Bard / paladin build Question

[info]

Thinking of making a bard paladin hybrid where I start with 2 levels of paladin and then the remaining 10 levels with bard sword college . Is this a decent build or will It be better to go pure bard ? This is assuming that college of swords is the same as tabletop ? Would the Divine Smite/Weapon Proficiency/Medium Armour Proficiency be good as a melee bard?

[Daniel_USA]

problem with devotion paladin in bg3 is that you don't get the flat increase to hit when using channel divinity. Also, vengeance paladin isn't in the game so there goes that tactic too.

To be fair, you might be better off taking 3 levels fighter and adding battlemaster moves to augment damage.

Or taking rogue levels for sneak attack.

[info]

Originally posted by Daniel_USA:

problem with devotion paladin in bg3 is that you don't get the flat increase to hit when using channel divinity. Also, vengeance paladin isn't in the game so there goes that tactic too.

To be fair, you might be better off taking 3 levels fighter and adding battlemaster moves to augment damage.

Or taking rogue levels for sneak attack.

But I thought vengeance paladin *was* in game? And I still get Divine Smite/Proficiencies at L2 anyway, don't I? .

[Lex]

Oath of Vengeance will be in the game at launch.

As far as the build is concerned, Paladins + CHA casters are always good. You might not be ultra powerful, but you'll be more skillful along with bardic inspiration and more ultility.

People generally go farther into Paladin than most classes when multi-classing around lvl4-7 depending on what goodies they provide.

[Groucho]

I'd say get to 8 as a pure paladin, 10 dex 16 str 14 con 16 cha, then respec so you don't have to wait til 8 for extra attack. also if you start with paladin you have heavy armor proficiency and WIS and CHA saves, starting with bard will switch the WIS save for a DEX one and you won't have heavy armor. there's also something to be said for going 4 paladin 8 bard to keep your third ASI and pick up vow of enmity, you give up some bard stuff and a 6th level spell slot in that configuration though.

[Foolswalkin]

Smite and vengeance oath is bananas strong. 2 levels of Paladin is enough for a sword bard, although I am currently planning on 1-2 Paladin 3-4 sword respec to pure paladin respec to 1-2 Paladin rest bard at 8 just to avoid jank levels.

Losing magic secrets, bigger bardic inspiration die type, and more expertise at bard 10 is hard to compensate for. Worth a lot more than an ASI to me.

[info]

Originally posted by Pootin Doodads:

I'd say get to 8 as a pure paladin, 10 dex 16 str 14 con 16 cha, then respec so you don't have to wait til 8 for extra attack. also if you start with paladin you have heavy armor proficiency and WIS and CHA saves, starting with bard will switch the WIS save for a DEX one and you won't have heavy armor. there's also something to be said for going 4 paladin 8 bard to keep your third ASI and pick up vow of enmity, you give up some bard stuff and a 6th level spell slot in that configuration though.

I can see the sense on paper of playing all the way up to L8 Paladin - but I just want a Bard with Divine Smite/Great Weapon Proficiency/Medium armor proficiency - and can't I get that by going L2 Paladin and then switching to Bard? I am being dumb here ?

[Foolswalkin]

You can definitely do it, but you’ll be missing Extra Attack until 8 if you want smite. You could also go bard to 8 and then 2 Paladin respec.

[info]

Originally posted by Foolswalkin:

You can definitely do it, but you’ll be missing Extra Attack until 8 if you want smite. You could also go bard to 8 and then 2 Paladin respec.

Thank you. At last someone gives a straight answer that I, an idiot, can understand. Oh, an a Sword Bard gets extra attack at Bard L6, no?

[Foolswalkin]

Originally posted by info:

Originally posted by Foolswalkin:

You can definitely do it, but you’ll be missing Extra Attack until 8 if you want smite. You could also go bard to 8 and then 2 Paladin respec.

Thank you. At last someone gives a straight answer that I, an idiot, can understand. Oh, an a Sword Bard gets extra attack at Bard L6, no?

Correct. So does Valor Bard, FYI.

[The1Kobra]

10/2 Bard/Paladin is a pretty strong multiclass combo, assuming you get the extra attack from Bard L6. You have nearly full caster spellslots and can smite with them. (Well, technically, up to level 4 slots anyways, but that's 5d8 radiant damage on hit).

[MeldinX2]

I do feel it's abit wasted to get a full spellcaster worth of spells if most of the time you would just want to use Smite anyway.

[Foolswalkin]

Originally posted by MeldinX2:

I do feel it's abit wasted to get a full spellcaster worth of spells if most of the time you would just want to use Smite anyway.

Yeah, but that’s not the (or at least, not my) plan with Bard/Paladin typically. You use level 1 or 2 slots to smite when you think you can close out a wounded enemy, or cash in high level slots on crit when it makes sense, but you also have Healing Word, Bless, Thunderous Smite, Suggestion, Hypnotic Pattern, Bestow Curse, Greater Invisibility, Hold Monster, etc. Smite just *also* gives you an efficient way to convert slots to damage when none of these options appeal.

E: I am looking forward to/curious about the way Flourishes and Smites interact, and also the Thunderous Smite/Mobile Flourish combo in particular. If it goes as in tabletop the player should pick the order of procs, and I look forward to my first move being batting someone prone and clear across the battlefield and then instantly chasing so I can follow up against my now prone enemy.