Half that Warlock Baseline is below the baseline."Behind the curve" is not the same as "incompetent" and if that Paladin really wants "power" she should put all her ASIs into Charisma, because spells and abilities beat weapons in 5E all day long.
There is a mathmatical standard out there about the "baseline" damage being a Warlock who starts with a 16 Charisma and Hex and takes ASIs at 4th and 8th level. That is considered the "normal" or average damage for a damage dealer. The 14 fighter you mention can easily do half of that baseline all day long and that is without even trying to optimize. If you optimize that fighter who starts with a 14 strength and dexterity will equal or beat that baseline.
Optimizing both Str based Melee and Dex based Range at the same time take so many class resources that you wont finish until late Tier3 an not be able to take flavor picks.
Yes,competent as a defender or blocker. Your damage will suck if you don't take damage feats or focus on ASI on a starting 14.No you don't, at least not if the DM follows the guidelines for difficulty.
5E is extremely forgiving and because of that a comparitavely low roll character is mathematically still competent.
Not true and I routinely play martials at high level that never get beyond a 16 in their attack stat, including several 20th level games. As a matter of fact I personally usually do not making my attack stat higher than a 16 at all on a martial, I am usually boosting a spell casting stat first, or taking feats that give me spells.
Sure. With feats and fighting style.
My point is you can't do 2 types of fighting at once unless they use the same score or same feats or are a ranger.
PHB pg 70. WellRounded Specialists The fighter wasdesigned as a specialist. Barbarian, paladin, and monk too. Only the ranger and roguecan afford to be versatile.
That was a mistake.
This is completely false in 5E. It may have been true in other versions, but it is no longer the case.
Still the case. There is still an accuracy curve. A very forgiving one but it is still there. There are many ways to keep on curve or pass it but the game expectsan offensive character to move on it with starting stats, ASI, feats, magic items, or boons.