Xeviat
Hero
Hi everyone! You probably all have noticed that I'm a rules nitpicker, and I believe in the possibility of balanced options.
I've disliked the Bladelock since day 1. I think the Hexblade is a poor patch for the issue. Today, I noticed someone point out "Just be a tomelock and take shillelagh, booming blade, and/or greenflame blade". So I ran the numbers. If their secondary effect hits, boomingblade and greenflame blade keep up with the damage of eldritch blast (with agonizing blast) perfectly.
The bladelock only keeps up with eldritch blast damage if they take 2 invocations (thirsting blade, lifedrinker) and use a greatsword and max Str. If they max Dex and use a rapier, they are behind by a little. You spend 1 extra invocation to lose range and have to focus on a subpar ability for the warlock to keep up damage with Eldritch Blast. But what do you gain? The ability to stack it with a magic weapon (there are magic wands/pack blades to give to-hit/damage bonuses to Eldritch Blast)? Better Opportunity Attacks without taking warcaster?
I'm really not sure what the base advantages are for blade pact once the melee cantrips were added. Were the melee cantrips bad? They did boost mid level Eldritch Knight damage.
My Fix is simple. Throw out thirsting blade and lifedrinker (eldritch smite and improved pact weapon from XGTE are cooler anyway). Instead of your pact weapon taking the stats of a weapon, you can use your eldritch blast in melee, and it takes the form of a weapon. It deals 1d12+Dex damage.
Basically, Pact of the Blade gives a +1 damage bonus per tier over Eldritch Blast but makes it melee. A pact of the blade warlock could forgo taking agonizing blast if they want. A few extra invocations could be made to add other effects to the pact weapon, like the invocations that add effects to Eldritch Blast (like one to attack everyone around you, or ones like booming blade/greenflame blade).
Thoughts?
I've disliked the Bladelock since day 1. I think the Hexblade is a poor patch for the issue. Today, I noticed someone point out "Just be a tomelock and take shillelagh, booming blade, and/or greenflame blade". So I ran the numbers. If their secondary effect hits, boomingblade and greenflame blade keep up with the damage of eldritch blast (with agonizing blast) perfectly.
The bladelock only keeps up with eldritch blast damage if they take 2 invocations (thirsting blade, lifedrinker) and use a greatsword and max Str. If they max Dex and use a rapier, they are behind by a little. You spend 1 extra invocation to lose range and have to focus on a subpar ability for the warlock to keep up damage with Eldritch Blast. But what do you gain? The ability to stack it with a magic weapon (there are magic wands/pack blades to give to-hit/damage bonuses to Eldritch Blast)? Better Opportunity Attacks without taking warcaster?
I'm really not sure what the base advantages are for blade pact once the melee cantrips were added. Were the melee cantrips bad? They did boost mid level Eldritch Knight damage.
My Fix is simple. Throw out thirsting blade and lifedrinker (eldritch smite and improved pact weapon from XGTE are cooler anyway). Instead of your pact weapon taking the stats of a weapon, you can use your eldritch blast in melee, and it takes the form of a weapon. It deals 1d12+Dex damage.
Basically, Pact of the Blade gives a +1 damage bonus per tier over Eldritch Blast but makes it melee. A pact of the blade warlock could forgo taking agonizing blast if they want. A few extra invocations could be made to add other effects to the pact weapon, like the invocations that add effects to Eldritch Blast (like one to attack everyone around you, or ones like booming blade/greenflame blade).
Thoughts?