Does anyone see a problem with how well these two (Hexblade patron, and Pact of the Blade) work together? I mean, if you're thinking of picking the Hexblade patron, then it really doesn't make much sense, mechanically, to pick a Pact other than Blade... and if you're picking Pact of the Blade, you're really losing a significant advantage (again, mechanically) by not picking Hexblade as your patron. Additionally, they're thematically very compatible, so it's not like you're stretching the RP aspect to gain a mechanical advantage (or to avoid a mechanical disadvantage). Which is all great if you like the combination... but I feel it's a bit limiting, or railroady, in that if you're considering a melee-based Warlock, you're either picking a Hexblade Pact of the Blade Warlock, or something inferior to that.
Before the Hexblade was out, there were some patrons which probably worked a bit better for Pact of the Blade (Fiend, for example), but it wasn't a huge difference. Now, missing out on Hex Warrior, Armor of Hexes, and the various spells in the expanded spell list which buff your weapon is a big blow to your melee effectiveness. On the flipside, if you're picking Hexblade, sure, you can use Hexblade's Curse with spells and ranged weapons, and Accursed Specter doesn't care how the target died... but both of those work equally well with melee or non-melee, whereas Hex Warrior is really about melee (well, and Hand Crossbows), and Armor of Hexes, while useful against ranged attacks, is probably more useful in melee (since it's harder to avoid attacks at melee range using cover and such). So if you don't go Pact of the Blade, it's not that you won't be able to use your patron's abilities... it's just that they won't match very well with your chosen focus.
I'm not complaining about Hexblade being too powerful as a patron, nor about Hexblade being too powerful when combined with Pact of the Blade... it's not a "omg it's OP" thing. It's about how all other patrons are pretty much pact-agnostic, while Hexblade is almost tied to Pact of the Blade.
I mean, if you're thinking of picking the Hexblade patron, then it really doesn't make much sense, mechanically, to pick a Pact other than Blade...
I disagree. Hexblade's Curse works just as well with Eldritch Blast and that setup only requires 1 invocation (Agonizing Blast) to be competitive, while Pact of the Blade needs Thirsting Blade and Lifedrinker at higher levels. You also do the same damage per beam as a longbow while still having a hand free for a shield.
While Armor of Hexes will see the most use in melee range, you're still putting yourself at greater risk of losing concentration on Hex or any other spell you happen to be concentrating on - like, say, the Elemental Weapon buff you gave the Fighter. The same goes for Blink and Blur. You don't have enough slots to use Shield freely and using a 5th level slot on that is a waste.
Smite spells only make up 4/10 of the expanded spell list, and you can still use them with normal, non-pact weapons (Hex Warrior helps here.) You can even use a sling with if you want to make a ranged attack with Branding or Banishing Smite.
Thematically, I don't think it's weird for someone to ask the Raven Queen (or whomever you believe the Hexblade to be) for more magic instead of a pact weapon.
Hexblade may be the best option for Pact of the Blade, but Pact of the Blade isn't necessarily the best option for all Hexblades.
I wouldn't write off the Blade Pact for Patrons other than the Hexblade at all. Some of the new Warlock Invocations in Xanathar's have given BladeLocks of other Patrons excellent options they didn't have before.
For example, I'm currently playing a Dex-based FeyLock with the Blade Pact, and I've got the Improved Pact Weapon Invocation so I can have a +1 Longbow pact weapon. (Currently I'm at 3rd level.) When I reach 4th, I'll take the Sharpshooter feat. At 5th level, I'll get the Plant Growth spell, which is FeyLocks only. Now I can shut down movement (1/4 speed, no save) in an area 200' across and pick off enemies with no penalties for cover and no disadvantage for long range. The +10 damage is just gravy. At 11th level and beyond, the longbow won't get as many attacks as eldritch blast, but with the sharpshooter feat it has a lot more range, and plant growth can pin down (non-flying) enemies up to 250 feet away. (150 ft range with a 100 ft radius)
Keep in mind that's just one example of what another Patron can do with Pact of the Blade. It's a solid choice (although not always the best choice) for any patron, not just the Hexblade.
