Drow Paladin combo

[Nibenay]

One of my friends are starting up a Drow campaign in Menzoberranzan. I'm thinking to go for a Paladin with something extra. My first thought was Vengance Paladin 6 / The Fiend Warlock 4+. Since there's many clever people on this forum who enjoy discussing 5e, I was hoping to ask for suggestions.

Some details:

* We will all play male drow, so cleric is probably out of the question.
* Start at lvl 10
* We will probably get some magic items, I might be able to ask for specific item(s), but I don't know this for sure.
* I don't know which classes the others will choose.
* Rolled stat 18, 16, 15, 13, 13, 13 (used my ability "manipulate reality" for OP roll ;))
* Ambivalent in regards to str/dex build. I tend to like dex builds more, but str for shield mastery or 2 handed is probably plain better.

[iTreeby]

Those stats are great for MAD builds. You should do something crazy like a sorcerer/ranger or a monk/paladin/druid.

[Spiritchaser]

With those surreal rolls, i’d make the seldom seen Dex Sorcadin.

You have room for both warcaster and Elven accuracy, and, while I don’t know the details of your campaign, I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that you’re going to be in dim light or darkness rather a lot.

Take paladin to 6, then take sorcerer for shadow blade. With shadow blade you’ll have advantage a lot. With Elven accuracy, you’ll be rolling even more and with upcast shadow blade, it actually makes sense to quicken booming blade.

With Elven accuracy you can reliably crit smite... a lot.

I’d actually suggest divine soul for sorcerer for the save bonus, extra spell, and for thaumaturgy, since that does a much better job of producing dim light than EDIT: control flames. Plus you can pick a drow/campaign friendly benefactor-god for plot hooks but I can see a strong argument for shadow or draconic here.

When I did something like this (albeit with a half elf version) I actually went vengence, because I wanted a lawful-angry character and because I figured that I could use the CD vow for advantage even in bright light when I really needed to, but there are probably more versatile choices (like... any of them) and to be honest, lawful angry gets boring after 4 or 5 levels

[Nibenay]

I agree on the MAD part. SAD builds can wait for SAD stats :D

See there we go, I wasn't aware of the awesomeness of the shadowblade nor elven accuracy. With such a weapon it does make sense to go dex. Even two levels of Rogue could be fun for the expertise.

As for details of the campaign, I know as much as you there, but I also assume we're talking not much activity in daylight at all.

[Spiritchaser]

The only trick with shadow blade is that if you’re playing PHB +1 (which we do not) then you cannot also take booming blade.

[Nibenay]

The only trick with shadow blade is that if you’re playing PHB +1 (which we do not) then you cannot also take booming blade.

We play whatever our GM decides is ok, and he's usually quite lenient as long as it's not too wild. If it's from official source, I think it'll be ok.

[Blood of Gaea]

Your stats are well beyond good enough to be worried about what your race gives you.

[BarneyBent]

I’ll echo what others have said about Dex-based Sorcadin. Especially since you’re starting at level 10. As a male, you could play as a worshipper of Vhaeraun, a deity who promoted equality of Drow males, desires Drow dominance of the surface world, and was staunchly opposed to Lolth (but still thoroughly evil himself).

Shadow Blade plus Elven Accuracy plus Vengeance Paladin means you’ll be hitting a lot. You could throw in a level of Hexblade for Armor of Agathys and increased crit range on your Hexblade’s Curse target. With Elven Accuracy you’ll be critting a LOT, which with Shadow Blade, Booming Blade and Smites will be even more powerful.

As for Sorcerer subclass, Divine Soul gives some nice options but the best one, Spirit Guardians, competes with Shadow Blade for Concentration. It may still be a better option if fighting against swarms. Shadow Sorcerer is somewhat thematic, though more Shadowfell focused than Underdark. Draconic is always useful though not particularly flavourful, and Wild Magic is fun but you probably won’t be casting many leveled spells other than Shadow Blade.

[Nibenay]

Your stats are well beyond good enough to be worried about what your race gives you.

I'd say stats are not a problem really as I can end up with 2x20 after two ASIs


I’ll echo what others have said about Dex-based Sorcadin. Especially since you’re starting at level 10. As a male, you could play as a worshipper of Vhaeraun, a deity who promoted equality of Drow males, desires Drow dominance of the surface world, and was staunchly opposed to Lolth (but still thoroughly evil himself).

