I'm making a Great Old One warlock character and can't decide between Arms of Hadar or Hex for one of my level 1 spells. Hex provides an extra 1d6 of damage as a bonus action, but only if you manage to hit it with another spell first while Arms of Hadar deals 2d6 of damage and seems like a decent way to deal with multiple enemies at melee range, but could also possibly harm allies that are within its range. Which should I pick? Also, the reason I don't pick both is that I already picked Dissonant Whispers as my other level 1 spell.
Hex, because it can also be used in a social encounter to curse the NPCs skill checks. Curse a trader to fail his insight check when you try to swindle him. Curse the guards perception when you try to sneak past him. Curse someones strength during an arm wrestling contest...
Hex lasts for an hour at first level and adds 1d6 necrotic to every hit you land, when the opponent dies you can move the hex to another target as a bonus action. Arms of Hadar is a single attack, that hits everyone within 10 feet of you - friends as well as foes. It also requires them to fail a saving throw or they just take half damage.
If your plan is to jump into the middle of large groups of enemies, on your own, with no back up from your team and burn through all your spell slots in 2 turns then sure, go with Arms of Hadar. If you would rather use your spell slots wisely, do consistent bonus damage every hit for an hour, not wander off and get surrounded and be in a group of adventurers that don't hate you - best bet is Hex.
Arms of Hadar has a very specific use, to allow movement without drawing OAs. Sure, it deals damage as well and is an AOE, but it makes a good "Get out of jail free" option and is better on a melee character that might get surrounded by enemies and need an exit strategy. I'm guessing that your GOOlock isn't going to be a melee character.
I've actually taken this on my Hexadin, but it wasn't my first choice. Originally, I was going to take Shield and Armor of Agathys because they fit my character concept of a mobile Ancients Paladin Tank that wasn't likely to have help on the front line and had a nature theme, but I didn't want to have to worry about material components. Then I turned to Expeditious Retreat and was unimpressed by the rest of the selection of warlock spells for my theme and settled on Arms of Hadar to use if I needed to come to the rescue of an ally.
I specifically didn't want Hex for this character otherwise it would have been automatic selection. It works great with multiple attacks against a single target, like you'll be able to make with Eldritch Blast starting at 5th level. With Agonizing Blast, an 18 in Charisma, and hex, a 5th level warlock can deal 1d10 +1d6 +4 damage twice in one attack. That's an average of 13 damage per beam and 26 for both attacks. It's 2d10 + 2d6 +4 on a crit, getting that 26 on just one beam. Hex lasts up to an hour, which is 100 rounds, making it an efficent usage of a spell slot. Considering that you'll only have 2 spell slots per long or short rest until 11th level without multiclassing, you'll want some efficient usage of those spell slots. Additionally, you'll be able to automatically upcast Hex as a third level spell at 5th level, allowing you to maintain concentration on it for up to 8 hours.
EB will likely be your bread and butter and strengthening it will help you tremendously. Staying at range will help you avoid attacks and maintain concentration.
While Arms of Hadar will guarantee at least 1d6 damage on a target and can hit several enemies, stacking Hex onto EB will be able to potentially overcome that damage within a few rounds and can even allow you an opportunity to escape from grapples by cursing the targets strength checks. An enemy with a hexed strength will make grapple checks with disadvantage meaning that they'll be less likely to successfully grapple an ally or more likely to be grappled by an ally (though you may want to hit dexterity instead for dexterous enemies).
Add in the social utility angle Bhuraelea mentioned and you've got a solid spell choice.
The social use of hex depends very much on the campaign setting / DM. Unless you have taken some levels of sorcerer for subtle casting
If you go into a store and cast a spell on the owner they might throw you out immediately. The spell requires vs&m components are you able to cast it within 90 feet of the guards without them noticing?. If you have just reduced a hexed character to 0hp you can transfer the hex without casting the spell but there is no indication how obvious this is. The spell does not say whether the target is aware of being hexed and if I remember their is contradictory sage advice on creatures are aware of spells cast on them.