I'd argue that, like every other pact, Hexblade is much better off being a Tomelock than a Bladelock. Curse, Armor of Hexes, Spectre and Master of Hexes all work perfectly fine regardless of how you're fighting and while Hex Warrior may give a bigger boon to melee than anything else, it's not like being able to equip medium armor, shields and getting your casting stat to your free martial weapons is by any means bad or useless.
Hexblade is great for Pact of the Blade, but all it really does is serve to help patch up the huge deficit the pact feature starts in.
Ok, so I'm more or less convinced that Hexblade as a Patron works well enough for Pacts other than Blade (yay, diversity!). But the only argument I've seen regarding how Hexblade compares to other Patrons for a Pact of the Blade Warlock is this one:
I wouldn't write off the Blade Pact for Patrons other than the Hexblade at all. Some of the new Warlock Invocations in Xanathar's have given BladeLocks of other Patrons excellent options they didn't have before.
For example, I'm currently playing a Dex-based FeyLock with the Blade Pact, and I've got the Improved Pact Weapon Invocation so I can have a +1 Longbow pact weapon. (Currently I'm at 3rd level.) When I reach 4th, I'll take the Sharpshooter feat. At 5th level, I'll get the Plant Growth spell, which is FeyLocks only. Now I can shut down movement (1/4 speed, no save) in an area 200' across and pick off enemies with no penalties for cover and no disadvantage for long range. The +10 damage is just gravy. At 11th level and beyond, the longbow won't get as many attacks as eldritch blast, but with the sharpshooter feat it has a lot more range, and plant growth can pin down (non-flying) enemies up to 250 feet away. (150 ft range with a 100 ft radius)
Keep in mind that's just one example of what another Patron can do with Pact of the Blade. It's a solid choice (although not always the best choice) for any patron, not just the Hexblade.
Now, I'm sure Plant Growth is a great addition to the Pact of the Blade Warlock, not contesting that... but is it worth giving up Elemental Weapon (and that's just comparing level 3 spells)? Especially considering that with Hexblade's Curse you don't need to use your concentration on Hex (they're not the same thing, but there's some overlap).
Again, not claiming any Patron other than Hexblade is crap, or useless, for Pact of the Blade... but giving up medium armor, shields, Hexblade's Curse (concentration-free curse), using Charisma bonus to hit and damage with weapons... is it worth it, mechanically? I'm completely certain Archfey, Old One, Fiend, etc... Pact of the Blade Warlocks work, and work fine. I'm just irked that Hexblade works so much better for it, it feels like a self-nerf to pick something else. (I was also irked at how Pact of the Tome/Chain Warlocks worked with Hexblade, but how much better Pact of the Blade was for it, but I've been convinced otherwise, thanks!)
I think Hexblade is great for any patron and not using Blade doesn't diminish the power.
I agree with I-Coder. Starting with Medium Armor and Shields is a huge and 14 Dex is cheap to maximize and it is easy no matter the race combo.
Not having a Pact of the Blade could be better, because of simplicity. 14 Dex, Medium Armor, Shield and an open hand for spells and Eldritch Blast. If an enemy gets close to shut that down, pull out a weapon and show them your not a soft target in melee.
If you can drop the shield, have your casting staff be your Hex Weapon for the same effect, but you don't have to worry about not having a hand free.
You don't need to cast Shillelagh and be Pact of the Tome, you hit and damage with CHA. None of the abilities actually require melee your weapons.
Ok, so I'm more or less convinced that Hexblade as a Patron works well enough for Pacts other than Blade (yay, diversity!). But the only argument I've seen regarding how Hexblade compares to other Patrons for a Pact of the Blade Warlock is this one:
I wouldn't write off the Blade Pact for Patrons other than the Hexblade at all. Some of the new Warlock Invocations in Xanathar's have given BladeLocks of other Patrons excellent options they didn't have before.
