Can I use hex spells if my familiar is dead?

[Bowluc]

I’m two games in with my witch and one thing I know for sure is that I need my familiar to refocus. If my familiar is dead, no more focus points for my hex spells other than what I have left until the next day. If I archetype into a way to refocus without my familiar, I thought, problem solved! However, after reading about hexes again, I’m getting the vibe hex spells, including hex cantrips, actually require the familiar’s presence to be used. So I’m thinking my familiar needs to be alive for me to hex. Is that true?

[Tridus]

RAW doesn't explicitly say. We know it doesn't impact your prepared spells:

Quote:

Your familiar's death doesn't affect any spells you have already prepared.

Nothing explicitly says hex spells don't work without your familiar. It is implied in a couple of places, IMO most strongly here:

Quote:

"A hex is a spell shaped by your patron and sent to you through your familiar, rather than an ability you use directly."

You can definitely read that as "this can't happen if your familiar isn't there" since the hex has to go through your familiar rather than being a direct ability you cast (which is why you keep your prepared spells).

IMO that means hexes are shut down entirely if your familiar dies. I would expect some GMs to disagree and allow it.

[Finoan]

Tridus wrote:

RAW doesn't explicitly say.

Quote:

"A hex is a spell shaped by your patron and sent to you through your familiar, rather than an ability you use directly."

You can definitely read that as "this can't happen if your familiar isn't there" since the hex has to go through your familiar rather than being a direct ability you cast.

I'll agree that it is ambiguous. I'll also take the opposing argument. I'm good at that.

The game mechanics are still that the PC is casting the Hex, not the familiar. The PC spends the actions on Cast a Spell. The PC sources the focus points for casting it with. The range and valid targets are measured from the PC.

The familiar can be in a different plane of existence (see Pet Cache) and the PC can still cast their Hex spells.

Nothing in the rules actually says that your Witch PC cannot cast their Hex focus spells while their familiar is dead.

They aren't allowed to Refocus without their familiar. At least, not without a different ability that allows them to Refocus in a different way (generally via an archetype that also gives focus spells).

[Bowluc]

Finoan wrote:

Tridus wrote:

RAW doesn't explicitly say.

Quote:

"A hex is a spell shaped by your patron and sent to you through your familiar, rather than an ability you use directly."

You can definitely read that as "this can't happen if your familiar isn't there" since the hex has to go through your familiar rather than being a direct ability you cast.

I'll agree that it is ambiguous. I'll also take the opposing argument. I'm good at that.

Yup, thats the line I apparently missed reading it the first time. I was hoping the hex trait would have been a more direct source of a clear ruling.

The best I got from the hex trait on hexes is that it uses "your patron's direct attention and intervention." I don't know if that is enough to assert anything. Definitely less so compared to that other line.

Is it more normal that you losing access to features and abilities like that is or isn't explicitly stated?

Either way, I will let my GM know about this since there is no clear RAW. Thank you both!

[Tridus]

Bowluc wrote:

Is it more normal that you losing access to features and abilities like that is or isn't explicitly stated?

It depends because classes work differently. Usually it's more obvious than this if it should shut down your class abilities or not. Like an Alchemist needs an alchemist toolkit for Quick Alchemy and if they lose that, they can't do Quick Alchemy until they get it back.

Likewise a Cleric who angers their deity enough has most of their class shut off, and while it's clear what happens in that case, if/when it happens is entirely up to the GM.

In this case it's not stated in an obvious way, and so here we are. :)

[Bowluc]

Oh duh! Clerics classically of course. Although I didn't realize it was ultimately on the GM on what you lose. I learned something new.

I need to get my pre-remaster books in order to see if this hex thing was just as ambiguous then. For such a big implied penalty to the witch, I can't believe I've never heard about it all this time. I'm so glad I didn't pick a frontline familiar ability!

[The Raven Black]

The RAW does not explicitly says that the Witch loses the ability to cast hexes if your Familiar dies, so I think they do not lose it. After all, they were quite explicit on the one hex per turn thing as well as what happens to the prepared spells if the familiar dies.

The Witch does lose the ability to refocus though. Which I think is already a big blow to them.

No need to hurt them even further.