D&D 5E Ritual Caster vs. Magic Initiate vs. Warlock dip for Dex Paladin (Ancients)

[Yunru]

The SCAG weapon cantrips are nice to get, although if you're not wanting those, the utility of rituals far succeeds the utility of cantrips (as it should).

 

[intently]

Why damage cantrips? Can't use them with extra attack feature. GFB with level 20 oath of ancients is cool, but I'm never getting that far with this char. So... why?

 

[WarpedAcorn]

Why damage cantrips? Can't use them with extra attack feature. GFB with level 20 oath of ancients is cool, but I'm never getting that far with this char. So... why?

If you're a class that gets multiple attacks, then yeah I don't see much point in getting the SCAG Cantrips. One of the standard Ranged Damage Cantrips would be the only one I would recommend in that case since it scales with Character Level and you can use it as your "go-to" ranged attack.

 

[Yunru]

If you're a class that gets multiple attacks, then yeah I don't see much point in getting the SCAG Cantrips. One of the standard Ranged Damage Cantrips would be the only one I would recommend in that case since it scales with Character Level and you can use it as your "go-to" ranged attack.

Not from the Wizard list as a Cha-Based Caster who's already MAD you can't.

 

[faria]

SCAG cantrips are really, really strong. Seems like most players don't know about them. Or have heard of them but never used them. Ritual Caster is nice for casters to free up spell slots, but for a melee-centric character, I lean towards Magic Initiate.

Paladin is in a weird spot though because it is MAD. Mid levels, Extra Attack makes the cantrips useless. At early and high levels though, the scaling works out in favor of the cantrips. I still like the versatility of taking utility cantrips instead of damaging ones.

Overall, I think Magic Initiate will come out ahead.

 

[intently]

Hmm... so I guess at 11th level GFB or BB would start to do more damage than Extra Attack?

And I guess Eldritch Blast would also start doing more damage than two longbow attacks... even without adding CHA to the damage.

That's kinda lame, actually.

 

[Blue]

As a slight twist on the Warlock, path of the Tome and the Book of Ancient Secrets invocation can give you Find Familiar via ritual casting, and much more utility casting than the feat because you can do rituals from every class. Augury, Commune, Divination, Forbearance, Meld into Stone, Speak with Animals, Water Walk - these are a couple of the ritual spells not on the wizard list.

But tome would also allow you to pick up Shillelagh and let you base your melee attacks off of CHR with a limited selection of weapons.

 

[intently]

As a slight twist on the Warlock, path of the Tome and the Book of Ancient Secrets invocation can give you Find Familiar via ritual casting, and much more utility casting than the feat because you can do rituals from every class. Augury, Commune, Divination, Forbearance, Meld into Stone, Speak with Animals, Water Walk - these are a couple of the ritual spells not on the wizard list.

But tome would also allow you to pick up Shillelagh and let you base your melee attacks off of CHR with a limited selection of weapons.

Yes, I might multiclass into Warlock, but definitely not until Paladin 5. The problem is that Paladin 6 and 7 also give amazing features. Then Paladin 8 gives an ASI, and 9 gives 4rd level spells Paladin 10 gives another great aura, and 11 gives Improved Divine Smite.

Basically, every level of Paladin is awesome. MC into warlock would be cool for the short-rest spells slots, invocations, and pact boons... but...

 

[Ovarwa]

Hi,

Depends what you want and when, right?

If you want to be a paladin with a familiar at level 1, you have to go variant human with either MI or RC. Each has advantages and disadvantages, already discussed. Otherwise, the earliest you can achieve this goal is level 4: Pure Paladin with level 4 ASI granting a familiar, or Pa1/Wa3.

If you are not willing to delay Paladin class features at levels 5, 6 and 7, then getting a familiar via Warlock doesn't kick in until character level 8, 9 or 10. This might be too long to wait to fulfill the requirement of being a paladin with a familiar.

Anyway,

Ken

 

[Blue]

Yes, I might multiclass into Warlock, but definitely not until Paladin 5. The problem is that Paladin 6 and 7 also give amazing features. Then Paladin 8 gives an ASI, and 9 gives 4rd level spells Paladin 10 gives another great aura, and 11 gives Improved Divine Smite.

Basically, every level of Paladin is awesome. MC into warlock would be cool for the short-rest spells slots, invocations, and pact boons... but...

I'm with you. Was playing a paladin and wanted to multiclass as it fit my backstory, but each new level of paladin was better then multiclassing.