For example, I'm currently playing a Dex-based FeyLock with the Blade Pact, and I've got the Improved Pact Weapon Invocation so I can have a +1 Longbow pact weapon. (Currently I'm at 3rd level.) When I reach 4th, I'll take the Sharpshooter feat. At 5th level, I'll get the Plant Growth spell, which is FeyLocks only. Now I can shut down movement (1/4 speed, no save) in an area 200' across and pick off enemies with no penalties for cover and no disadvantage for long range. The +10 damage is just gravy. At 11th level and beyond, the longbow won't get as many attacks as eldritch blast, but with the sharpshooter feat it has a lot more range, and plant growth can pin down (non-flying) enemies up to 250 feet away. (150 ft range with a 100 ft radius)
Keep in mind that's just one example of what another Patron can do with Pact of the Blade. It's a solid choice (although not always the best choice) for any patron, not just the Hexblade.
Now, I'm sure Plant Growth is a great addition to the Pact of the Blade Warlock, not contesting that... but is it worth giving up Elemental Weapon (and that's just comparing level 3 spells)? Especially considering that with Hexblade's Curse you don't need to use your concentration on Hex (they're not the same thing, but there's some overlap).
Again, not claiming any Patron other than Hexblade is crap, or useless, for Pact of the Blade... but giving up medium armor, shields, Hexblade's Curse (concentration-free curse), using Charisma bonus to hit and damage with weapons... is it worth it, mechanically? I'm completely certain Archfey, Old One, Fiend, etc... Pact of the Blade Warlocks work, and work fine. I'm just irked that Hexblade works so much better for it, it feels like a self-nerf to pick something else. (I was also irked at how Pact of the Tome/Chain Warlocks worked with Hexblade, but how much better Pact of the Blade was for it, but I've been convinced otherwise, thanks!)
Several points to look at here:
Medium Armor and Shield tops out at AC19 for a Hexblade, or get Med. Armor Master and a +2 Dex boost for AC20. For a FeyLock, Armor of Shadows tops out at AC18, or take Dual Wielder for AC19, no Dex boost required. (It's already maxed out anyway.) I'd hardly call a single point of AC a significant "nerf" unless you're an obsessed min-maxer. (Which I'm not.)
Hexblade's Curse is only useful once per short/long rest; Hex uses a spell slot so it's good for anywhere from one to four uses per short rest. Hexblade's Curse maxes out at +5; Hex averages +3.5. I'm using Sharpshooter, which gives me a +10 damage bonus concentration free, so I don't necessarily need either. I'd rather concentrate on Faerie Fire so I hit more often.
Using Charisma for melee weapons makes things easier, but if you're going into melee with a non-Hexblade Warlock, it's just as easy to pump STR or DEX instead of CHA and cast spells that don't require attacks or saves. Like Hex. Mirror Image is another good one, which combos well with Hex since it requires no concentration. OTOH, if you roll for stats this might not be an issue at all. I prefer point-buy, but my current DM told me to roll for stats so I'm currently rocking 18's in DEX and CHA, so I'm killing it in melee and spellcasting.
As for Elemental Weapon... why compare it to Plant Growth at all? One's a control spell, the other's a pure damage spell. In a dungeon crawl, Plant Growth would be useless. Facing a horde of enemies outdoors, it would end an encounter. Here's the thing about Warlock spell lists: they always have more spells known than actual spell slots, so they can afford to pick a few spells that will only be used occasionally, after they've got the basics covered. That being said, playing a Hexblade is on my to-do list, and Elemental Weapon looks like one of the best on their spell list. I chose the ArchFey Patron for role-playing reasons, so... Plant Growth. And also Improved Invisibility, which is a BladeLock's very best friend.
Medium Armor and Shield tops out at AC19 for a Hexblade, or get Med. Armor Master and a +2 Dex boost for AC20. For a FeyLock, Armor of Shadows tops out at AC18, or take Dual Wielder for AC19, no Dex boost required. (It's already maxed out anyway.) I'd hardly call a single point of AC a significant "nerf" unless you're an obsessed min-maxer. (Which I'm not.)
