D&D 5E Oathbreaker Paladin + Undying Light Warlock + Draconic Sorc

[RenZhe]

Otherwise known as an exercise to create a cha-stacking GFB-spamming gish. So I don't have SCAG yet but I basically get the point of Greenflame Blade, and I've been messing around trying to get a build going that would make a decent character out of it. It currently consists of Paladin/Warlock/Sorc, and I basically need people to tell me whether this is playable or a terrible idea in the making.

Note: Assumes UA - Undying Light Warlock is kosher.

Completed Build (Lv 20):
Oathbreaker Paladin 8/Draconic Sorc 9/Undying Light Tomelock 3
V-Human, 16-10-14-8-10-20
ABI/Feats in order: Heavy Armor Mastery, +4 Cha, Resilience (Con), Undecided/Non-existent

Notable Features:
- GFB with a greatsword does 2d6+3d8+18 (Str+Cha+Cha+Cha) to primary target, 4d8+ 15 (Cha+Cha+Cha) to a secondary target for an average of 38.5 primary, 33 secondary.
- Alternatively, melee attack x2 for 2d6+8 x2 (Str+Cha), average of 30. All of this discounts Smites, which should be spammed like candy, as well as Great Weapon Fighting Style (too lazy to account for reroll capability)
- Between Sorc and Tomelock, you have all the cantrips you'll ever need, including GFB, Booming Blade, Guidance, Firebolt, etc.
- Combined Caster Level of 13. Spell Slots 4/3/3/3/2/1/1. +Two Rechargeable Lv 2 Slots, 9 Sorcery points. Plenty of Smites and Quickened Spells

Breakdown by Level:
Lv 1: Paladin 1 - Stock Paladin. Use a Greatsword. Human Feat: Heavy Armor Mastery, because DR 3 at Lv 1 is stupid OP.
Lv 2: Paladin 2 - Stock Paladin with smites. Great Weapon Fighting Style
Lv 3: Paladin 2/Sorc 1 - Paladin who novas with Sleep + Smite. Also now you get GFB up and running.
--
Lv 5: Paladin 2/Sorc 3 - Other paladins get multi-attack at level 5. We get a +1d8 GFB upgrade with a handful of Quickens. Fair trade?
Lv 6: Paladin 2/Sorc 3/Warlock 1 - +Cha to GFB and a Recharging Lv1 Spell Slot for more Quicken Spam. Minimum basic build functionality reached
Lv 7: Paladin 2/Sorc 4/Warlock 1 - +2 3rd Level Spell Slots, huzzah! ABI used on +2 Cha
--
Lv 9: Paladin 2/Sorc 4/Warlock 3 - Tomelock archetype + Invocation adds a ton of utility power (Guidance!). 2x Lv 2 Rechargeable spell slots give a lot of fuel for smiting/sorc points for metamagic
--
Lv 11: Paladin 2/Sorc 6/Warlock 3 - 4th Lv spell slots. +Cha again to GFB/fire spells, which now also bumps another +1d8 damage.
--
Lv 17: Paladin 8/Sorc 6/Warlock 3 - Top off with Paladin for +Cha to Melee attacks, +Cha to Saves and other defensive goodies. 2 ABIs: Resilient (Con), +2 Cha
Lv 18+: I had said top off on Sorceror, but I don't really know. Going to Sorc 7 for 6th Level spell slots, then Fighter 2 for Action Surge might be more worthwhile (no ABI/Feat in that case).


Thoughts? Suggestions? How should I really be building this at 11+?

 

[Coyote81]

I like this build overall and I see where you are going, seems like a lot of +CHA damage stacking.

I've read in more then a couple places that a lot of people don't believe that you can add bonus damage from an ability score more then once. You can add from different ability scores, but not from the same. Example. +CHA and+WIS to damage is ok, +CHA and +CHA is not ok. If this is the case in your group, you might want to look into combining Cleric domains and/or Blade Singer to get different stat bonuses to damage.

 

[Z. H. Darkstar]

I like this build overall and I see where you are going, seems like a lot of +CHA damage stacking.

I've read in more then a couple places that a lot of people don't believe that you can add bonus damage from an ability score more then once. You can add from different ability scores, but not from the same. Example. +CHA and+WIS to damage is ok, +CHA and +CHA is not ok. If this is the case in your group, you might want to look into combining Cleric domains and/or Blade Singer to get different stat bonuses to damage.

All of the bonuses come from different sources, therefore they should stack. The only bonuses that are called as not stackable are in the sections about proficiency bonus multiplication/division and multiple instances of the same spell.

A non-UA way of achieving +Cha*3 damage uses Shillelagh via Tomelock, instead of Undying Light. It does reduce your weapon damage from 2d6 to 1d8, but it allows for the use of a shield to raise AC. Fiend patron works well with this version to grant 6-8 THP after each kill.

 

[TheBigHouse]

Mechanically, it looks really solid. I would probably take inspiring leader over heavy armor master.
However, Oathbreaker + Undying light warlock would be a hard sell if your DM cares at all about the class lore.

 

[mellored]

Warlock invocations are based on warlock level.

They clarified that somewhere on sage advice.

 

[Vileo Sufora]

I had a similar idea that involved a combination of Battle Master Fighter 3 / Undying Light Warlock X / Favored Soul (Life Domain) Sorcerer X. The only reason I picked Favored Soul is because twinning and quickening heals seemed amaze-ness in concept. I won't get around to playing it any time soon as I'm GM locked at the moment, but I'm interested in the results. Just wanted to chime in on the Favored Soul bit as some people forget that exists as well, and I figured if we're assuming Undying Light legality, why not Favored Soul?

 

[Momar]

Warlock invocations are based on warlock level. They clarified that somewhere on sage advice.

I'm missing something. Where is invocations based on character level being used? Glancing at it it seems like the OP is appropriately accounting for things.

On a somewhat related note, couldn't you drop sorcerer and take warlock to level 12 as a bladelock for the same 3xCha mod to greenflame blade? It's slower overall, but if you were actually planning to play at 20 would net you one more ASI.

Not sure how DMs would rule it, but theoretically you could stack the dragon sorc and undying light extra damage again with a fire based smite spell. It's not really getting you much- actually costing you damage if you have a quicken available- but it's fun just to say you're adding 5xCha mod to damage to one hit.

 

[mellored]

I'm missing something. Where is invocations based on character level being used? Glancing at it it seems like the OP is appropriately accounting for things.

Your right, i was miss interpreting the build.


That said, warlock with dissonant whispers and booming blade is a good alternative.

 

[faria]

Sorc 9 doesn't offer much more than Sorc 7 (especially with the smite damage cap), at least not for *this* build. Fighter 2 for Action Surge and another Fighting Style (Second Wind can't hurt too) will be more useful IMO.

In fact, I'd take those 2 Fighter levels really early. I'd fit them in right after your "minimum functionality is reached" at level 6.

 

[TheBigHouse]

All of the bonuses come from different sources, therefore they should stack. The only bonuses that are called as not stackable are in the sections about proficiency bonus multiplication/division and multiple instances of the same spell.

A non-UA way of achieving +Cha*3 damage uses Shillelagh via Tomelock, instead of Undying Light. It does reduce your weapon damage from 2d6 to 1d8, but it allows for the use of a shield to raise AC. Fiend patron works well with this version to grant 6-8 THP after each kill.

Why not both?

Undying Light Tomelock with GFB and shillelagh?
GFB does scaling damage with x2 cha right off the bat.