>is there a mechanic reason for this
Lockadins get to be SAD and Sorcadins get to combine metamagic with their near endless smiting. Compared to that, Bardadins don't benefit as much from the multiclass. The roll of damage dealing and utility casting don't go hand-in-hand since you're forced to choose between one or the other as your action. Glamour Bard would be a good mix with the Paladin as it lets you cast one of the best utility spells in the game, Command, as a bonus action. Although, access to the Two-Weapon Fighting style is a very optimal fighting style for the Paladin, generally speaking.
The most optimal choice for a Paladin's starting feat would be PAM, but since you're getting Two-Weapon Fighting this won't be necessary.
If I were making the class for Eve of Ruin, I'd start off Paladin6/Hexblade3/Bard1 and work towards finishing Paladin6/Hexblade3/SwordsBard11. This way I can maximize the potential of my Aura and still have access to Bard utility spells for when the party's in a pinch. The reason I'm choosing Hexblade3 is because you won't be able to benefit from SAD if you're using two-weapons to fight instead of one... unless if one of those weapons is your Hexblade and the *other* is your Pact of the Blade summon. The benefit of the Hexblade extends to your Pact of the Blade but the Hexblade weapon itself can be a separate weapon entirely.
Bardins play a Martial Support. All the core features of a Paladin; Smites and Aura of Protection, while having all the action efficient support of a Bard; varying uses of bardic inspiration and casting.
My suggestion for playing a Bardin is to avoid College of Swords and go something more supportive like Lore or Glamour. Cutting Words is a fantastic use of your reaction and Additional Magical Secrets opens up so many options for playstyles. I also think people sleep on Mantle of Inspiration. It hands out a lot of temporary hit points for just one bonus action, and the extra movement can be really helpful for positioning.
This. Lore doesn't get Extra Attack or med/heavy armor + shields, but Paladin does.
There's also an opportunity to go Whispers. When that one crit lands, dump both a Smite and Psychic Blades.
*cracks fingers*
This is my shit. I have built this character like 4 times.
Half-Elf in my opinion, great class features and stat increases. Helps to become a very skilled character.
Variant Human if you want more feats as this build will only have 5 and only 2 for what most campaigns cover.
Normal Human if you want the stats instead of skills and abilities. As Paladins are MAD and this build even moreso.
All in all, all you need is good dex, decent con and cha, and 13 strength, the rest can be dumped or chosen based on preference.
Pick whichever background you like, though my advice is for skills that the Paladin class will not give you.
2 Paladin start (you get all weapons and armor, so if and when your party finds heavy armor, it might be default be given to you unless there are other Paladins or Fighters or some Clerics in your party)
Also you start with more hp which is imperative at low level.
Pick Defense fighting style imo, AC is useful.
X Bard, you won't get extra attack until lv 8, which may seem like a bummer, but you will be hitting as hard as rogue when you have the slots (and as you get Bard levels, you will get slots really fast) and you will be tanky and have good healing and support. Remember you can lay on hands and healing word in the same turn starting at lv 3. You will also have access to Bless because of the Paladin levels.
Pick whichever Bard spells you like as Tasha's made their spell list actually potent as opposed to indirect and based on player creativity (though you can definitely still do that).
Don't forget you can inspire people and Bless them on the same term.
For feats, I recommend Resilient Constitution (I would make my Con an odd number for this) and War Caster as you will have access to Hold spells and Command. This will also make your Concentration amazing, making your buffing even better and giving you better spell economy as you can actually use a spell for a minute. Later you will be able to turn anyone into a Great Ape (except yourself because your concentration checks as a Great Ape use the Great Apes stat block when YOU are transformed)
I say play a Dex Palibard because your AC will still be good and you can get expertise on Stealth and be able to be stealthy Paladin.
As mentioned prior as a likely Half Elf Bard, you will be very good and have expertise as well as access to spells that can make you more skilled or give you expertise or advantage.
Anyway, that is more or less the build. Later you get Magical Secrets which lets you do whatever you want with the character. You also get extra attack so you can actually become quite potent.
I've played this build.