Hexblade's Curse is only useful once per short/long rest; Hex uses a spell slot so it's good for anywhere from one to four uses per short rest. Hexblade's Curse maxes out at +5; Hex averages +3.5. I'm using Sharpshooter, which gives me a +10 damage bonus concentration free, so I don't necessarily need either. I'd rather concentrate on Faerie Fire so I hit more often.
Using Charisma for melee weapons makes things easier, but if you're going into melee with a non-Hexblade Warlock, it's just as easy to pump STR or DEX instead of CHA and cast spells that don't require attacks or saves. Like Hex. Mirror Image is another good one, which combos well with Hex since it requires no concentration. OTOH, if you roll for stats this might not be an issue at all. I prefer point-buy, but my current DM told me to roll for stats so I'm currently rocking 18's in DEX and CHA, so I'm killing it in melee and spellcasting.
As for Elemental Weapon... why compare it to Plant Growth at all? One's a control spell, the other's a pure damage spell. In a dungeon crawl, Plant Growth would be useless. Facing a horde of enemies outdoors, it would end an encounter. Here's the thing about Warlock spell lists: they always have more spells known than actual spell slots, so they can afford to pick a few spells that will only be used occasionally, after they've got the basics covered. That being said, playing a Hexblade is on my to-do list, and Elemental Weapon looks like one of the best on their spell list. I chose the ArchFey Patron for role-playing reasons, so... Plant Growth. And also Improved Invisibility, which is a BladeLock's very best friend.
Good point on the medium armor vs armor of shadows (although armor of shadows does use up one of your invocations, which may or may not be an issue).
Hexblade's Curse vs Hex... the once per rest vs spell slot isn't really a limiting factor; with what few spell slots Warlocks gets, it's unlikely you'll be casting Hex more than once encounter, and you get 'em all (slots and curse) back on a short rest, which should happen every couple of encounters. And if you're not getting frequent short rests, you're going to have a bad time, as a Warlock, anyway. The Faerie Fire vs Hex/Curse point is well taken, but you're only taking Concentration into consideration. Faerie Fire might be a better use of Concentration in some cases than Hex/Curse, but if/when it's not, then Curse offers a similar utility to Hex, but without expending a spell slot. If you're using Hex often enough, Curse can sorta be considered an extra spell slot, which is huge for Warlocks.
Yes, you can forgo Charisma for Strength/Dexterity, and then avoid spells that need to-hit or saving throw... but you're limiting yourself, probably significantly. You're gonna have a hard time hitting with Eldritch Blast. Many Invocations also involve saving throws. (This is actually what prompted this thread... I tried to make a Half-Orc, melee based Warlock, and never quite got it to work like I wanted to... I either picked Hexblade, in which case I'd be "wasting" the +2 Strength, or picked another Patron, and ended up both missing the Hexblade features and trying to spread my stats too thin: not enough Charisma, and my spells and such would suck, too much and my melee would suck.)
Plant Growth vs Elemental Weapon, the only reason I compared them is because they're both lvl 3 Patron-specific spells (the former, Archfey, the latter, Hexblade), and the other lvl 3 spell both Patrons get is the same, and you specifically mentioned Plant Growth as an advantage of picking Archfey. I'm sorry if it came across as me trying to say one was better than the other for the same role. Clearly, they're not. And definitely in some situations one will be better than the other. But I do think Elemental Weapon is useful in a wider range of situations (basically, every combat). On the other hand, like you pointed out, if you're range-based, rather than melee-based, Sharpshooter + Faerie Fire is similar to Hexblade's Curse + Elemental Weapon.
Thank you all for your comments, they've helped me see things I wasn't seeing, and it's changing my mind. I already changed it regarding "Pact of the Blade is nearly required if you've already picked Hexblade as your Patron", and am slowly changing it away from "Hexblade is nearly required if you've already picked Blade as your Pact".
