Dragonlance Does Black Robe Life Channel work with Wratful Smite and Searing Smite?

[Aeson]

RAW there is no prohibition on either Paladin or Kender blackrobes.

Just because a rule says it can happen, doesn't mean it should. Paladins didn't exist on Krynn. Wizards of High Sorcery wouldn't allow a Kender in any of the orders or towers.

If you do this you're raping my childhood. The lore of the setting should supersede any rule.

 

[ECMO3]

When I played a Paladin, I thought that was going to be the case for me as well, but most of the time when I cast a spell, it was either underwhelming, or I'd lose concentration quickly, so I found myself smiting a lot more than I wanted to.

I will have quite a few spells that will compete well I think. Also I will be pushing Charisma not strength, so my saves will be good. Some examples of spells:

1. Wrathful Smite is very powerful on any Paladin, I think a lot of people don't understand how debilitating frightened can be when you combine it with movement and positioning. Used correctly, this is arguably the most powerful 1st level offensive spell in the game. Combine it with Conquest at 7th level and black robes and I am getting damage every turn from it in addition to Life Channel on the first save. I am probably going to keep a whip as a backup weapon to do this from 10 feet away.

2. Hex is generally going to result in more damage on a 1st level slot if I can maintain concentration more than 1 round. The only problem with this is the material component issues with a shield, so I am either going to use it with my CD or I will use it at the end of fights to take advantage of the hour duration and have it up before a fight starts so I can just move it without a material component.

3. Dissonant Whispers: To start with our DM plays that this causes AOOs when he moves, so this is already a powerful spell. Combine it with an enemy that is frightened and it is awesome moving him away from you and then he can't close back again. Not as powerful after 7th level, since frightened enemies won't be able to move away from me but still good.

4. Armor of Agathys

5. Hold Person

6. Spiritual Weapon: Like Hex, this is usually going to do more damage than a 2nd level slot used for smiting

7. Cause Fear: After 7th level get within 10 feet of an enemy (or enemies) and cast/upcast this to freeze them in place and damage them every turn until they save.

8. Fear: On a boss a failed save is basically an autokill when used by a conquest Paladin within 10 feet.

 

[ECMO3]

Just because a rule says it can happen, doesn't mean it should. Paladins didn't exist on Krynn. Wizards of High Sorcery wouldn't allow a Kender in any of the orders or towers.

If you do this you're raping my childhood. The lore of the setting should supersede any rule.

Yeah I get it


.... the new Krynn explicitly has Paladins, they are even mentioned in SODQ. It also has Sorcerers and Warlocks which did not exist. There would be a lot of irony in a tower of high Sorcery not having any Sorcerers. No Gully Dwarves that I have found though!

I have not read any of the adventure part as I will be playing it in, so maybe that part has other stuff about those races/classes.

 

[Aeson]

If they make changes that are too drastic to fit 5th edition, then it's not MY Dragonlance. I haven't read the book. Now I'm afraid to. They did have Sorcerers in the 5th Age. Palin Majere led the way toward their development. I'm not sure how paladins fit in though.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Actually a War Magic Wizard dip is the multiclass I am looking at.

It is a mixed bag though - there is a bunch you get with this on a Paladin 8/Wizard 2: initiative boost (which can be really important with Frightening people), +9 to saving throws, utility spells, ritual casting, shield and absorb elements.

On the downside though you need a 13 intelligence and a 14 to really make it worthwhile. The right time to do this multiclass is after 8 levels of Paladin, but at that point with conquest you are one level away from the Fear spell which is bonkers on a Conquest Paladin - if an enemy fails his save within 10 feet of you he automatically takes damage every single turn for the next 10 turns unless you lose concentration and he can't do anything about it, he also can't move or take actions for 10 turns so he is basically incapacitated for 10 turns straight with no more saves.

all jokeing aside it sounds interesting. I hope game goes well.

 

[bedir than]

Will the other players at the table have any fun with this?

 

[ECMO3]

I've no idea what Life Channel is (and Google only gives me something from Pathfinder) - but Wrathful Smite and Searing Smite are both concentration spells so you can't use them at the same time.

I know you can't use them at the same time, I was just sking if Life Channel worked with them individually. The description of Life Channel from SODQ is in my original post.

 

[ECMO3]

Will the other players at the table have any fun with this?

I think so. Most of the PCs I play at this particular table are "frightening", that is kind of my role as a player at that table. I think everyone at the table is going to play a Kender. Some have not decided, but that is what I expect will happen.

By "frightening" that I mean my PCs at that table always have ways to cause the frightened condition. I have played a couple Fey Wanderer Rangers with a multiclass dip (Dragonborn Bard 4 and Goblin Rogue1) through level 12 and 16, a Human Fighter/Rogue/Sorcerer to level 15 and a Dwarf Cleric/Wizard to level 12. Those all started at level 1. We are doing a 9th level One Shot before before we start Dragonlance and I will be doing with an Eladrin Hexblade 1/Fey Wanderer 8. Here is that character:

D&D Beyond Character Sheet

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Every one if those builds had the Cause Fear spell at the minimum and ironically alll of those I played so far found a magic item that caused the frightened condition (pipes of haunting, wand of fear or mace of terror). Those items all came from the published adventure, the DM did not put them there for me.

This is the first time I am playing a Paladin in 5E and maybe the second time in 5E I am going to play a single class character (although I am not sure about that yet).

 

[Paul Farquhar]

5. Hold Person

Doesn't work on draconians.

 

[pukunui]

If they make changes that are too drastic to fit 5th edition, then it's not MY Dragonlance. I haven't read the book. Now I'm afraid to. They did have Sorcerers in the 5th Age. Palin Majere led the way toward their development. I'm not sure how paladins fit in though.

Paladins are a perfect fit for the Knights of Solamnia. Probably a better fit even than clerics – and we know that the order used to have those.