Paladin multiclassing question

[orcafromthesky]

Hey! I'm new to 5e, and I'm still getting used to all the rules. I have a clarifying question about multiclassing 2 levels of Paladin with a primary casting class.

In the PHB, the text for paladin spellcasting reads:

You prepare the list of paladin spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the paladin spell list. When you do so, choose a number of paladin spells equal to your Charisma modifier + half your paladin level, rounded down (minimum one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

It sounds to me like paladins don't have a list of spells they know. They simply choose a number of spells from the Paladin spell list equal to 1/2 paladin level + cha modifier, and then cast them as their spell slots permit.

Under Multiclassing in chapter 6 of the PHB, it reads:

You determine your available spell slots by adding together all your levels in the bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, and wizard classes, half your levels (rounded down) in the paladin and ranger classes, and a third of your fighter or rogue levels (rounded down) if you have the Eldritch Knight or the Arcane Trickster feature.

Let's say I go Paladin 2/Cleric 8, with a Charisma score of 12.

Per the Multiclass Spellcaster table, I have a caster level 9, with four 1st level slots, three 2nd, three 3rd, three 4th, and one 5th. I can prepare 2 spells from the paladin spell list.

My question: can one of those 2 spells be a 5th level paladin spell? Say, Banishing Smite? A straight Paladin wouldn't get access to that spell until level 17, but by my reading of how paladin spellcasting works, I could grab it early by multiclassing into a primary spellcaster, right?

[bid]

My question: can one of those 2 spells be a 5th level paladin spell? Say, Banishing Smite? A straight Paladin wouldn't get access to that spell until level 17, but by my reading of how paladin spellcasting works, I could grab it early by multiclassing into a primary spellcaster, right?
Nope. Anything in the classes chapter uses the class level. A cleric 19 / wizard 1 does not have access to wish.

You will have slots with no matching spell, you can only use them by upcasting lower ones.

[Occasional Sage]

Not quite.

If a multiclass caster has slots of a higher level than the spells they can cast (per the class tables), those slots can only be used to cast the "amplified" versions of legitimate spells. You could cast a 1st level spell at 5th-level power, but not a 5th level spell.

[Yuki Akuma]

If you don't have enough levels in a class that would let you cast 5th level spells single-classed, then you can't do it multiclassed.

It says so right on that second page you're cherry picking quotes from.

Spells Known and Prepared You determine what spells you know and can prepare for each class individually, as if you were a single-classed member of that class.

Like, two paragraphs up, dude.

If you want to cast 5th level Paladin spells seven levels earlier than intended, just play a Bard.

[orcafromthesky]

Not quite.

If a multiclass caster has slots of a higher level than the spells they can cast (per the class tables), those slots can only be used to cast the "amplified" versions of legitimate spells. You could cast a 1st level spell at 5th-level power, but not a 5th level spell.

Thanks! I thought I might be misinterpreting it. That helps clarify things.

[CantigThimble]

Also don't forget you need at least a 13 charisma to multiclass to or from paladin.

[Occasional Sage]

Also don't forget you need at least a 13 charisma to multiclass to or from paladin.

Good catch. Also WIS13 to go to or from Cleric.