The social use of hex depends very much on the campaign setting / DM. Unless you have taken some levels of sorcerer for subtle casting
If you go into a store and cast a spell on the owner they might throw you out immediately. The spell requires vs&m components are you able to cast it within 90 feet of the guards without them noticing?. If you have just reduced a hexed character to 0hp you can transfer the hex without casting the spell but there is no indication how obvious this is. The spell does not say whether the target is aware of being hexed and if I remember their is contradictory sage advice on creatures are aware of spells cast on them.
Don‘t cast it face to face, but your partner can interact with the NPC while you hide behind a shelf or in a crowd.
The optimal choice for a Warlock is always to build around Eldritch Blast, Agonizing Blast, and Hex. But if you want to do something else with your Warlock, like be a melee character that doesn't cast Eldritch Blast, then Arms of Hadar is a great damaging AOE which scales well with Pact Slots as they increase in level. Proficiency in Strength saving throws is not common.
...But as a GOO Warlock, I doubt you're building for melee. Take Hex.
After some thought, I think I'm going with Arms of Hadar. It may seem like a bad choice for a non-melee character, but it can be beneficial if you end up getting surrounded without allies nearby to protect you and provides some melee range options, which non-hexblade warlocks have so few of. As for the social benefits that Hex offers, I can always just pick the Sign of Ill Omen invocation later.
On the plus side, once you let go of the need to cast/move Hex every round with your Bonus Action.... Telekinetic becomes a much more attractive feat, and might feel pretty thematic for you as a GOO, and it becomes less crucial that you pump your Constitution, take Resilient (Con), Warcaster, or the Eldritch Mind invocation to keep Concentration up on that Hex! Don't feel constrained to follow the beaten Warlock path, do what sounds fun to you!
I've finally made a decision, I'm just going to take both and get rid of Dissonant Whispers. The extra 1d6 of necrotic damage that Hex deals would give Arms of Hadar the same amount of damage as Dissonant Whispers and also makes it more effective against opponents with high strength scores by giving them disadvantage on strength saving throws. Also, Hex would give my Eldritch Blast an extra 1d6 of necrotic damage too.
I've finally made a decision, I'm just going to take both and get rid of Dissonant Whispers. The extra 1d6 of necrotic damage that Hex deals would give Arms of Hadar the same amount of damage as Dissonant Whispers and also makes it more effective against opponents with high strength scores by giving them disadvantage on strength saving throws. Also, Hex would give my Eldritch Blast an extra 1d6 of necrotic damage too.
Arms of Hadar doesn't receive a damage boost from Hex since it forces a save instead of being an attack. Hex also doesn't affect saves, just ability checks. Your DM might let that through, but it's not RAW.
The optimal choice for a Warlock is always to build around Eldritch Blast, Agonizing Blast, and Hex. But if you want to do something else with your Warlock, like be a melee character that doesn't cast Eldritch Blast, then Arms of Hadar is a great damaging AOE which scales well with Pact Slots as they increase in level. Proficiency in Strength saving throws is not common.
...But as a GOO Warlock, I doubt you're building for melee. Take Hex.
I personally think that you should give your characters at least one melee ability regardless of whether or not they're suited for melee combat because odds are you're going to have to engage in melee combat at least once in your campaign, and if you do manage to go an entire campaign without having to fight at melee range, just having it in your spells known list doesn't cost you anything. After all, it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
The optimal choice for a Warlock is always to build around Eldritch Blast, Agonizing Blast, and Hex. But if you want to do something else with your Warlock, like be a melee character that doesn't cast Eldritch Blast, then Arms of Hadar is a great damaging AOE which scales well with Pact Slots as they increase in level. Proficiency in Strength saving throws is not common.
...But as a GOO Warlock, I doubt you're building for melee. Take Hex.
