I am a L8 celestial Warlock. I am focusing on spells that have area control effects that require concentration. Flaming Sphere, Fly, Banishment, Hypnotic Pattern, and polymorph all come to mind.
I use agonizing blast mainly for damage but I like holding my slots and concentration for spells that can have a more significant impact. Realistically I am L8 and have never actually cast hex. I took it at L1 because that's what Warlocks due. I guess I feel like I am past the majority of its usefulness.
Especially as a Warlock, your spell slots are only ever 1 level, which gets progressively higher. At level 8, your spell slots are far above the usefulness of casting hex to make it last longer. You should definitely try to get higher-level spells, which are proportionately better than casting lower-level spells using higher slots, especially if all casting it at a higher level does is make it last longer.
I'm at the point where I don't pick up Hex for the majority of my Warlocks. It can be useful if you mainly want damage or use other shenanigans with it. Concentration is however a big cost to pay in 5e and even the begrudgingly small spell list for Warlocks has better spells to concentrate on. My Controllock? Lots of Control Spells. Illusionlock? Illusions, duh. My Hexblade might use some combat buffs, but usually prefers Advantage over 1d6. Besides, Hex is taking a spell slot away from Smiting. Tentaclelock? Lots of battle control going on. Although he's still lvl 6 and therefore might make use of it, in a few levels he will drop it for other control spells.
Out of all my Warlocks the only one who use Hex on a regular basis are the ones who go for EB damage or have Scorching Ray. They tried to make Hex scale well. But it still sucks at later levels.
I’ve played a few warlocks and I think I’ve taken Hex once. It’s a great spell, but there are other great spells too and you don’t have the ability to learn that many spells.
Don’t worry about not knowing Hex. Lots of warlocks don’t.
It's not heresy at all. I like too keep hex around, but I always MC my warlocks to get a few levels of <other spell caster> to have some low level spell slots to play with. I'm currently playing a bardlock, and I don't use hex all that much any more, even when I am not holding something in conc. I still use it sometimes, but if I am thinking I need my conc for something else, hex has to give way to a more useful spell.
Only when I am sitting around in what I think will be a long, but easy fight do I throw out hex. Usually, I prefer to burn my low level slots on things like dissonant whispers and try to get the barbarogue some free sneak attacks on an OA, or let the pally get some smites in on OA.
Dropping it is certainly not heresy, there's often much better things to use your precious concentration on.
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As a counterargument to the chorus of people saying "drop it", I'll throw out something that doesn't seem to have been considered but has helped me in a number of critical combats. I've resisted replacing Hex not for the extra d6 of damage but for the debuff that gives disadvantage on ability checks. At low levels, the extra damage from Hex is really nice and is enough to support devoting your concentration on it (outside of particular situations where something like Hold Person might be more tactically beneficial). As you get into higher tiers of a campaign, you'll find yourself fighting more creatures with legendary resistances and high skill/save modifiers. In those cases, any control spell that requires concentration is almost definitely going to get resisted. Therefore, to impose control over the enemy, you'll probably need to do it the old fashioned way with a strongboy (or stronggirl) using a grappling attack.
Hexing a creature's strength or agility (depending on which seems higher) doesn't allow for them to make a save against it and it gives them disadvantage against resisting and breaking the grapple. At that point, they can be shoved prone and your melee party members can dogpile on. Sure, you won't have a clear shot to capitalize on the bonus damage, but it's a great opportunity to potentially turn the tide of a fight.
Hex drops off in utility at higher levels if you aren't focusing purely on spamming eldritch blast, or going pact of the blade/PAM. Especially when there are more things to do with your bonus action and spell slots.
Plus, I personally hate blowing a precious lvl 5 spellslot on a spell that doesn't scale.
You have a limited spell list so I can get dropping it. That being said, if you have room for it I think its worth it. Basically I consider it a free spell at higher levels. You are 8th level, in one level it lasts all day. When you wake up, cast it, squash a bug, short rest and start your day. If you have to drop it for a concentration spell round 1 of your first encounter its no big loss. But maybe the first two encounters don't call for a concentration spell, and hey free extra damage. ,
If your DM is cool with the critter killing tactic that MyDudeicus mentions then I think it has a strong case to stay. Otherwise, by this level I'd definitely drop it. You have a clear tactical outlook in mind and I'd deep dive into it. It isn't like battlefield control are among the strongest effects in the game or anything. You'll be just fine for sure.
For shits and giggles, I rolled up and outfitted a 20th level hexblade warlock. I rolled everything, and didn't cheat!
The real challenge was deciding spells and invocations. And much to my surprise (my highest level warlock thus far is 6th level), I didn't take hex. Despite the debuff and all day duration, there were two many other spells and features that would inflict far more damage (and some were concentration spells, so hex would've been cancelled anyway).
So: no, it's not heresy. It's your character. Pick the spells, invocations, and gear that matches your vision for the character. That's what makes the game fun to play.
Hex is what you use for when you need to be effective across more than 2 initiative rolls.
At level 5 and up your concentration on hex lasts through a short rest, this means that you can have hex up AND refresh you spell slots.
If you group takes a short rest every 2 initiative rolls and your DM imposes no cost to this, sure get rid of hex. If you are ever going to dungeon crawl where you can't just rest when ever you want, and are going to be getting into lots of smaller encounters back to back to back, then hex is going to be the most effective use of your spell slot.
(I highly recommend taking the fey touched feat if possible to get a free cast of hex)
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I am a L8 celestial Warlock. I am focusing on spells that have area control effects that require concentration. Flaming Sphere, Fly, Banishment, Hypnotic Pattern, and polymorph all come to mind.