Shadow Blade plus Elven Accuracy plus Vengeance Paladin means you’ll be hitting a lot. You could throw in a level of Hexblade for Armor of Agathys and increased crit range on your Hexblade’s Curse target. With Elven Accuracy you’ll be critting a LOT, which with Shadow Blade, Booming Blade and Smites will be even more powerful.

Interesting details, I'll for sure keep that in mind about Vhaeraun.

I was considering just getting two stat increases but there are always interesting feats. Would shield+shadowblade be a viable option? Alternatively can one cast two shadowblades with twin spell since it's concentration?

[Spiritchaser]

I'd say stats are not a problem really as I can end up with 2x20 after two ASIs



Interesting details, I'll for sure keep that in mind about Vhaeraun.

I was considering just getting two stat increases but there are always interesting feats. Would shield+shadowblade be a viable option? Alternatively can one cast two shadowblades with twin spell since it's concentration?

Shield and shadowblade is a good way to go, and you *can* get away without warcaster with it, insomuch as you can drop your blade with a modest penalty only. You’ll still likely wish you had warcaster, For the saves if nothing else... but its doable, particularly with your aura.

Edit: if it were me, starting at 10, I’d still take warcaster and Elven accuracy. Your stats are high enough that ASIs can wait. I’d Take res con at you next ASI.

Alternatively take EA and Res Con, then warcaster or lucky as your next ASI

[Crgaston]

Alternatively can one cast two shadowblades with twin spell since it's concentration?

Sadly, no, as Twin specifies a non-self targeting spell, and SB has a target of self.

Edit: But you can Twin Booming Blade while concentrating on an upcast Shadow Blade and Smite on both of them so long as you have 2 applicable targets.

[Scarytincan]

I'd say warcaster would be wanted more for the opp attack booming blade than you'd need for the save hehe

[Man_Over_Game]

Eh, seems kind of a waste to me. You have a spread of stats where you have a 13 into everything, and the most creative thing people have come up with is a Dexterity version of the games most generic multiclass? That's about as creative as a Barbarian Rogue (good, interesting, but not original).

For a similar feel, and to actually utilize some of those stats, why not go in a different direction? Monk + Bladesinger for high AC, Shield, and a bunch of other gimmicks. Or Ranger + Conjuration Wizard so you can teleport yourself wherever you need to while also having plenty of spell slots to fuel your Ranger attack spells.

Or hell, Moon Druid Paladin so you can Smite while you Bear.

Just....anything but a Sorcerer/Paladin.

[Spiritchaser]

Oh the controls booming blade, and OA booming blade give make you sticky enough to be useful for more than DPS, but...

This build will be very comfortably putting out 60 points of damage per round before crits, smites or opportunity attacks. Throw in a crit smite, even a first level one, and you’re north of a hundred. With 9 rolls a round you’ll get a crit every 3rd round.

Sure you have a decent AC, but you WILL be drawing attention, and things will be trying hard to hit you.

[Spiritchaser]

Just....anything but a Sorcerer/Paladin.

Lol!

Fair enough, but I likely still would. Dex sorcadins are pretty awesome, and tough to pull off with a normal array or point buy.

[Nibenay]

Eh, seems kind of a waste to me. You have a spread of stats where you have a 13 into everything, and the most creative thing people have come up with is a Dexterity version of the games most generic.....

You are probably right, but I have not played many 5e chars. so Paladin/sorc is perfectly ok to try out.

How would it be adding in bard for expertise?

[Man_Over_Game]

You are probably right, but I have not played many 5e chars. so Paladin/sorc is perfectly ok to try out.

How would it be adding in bard for expertise?

I mean, it's fine if you're interested in non-combat skills, or if you're interested in grappling in combat.

My main concern here is that the unique thing about your stat array is that you have a lot of options. Sorcerer/Paladin is what you pick when you DON'T have options. You pick it because you want a cheap and easy power increase to your spell slots that doesn't require much in terms of stats, and Paladin already requires a 13 in Charisma anyway (so you already meet the minimum requirement to take Sorcerer levels in the first place).