I personally think that you should give your characters at least one melee ability regardless of whether or not they're suited for melee combat because odds are you're going to have to engage in melee combat at least once in your campaign, and if you do manage to go an entire campaign without having to fight at melee range, just having it in your spells known list doesn't cost you anything. After all, it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
That's why almost every time I play a spellcaster I take Shocking Grasp... a nice simple melee attack that also lets you get out of melee range of an enemy without needing to disengage.
When in melee range as a spell caster you can use a spell that requires a save throw rtather than an attack roll.
Shocking grasp is great when you need it but a low level wizard only has 3 cantrips known if you have one for your standard (ranged) attack and shocking grasp you only have one left for utility (light, minor illusion, mage hand etc) so it is a hard choice what to take.
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I'm making a Great Old One warlock character and can't decide between Arms of Hadar or Hex for one of my level 1 spells. Hex provides an extra 1d6 of damage as a bonus action, but only if you manage to hit it with another spell first while Arms of Hadar deals 2d6 of damage and seems like a decent way to deal with multiple enemies at melee range, but could also possibly harm allies that are within its range. Which should I pick? Also, the reason I don't pick both is that I already picked Dissonant Whispers as my other level 1 spell.
Hex, because it can also be used in a social encounter to curse the NPCs skill checks.
Curse a trader to fail his insight check when you try to swindle him. Curse the guards perception when you try to sneak past him. Curse someones strength during an arm wrestling contest...
Attack: [roll]3d20dl2+6[/roll] Damage: [roll](if([roll:-1:critical], =0, 1d8, 2{1d8}.expand()))+4[/roll] Sneakattack: [roll](if([roll:-2:critical], =0, 2d6, 2{2d6}.expand()))[/roll]Hex lasts for an hour at first level and adds 1d6 necrotic to every hit you land, when the opponent dies you can move the hex to another target as a bonus action. Arms of Hadar is a single attack, that hits everyone within 10 feet of you - friends as well as foes. It also requires them to fail a saving throw or they just take half damage.
If your plan is to jump into the middle of large groups of enemies, on your own, with no back up from your team and burn through all your spell slots in 2 turns then sure, go with Arms of Hadar. If you would rather use your spell slots wisely, do consistent bonus damage every hit for an hour, not wander off and get surrounded and be in a group of adventurers that don't hate you - best bet is Hex.
Arms of Hadar has a very specific use, to allow movement without drawing OAs. Sure, it deals damage as well and is an AOE, but it makes a good "Get out of jail free" option and is better on a melee character that might get surrounded by enemies and need an exit strategy. I'm guessing that your GOOlock isn't going to be a melee character.
I've actually taken this on my Hexadin, but it wasn't my first choice. Originally, I was going to take Shield and Armor of Agathys because they fit my character concept of a mobile Ancients Paladin Tank that wasn't likely to have help on the front line and had a nature theme, but I didn't want to have to worry about material components. Then I turned to Expeditious Retreat and was unimpressed by the rest of the selection of warlock spells for my theme and settled on Arms of Hadar to use if I needed to come to the rescue of an ally.
I specifically didn't want Hex for this character otherwise it would have been automatic selection. It works great with multiple attacks against a single target, like you'll be able to make with Eldritch Blast starting at 5th level. With Agonizing Blast, an 18 in Charisma, and hex, a 5th level warlock can deal 1d10 +1d6 +4 damage twice in one attack. That's an average of 13 damage per beam and 26 for both attacks. It's 2d10 + 2d6 +4 on a crit, getting that 26 on just one beam. Hex lasts up to an hour, which is 100 rounds, making it an efficent usage of a spell slot. Considering that you'll only have 2 spell slots per long or short rest until 11th level without multiclassing, you'll want some efficient usage of those spell slots. Additionally, you'll be able to automatically upcast Hex as a third level spell at 5th level, allowing you to maintain concentration on it for up to 8 hours.
EB will likely be your bread and butter and strengthening it will help you tremendously. Staying at range will help you avoid attacks and maintain concentration.
