The character concept is for a mounted charisma-focused support/tank, paladin-bard multiclass with 7 levels in oath of the ancients paladin for the two auras and spells and then the rest bard.
What bard subclass would you recommend and why? What would you recommend for the class level progression if level 1 is paladin and the mounted combatant feat is a priority?
This is a dual-character concept where the mount would be the party monk, barbarian, or moon druid for the mounted combatant redirect attack shenanigans.
Since you take 7 levels in Paladin i would discourage Valor Bard. I would also remove Dance Bard as at that level you likely don't want to go for an unarmored style.
This leaves us with Glamour and Lore.
Lore gives three skills and a great reaction and gives you earlier access to spells from other classes.
Glamour gives some temp HP and reaction movement for allies and some extra control abilities if you cast certain spell types.
Both work with your concept, Lore is more a generally useful with their reaction, especially if something aims at your mount, while Glamour is much more pro-active and some mobility for allies, including your mount.
For Bard Subclass as a Paladin Multiclass, I would say the order for best to worst would be Valor > Glamour > Lore > Dance.
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Reasons to choose Valor Bard
1+ Valor Bard gets a better version of Extra Attack
Bard's extra attack allows switching one attack for a cantrip, if you switch that attack for True Strike, Green-Flame Blade or Booming Blade, you have one heck of a DPR boost.
2+ Easier too use Inspiration Dice
Paladin and Bard are both somewhat Bonus Action heavy in 2024, Valor Bard gives you another way to use the Inspiration Dice without having to use the Bonus Action by using Combat Inspiration to improve offense or defense.
3+ Easier casting of certain bard spells
Paladins can use their shield as a focus for their Paladin spells and Valor Bards can use their martial weapon as a spell focus from their martial proficiency feature.
Reasons to not choose Valor Bard
0. There is no reason to not take Valor Bard.
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Reasons to choose Glamor Bard
1+ Harder to hit
Getting MIrror Image from Beguiling Magic helps with tanking, and you can potentially charm or frighten a creature when casting it, it is a DPR drop but huge tank increase. Frightened can be a very effective control as creatures can't approach you when frightened. Charm person is more for social/role-play, so it's usefulness is more group dependent.
2+ Party Utility
Mantle of Inspiration gives the ability to give allies temporary HP and to use a reaction to gain additional movement is not to be scoffed at. The temporary HP is not that high but it is for a number of creatures up to your charisma modifier.
3+ Potentially remove a creature from combat
If you have a creature charmed, by using Mantle of Majesty, you can sacrifice your bonus action to basically keep it out of combat or to make itself more vulnerable. This does have the downside of consuming the bonus action but I consider the ability to force a creature out of battle in some circumstances to be more beneficial than not.
Reasons to not choose Glamour Bard
1- Not the best action economy
Both points 2&3 rely on bonus action and bonus action is important to paladins, it is spells like divine valor, or spells like searing smite that use BA, additionally lay on hands also uses a bonus action now. As such Glamour has a slight issue in the action economy department with too much competing with Paladin for a bonus action. You may find yourself having to more actively choose which bonus action to use when.
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Reasons to choose Lore Bard
1+ Cutting Words
Lore gives Cutting Words which can help save allies and is an alternative way to use inspiration die without conflict over the bonus action.
Reasons not to choose Lore Bard
1~ Not a true skill monkey
As you're going Paladin/Bard, you need Strength and Charisma, this means being a skill monkey is not as pressing. Overall pushing for more proficiencies from bonus proficiencies isn't really that good. Using Standard Array, you'd probably go 17(15+2), 8, 14(13+1), 10, 12, 14 (or something around this area*). So any dex skills are pretty weak, any int skills are just down to PB and wis are only getting a PB+1 ever, so it really comes down to do you want more STR or CHA skills, there is only 1 STR skill and there isn't enough CHA skills either for this build. Jack of all Trades also exists, so is it worth it? I'd say no.
