Build Advice: Fey Knight

[Vichrae]

Looking for advice/suggestions on the following build:


The Fey Knight
Stepping forth from the misty wood, you behold an imposing figure. Clad in silvery plate armor embossed with swirling leaves and vines in hues of bright emerald and deep moss green, his helm is adorned with a heraldic stag's head, a device that can also be seen upon his shield. With a solemn nod, he draws forth a knurled oaken staff, deeply carved with stylized woodland creatures darting amidst rich foliage, and begins to move forward. As he strides toward you, ethereal mist swirls in eddies about his boots, and you think you hear the faint tinkling of mirthsome laughter somewhere within the ancient forest.

The idea behind this build is a character who extremely tanky (full plate mastery at level 1, defense fighting style, paladin aura of protection, aura of warding) but who can also dish out bursty punishment with short rest smites in melee, and agonizing blasts at range. Out of combat, he would have some reasonable utility depending upon spell selection.


Race:
Human for +1/+1 and a feat.

Background:
Hermit

Stats:
16 STR, 14 CON, 10 DEX, 8 INT, 12 WIS, 16 CHA

Skills:
Athletics, Intimidation, Persuasion, Survival

Armor and Weapon:
Wear full plate, use a shield, longsword, at 4th swap to quarterstaff (one-handed) for use with Shillelagh, effectively becoming SAD (confirmation?).

Feats:
Heavy Armor Master - taken at 1st
Polearm Master - taken at 7th

Level Progression
Paladin 1 – Divine Sense, Lay on Hands, Heavy Armor, Shield, Heavy Armor Mastery Feat
Warlock 1 - Otherworldly Patron (Archfey), Pact Magic
Warlock 2 - Eldritch Invocations - Agonizing Blast, Devil's Sight
Paladin 2 - Fighting Style (defense), Spells, Divine Smite (with slots that now return every short rest)
Warlock 3 - Pact of the Tome - Shillelagh, TBD, TBD
Paladin 3 - Oath of the Ancients, Channel Divinity: Nature's Wrath, Turn the Faithless
Paladin 4 - ASI - Polearm Master Feat
Paladin 5 - Extra Attack
Paladin 6 - Aura of Protection
Paladin 7 - Aura of Warding
Paladin 8 - ASI - CHA +2

Rarely do my campaigns go much beyond 10th, but there are many options after this...Nature Cleric, Bard, continue with Paladin or Warlock.

Spells:
Warlock 0 - Eldritch Blast, Blade Ward, TBD
Warlock 1 - Faerie Fire, Sleep, Hex, TBD, TBD
Warlock 2 - Calm Emotions, Phantasmal Force, TBD
Paladin 1 - Ensnaring Strike, Speak with Animals
Paladin 2 - Moonbeam, Misty Step


Saves:
Wisdom, Charisma


Archetype / Chosen Features:
Archfey Warlock
Oath of the Ancients Paladin

These fit well together thematically and can result in some excellent role-play options IMHO.


Playstyle:
Keep Shillelagh up at all times. Use eldritch blast at range, but primary goal is to get to melee and tank/smite. Open with Blade Ward when possible. Apply Hex as needed. Will have to speak to GM to see if casting Shillelagh on a lance would be justifiable.

[Slipperychicken]

My suggestions:

Cast shillelagh on a quarterstaff instead, then one-hand it while using a shield.
Drop one of the ASIs or the 1st level feat for Polearm Master.


That'll net you an extra attack, plus the AoO against creatures entering your reach.

[Vichrae]

Upon re-reading and re-reading again the rules for multiclassing and spell slots...I'm still confused.

Would a Paladin 2/Warlock 2 have:

2 spell slots that recover after a short rest?

or

4 spell slots:
2 pact slots that recover after a short rest
2 spellcasting slots that recover after a long rest?

If the latter is true, then pact slots could not be used for smite.

[ad_hoc]

Stats:
15 STR, 14 CON, 10 DEX, 8 INT, 12 WIS, 16 CHA

I would go:

16 STR 10 DEX 14 CON 8 INT 10 WIS 16 CHA or
16 STR 8 DEX 14 CON 8 INT 12 WIS 16 CHA

You want to have a 16 STR and a 16 CHA

You could even do this:

16 STR 8 DEX 16 CON 8 INT 8 WIS 16 CHA


Warlock 2 - Eldritch Invocations - Agonizing Blast, Devil's Sight

Agonizing Blast isn't very good for you.

