D&D 5E Hex Shenanigans

[ManBagel]

So I saw this thread just now on how to mess with hex so you don’t use a spell slot for it. What they did was carry a chicken around with them. After a battle they would move hex on to the chicken to save a spell slot. How practical is this? I can see maybe a familiar, but that would be expensive. Wait what animal reproduce through regeneration? I can see maybe carrying a starfish around or anything that can regenerate and can live for a while. Any animal ideas?

 

[ManBagel]

Found one ThePlanarians worm.

 

[abirdcall]

If you want to do this just houserule Hex instead.

Jumping through hoops to abuse the game isn't needed or fun.

 

[Helldritch]

I simply ruled that as long as you concentrate on it you only have to use a bonus action to put it on a new target. The spell only needs a target for the initial victim. After that, the spell is in a ready state. Of course if you lose concentration...

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Yes, in my experience, most games seem to rule that Hex (and Hunters Mark) remain active for the spell duration. they do not have to be "on a live target" all the time.

 

[Shiroiken]

The real issues with this shenanigan are twofold:

1) you have to be able to practically carry a significant number of living creatures around. A lot of DMs don't pay attention to carry capacity, let along the logistics behind it (just ask someone how much you can fit in a backpack or pouch). If the DM wants to shut this down, this is the easiest way.

2) the other players may take issue with the warlock performing a ritual (taking a short rest to get the spell slot back) to kill an innocent animal in a rite to enhance his killing power. Most characters I've played would seriously object to such activity.

 

[Delazar]

I simply ruled that as long as you concentrate on it you only have to use a bonus action to put it on a new target. The spell only needs a target for the initial victim. After that, the spell is in a ready state. Of course if you lose concentration...

I think this is the way it was always intended to work

Hex concentration

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[Fenris-77]

Hexing a chicken is silly. I dont play D&D for silly. Therefore....

 

[MarkB]

I simply ruled that as long as you concentrate on it you only have to use a bonus action to put it on a new target. The spell only needs a target for the initial victim. After that, the spell is in a ready state. Of course if you lose concentration...

Yep - the current version of the spell states that once the current target dies you can use a bonus action "on a subsequent turn of yours" to move it to a new target. Not "your next turn", so you can do it on any subsequent turn within the spell's duration, so long as you maintain concentration.

Hexing a chicken is silly. I dont play D&D for silly. Therefore....

I do, and I'm having great fun picturing the scene if that chicken manages to escape while still alive, watching the party chasing it down so that the warlock can get his Hex back.

 

[Fenris-77]

OK, lets all be honest, a little bit of silly is fine. If there were a narrative reason to hex a chicken that would be wonderful. Hexing a chicken to save a spell slot isn't that kind of silly though. IMO anyway.