Arcane Smiter?

[SkylarkR6]

So one of my players wants to play an arcane paladin but doesn't really like EK and asked me if we could fluff it. After spending more time then I really should have trying to reskin and refluff the paladin chassis, I thought I'd ask the playgrounders if they had come across a well balanced form of this.

[Ventruenox]

I've heard of the paladin list being replaced with the Sorcerer's to achieve this end. Take away the cantrips and it should work.

The other options would be Bladelock 5 or homebrew the fabled 5e Half caster Gish.

[SkylarkR6]

Yeah I sorta spent the last couple hours home brewing it already. I "finished" except for the spell lists, regular and bonus. Problem is it seems ok but also open to mc shenanigans

[Meepo_]

Perhaps you could make a custom
Oath with inspiration from the Arcane Domain clerics have? (Sword’s coast I believe).

He could also be a bard that specializes in proselytizing, since they’re arcane.

What “flavor” is he trying to go for, exactly?

[SkylarkR6]

Forgive me if I articulate poorly. Basically he wants to play like a paladin but with wizardly spells. Celes from Final Fantasy 3/6 is sorta the inspiration. He didn't like how EK played but doesn't want cleric spells.
Unfortunately everything is handwritten since my computer fried or I'd upload it. I fear phone formatting large posts

[Ventruenox]

Absorb Elements works rather well as her Runic ability.

[Kane0]

Why not warlock? Gets to smite from level 5 using an invocation, chuck on Blade pact and Hexblade patron, use Int instead of Cha and you have an arcane paladin.

Plus there's tons of gish homebrew out there. Really depends on taste.

[SkylarkR6]

That's actually one of my characters in another game. But he knows well the issues a short rest can bring. I just wrote up what I did on my phone's email so hopefully it won't look too terrible. Apologies if there's some OPness to it

[SkylarkR6]

*The Spellsword*

Hit dice: 1d10
Proficiencies: All Armor and Shields, Simple and Martial Weapons.
Saves Constitution and Intelligence
Skills: Pick 2 from Athletics, Arcana, Insight, Investigation, Intimidation, and Medicine.

Level 1:
You know the Prestidigitation cantrip and your choice between Green Flame Blade and Booming Blade.

Retwist the weave: You get a pool of D6s equal to 1 plus your spells word level. As a reaction when you or an ally within 30 feet take magic damage, you can up to your INT mod worth of them to reduce the damage by the total rolled, and deal half of the amount back to the caster.

Level 2:
Fighting style: Dueling, GWF, Defense, Protection

Spellcasting using INT mod. 1/2 caster spell slot progression. Chose the spontaneous caster route of spells known. 3 at level 2, +1/level until 9, then 1 per 2 levels. Total 15 spells known.

Elemental Infusion: Smite using a choice of Fire, Cold, Thunder, or Lightning damage. +2d6 damage for first level, +1d6 per slot level above first.

Level 3:
Choose your Mastery(needs better name)

Snap Judgement: You can use your INT mod instead of DEX for the purpose of rolling initiative.

Arcane Surge: You gain the ability to pull on the Weave to fuel magic effects. You get 2 options, one from class and one from your Mastery choice. When you use your Arcane Surge you decide which option to use. You must finish a short or long rest before you can use this again.

Denounce Outsider: As an action you may Arcane Surge and pick a target that you can see within 60' of you that is a Construct, Elemental, or Aberration. All attacks against that target have advantage until the end of your next turn.

Level 4:
ASI

Level 5:
Extra Attack

Level 6:
Sphere of Shifting Threads: You and allies within 10 feet of you have advantage on saving throws vs spells and spell like effects. This increases to 30 feet at spellsword level 18

Level 7:
Mastery Feature

Level 8:
ASI

Level 9:
Disciplined mind: Gain proficiency in Wisdom Saving Throws

Level 10:
Untrammeled: you and allies within 10 feet of you are immune to magical effects that cause the Paralyzed, Stunned, or Restrained conditions

Level 11:
Imbue weapon: Once per day you can cast a spell into your weapon. The spell can only be able to affect one creature. When you hit a creature as part of an attack, you can release the spell into the struck creature. If the spell would normally require an attack roll, it instead automatically hits.

