Replacement for Hexblade's Specter

[Aaroneous]

I'm playing as a Hexblade Warlock in a Tomb of Annihilation campaign, and I want to know if there's a reasonable replacement for my level 6 ability. I'm not a fan of the ability as I don't like keeping track of extra (spiritual) bodies on the field or outside of it, and my DM has said that he's perfectly fine with me taking a replacement. I don't have a lot of active experience playing 5e, so I thought I'd ask for suggestions about what would be a balanced and fun option. I already suggested taking a feat, which he'd be fine with. Alternatively, I was thinking about grabbing a couple of invocations (since most of them seem weaker than a feat). Our paladin player just dropped out of the campaign entirely, so I could also just request their Aura of Protection, which *definitely* wouldn't be too strong on an already powerful chassis.

[Yakk]

I'd say a non-combat feature; Hexblade is already an overly combat centric subclass.

Interrogate souls of creatures you kill?

Ask the blade a question in exchange for blood?

[GentlemanVoodoo]

A simplistic fix would be to use the unearth arcana write up of the hexblade. You get a shadow doggo that basically helps you find things better. No stats or anything to keep up with.

If not then agreed on some non combat ability. Since the paladin is gone you could just petition for lay on hands which is very useful in ToA.

[moonfly7]

Maybe grab some kind of healing every time you kill something? Kind of like the fiend warlock but since it's a level 6 ability have it be either actual health or just more temp HP. Keeps the soul control spirituals jumbo, without the control. Or maybe you can do something similare to a whispers bard and keep there souls for interrogation.

[Yakk]

Defensive group utility:

* When you kill an ensouled creature which has at least 1 HP with your weapon, you and all allies you can see within 20' gain 1d8+charisma temporary HP. While you have this temporary HP, as a reaction you can sacrifice it to gain advantage on a saving throw or ability check, but your allies cannot.

To me, that is still a bit too combat-centric, even if it isn't damage.

[Aaroneous]

These are all excellent suggestions. Thank you so much!

[Contrast]

If you don't want to get too homebrewy about it you could simply yoink the 6th level feature of another warlock subclass.

The Great Old One feature seems like it would be thematically appropriate for Hexblade.

[da newt]

I was gonna say the same, but Contrast beat me to it, so I'll second and add any of the 6th lvl features would be handy and shouldn't be unbalanced.

But if balance isn't a concern, a feat, two invocations, or the pali aura would be even more.