Looking for help on Warlock Hexblade Eldritch Blaster?

[Maso420024]

We are running a very combat heavy campaign, focusing a lot on tactical combat. There are some out of combat stuff id like to do. Like be the party face since I'm running such a high charisma. But in the last two sessions two of my characters died so I would like to switch it up to something else. I've had this Warlock on the back burner so I wanted to see what people could do with it. my DM allows for Minmaxing, in fact he encourages it.


We use the optional flanking rule in the DMG so maybe a build using the PAM (Polearm Master) + Elven Accuracy? But I wanted a more backline type character. But wouldn't say no to more options if you guys wanna cook something up.

Currently the character looks like this:

Race: Half Elf (Might switch to Half Elf Drow Ancestry from SCAG for Darkness and Fairyfire 1/day)
Stats: Standard point buy. 27.
Class: Warlock (1) - (Though, if needed. I could ask to switch the class starting off to a Sorc to get the Con save. But if I can avoid that. It would be best)


Here is a breakdown of the numbers I currently have.

Stats: 8, 16, 14, 12, 10, 16 (These could be tweeked seeing as I can run medium armor but sneak is usually good in our campaigns)
AC: 17 (Took a longsword + Shield just in case I need to be in melee)


Now. I was thinking to make it a better EBer, I could take Warlock(2) Shadow Sorcerer (18) or something? I don't know. Even running a full Warlock wouldn't be bad but I don't think it's super optimal. But any help would be more than appreciated!

[Gardakan]

It depends what you plan to do with the character.

I tend to like Actor as a feat if you want to play the face of the party. (First feat that rewards RP a lot).

In term of combats, consider the Divine Soul from sorcerers. You can get a lot of key spells from both spell list, a key reroll (2d4) to enhance a roll.

You can go a long way at being a combat controller that weaves in the Eldritch blast to do damage from a distance. Going full damage isn't the key this edition, you have to be survivable and versatile in order to survive combat-heavy campaign. Full Warlock could do well.

[BobZan]

For EB u could start as Sorc, then get 2 Hexblade levels, and go full Sorcerer.

Shadow and Divine Soul are the better choices.

Half elf stats
Stats:
8 14 16 8 12 17 - if you're going for Eleven Accuracy
10 14 16 8 12 16 - otherwise.

As a Hexblade you don't need 16 DEX.

Since you're going EB, you won't need War Caster that much. You can wield Shield and have a Free Hand.

[Maso420024]

It depends what you plan to do with the character.

I tend to like Actor as a feat if you want to play the face of the party. (First feat that rewards RP a lot).

In term of combats, consider the Divine Soul from sorcerers. You can get a lot of key spells from both spell list, a key reroll (2d4) to enhance a roll.

You can go a long way at being a combat controller that weaves in the Eldritch blast to do damage from a distance. Going full damage isn't the key this edition, you have to be survivable and versatile in order to survive combat-heavy campaign. Full Warlock could do well.



Actor? That sounds really interesting. I'll have to look into it. Divine Soul fits thematically as well so that could play well into it. Would I still go (2) Warlock? I love, absolutely love the battlefield controller archetype of characters. I normally play Wizards and Bards. So it's something I do very well to begin with.

[Maso420024]

For EB u could start as Sorc, then get 2 Hexblade levels, and go full Sorcerer.

Shadow and Divine Soul are the better choices.

Half elf stats
Stats:
8 14 16 8 12 17 - if you're going for Eleven Accuracy
10 14 16 8 12 16 - otherwise.

As a Hexblade you don't need 16 DEX.

Since you're going EB, you won't need War Caster that much. You can wield Shield and have a Free Hand.



Would Eleven Accuracy be important given that I'm not going melee so getting advantage would be more difficult? Wait. I just thought of something. If I go Shadow Sorcerer, I can cast Darkness with 2 points to see through it. Giving myself use of Elven Accuracy. Very interesting. Good find!