Level 12:
ASI

Level 14:
Disjunction: You can use your action to end one spell or curse effect on yourself or one willing creature you touch. You can use this INT number of times(minimum 1) recharge on long rest

Level 15:
Mastery Feature

Level 16:
ASI

Level 18:
Improvements

Level 19:
ASI

Level 20:
Mastery feature.

*Mastery of Shears(I guess?)*

Bonus spell list to be determined.

Level 3:
Arcane Resurgence: As a bonus action(action?) You can use your Arcane Surge and target yourself or one willing creature you can touch. Roll 1d4. The target regains spell slot levels equal to the roll.

Level 7:
Counterslash: When a hostile creature within 10 feet of you casts a spell, you can use your reaction to move into melee range with them and make a disrupting attack. The target must make a concentration save vs your spell DC or the spell fails with no effect. This attack does no damage. You can use this ability twice and it recharges at the end of a long rest. Range increases to 30 feet at spellsword level 18

Level 15:
Muddled thoughts: When you hit a with a melee weapon attack, the target must make an INT saving throw vs your spell DC or have disadvantage on all of their attack rolls until the end of their next turn.

Level 20:
Spellshatter: As an action you can <insert fluff here> emit a 20 foot cone from your eyes that negate all magic except for yours for one minute. At the end of each of your turns you decide which direction the cone is facing in.

*Mastery of the Loom(really need better titles)*

Level 3:
Limit removal: As a bonus action, you can Arcane Surge and touch yourself or one willing creature. That creature gains +10 to speed and +2 to damage for 1 minute.

Level 7:
Hardened Aura: You cannot be effected by spells of second level or lower unless you wish to be. Increases to third or lower at spellsword level 18

Level 15:
Absorb Arcane: When you are affected by a leveled spell or spell like ability, you gain Arcane Points equal to 1/3 of the level of the spell, rounded down, minimum of 1. Your maximum AP pool is equal to your INT mod. Arcane Points can only be used to fuel Elemental Infusion. 1 AP=1 spell level. Unused AP disappears at the end of a long rest.

Level 20:
Arcane Torrent: As an action, you fill yourself with magic. You emit bright light to a range of 30 feet, gain +20 to speed and an additional extra attack for 1 minute. Once you use this for ur, you must finish a long rest before using again.

[strangebloke]

Divine magic is indistinguishable from arcane by default in 5e, do there's no reason you can't just play an order of the ancients Paladin as a Knight with magical training.

Alternately, a hexblade has a lot of paladin like abilities. Smiting, etc.

[Asmotherion]

Hexblade Warlock 3-5/Sorcerer X. At your Option, Paladin 2-6 in the Build, depending on how high level the campain goes.

I'll assume you don't start at level 1.

Starting with Sorcerer 1, you have Con saves, wich is great for this build. You make sure to have Booming Blade on your build, as it adds up on your Smiting Potential.

Then Hexblade 3-4. You can get Eldritch Blast (and Agonising) for an amazing Ranged Attack option, and then save your other Invocation to trade it for Improved Pact Weapon.

Paladin 2 is a good follow up.

Your aim is for maximum Spell Slots (as a Sorcerer), quickening Booming Blade, and when it hits using Eldritch and Divine Smite, and then Divine Smite on the Second turn.

[Everstar]

Playing a Sorcadin (Sorcerer/Paladin) is always a strong choice if you want to blend Paladins with the arcane.

[dejarnjc]

Just re-fluff the Paladin abilities to be more arcane, and make the Paladin abilities INT based instead of CHA.

Almost all of the paladin's spells can be narratively described as arcane spells anyway and lord knows, smiting definitely has an arcane feel.

[Khrysaes]

The most I would do is homebrew an oath with some features similar to some of the arcane caster ones.

For example, Instead of radiant damage, smites can deal Fire, Thunder, Cold, Acid, or Lightning damage. Or maybe instead of a smite, a short term buff that grants extra damage? Less damage than a smite of course.

Arcane archer worked into a melee paladin would work as well. Where there smites gain the arrow abilities as rider effects, maybe reduced damage.

