Quote Originally Posted by vonkraush View Post
1. I've already chosen the two handed weapon fighting style. Would the defense style or the UA Tunnel fighter be a more powerful option. Both seem very strong in their own way.
2. Battlemaster fighter offers a lot of tools which makes my guy better at what he does directly (precision attack goes great with GWM and menacing attack is a very strong source of fear which doesn't require a spell slot or a bonus action) but I've heard that a lot of creatures are immune to fear at higher levels. Would it be optimal to choose battlemaster or instead opt for cavalier which doesn't rely on fear.
3. I rolled for stats and rolled well so I can get by with only 4 ASI. Assuming I want to max out my paladin level at 12 would it benefit my character to dip into 5 levels of bard for inspiration, skills and a bunch of slots, go a full 8 levels of fighter for additional feats, or just go 17 Paladin/3 fighter for access to level 4&5 spells?
1. It depends on the makeup of your party. Since you have no shield, the extra 1 AC from Defense can add a lot. If you have a sturdy front line, I'd go with that. But Tunnel Fighter is really strong, especially if you are (a) facing a lot of enemies, and/or (b) have a squishy back line that needs protecting. Tunnel Fighter in combination with Polearm Master is incredible—unlimited opportunity attacks from 10ft. If you pick up Sentinel as well, you will just dominate groups of melee enemies. Its biggest drawback is it costs a bonus action every turn to maintain, while Defense is passive. Since it'll dominate your bonus action economy, I actually think Tunnel Fighter is the more "tanky" option. If you want more offensive power, go with Defense and keep your bonus actions free.

2. I like the Battlemaster a lot, and I think you'll get the most utility out of it. If you're only looking to put 3 levels into fighter, definitely pick Battlemaster over Cavalier. Again, though, it's all about what you're looking to accomplish. If you want to be tankier, Unwavering Mark is one of the best tanking features in the game, and nothing is immune to it. Just keep in mind that the special attack it offers (if your target hits someone other than you) costs a bonus action, so it won't synergize with Tunnel Fighter. Additionally, Unwavering Mark only works if the target is within 5ft of you, so it doesn't synergize with polearms. Battlemaster offers you a lot of versatility, offensive and defensive. Whether or not you'll be facing a lot of fear-immune enemies in the late game really depends on the campaign you're in. There are a lot of possible enemies that are immune to fear, but I can't tell you the likelihood that you'll actually face them. If you want offense and flexibility, go Battlemaster. If you want defense, go Cavalier.

3. I hate to sound like a broken record, but it all depends on what you want your role to be. If you want to be the party face—that is, the guy that handles all the social situations, is the "leader," etc.—then bard is fantastic for all those skills. But since you'll have high CHA anyways, I don't think it's that important. Bardic Inspiration is good, but it takes a bonus action and is more geared for support characters. You won't actually get extra spell slots either for going paladin 12 / bard 5. See the Player Handbook section on multiclassing for the table of spell slots you end up with. It could yield more slots if you had higher level spells, but you don't get 4th or 5th-level spells with that build, so it doesn't matter.

8 levels in fighter is terrific. You want to be a martial powerhouse with high stats, 8 levels in fighter will take you there whether your choose Battlemaster or Cavalier. That being said, I personally love the 4th and 5th-level spells that paladins get. The two Aura spells are very strong, Find Greater Steed gives you a flying mount, Geas has boundless options for abuse, Holy Weapon adds a lot of damage, and Destructive Wave is one of the best AoE spells in the entire game. Plus, getting those late-game spells really adds the feeling of playing a paladin, in my opinion. They make you feel like a holy warrior filled with awesome and terrible power. So I'd go for those full 17 levels. I think you'll find it's a lot more fun to have a distinct identity in the party.