So this one was a bit of a surprise for me this week. I honestly kinda forgot I backed it over two and half years ago. But it came in yesterday and I thought I would share it.
Hexbound: A Witchy Supplement for 5e
There are a lot of reasons why I have never put together a witch class of my own for 5e. One of the biggest is I have wanted to see what others have done with their own ideas. You know, try and recapture that thrill of discovery that I had back in the 1980s and 90s when I'd find a new witch class.
Hexbound is the first big 5e "Witch" class Kickstarter I have backed. So how did they deliver?
I got the PDFs and STLs a while back and they looked great, but I have been waiting on the book.
Here is what I was sent.
The level I pledged at was for the Collector's Edition cover of the Hexbound Hardcover, a set of Hexbound Reference Cards, two pins, four minis and digital files of the book and minis.
The book is really nice. I love the art and in particular the Art Nouveau style cover. Really fits the vibe I want for my witches in 5e.
The add-ons are nice. I am a sucker for a deck of tarot-like cards for a game. I want to make a witch character for 5e JUST so I can use these cards.
And the minis are also nice. I am not sure I recall what that big one is, but it is in the book.
Hexbound: The Good
REMINDER: I am always sensitive when I am reviewing someone else's witch material. I am not aware of any RPG author who has written as much about witches as I have, so I need to be careful on how critical I could be.
Like I said, the book is really attractive. The art is really nice I think I need some dice to go with it to fit the aesthetic (that should have been an option really.) The author of the book, Antonio Demico, is also the illustrator.
What attracted me most to this book was there was not just one "Witch Class" but rather witch subclasses for each class. And there are some really fun ones here. All are considered "Witches" and they just have different ways of expressing their magics. This is the same idea I have witches but going in the opposite direction. I have one witch class with a lot of options, aka Traditions which can be viewed as "subclasses." I rather like it to be honest and it would be a fun way to build a coven of witches in 5e. Everyone takes a class and then the witch sub classes. Each one has a lot of unique options to help keep the witches very flexible.
The classes and their witch subclasses are:
- The Intoner for Bards. I kinda love this one.
- The Medium for Clerics. This one is so obvious that I am kicking myself for not doing it myself.
- Circle of the Brew for Druids. Not how I would have gone, but it is certainly clever.
- The Witchblade for Fighters. File under "Why the hell didn't I think of that." Well, I guess I do have my Witch Knights.
- Way of the Specter for Monks. Interesting, I'd have to play it to really understand it.
- Path of the Coven for Paladins. Cool, different enough from my Green Knight to be fun.
- Coven Conclave for Rangers. Similar to my Huntsman but more powers.
- Duskwalker for Rogues. This one is interesting. I rarely mix rogues/thieves with witches. So I will have to try this one.
- Coven of Spirits for Sorcerer. This one calls on the magic of family spirits. Pretty much exactly my Family Witch.
- Witch Patron for Warlocks. This one is also pretty obvious, and likely one of the more popular ones that will get played.
- School of Witchcraft for Wizards. Now this one is both obvious and yet still a lot of fun. It also has conceptual roots going all the way back to the earliest editions of D&D.
- Path of the Witch for Barbarian. This one was added later on. In some ways it reminds me of my Cowan for the Pagan Witch, OR (better yet) this is how you can play Cú Chulainn (with Scáthach as his witch) OR even like the warriors on their dajemma with the Witches of Rashemen.
So yeah, if you have a witch concept then there is likely a subclass here that will fit your needs.
There are some new backgrounds for your new witch. All look great really.
We also get some new familiars here too including a personal favorite, the Jackalope.
There are some new spells, but only 10. That seems to be a bit, well, underwhelming to be honest.
Part II of the book is for GMs.
This includes magic items (again, there should have been more), some wands (some really fun ones too), and some magical hats.
Part III is called "for the table." This discusses how to run and play a game filled with witches. There are adventure hooks, NPCs (lots of those), monsters, and some adventures to run.
Hexbound: The Not So Good
While the book is great to look at, it is not without some issues.
I am not going to quibble about how long it took us to get this and how it may (or may not) sitll be compatible with D&D 5.5. That stuff happens and this is likely a one man show. They get a pass from me on that.
Some issues are like the cards above. Great idea, but I'd have to try them out to see how well they work in a game. And as you can see two of the cards went to press with their placeholder art and not the art for their NPCs.
The minis are nice, but they are really too small. As you can see above compared to HeroForge minis; one I printed myself and one I bought color printed.
I have the 3D printer, I can print new ones if I want to get them to 25/28 mm Not everyone has that option. OR I just redo the characters as halflings, dwarfs, gnomes and/or goblins.
There should have really been more spells. I know all to well that page count is all important when it comes to this Kickstarters fulfilments. But spells are important to the witch, and there should have been a lot more.
Ok, so I do not know much about the creator Antonio Demico, but I think I have been writing about witches for longer than he has been alive. So I can't hold his work up to the same critical lens I would hold my own up too, but really. Ten spells is not even close to enough. Reduce the font size by a point and get at least 13 in there. Respect the source material.
One last thing. Antonio Demico is a great artist and he certainly knows someone that is great at layout, there really should have been a redesigned witchy character sheet. I mean that cover BEGS to have a character sheet to match. I mean really, I do love that cover.
Overall I am happy with the book and the cards. The minis are too small really and the pins, while nice, are largely forgettable. I mean I put them on my gamer bag and will I even remember what they were from next Gen Con?
At the end of the day, I am still happy to have another witch class and book for my collection. Since at last count I had, well, all of them.
