Quote Originally Posted by Chronos View Post
If the party tank is taking fire, they're winning. You're one of the squishies. You don't want to be the one taking fire.
Tanking is contextual, and who is doing what is an important part of this question.

For example, take a barbarian and a warlock. The raging barbarian definitely has more HP than the warlock, but AC won't be all that different and damage will usually be in the barbarian's corner. In this case the barbarian might be the one to draw fire from rather than towards.
Also other casters, summons, spirit guardians, battlefield control spells. A warlock isn't the only party member. Generally a warlock concentating on hex is efficient but low impact, if a smuck runs through a spirt guardians to hit you, they should question every life decision that brought them to this point.

This also touches on positioning, generally enemies won't be just picking targets from a buffet, they will be repositioning, either losing actions to dash, absorbing opportunity attacks, etc. If an enemy is taking this stuff over a hex, you are gaining more than losing.

And the last thing, in any combat that goes pear shaped, pivoting is important, a full health wizard is better a tanking than a fighter that has eaten several rounds of combat and is hitting the single digits HP, take your beats and make your short rest dice actually do something. Hex is a decent spell choice here where health pools are probably getting low to make the d6 worth, and concentration works like a threat tool. Other things can still be better but its something.