Warpiglet
Adventurer
I'm just going to disagree. You're making a huge assumption about design intent with zero evidence, and then stating it as a fact. And you assumption contradicts what limited empirical information we do have, i.e. EB just does work a lot better than not EB and the original warlock was built around EB spam.
I am not sure what it was built around but EB does make things easier. I plan to take it with blade pact without invocations.
If you take great weapon master and blade pact and armor up, you do lots of damage relatively. I guess at level 12 you would be 2-12 twice, probably with lifedrinker and thirsting blade. There is always a possibility for a third attack with great weapon master as well as occasional +10 damage with big swings or advantage and hopefully magic weapons.
Granted you would have three EB at that time, but each would do less damage that the above scenario.
I do think EB is optional if you are in a lot of combat without being protected (e.g. small party) and you take the alternate blade pact. Without another means of damage and defense, it would make no sense to NOT take EB. However, I think there are a couple of viable paths.
You could also be way suboptimal and do some other things with Tome as others have mentioned.
Or the same person could take EB with crossbow expert for up closeness. There are options...either would work.
Since this thread was primarily aimed at viability of blade pacts, I will say I do think you can go blade pact without EB. I do not, but you could. Your ranged options would not be choice of course.
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