You could take Beguiling Influence freeing up a skill slot (your Hermit background choice doesn't line up with the proficiencies listed for your character btw).

You could also take Mask of Many Faces or Misty Visions both of which complement your character design.

All of these invocations will help you contribute to non-combat encounters.

[Easy_Lee]

Shillelagh works like you think it does, just make sure to keep it up at all times. I agree that, in your case, polearm mastery with a quarterstaff could be a good investment. Careful with that combo though as some DMs aren't going to like it (higher damage and AC than dual wield at all levels).

Starting with 16 STR, if you can, would help you through the early levels. If you start with 16 strength, you may not need agonizing EB, though it certainly doesn't hurt to have the ranged option.

I think that this sounds like an interesting character.

[jkat718]

*spell slot questions*

2 levels of full caster Warlock + 2 levels of half caster Paladin = 3 levels of multiclass caster.

The table "Multiclass Spellcaster: Spell Slots per Spell Level" on p. 164 of the PHB tells me that a 3rd level MC caster should have...

4 first level spell slots and 2 second level spell slots.

All of these spell slots are regained at the end of a short or long rest.

[Easy_Lee]

2 levels of full caster Warlock + 2 levels of half caster Paladin = 3 levels of multiclass caster.

The table "Multiclass Spellcaster: Spell Slots per Spell Level" on p. 164 of the PHB tells me that a 3rd level MC caster should have...

4 first level spell slots and 2 second level spell slots.

All of these spell slots are regained at the end of a short or long rest.

I think that warlock spell slots don't count for the purpose of additional multiclass spell slots. A warlock 2 / paladin 2 should have the exact same spell slots as combining their individual slots, complete with the slots restoring at the same rate as they individually would.

[Silavor]

Page 164 of the PHB makes it very clear that Warlock levels are not added in to the Multiclass Spellcaster total. Pact Magic is considered a separate resource from Spellcasting. So a Paladin 2/Warlock 2 has two 1st level spell slots that recharge on a long rest, and two 1st level spell slots that recharge on a short rest.

I'm not entirely sure if Divine Smite and Pact Magic can interact by RAW though. Divine Smite says "you can expend one paladin spell slot to deal radiant damage," not that you can expend any spell slot. The multiclassing rules state that you can use Pact Magic slots to cast spells you know or have prepared from other Spellcasting classes, but Divine Smite isn't actually casting a spell, it's just burning a spell slot.

[Gnaeus]

Page 164 of the PHB makes it very clear that Warlock levels are not added in to the Multiclass Spellcaster total. Pact Magic is considered a separate resource from Spellcasting. So a Paladin 2/Warlock 2 has two 1st level spell slots that recharge on a long rest, and two 1st level spell slots that recharge on a short rest.

I'm not entirely sure if Divine Smite and Pact Magic can interact by RAW though. Divine Smite says "you can expend one paladin spell slot to deal radiant damage," not that you can expend any spell slot. The multiclassing rules state that you can use Pact Magic slots to cast spells you know or have prepared from other Spellcasting classes, but Divine Smite isn't actually casting a spell, it's just burning a spell slot.

Above is correct, although Mike Mearls clarified that in his opinion you can smite with pact slots.

[Vichrae]

I would go:

16 STR 10 DEX 14 CON 8 INT 10 WIS 16 CHA or
16 STR 8 DEX 14 CON 8 INT 12 WIS 16 CHA

You want to have a 16 STR and a 16 CHA

You could even do this:

16 STR 8 DEX 16 CON 8 INT 8 WIS 16 CHA


I should have specified - our GM uses the 15,14,13,12,10,8 assignment system.



Agonizing Blast isn't very good for you.


My thought is it would provide a reliable ranged attack. Is that not correct?

[Ardantis]

I know your build hinges the fluff being fey, but wouldn't this build make more sense with a cleric?

Nature gets shillelagh and the spell casting slots stack better. Divine intervention is the manner by which your connection to the fey is mechanically translated. Assuming just a dip you won't be MAD.

Warlock just isn't built for the defensive melee you're looking for IMO.

