Ultimate "Good Guy" Buttkicker

[paladinn]

Hello all! One of my players (a self-confessed min/maxer) wants to build the ultimate "scourge of evil" (especially undead and the like). He wants a paladin but is torn between Devotion and Vengeance. He's also thinking of dipping into another class to get some "zap". Right now, the candidates are the Favored Soul Sorcerer and the Undying Light Warlock. Both are CHA-based, so that should be cool.

Any advice as to oath/ 2nd class/ feature choice?

Thanks in advance!

 

[mellored]

Paladin /tome - lock works great. Pick up shillelagh as one of your cantrips and you can use Cha to hit things, cast spells, devotions to-hit bonus, and such.

 

[WarpedAcorn]

For a "Scourge of Evil" I would say Vengeance is more fitting than Devotion for the Paladin Oath. If he wants to mix in some magical blastiness then Sorcerer is another good dip. It plays off the Cha from Paladin and you can use the Metamagics to hasten a spellcast and still get a full attack in. Plus you can use the Sorcery points to play around with Spell levels for your Divine Smite ability.

As an alternative to the Paladin, he might also consider going Ranger and taking the favored enemy: Undead. If the DM will allow the Revised Ranger stuff then that could be very potent, and blastiness would be swapped with PewPewness.

 

[paladinn]

I think he'll go with blasty over pew-pew.

Does Smite only work with melee attacks? I mean, it'd be cool to have both. Would a 1 lvl dip into LightLock be good to get Eldritch Blast?

 

[WarpedAcorn]

I think he'll go with blasty over pew-pew.

Does Smite only work with melee attacks? I mean, it'd be cool to have both. Would a 1 lvl dip into LightLock be good to get Eldritch Blast?

Unfortunately Smite does only work with Melee attacks. As for a Warlock dip, you would probably want to go 2 levels to get the Invocations. Agonizing Blast will add the Cha modifier to EACH RAY of Eldritch Blast, making it scale stupidly well. Just be sure that the character has a free hand for spellcasting or takes the Warcaster feat.

If he plans on doing a Two-Hander then he can aim for a Polearm and also taking the Repelling Blast Invocation and push enemies back with the Eldritch Blast, then if they walk back up to him he can take a Reaction melee attack when they get within 10ft of him.

 

[paladinn]

Hmm.. does Smite work with a Bladelock's pact weapon?

Thinking a 3 level Light/Bladelock dip.. 2 cantrips (eldritch blast and mage hand?); 2 spell slots (fuel for smites); 2nd level spells if need be; 2 invocations (agonizing blast and ??) I was looking at Thirsting Blade, but necrotic damage doesn't fit with a Lightlock. Maybe do Radiant damage instead?

And add a nice Divine Smite on top of that

What would be the best Pact Weapon for a paladin?

 

[mellored]

Hmm.. does Smite work with a Bladelock's pact weapon?

Yes.

Thinking a 3 level Light/Bladelock dip.. 2 cantrips (eldritch blast and mage hand?); 2 spell slots (fuel for smites); 2nd level spells if need be; 2 invocations (agonizing blast and ??) I was looking at Thirsting Blade, but necrotic damage doesn't fit with a Lightlock. Maybe do Radiant damage instead?

Thirsting blade doesn't do necrotic. It simply gives you multi-attack, which paladins get a 5, and they don't stack. So either bladelock 5 or paladin 5, not both. Though nothing stops a chainlock or tomelock from multi-attacking and smiting, and you get their extra stuff.
Lifedrinker adds +Cha as necrotic, but not until bladelock 12.

Also booming blade/green flameblade are good options for melee, which you can also smite with.

What would be the best Pact Weapon for a paladin?

Polearms with polearm master and great weapon master.

 

[paladinn]

Thinking of bladelock 3 (undying light)/ paladin 3 (devotion)/ cleric x (light). I think it's a good combo for theme and power.

Born with a connection to the light (positive energy), so warlock came naturally. Felt a call to serve the light more forcefully, so entered a paladin order that serves the god of light. Eventually was installed as a full priest, but even more martial than the typical priest of Pelor.

The 3 Warlock levels gets EB with full CHA bonus and always-available Pact weapon. 3 Paladin levels gets Divine Sense, some healing, a fighting style (great weapon - the pact weapon is a bastard sword), Divine Health, Sacred Weapon, some turning, and SMITE! Carrying all that into the Cleric career, Pelor will never want for a better soldier.

Thoughts?