Bard/Paladin is the same way, but it emphasizes more on non-combat utility than the strict combat focus of Sorcerer/Paladin. I'm saying you could get the best of both worlds by investing into Wizard/Paladin, which has versatility AND combat effectiveness. You miss out on Sorcerer metamagic stuff, but using Metamagics to fuel something like Booming Blade on a Paladin is going to get you a dead stare from your DM anyway.

[Nibenay]

I'm saying you could get the best of both worlds by investing into Wizard/Paladin, which has versatility AND combat effectiveness.

I absolutely see your point here. If you have spesific suggestions I'm interested to hear :) Note that while I think Bladesinger would be awesome in this case, one of the few 5e chars I've played is a Trickster 4 / Bladesinger 7, so I'd prefer to pick something else than Bladesinger (or Wizard). I also see that Paladin/sorc or Bard is quite normal here, I've never played 5e sorc or bard, so that would be something new fresh for me in any case. In fact after near 25 years of playing rpg, I've played sorcerer once (quite recently in pathfinder) and once bard (in a homemade 2ed-esque system). I've also so far never played any combination with warlock.


... is going to get you a dead stare from your DM anyway. Not just the DM in this case :P But I'll just ask him in advance if he feels it's over the top if I do go for it.

As a more general note, if someone has any good fluff about Menzo and the character I'm trying to make, thats great. I think it's over 20 years since I actually played Drow or even was in the general area in FR.

[djreynolds]

One of my friends are starting up a Drow campaign in Menzoberranzan. I'm thinking to go for a Paladin with something extra. My first thought was Vengance Paladin 6 / The Fiend Warlock 4+. Since there's many clever people on this forum who enjoy discussing 5e, I was hoping to ask for suggestions.

Some details:

* We will all play male drow, so cleric is probably out of the question.
* Start at lvl 10
* We will probably get some magic items, I might be able to ask for specific item(s), but I don't know this for sure.
* I don't know which classes the others will choose.
* Rolled stat 18, 16, 15, 13, 13, 13 (used my ability "manipulate reality" for OP roll ;))
* Ambivalent in regards to str/dex build. I tend to like dex builds more, but str for shield mastery or 2 handed is probably plain better.

Are you worshipers of Loth? Are you part of Jarlaxle's group? Someone mention Vhaeraun?

Are you evil? What about Eilistraee? Are you really good, but have to hide it and worship in secret.

Kiaransalee is a god of vengeance

Is your group hunted? War of the Spider Queen is good group of novels for inspiration

Your stats are great, but if you are not going hex-blade than I would go strength based and grab a weapon perhaps not of drow origin like a maul.

I need a bit of backstory. Were you a noble, and perhaps since you are a male destined to be a house's weapons master or to be sacrificed?

Or perhaps you group are worshipers of Loth as well, and you guys are on a special mission.

I would also ask the DM for unique backgrounds, most drow are trained for stealth and would probably have religion as a skill as the city of Menozonberranzan is very well "religious."

It sounds like an awesome campaign, but you will need to do your homework and IMO pick a "lesser" house you may have come from.

[Âmesang]

Only time I played as a drow was my (anti)paladin/assassin multiclass, the second post-beta 5e character I ever made, I think; took awhile to get going, but Variolous of House Baenre started dishing out good damage with her (necrotic) divine smite combo'd with sneak attack — an attempt at a "classic" antipaladin/blackguard. I even made myself a class table (https://www.schadenfreudestudios.com/forum/thread.php?thread=78), keeping the levels even just for the sake of simplicity. (Maybe I should have added a HD column?)

Granted, it helped that my referee permitted me to use the D&D Next playtest katana: two-handed finesse sword for 1d10 slashing, since my elf figurine was holding a two-handed curved blade; it also helped that Pathfinder has a similar weapon, the "elven curve blade." Even better was getting to have a giant spider for her special mount.

[Spieldog20]

For drow or half drow variants, I always like the idea of a Conquest Paladin, single classed. Use a shield and with his stats the OP can choose str or dex as main attack stat. For other folks out there, you'd focus on dex. Utilize the fear effects and the oath spell to awesome effect. Pairing a shield and using spiritual weapon on your bonus action, on a single class paladin is great at all levels!

