Knight of the Inquisition

Primary Combat Role: Passive Buffs (Aura of Protection, Aura of Judgement, Aura of Courage), Active Buffs (Bless and Aid)
Secondary Combat Roles: Single-Target Damage (melee or blade cantrip or Eldritch Blast), Heals (Lay on Hands)
Out of Combat Role: Negotiator, Resurrection (Revivify)
Lineage: Half Elf
Background: Aristocrat

Build Notes

We start as Paladin for heavy armor and defense fighting style (or dueling if we want to be more Inquisition, less Knight). Thanks to the blade cantrips, we can pick up a level or Warlock (Soul blade, naturally) to make CHA our weapon attack attribute and gain the Eldritch Blast cantrip for a ranged option, and not suffer too much from delaying Extra Attack by a level. After securing Extra Attack, I’d generally get the level 6 and 7 Paladin Auras before taking 1 more level of Warlock to boost our capability with Eldritch Blast (Agonizing Blast along with either Repelling Blast or Grasping Blast or even Hindering Blast depending on the party needs) and then finish up as a Paladin (if and when the level cap becomes 13+, we’ll be ready to get Improved Divine Smite! ). This build is sturdy, bolsters the entire party both defensively and offensively, and deals good single target damage up close or ar range.

Ability Scores

STR: 15 +1
DEX: 8
CON: 15 +1
INT: 8
WIS: 10
CHA: 17 +2

Level Progression

1. Paladin 1 [Feature: Lay on Hands]
2. Warlock (Pact of the Soul Blade) 1
3. Paladin 2 [Feature: Divine Smite] [Fighting Style: Defense] or [Fighting Style: Dueling]
4. Paladin (Oath of Judgement) 3 [Channel Divinity: Weight of Justice][Channel Divinity: Purge Corruption]
5. Paladin 4 [Feat: War Caster]
6. Paladin 5 [Feature: Extra Attack]
7. Paladin 6 [Feature: Aura of Protection]
8. Paladin 7 [Feature: Aura of Righteousness]
9. Warlock 2 [Eldritch Invocation: Agonizing Blast] [Eldritch Invocation:Repelling Blast] or [Eldritch Invocation: Hindering Blast] or [Edritch Invocation: Grasping Blast]
10. Paladin 8 [Feat: Fey Teleportation (CHA)] or [Feat: Telekinetic (CHA)]
11. Paladin 9
12. Paladin 10 [Feature: Aura of Courage]

Spell Selection

1. --
2. Pact Mark, Shield, Eldritch Blast, Sunlit Blade
3. Bless, Shield of Faith
4. ^Guiding Bolt, ^Protection vs Evil and Good
5. --
6. ^Hold Person, ^Enhance Ability, Aid, Lesser Restoration, Protection from Poison
7. --
8. --
9. --
10. --
11. ^Hypnotic Pattern, ^Haste, Revivify
12. --

^spell denotes a spell granted by a subclass, spell denotes a recommended spell, and cantrip denotes a recommended cantrip