I don't quite understand the question. You can sling Eldritch Blasts as much as any other Warlock even when you go Hexblade. It's not like the subclass forces you to go Pact of the Blade or be in melee. It just makes you more capable in case you eventually end up in melee by having some decent armor and being able to wield your weapon without having to invest into STR or DEX.
I see what you're saying, but wouldn't shadow blade cover the rare occasion that a warlock would be in melee?
Hexblade is quite a bit stronger than the other patron options for the bonuses it gives you, and none of it really requires you use a melee weapon. The curse doubles the odds of a crit and later on turns into a defensive tool, and the free armor and shield proficiency makes you far less mad since you don't need more than a 14 in dex to have high AC. As for why one would rather use WEAPONS as a hexblade as opposed to eldritch blast, the fact you can get extra attack and get enhancement bonuses/other effects on the weapon you are using can enable you to outdamage eldritch blast eventually even if it does require more investment. Pact of the Blade is actually pretty solid as a choice if you intend to actually stick to warlock for awhile, while the other pacts honestly are better if you only plan to be dipping a few levels into it and multiclassing to something else.
Hexblade is quite a bit stronger than the other patron options for the bonuses it gives you, and none of it really requires you use a melee weapon. The curse doubles the odds of a crit and later on turns into a defensive tool, and the free armor and shield proficiency makes you far less mad since you don't need more than a 14 in dex to have high AC. As for why one would rather use WEAPONS as a hexblade as opposed to eldritch blast, the fact you can get extra attack and get enhancement bonuses/other effects on the weapon you are using can enable you to outdamage eldritch blast eventually even if it does require more investment. Pact of the Blade is actually pretty solid as a choice if you intend to actually stick to warlock for awhile, while the other pacts honestly are better if you only plan to be dipping a few levels into it and multiclassing to something else.
Well, EB with a range of 120', makes a low A/C rarely an issue. :)
At 5th level, warlocks can cast two EB beams per turn, just like fighters get two attacks per turn. Does the hexblade warlock get three attacks?
Hexblade is quite a bit stronger than the other patron options for the bonuses it gives you, and none of it really requires you use a melee weapon. The curse doubles the odds of a crit and later on turns into a defensive tool, and the free armor and shield proficiency makes you far less mad since you don't need more than a 14 in dex to have high AC. As for why one would rather use WEAPONS as a hexblade as opposed to eldritch blast, the fact you can get extra attack and get enhancement bonuses/other effects on the weapon you are using can enable you to outdamage eldritch blast eventually even if it does require more investment. Pact of the Blade is actually pretty solid as a choice if you intend to actually stick to warlock for awhile, while the other pacts honestly are better if you only plan to be dipping a few levels into it and multiclassing to something else.
Well, EB with a range of 120', makes a low A/C rarely an issue. :)
At 5th level, warlocks can cast two EB beams per turn, just like fighters get two attacks per turn. Does the hexblade warlock get three attacks?
To cover the first point, that is more dependent on the dm and what they throw at you, if you have enemies that can get past the frontline with mobility, or enemies with bows that can actually outrange an EB, or even just some spells, then AC is important and again the point is that it lowers the actual investment you would need into dex to get it to a decent level. This is also a side benefit to how good the hexblade's curse can be. Compare those features to how good some of the other patron feature's are and I'd say Hexblade is significant power creep (though warlocks are underpowered without multiclassing so not the worst thing).
On the second point, while pact of the blade doesn't get more than 2 attacks there ARE reasons to pick using a weapon over EB which I'll go over. The first is that there are just some weapons you can conjure that do more damage AKA greatsword, so in a more melee scenario those can become superior choices by default. Longbows outrange EB without eldritch spear though can go further if you are willing to take disadvantage. Another benefit is that you can more easily get bonuses on the weapons thanks to improved pact weapon invocation, though the rod of the pact keeper exists it is dependent on dm actually giving it to you as loot. A third consideration is all the feats for weapons, being able to use Sharpshooter or GWM can boost your damage by quite a bit, and at level 12 you can be adding double your charisma mod to your damage on them for what can be an automatic +10.
Some basic damage calculations assuming you are a level 12 warlock for you with this. Not counting multiclassing though it would be in favour of just EB spam just because of how low investment that can end up being. Hexblade pact of the blade vs whatever you want for another patron since none of them actually boost your EB damage, we'll assume both have hit 20 CHA because of three ASI being enough to reach that with a feat on top.
