Help Multiclassing Warlock/Paladin

[GraakosGraakos]

I think this is my first post. I've played since I was about 15, through 3.5 and 4th edition. When 5th got teased, I knew it was going to be pretty much exactly what I wanted in an RPG edition. I've been reading pretty much every guide I can get my hands on, and DMing the HotDQ adventure (with some choice fixes that I've found around the web and come up with myself).

But anyway, I'm making my first PC of the edition, and I've been thinking that Warlock/(dex)Paladin seems like a really flavorful multi. Flavor-wise I'd be a fey-blade-lock that moves into Oath of the Ancients, serving some Faen lord (probably Oberon or the Leansidhe, holla all my Dresden boys). I was wondering if this would be mechanically sound, although the two do look complementary on paper. Has anyone tried this combination? How effective was it, and what advice do you offer for playing it? I'm also confused about how their spellcasting stacks, and was wondering if someone else with more grasp of the system could help me out.

Thanks for the replies!

[Jurai]

If you have DMG, take Oathbreaker Paladin for Charisma to Damage (again, since you are taking Life Drinker. No exceptions, no refunds, no excuses.). If you only have PHB, take Devotion Paladin for Charisma to Attack Rolls and Damage (Because you are taking Life Drinker.) My preferred Weapon-lock is actually Fighter 7 with Eldritch Knight archetype and Warlock 13 with Great Old One Patron, Blade Pact, and Eldritch Blast. I use him as a magic wielding musketeer, using Eldritch Blast instead of muskets. Dexterity seems to be unimpressive on a Paladin, since you want that Full Plate. Base of 18 AC, ham straight, and that's before Shield.

Warlock Spellcasting adds its slots to the Paladin's array of slots. A Paladin 11/Warlock 9 has 4 1st level slots, 3 2nd level and third level slots, as well as 3 Warlock cantrips, and two Fifth level spell slots, and you may use either classes' spell slots to cast either classes' spells.

[DOGBOGGLER]

Keep in mind that if you take paladin first you get the heavy armor proficiency, but if you take warlock first you only get the medium armor proficiency when you multiclass to paladin (you could burn a feat on this, but what a waste). I don't know how much sense being a devoted religious zealot of some god and then making a faustian pact with some minor fay/devil makes from a roleplaying perspective, but you can find a way to make it work with your DM. And if you cant, hey, Oathbreaker is a really awesome paladin subclass anyway.

[Madfellow]

How effective was it, and what advice do you offer for playing it? I'm also confused about how their spellcasting stacks, and was wondering if someone else with more grasp of the system could help me out.

You track their spells known and spell slots separately, but you can use Paladin slots to cast Warlock spells and Warlock slots to cast Paladin spells. It's pretty sweet. :smallcool: If you're going Dex-based, I don't think armor should be a huge issue, but do remember that Thirsting Blade won't stack with Extra Attack. I would suggest taking 5 levels of Warlock (for Thirsting Blade) before switching to Paladin, and then 4 levels of Paladin before switching back to Warlock.

[Xetheral]

You track their spells known and spell slots separately, but you can use Paladin slots to cast Warlock spells and Warlock slots to cast Paladin spells.

Has the question on whether such a character can fuel Smite with warlock slots ever been resolved? Normally multiclass spellcasters are fine, because all slots become Paladin slots, but Warlocks work differently.

[DOGBOGGLER]

Has the question on whether such a character can fuel Smite with warlock slots ever been resolved? Normally multiclass spellcasters are fine, because all slots become Paladin slots, but Warlocks work differently.

I had to look it up, but p 164 says that if the muticlass spellcaster table gives you higher level slots and you want to cast a lower level spell you have to expend the higher slot, so I guess you are stuck expending the paladin spells at your warlock spell slot level.

EDIT: And if I would have read slightly further on the page to where PACT MAGIC is written in big bold letters I would have read something that definitively states this. You can use it at your warlock's spell slot level.

[Eslin]

Has the question on whether such a character can fuel Smite with warlock slots ever been resolved? Normally multiclass spellcasters are fine, because all slots become Paladin slots, but Warlocks work differently.

If you're the kind of person who cares, there was a designer tweet saying they should be interchangable for smiting.

[Person_Man]

FYI, multi-classing is a bit more difficult to pull off well in 5E then it was in 3.X/PF. Extra Attack/Thirsting Blade don't stack, progression for spells known doesn't stack, Pact Magic progression doesn't stack with anything, etc.

In particular, its worth noting that Paladins rely on their Smite class ability + access to their Smite spells (which can be used together) to get the highest burst damage output and best secondary effect (from their Smite spells). So Paladin multi-classes ok with full casters (especially Bard) but not so great with non-full casters.

Warlock is a bit more friendly, and is a popular 2 or 3 level dip for several reasons.

Paladin/Warlock work ok together, particularly at mid levels. But the higher you go, the more you'd probably just want to go just Warlock, just Paladin, or Paladin/Bard, so that you're not screwing yourself out of access to your highest level spells/abilities.

[odigity]

The second char I designed was a Paladin/Warlock combo (except Ancients/Fiend instead of Ancients/Fey). I'm at Paladin 4 now, and I'm thinking of just sticking with Paladin all the way instead.

But my original plan was Paladin 13 / Warlock 7, which would give you 4th lvl spells in both classes -- and you could use your Warlock slots to cast your Paladin spells, saving them for Smite.

The alternatives (IMO) are Warlock 2 to just get Eldtrich Blast for a good ranged attack (less important for a Dex-based Paladin) or Warlock 3 if you like the Blade Pact flavor (not very strong mechanically).