Warlock with No Hex?

[Callin]

So I am rolling up a Warlock for a Curse of Strahd game coming up and I didnt want to go with the Hex Spell. With the new UA out I was going with a refluffed Raven Queen for Spiritual Weapon as my new Go To along with EB and Agonizing Blast. Still not using a Concentration Spell so what would yall suggest to take the Slot? Or not depend on it and save it for something interesting? I am not a big fan of the Raven Queen Invocations and I am not sure of the Pact I want. Tome seems to be the best bet since I already have a Familiar and not going Melee.

Only Certain Races are allowed so I went with Halfling giving me an 18 Charisma, 16 Dex, 13 Constitution.

[Dalebert]

Hex is great and maybe even too good to the point of being kind of a wrench in the works of a bunch of cool warlock invocations, e.g. Silent Image at will, Detect Magic at will, Levitate at will. Those invocations help make up for their lack of spell slots. But Hex tends to hog your concentration slot if you're trying to use it efficiently by taking advantage of the lengthening duration.

If you don't take it at all, that temptation will be gone and maybe you can actually enjoy some of these fun invocations.

[Sigreid]

Hex is nice, but I don't consider it a must have if you'd rather do something else with your concentration.

[Toadkiller]

Exactly. Played a big standard time fiend warlock. He frequently found other combat uses for his concentration slot than hex. It adds damage - that's it. Sometimes other tactics work better.

[Contrast]

If you don't have a decent con score then hex can be less awesome than it appears as you won't be able to hold onto concentration for it. Its still good but if you're happy to give up the extra damage potential then I wouldn't worry too much. You'll still be doing pretty competetive damage (depending on your party make up you may even still be doing the most damage).

[Garresh]

Hex is good if you're going for maximum sustained damage, and only if you're using eldritch blast. It requires concentration, and can break easily. Especially since you're going to have only 2 spell slots. I've been playing a bladelock for the last few months, and I haven't used hex once. It's simply fighting for too many other things, especially for me as a frontliner. But even at ranged, I find it to be overrated. A ranger who loses hunters mark has like 6 more by level 5. Your spell slots are in short supply, and need to be used for high impact spells.

If you want to use your concentration for something, I like Misty Visions because it's an illusion at will. Even if you don't get creative, you can make images of an opaque fog cloud or a darkness effect centered on your allies. Since they're not directly interacting with it, you effectively grant any ally within the illusion advantage on all attack rolls, because the enemy cannot see them. Frankly, that's better than Hex 90% of the time, and doesn't use a slot.

Other important options are things like Suggestion for social situations, or Faerie Fire which is always fantastic. Darkness with Devil's Sight is great. Point is, hex is great for MULTICLASS builds that get extra spell slots. For pure warlocks, it's inferior.

[Dr. Cliché]

Shame you don't want hex, as it would be even better with Spiritual Weapon.

[Dalebert]

Brief sidetrack, but I often don't even bother with Eldritch blast until tier 2. You're often better off using a crossbow.

[Joe the Rat]

I've found Hex to be a strategy blinder. With 2 slots per short rest, until medium levels you will be using 1/fight to cast Hex, with a fair chance of having to recast after that if you can't get yourself hid. And now all you want are attack rolls so you can apply Hex, and save that other slot for the next fight.
Agonizing blast turns you into a charisma-based heavy crossbow - that's going to be good enough for a start. Do consider adding Hex to your toolbox at 5. Check disadvantage can be a powerful social tool.

My 7th level still Hexless player makes liberal use of 3-man Invisibility, and Hunger of Hadar for area control. And Banishment. I hate that spell.

[Demonslayer666]

My warlock started with Hex, but I have only used it once (he's up to 9th now).

I haven't found it to be a very useful spell since it hogs up a slot, and it doesn't mix well with the other concentration spots. I've found other concentration spells more useful.

I'd say you can easily get away with not having it.

[jaappleton]

Hex is good. It's fine. I honestly find it a bit of a trap. You don't get Con save proficiency, so if you get hit, especially at early levels, it's a quick way to waste a spell slot. Of which you only get 2 for half of your adventuring career.

So no, I typically don't take Hex. I find its often not worth it. I'd rather use a slot to blow enemies up quickly with Fireball. I want to kill things NOW, not four rounds from now.

[Hathorym]

I never make a warlock with Hex. It's not worth the resource investment in my opinion.