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

[FormerlyHemlock]

You jest, but I turn this around and ask you: does this player know how powerful the EB+AB+Hex combo is??? If he's not aware of what he's missing, then he's making an uninformed choice, and that's not a real choice. If he DOES know, and he prefers to do other stuff: More power to him. I make suboptimal choices all the time, because it sounds more fun, or because it fits my character concept, but I like to know I'm doing it. I don't like the game system tricking me with what looks like a cool option (pact blade! yeah!) that turns out to be... mediocre at best.

I honestly don't know. I do know that at our very first 5E session together, the DM had everyone roll up an 8th level character, and I pointed out Agonizing Blast to him as super nifty... but he was like, "Meh," and went for Devil's Sight + Eldritch Sight instead. He spent his first combat casting Darkness on a Peryton and then jumping on its back to grapple, and overall it seems clear that he's not the kind of guy who finds DPR cool. But I don't know if he specifically knows the DPR potential of Agonizing Eldritch Blast + Hex.

But subtle combos like the warlock's triple threat are either overpowered (and should be fixed) or they are the expected norm (and should just be given out for free). At the very worst, the Quick Start advice should specifically say, "pick eldritch blast and hex, and plan to take Agonizing Blast at level 2, because they are super awesome, and only skip them if you really really know what you are doing."

I agree with this. The Quick Start advice in the PHB says to take Witch Bolt and Ray of Sickness, which is terrible advice. Hex should definitely be part of the Quick Start build so that it doesn't get overlooked. Eldritch Blast already is.

 

[77IM]

I feel like the warlock should have a class feature at level 1,

Agonizing Blast. You know the eldritch blast cantrip as one of your warlock cantrips; it is included in your number of cantrips known. When you hit with eldritch blast, add your Charisma modifier to the damage.​

...or something like that. This would a) keep EB a cantrip, using all the spell rules it does now, and b) prompt players to look at this a little more closely and consider whether it's something they actually want to do.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

I feel like the warlock should have a class feature at level 1,

Agonizing Blast. You know the eldritch blast cantrip as one of your warlock cantrips; it is included in your number of cantrips known. When you hit with eldritch blast, add your Charisma modifier to the damage.​

...or something like that. This would a) keep EB a cantrip, using all the spell rules it does now, and b) prompt players to look at this a little more closely and consider whether it's something they actually want to do.

Yikes! That lets anyone steal the Warlock's best feature for the cost of only one level, whereas today it takes two levels (and therefore eventually costs you a feat). I prefer the status quo.

 

[Mouseferatu]

How is it a trap? Anyone picking cantrips is going to read the cantrips they're considering. They'll see what EB does. They'll see there are invocations based on it. Anyone who actually reads the class and options before choosing has all the info they need to make the decision. Anyone who doesn't is clearly okay with making uninformed choices.

The game shouldn't have hidden "traps," I agree. But I don't consider this one. It is not the game's responsibility to point out all the best options; merely to make that info available.

And I would find the warlock a much less interesting class if they automatically got those spells. Are they primary? Usually no-brainers? Sure. But there are reasonable, non-nerfed warlock builds that don't use them. Players should have that option without simply deciding not to use a class feature.