EB Warlock: 3 eldritch blasts with a +4 proficiency mod means you have +9 to hit with each of them doing 1d10+5 damage each time, assuming each hit and the dice average you are only doing about 33 damage in total with them, though you do have the benefit of being able to move the enemy around with a few of the EB invocations.
Hexblade Longbow: 2 attacks this time, for this one I'll assume you have sharpshooter as a feat for that juicy 600 range, you can technically also get that with EB using spear and taking spell sniper feat. We'll say it has a +1 weapon only from the improved pact weapon feat since that is a class option. Lifedrinker is also included in this. So two attacks at only +5 because we're taking sharpshooter, each hitting at 1d8+21 (sharpshooter bonus damage for 10, charisma of 20 for +5, Lifedrinker giving you another +5), meaning if both attacks hit you are doing around 52 damage. If we exclude the sharpshooter bonuses, then we get two attacks at +10 with each hitting for 1d8+11, which does end up at only 32 damage total.
Hexblade Greatweapon: Obviously sacrificing the range of the other two does have hindrances but this is worth keeping in mind if you are say, indoors where sniping from 600 feet isn't practical. For this one I'll first assume polearm mastery and wielding a halberd, then compare it to great weapon mastery, and then finally looking a little bit at the extra damage you can get with the hexblade's curse for using it on the big bosses (or at level 14, when you can start reapplying it). So first off, polearm mastery DOES actually get you to three attacks sort of like you asked about, though the third is with a smaller damage dice and as a bonus action (which might conflict with actually USING your curse, or casting hex I suppose). Three attacks at +10 modifier to hit, the first two doing 1d10+11 and the third doing 1d4+11, this tallies up to 49 average damage a round. GWM makes our calculations look the same as with the hexblade longbow's, except we can use a higher damage weapon like the greatsword. This totals up to two swings at 2d6+21 for an average of 58 damage a round. The best thing you can do though is combine these two options, where you use both the GWM damage bonus on all three of the polearm mastery attacks. This means the first two attacks are 1d10+21 and the third up to 1d4+21 for a total average round damage of 78! Hexblade's curse does somewhat conflict with polearm mastery since to activate it is a bonus action which is the same as your third attack, but if you have it up it grants you an extra 4 damage on each hit, which adds 8 damage to the average for just the GWM and 12 damage for Polearms.
Eldritch Smite: I'm not calculating this but I will be mentioning it due to how significantly it can increase damage, all the pact weapons, including the longbow, can spend a spell slot for 1d8+Xd8 where 8 is the spell slot level used. This means if you are willing to burn your spell slots for damage every weapon hit can tack on an extra 6d8 along with a no save prone effect (better for the melee, worse for the ranged), 6d8 average damage is 30. Landing a crit (which the hexblade curse doubles the odds for) gets that to an extra 60! damage on a hit.
Why a lot of that doesn't actually matter: EB can essentially have the same level of progression in damage that you would have as a warlock with only 2 levels in warlock and just leveling up a class that benefits you more. Two invocations in agonizing blast + either a movement effect or spear and you have the same effects on EB as you would as a pure warlock anyway. Sorcerer for Quickened Spell metamagic doubles your damage output bringing it up to 66. This mostly just goes to some of the poor design of the warlock and actually in a way giving you incentive to multiclass out of it or only dip into it.
I don't quite understand the question. You can sling Eldritch Blasts as much as any other Warlock even when you go Hexblade. It's not like the subclass forces you to go Pact of the Blade or be in melee. It just makes you more capable in case you eventually end up in melee by having some decent armor and being able to wield your weapon without having to invest into STR or DEX.
I see what you're saying, but wouldn't shadow blade cover the rare occasion that a warlock would be in melee?
No. Shadowblade doesn't give you medium armor, shield proficiency, or the shield spell. You can't use something like a polearm for PAM shennanigans. Hexblade brings a /lot/ to the table.
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Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Hexblade is quite a bit stronger than the other patron options for the bonuses it gives you, and none of it really requires you use a melee weapon. The curse doubles the odds of a crit and later on turns into a defensive tool, and the free armor and shield proficiency makes you far less mad since you don't need more than a 14 in dex to have high AC. As for why one would rather use WEAPONS as a hexblade as opposed to eldritch blast, the fact you can get extra attack and get enhancement bonuses/other effects on the weapon you are using can enable you to outdamage eldritch blast eventually even if it does require more investment. Pact of the Blade is actually pretty solid as a choice if you intend to actually stick to warlock for awhile, while the other pacts honestly are better if you only plan to be dipping a few levels into it and multiclassing to something else.