One final though: yes, I know you can pick pacts, patrons, races, classes, etc... for roleplay reasons. And I enjoy doing so, more than min-maxing. But I'm of the opinion that players should never have to make a choice, when it comes to "fun", between "theme" and "mechanics". The fact that "a halfling Paladin in full plate armor" or a "half-orc Bard, tenderly strumming his lute" are odd choices, which can be very fun to roleplay, shouldn't mean you'll be at a mechanical disadvantage when compared to more standard "half-orc Barbarian" and "halfling Rogue" choices. My calling out a perceived inferiority of a Pact/Patron combo, or a particularly well-meshing Pact/Patron combo (which reduces effective variety) shouldn't be taken as "you're stupid if you don't pick Hexblade Pact of the Blade, because other combos suck and are dumb", but rather "I shouldn't be penalized for picking an odd, non-standard, or unexpected combo, because they're fun and should be encouraged". =)
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Does anyone see a problem with how well these two (Hexblade patron, and Pact of the Blade) work together? I mean, if you're thinking of picking the Hexblade patron, then it really doesn't make much sense, mechanically, to pick a Pact other than Blade... and if you're picking Pact of the Blade, you're really losing a significant advantage (again, mechanically) by not picking Hexblade as your patron. Additionally, they're thematically very compatible, so it's not like you're stretching the RP aspect to gain a mechanical advantage (or to avoid a mechanical disadvantage). Which is all great if you like the combination... but I feel it's a bit limiting, or railroady, in that if you're considering a melee-based Warlock, you're either picking a Hexblade Pact of the Blade Warlock, or something inferior to that.
Before the Hexblade was out, there were some patrons which probably worked a bit better for Pact of the Blade (Fiend, for example), but it wasn't a huge difference. Now, missing out on Hex Warrior, Armor of Hexes, and the various spells in the expanded spell list which buff your weapon is a big blow to your melee effectiveness. On the flipside, if you're picking Hexblade, sure, you can use Hexblade's Curse with spells and ranged weapons, and Accursed Specter doesn't care how the target died... but both of those work equally well with melee or non-melee, whereas Hex Warrior is really about melee (well, and Hand Crossbows), and Armor of Hexes, while useful against ranged attacks, is probably more useful in melee (since it's harder to avoid attacks at melee range using cover and such). So if you don't go Pact of the Blade, it's not that you won't be able to use your patron's abilities... it's just that they won't match very well with your chosen focus.
I'm not complaining about Hexblade being too powerful as a patron, nor about Hexblade being too powerful when combined with Pact of the Blade... it's not a "omg it's OP" thing. It's about how all other patrons are pretty much pact-agnostic, while Hexblade is almost tied to Pact of the Blade.
I disagree. Hexblade's Curse works just as well with Eldritch Blast and that setup only requires 1 invocation (Agonizing Blast) to be competitive, while Pact of the Blade needs Thirsting Blade and Lifedrinker at higher levels. You also do the same damage per beam as a longbow while still having a hand free for a shield.
While Armor of Hexes will see the most use in melee range, you're still putting yourself at greater risk of losing concentration on Hex or any other spell you happen to be concentrating on - like, say, the Elemental Weapon buff you gave the Fighter. The same goes for Blink and Blur. You don't have enough slots to use Shield freely and using a 5th level slot on that is a waste.
Smite spells only make up 4/10 of the expanded spell list, and you can still use them with normal, non-pact weapons (Hex Warrior helps here.) You can even use a sling with if you want to make a ranged attack with Branding or Banishing Smite.
Thematically, I don't think it's weird for someone to ask the Raven Queen (or whomever you believe the Hexblade to be) for more magic instead of a pact weapon.
Hexblade may be the best option for Pact of the Blade, but Pact of the Blade isn't necessarily the best option for all Hexblades.
I wouldn't write off the Blade Pact for Patrons other than the Hexblade at all. Some of the new Warlock Invocations in Xanathar's have given BladeLocks of other Patrons excellent options they didn't have before.
