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Message: <blockquote data-quote="EzekielRaiden" data-source="post: 8914142" data-attributes="member: 6790260">Yeah, generally agreed. Hexblade 3/Paladin 8 would likely have been a more potent combo overall with minimal to zero loss of flexibility. I'm not really sure those Rogue levels are doing very much other than sneaky skills...which there are much less expensive methods to acquire (like...spending the feat you get at Paladin 4.) If you've a generous DM who lets you take a feat at first level, you could even do Con 16/Cha 15 and grab Elven Accuracy. The vast majority of Rogue skill benefits are front-loaded or massively back-loaded. Expertise in two skills (or one skill + Thieves' Tools) is actually quite a bit for a single-level dip, but 2nd level is literally just Cunning Action which is not worth a level in and of itself, and 3rd is subclass and Steady Aim.I derped and forgot that they specified Swashbuckler. Fancy Footwork isn't bad per se, but isn't particularly great either; the real draw is the +Cha to Initiative, which makes the character very nearly SAD: Hexblade gives +Cha to attack, Swashbuckler gives +Cha to Initiative, and Paladin 6 (when it happens) will give +Cha to saves. Long as you have the Strength to wear heavy armor and acceptable Constitution for HP, this character will only care about Charisma going forward--which is still a bit of a bitter pill to swallow given the one ASI they've gotten thus far, but it's not the worst thing. Getting Warlock 4 (since Rogue 4 gives nothing but an ASI, while Warlock 4 gives that and a cantrip and another spell known) would finally bump that Cha up to 20...and you'd only be a level 13 character!It's not the worst combo in the world. Rogue 1 is a great dip, Warlock 3 is a great dip, Paladin is a great class for multiclassing with Cha-based casters. Swashbuckler partially compensates for the otherwise-disappointing benefits of Rogue 2 and 3. I still think the poster above is in a situation where other factors are the major contributor (frankly, it sounds like their DM is, likely unintentionally, throwing softballs and shocked by the results; this isn't hard in 5e, because the line between "not actually giving the players a challenge" and "overwhelming the players" is all too often treacherously thin.)And then went on to list how they're a better tank than anyone else in the party, doing excellent healing on par with or better than a dedicated healer, and dishing out Big Dong Damage novas sufficient to make the DM's eyes pop. Power is very clearly one of the goals here.</blockquote>

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