Well, EB with a range of 120', makes a low A/C rarely an issue. :)
At 5th level, warlocks can cast two EB beams per turn, just like fighters get two attacks per turn. Does the hexblade warlock get three attacks?
To cover the first point, that is more dependent on the dm and what they throw at you, if you have enemies that can get past the frontline with mobility, or enemies with bows that can actually outrange an EB, or even just some spells, then AC is important and again the point is that it lowers the actual investment you would need into dex to get it to a decent level. This is also a side benefit to how good the hexblade's curse can be. Compare those features to how good some of the other patron feature's are and I'd say Hexblade is significant power creep (though warlocks are underpowered without multiclassing so not the worst thing).
On the second point, while pact of the blade doesn't get more than 2 attacks there ARE reasons to pick using a weapon over EB which I'll go over. The first is that there are just some weapons you can conjure that do more damage AKA greatsword, so in a more melee scenario those can become superior choices by default. Longbows outrange EB without eldritch spear though can go further if you are willing to take disadvantage. Another benefit is that you can more easily get bonuses on the weapons thanks to improved pact weapon invocation, though the rod of the pact keeper exists it is dependent on dm actually giving it to you as loot. A third consideration is all the feats for weapons, being able to use Sharpshooter or GWM can boost your damage by quite a bit, and at level 12 you can be adding double your charisma mod to your damage on them for what can be an automatic +10.
Some basic damage calculations assuming you are a level 12 warlock for you with this. Not counting multiclassing though it would be in favour of just EB spam just because of how low investment that can end up being. Hexblade pact of the blade vs whatever you want for another patron since none of them actually boost your EB damage, we'll assume both have hit 20 CHA because of three ASI being enough to reach that with a feat on top.
EB Warlock: 3 eldritch blasts with a +4 proficiency mod means you have +9 to hit with each of them doing 1d10+5 damage each time, assuming each hit and the dice average you are only doing about 33 damage in total with them, though you do have the benefit of being able to move the enemy around with a few of the EB invocations.
Hexblade Longbow: 2 attacks this time, for this one I'll assume you have sharpshooter as a feat for that juicy 600 range, you can technically also get that with EB using spear and taking spell sniper feat. We'll say it has a +1 weapon only from the improved pact weapon feat since that is a class option. Lifedrinker is also included in this. So two attacks at only +5 because we're taking sharpshooter, each hitting at 1d8+21 (sharpshooter bonus damage for 10, charisma of 20 for +5, Lifedrinker giving you another +5), meaning if both attacks hit you are doing around 52 damage. If we exclude the sharpshooter bonuses, then we get two attacks at +10 with each hitting for 1d8+11, which does end up at only 32 damage total.
Hexblade Greatweapon: Obviously sacrificing the range of the other two does have hindrances but this is worth keeping in mind if you are say, indoors where sniping from 600 feet isn't practical. For this one I'll first assume polearm mastery and wielding a halberd, then compare it to great weapon mastery, and then finally looking a little bit at the extra damage you can get with the hexblade's curse for using it on the big bosses (or at level 14, when you can start reapplying it). So first off, polearm mastery DOES actually get you to three attacks sort of like you asked about, though the third is with a smaller damage dice and as a bonus action (which might conflict with actually USING your curse, or casting hex I suppose). Three attacks at +10 modifier to hit, the first two doing 1d10+11 and the third doing 1d4+11, this tallies up to 49 average damage a round. GWM makes our calculations look the same as with the hexblade longbow's, except we can use a higher damage weapon like the greatsword. This totals up to two swings at 2d6+21 for an average of 58 damage a round. The best thing you can do though is combine these two options, where you use both the GWM damage bonus on all three of the polearm mastery attacks. This means the first two attacks are 1d10+21 and the third up to 1d4+21 for a total average round damage of 78! Hexblade's curse does somewhat conflict with polearm mastery since to activate it is a bonus action which is the same as your third attack, but if you have it up it grants you an extra 4 damage on each hit, which adds 8 damage to the average for just the GWM and 12 damage for Polearms.