Also good tips on dropping Dex down. I could just keep my longsword on my side, using a free action to pull it if I need to. Good solid advice. Thanks!

[Mortis_Elrod]

I’d probably go 8/12 split for the invocations. Maybe even 10/10 since I don’t need that many asis.

If I’m gonna make an eldritch blaster, then I want ALL of the EB invocations so I can push and pull and slow anything in view. I wish kiss of Mephistopheles made it into Xans because that would be very fun to use.

[Mortis_Elrod]

Would Eleven Accuracy be important given that I'm not going melee so getting advantage would be more difficult? Wait. I just thought of something. If I go Shadow Sorcerer, I can cast Darkness with 2 points to see through it. Giving myself use of Elven Accuracy. Very interesting. Good find!

Also good tips on dropping Dex down. I could just keep my longsword on my side, using a free action to pull it if I need to. Good solid advice. Thanks!

You’re a hexblade you would just use Cha for the long sword anyway.

[trctelles]

You could also start at lvl 1 as Fighter to get
Fighting Style - Great Weapon Fighter
CON save to help out with keeping concentration
Action Surge at lvl 2
Heavy Armor (Need to get 13 STR tho)


Depending on your DM interpretation of the feat Warcaster, you can use Eldritch Blast with the OA provided by Polearm Master. If he doesn't understand it that way, you can still use it to use Booming Blade (And since you're doing it from Reach, they have to proc it if they want to get to you) and advantage on concentration saves.

Also, I think Hexblade works best in melee range, going in and out and abusing Darkness/Shadows of Moil. You could also go for a Crossbow/Longbow Hexblade if you want to be more of a backline, and be able to Eldrith Smite at lvl 5 from range, knocking people prone 100% in a safe distance.

For stats, I would go for 14 DEX and 16 CON, regardless of Elven Accuracy or not. Yes, I know DEX is the most common bla bla bla bla bla, I GET IT. But, if you go with medium armor, the max you can get from armor is +2 from DEX. With 16 CON you have better HP pool and better concentration save (AGAIN, this is very important. You have very few uses of spell slots per fight, and if you do lose concentration, it's BAD)

Anyway, dump STR, you can use your DEX for most of the cases you would use STR. INT is not much better, but I would personally go 10 INT / 8 STR, since you can use INT for other stuff like Religion checks, or Investigation

[Ganymede]

I read the thread title and immediately thought, "You really shouldn't need any help here."

[Maso420024]

You’re a hexblade you would just use Cha for the long sword anyway.



That's true. I was just gonna use light armor since I had such a high dex. But I'm prolly gonna use medium armor with the +2 now since it's about the same.

[MrBig]

If your campaign is using flanking rules, advantage is going to be a *lot* more common - both ways (PCs AND monsters).

This means that fights are likely to be shorter, and more deadly.

Eleven Accuracy is going to be more useful. Even as a primarily ranged caster, you will still be in melee range sometimes.

And, you could take Crossbow Expert to allow melee-range blasting.

Hexblade is a good choice because it allows you to get better armor, which will help your survivability when you have monsters flanking you.

Think about getting some good defensive spells to either get you out of melee range or help you survive longer.

What Pact are you going? Chain Pact synergizes very well with a Devil’s Sight / Darkness, especially for a ranged caster.

The imp Familiar has Devil’s Sight too, so you can cast Darkness on the imp, and have a telepathically-controlled Darkness drone that you can put anywhere on the battlefield.

[Dr. Cliché]

See, the thing that I like about Eldritch Blast is that you really don't need much investment to be good in it. Basically, you need:
- Eldritch Blast
- Agonising Blast
- Hex (though I wouldn't use this all the time)

You could take other stuff like Repelling Blast, Grasp of Hadar or Lance of Lethargy. However, I really don't think they're necessary. Indeed, I'd be far more tempted to just take the above and then use your 'spare' invocations to flesh out other aspects of your character.