D&D 5E Is Hex actually that great?

[Staffan]

Is expending such a high level slot viable for extra damage per hit? Rather than just a higher level spell that deals direct damage? Shatter spell comes to mind.
Pure damage without the messy need to maintain Concentration.

Here's the thing: a warlock, as you say, have fairly limited spell slots. That means that they're going to spend a lot of time in combat using eldritch blast, preferably with the Agonizing Blast invocation. Hex makes that at least 30% better (based on comparing 1d10+5 to 1d10+5+1d6 - at lower Charisma values, the value of hex goes up).

A shatter cast at 3rd level deals 4d8 damage, or an average of 18. A 5th level warlock casting a hex-enhanced eldritch blast deals 2x 1d10+1d6+4 (I'm assuming Cha 18+ and agonizing blast at this point), or 26 points (spread across two attacks that usually have about a 2-in-3 chance to hit). That's fairly even, but then the hexer does the same thing again next round, and the one after that, without spending more spell slots.

Hex isn't the super-best spell ever, but it certainly pulls its weight.

 

[Weathercock]

Who are you casting it on? You need a target. And you can't pick a new target until the first one is reduced to 0 hit points, so your fellow PCs are... sub-optimal choices. This trick doesn't work unless your DM allows "bag-of-rats" shenanigans.

...and why wouldn't they? You can even get plenty thematic with it. My last Warlock PC carried around a cage filled with fireflies. Beginning of the day, hex a firefly, crush it, boom, problem solved. Functioned as a tiny lantern in a pinch, too (not that a warlock would need it).

 

[Marandahir]

So, Hex is a big part of the En5ider Pact Boon option, Pact of the Evil Eye.

Is Hex good enough (alongside a few boosting features and a relevant new Invocation or two) to warrant not having Chains, Tome, or Blade, or would you say just get Hex as as spell, instead? Trying to decide if I should allow that Pact Boon option in my game.

 

[Mirtek]

...and why wouldn't they?

mostly since that trick is on most DM's black list since 3rd edition

 

[Z. H. Darkstar]

The devs have tweeted before that no bag of rats is necessary.

 

[Mirtek]

The devs have tweeted before that no bag of rats is necessary.

to pre-cast? How would that work?

 

[Z. H. Darkstar]

to pre-cast? How would that work?

No, I meant to maintain Hex during its duration.

 

[Weathercock]

mostly since that trick is on most DM's black list since 3rd edition

Thankfully, this isn't 3rd edition. If a player can fluff it in a way that fits with their character, there's no reason not to go along with it.

 

[Mirtek]

Thankfully that argument was already shot down by most DMs in 3rd and 4th edition and with most s won't win an extra spellslot either

 

[mellored]

It's defiantly a good spell. But it's not the one and only.

Specifically, it's good against single targets.