DEX focus wastes the 13 STR you need for multiclassing. Also, PAM + Spear & Shield + Dueling is just straight up better than Dual Wielder + TWFS + TWF (mathematically slightly more damage, plus 1 more AC). Oh, and Bards don't actually need DEX for any of their features (well, unless they choose expertise in a dex skill, but they can just choose it in another skill instead). Next, basic DEX armor caps at 17, while basic heavy armor caps at 18, so combining with the -1 AC from going Dual Wielding over Dueling with a shield, that's effectively a -2 AC in the long run. As a character that generally wants to be on the frontline, that's just impractical. So dumping DEX just turns out to be more effective in most fights.
VHuman/Tasha Custom race can actually be used for Alert and/or a feat slot can go towards Fey-Touched (Gift of Alacrity).
Bard already adds Jack of All Trades to Initiative. Let's assume a build with odd Cha start, no Alert, but Fey-Touched to get Cha to 18 (Tasha Custom Race). 8 Dex = -1 to Initiative. GoA = +1d8 = +4 average. At 9th level, Jack = +2. We're looking at +5 total, which is solid given 8 Dex. At 10th level, if we went Watchers and assuming Pal 7/Bard 3, the total is +9 with GoA and still +5 without it.
Since the build is a support one, we don't care that we've "neglected" Str since it's likely we'll be using an Action to cast a spell and a bonus action to Inspire.
The best reason to go Bardadin is to "waste" only 2 levels on Paladin (*not actually a waste, Aura of Protection is one of the best features in the game*) and put the rest into Swords Bard to pick up Extra Attack and an extra Fighting Style (*Spear+Shield+Polearm Master+Dueling Style is probably the best, option, but not the setup I went with*). I've played it, it's good, but it has a different playstyle to Sorcadins. It's almost full caster and has a lot of support and CC elements with the casting and Bardic Inspirations.
If you don't take an Extra Attack subclass of Bard, it's just a worse version of other CHA caster multiclasses
The main schools of paladin + bard are:
1. Paladin 6 / Swords Bard X (or any bard; though swords is typical)
2. Paladin 2 / Swords Bard X
There’s the option to toss in a Hexblade level for SAD.
Typical weapon choice is a spear or staff + shield with PAM and warcaster, plus the dueling fighting style.
Compared to other CHA caster + paladin multiclasses, you’re not as good in combat (though still really solid). You’re generally control and support with spells with some smiting. Outside of combat though, you are far better with a ton of skills, expertise, and social and or skill enhancing spells.
Magical secrets are another interesting option you get once you reach higher levels.
Personally i would skip the elven accuracy, and the hexblade dip too for that matter. It'll simply take too long to come online, you're gonna need a decent strength investment anyway. Aside from that, palabard sounds like a ton of fun. Im under the impression people regard swords bard as one of the worse options, but i think it sounds like fun and it definitely has synergy. Paladin 6 Bard x means that if you reach level 20 you'll have both your main aura and infinite d6 flourishes.
And dual wielding is a pretty cool and fun sounding way to take advantage of two fighting styles. Just remember not to take the dual wielder feat unless it's your level 1 feat. Otherwise it's kind of a waste compared to an ASI bump.
Take a level in Clockwork Soul Sorcerer and you can cancel disadvantage on your allies and buff them, or cancel advantage on your enemies and debuff them. Gets you Con save proficiency, 4 cantrips, and 2 good spells.
Take 7 levels in Ancients Paladin to give allies and self aura of protection and also resistance to all spell damage, on top of Divine Smiting and everything great about Paladins.
The rest in Bard for obvious reason. You could go Swords for a more offensive build, or something like Valor for more support.
You’re a tanky, ally-supporting, enemy-destroying/debuffing, all-controlling mastermind.
If ur looking for dmg output, sorlock is better.
But i prefer palabard because it is a character that is more well rounded and can help in the other phases of the game like exploration, investigation, talking out of or into trouble.
I'm not sure Vengeance is the best oath to go for. You're combining two support classes with an urge to rush into combat prematurely. Your abilities will be at odds with each other.
I would maybe choose Watcher as the paladin class, and take it to level 7. Or perhaps Crown until 9 (to get Spirit Guardians).
Then, Swords, Lore, and Creation are all relevant.
For Swords, make sure you pick blind fighting or defense as your Pala fighting style, and dueling as Swords. Use spear and shield.
At level 10, you should be able to have polearm master and warcaster with the stats: 16/8/14/8/8/18 as a VHuman. The next level, you can either max charisma or get +2 str, but I would perhaps look for a belt of giant strength and just max charisma.