While Arms of Hadar will guarantee at least 1d6 damage on a target and can hit several enemies, stacking Hex onto EB will be able to potentially overcome that damage within a few rounds and can even allow you an opportunity to escape from grapples by cursing the targets strength checks. An enemy with a hexed strength will make grapple checks with disadvantage meaning that they'll be less likely to successfully grapple an ally or more likely to be grappled by an ally (though you may want to hit dexterity instead for dexterous enemies).
Add in the social utility angle Bhuraelea mentioned and you've got a solid spell choice.
The social use of hex depends very much on the campaign setting / DM. Unless you have taken some levels of sorcerer for subtle casting
If you go into a store and cast a spell on the owner they might throw you out immediately. The spell requires vs&m components are you able to cast it within 90 feet of the guards without them noticing?. If you have just reduced a hexed character to 0hp you can transfer the hex without casting the spell but there is no indication how obvious this is. The spell does not say whether the target is aware of being hexed and if I remember their is contradictory sage advice on creatures are aware of spells cast on them.
Don‘t cast it face to face, but your partner can interact with the NPC while you hide behind a shelf or in a crowd.
Attack: [roll]3d20dl2+6[/roll] Damage: [roll](if([roll:-1:critical], =0, 1d8, 2{1d8}.expand()))+4[/roll] Sneakattack: [roll](if([roll:-2:critical], =0, 2d6, 2{2d6}.expand()))[/roll]The optimal choice for a Warlock is always to build around Eldritch Blast, Agonizing Blast, and Hex. But if you want to do something else with your Warlock, like be a melee character that doesn't cast Eldritch Blast, then Arms of Hadar is a great damaging AOE which scales well with Pact Slots as they increase in level. Proficiency in Strength saving throws is not common.
...But as a GOO Warlock, I doubt you're building for melee. Take Hex.
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I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
After some thought, I think I'm going with Arms of Hadar. It may seem like a bad choice for a non-melee character, but it can be beneficial if you end up getting surrounded without allies nearby to protect you and provides some melee range options, which non-hexblade warlocks have so few of. As for the social benefits that Hex offers, I can always just pick the Sign of Ill Omen invocation later.
On the plus side, once you let go of the need to cast/move Hex every round with your Bonus Action.... Telekinetic becomes a much more attractive feat, and might feel pretty thematic for you as a GOO, and it becomes less crucial that you pump your Constitution, take Resilient (Con), Warcaster, or the Eldritch Mind invocation to keep Concentration up on that Hex! Don't feel constrained to follow the beaten Warlock path, do what sounds fun to you!
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I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
I've finally made a decision, I'm just going to take both and get rid of Dissonant Whispers. The extra 1d6 of necrotic damage that Hex deals would give Arms of Hadar the same amount of damage as Dissonant Whispers and also makes it more effective against opponents with high strength scores by giving them disadvantage on strength saving throws. Also, Hex would give my Eldritch Blast an extra 1d6 of necrotic damage too.
Arms of Hadar doesn't receive a damage boost from Hex since it forces a save instead of being an attack. Hex also doesn't affect saves, just ability checks. Your DM might let that through, but it's not RAW.
I personally think that you should give your characters at least one melee ability regardless of whether or not they're suited for melee combat because odds are you're going to have to engage in melee combat at least once in your campaign, and if you do manage to go an entire campaign without having to fight at melee range, just having it in your spells known list doesn't cost you anything. After all, it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
That's why almost every time I play a spellcaster I take Shocking Grasp... a nice simple melee attack that also lets you get out of melee range of an enemy without needing to disengage.
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When in melee range as a spell caster you can use a spell that requires a save throw rtather than an attack roll.
Shocking grasp is great when you need it but a low level wizard only has 3 cantrips known if you have one for your standard (ranged) attack and shocking grasp you only have one left for utility (light, minor illusion, mage hand etc) so it is a hard choice what to take.