Wisdom Based Paladin Multiclass Optimization

[Pallock44]

I am playing a Paladin that is wisdom based instead of charisma. How would you optimize this? I was thinking Paladin/Cleric but not sure what subclass and how far.

[strangebloke]

I am playing a Paladin that is wisdom based instead of charisma. How would you optimize this? I was thinking Paladin/Cleric but not sure what subclass and how far.

Optimize for what?

Hill Dwarf Ancients paladin grabbing Shillelagh through Magic Initiate or Nature Domain would be a nice SAD tank build. You don't need strength to have heavy armor because dwarf, and you don't need it for attack/damage bonuses because Shillelagh, so its easy to start with a 17 in CON and a 16 in WIS. From there you can pump WIS up to boost Shillelagh and eventually your aura, and you can also grab Resilient:CON at some point. Take 1 level of nature cleric early on, then take more after 7th or 8th level.

By 9th level you could have 18 WIS, 18 CON, and be resistant to all magic damage.

But really multiclassing isn't necessary, paladins are very strong singly classed and most of the other WIS classes are similarly not super great at multiclassing, barring the cleric (who's a great 1-level dip for anyone.)

[Greywander]

Cleradin likely has some similar tricks to a sorcadin. At the very least, you're getting spell slots aplenty to smite with. I'll bet a druiadin would be able to smite in Wild Shape, as well. For cleric, consider going Arcana and grabbing Booming Blade and/or Green-Flame Blade. This way, Potent Spellcasting will apply, both to the initial hit, and to the rider damage. Works well with a paladin 2 / cleric X split, since you wouldn't be getting Extra Attack anyway.

Palamonk could be a bit more interesting. To get the most out of your features, you'd want to go unarmored, but you'll already want WIS anyway. It would kind of depend on what your split is: paladin 2 / monk X doesn't work as well, since monk doesn't get you any more spell slots. You could go paladin 6 / monk 14 in order to maximize your saving throws. Something to remember is that Improved Divine Smite doesn't work with unarmed strikes by RAW (though your DM may allow it), so your BA Martial Arts attack wouldn't benefit.

[Pallock44]

Optimize for what?

Hill Dwarf Ancients paladin grabbing Shillelagh through Magic Initiate or Nature Domain would be a nice SAD tank build. You don't need strength to have heavy armor because dwarf, and you don't need it for attack/damage bonuses because Shillelagh, so its easy to start with a 17 in CON and a 16 in WIS. From there you can pump WIS up to boost Shillelagh and eventually your aura, and you can also grab Resilient:CON at some point. Take 1 level of nature cleric early on, then take more after 7th or 8th level.

By 9th level you could have 18 WIS, 18 CON, and be resistant to all magic damage.

But really multiclassing isn't necessary, paladins are very strong singly classed and most of the other WIS classes are similarly not super great at multiclassing, barring the cleric (who's a great 1-level dip for anyone.)

Sorry forgot to add DM let us take an item from last campaign to start with and I took belt of giant strength.

[RogueJK]

Paladin 6 or 7/Cleric or Druid X, using WIS-SAD Shillelagh + Polearm Master.

You could get Shillelagh from Druid or Nature Cleric, or from the Magic Initiate Druid or Wood Elf Magic feats. (Elven Accuracy is also worth considering, for Critical Smite fishing, but that's getting a bit ASI-starved.)

Cleric is the easier route; Druid becomes a lot more viable if your DM waives the "no metal armor" restriction.

Something like this:
"The Green Knight"
Variant Human Ancients Paladin 7 (or 8 for the ASI)/Nature Cleric X
STR 15
DEX 10
CON 13+1
INT 10
WIS 15+1
CHA 8
With Polearm Master at Level 1, then Warcaster, +2 WIS, +2 WIS, +2 CON

Start Nature Cleric 1 with Heavy Armor and Shillelagh PAM, then go Paladin 7 (or 8), then Cleric X. Wear Heavy Armor, and wield a shield and one-handed Shillelagh quarterstaff, using the Dueling fighting style.


A similar take, but more of a caster than a multi-attacking melee smiter, would be an Smiting Arcana Cleric Frontliner. (Similar to the Arcana Cleric Frontliner from here, just with extra Smites and a Fighting Style: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?583957-An-Eclectic-Collection-of-Fun-and-Effective-Builds )

Variant Human Paladin 2/Arcana Cleric X, starting Paladin 2 then straight Arcana Cleric from there.
STR 15
DEX 10
CON 13+1
INT 10
WIS 15+1
CHA 8
Magic Initiate Druid at Level 1 for Shillelagh, Thorn Whip or Produce Flame, and Absorb Elements. Then Warcaster, +2 WIS, +2 WIS, +2 CON. Take the Defense fighting style. Rely on Shilelagh+Booming Blade, bolstered by Spirit Guardians and Spiritual Weapon, and eventually Potent Spellcasting for 2xWISMOD to melee damage.

[strangebloke]

Sorry forgot to add DM let us take an item from last campaign to start with and I took belt of giant strength.

Honestly then? Pretty much anything works. How about a war cleric and a devotion paladin with GWM? Use the BA attack from war cleric when you don't get the GWM BA attack, use the Channel Divinity from either class to compensate for the low accuracy.

[Grod_The_Giant]

I think Druid might be more fun than Cleric-- getting all those lovely control and utility spells would give you way more options than simple accelerated access to healing and buffing. Ancient Paladins 7/Shepherd Druid 13 would be a hell of an aura build... or maybe Oathbreaker/Spore Druid, for a really weird conceptual take.

[strangebloke]

I think Druid might be more fun than Cleric-- getting all those lovely control and utility spells would give you way more options than simple accelerated access to healing and buffing. Ancient Paladins 7/Shepherd Druid 13 would be a hell of an aura build... or maybe Oathbreaker/Spore Druid, for a really weird conceptual take.

oh agreed, I was just working with the OP. I think druid is way more fun here.

[5eNeedsDarksun]

Sorry forgot to add DM let us take an item from last campaign to start with and I took belt of giant strength.

I'm a fan of Ancients anyway, so the ability to pump your Casting/ Aura/ Turning stat without having to sacrafice your combat stat seems pretty tough to beat for a rock to build your party around.

[Frogreaver]

I think staying Paladin yields more power.

Your going to stay Paladin till at least level 6 for the Aura and Extra attack. Single classed Paladin hits level 3 spells faster and tends to have some nice ones. They both hit level 4 spells at the same time and IMO Paladin level 4 spells are better - greater steed is hard to beat. Improved Divine Smite is great. By the time your level 14 paladin you are better off staying for the larger aura at level 18.

The biggest benefit to being wisdom is your saves and skills, not your multiclassing potential.

I could see a single level dip into forge cleric. Gives alot more spells known, some cantrips and the ability to have a +1 magic weapon or armor.