Hex or Fairy Fire?

[5ekyu]

I fall into the hex is goid for solo and solo foes while fire is better when its mobs.

 

[Ogre Mage]

Do you see yourself more as a striker or a support caster? Hex is the striker choice, while faerie fire is great for support.

In general, I would be tempted to focus on faerie fire at levels 1-4. At level 5 you gain two eldritch blasts per round and and hex gains more value. By level 11 (3 blasts) hex is clearly the better option in my view.

 

[TwoSix]

Remember, as soon as you agonize over a spell choice and pick the spell that requires a save, the enemies will immediately succeed on their next 5-6 saving throws against it, because the universe hates you.

Believe me, I've verified this experimentally.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Of course - but which one should I use? That's the question

I answered that above.

 

[Ancalagon]

I answered that above.

I apologize, I didn't connect the dot and realize you had already answered - and a good answer it was.

 

[FrogReaver]

If you have both faerie fire and hex may I offer this piece of advice. In the early game:

Use hex when it will give you a decent chance of 1 shotting an enemy or when it greatly improves your chance of 1 shotting an enemy.
Use faerie fire if you and your party members already have a very good chance to 1 shot enemies.
Use faerie fire when facing a solo type creature

For example, orcs are great candidates for hex. +1d6 damage should greatly increase the chance you kill them significantly faster.
Heck, hex is likely even better early game on goblins because a hexblade will still likely have a significant chance to not kill them in 1 hit unless he is using a greatsword.

 

[FrogReaver]

Do you see yourself more as a striker or a support caster? Hex is the striker choice, while faerie fire is great for support.

In general, I would be tempted to focus on faerie fire at levels 1-4. At level 5 you gain two eldritch blasts per round and and hex gains more value. By level 11 (3 blasts) hex is clearly the better option in my view.

This advice hurts. Faerie fire improves more than hex does at level 5+ even if you gain multiple attacks. Why? Because all your allies are gaining multiple attacks too and more damage on such attacks, the spell itself is harder to save against, enemies are more likely to live a few turns longer, etc. The only situation that is not true is if said allies already have a relatively easy way of gaining advantage.

***Note: all advise does somewhat depend on other party members. Their abilities and their tendancies.

 

[Ogre Mage]

This advice hurts. Faerie fire improves more than hex does at level 5+ even if you gain multiple attacks. Why? Because all your allies are gaining multiple attacks too and more damage on such attacks, the spell itself is harder to save against, enemies are more likely to live a few turns longer, etc. The only situation that is not true is if said allies already have a relatively easy way of gaining advantage.

***Note: all advise does somewhat depend on other party members. Their abilities and their tendancies.

My warlock and light domain cleric found faerie fire to be mostly a waste at higher levels. It uses up your main action which you would rather be using to cast spells which are going to seriously disable or even outright kill enemies (banishment, etc.). And at high level many monsters are smart enough to target you once they get lit up. Faerie fire does not scale when cast with higher level slots.

Hex is only a bonus action and there is no save. It is a much more reliable ability later on, as enemies with magic resistance, legendary saves, etc. start to become more common. It can be cast for a longer duration with higher level slots.