Eldritch Smite: I'm not calculating this but I will be mentioning it due to how significantly it can increase damage, all the pact weapons, including the longbow, can spend a spell slot for 1d8+Xd8 where 8 is the spell slot level used. This means if you are willing to burn your spell slots for damage every weapon hit can tack on an extra 6d8 along with a no save prone effect (better for the melee, worse for the ranged), 6d8 average damage is 30. Landing a crit (which the hexblade curse doubles the odds for) gets that to an extra 60! damage on a hit.
Why a lot of that doesn't actually matter: EB can essentially have the same level of progression in damage that you would have as a warlock with only 2 levels in warlock and just leveling up a class that benefits you more. Two invocations in agonizing blast + either a movement effect or spear and you have the same effects on EB as you would as a pure warlock anyway. Sorcerer for Quickened Spell metamagic doubles your damage output bringing it up to 66. This mostly just goes to some of the poor design of the warlock and actually in a way giving you incentive to multiclass out of it or only dip into it.
EB spammer can't eldritch smite. EB spammer sucks in melee if that's what you want to do.
if you want to spam EB then sure, you don't need hexblade. If you want to do other cool things, hexblade opens a lot of doors.
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Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Arcane Trickster, Eldritch Knight, Blade Singer Wizard, and Hexblade Warlock are what I think are the best gish classes, which is to say in combat you have options, lots of options.
Arcane Trickster and Eldritch Knight focus more on the melee side, they are a Rogue and Fighter after all. They have some spells, but not a lot, and are limited in spell slots.
Blade Singer is a Wizard, so a caster with some melee ability.
The Hexblade straddles the gap. It can fight up close, or at range. Because Warlock's spell damage is invariably their cantrip amplified with Agonizing Blast they lose nothing by devoting the rest of the build to melee. Grab the War Caster feat at level 4 and with medium armour, shield, and the Shield spell you're fairly durable. Grab Pole Arm Master or Great Weapon Master and you're a decent melee attacker. Because Pact of the Blade allows you to summon any melee weapon and be proficient with it, while Hexblade allows you to use your charisma as your combat stat with all pact weapons, you don't need to worry about any attribute other than your charisma. Using points buy any race can start with 14 dexterity and with medium armour that's all you need.
You're also a Charisma caster and can have your Dexterity as a secondary priority so with the appropriate selection of skill proficiencies you can nearly rival a Bard or Rogue for flexibility.
Take an Eladrin (MTOF) Hexblade with the Entertainer background. Starting states, 8/16/14/10/10/16.
Trade out the Disguise Kit proficiency for Thieves' Tools. Trade out Performance for Stealth. Grab Intimidation and Investigation from the Warlock proficiencies. You have Perception proficiency as an Elf. So your starting proficiencies are Acrobatics, Stealth, Investigation, Perception, and Intimidation. In addition you can (at some point) take the Beguiling Influence invocation for proficiency in Deception and Persuasion.
As an Eladrin (MTOF) you have a once per short rest Misty Step spell as your racial bonus (with a few extra features). Pick Shield and Hex as your starting spells. That said, don't use Shield too often. You only have two spell slots after all, however if it saves you from a mace to the face it's worth a spell slot.
At level 3 take the Pact of the Blade, and take the Improved Pact Weapon and Agonizing Blast cantrips. At level 5 take Thirsting Blade, and at level 7 take Eldritch Smite. At level 9 you can probably take Beguiling Influence, and at level 12 take Lifedrinker. Level 4 should be one of the previously mentioned feats, with 8 and 12 boosting your charisma to 20.
You're still just as good an Eldritch Blaster as any other Warlock, but you have options.
I use both Eldritch Blast and melee weapons on my hexblade warlock. Eldritch Blast is good for single target damage, especially coupled with Hexblades Curse and or Hex. I use melee weapons when my character gets up close, and they are nice coupled with auras like Darkness, Shadow of Moil or keeping someone in Sickening Radiance. Weapons are also fine for burst damage, but I don't really like using Eldritch Smite. It feels like an inefficient use of spell slots.
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A fool pulls the leaves. A brute chops the trunk. A sage digs the roots.
Well, EB with a range of 120', makes a low A/C rarely an issue.
Sounds like you have one of those rare DMs that for some reason never throws enemy spellcasters or enemy archers at your party and has the enemy melee damage dealers foolishly just wail away at your tank instead of going after its squishier ranged opponents. And one that never has combats take place inside small rooms or tight spaces where 30ft range is more than enough.
