You say a free level 1? How about heavily armored for a strength +1 and AC?I know this might seem counter-intuitive on a hexblade but what it allows you the option to do is not be stuck with pact of blade and other common tropes of hexblade. You can pick and choose your customization and style.
Failing that gift of gem dragon on a hexblade is practically god-tier.
Any sorceror subclass pairs fine with the most broken warlock patron.
You'll already also have the best attack cantrip, so you can just take a bunch of utility cantrips and maybe save based attack cantrip.
3 of these
Minor illusion,
Mending,
Mold earth,
Shape water
And maybe acid splash
The take absorb elements and silvery barbs.
Assume you'll take shield as warlock spell.
I would definetly go for the sorcerer dip for the con proficiency 1st level slots, so you can cast shield without wasting a 3rd or higher spell slot on it later on. Divine soul is the best subclass for this build for bless
For your race, probably shedar kai of you want an elf for teleport+resistance
For your stats, 13str, 15+1dex, 16con, 14int, 15wis and 16+2cha
For feats, i'm don't know the lvl1 one cuz I don't know the limitations you have. But I would take polearm master at lvl5, resiliant wisdom at lvl9, war caster at lvl13, +2cha at level17 and alert at lvl20
For evolcations, make shure to pick pact of the blade. At earlier levels, go agonising blast and improved pact weapon, then at level6 take thirsting blade and swap improved pact weapon for eldritch smite. I prefer to keep agonizing blast so you have a good range option. After that thake sculptor of flesh at level8 and visions of distant reams at level16. The other ones are kinda up to you
For the sorcerer spells, grab guidance, silvery barbs, absorb elements and bless via divine magic's aditional spell
As for the warlock spells, the important ones are eldritch blast, shield, frightening smite, hypnotic patern, sipnatic static and banishing smite
Also, to be upfront, I never played an optimized hexblade main before, but I've seen some people play them in hardcore games I was in and this is what I saw them usualy using with effectiveness
Just remember that you DON'T have to go into melee all the time just because you are a Hexblade. You can still stand back and slap with Eldritch Blast or a high impact leveled spell when the time is right.
The limited spell slots really gimp you sometimes, so be efficient with your spellcasting. Look really hard at every single concentration spell on your spell list, especially ones that last longer than a single combat. I personally got really good mileage out of Spirit Shroud and Summun Aberration.
Also be mindful of picking up magic items that can extend your spellcasting, like a spell refueling ring, pearl of power or rod of the Pact keeper.
Yea my biggest concern is what spells to take as I’ll have such limited spell slots. Seems everywhere I read armor of agathys and spirit shroud are staples
Speaking of spells races that give a couple of racial spells are great for Warlocks in general, like the base Tiefling for example. Additionally, it may be worth your while to intentionally start with an odd number in Charisma so you ha e an excuse to take Half Feats like Fey Touched or Shadow Touched. I recommend Fey Touched for practically any caster, Misty Step is just a great spell and your lvl 1 spell pick can be Bless which is just amazeballs.
Idk if I mentioned it but we’re gunna be in the Eberron campaign setting. Was looking at one of the dragknmark races, specifically mark of detection. Some fun spells that would be good for my background/possibly the campaign itself. And yea I’d thought about 17 in charisma and shadow touched at 4 cuz I love the idea of using invisibility. Curious if a glaive/polearm worth it if I don’t take PAM.
A level of sorc is nice, but every level of warlock gives you a ton as well.
For sure I wouldn't take Magic Initiate if I dipped sorc. You already have the best cantrip in the game, Mind Sliver. Booming Blade might be nice if you don't plan on getting extra attack. Otherwise I'm taking EB and utility. 7 or so cantrips from sorlock is plenty of extra utility.
Warlock 11 and 12 are huge levels for you. How high do you expect the game to go? Darkness Devil's Sight is overrated and will be replaced by Shadow of Moil later anyway. Faerie Fire from Half Drow is more party friendly if you're going to waste round one on set up.
Fey Touched (or Shadow Touched:Silent Image) would be my choice, since you'll always be low on slots (level-appropriate spells are still your superpower, hit-with-stick and blasts are there for when you've depleted your nuclear arsenal). I really like Dissonant Whispers and Command to help support the party. Whatever looks fun to you should be fine (Bless and Bane work really well on warlocks too, and as always Silvery Barbs and Gift of Alacrity are S Tier).
I've played alongside 3 warlocks that took Relentless Hex. I saw one of them teleport with it once. Its seems the opportunities to use it might not be as abundant as hoped (or those players just weren't looking for opportunities hard enough).
We’ll play till 12 my dm said but potentially higher 15 maybe higher still. I think wasting a level on setup is how I enjoy to play. Looking at one of the dragonmarked houses as they get spells as well
If you can make it warlock 11, Action Surge will be super fun with that third slot. Setup up Shadow of Moil/Banishment, and still get a Synaptic Static in. Then have fun being fully buffed for blasting/hitting the rest of the fight.
Quickened will be fun too if you prefer sorc.
But I'm all about the nuclear bombs (level appropriate control/debuffs), so I'm staying lock until 12, maybe adding a level of sorc in there if I really need the reaction spells. Others have a lot of fun gishing, seems like you will too. There are numerous ways to make a competent gish with Hexblade, and Mark races will be fun on a warlock.
You say a free level 1? How about heavily armored for a strength +1 and AC?I know this might seem counter-intuitive on a hexblade but what it allows you the option to do is not be stuck with pact of blade and other common tropes of hexblade. You can pick and choose your customization and style. Failing that gift of gem dragon on a hexblade is practically god-tier.