For example, I'm currently playing a Dex-based FeyLock with the Blade Pact, and I've got the Improved Pact Weapon Invocation so I can have a +1 Longbow pact weapon. (Currently I'm at 3rd level.) When I reach 4th, I'll take the Sharpshooter feat. At 5th level, I'll get the Plant Growth spell, which is FeyLocks only. Now I can shut down movement (1/4 speed, no save) in an area 200' across and pick off enemies with no penalties for cover and no disadvantage for long range. The +10 damage is just gravy. At 11th level and beyond, the longbow won't get as many attacks as eldritch blast, but with the sharpshooter feat it has a lot more range, and plant growth can pin down (non-flying) enemies up to 250 feet away. (150 ft range with a 100 ft radius)
Keep in mind that's just one example of what another Patron can do with Pact of the Blade. It's a solid choice (although not always the best choice) for any patron, not just the Hexblade.
DICE FALL, EVERYONE ROCKS!
I'd argue that, like every other pact, Hexblade is much better off being a Tomelock than a Bladelock. Curse, Armor of Hexes, Spectre and Master of Hexes all work perfectly fine regardless of how you're fighting and while Hex Warrior may give a bigger boon to melee than anything else, it's not like being able to equip medium armor, shields and getting your casting stat to your free martial weapons is by any means bad or useless.
Hexblade is great for Pact of the Blade, but all it really does is serve to help patch up the huge deficit the pact feature starts in.
Ok, so I'm more or less convinced that Hexblade as a Patron works well enough for Pacts other than Blade (yay, diversity!). But the only argument I've seen regarding how Hexblade compares to other Patrons for a Pact of the Blade Warlock is this one:
Now, I'm sure Plant Growth is a great addition to the Pact of the Blade Warlock, not contesting that... but is it worth giving up Elemental Weapon (and that's just comparing level 3 spells)? Especially considering that with Hexblade's Curse you don't need to use your concentration on Hex (they're not the same thing, but there's some overlap).
Again, not claiming any Patron other than Hexblade is crap, or useless, for Pact of the Blade... but giving up medium armor, shields, Hexblade's Curse (concentration-free curse), using Charisma bonus to hit and damage with weapons... is it worth it, mechanically? I'm completely certain Archfey, Old One, Fiend, etc... Pact of the Blade Warlocks work, and work fine. I'm just irked that Hexblade works so much better for it, it feels like a self-nerf to pick something else. (I was also irked at how Pact of the Tome/Chain Warlocks worked with Hexblade, but how much better Pact of the Blade was for it, but I've been convinced otherwise, thanks!)
I think Hexblade is great for any patron and not using Blade doesn't diminish the power.
I agree with I-Coder. Starting with Medium Armor and Shields is a huge and 14 Dex is cheap to maximize and it is easy no matter the race combo.
Not having a Pact of the Blade could be better, because of simplicity. 14 Dex, Medium Armor, Shield and an open hand for spells and Eldritch Blast. If an enemy gets close to shut that down, pull out a weapon and show them your not a soft target in melee.
If you can drop the shield, have your casting staff be your Hex Weapon for the same effect, but you don't have to worry about not having a hand free.
You don't need to cast Shillelagh and be Pact of the Tome, you hit and damage with CHA. None of the abilities actually require melee your weapons.
Several points to look at here:
Medium Armor and Shield tops out at AC19 for a Hexblade, or get Med. Armor Master and a +2 Dex boost for AC20. For a FeyLock, Armor of Shadows tops out at AC18, or take Dual Wielder for AC19, no Dex boost required. (It's already maxed out anyway.) I'd hardly call a single point of AC a significant "nerf" unless you're an obsessed min-maxer. (Which I'm not.)
Hexblade's Curse is only useful once per short/long rest; Hex uses a spell slot so it's good for anywhere from one to four uses per short rest. Hexblade's Curse maxes out at +5; Hex averages +3.5. I'm using Sharpshooter, which gives me a +10 damage bonus concentration free, so I don't necessarily need either. I'd rather concentrate on Faerie Fire so I hit more often.
Using Charisma for melee weapons makes things easier, but if you're going into melee with a non-Hexblade Warlock, it's just as easy to pump STR or DEX instead of CHA and cast spells that don't require attacks or saves. Like Hex. Mirror Image is another good one, which combos well with Hex since it requires no concentration. OTOH, if you roll for stats this might not be an issue at all. I prefer point-buy, but my current DM told me to roll for stats so I'm currently rocking 18's in DEX and CHA, so I'm killing it in melee and spellcasting.
