Tiefling Shillelagh Paladin

[Spectre9000]

So, I really like Spellblade style characters, and I like Tieflings. I also like flying through the air in heavy armor. Fortunately Winged Tieflings allow me to be a Tiefling and fly through the air in heavy armor. The problem then is creating a good Spellblade. I've made some Polearm Mastery builds before using paladins, warlocks, favored souls, and clerics, but they've been two-handed users with significantly more focus on damage than defense. So, I wanted to try to gain a little more defense in a build while still trying to maintain some good damage. In this endeavor I've been trying to utilize PAM with Quarterstaves and Shillelagh to reduce stats and allow a shield.

So far, my initial rough concept is Paladin 2 / Warlock 3 / Paladin 9 then either Fighter 2 / Warlock 4 or another paladin level and the rest warlock, though I've been looking at including sorcerer for metamagic and recouping spell slots for divine smites. This build focuses on getting Shillelagh based on Cha and utilizing PAM. The delayed Extra Attack is mitigated by GFB/BB, and I take Dueling fighting style, and use Hex for earlier damage, along with smites on a short rest.

My problem is I'm torn in several directions and my rough concept has a fair bit of delayed progression and it seems like there should be a more concise, higher damage build utilizing a shield and one-handed weapon spellblade. I also feel I should be able to gain a fair bit higher AC than 20/21.

So, basically I'm looking for suggestions on improving the concept.

[PeteNutButter]

Allow me to poke holes in your plan before I continue, only as constructive criticism: Really reconsider going sword(staff) and board. You likely favor dealing damage, as that's your norm, and may get bored of the smaller damage. More importantly flying with high AC is wasted potential. If you have a shield you probably have the highest(or tied for the highest) AC in the party, optimal strategy is for enemies to attack the highest AC. If your flying away, the enemies will likely focus a squishier player on your team.

Are you rolling for stats or point buy? With point buy shillelagh is actually pretty weak. You need a 15 str to wear plate without slowing you down anyways, meaning your cha (likely +3) won't be much ahead of your str. So at level 5 when you get your tome and shillelagh you'll get +1 to hit and damage. That +1 to hit and damage sounds good, but really you are behind the other melee characters because they got a stat boost AND they get two attacks.

Consider your gameplay before you get shillelagh and then before you get extra attack. GFB/BB are nice, but don't let you smite nova hardly as much as more attacks. If it's a character your ok with playing through the rough patches go for it, but as for optimization IMO you don't gain enough to make the said rough patches worth playing through. Paladorc (even w some lock thrown in) is far better synergy than the Palalock.

So before I could actually help you with the build, figure out what role you are going to play. If you want to tank, realize that flying will be/should be largely UNUSED.

[Lines]

Allow me to poke holes in your plan before I continue, only as constructive criticism: Really reconsider going sword(staff) and board. You likely favor dealing damage, as that's your norm, and may get bored of the smaller damage. More importantly flying with high AC is wasted potential. If you have a shield you probably have the highest(or tied for the highest) AC in the party, optimal strategy is for enemies to attack the highest AC. If your flying away, the enemies will likely focus a squishier player on your team.

Are you rolling for stats or point buy? With point buy shillelagh is actually pretty weak. You need a 15 str to wear plate without slowing you down anyways, meaning your cha (likely +3) won't be much ahead of your str. So at level 5 when you get your tome and shillelagh you'll get +1 to hit and damage. That +1 to hit and damage sounds good, but really you are behind the other melee characters because they got a stat boost AND they get two attacks.

Consider your gameplay before you get shillelagh and then before you get extra attack. GFB/BB are nice, but don't let you smite nova hardly as much as more attacks. If it's a character your ok with playing through the rough patches go for it, but as for optimization IMO you don't gain enough to make the said rough patches worth playing through. Paladorc (even w some lock thrown in) is far better synergy than the Palalock.

So before I could actually help you with the build, figure out what role you are going to play. If you want to tank, realize that flying will be/should be largely UNUSED.

I am confused, why would the optimal strategy be for enemies to focus on the one with the highest AC? That's the opposite of optimal, and any enemy with a reasonable int score will know that.

[PeteNutButter]

I am confused, why would the optimal strategy be for enemies to focus on the one with the highest AC? That's the opposite of optimal, and any enemy with a reasonable int score will know that.

Optimal for the PCs. He needs to be on the ground, IN THE WAY. To achieve optimal strategy for the PCs.

[Spectre9000]

Allow me to poke holes in your plan before I continue, only as constructive criticism: Really reconsider going sword(staff) and board. You likely favor dealing damage, as that's your norm, and may get bored of the smaller damage. More importantly flying with high AC is wasted potential. If you have a shield you probably have the highest(or tied for the highest) AC in the party, optimal strategy is for enemies to attack the highest AC. If your flying away, the enemies will likely focus a squishier player on your team.

Are you rolling for stats or point buy? With point buy shillelagh is actually pretty weak. You need a 15 str to wear plate without slowing you down anyways, meaning your cha (likely +3) won't be much ahead of your str. So at level 5 when you get your tome and shillelagh you'll get +1 to hit and damage. That +1 to hit and damage sounds good, but really you are behind the other melee characters because they got a stat boost AND they get two attacks.

