5e Paladin/Sorcerer spell choices

[sithlordnergal]

So, I am currently playing a level 7 Oath of the Ancients Paladin, and I was thinking of multiclassing to the Chaos Magic Sorcerer at level 8. However, I'm unsure what spells I should take. I already know I'm snagging Fire Bolt and Ray of Frost, since both are better ranged attack options then the javelin, and I'm thinking of taking Green-Flame Blade since I'm often surrounded due to being the party's tank. However, I'm not sure what else to take. I was thinking Shield for one spell, as a just in case thing, and I'd enjoy a nice spell for when I am surrounded.

Now, before anyone starts saying I should take Warlock over Sorcerer, you guys should know that I thought about it. Then I realized that we never take short rests. Seriously, throughout the entire campaign we have only taken 1 or 2 short rests. Which makes the spell slots that come back after a short rest useless, and makes having more/higher level spell slots imperative. I also chose Chaos Sorcerer because:

1) I can get advantage once a day on any attack or saving throw

2) the chaos effects specifically state they activate by casting a sorcerer spell at a spell slot of 1st level or higher. Meaning I am safe to cast paladin spells and cantrips all day long..

[Biggstick]

So to start all this, we need to know if you are Sword and Board or if you're using a 2-her. I'm assuming SnB since you said you're the group's tank, but we all know what assuming does. So if you're SnB, you won't be able to cast the Shield spell unless you have Warcaster (somatic and material component required). You need to pick up the Warcaster feat before you can effectively use the Shield spell in combat. Another lesser known perk of the feat is it opens up the strength of your opportunity attacks by allowing you to use cantrips or single target spells on the creature incurring the opportunity attack. This is where Booming Blade can really come into play.

As for recommendations, if I were picking up ranged cantrips, I'd make sure their range is actually sufficient for what I want to do. Ray of Frost is a spell people seem to really enjoy picking up, but it has only 60' of range. When you want to hit something because it's out of your range, it's usually further then 60'. Firebolt and Chill Touch are both spells that have 120' of range, and if you're focused on picking up two ranged cantrips, these would be my choices. I'd also recommend picking up both Greenflame Blade and Booming Blade, as both will be useful in opportunity attacks and quicken rounds (I'll bring this up later). With how you're seeming to want to go, this eats up all the Sorcerer cantrips already. If it were me though, I'd only go with one ranged cantrip, both the SCAG cantrips, and a flavor cantrip (Prestidigitation, Mage Hand, Minor Illusion, etc)

Your spell choice is on point with Shield. Other then that though, your real strength is going to come from using the Sorcerer spells to make it harder to hit you in the early part of your Sorcerer career (Shield, Mirror Image, Blur). Once you get to Sorcerer level 3, I would definitely recommend grabbing Quicken and Twin for your metamagics. Quicken gives you really solid burst in being able to quicken a GFB or BB for a bonus action attack, and taking the attack action for another two attacks, and all of these attacks (should they hit) can have Smites thrown on top of them for even more burst damage.

Be careful with the Wild Sorcerer. If the DM is devious, s/he will extend the chaotic magic to all spells and not just Sorcerer ones.

[Gastronomie]

Look at my sig.

(As for ranged attacks, one cantrip is enough. I also strongly advice you not to take damage-type spells until Fireball.)

[sithlordnergal]

I am a Sword and Board Paladin, with a nice +1 shield to boot. I figured I'd need to grab Warcaster with this build, and I'm hoping to get Sentinal at level 12. It'll cost me two ASI, but I'm ok with that. I wonder...if I have Sentinal and Warcaster, would a cantrip activate that 0 movement penalty? I'm pretty sure it would.

As for the cantrips, I hadn't even thought of Chill Touch. I'll certainly take that over Ray of Frost. Though, if I go with only one ranged cantrip, I'll have to take Chill Touch over Fire Bolt since we're doing Storm King's Thunder, and Fire Giants we've been running into a fair amount of Fire Giants. As for Booming Blade, I'm not sure I'd need it with Sentinal...which could potentially free up another cantrip for me.

Heheheh, yeah, I figured Shield was a perfect choice. I already have 21 AC from my gear alone, if I toss in a Shield I'll be virtually untouchable to everything except crits and major bosses. I love the Blur and Mirror Image ideas!! And yeah, I already planned to take Quicken and Twin for my Metamagics. As you said, Green-Flame Blade + two attacks, all with Smite damage? That's going to put some serious hurt on whatever I hit. As for my DM, I doubt he'd apply the Wild Magic to Paladin spells if it says it in the PHB. He's pretty strict on sticking to how abilities and spells work in the books.



Look at my sig.

I'm actually looking at your guide right now.