Original Video:
*This article is an edited version of the script for this video
Race: Variant Human
-Feat: Mounted Combatant
Alternate Race Option: Harengon(mainly for initiative boost)
Background: Strixhaven(if allowed)
Starting Ability Scores(Point Buy):
Str: 15
Dex: 8
Con: 15(+1)
Int: 8
Wis: 8
Cha: 15(+1)
Ability Score Priorities(if rolling):
#1: Cha
#2: Con
#3: Str
Level 1:
-Paladin 1: Divine Sense, Lay on Hands
-Starting Equipment: Need Lance and Shield. Pick up another weapon to use with the shield until we get Find Steed or use a normal mount
Level 2:
-Warlock 1:
-Otherworldly Patron: Hexblade
-Hexblade’s Curse: Bonus Damage and Crit on 19 or 20, big damage increase
-Hex Warrior: Can now use Cha for attacks as well, less MAD(Multiple Ability score Dependent) more SAD(Single Ability score Dependent)
-Spellcasting: Booming Blade, Shield, Maybe Hex(would only use for a couple levels)
Level 3:
-Paladin 2:
-Fighting Style: Dueling, Always on +2 to damage even while mounted with our Lance
-Spellcasting: Bless(Main Concentration until Paladin 5), Smite spells(decent for damage at this level), Command, Cure Wounds, Detect Magic
-Divine Smite: Huge source of damage on our nova round
Level 4:
-Paladin 3:
-Sacred Oath: Oath of Conquest
-Oath Spells: Armor of Agathys will work great with Find Steed once we get it
-Channel Divinity: Conquering Presence is good but we will likely use Guided Strike on our nova round
-Harness Divine Power: Regain Spell Slots by using Channel Divinity, will use at lvl 6
Level 5:
-Paladin 4:
-ASI or Feat: War Caster
Level 6:
-Paladin 5:
-Extra Attack
-2nd Level Spells: Mainly Find Steed and Hold Person, Spiritual Weapon is decent for sustained damage and can have a similar damage output as Hexblade's Curse at this level
Tactics: Level 6 is where it really starts to come together. As of right now its a 50/50 but we are going to assume you go before your horse so you get 1 round of setup. On said first round against a humanoid enemy, we will cast Hold Person followed by a Harness Divine Power to get our spell slot back. Then our Warhorse will take its turn and take its hooves attack at advantage assuming Hold Person worked. If it hits it auto crits and they will be automatically knocked prone because they automatically fail Str saves and then your Warhorse will get to make a second attack which will also auto crit if it hits. Then on your next turn you will strike twice with your lance smiting on both strikes. They will again both crit if they are paralyzed. If the target is not humanoid replace the cast of hold person with bless and you will still be able to get advantage if your Warhorse succeeds in knocking your target prone.
Damage against 16 AC:
Hold Person: 105.27 Damage
Non-Humanoid With Prone: 74.74 Damage
Non-Humanoid Without Prone: 49.58 Damage
Level 7:
-Paladin 6:
-Aura of Protection: One of the best defensive abiilities in the game
Level 8:
-Sorcerer 1:
-Spellcasting: Green Flame Blade, Maybe Lightning Lure, Silvery Barbs
-Sorcerous Origin: Clockwork Soul
-Clockwork Magic: Swap Protection from Evil and Good for Absorb Elements
-Restore Balance
Level 9:
-Sorcerer 2:
-Font of Magic
-Spell Slot/Sorcery Point Conversion. Will become more useful once we get Metamagic
Level 10:
-Sorcerer 3:
-2nd Level Spells: Enlarge/Reduce
-Metamagic: Quickened Spell is all we need. Pick whichever you would like for the 2nd one
Tactics: At level 10 our tactics change a bit. We also have many more concentration options
-Concentration: Hold Person(if humanoid), Enlarge(if enemy is large or smaller), Bless(if enemy is huge or greater)
-Setup Round: Cast Concentration spell as action, Hexblade’s Curse target as bonus action
-Warhorse: Attack, hopefully knock prone and attack again. Same as before
-Nova Round: Attack twice likely at advantage and auto crit if they are paralyzed by hold person. Smite on both hits and then quicken spell booming blade and do it again but this time with a bit more damage from booming blade.
Damage against 18 AC:
-Hold Person: 162.36
-With Prone: 117.51
-Without Prone: 107.17
Level 11:
-Sorcerer 4:
-ASI or Feat: Fey Touched: Gift of Alacrity, it is late but it helps us go before our warhorse in initiative. This would be the reason to go Harengon if you want something like this earlier but you wouldn’t be able to cap your charisma score if your using point buy as a Harengon. Misty Step can also be done with your steed
Level 12:
-Sorcerer 5:
-3rd Level Spells: Haste and Fly, both can eventually be a 3rd level clockwork spells and both work on you and your steed
-Switch Concentration for enlarge and bless to haste if youre focused on your own damage. Haste can be cast on you and your Warhorse. This does give your Warhorse 2 chances now instead of one to knock your target prone which is great.
-Magical Guidance, better ability checks
Level 13:
-Sorcerer 6:
-Bastion of Law, good defensive ability to help avoid some damage
Level 14:
-Sorcerer 7:
-4th Level Spells: Fire Shield, Greater Invisibility, and Polymorph(Clockwork Spell), again all can be done on you and your steed
Level 15:
-Sorcerer 8:
-ASI or Feat: Any Half Feat for 18 Charisma
Level 16:
-Sorcerer 9:
-5th Level Spells: Hold Monster, new concentration for everything other than humanoids except undead, then we go back to haste
Possible Fighter Multiclass. Will miss out on higher level spells with alot of synergy but will end up with about 100 more nova damage, an additional fighting style, second wind, and possibly a fighter subclass. I’m going to stick sorcerer but I will give the damage numbers for both at level 20.
Levels 17-20:
-Sorcerer 10-13:
-ASI or Feat: Cha +2 for 20 total
-Additional Metamagic Option, Pick whichever you think is best
-6th Level Spells: Tasha’s Otherworldly Guise, Fizban’s Platinum Shield. Both cool defensive options
-7th Level Spells: Crown of Stars, Draconic Transformation. Both great sustained damage options an Draconic Transformation is the best flight spell for us by far
Damage against 20 AC(tactics haven’t changed much for single target nova damage):
-Hold Monster/Hold Person: 222.39
-Same but with Action Surge(not including possible subclass): 321.45
Like what you see here? Consider supporting us on Patreon, https://www.patreon.com/Arbitrary20. You'll receive early access to guides like this one and each month we release a D&D 5e homebrew pack containing:
-A subclass
-A magic item, 2 different kinds of printable cards are provided
-A feat
-A spell, a printable handout is provided
-A wild card, which is additional homebrew content we make each month that could be just about anything. An additional subclass, an adventure, etc.
-You'll get access to all the previous homebrew packs as well
We hope you'll consider supporting but regardless we appreciate you reading this guide and/or watching the video on it and hope you found it helpful!