[djreynolds]

I'm curious to see the build of the party, I like the concept.

It would be an interesting campaign to run.

[Ironheart]

I’d personally love to see a Gloomstalker Ranger/Vengeance Paladin. Will you have great spellcasting? Not particularly, but in a setting where darkness and the Underdark are prevalent, the Gloomstalker just has too many perks to pass up, mostly the invisibility to creatures with darkvision and the extra bonuses to initiative and not to mention an extra attack to really get a crazy 1st round once you have smiting available to you.

[Nibenay]

Are you worshipers of Loth? Are you part of Jarlaxle's group? Someone mention Vhaeraun?
Are you evil? What about Eilistraee? Are you really good, but have to hide it and worship in secret.
Kiaransalee is a god of vengeance
Is your group hunted? War of the Spider Queen is good group of novels for inspiration
Your stats are great, but if you are not going hex-blade than I would go strength based and grab a weapon perhaps not of drow origin like a maul.
I need a bit of backstory. Were you a noble, and perhaps since you are a male destined to be a house's weapons master or to be sacrificed?
Or perhaps you group are worshipers of Loth as well, and you guys are on a special mission.
I would also ask the DM for unique backgrounds, most drow are trained for stealth and would probably have religion as a skill as the city of Menozonberranzan is very well "religious."
It sounds like an awesome campaign, but you will need to do your homework and IMO pick a "lesser" house you may have come from.

I don't really know much what the DM is up to. I know that the house is "chosen" and that nobility status will probably be based on class. Based on this I'll try to make background story later on.


Only time I played as a drow was my (anti)paladin/assassin multiclass, the second post-beta 5e character I ever made, I think; took awhile to get going, but Variolous of House Baenre started dishing out good damage with her (necrotic) divine smite combo'd with sneak attack — an attempt at a "classic" antipaladin/blackguard. I even made myself a class table (http://forums.schadenfreudestudios.com/thread.php?thread=78), keeping the levels even just for the sake of simplicity. (Maybe I should have added a HD column?)
Granted, it helped that my referee permitted me to use the D&D Next playtest katana: two-handed finesse sword for 1d10 slashing, since my elf figurine was holding a two-handed curved blade; it also helped that Pathfinder has a similar weapon, the "elven curve blade." Even better was getting to have a giant spider for her special mount.

antipaladin/assassin sounds really thematic. I feel the assassin is a bit one-shot type (need the first strike) though.


For drow or half drow variants, I always like the idea of a Conquest Paladin, single classed. Use a shield and with his stats the OP can choose str or dex as main attack stat. For other folks out there, you'd focus on dex. Utilize the fear effects and the oath spell to awesome effect. Pairing a shield and using spiritual weapon on your bonus action, on a single class paladin is great at all levels!

I was halfway considering making a "tanky" drow with shield and shield mastery feat plus shadowblade.


I'm curious to see the build of the party, I like the concept.

It would be an interesting campaign to run.

So far I believe one will go (almost) full Assassin. Another is sniffing on Hexblade, and it depends what the 1-3 others who may join decides on.


I’d personally love to see a Gloomstalker Ranger/Vengeance Paladin. Will you have great spellcasting? Not particularly, but in a setting where darkness and the Underdark are prevalent, the Gloomstalker just has too many perks to pass up, mostly the invisibility to creatures with darkvision and the extra bonuses to initiative and not to mention an extra attack to really get a crazy 1st round once you have smiting available to you.

I'm very tempted to go for some levels with caster class, even bard if so. But I'll for sure check out the gloomstalker first.

Also are there any opinions for just going 7 or 8 levels as Ancient paladin to get the resistance vs spells and two ASIs?

[Nidgit]

I agree with those saying that you should go weird with your multiclass. Off the top of my head, Chain Warlock 3/Shadow Monk X could be really fun for the Darkness spam and enhanced combos. See right through that Darkness you've cast to unload four attacks at a time!

Another option? Ancients Dexadin 7/Shepherd Druid X. Drop your Totems right on top of yourself and wade in at the head of a pack of super wolves.

[Ranger Wolfe]

I would suggest the Sorcadin build. Maybe 3-6 levels in Paladin and pump Sorcerer for best results. Dex based Paladin is also obviously preferable. They have amazing blasting potential, and have some very decent support capabilities.

