistake hexing the "wrong" Ability. – Upper_Case Feb 09 '21 at 16:17
  • @findusl It is an optional rule I have not seen in use. Also, keep in mind that an unarmed attack is a weapon attack. – Szega Feb 09 '21 at 16:18
  • @Szega minor illusion uses a intelligence check to see if it's real, no? We've definitely used them as 'cover' or distractions. Or Phantasmal Force, and others. – NotArch Feb 09 '21 at 16:18
  • @NautArch I would rather shoot you through half cover, than spend an action to examine your cover. Also, whether illusory cover actually grants mechanical cover is questionable. What did you use to distract someone from people shooting at them? – Szega Feb 09 '21 at 16:21
  • @Szega Illusions are always up to the table/DM, but minor illusion was just a simple immediate level 1 example (specific use and allowance will therefore vary). Phantasmal Force always requires an intelligence check, as does major image. – NotArch Feb 09 '21 at 16:24
  • @NautArch If anyone bothers with checking it. The roll is not forced and is not free. My experience has been that these are not useful in combat, regardless of level. Also, you can simply physically interact with it (eg. attack it) and that will let you disbelieve it too. (exept phantasmal force, but that is a different issue altogether) – Szega Feb 09 '21 at 17:44
  • @Szega Okay, as this answer is based on your experiences, that's fine. Just thought I'd recommend calling those out. Your call. – NotArch Feb 09 '21 at 17:44
  • This answer is a list of checks but doesn't really answer the 'how to choose' part of the question. How do you decide without meta gaming that debuffing a STR check will be useful? – SeriousBri Feb 09 '21 at 18:49
  • @SeriousBri Knowing what type of check an action requires is not metagaming, it is simply a product of living in the world. Knowing what type of checks your party will force on your opponents is also not metagaming, it is communication. Though I will give you that I did take understanding these as granted in my answer. – Szega Feb 10 '21 at 12:10
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Same way you decide everything

You look at the abilities of your party, and look at the abilities of the enemy, then work out your best option.

This may sound flippant, but even if one option was great in a lot of circumstances, there are enough different enemies in D&D, and disadvantage on checks is so situational, that it is quite possible you could never use it meaningfully if you just played the percentages.

To help you make your decisions there are a few things you can be aware of:

What ability checks does your party force upon the enemy?

There are way too many combinations that could reasonably be listed here, but if you list the members of your party we might be able to provide a more meaningful answer. The best advice I can give is to speak to your party members (in or out of character) and learn what they do. This works for far more things than just hex, and is always an intelligent thing.

What ability checks is your party vulnerable to?

Giving disadvantage on str checks which are likely to be performed against your raging STR 20 barbarian is an option, but not necessarily a useful one. If your 'tank' doesn't have any proficiency in athletics or acrobatics, then that changes. Again to find this out you need to speak to your party and understand what their characters are good or bad at.

What ability checks do you expect the enemy to try and force upon your party?

This is difficult without metagaming and knowing the enemies, but your DM will hopefully be able to help with the way they describe the enemies. Writhing appendages with no stingers or weapons can indicate an incoming grapple, spears on chains similarly. Skulking characters in the shadows that you only just notice because of your passive perception can indicate a rogue likely to try and sneak up on you, equally your party rogue might want help hiding by debuffing the wisdom check of something that sounds clerical or druidic.

If your DM doesn't give you good descriptions of the enemies you are facing then this becomes harder, so speak to your DM.

What ability checks should I be concerned about?

This is a last but not least mention, certain checks are more likely than others, and some have hardly any combat implications. It is very rare for an enemy to use a history check to do your party any harm!

Options:

  1. STR: Initiating grapple checks; athletics to escape grapples and some spell effects
  2. DEX: Stealth checks; acrobatics to escape grapples
  3. CON: Exhaustion?
  4. INT: Potential interactions with your illusions; checks for counterspell and dispel magic
  5. WIS: Perception, breaking free from certain fear effects (wrathful smite, but that imposes disadvantage by itself so this likely isn't needed from you); checks for counterspell and dispel magic
  6. CHA: Talking, but useful for when you intend to capture and interrogate rather than kill, but technically that is an out of combat use; checks for counterspell and dispel magic

Summary

You are far more likely to get mileage out of helping an ally impose some kind of effect rather than using it to avoid some kind of effect unless you happen to have very specific knowledge about what you are fighting. Speak to your party and ask them what would be useful!

SeriousBri
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