9. Pact Knight (Paladin-Warlock)

Charisma is the unifying factor between these two classes, and the story it tells is one of a noble paladin falling from grace, resorting to gaining power from an unsavory origin. Pact Knights have all of the power that comes with a Paladin’s smites, but also the one-shot spells of the Warlock, being a great choice for players who want to deal as much damage as they can.

Summary:

• Heavily armored war caster
• Manipulative master of persuasion
• Powerful attacks and spells

How to play effectively:

• You have access to a small amount of resources that you need for many abilities, so choose when to strike wisely
• Choose the pact of the blade (or the Hexblade archetype) letting your melee skills increase dramatically beyond that of a usual paladin
• Paladin at level 1 gives high hit points and proficiencies
• Get the War Caster feat when it is available, although it is not necessary to play this multiclass effectively

Roleplaying hooks:

• A paladin, fallen from grace, turning to darker powers for aid
• Get the Oathbreaker paladin archetype (at the DM’s discretion), as it will better reflect your role as an anti-paladin
• Perhaps you were never a paladin before, and were a nobody before the dark powers found you, turning you into their unholy champion