Well, EB with a range of 120', makes a low A/C rarely an issue.
Sounds like you have one of those rare DMs that for some reason never throws enemy spellcasters or enemy archers at your party and has the enemy melee damage dealers foolishly just wail away at your tank instead of going after its squishier ranged opponents. And one that never has combats take place inside small rooms or tight spaces where 30ft range is more than enough.
At 120', I'm out of the range of the majority of spells. E.g. lightning bolt has a range of 100'. We fight in small rooms occasionally. The key is to stay behind the tank. :)
Archers are easy to deal with. The Wizard in our group just casts fog cloud if they attack from the high ground.
Darkness spell combined with devils sight is sweet...
Also gift of the ever living one makes taking damage less of an issue. :)
And having a familiar that can scout from above while invisible reduces the probability of being ambushed.
Well, EB with a range of 120', makes a low A/C rarely an issue.
Sounds like you have one of those rare DMs that for some reason never throws enemy spellcasters or enemy archers at your party and has the enemy melee damage dealers foolishly just wail away at your tank instead of going after its squishier ranged opponents. And one that never has combats take place inside small rooms or tight spaces where 30ft range is more than enough.
At 120', I'm out of the range of the majority of spells. E.g. lightning bolt has a range of 100'. We fight in small rooms occasionally. The key is to stay behind the tank. :)
Archers are easy to deal with. The Wizard in our group just casts fog cloud if they attack from the high ground.
Darkness spell combined with devils sight is sweet...
Also gift of the ever living one makes taking damage less of an issue. :)
And having a familiar that can scout from above while invisible reduces the probability of being ambushed.
Staying behind the tank works well if your DM is a cooperative DM. It sounds like your DM takes it easy on you.
Fog Cloud means that they can't see you, but that you can't see them, so it cancels out.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Short answer, because not everyone wants to play a class the same way, and some care less about the math than they do the story they're telling with their character. That's the beauty of D&D, the creative freedom.
A genuine question. Your thoughts?
free armor proficiency. weapon that uses Charisma stat. good curse at level 1. Lots of good uses for Hexblade bennies.
I see what you're saying, but wouldn't shadow blade cover the rare occasion that a warlock would be in melee?
Hexblade is quite a bit stronger than the other patron options for the bonuses it gives you, and none of it really requires you use a melee weapon. The curse doubles the odds of a crit and later on turns into a defensive tool, and the free armor and shield proficiency makes you far less mad since you don't need more than a 14 in dex to have high AC. As for why one would rather use WEAPONS as a hexblade as opposed to eldritch blast, the fact you can get extra attack and get enhancement bonuses/other effects on the weapon you are using can enable you to outdamage eldritch blast eventually even if it does require more investment. Pact of the Blade is actually pretty solid as a choice if you intend to actually stick to warlock for awhile, while the other pacts honestly are better if you only plan to be dipping a few levels into it and multiclassing to something else.
Well, EB with a range of 120', makes a low A/C rarely an issue.
At 5th level, I warlocks can shoot two EB beams per turn, just like fighters get two attacks per turn. Does the hexblade warlock get three attacks?
Well, EB with a range of 120', makes a low A/C rarely an issue. :)
At 5th level, warlocks can cast two EB beams per turn, just like fighters get two attacks per turn. Does the hexblade warlock get three attacks?
To cover the first point, that is more dependent on the dm and what they throw at you, if you have enemies that can get past the frontline with mobility, or enemies with bows that can actually outrange an EB, or even just some spells, then AC is important and again the point is that it lowers the actual investment you would need into dex to get it to a decent level. This is also a side benefit to how good the hexblade's curse can be. Compare those features to how good some of the other patron feature's are and I'd say Hexblade is significant power creep (though warlocks are underpowered without multiclassing so not the worst thing).
On the second point, while pact of the blade doesn't get more than 2 attacks there ARE reasons to pick using a weapon over EB which I'll go over. The first is that there are just some weapons you can conjure that do more damage AKA greatsword, so in a more melee scenario those can become superior choices by default. Longbows outrange EB without eldritch spear though can go further if you are willing to take disadvantage. Another benefit is that you can more easily get bonuses on the weapons thanks to improved pact weapon invocation, though the rod of the pact keeper exists it is dependent on dm actually giving it to you as loot. A third consideration is all the feats for weapons, being able to use Sharpshooter or GWM can boost your damage by quite a bit, and at level 12 you can be adding double your charisma mod to your damage on them for what can be an automatic +10.
