I think it's decently safe to assume getting two fights out of a hex/hunter's mark. If you hold concentration. And if the DM is nice enough to space out encounters to your convenience. Neither is ever a guarantee.
So optimally, yeah, considering your average 3-5 round affair, you're looking at 6d6 - 10d6 for a spell slot. But a LOT has to go right for you to get those kinds of numbers.
The Arcane Trickster already has great uses for its bonus action. You'll be moving that spell around a lot, and that means no cunning action and no steady aim.
Hex and Hunter's Mark are both fine on an AT. I'm not going to sit here and try to deny the usefulness of damage. But I think the AT is already great on damage thanks to booming blade sneak attacks (which heavily incentivize constant use of cunning action), and are better served diversifying their kit with spells that do a little reality bending instead. Considering the AT doesn't get as much out of Hex/HM as an extra attack class, and has a lot of competing interests when it comes to trickery, I fall firmly on the trickery side.
When deciding whether to burn your Fey-Touched spelll selection on Hex or Hunter's Mark, the thing to keep in mind isn't total damage calculations, but whether or not your character can make effective use of those spell's non-damaging effects. Hunter's Mark allows you to more easily track a target, useful both when hunting animals in the woods or chasing dangerous humanoid enemies in the urban sprawl or the depths of a dungeon. Hex allows you to muck with ability checks, which a sufficiently clever Trickster can find ways to make useful.
Leaning into those aspects of the spell is what should be weighing on your mind when considering Hex or Hunter's Mark, not damage. There are better ways for Tricksters to deal damage, but certain Tricksters may benefit enough from the nondamage portions of Hex or Hunter's Mark for the spell to still be worthwhile.
If you're a grappler/knock down kind of character - any fighting class - then Hex is the bomb-diggity. Those work off opposed STR checks, and Hex is a really big advantage on those.
For stealthy, I'd go Hex as well. Stealth is opposed by Perception checks, and there's nothing I see about Hex alerting anyone to being hexed if you're transferring it.
Hex/HM are terrible for an AT. Not only because you don’t have extra attack, but because both conflict directly with Cunning Action.
As Yurei mentioned, Command would be overall a better pick. But Bless is a fantastic spell for you and your party. Even after level 7 when you get Shadow Blade, you’ll still find good opportunities to leverage Bless.
I'm surprised no one has mentioned silvery barbs...I'm running an AT now and took fey touched at lvl 4 as well (we had already been to the fey wilds so it also made sense thematically). I took silvery barbs as my lvl 1 spell for that feat...cause an enemy to reroll any successful attack, save, or ability check? Yes please!
casting time: "1 reaction, which you take when a creature you can see within 60 feet of yourself succeeds on an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw"
As it's written, you may take this reaction once they've already succeeded...meaning it can never be wasted...there is of course the chance that they succeed on their reroll...but hey, still not wasted as you may then choose an ally (yourself included) and give them advantage on a save, check, or attack. Not to mention it's a level one spell that you "learn," so the first cast is free and you may then subsequently cast it any number of times you have available spell slots for.
Hell, it even works out of combat in RP scenarios...and relatively discreetly to boot, as it's only casting component is verbal!
Yes it competes with your reaction for things like uncanny dodge...but hey, you're not always going to need your reaction every round and there may very well come a time when it can easily be justified trading dodge for a round to keep your party paladin standing. Just saying ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Gift of Alacrity - always nice to go first, long-lasting buff that doesn't require concentration, and you can't pick it up any other way.
i took Gift of Alacrity as my FT spell - it's a nice fit because it's debatable as a good use of a spell slot but awesome as a thing you can just do once per day.
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I think it's decently safe to assume getting two fights out of a hex/hunter's mark. If you hold concentration. And if the DM is nice enough to space out encounters to your convenience. Neither is ever a guarantee.
So optimally, yeah, considering your average 3-5 round affair, you're looking at 6d6 - 10d6 for a spell slot. But a LOT has to go right for you to get those kinds of numbers.
The Arcane Trickster already has great uses for its bonus action. You'll be moving that spell around a lot, and that means no cunning action and no steady aim.
Hex and Hunter's Mark are both fine on an AT. I'm not going to sit here and try to deny the usefulness of damage. But I think the AT is already great on damage thanks to booming blade sneak attacks (which heavily incentivize constant use of cunning action), and are better served diversifying their kit with spells that do a little reality bending instead. Considering the AT doesn't get as much out of Hex/HM as an extra attack class, and has a lot of competing interests when it comes to trickery, I fall firmly on the trickery side.
When deciding whether to burn your Fey-Touched spelll selection on Hex or Hunter's Mark, the thing to keep in mind isn't total damage calculations, but whether or not your character can make effective use of those spell's non-damaging effects. Hunter's Mark allows you to more easily track a target, useful both when hunting animals in the woods or chasing dangerous humanoid enemies in the urban sprawl or the depths of a dungeon. Hex allows you to muck with ability checks, which a sufficiently clever Trickster can find ways to make useful.
Leaning into those aspects of the spell is what should be weighing on your mind when considering Hex or Hunter's Mark, not damage. There are better ways for Tricksters to deal damage, but certain Tricksters may benefit enough from the nondamage portions of Hex or Hunter's Mark for the spell to still be worthwhile.
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If you're a grappler/knock down kind of character - any fighting class - then Hex is the bomb-diggity. Those work off opposed STR checks, and Hex is a really big advantage on those.
For stealthy, I'd go Hex as well. Stealth is opposed by Perception checks, and there's nothing I see about Hex alerting anyone to being hexed if you're transferring it.
*takes off blinders*
Those are really good points Yurei and BubbaGrump.
Hex/HM are terrible for an AT. Not only because you don’t have extra attack, but because both conflict directly with Cunning Action.
As Yurei mentioned, Command would be overall a better pick. But Bless is a fantastic spell for you and your party. Even after level 7 when you get Shadow Blade, you’ll still find good opportunities to leverage Bless.
I'm surprised no one has mentioned silvery barbs...I'm running an AT now and took fey touched at lvl 4 as well (we had already been to the fey wilds so it also made sense thematically). I took silvery barbs as my lvl 1 spell for that feat...cause an enemy to reroll any successful attack, save, or ability check? Yes please!
casting time: "1 reaction, which you take when a creature you can see within 60 feet of yourself succeeds on an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw"
As it's written, you may take this reaction once they've already succeeded...meaning it can never be wasted...there is of course the chance that they succeed on their reroll...but hey, still not wasted as you may then choose an ally (yourself included) and give them advantage on a save, check, or attack. Not to mention it's a level one spell that you "learn," so the first cast is free and you may then subsequently cast it any number of times you have available spell slots for.
Hell, it even works out of combat in RP scenarios...and relatively discreetly to boot, as it's only casting component is verbal!
Yes it competes with your reaction for things like uncanny dodge...but hey, you're not always going to need your reaction every round and there may very well come a time when it can easily be justified trading dodge for a round to keep your party paladin standing. Just saying ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
No one mentioned it because it didn't exist at the time of the discussion. It's a strong spell and a good choice for pretty much any build!
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
i took Gift of Alacrity as my FT spell - it's a nice fit because it's debatable as a good use of a spell slot but awesome as a thing you can just do once per day.