Consider your gameplay before you get shillelagh and then before you get extra attack. GFB/BB are nice, but don't let you smite nova hardly as much as more attacks. If it's a character your ok with playing through the rough patches go for it, but as for optimization IMO you don't gain enough to make the said rough patches worth playing through. Paladorc (even w some lock thrown in) is far better synergy than the Palalock.

So before I could actually help you with the build, figure out what role you are going to play. If you want to tank, realize that flying will be/should be largely UNUSED.

So, I will be using a Shield and Shillelagh(Quarterstaff), and yes I will be in melee range, since, obviously I would need to be to do any damage really, and this is a spellblade build. The wings are more Thematic, and RP/obstacle avoidance.

I would be using point buy, and yes early I would only get +1 to attack and damage early on, but my ASI would only need to increase CHA later. Furthermore, I wouldn't be an attack behind, as GFB/BB would essentially add the damage to one attack, they would get from a second attack (1D8 for S&B). It'll be a little less, but not much.

As to Novaing on multiple attacks, you don't have the spell slots to really do that until later levels, at which point you'll have the extra attack and slots, unless you like using all your spell slots on your first round.

Also, the strength requirement is just to not reduce your speed by 10 ft. If you're charging something, or chasing something, that is a significant 10 ft. however, Lightning Lure cantrip sort of negates that 10 ft. which you can get as a Warlock level 1. I can also get Mobility later to negate the 10 ft penalty. Therefore, technically, I could go with 13 Str (for multi-classing), but I see no reason not to get 15. Also, I assume my fly speed would be reduced by 10ft as well, but don't see anything explicitly talking about it. If someone could confirm this, I'd appreciate it.

I don't subscribe necessarily to "roles" in D&D like MMO's, and much prefer to kind of have a character that does his thing, and handles himself, while everyone sort of does the same, and we figure out how that synergizes best later. That being said, however, I suppose my role would be a meaty DPS, or Bruiser of sorts, to use a LoL term.

[PeteNutButter]

So, I will be using a Shield and Shillelagh(Quarterstaff), and yes I will be in melee range, since, obviously I would need to be to do any damage really, and this is a spellblade build. The wings are more Thematic, and RP/obstacle avoidance.
I would be using point buy, and yes early I would only get +1 to attack and damage early on, but my ASI would only need to increase CHA later. Furthermore, I wouldn't be an attack behind, as GFB/BB would essentially add the damage to one attack, they would get from a second attack (1D8 for S&B). It'll be a little less, but not much.
As to Novaing on multiple attacks, you don't have the spell slots to really do that until later levels, at which point you'll have the extra attack and slots, unless you like using all your spell slots on your first round.
Also, the strength requirement is just to not reduce your speed by 10 ft. If you're charging something, or chasing something, that is a significant 10 ft. however, Lightning Lure cantrip sort of negates that 10 ft. which you can get as a Warlock level 1. I can also get Mobility later to negate the 10 ft penalty. Therefore, technically, I could go with 13 Str (for multi-classing), but I see no reason not to get 15. Also, I assume my fly speed would be reduced by 10ft as well, but don't see anything explicitly talking about it. If someone could confirm this, I'd appreciate it.
I don't subscribe necessarily to "roles" in D&D like MMO's, and much prefer to kind of have a character that does his thing, and handles himself, while everyone sort of does the same, and we figure out how that synergizes best later. That being said, however, I suppose my role would be a meaty DPS, or Bruiser of sorts, to use a LoL term.

Ok so it's good that you plan to stand in front. As for the heavy armor thing it merely says it reduces your speed by 10ft so I'd imagine that means all modes of movement. I'd be wary of DMs ruling that you can't fly at all if you can't move at normal pace. Like you said 15 str just to be safe, and it'll make your lvl 1-4 play more bearable.

The GFB/BB thing is nice. Paladorcs can quicken or twin one to really make up for extra attack loss. Palalocks have no such luxary, so you'll deal 2d8+cha damage and that's it. Until you get extra attack which makes you add another cha bonus (plus smite option). The thing is you get extra attack just three lvls before your cantrips go up another d8 pushing you away from using extra attack, especially if you can get extra dmg to go off from GFB/BB. This leads me to suggest maybe you should just stay in warlock, instead of going back to paladin? You would lose out on those amazing saves though. As an aside, hex and magic weapons make extra attack better.

Going back to shillelagh, it gives you +1 to hit and damage, and lets you stick to just bumping cha. But you are 3 lvls behind ASI now. Furthermore you since you'll likely start with a 15 str and 17 cha, you can bump both with your first ASI (unless you have a 15 con or wanna be an actor). Meaning the real benefit of shillelagh (only bumping cha) doesn't even come up until you are lvl 11, getting your second asi to put cha at 20. In theory from there you could invest in feats or more con.

I'd say you should stay in paladin longer to start (5 or 6), so you don't feel behind. The problem with this is the build will be boring/unoriginal then so its a meh suggestion.

Or don't go back until you get something more substantial out of warlock, at least lvl 4 for that ASI.

What oath/patron were you planning on? I'd suggest any combo of devotion/fiend or ancients/archfey.

Devotion getting double cha to hit is nice, and hps from fiend last all day to boost your tankiness. Ancients is great at lvl 7 for SR, and archfey would let you spam faerie fire for advantage from your high save DC.