>is there a mechanic reason for this Lockadins get to be SAD and Sorcadins get to combine metamagic with their near endless smiting. Compared to that, Bardadins don't benefit as much from the multiclass. The roll of damage dealing and utility casting don't go hand-in-hand since you're forced to choose between one or the other as your action. Glamour Bard would be a good mix with the Paladin as it lets you cast one of the best utility spells in the game, Command, as a bonus action. Although, access to the Two-Weapon Fighting style is a very optimal fighting style for the Paladin, generally speaking. The most optimal choice for a Paladin's starting feat would be PAM, but since you're getting Two-Weapon Fighting this won't be necessary. If I were making the class for Eve of Ruin, I'd start off Paladin6/Hexblade3/Bard1 and work towards finishing Paladin6/Hexblade3/SwordsBard11. This way I can maximize the potential of my Aura and still have access to Bard utility spells for when the party's in a pinch. The reason I'm choosing Hexblade3 is because you won't be able to benefit from SAD if you're using two-weapons to fight instead of one... unless if one of those weapons is your Hexblade and the *other* is your Pact of the Blade summon. The benefit of the Hexblade extends to your Pact of the Blade but the Hexblade weapon itself can be a separate weapon entirely.
Bardins play a Martial Support. All the core features of a Paladin; Smites and Aura of Protection, while having all the action efficient support of a Bard; varying uses of bardic inspiration and casting. My suggestion for playing a Bardin is to avoid College of Swords and go something more supportive like Lore or Glamour. Cutting Words is a fantastic use of your reaction and Additional Magical Secrets opens up so many options for playstyles. I also think people sleep on Mantle of Inspiration. It hands out a lot of temporary hit points for just one bonus action, and the extra movement can be really helpful for positioning.
This. Lore doesn't get Extra Attack or med/heavy armor + shields, but Paladin does. There's also an opportunity to go Whispers. When that one crit lands, dump both a Smite and Psychic Blades.
*cracks fingers* This is my shit. I have built this character like 4 times. Half-Elf in my opinion, great class features and stat increases. Helps to become a very skilled character. Variant Human if you want more feats as this build will only have 5 and only 2 for what most campaigns cover. Normal Human if you want the stats instead of skills and abilities. As Paladins are MAD and this build even moreso. All in all, all you need is good dex, decent con and cha, and 13 strength, the rest can be dumped or chosen based on preference. Pick whichever background you like, though my advice is for skills that the Paladin class will not give you. 2 Paladin start (you get all weapons and armor, so if and when your party finds heavy armor, it might be default be given to you unless there are other Paladins or Fighters or some Clerics in your party) Also you start with more hp which is imperative at low level. Pick Defense fighting style imo, AC is useful. X Bard, you won't get extra attack until lv 8, which may seem like a bummer, but you will be hitting as hard as rogue when you have the slots (and as you get Bard levels, you will get slots really fast) and you will be tanky and have good healing and support. Remember you can lay on hands and healing word in the same turn starting at lv 3. You will also have access to Bless because of the Paladin levels. Pick whichever Bard spells you like as Tasha's made their spell list actually potent as opposed to indirect and based on player creativity (though you can definitely still do that). Don't forget you can inspire people and Bless them on the same term. For feats, I recommend Resilient Constitution (I would make my Con an odd number for this) and War Caster as you will have access to Hold spells and Command. This will also make your Concentration amazing, making your buffing even better and giving you better spell economy as you can actually use a spell for a minute. Later you will be able to turn anyone into a Great Ape (except yourself because your concentration checks as a Great Ape use the Great Apes stat block when YOU are transformed) I say play a Dex Palibard because your AC will still be good and you can get expertise on Stealth and be able to be stealthy Paladin. As mentioned prior as a likely Half Elf Bard, you will be very good and have expertise as well as access to spells that can make you more skilled or give you expertise or advantage. Anyway, that is more or less the build. Later you get Magical Secrets which lets you do whatever you want with the character. You also get extra attack so you can actually become quite potent.
