Hexblaster

[kbob]

So I’m playing a half drow Hexblade. I just hit level 3 and I’m considering a switch in what my initial plans were. I was going to go the standard polearm build but I read somewhere that Hexblades, though not intended to be, had the best Eldritch Blast builds. We play campaign but pick up (have a lot of players that play when they can). We always seem to have plenty of melee builds (usually a paladin and a fighter). With the house rules we have, I cannot multiclass but all forgotten realms compatible, official WotC books are available to use. So my questions: Is it true that Hexblades make better blasters and, if so, what is the optimal way to go about it?

[solidork]

It's mostly just that having Medium Armor + Shields is good even on a ranged character, plus the fact that Hexblade's Curse scales well with the multiple attacks you get from EB.

There isn't really much more to the build than taking Agonizing Blast and maybe some other EB focused invocations instead of the melee focused ones.

[Vogie]

So I’m playing a half drow Hexblade. I just hit level 3 and I’m considering a switch in what my initial plans were. I was going to go the standard polearm build but I read somewhere that Hexblades, though not intended to be, had the best Eldritch Blast builds. We play campaign but pick up (have a lot of players that play when they can). We always seem to have plenty of melee builds (usually a paladin and a fighter). With the house rules we have, I cannot multiclass but all forgotten realms compatible, official WotC books are available to use. So my questions: Is it true that Hexblades make better blasters and, if so, what is the optimal way to go about it?

They make great blasters because the Curse and Hex work equally well with both EB and Sir Stabbington III (your polearm). You get 2 rays from EB at 5, without picking up Thirsting Blade invocation... You will need agonizing blast for charisma scaling of EB instead.

Other things you may want to think about picking up:

Spell Sniper - Get another cantrip, increase the range of EB without spending an Evocation.
Crossbow Expert - just for the "Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls". They've said they worded it that way specifically to allow you to blast in melee range. Only pick it up if you need it, such as if you're
War Caster - While advantage on Constitution saving throws and "somatic components while wielding weapons" are both cool, make sure you talk to the DM before you grab this, because the connection between The "Cantrip of Opportunity" feature of this feat is hotly debated. Some say you can use EB with it, others say you can't. Sometimes you can use it, as long as all beams target the same creature; others say you can only use a single ray. If you like it and want it anyway, since you're in the Forgotten realm, rocking a Whip or any type of other weapon with something like Booming Blade (from Sword Coast Adventurers' guide) will allow you to use it while not giving your DM a rules headache.
Rod of the Pact Keeper - It's just really powerful, and the warlock caster version of the perfect magic weapon.

[Zaltman]

It also frees you to chose Tome or Chain for ultimate versatility. Tome + Spell Sniper Feat = 7 cantrips at level 4. Make one Tome cantrip Primal Savagery and you never have to worry about having a hand free for casting, within 5 feet you still have a strong attack (especially above 5th) and it can't be taken away from you. Plus, you can still use your Hexblade ability to use any non-two handed magic weapon you find.

[Daithi]

They do make great blasters, but I normally multiclass with Sorcerer to double the number of bolts fired by EB. Without that sorcerer multiclass, I don't know if it actually would be better than a melee hexblade.

If you're playing a hexblaster you wants feats and invocations that allow you to attack at a distance (Spell Sniper and Eldritch Spear -- mobility (boots of speed) is also good so that you can get into distance range quickly. Tabaxis make decent hexblasters, although I prefer warforged. The use of darkness at a distance is also really useful because you get the advantage of shooting from darkness where villains can't see you but you you can see them (i.e. at advantage), and you're not engulfing your own party in darkness.

Melee hexblades are spending their feats and invocations on Great Weapon Master, Polearm Master, and Thirsting Blade. So basically two completely different builds. The hexblaster is cool when you can get out to range and blast away with lots of EB bolts. I just don't know if you would have enough of those EB bolts without the sorcerer multiclass.

[Mortis_Elrod]

Depending on your level you can easily do both. No reason not to if you have enough invocations. Pick up agonizing blast, Improved pact weapon and Thirsting blade, and you have everything you need for blast and martial build. You could even use a bow if you wanted. you can have this all at 5th level.

at 7th you could grab smite, or a hex based invocation, or a blast invocation. Or something fun/utility.

Edit: neither of these builds require feats, but some feats are a great help. War Caster is probably the one that works with both, and spell sniper works with BB/GFB if you want a reach weapon (as well as just working with EB).

[Corran]

Is it true that Hexblades make better blasters and, if so, what is the optimal way to go about it?
I prefer fiend and goo as patrons for a warlock that spams EB's.
That's because aside for hex, they also get access to the spells wall of fire and evard's black tentacles respectively, which play well with repelling blast EB's.