2~ Do you really need more spells
Getting 2 additional spells from a large pool of potential spells in Magical Discoveries is good, however a Paladin/Bard build is likely going to be consuming a fair number of spell slots already and some of the better spells for this build aren't necessarily on Cleric, Druid or Wizard spell lists. At level 10 you'll get access to those spell lists, so it's only an advantage for about 4 levels (levels 6-9). Overall it's not really worthwhile enough to be considered for a build that already has access too 2nd level paladin spells and 3rd-5th level bard spells.
further too this, Lore does not give the ability to use a weapon as a spell focus like Valor does, which actually restricts the usefulness of these spells a lot. I'd suggest it's best to carefully consider, taking either rituals or spells which do not have S and/or M components that can be fulfilled by a focus. War Caster can fulfil the S component, if taken as a feat.
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Reasons to choose Dance Bard
Better inspiration
1+ Tandem Footwork helps the party move first which can help but there are better ways of achieving that on other classes/builds and it's 6th level. (there is nothing good at 3rd level!)
Reasons to not choose Dance Bard
1- Indecisive dress code
Paladins use armor, Dance's main draw is Dazzling Footwork which specifically requires that you DO NOT use armor
2- Cowardly retreat
Inspiring footwork gives a way to retreat if a creature stops near you, at the end of it's turn you can use a reaction to run away and allow an ally to do the same... but you're a tank, why are you running? Why are you running!?
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As such, I would still advise Valor 1st, Glamor also is pretty good. Lore gives questionable benefits past cutting words and Dance is just a terrible choice which doesn't have synergy with Paladin at all.
* For ability scores, you could also go 15(14+1), 8, 13, 10, 12, 17(15+2) if you want to be more spellcasting based, but you still need 15 strength for plate, and 13 strength for multiclass requirements. If you're not getting at least a +2, you're going to struggle to hit anything and if you're tanking you really want plate. Overall, this is more valid for a Devotion Paladin than an Ancient Paladin, due to Devotion's sacred weapon being based off of Charisma. As such I recommend 17(15+2), 8, 14(13+1), 10, 12, 14 for standard array.
The character concept is for a mounted charisma-focused support/tank, paladin-bard multiclass with 7 levels in oath of the ancients paladin for the two auras and spells and then the rest bard.
What bard subclass would you recommend and why? What would you recommend for the class level progression if level 1 is paladin and the mounted combatant feat is a priority?
This is a dual-character concept where the mount would be the party monk, barbarian, or moon druid for the mounted combatant redirect attack shenanigans.
Using 2024 rules.
Since you take 7 levels in Paladin i would discourage Valor Bard. I would also remove Dance Bard as at that level you likely don't want to go for an unarmored style.
This leaves us with Glamour and Lore.
Lore gives three skills and a great reaction and gives you earlier access to spells from other classes.
Glamour gives some temp HP and reaction movement for allies and some extra control abilities if you cast certain spell types.
Both work with your concept, Lore is more a generally useful with their reaction, especially if something aims at your mount, while Glamour is much more pro-active and some mobility for allies, including your mount.
For Bard Subclass as a Paladin Multiclass, I would say the order for best to worst would be Valor > Glamour > Lore > Dance.
=====
Reasons to choose Valor Bard
1+ Valor Bard gets a better version of Extra Attack
Bard's extra attack allows switching one attack for a cantrip, if you switch that attack for True Strike, Green-Flame Blade or Booming Blade, you have one heck of a DPR boost.
2+ Easier too use Inspiration Dice
Paladin and Bard are both somewhat Bonus Action heavy in 2024, Valor Bard gives you another way to use the Inspiration Dice without having to use the Bonus Action by using Combat Inspiration to improve offense or defense.
3+ Easier casting of certain bard spells
Paladins can use their shield as a focus for their Paladin spells and Valor Bards can use their martial weapon as a spell focus from their martial proficiency feature.
Reasons to not choose Valor Bard
0. There is no reason to not take Valor Bard.
=====
Reasons to choose Glamor Bard
1+ Harder to hit
Getting MIrror Image from Beguiling Magic helps with tanking, and you can potentially charm or frighten a creature when casting it, it is a DPR drop but huge tank increase. Frightened can be a very effective control as creatures can't approach you when frightened. Charm person is more for social/role-play, so it's usefulness is more group dependent.
