Quote Originally Posted by diplomancer View Post
The "squirrel loophole" gives you 3 advantages:

1- you can get the slot back on a Short Rest... which many people say, and I agree with them, that this is possibly what could keep Hex relevant over higher level, if it does.
2- you can apply Hex later and still cast a leveled spell in the same turn
3- you can subtly apply Hex to your foes afterwards.

Of these 3 advantages, I'd say the first will usually be the most relevant, the second will be relevant frequently but not make much difference either way, and the third will usually not make any difference- but when it DOES make any difference, it can be pivotal. And requiring components would only deal with advantage 3, not advantages 1 or 2, so the "squirrel loophole" would carry on nevertheless.
Sorry if I wasn't clear; I have zero problem with the first two. Being able to short-rest the Hex slot back is clearly intended by the designers - there's no way they'd have expected most groups to go 8 hours without a short rest, let alone 24. And being able to direct/activate an ongoing leveled spell and still cast another leveled spell is also intended, e.g. Flaming Sphere or Bigby's Hand or Crown of Stars.

What I have a problem with is #3, i.e. the reassignment being completely impossible to detect or counterplay in any way. That's the one I'm not convinced has designer intent behind it, especially when it encourages such unintuitive behavior to reliably trigger.