[Nibenay]

So a short update.

My drow will be a Lolth follower, also we'll start on lvl 9. Given the class choice, he'll probably be a noble.

I'm really tempted to go Ancients 8 / gloomstalker 3(or 4) / sorc 3+
As the perceptive person will notice, this is a tad more than level 9, but it's nice to plan a few levels ahead. I'll probably start with paladin 6/sorc3 just to get the aura and shadowblade.
I'm not sure the gloomstalker synergizes too well, but the umbral sight ability seems really fitting for playing a underdark killer. However I do have time to think about it anyways.

[Nibenay]

After some discussion with my DM, I've tried to reskin the regular paladin and ancient oath to make it fit pure evil. I'd love some comments on this, especially the "lay on hands" (changed to drain life) and the spell list. Most of the other details are more or less the same.


Drain life
Your evil touch can corrupt flesh others and heal your own wounds. You have a pool of draining power that replenishes when you take a long rest. With that pool, you can drain a total number of hit points from others and heal yourself equal to your paladin level x 3. As an action, you can make a melee attack to touch a creature and draw power from the pool to cause necrotic damage to that creature and heal yourself, up to the maximum amount remaining
in your pool. Alternatively, you can expend 3 hit points from your pool of healing to cure the target of one disease or neutralize one poison affecting it. You can cure multiple diseases and neutralize multiple poisons with a single use of Lay on Hands, expending hit points separately for each one. This feature has no effect on undead and constructs. You can not drain more hitpoint than a creature has left.


pros:
You deal damage and gain healing at the same time!
The total sum is 3 (dmg)+ 3 (heal) pr level instead of 5

cons:
You can only heal yourself.
You need a living creature in order to heal yourself at all, and can't go past the remaining hp of the target
It requires an attack roll unless the creature is willing or otherwise helpless

I didn't change the disease/poison part to unbalance things too much. I'm open for suggestions here.


Spell list suggestion below. I didn't decide any good choice for "Tree Stride" yet. Also some warlock spells seemed like good suggestions, but maybe they're too strong (Armor of Agathys etc)?

Paladin Level Spells
3rd bane, speak with animals (spiders, snakes only, etc)
5th darkness, misty step
9th animate dead, protection from energy
13th ice storm, stoneskin
17th danse macabre, tree stride (shadowstride?)

[Nidgit]

So I'm guessing this is something of a "perversions of nature" idea, like if Maleficent was a knight?

In that case, I wouldn't change Ensnaring Strike since that can easily be fluffed as black thorny vines. I wouldn't change Plant Growth either for the same reason, though I'd ask if you can change the general growth effect to general blight.

Actually, the only spell I would switch is Commune with Nature to Wrath of Nature. I'd consider switching Moonbeam to Shatter (you'll want to keep a minor AoE) and Treestride to Scrying or Far Step, but both can be fluffed as needed to work anyway.

[Dork_Forge]

Nice stats! Working with the Paladin you originally wanted I'd go 6 Paladin and 3 Sorcerer, going with Conquest (it's thematic for a typical Drow, it'll give you access to Armor of Agathys and Spiritual weapon and a fairly nice channel divinity) and Draconic (the +1hp will help with your d6 hit dice and you can hit the same AC as plate going Dex). Go Sword and board taking dueling to pump damage and upcast Shadow Blade with your 3rd level slots, Spiritual weapon give you a non concentration bonus action attack and you end up with an AC of 20.

[Sception]

with those stats, for an evil dtow campaign, I'd go for some mix of dexadin with sorcerer, bard, and/or warlock. Pal/sor/brd/war combinations are common regardless, but almost always go for heavy armor instead of dex based due to tge palad8n's multivlassing requirements.

For subclasses, oathbreaker is ideal if the dm will allow you to refluff it as a straight evil oath - more antipaladin than blackguard. Unless your oarty will be rebelling against drow society, in which case straight oathbreaker fluff could work for you.

If not oathbreaker, then either vengeance for killing or conquest for tanking depending on which your party needs, will fo fine for you.

For other classes, bard works if the party needs you to pull secondary stealth, skill, or healing & support duties. If you take bard levels, I recommend whisper for style & extra stacking damage option.