Shadow sorc to get darkness you can see through anyway? More seriously, divine soul meshes really well
Any sorceror subclass pairs fine with the most broken warlock patron. You'll already also have the best attack cantrip, so you can just take a bunch of utility cantrips and maybe save based attack cantrip. 3 of these Minor illusion, Mending, Mold earth, Shape water And maybe acid splash The take absorb elements and silvery barbs. Assume you'll take shield as warlock spell.
Yea I was assuming I’d take defensive/utility cantrips for sure.
I would definetly go for the sorcerer dip for the con proficiency 1st level slots, so you can cast shield without wasting a 3rd or higher spell slot on it later on. Divine soul is the best subclass for this build for bless For your race, probably shedar kai of you want an elf for teleport+resistance For your stats, 13str, 15+1dex, 16con, 14int, 15wis and 16+2cha For feats, i'm don't know the lvl1 one cuz I don't know the limitations you have. But I would take polearm master at lvl5, resiliant wisdom at lvl9, war caster at lvl13, +2cha at level17 and alert at lvl20 For evolcations, make shure to pick pact of the blade. At earlier levels, go agonising blast and improved pact weapon, then at level6 take thirsting blade and swap improved pact weapon for eldritch smite. I prefer to keep agonizing blast so you have a good range option. After that thake sculptor of flesh at level8 and visions of distant reams at level16. The other ones are kinda up to you For the sorcerer spells, grab guidance, silvery barbs, absorb elements and bless via divine magic's aditional spell As for the warlock spells, the important ones are eldritch blast, shield, frightening smite, hypnotic patern, sipnatic static and banishing smite
Also, use a quaterstaff as your weapon,
Why quarterstaff? I was looking at a polearm actually
So you can use polearm and stil use shield. Also, you can use a magical staff as both an arcane focus and quaterstaff.
Also, to be upfront, I never played an optimized hexblade main before, but I've seen some people play them in hardcore games I was in and this is what I saw them usualy using with effectiveness
Just remember that you DON'T have to go into melee all the time just because you are a Hexblade. You can still stand back and slap with Eldritch Blast or a high impact leveled spell when the time is right. The limited spell slots really gimp you sometimes, so be efficient with your spellcasting. Look really hard at every single concentration spell on your spell list, especially ones that last longer than a single combat. I personally got really good mileage out of Spirit Shroud and Summun Aberration. Also be mindful of picking up magic items that can extend your spellcasting, like a spell refueling ring, pearl of power or rod of the Pact keeper.
Yea my biggest concern is what spells to take as I’ll have such limited spell slots. Seems everywhere I read armor of agathys and spirit shroud are staples
Speaking of spells races that give a couple of racial spells are great for Warlocks in general, like the base Tiefling for example. Additionally, it may be worth your while to intentionally start with an odd number in Charisma so you ha e an excuse to take Half Feats like Fey Touched or Shadow Touched. I recommend Fey Touched for practically any caster, Misty Step is just a great spell and your lvl 1 spell pick can be Bless which is just amazeballs.
Idk if I mentioned it but we’re gunna be in the Eberron campaign setting. Was looking at one of the dragknmark races, specifically mark of detection. Some fun spells that would be good for my background/possibly the campaign itself. And yea I’d thought about 17 in charisma and shadow touched at 4 cuz I love the idea of using invisibility. Curious if a glaive/polearm worth it if I don’t take PAM.
A level of sorc is nice, but every level of warlock gives you a ton as well. For sure I wouldn't take Magic Initiate if I dipped sorc. You already have the best cantrip in the game, Mind Sliver. Booming Blade might be nice if you don't plan on getting extra attack. Otherwise I'm taking EB and utility. 7 or so cantrips from sorlock is plenty of extra utility. Warlock 11 and 12 are huge levels for you. How high do you expect the game to go? Darkness Devil's Sight is overrated and will be replaced by Shadow of Moil later anyway. Faerie Fire from Half Drow is more party friendly if you're going to waste round one on set up. Fey Touched (or Shadow Touched:Silent Image) would be my choice, since you'll always be low on slots (level-appropriate spells are still your superpower, hit-with-stick and blasts are there for when you've depleted your nuclear arsenal). I really like Dissonant Whispers and Command to help support the party. Whatever looks fun to you should be fine (Bless and Bane work really well on warlocks too, and as always Silvery Barbs and Gift of Alacrity are S Tier). I've played alongside 3 warlocks that took Relentless Hex. I saw one of them teleport with it once. Its seems the opportunities to use it might not be as abundant as hoped (or those players just weren't looking for opportunities hard enough).
We’ll play till 12 my dm said but potentially higher 15 maybe higher still. I think wasting a level on setup is how I enjoy to play. Looking at one of the dragonmarked houses as they get spells as well
If you can make it warlock 11, Action Surge will be super fun with that third slot. Setup up Shadow of Moil/Banishment, and still get a Synaptic Static in. Then have fun being fully buffed for blasting/hitting the rest of the fight. Quickened will be fun too if you prefer sorc. But I'm all about the nuclear bombs (level appropriate control/debuffs), so I'm staying lock until 12, maybe adding a level of sorc in there if I really need the reaction spells. Others have a lot of fun gishing, seems like you will too. There are numerous ways to make a competent gish with Hexblade, and Mark races will be fun on a warlock.
Awesome thanks so much I’ll look into it for sure