Some basic damage calculations assuming you are a level 12 warlock for you with this. Not counting multiclassing though it would be in favour of just EB spam just because of how low investment that can end up being. Hexblade pact of the blade vs whatever you want for another patron since none of them actually boost your EB damage, we'll assume both have hit 20 CHA because of three ASI being enough to reach that with a feat on top.
EB Warlock: 3 eldritch blasts with a +4 proficiency mod means you have +9 to hit with each of them doing 1d10+5 damage each time, assuming each hit and the dice average you are only doing about 33 damage in total with them, though you do have the benefit of being able to move the enemy around with a few of the EB invocations.
Hexblade Longbow: 2 attacks this time, for this one I'll assume you have sharpshooter as a feat for that juicy 600 range, you can technically also get that with EB using spear and taking spell sniper feat. We'll say it has a +1 weapon only from the improved pact weapon feat since that is a class option. Lifedrinker is also included in this. So two attacks at only +5 because we're taking sharpshooter, each hitting at 1d8+21 (sharpshooter bonus damage for 10, charisma of 20 for +5, Lifedrinker giving you another +5), meaning if both attacks hit you are doing around 52 damage. If we exclude the sharpshooter bonuses, then we get two attacks at +10 with each hitting for 1d8+11, which does end up at only 32 damage total.
Hexblade Greatweapon: Obviously sacrificing the range of the other two does have hindrances but this is worth keeping in mind if you are say, indoors where sniping from 600 feet isn't practical. For this one I'll first assume polearm mastery and wielding a halberd, then compare it to great weapon mastery, and then finally looking a little bit at the extra damage you can get with the hexblade's curse for using it on the big bosses (or at level 14, when you can start reapplying it). So first off, polearm mastery DOES actually get you to three attacks sort of like you asked about, though the third is with a smaller damage dice and as a bonus action (which might conflict with actually USING your curse, or casting hex I suppose). Three attacks at +10 modifier to hit, the first two doing 1d10+11 and the third doing 1d4+11, this tallies up to 49 average damage a round. GWM makes our calculations look the same as with the hexblade longbow's, except we can use a higher damage weapon like the greatsword. This totals up to two swings at 2d6+21 for an average of 58 damage a round. The best thing you can do though is combine these two options, where you use both the GWM damage bonus on all three of the polearm mastery attacks. This means the first two attacks are 1d10+21 and the third up to 1d4+21 for a total average round damage of 78! Hexblade's curse does somewhat conflict with polearm mastery since to activate it is a bonus action which is the same as your third attack, but if you have it up it grants you an extra 4 damage on each hit, which adds 8 damage to the average for just the GWM and 12 damage for Polearms.
Eldritch Smite: I'm not calculating this but I will be mentioning it due to how significantly it can increase damage, all the pact weapons, including the longbow, can spend a spell slot for 1d8+Xd8 where 8 is the spell slot level used. This means if you are willing to burn your spell slots for damage every weapon hit can tack on an extra 6d8 along with a no save prone effect (better for the melee, worse for the ranged), 6d8 average damage is 30. Landing a crit (which the hexblade curse doubles the odds for) gets that to an extra 60! damage on a hit.
Why a lot of that doesn't actually matter: EB can essentially have the same level of progression in damage that you would have as a warlock with only 2 levels in warlock and just leveling up a class that benefits you more. Two invocations in agonizing blast + either a movement effect or spear and you have the same effects on EB as you would as a pure warlock anyway. Sorcerer for Quickened Spell metamagic doubles your damage output bringing it up to 66. This mostly just goes to some of the poor design of the warlock and actually in a way giving you incentive to multiclass out of it or only dip into it.
No. Shadowblade doesn't give you medium armor, shield proficiency, or the shield spell. You can't use something like a polearm for PAM shennanigans. Hexblade brings a /lot/ to the table.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
EB spammer can't eldritch smite. EB spammer sucks in melee if that's what you want to do.
if you want to spam EB then sure, you don't need hexblade. If you want to do other cool things, hexblade opens a lot of doors.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
Arcane Trickster, Eldritch Knight, Blade Singer Wizard, and Hexblade Warlock are what I think are the best gish classes, which is to say in combat you have options, lots of options.
Arcane Trickster and Eldritch Knight focus more on the melee side, they are a Rogue and Fighter after all. They have some spells, but not a lot, and are limited in spell slots.
