[Kameron8]

I believe that Spirit Pain should require a minimum of two enemies to trigger its effect, and that it should not function against Boss enemies.  

Using the invocation in a 1v1 scenario against someone who relies on basic attacks, or basic attacking mobs, provides a skewed reward for a D-rank invocation.  In many cases, it fully prevents any meaningful damage from being dealt for up to 7 rounds.  In a class that already has several strong tools against basic attackers, it stands out as something a little cheesy and uninteractable if it can't be silenced before it goes off. Items and gear can't mitigate the effect in any meaningful way, since it's a field effect that applies a status every turn instead of just being a one-time status.  

There is an argument to be made that nobody will use Spirit Pain once enemy count reaches 4 or more, and removing the effect against 1 target is a large percent of those use cases, but Hexer already has plenty of invocations that excel in high density scenarios.

[Autumn]

At minimum it should be adjusted to be not so all encompassing around 1v1s, but I believe the skill should likely just be reworked to be more friendly to use in any environment, 1v1 or teamfight or otherwise.

[zericosmic]

The only reason I don't use this in 1v1's is because it feels like cheating.

[firehawk11]

It feels like Spirit Pain was built to counter basic attackers. Which everything should have a counter of some sort, rather it is magic, evade, basic attacks. Everything should be punishable in some way by a counter if not then maybe we should h get the combat system to be reworked so there is no counters to any build from any build.

[Rendar]

Hexer already has a counter to basic attackers. It's called Fellel's Fumble. And it lets you negate 2-3 basic attacks coming your way.

Spirit Pain is a 100% counter rate that blocks damage + applies self damage + heals the hexer in a one-on-one situation, with the only Duelist promo that has any reasonable counterplay to it being Ghost, who can make the 100% application of it become a 50/50 between the Ghost and their WG getting it.

In general, Hexer has a WHOLE lot of 'counterplay' to basically every combat style in existence. Counters healing (Interference), counters tanks/dodgies (wretched oil), counters tanks (Burn enjoy 20 less defense BKs), Counters basic attackers (Spirit Pain/Fellel's Fumble), counters offensive plays/DH/SB (EBV), counters basic movement (EBF)...

Hexer can stand to get their kneecaps hit just a smidge to be less bullshit to deal with.

[Trexmaster]

Spirit Pain could be adjusted to simply do the damage + heal instead of negating the attack, and potentially not have the 'only really affects one enemy' clause in exchange. So it's less overbearing in a 1v1 and less useless in fights beyond that.

Otherwise, yes, it really shouldn't be the auto-win that it presently is in 1v1s against basic-attack reliant builds/mobs.