Warlock supplements your daily paladin resources with more at will & short rest abilities, making you better abke to contribute to longer adventuring days than you would be otherwise. Fiend & fey are the best fits flavor wise & with your stats either would be valid options. Hexblade is of course the default puck for these sorts of characters due to fixing madness issues. Your character doesnt need that as badly, but its still a valid option for style & mechanics. Hexblade's curse is a great ability and combos beautifully with elven accuracy. Not as great a fluff fit if you're playing loyal drow, but works if you're going to be playing a rebel dtow who rejects drow society, but not to the point of embracing corellon.

Sorcerer is the strongest combo for straight damage, but it does mean doubling down on daily abilities so you risk running dry if you use your abilities too liberally, or wasting a lot of your power if you hold your spells & sorcery points for an encounter that never comes. Shadow is a strong and stylish subclass option here. Celestial is arguably even stronger, & is arguably also a decent thematic fit provided you're playing lolth-worshipping loyalists.

What of all that works best together depends pretty heavily on what the rest if your party gets up to. I like conquest pally / whisper bard (split anywhere from 9/11 to 17/3) for a tanky paladin with a hefty support secondary and decent infiltration abilities, both physical and social.

Alternatively, oathbreaker/fiendlock or hexblade (aiming for an eventual 8/12 split) can put out some pretty great damage & functions well over both short & long adventuring days.

And of course if you just want to nuke one to two encounters per day, vengeance or oathbreaker mixed with shadow or celestial sorcerer (somewhere between 6/14 and 8/12) will do that for you.

You can mix that up pretty well, too. even something as thoroughly blended as oathbreaker 7, hexblade 3, whisper bard 3, celestial sorc 7 could work as long as you're careful with the order. Very few asi's in that build, but between hexblade sadness & your stellar stat rolls you could make it work. Maybe oathbreaker 7 (grabbing elven accuracy for cha 20 along the way), hexblade 1 for hex warrior, then sorcerer 5 grabbing warcaster, two more levels of warlock for devil's sight, agonizing blast, quasit familiar, & second level short rest slot, three levels of whisper bard for flair as much as anything else, finish off with two levels of sorcerer for spirit guarduans as a capstone. Fight with medium armor, rapier, & shield, focus on spells that upcast well, smite to your heart's consent. No minor action attacks, but you'd have plenty of spells and class features to burn those on.

Not an optimal build, but something that you wouldnt get away with outside of some pretty high rolls.

...

If your gm goes in for unearthed arcana stuff, adk about the paladin of treachery. A bit wonky & with a heavy emphasis on poison damage, which isn't great, but still quite strong regarfless, and the perfect fit for a drow dexadin in terms of narrative style & mechanical abilities.

[Nibenay]

So I'm guessing this is something of a "perversions of nature" idea, like if Maleficent was a knight?

In that case, I wouldn't change Ensnaring Strike since that can easily be fluffed as black thorny vines. I wouldn't change Plant Growth either for the same reason, though I'd ask if you can change the general growth effect to general blight.

Actually, the only spell I would switch is Commune with Nature to Wrath of Nature. I'd consider switching Moonbeam to Shatter (you'll want to keep a minor AoE) and Treestride to Scrying or Far Step, but both can be fluffed as needed to work anyway.

Kind of yes, it would be focused mostly on the spider aspect of nature if you like. At least the DM seems into the idea.


Nice stats! Working with the Paladin you originally wanted I'd go 6 Paladin and 3 Sorcerer, going with Conquest (it's thematic for a typical Drow, it'll give you access to Armor of Agathys and Spiritual weapon and a fairly nice channel divinity) and Draconic (the +1hp will help with your d6 hit dice and you can hit the same AC as plate going Dex). Go Sword and board taking dueling to pump damage and upcast Shadow Blade with your 3rd level slots, Spiritual weapon give you a non concentration bonus action attack and you end up with an AC of 20.

For now I'll probably stick with ancients, but I agree it's very thematic and I'm surprised how well Drow and paladin fits together thematically really.


with those stats, for an evil dtow campaign, I'd go for some mix of dexadin with sorcerer, bard, and/or warlock. Pal/sor/brd/war combinations are common regardless, but almost always go for heavy armor instead of dex based due to tge palad8n's multivlassing requirements.