[ad_hoc]

I should have specified - our GM uses the 15,14,13,12,10,8 assignment system.

Ah, I see, the standard array. Makes sense.

I think I would do this then:

16 STR 10 DEX 13 CON 8 INT 12 WIS 16 CHA




My thought is it would provide a reliable ranged attack. Is that not correct?

How often are you going to use it? Your goal is to be in close. Your armour, paladin smites, and pact of the tome will be wasted if you don't close to melee.

Having a ranged attack just in case makes sense. Spending an invocation so that the odd time you have to use it you get +3 damage doesn't seem worthwhile.

Casting disguise self or silent image at will can give you great power in the social pillar.

At the very least you could get 2 skills which are worth more than doing +3 damage every now and then.

Most warlocks need to spend their invocations to help out their combat power. The nice thing about your build is that it fees them up to do awesome and flavourful things like being a master of illusions too.

*edit*

If I were building this character I would make both of my invocations the disguise self and silent image ones. They are quite powerful and very flavourful.

[Vichrae]

Ah, I see, the standard array. Makes sense.

I think I would do this then:

16 STR 10 DEX 13 CON 8 INT 12 WIS 16 CHA

Actually you were correct. I forgot to add in the +1 STR from Heavy Armor Master





How often are you going to use it? Your goal is to be in close. Your armour, paladin smites, and pact of the tome will be wasted if you don't close to melee.

Having a ranged attack just in case makes sense. Spending an invocation so that the odd time you have to use it you get +3 damage doesn't seem worthwhile.

Casting disguise self or silent image at will can give you great power in the social pillar.

At the very least you could get 2 skills which are worth more than doing +3 damage every now and then.

Most warlocks need to spend their invocations to help out their combat power. The nice thing about your build is that it fees them up to do awesome and flavourful things like being a master of illusions too.

*edit*

If I were building this character I would make both of my invocations the disguise self and silent image ones. They are quite powerful and very flavourful.

You make some excellent points! I will have to give this more thought. I'm not sure about disguise self or silent image, simply because I hadn't envisioned him as a subtle, deceptive sort of personality. But I will definitely think about this.

Thanks for your insights!

[Totema]

Note that one-handed use of quarterstaves with Polearm Master is somewhat... controversial, and might not work at some tables.

[bloodshed343]

I was building a similar character, using Dex in place of Str with light armor and rapier/shield. I went paladin 2 warlock 14 paladin 6 though. I wanted 5th level spells as soon as possible, and going pact of the blade gives you an extra attack and +damage invocation.

[jkat718]

I think that warlock spell slots don't count for the purpose of additional multiclass spell slots. A warlock 2 / paladin 2 should have the exact same spell slots as combining their individual slots, complete with the slots restoring at the same rate as they individually would.


Page 164 of the PHB makes it very clear that Warlock levels are not added in to the Multiclass Spellcaster total. Pact Magic is considered a separate resource from Spellcasting. So a Paladin 2/Warlock 2 has two 1st level spell slots that recharge on a long rest, and two 1st level spell slots that recharge on a short rest.

You are both correct; Warlock doesn't count towards spell slots. One weird thing is that, under an extremely strict reading of the first paragraph under the Spellcasting heading in the multiclassing section, you technically cannot combine Spellcasting and Pact Magic unless you have Spellcasting from more than one class, because of the following text:
Once you have the Spellcasting feature from more than one class, use the rules below. If you multiclass but have the Spellcasting feature from only one class, you follow the rules as described in that class. Obviously not the intent, but a funny technicality nonetheless.


I'm not entirely sure if Divine Smite and Pact Magic can interact by RAW though. Divine Smite says "you can expend one paladin spell slot to deal radiant damage," not that you can expend any spell slot. The multiclassing rules state that you can use Pact Magic slots to cast spells you know or have prepared from other Spellcasting classes, but Divine Smite isn't actually casting a spell, it's just burning a spell slot.
The thing is, though, that there is no such thing as a "Paladin spell slot." There are only spell slots, which you might gain from being a Paladin, or you might gain from being another class. There is no differentiation. I'd go with Crawford (twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/542138975247269888) on this one, rather than Mearls (twitter.com/mikemearls/status/537012576555528194).