War mage's reaction to mini shield, or Nature cleric's reaction to resist elements would work as well.

Give them bonus spells known that only come from an arcane's list, like shield, absorb elements, find familiar, etc.

[Vaz]

Refluff it. Divine Smite? Arcane Smite. Channel Divinity? Arcane Conduit. Lay on Hands? Reknit flesh. Bless? Confidence. Holy Weapon? Plane-touched Blade.

Replace Radiant damage with Necrotic or, something, if you want to hve a different mechanical flavour.

[BobZan]

Warlock Blade Pact is the 'Arcane Paladin'.

The Fiend even get a bonus to saves by 6th level.

[Snowbluff]

Divine magic is indistinguishable from arcane by default in 5e, do there's no reason you can't just play an order of the ancients Paladin as a Knight with magical training.

Alternately, a hexblade has a lot of paladin like abilities. Smiting, etc.

I play a Paladin/Wizard in AL. I say he’s a Mystran Mystic Fire Knight, like the 3e ones.

[Mikal]

Arcane Smiter? It's called a blade pact warlock with the eldritch smite invocation.

[Rogerdodger557]

*The Spellsword*
-snip-


I actually like what you have going on with the class, and appreciate the weave themed names for the subclasses.

[SkylarkR6]

I actually like what you have going on with the class, and appreciate the weave themed names for the subclasses.

Thanks, I appreciate it. I've since scrapped the idea though. From the amount of comments there doesn't seem to be a need for an arcane 1/2 caster Gish. Ah well

[Biggstick]

So one of my players wants to play an arcane paladin but doesn't really like EK and asked me if we could fluff it. After spending more time then I really should have trying to reskin and refluff the paladin chassis, I thought I'd ask the playgrounders if they had come across a well balanced form of this.

You said it right from the start. One of your Players wants to play an Arcane Paladin. Take the Paladin as it is and change the names of the spells/abilities given but keep them with the same effects overall.


Just re-fluff the Paladin abilities to be more arcane, and make the Paladin abilities INT based instead of CHA.

Almost all of the paladin's spells can be narratively described as arcane spells anyway and lord knows, smiting definitely has an arcane feel.

Like this. Changing Charisma to Intelligence is interesting imo, and makes the character feel a bit more Arcane to me. I'd maintain the same Paladin spell list that the Player pulls from for their regular spells, and you can create your own custom list of "Oath" based spells if you really want customization. Putting spells like Shield would be something I consider a bad idea though, as it turns the character into a defensive monster. Being able to wear Plate+Shield+Defense Fighting style puts you at 21 AC; add on top of that Shield of Faith (for 23 AC) and then the Shield spell (for 28 AC) and you have an incredibly difficult to hit character that also probably has great Saving Throws from it's Aura of Protection. If you were making a custom list, I'd look more to the Arcana Cleric's list for spell choices, as something like Magic Missile and Arcane Eye is very fitting for the theme of this character imo.

Refluff the Paladin by changing the names of abilities, but keep the same core chassis. Choose something like Ancients as your template, and change the Oath's tenets. If there is any mechanical customization, it should come in the form of the Channel Divinity (look to Arcana Cleric from SCAG for inspiration) and the "automatically prepared list" (look to the Arcana Cleric for SCAG for inspiration). I highly advise you to not put the Shield spell on this custom list. Unless of course you as a DM are up for the challenge such a PC would present. Personally, I'd find the Paladin chassis plus the Shield spell too powerful unless the character slows down their overall progression by multiclassing.

[SkylarkR6]

*Snip*

Your points are the ones I was struggling with at the time when it came to spells. I scrubbed the more divine ones, added some wizard/sorc ones while trying to maintain a balance. I wasn't really expecting much but was kinda hoping someone had designed or found an effective and/or fun half caster arcane gish I could get inspiration from.

He wanted to be a magic warrior and EK wasn't doing it for him. Warlock had some features he liked but not quite and short rest can be in short supply in the group of long resters. What he asked me for was a way to be a Magic Knight. So I tried and thought I came close to something fun and we may just give it a couple test runs anyway. At least all it costs us is a bit of time.