For subclasses, oathbreaker is ideal if the dm will allow you to refluff it as a straight evil oath - more antipaladin than blackguard. Unless your oarty will be rebelling against drow society, in which case straight oathbreaker fluff could work for you.

If not oathbreaker, then either vengeance for killing or conquest for tanking depending on which your party needs, will fo fine for you.

For other classes, bard works if the party needs you to pull secondary stealth, skill, or healing & support duties. If you take bard levels, I recommend whisper for style & extra stacking damage option.

Warlock supplements your daily paladin resources with more at will & short rest abilities, making you better abke to contribute to longer adventuring days than you would be otherwise. Fiend & fey are the best fits flavor wise & with your stats either would be valid options. Hexblade is of course the default puck for these sorts of characters due to fixing madness issues. Your character doesnt need that as badly, but its still a valid option for style & mechanics. Hexblade's curse is a great ability and combos beautifully with elven accuracy. Not as great a fluff fit if you're playing loyal drow, but works if you're going to be playing a rebel dtow who rejects drow society, but not to the point of embracing corellon.

Sorcerer is the strongest combo for straight damage, but it does mean doubling down on daily abilities so you risk running dry if you use your abilities too liberally, or wasting a lot of your power if you hold your spells & sorcery points for an encounter that never comes. Shadow is a strong and stylish subclass option here. Celestial is arguably even stronger, & is arguably also a decent thematic fit provided you're playing lolth-worshipping loyalists.

What of all that works best together depends pretty heavily on what the rest if your party gets up to. I like conquest pally / whisper bard (split anywhere from 9/11 to 17/3) for a tanky paladin with a hefty support secondary and decent infiltration abilities, both physical and social.

Alternatively, oathbreaker/fiendlock or hexblade (aiming for an eventual 8/12 split) can put out some pretty great damage & functions well over both short & long adventuring days.

And of course if you just want to nuke one to two encounters per day, vengeance or oathbreaker mixed with shadow or celestial sorcerer (somewhere between 6/14 and 8/12) will do that for you.

You can mix that up pretty well, too. even something as thoroughly blended as oathbreaker 7, hexblade 3, whisper bard 3, celestial sorc 7 could work as long as you're careful with the order. Very few asi's in that build, but between hexblade sadness & your stellar stat rolls you could make it work. Maybe oathbreaker 7 (grabbing elven accuracy for cha 20 along the way), hexblade 1 for hex warrior, then sorcerer 5 grabbing warcaster, two more levels of warlock for devil's sight, agonizing blast, quasit familiar, & second level short rest slot, three levels of whisper bard for flair as much as anything else, finish off with two levels of sorcerer for spirit guarduans as a capstone. Fight with medium armor, rapier, & shield, focus on spells that upcast well, smite to your heart's consent. No minor action attacks, but you'd have plenty of spells and class features to burn those on.

Not an optimal build, but something that you wouldnt get away with outside of some pretty high rolls.

...

If your gm goes in for unearthed arcana stuff, adk about the paladin of treachery. A bit wonky & with a heavy emphasis on poison damage, which isn't great, but still quite strong regarfless, and the perfect fit for a drow dexadin in terms of narrative style & mechanical abilities.

Lots of good suggestions here. Right now I'm thinking to stick with Ancients 6 / Celestial 3 in order to get the first aura and shadowblade with something like below:

Str: 13
dex: 18 (16+2)
Con: 15
int: 13
wis:13
cha: 19 (18+1)

Hopefully a magic shield or armor will be available. Also I'm halfway considering to pick Shield Master for extra tankiness here. Alternatively just use the ASI for con/cha. (other suggestions are welcome)

For the future I'll probably go 7 or 8 paladin to get next aura and ASI, then Consider if to continue Sorc or pick a new class such as Gloomstalker, Bard or some type of warlock. I'm mostly tempted to either try Gloomstalker (ranger would fit well picking elf and human as favoured enemies). Warlock well..it's just good.

UA is probably ok as long as it's thematically explainable for the DM :)

Edit: I forgot, we will be playing loyalists! It will be interesting to see what the others choose. I don't evne know how many will participate.

[Sception]

Looks good to me.