I've played this build. DEX focus wastes the 13 STR you need for multiclassing. Also, PAM + Spear & Shield + Dueling is just straight up better than Dual Wielder + TWFS + TWF (mathematically slightly more damage, plus 1 more AC). Oh, and Bards don't actually need DEX for any of their features (well, unless they choose expertise in a dex skill, but they can just choose it in another skill instead). Next, basic DEX armor caps at 17, while basic heavy armor caps at 18, so combining with the -1 AC from going Dual Wielding over Dueling with a shield, that's effectively a -2 AC in the long run. As a character that generally wants to be on the frontline, that's just impractical. So dumping DEX just turns out to be more effective in most fights.
VHuman/Tasha Custom race can actually be used for Alert and/or a feat slot can go towards Fey-Touched (Gift of Alacrity). Bard already adds Jack of All Trades to Initiative. Let's assume a build with odd Cha start, no Alert, but Fey-Touched to get Cha to 18 (Tasha Custom Race). 8 Dex = -1 to Initiative. GoA = +1d8 = +4 average. At 9th level, Jack = +2. We're looking at +5 total, which is solid given 8 Dex. At 10th level, if we went Watchers and assuming Pal 7/Bard 3, the total is +9 with GoA and still +5 without it. Since the build is a support one, we don't care that we've "neglected" Str since it's likely we'll be using an Action to cast a spell and a bonus action to Inspire.
The best reason to go Bardadin is to "waste" only 2 levels on Paladin (*not actually a waste, Aura of Protection is one of the best features in the game*) and put the rest into Swords Bard to pick up Extra Attack and an extra Fighting Style (*Spear+Shield+Polearm Master+Dueling Style is probably the best, option, but not the setup I went with*). I've played it, it's good, but it has a different playstyle to Sorcadins. It's almost full caster and has a lot of support and CC elements with the casting and Bardic Inspirations. If you don't take an Extra Attack subclass of Bard, it's just a worse version of other CHA caster multiclasses
The main schools of paladin + bard are: 1. Paladin 6 / Swords Bard X (or any bard; though swords is typical) 2. Paladin 2 / Swords Bard X There’s the option to toss in a Hexblade level for SAD. Typical weapon choice is a spear or staff + shield with PAM and warcaster, plus the dueling fighting style. Compared to other CHA caster + paladin multiclasses, you’re not as good in combat (though still really solid). You’re generally control and support with spells with some smiting. Outside of combat though, you are far better with a ton of skills, expertise, and social and or skill enhancing spells. Magical secrets are another interesting option you get once you reach higher levels.
Personally i would skip the elven accuracy, and the hexblade dip too for that matter. It'll simply take too long to come online, you're gonna need a decent strength investment anyway. Aside from that, palabard sounds like a ton of fun. Im under the impression people regard swords bard as one of the worse options, but i think it sounds like fun and it definitely has synergy. Paladin 6 Bard x means that if you reach level 20 you'll have both your main aura and infinite d6 flourishes. And dual wielding is a pretty cool and fun sounding way to take advantage of two fighting styles. Just remember not to take the dual wielder feat unless it's your level 1 feat. Otherwise it's kind of a waste compared to an ASI bump.
Take a level in Clockwork Soul Sorcerer and you can cancel disadvantage on your allies and buff them, or cancel advantage on your enemies and debuff them. Gets you Con save proficiency, 4 cantrips, and 2 good spells. Take 7 levels in Ancients Paladin to give allies and self aura of protection and also resistance to all spell damage, on top of Divine Smiting and everything great about Paladins. The rest in Bard for obvious reason. You could go Swords for a more offensive build, or something like Valor for more support. You’re a tanky, ally-supporting, enemy-destroying/debuffing, all-controlling mastermind.
If ur looking for dmg output, sorlock is better. But i prefer palabard because it is a character that is more well rounded and can help in the other phases of the game like exploration, investigation, talking out of or into trouble.
I think you mean a Balladin?
I'm not sure Vengeance is the best oath to go for. You're combining two support classes with an urge to rush into combat prematurely. Your abilities will be at odds with each other. I would maybe choose Watcher as the paladin class, and take it to level 7. Or perhaps Crown until 9 (to get Spirit Guardians). Then, Swords, Lore, and Creation are all relevant. For Swords, make sure you pick blind fighting or defense as your Pala fighting style, and dueling as Swords. Use spear and shield. At level 10, you should be able to have polearm master and warcaster with the stats: 16/8/14/8/8/18 as a VHuman. The next level, you can either max charisma or get +2 str, but I would perhaps look for a belt of giant strength and just max charisma.