D&D 5E (5E) Low-level support paladin build?

[mellored]

Ancient paladin 9/tome warlock 5 (probably paladin 2/warlock 3-5/paladin 7-9)
Pick up inspiring leader, healer, and +2 Cha as your feats.
Booming blade and shillelagh (attack with Cha, scales by level) from tome. Use the recharging warlock slots for healing word -> aura of vitality. Or just some extra smites. Also Eldirch blast as a ranged backup.

Then finish with lore bard 5, for cutting words, another +2 Cha. Then whatever for level 20.

 

[mellored]

You can't twin booming blade. Since the spell comes off the weapon, you can't hit 2 targets with the same strike.

The spell target's 1 creature within 5'. So yes you can.

That said, I don't know how often you'll be next to 2 creatures that want to run away from you. So it may not be as good as it sounds.

Quicken bless is pretty great though.

 

[neogod22]

The spell target's 1 creature within 5'. So yes you can.

That said, I don't know how often you'll be next to 2 creatures that want to run away from you. So it may not be as good as it sounds.

Quicken bless is pretty great though.

No you can't, the spell description says you must hit a creature with a melee attack as part of the spell. The spell is actually cast,on your weapon, your weapon delivers the spell to your target on the hit.

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[neogod22]

Green Flameblade can be twinned since the spell effect jumps to another target. You can hit your main target with a melee, and hit 2 other targets with 5' of your main with the spell effect.

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[neogod22]

The spell range on those spells should be 0, because the spells are actually cast on the weapon not a creature like I said. If someone is using a weapon with reach, can hit someone as far as their reach goes (aka a polearm wielding bugbear can hit someone 15' away with booming blade or green flame blade).

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[procproc]

Green Flameblade can be twinned since the spell effect jumps to another target. You can hit your main target with a melee, and hit 2 other targets with 5' of your main with the spell effect.

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You have this exactly backward. GFB cannot be twinned because it has more than one target. Booming Blade has one target and doesn't have a range of self, so it can be twinned.

http://www.sageadvice.eu/2017/04/28/is-is-possible-to-twin-spell-booming-blade/
http://www.sageadvice.eu/2015/11/10/can-you-us-twinned-spell-with-green-flame-blade/

 

[procproc]

Ancient paladin 9/tome warlock 5 (probably paladin 2/warlock 3-5/paladin 7-9)
Pick up inspiring leader, healer, and +2 Cha as your feats.
Booming blade and shillelagh (attack with Cha, scales by level) from tome. Use the recharging warlock slots for healing word -> aura of vitality. Or just some extra smites. Also Eldirch blast as a ranged backup.

Then finish with lore bard 5, for cutting words, another +2 Cha. Then whatever for level 20.

Where am I getting Healing Word in this scenario? Should I grab lore bard 1 earlier?

This is helpful advice. However, one thing to remember is that I'm playing this build from level 1. I have no idea how quickly we're going to be leveling, but my guess is relatively slowly. So while I certainly care about my theoretical abilities at level 10-20, if I don't get access to a feature until level 5+, it may be quite a lot of real world time until I see them in practice. That means I'll potentially need to weave in things like bard levels earlier to get access to healing spells.

 

[Blue]

Originally we also had a Life Cleric, but she had to bail before the campaign started.

My original plan was to go with a tanky Pal 2/Sorc x build using Booming Blade/Greenflame Blade, so I went human (variant) with Heavy Armor Mastery. However, our fighter and fighter/warlock are both pretty tanky, and we're lacking healing. I'm definitely the min/max-iest player in the group, and also the only character in the party currently capable of healing, so it would be nice to provide as much support in that role as I can.

I've considered Pal 2/Bard 1-3/Sorc x mostly for access to Healing Word and potentially Cutting Words, but it feels like a fairly major cost just to pick up a 1st level spell. Alternately, I'm wondering if it's better to just stay straight Paladin and go with Polearm Mastery for melee effectiveness (into Sentinel at 4th level.)

Our DM will likely let me do some minor retconning if need be (such as changing my feat or stats slightly). I'm primarily looking for input into: a) what feat(s) would be best, and b) what multiclass build is optimal for a healing/support paladin?

Keeping your paladinhood, the Inspired Leader feat will be a big help. With your DM letting you jiggle a little, I'd suggest grabbing that and making sure you have a decent CHR.

To what level do you expect to adventure? Some healing doesn't scale well and if you're going to the mid teens or higher it would required a more healing-centric build, while if you're expecting to stay under ten you can get away with a lot more of a heal+tanky paladin build.

Paladins are already good at helping teammates avoid some damage with their auras. You didn't mention which type of paladin, oath of Ancients gives resistance for all magic damage at 7th - if you're planning on going that high in paladin.

One of the most efficient out-of-combat healing spells is a paladin spell, Aura of Vitality, but it's 3rd level which is a while. (Even better with extend spell.) 3rd level spells come at paladin 9. or a lore bard could pick it up at 6th with magical secrets, but pal 1/bard 6 isn't all that much faster. But it does give more casting and more healing spells, and with your high chr and cutting words you can help prevent more damage, then come back to more paladin levels. But I don't think that really fits your primarily-paladin theme.

 

[mellored]

Where am I getting Healing Word in this scenario? Should I grab lore bard 1 earlier?

Hmm... i though that was on the paladin list...

Well, heroism is great durring the first few levels. Switch to Aid when you get inspiring leader, since THP doesn't stack, and you can pre-cast it. And then aura of vitality when you get it (can also be snagged by lore bard 6).

This is helpful advice. However, one thing to remember is that I'm playing this build from level 1

Sure.
Start Paladin 2, which gives you armor, cure wounds, and enough lay-on-hands to revive people (they only need 1HP to stand up).
Warlock 1 for booming blade and more spell slots.

Then see how it goes.
If there are a lot of casters, straight to paladin 7.
If the enemies seem to focus on one guy, go Bard 1 for healing word and inspiration dice.
If the damage is spread out go Paladin 4 for inspiring leader.
If you don't need any more healing, Warlock 3 for shillelagh and eldrich blast.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

If you want to be a paladin, why do you multiclass?

Just be a human, take knspiring leader at level 1. Take the healer feat at level 4. If you think you need healing word, just take the magic initiate feat.