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Branching Paths:
The Multiclass Paladin (continued)

Note: All the benefits and losses assume you are only multiclassing for one level. If you take more than one level of any of these classes, you may not gain or lose what is listed below. For more information about what you will gain and lose, please see the Dungeons and Dragons Online Compendium.

Cleric

There is some good synergy between the cleric and the paladin. Both use wisdom as their prime spellcasting ability and both benefit from a high Charisma score. Clerics can also cast spells in armor, which is a boon to the heavily armored paladin. Taking a level of cleric can allow a paladin to function as a secondary healer between fights (though you will not be able to heal reliably in combat), thanks to the large influx of spell points. You'll also gain access to the spell Shield of Faith, which can provide a paladin with a boost to his already high armor class.

A single level of cleric provides access to a few more divine spells prepared and access to wands that contain spells on the cleric spell list (including Cure Critical Wounds and Searing Light). Unlike a dip of sorcerer, the cleric spells you gain do not suffer from a chance of arcane spell failure.

Benefits Gained (Compared to a level of paladin)

• +2 to Fortitude and Will saves.
• 100 spell points.
• The ability to prepare three first level cleric spells per day (your caster level will always be one, unless you take more levels of cleric).
• Additional uses of turn undead equal to 3 + your Charisma bonus (your turning level will always be one, unless you take more levels of cleric or the Improved Turning feat).

Losses Incurred (Compared to a level of paladin)

• +1 Base Attack Bonus (WARNING: This means that you will not gain your fourth derivative attack at 10th level).
• 2 hit points.
  

Fighter

There is excellent synergy between the fighter and paladin class. Both are primary warriors who share a good base attack bonus and strong combat skills. In some instances, a single level of fighter can actually make a paladin much better at his job. Fighter is probably the most common multiclass for paladins, and for good reason – it's a very potent combination in the right hands.

Defensive or “tank” style paladins will strongly want to consider taking a level of fighter for several reasons. You gain Intimidate as a class skill, which increases your max ranks over a single class paladin (6.5 compared to 13 ranks). In addition, you also gain proficiency with the tower shield, which for a defensive paladin is like getting another bonus feat. Finally, you'll also gain access to Fighter's Combat Expertise I, which makes Combat Expertise even more potent.

When multiclassing as a fighter, you will always want to take either one, two, or four levels of fighter. With the exception of first level, you should never take an odd number of fighter levels, as fighters gain their bonus feats on the even levels. The only exception to this rule is if there is a fighter enhancement you really need that is available on an odd level.

Benefits Gained (Compared to a level of paladin)

• +2 to Fortitude saves.
• Intimidate as a class skill (without Intimidate as a class skill, your ranks will be limited to 3 + class level / 2).
• Proficiency in Tower Shields
• One bonus fighter feat, which you must qualify for

Losses Incurred (Compared to a level of paladin)

• None beyond what is listed in What You Lose above.

Rogue

Sometimes a paladin needs to add a few more skills and a bit of tactical combat to his repertoire. Taking one or two levels of rogue can be a huge benefit to the paladin, as you gain quite a few skill points and a few useful abilities. In addition, rogue is one of the few classes where it is highly worthwhile to take not one, but two levels. Two levels of rogue grants you the powerful ability Evasion, which will negate all damage from area effect spells, traps, and breath weapons on a successful reflex save. Coupled with the high saving throws of the paladin, two levels of rogue will allow a paladin to avoid damage from a wide variety of harmful spells. In addition, rogues have good Reflex saves, often the weakest save of the paladin.

If you plan on taking levels of rogue, you are strongly encouraged to take your rogue level first. The reason is that all classes multiply their skill points by four at first level. Given that rogues gain 8 skill points and a plethora of class skills at first level, starting your career as a rogue will allow you to spend a ton more skill points than a normal paladin would have.

Benefits Gained (Compared to a level of paladin)

• +2 to Reflex saves
• 6 skill points
• A large selection of class skills, including Disable Device, Intimidate, Open Locks, Tumble, and Use Magic Device
• 1d6 Sneak Attack
• Trapfinding (this allows you to find traps with a DC of higher than 20).
  

Losses Incurred (Compared to a level of paladin)

• +1 Base Attack Bonus (WARNING: This means that you will not gain your fourth derivative attack at 10th level).
• 4 hit points.
  

Sorcerer

Paladins and sorcerers both rely on a high Charisma score to be effective. Given this natural synergy, a level of sorcerer can add some spellcasting punch to your paladin. Players often take a level of sorcerer for the same reasons that they take a level of cleric, only you will gain even more spell points and access to arcane wands (instead of divine wands).

Behind the fighter, sorcerer is probably the second most popular multiclass for the paladin. Unlike the cleric, the sorcerer suffers from arcane spell failure, which means that unless you take off your armor and shield, many of your spells are likely to fizzle. As such, most paladins who take a level of sorcerer rarely cast their sorcerer spells in combat.

A single level dip of sorcerer is generally done for utility reasons. You'll gain more spell points to cast your paladin spells, which will allow you to function as a secondary healer out of combat. In addition, you'll gain access to arcane wands, which opens up a whole new toolbox for your character. With a single level you can use wands such as Fireball and Web. In effect, you can almost function as a “Wizard in a Stick” with enough wands on your person.

Most paladins who take a single level of sorcerer choose spells that either have no somatic components (such as feather fall) or that enhance their fighting prowess (such as shield). Keep in mind that you'll only have a caster level of one, so spells that scale with level (such as shocking grasp) are generally poor choices.

Finally, this is also a very attractive option for warforged paladins. You can take repair light damage as one of your sorcerer spells, allowing you to heal yourself and other warforged with full effect (though it is likely you'll have a body feat, increasing your chance of arcane spell failure without the option of removing your armor). Finally, you'll also open up access to all the repair wands, allowing you further access to healing for you and other warforged.

Benefits Gained (Compared to a level of paladin)

• +2 to Will saves.
• 150 spell points.
• 2 known first level sorcerer spells (your caster level will always be one, unless you take more levels of sorcerer).
• Access to arcane wands appropriate to your level.
  

Losses Incurred (Compared to a level of paladin)

• +1 Base Attack Bonus (WARNING: This means that you will not gain your fourth derivative attack at 10th level).
• 6 hit points
  

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are many choices a paladin must make when thinking about multiclassing. As with any other multiclass build, proper research and planning can prevent heartbreak down the road. If you are unsure about multiclassing, be sure to ask others on message boards or in the game itself. If you group with a regular set of companions, be sure to ask them if you can help to fill a needed role in the party by multiclassing.

Good luck in your battle against evil.

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