I use agonizing blast mainly for damage but I like holding my slots and concentration for spells that can have a more significant impact. Realistically I am L8 and have never actually cast hex. I took it at L1 because that's what Warlocks due. I guess I feel like I am past the majority of its usefulness.
Short answer: no, you're right.
Especially as a Warlock, your spell slots are only ever 1 level, which gets progressively higher. At level 8, your spell slots are far above the usefulness of casting hex to make it last longer. You should definitely try to get higher-level spells, which are proportionately better than casting lower-level spells using higher slots, especially if all casting it at a higher level does is make it last longer.
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I'm at the point where I don't pick up Hex for the majority of my Warlocks. It can be useful if you mainly want damage or use other shenanigans with it. Concentration is however a big cost to pay in 5e and even the begrudgingly small spell list for Warlocks has better spells to concentrate on.
My Controllock? Lots of Control Spells.
Illusionlock? Illusions, duh.
My Hexblade might use some combat buffs, but usually prefers Advantage over 1d6. Besides, Hex is taking a spell slot away from Smiting.
Tentaclelock? Lots of battle control going on. Although he's still lvl 6 and therefore might make use of it, in a few levels he will drop it for other control spells.
Out of all my Warlocks the only one who use Hex on a regular basis are the ones who go for EB damage or have Scorching Ray.
They tried to make Hex scale well. But it still sucks at later levels.
I’ve played a few warlocks and I think I’ve taken Hex once. It’s a great spell, but there are other great spells too and you don’t have the ability to learn that many spells.
Don’t worry about not knowing Hex. Lots of warlocks don’t.
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It's not heresy at all. I like too keep hex around, but I always MC my warlocks to get a few levels of <other spell caster> to have some low level spell slots to play with. I'm currently playing a bardlock, and I don't use hex all that much any more, even when I am not holding something in conc. I still use it sometimes, but if I am thinking I need my conc for something else, hex has to give way to a more useful spell.
Only when I am sitting around in what I think will be a long, but easy fight do I throw out hex. Usually, I prefer to burn my low level slots on things like dissonant whispers and try to get the barbarogue some free sneak attacks on an OA, or let the pally get some smites in on OA.
Dropping it is certainly not heresy, there's often much better things to use your precious concentration on.
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.
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As a counterargument to the chorus of people saying "drop it", I'll throw out something that doesn't seem to have been considered but has helped me in a number of critical combats. I've resisted replacing Hex not for the extra d6 of damage but for the debuff that gives disadvantage on ability checks. At low levels, the extra damage from Hex is really nice and is enough to support devoting your concentration on it (outside of particular situations where something like Hold Person might be more tactically beneficial). As you get into higher tiers of a campaign, you'll find yourself fighting more creatures with legendary resistances and high skill/save modifiers. In those cases, any control spell that requires concentration is almost definitely going to get resisted. Therefore, to impose control over the enemy, you'll probably need to do it the old fashioned way with a strongboy (or stronggirl) using a grappling attack.
Hexing a creature's strength or agility (depending on which seems higher) doesn't allow for them to make a save against it and it gives them disadvantage against resisting and breaking the grapple. At that point, they can be shoved prone and your melee party members can dogpile on. Sure, you won't have a clear shot to capitalize on the bonus damage, but it's a great opportunity to potentially turn the tide of a fight.
Hex drops off in utility at higher levels if you aren't focusing purely on spamming eldritch blast, or going pact of the blade/PAM. Especially when there are more things to do with your bonus action and spell slots.
Plus, I personally hate blowing a precious lvl 5 spellslot on a spell that doesn't scale.
You have a limited spell list so I can get dropping it. That being said, if you have room for it I think its worth it. Basically I consider it a free spell at higher levels. You are 8th level, in one level it lasts all day. When you wake up, cast it, squash a bug, short rest and start your day. If you have to drop it for a concentration spell round 1 of your first encounter its no big loss. But maybe the first two encounters don't call for a concentration spell, and hey free extra damage. ,
Frankly, if you're not committing heresy while playing a warlock, you're doing it wrong.
Seriously, though, I'm playing a warlock who's 9th level now and has never had Hex or Eldritch Blast.
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I am fey touched so grabbed Hex that way. But if you have only two slots and are high enough level its probably not your best move.
If your DM is cool with the critter killing tactic that MyDudeicus mentions then I think it has a strong case to stay. Otherwise, by this level I'd definitely drop it. You have a clear tactical outlook in mind and I'd deep dive into it. It isn't like battlefield control are among the strongest effects in the game or anything. You'll be just fine for sure.
For shits and giggles, I rolled up and outfitted a 20th level hexblade warlock. I rolled everything, and didn't cheat!
The real challenge was deciding spells and invocations. And much to my surprise (my highest level warlock thus far is 6th level), I didn't take hex. Despite the debuff and all day duration, there were two many other spells and features that would inflict far more damage (and some were concentration spells, so hex would've been cancelled anyway).
So: no, it's not heresy. It's your character. Pick the spells, invocations, and gear that matches your vision for the character. That's what makes the game fun to play.
Depends on your DM
Hex is what you use for when you need to be effective across more than 2 initiative rolls.
At level 5 and up your concentration on hex lasts through a short rest, this means that you can have hex up AND refresh you spell slots.
If you group takes a short rest every 2 initiative rolls and your DM imposes no cost to this, sure get rid of hex.
If you are ever going to dungeon crawl where you can't just rest when ever you want, and are going to be getting into lots of smaller encounters back to back to back, then hex is going to be the most effective use of your spell slot.
(I highly recommend taking the fey touched feat if possible to get a free cast of hex)