Why the hate on hexblade?

[Sorinth]

The issue, from my point of view, is that Hexblade isn't actually a melee focused archetype. It's the best one, that's for sure, but all of it's features (minus hex warrior without improved pact weapon) also work with ranged or spells. They're great abilities for a spellcaster, you're not required to be melee and don't lose much by choosing not to use a weapon at all.

I am off the opinion that most if not all of the features should have a clause relying on weilding the weapon you have bonded with hex warrior. The only downside to this that I can think of off the top of my head is that it hurts shield wielding Hexblade who can't take feats.

The issue here is twofold.

First off, as mentioned by many, Hexblade isn't just the melee archetype. It is the "most powerful warlock" archetype, being better than almost any other archetype at far more than just melee combat.

Secondly, in other classes where a caster gets a melee archetype, the subclass makes them halfway competent in melee so that they don't feel like they have to run away. They get defensive buffs and an extra attack, but rarely any powerful offensive features. Quite simply, those subclasses don't let them go toe to toe with a Fighter or Barbarian as a melee combatant. Which is good, because they are still a primary caster. Hexblade does. That's the issue.

Hexblade works as a non melee, but it's not the most powerful non-melee Warlock. I'd take pretty much ever other Patron except Fiend over Hexblade if I planned on being at the back blasting things with EB.

Hexblade going melee is no where close to the Fighter or Barbarian.