D&D 5E Eldritch blast and hex as class features?

[doctorhook]

Let's talk hypothetically: why shouldn't every warlock automatically get eldritch blast and hex? (Those are a cantrip and a 1st-level spell respectively, and both unique to the warlock spell list.) Eldritch blast was the defining feature of the 3.5E warlock, and a default class feature for all warlocks in 4E. Hex comes from one of the class features of the 3.5E hexblade ("hexblade's curse"), which the warlock killed and looted for 4E; the 4E warlock had "warlock's curse" as its central class feature. My point is that eldritch blasts and hexes/curses were class features (rather than optional spells) right up until 5E. Why the change? And should other classes be able to learn these powers as spells?

I'm considering giving both of these for free to one of my players who's creating a 1st-level warlock. I can't think of a reason why I shouldn't. Shouldn't I?

 

[PnPgamer]

I guess it wouldnt break anything,its just that warlocks spells are practically its class features. Nobody else (by default) gets hex, eldritch blast, armor of agathys or arms of hadar.

 

[Paraxis]

Blade pact warlocks might not pick up eldritch blast.

As spells it allows for characters of other classes to use feats like magic initiate and spell sniper to get them.

As an ability Hex would not be a a concentration spell, freeing up the warlock to have another buff spell going and wouldn't lose concentration when taking damage.

I am sure there are other reasons they made them spells I am not thinking of.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

I give em, and also add the pact spells to spells known, not just the warlock spells. The warlock in our group still doesn't outperform the rest of the group. IMO, eldritch blast or pact blade w multiple attacks baked in should have been inherent class features (to prevent them being poached easily)

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

How about "because the player wants something else instead"?

There's a monk/warlock in one campaign I'm in, right now, who uses Warlock mainly for Devil's Sight and Mage Hand. He's really not a blast-em kind of guy. If you gave Hex/EB to everyone (and presumably reduced the number of cantrips/spells known by 1 to compensate) he would be sad.

If you're saying to add these things as a free class feature, my only question would be, "Why?" Are you just doing it because you like the Warlock and want it to be more awesome? If so, sure. It's not fundamentally different from me using spell points in my game because I like spellcasters and want them to be awesome, and using feats in my game because I like fighters and want them to be awesome (Sharpshooter, etc.). If everyone in your game starts wanting to be warlocks, then you might have to scale back, but there's no way to know unless you try it. To quote Steve Brust:

All literature consists of whatever the writer thinks is cool. The reader will like the book to the degree that he agrees with the writer about what's cool. And that works all the way from the external trappings to the level of metaphor, subtext, and the way one uses words. In other words, I happen not to think that full-plate armor and great big honking greatswords are cool. I don't like 'em. I like cloaks and rapiers. So I write stories with a lot of cloaks and rapiers in 'em, 'cause that's cool. Guys who like military hardware, who think advanced military hardware is cool, are not gonna jump all over my books, because they have other ideas about what's cool.

This applies to D&D. If your players have the same sense of cool that you do, you can pretty much do whatever you want to the game and it will be fun. You can give fighters 1 attack per 4 levels and it will be cool (if you think it's cool). You can double the amount of healing from Cure Wounds and it will be cool (if it's cool to you). You can give warlocks a couple of extra spells known and it will be cool.

HTH.

 

[Falling Icicle]

I don't have a problem with those spells being options. Not every warlock wants to be combat-focused. The issue I have is that warlocks only get 2-4 cantrips, and they have a very small list to choose from. I find that odd since that they are more dependent on their at-will abilities than any other spellcasting class. The Pact of the Tome gives them more, but not every warlock takes that. Those that don't are left with an uncomfortably small number of options.

 

[Shadowdweller00]

Hex is a good spell, but at levels 1-10 casting it means giving up HALF of your spell slots for every short rest. I can definitely see wanting to focus on more utilitarian abilities. I can't really think of a good reason not to take Eldritch Blast given the damage and other buffs that warlocks can (eventually) stack onto it and given the otherwise very limited number of spell slots. But again, EB does lack some of the special effects other attack cantrips inflict.

 

[Li Shenron]

I didn't know that in 5e Eldritch Blast is not a default anymore, but in that case I think it's a good move.

Just like Wizards, Sorcerers and Bards choose all their spells, I think it's better if Warlocks also do, and for what matters I also think it would be even better if Clerics, Druids, Rangers and Paladins as well did not automatically know all spells from their list but instead had to pick their wanted ones.

In my opinion, the less specific abilities are fixed, the better, because it gives more width and flexibility to the class, so that 2 members of the same class are less likely to have the same exact abilities. I prefer the bigger picture to be what defines a class, so the spellcasting capabilities and mechanics together with the general themes of the spell list. Similarly, I like that Fighters/Battlemasters choose their maneuvers or Rogues choose their skills and expertise, and I would even prefer if e.g. Druids would choose their wildshape forms (they only choose the flavor right now).

It doesn't cause any problem however, if you grant Eldritch Blast for free, or the other way around if you require all Warlocks to spend a cantrip to learn Eldritch Blast. It's got to do with what is your favourite twist on the overall Warlock concept... my preference is very rarely (if ever) for specific powers to define a class, and more especially for the Warlock I never liked the implied ranged combat capability, but if that's ok for you then go for it.

 

[Cernor]

Just like Wizards, Sorcerers and Bards choose all their spells, I think it's better if Warlocks also do, and for what matters I also think it would be even better if Clerics, Druids, Rangers and Paladins as well did not automatically know all spells from their list but instead had to pick their wanted ones.

How familiar are you with 5e? Rangers choose which spells they know from their class list and can only switch out spells they know when they level up... And druids, clerics, and paladins still have a limit on how many spells they can prepare (spellcasting mod +caster level) from their list per day. Although they can swap out their spells daily, it makes it so that they don't have to "waste" a known spell learning Raise Dead/Reincarnate (and other highly situational spells). Being able to change their prepared spells so drastically (having purely utility spells prepared while traveling, or purely AoE if they're fighting an army, and so on) is a way to balance the cleric and druid with the wizard and sorcerer: their blasting power is far lower, but they make up for it by having more versatility.

 

[DEFCON 1]

For an individual table, I also do not believe giving any Warlock player Eldritch Blast and Hex for free as class features rather than spells will cause any undue issues. It just means that player will get an extra cantrip and an extra 1st level spell... and those are not really significant advantages. If a normal spellcaster can get an extra cantrip just by taking High Elf, your Warlock player getting an extra one will not cause any real problems.

In truth, I have also considered making Hex *and* Hunter's Mark either class features or at the very least spells that do not require concentration. Mainly because I think having both require it puts the melee-based Blade pact Warlock and two-weapon fighting Ranger at a significant disadvantage, because they will be making a disproportional number of concentration checks due to receiving damage than their ranged attack brethren tend to do.