As for Elemental Weapon... why compare it to Plant Growth at all? One's a control spell, the other's a pure damage spell. In a dungeon crawl, Plant Growth would be useless. Facing a horde of enemies outdoors, it would end an encounter. Here's the thing about Warlock spell lists: they always have more spells known than actual spell slots, so they can afford to pick a few spells that will only be used occasionally, after they've got the basics covered. That being said, playing a Hexblade is on my to-do list, and Elemental Weapon looks like one of the best on their spell list. I chose the ArchFey Patron for role-playing reasons, so... Plant Growth. And also Improved Invisibility, which is a BladeLock's very best friend.
DICE FALL, EVERYONE ROCKS!
Good point on the medium armor vs armor of shadows (although armor of shadows does use up one of your invocations, which may or may not be an issue).
Hexblade's Curse vs Hex... the once per rest vs spell slot isn't really a limiting factor; with what few spell slots Warlocks gets, it's unlikely you'll be casting Hex more than once encounter, and you get 'em all (slots and curse) back on a short rest, which should happen every couple of encounters. And if you're not getting frequent short rests, you're going to have a bad time, as a Warlock, anyway. The Faerie Fire vs Hex/Curse point is well taken, but you're only taking Concentration into consideration. Faerie Fire might be a better use of Concentration in some cases than Hex/Curse, but if/when it's not, then Curse offers a similar utility to Hex, but without expending a spell slot. If you're using Hex often enough, Curse can sorta be considered an extra spell slot, which is huge for Warlocks.
Yes, you can forgo Charisma for Strength/Dexterity, and then avoid spells that need to-hit or saving throw... but you're limiting yourself, probably significantly. You're gonna have a hard time hitting with Eldritch Blast. Many Invocations also involve saving throws. (This is actually what prompted this thread... I tried to make a Half-Orc, melee based Warlock, and never quite got it to work like I wanted to... I either picked Hexblade, in which case I'd be "wasting" the +2 Strength, or picked another Patron, and ended up both missing the Hexblade features and trying to spread my stats too thin: not enough Charisma, and my spells and such would suck, too much and my melee would suck.)
Plant Growth vs Elemental Weapon, the only reason I compared them is because they're both lvl 3 Patron-specific spells (the former, Archfey, the latter, Hexblade), and the other lvl 3 spell both Patrons get is the same, and you specifically mentioned Plant Growth as an advantage of picking Archfey. I'm sorry if it came across as me trying to say one was better than the other for the same role. Clearly, they're not. And definitely in some situations one will be better than the other. But I do think Elemental Weapon is useful in a wider range of situations (basically, every combat). On the other hand, like you pointed out, if you're range-based, rather than melee-based, Sharpshooter + Faerie Fire is similar to Hexblade's Curse + Elemental Weapon.
Thank you all for your comments, they've helped me see things I wasn't seeing, and it's changing my mind. I already changed it regarding "Pact of the Blade is nearly required if you've already picked Hexblade as your Patron", and am slowly changing it away from "Hexblade is nearly required if you've already picked Blade as your Pact".
One final though: yes, I know you can pick pacts, patrons, races, classes, etc... for roleplay reasons. And I enjoy doing so, more than min-maxing. But I'm of the opinion that players should never have to make a choice, when it comes to "fun", between "theme" and "mechanics". The fact that "a halfling Paladin in full plate armor" or a "half-orc Bard, tenderly strumming his lute" are odd choices, which can be very fun to roleplay, shouldn't mean you'll be at a mechanical disadvantage when compared to more standard "half-orc Barbarian" and "halfling Rogue" choices. My calling out a perceived inferiority of a Pact/Patron combo, or a particularly well-meshing Pact/Patron combo (which reduces effective variety) shouldn't be taken as "you're stupid if you don't pick Hexblade Pact of the Blade, because other combos suck and are dumb", but rather "I shouldn't be penalized for picking an odd, non-standard, or unexpected combo, because they're fun and should be encouraged". =)