Cool. So we're coming at class design from wildly different angles.
Heavy Armor Proficiency, d10 hit dice, full weapon and shield proficiency. Take Paladin 1, then Warlock a few levels, then Paladin the rest of the way in order to always have short-rest recovery smites on hand even if you run out of Paladin spell slots for your long rest. Makes a strong "Death Knight" vibe.
And Sorcadin is fun! Because it ignores the identity of the character in favor of maximizing gameplay functionality. It's playing the game as a spreadsheet for maximum value.
Now that's not the WORST thing, obviously, lots of people enjoy it. I'd just prefer it to be more narrative and identity focused, personally. Which is why multiclass feats granting class abilities works better in my mind than just multiclassing straight up.
I mean... no. Not really. The answer remains pretty consistent once you've decided to play D&D as a path to maximum efficiency: Whatever hits hardest is the most important thing to do. And that will typically be smites since eliminating one target from the encounter, entirely, is better than damaging a bunch of targets that will remain in the encounter after your turn.
You even acknowledge that, here. Smites vs Fireballs is pretty much the gold standard of Sorcadin tactical evaluation. AoE vs ST damage.
But even a straight Paladin has to make the "Smites vs Utility" assessment. Which is why some PalPlayers prefer to smite only on Crits or when their target is low enough on health that the smite guarantees they go down, rather than doing it as often as they can.
Sorcadins use the larger spell slot availability to REDUCE that issue so they can smite more often without considering the utility question quite as much. And use Sorcery Points to make it even less of an issue.
Eh. No. Not really.
It's Str 13, Cha 13, and then whatever the other class's requirement is. (hint, it's not a 15 for any class!) Sure, it's easier to multiclass as a Paladin/Sorcerer or Paladin/Warlock, but someone could multiclass into Wizard, Druid, or Cleric by having a 13 Int or Wis.
But let's go for "It's just easier".... so why is Bardadin not as popular as Sorcadin or Lockadin? You just need a Charisma of 13 and as a Paladin multiclassing you already have that. And since a Bard is a full caster you get "Just as Many" spell slots as a Sorcerer... Right?
It's because of the Sorcery Points. And for Warlocks the short-rest slots. Hell, Sorlock/Coffeelock is popular because it breaks the Short/Long rest dichotomy by giving the Sorcerer more sorcery points every short rest. Bard can't do that.
But it isn't a popular pairing. Because the class mechanics don't line up, just like the Bard. It's the Sorcery Points that make Sorcerers more attractive, and the Pact Magic that makes Warlock attractive. In both cases it provides more resources beyond the game's standard values for smiting.
I'm literally talking about setting up Multiclass Feats to take Class Features without Multiclassing. That would include the Sorcerer or Warlock picking up Paladin Smiting for themselves. That doesn't "Remove/Nerf Sorcadins" it just makes it unneeded to take 2 levels of Paladin to access and doesn't grant the armor proficiencies or increased hit points.
A different way to achieve the same overall goal which is meant to be less obstructive to class designs themselves.
Definitely a way to go about it, sure. If I were hewing closer to 5e's level structure I might even go for it. Though it would GUT the Sorcadin in the same way that the Eldritch Knight got Warlock-Nerfed.
And to me that screams of bad game design. If you have a "Loophole" which allows people to play in a way you didn't anticipate and your response in the revamp is to close that loophole to stop people from playing what they're enjoying, you've gone the wrong way.
WotC should've embraced people wanting to multiclass Warlock-Fighter by making the Eldritch Knight -more- of a Warlock-Fighter, not less of one, while reining in the damage values to expectations. (Or altering expectations)
