The simplest way to think about this is that you get the spell slots of both classes at the level each class is rather than as a function of your total class levels like it would be for any other multiclass. You have as many pact slots as you would if you were a single class warlock. You also have as many spell slots as you would from however many levels of whatever class you are combining with warlock. You can cast the spells from either of your classes freely with pact slots or spell slots as you see fit.
For example, I have a level 2 warlock with two level 1 pact slots. When I take a level of sorcerer, in addition to pact slots from my warlock levels, I will get two level 1 spell slots like any other level 1 sorcerer. After that, if I take a level in warlock (warlock3/sorc1), I will still have the two pact slots and two level 1 spell slots. I will also have access to level 2 warlock spells like any other level 3 warlock. If I took a second level in sorcerer instead (warlock2/sorc2), I’d have the two pact slots from being a warlock but I’d have three level 1 spell slots like any other level 2 sorcerer. With a third sorcerer level, I’d get access to level 2 spells and would have two level 2 spell slots.
It is an odd interaction compared to how other classes combine to determine spell slots.
Does anyone know how many spell slots the warlock has on each class? I can't make sense of the entry on dndbeyond
Warlocks don't get spell slots like other classes.
You get a small number of pact magic slots. These always cast at your maximum available level, and they recharge on a short rest.
You also get invocations, which are arguably the real meat of the class.
I meant 'each level', not each class. My bad!!
The simplest way to think about this is that you get the spell slots of both classes at the level each class is rather than as a function of your total class levels like it would be for any other multiclass. You have as many pact slots as you would if you were a single class warlock. You also have as many spell slots as you would from however many levels of whatever class you are combining with warlock. You can cast the spells from either of your classes freely with pact slots or spell slots as you see fit.
For example, I have a level 2 warlock with two level 1 pact slots. When I take a level of sorcerer, in addition to pact slots from my warlock levels, I will get two level 1 spell slots like any other level 1 sorcerer. After that, if I take a level in warlock (warlock3/sorc1), I will still have the two pact slots and two level 1 spell slots. I will also have access to level 2 warlock spells like any other level 3 warlock. If I took a second level in sorcerer instead (warlock2/sorc2), I’d have the two pact slots from being a warlock but I’d have three level 1 spell slots like any other level 2 sorcerer. With a third sorcerer level, I’d get access to level 2 spells and would have two level 2 spell slots.
It is an odd interaction compared to how other classes combine to determine spell slots.