Quote Originally Posted by H_H_F_F View Post
Hexblades can't get a break. In 3.5, they have a solid (IMO) thematic componnent, but utterly botched mechanics. In 5E, it's the other way around.
They were ok in 4e, for all that they were only around for a brief time at the end. I know a lot of 5e players skipped 4e, and fair enough, but it did some things well (much more intuitive combat encounter design, 'elite' and 'solo' monsters were useful concepts that probably should have stayed around). 4e's hexblades were effectively their own class - only using warlock for a few of their powers, and effectively had unique versions of the warlock patrons as their own subclasses, each with a unique fancy summoned hexblade weapon.

That informs my own preferred hexblade/bladlock fix: remove them from warlock altogether. Make them their own half-pact-caster class, related to but independent from warlock the same way paladins are to clerics or rangers to druids.

Then warlock can be focused more on caster/blaster elements - including giving them eldritch blast as a class feature rather than a cantrip, which then lets you give each warlock patron their own unique twist on eldritch blast.

Hexblade gets to be its own class, with hit dice and equipment proficiencies appropriate for a melee class from level one without accidentally giving those things to casty/blasty warlocks, who should have to invest some resources - whether spell slots or feats - on defense, like wizards and sorcerers are expected to do. Hexblade also gets to have their own version of the full range of warlock patrons, but with subclass features also tuned for a melee weapon using class, and you don't have to worry about a melee class getting full leveled spell access since they'll be on a half caster progression like paladins and rangers.


But this adds an extra base class to the game, and WotC doesn't seem to want to do that, so... *shrug*.