2+ Party Utility
Mantle of Inspiration gives the ability to give allies temporary HP and to use a reaction to gain additional movement is not to be scoffed at. The temporary HP is not that high but it is for a number of creatures up to your charisma modifier.
3+ Potentially remove a creature from combat
If you have a creature charmed, by using Mantle of Majesty, you can sacrifice your bonus action to basically keep it out of combat or to make itself more vulnerable. This does have the downside of consuming the bonus action but I consider the ability to force a creature out of battle in some circumstances to be more beneficial than not.
Reasons to not choose Glamour Bard
1- Not the best action economy
Both points 2&3 rely on bonus action and bonus action is important to paladins, it is spells like divine valor, or spells like searing smite that use BA, additionally lay on hands also uses a bonus action now. As such Glamour has a slight issue in the action economy department with too much competing with Paladin for a bonus action. You may find yourself having to more actively choose which bonus action to use when.
=====
Reasons to choose Lore Bard
1+ Cutting Words
Lore gives Cutting Words which can help save allies and is an alternative way to use inspiration die without conflict over the bonus action.
Reasons not to choose Lore Bard
1~ Not a true skill monkey
As you're going Paladin/Bard, you need Strength and Charisma, this means being a skill monkey is not as pressing. Overall pushing for more proficiencies from bonus proficiencies isn't really that good. Using Standard Array, you'd probably go 17(15+2), 8, 14(13+1), 10, 12, 14 (or something around this area*). So any dex skills are pretty weak, any int skills are just down to PB and wis are only getting a PB+1 ever, so it really comes down to do you want more STR or CHA skills, there is only 1 STR skill and there isn't enough CHA skills either for this build. Jack of all Trades also exists, so is it worth it? I'd say no.
2~ Do you really need more spells
Getting 2 additional spells from a large pool of potential spells in Magical Discoveries is good, however a Paladin/Bard build is likely going to be consuming a fair number of spell slots already and some of the better spells for this build aren't necessarily on Cleric, Druid or Wizard spell lists. At level 10 you'll get access to those spell lists, so it's only an advantage for about 4 levels (levels 6-9). Overall it's not really worthwhile enough to be considered for a build that already has access too 2nd level paladin spells and 3rd-5th level bard spells.
further too this, Lore does not give the ability to use a weapon as a spell focus like Valor does, which actually restricts the usefulness of these spells a lot. I'd suggest it's best to carefully consider, taking either rituals or spells which do not have S and/or M components that can be fulfilled by a focus. War Caster can fulfil the S component, if taken as a feat.
=====
Reasons to choose Dance Bard
Better inspiration
1+ Tandem Footwork helps the party move first which can help but there are better ways of achieving that on other classes/builds and it's 6th level. (there is nothing good at 3rd level!)
Reasons to not choose Dance Bard
1- Indecisive dress code
Paladins use armor, Dance's main draw is Dazzling Footwork which specifically requires that you DO NOT use armor
2- Cowardly retreat
Inspiring footwork gives a way to retreat if a creature stops near you, at the end of it's turn you can use a reaction to run away and allow an ally to do the same... but you're a tank, why are you running? Why are you running!?
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As such, I would still advise Valor 1st, Glamor also is pretty good. Lore gives questionable benefits past cutting words and Dance is just a terrible choice which doesn't have synergy with Paladin at all.
* For ability scores, you could also go 15(14+1), 8, 13, 10, 12, 17(15+2) if you want to be more spellcasting based, but you still need 15 strength for plate, and 13 strength for multiclass requirements. If you're not getting at least a +2, you're going to struggle to hit anything and if you're tanking you really want plate. Overall, this is more valid for a Devotion Paladin than an Ancient Paladin, due to Devotion's sacred weapon being based off of Charisma. As such I recommend 17(15+2), 8, 14(13+1), 10, 12, 14 for standard array.