Blade Singer is a Wizard, so a caster with some melee ability.
The Hexblade straddles the gap. It can fight up close, or at range. Because Warlock's spell damage is invariably their cantrip amplified with Agonizing Blast they lose nothing by devoting the rest of the build to melee. Grab the War Caster feat at level 4 and with medium armour, shield, and the Shield spell you're fairly durable. Grab Pole Arm Master or Great Weapon Master and you're a decent melee attacker. Because Pact of the Blade allows you to summon any melee weapon and be proficient with it, while Hexblade allows you to use your charisma as your combat stat with all pact weapons, you don't need to worry about any attribute other than your charisma. Using points buy any race can start with 14 dexterity and with medium armour that's all you need.
You're also a Charisma caster and can have your Dexterity as a secondary priority so with the appropriate selection of skill proficiencies you can nearly rival a Bard or Rogue for flexibility.
Take an Eladrin (MTOF) Hexblade with the Entertainer background. Starting states, 8/16/14/10/10/16.
Trade out the Disguise Kit proficiency for Thieves' Tools. Trade out Performance for Stealth. Grab Intimidation and Investigation from the Warlock proficiencies. You have Perception proficiency as an Elf. So your starting proficiencies are Acrobatics, Stealth, Investigation, Perception, and Intimidation. In addition you can (at some point) take the Beguiling Influence invocation for proficiency in Deception and Persuasion.
As an Eladrin (MTOF) you have a once per short rest Misty Step spell as your racial bonus (with a few extra features). Pick Shield and Hex as your starting spells. That said, don't use Shield too often. You only have two spell slots after all, however if it saves you from a mace to the face it's worth a spell slot.
At level 3 take the Pact of the Blade, and take the Improved Pact Weapon and Agonizing Blast cantrips. At level 5 take Thirsting Blade, and at level 7 take Eldritch Smite. At level 9 you can probably take Beguiling Influence, and at level 12 take Lifedrinker. Level 4 should be one of the previously mentioned feats, with 8 and 12 boosting your charisma to 20.
You're still just as good an Eldritch Blaster as any other Warlock, but you have options.
Take both! Hexblade with Pact of Tome. Your EB pacts an extra punch and you have the added utility of your ritual spells.
I suppose Pact of Blade adds to the flavor if you really like melee...
I use both Eldritch Blast and melee weapons on my hexblade warlock. Eldritch Blast is good for single target damage, especially coupled with Hexblades Curse and or Hex. I use melee weapons when my character gets up close, and they are nice coupled with auras like Darkness, Shadow of Moil or keeping someone in Sickening Radiance. Weapons are also fine for burst damage, but I don't really like using Eldritch Smite. It feels like an inefficient use of spell slots.
A fool pulls the leaves. A brute chops the trunk. A sage digs the roots.
My Improved Lineage System
Sounds like you have one of those rare DMs that for some reason never throws enemy spellcasters or enemy archers at your party and has the enemy melee damage dealers foolishly just wail away at your tank instead of going after its squishier ranged opponents. And one that never has combats take place inside small rooms or tight spaces where 30ft range is more than enough.
At 120', I'm out of the range of the majority of spells. E.g. lightning bolt has a range of 100'. We fight in small rooms occasionally. The key is to stay behind the tank. :)
Archers are easy to deal with. The Wizard in our group just casts fog cloud if they attack from the high ground.
Darkness spell combined with devils sight is sweet...
Also gift of the ever living one makes taking damage less of an issue. :)
And having a familiar that can scout from above while invisible reduces the probability of being ambushed.
Staying behind the tank works well if your DM is a cooperative DM. It sounds like your DM takes it easy on you.
Fog Cloud means that they can't see you, but that you can't see them, so it cancels out.
yep, DM is definitely softballing him.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
Short answer, because not everyone wants to play a class the same way, and some care less about the math than they do the story they're telling with their character. That's the beauty of D&D, the creative freedom.
Not really. I've nearly died on a number of occasions, and several of my companions have died more than once.
My DM also uses an injury system, that's pretty brutal.
There is a reason why I chose things like a familiar, darkness, devils sight and gift of the ever living one...to increase my chance of survival.
It's about making good tactical decisions, and being aware of your surroundings.
Tanks in the front with spellcasters in the back is standard operating procedure for most groups.
If you're not playing hexblade, it's just plain stupid to walk onto the front lines.