I am building a DEX paladin who is pretty much a musketeer (in the Dumas sense) but uses Verdadera Destreza as his style (spanish rapier fencing from the XVII century). I ended up deciding to go dueling with a shield reflavored as a parrying dagger and genie oath to get the unarmored defense which added to the defensive duelist feat will give him God-like AC. Destreza is a very defensive style of sword fighting based on space and blade control, so high AC fits perfectly. That part is settled. I'm now debating on wether going single class or multiclassing rogue (swashbuckler) or bard (valor or swords). I'm not open to multiclassing either sorcerer nor warlock, neither fit the theme of the character, so please don't suggest those MCs. The DM allows to skip the STR requirement for the paladin multiclass, so that is not going to be an issue. The campaign will go to Lvl 20, so any MC would leave the PC without the capstone and would have tosee how to makeroom for an epic boon. Rogue gives sneak attack, rakish audacity and more mobility due to being able to do hit-and-run and bard would give more spells and spell slots. Would it be worth it? If so, which one do you think is best? Edit: Battlemaster could work because of the maneuvers (riposte, commanding pressence, disarming strike)
Starting at low level can be a very painful way to MC as you have the "daily" drudgery of experiencing your character being a level or two behind the rest of the party.
Don't just look at level 20 and what you are losing, look at level 5 and 7 and 10 etc. See what you do not have and what you could. Level 5 paladin gets 2 attacks, level 1 of X and level 4 Paladin has to wait until everyone is level 6 to receive that extra attack. Everyone who is at level 8 gets to pick that ASI stat/feat. But if you are Paladin 7 & another level 1 you have to wait until you are 9th level.
The sneak attack is based on the Rouge level, so being a level 1 rouge but Paladin X does not get you a big improvement.
Honestly, I think paladins get so much stuff, I hate multiclassing with them. If you do, I’d say you certainly want to go to level 6 before you do, as the aura is too good to pass up. I’d say no on rogue, the sneak attack damage isn’t all that exciting, and paladins usually want to be up in the fight, not darting in and out. Bard is kind of tempting for the spell slots, but again, I don’t know if that’s worth delaying your pally features.
Which muskateer and from what book? D'artagnan would probably be a cavalier or swashbuckler to be agressive and the lucky feat to make it work out. Arimis an eloquence bard, paladin or cleric depending on circumstances. Athos is banneret fighter maybe paladin would also work to inspire and lead people forward. Porthos especially in the later books is a barbarian in fancy clothes, race would be something with strong build like orc, if CR classes are allowed, juggernaut would be good for collapsing buildings, uprooting trees and breaking chairs.
I think "god like AC" is pushing it. At level 10, (assuming point buy and taking an ASI at level 8 rather than another feat) your base AC will be 20, which is the same as a strength based Pally wearing plate, you can increase that with bracers of defence but the strength Paladin can wear +2 armor without using an atunement slot. Of course unarmored defense is great because you can achieve the same AC on a dex based build (and prioritise charisma over dex if you want to) and don't have disadvantage of stealth.
I think your main options are
Straight paladin
Fighter 2/ Paladin X (mainly for action surge but you would miss your epic boon and Nobel Scion bth of which are really good I think this makes you a bit stronger from character level 10 to 18 but weaker after that. )
Fighter 4/Paladin X (this would allow the Epic boon by getting either Fighter 4 or Paladin 16 at character level 19 (or 20)
Paladin 8 / Bard X (Level 6 and 8 are the standard break points for Paladin multiclass and Aura of elemental shielding is good enough that I think you want to get it, though you coould start Paladin 6, Bard 4 or 7/3 and take the last level or two of pally mid campaign.
I am building a DEX paladin who is pretty much a musketeer (in the Dumas sense) but uses Verdadera Destreza as his style (spanish rapier fencing from the XVII century). I ended up deciding to go dueling with a shield reflavored as a parrying dagger and genie oath to get the unarmored defense which added to the defensive duelist feat will give him God-like AC. Destreza is a very defensive style of sword fighting based on space and blade control, so high AC fits perfectly. That part is settled. I'm now debating on wether going single class or multiclassing rogue (swashbuckler) or bard (valor or swords). I'm not open to multiclassing either sorcerer nor warlock, neither fit the theme of the character, so please don't suggest those MCs. The DM allows to skip the STR requirement for the paladin multiclass, so that is not going to be an issue. The campaign will go to Lvl 20, so any MC would leave the PC without the capstone and would have tosee how to makeroom for an epic boon. Rogue gives sneak attack, rakish audacity and more mobility due to being able to do hit-and-run and bard would give more spells and spell slots. Would it be worth it? If so, which one do you think is best? Edit: Battlemaster could work because of the maneuvers (riposte, commanding pressence, disarming strike)
Starting at low level can be a very painful way to MC as you have the "daily" drudgery of experiencing your character being a level or two behind the rest of the party.
Don't just look at level 20 and what you are losing, look at level 5 and 7 and 10 etc. See what you do not have and what you could. Level 5 paladin gets 2 attacks, level 1 of X and level 4 Paladin has to wait until everyone is level 6 to receive that extra attack. Everyone who is at level 8 gets to pick that ASI stat/feat. But if you are Paladin 7 & another level 1 you have to wait until you are 9th level.
The sneak attack is based on the Rouge level, so being a level 1 rouge but Paladin X does not get you a big improvement.
Honestly, I think paladins get so much stuff, I hate multiclassing with them. If you do, I’d say you certainly want to go to level 6 before you do, as the aura is too good to pass up.
I’d say no on rogue, the sneak attack damage isn’t all that exciting, and paladins usually want to be up in the fight, not darting in and out.
Bard is kind of tempting for the spell slots, but again, I don’t know if that’s worth delaying your pally features.
We go to lvl20 and start at lvl10, so the "big part" is done already. Fighter (Battlemaster) also seems interesting: action surge and maneuvers...
Which muskateer and from what book? D'artagnan would probably be a cavalier or swashbuckler to be agressive and the lucky feat to make it work out. Arimis an eloquence bard, paladin or cleric depending on circumstances. Athos is banneret fighter maybe paladin would also work to inspire and lead people forward. Porthos especially in the later books is a barbarian in fancy clothes, race would be something with strong build like orc, if CR classes are allowed, juggernaut would be good for collapsing buildings, uprooting trees and breaking chairs.
I think "god like AC" is pushing it. At level 10, (assuming point buy and taking an ASI at level 8 rather than another feat) your base AC will be 20, which is the same as a strength based Pally wearing plate, you can increase that with bracers of defence but the strength Paladin can wear +2 armor without using an atunement slot. Of course unarmored defense is great because you can achieve the same AC on a dex based build (and prioritise charisma over dex if you want to) and don't have disadvantage of stealth.
I think your main options are
This might be helpful
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3raRm6VrTWA