Warlock / Paladin “Padlock”Multiclass Build Guide — D&D 5e

From the warlock’s perspective, the Padlock is a warlock dip bolted onto a paladin chassis. Your contribution is Pact Magic: slots that recharge on a short rest, meaning the paladin’s Divine Smite never runs dry. Two short rests per adventuring day turns two warlock slots into six extra smites — a sustained damage increase no other dip can match.

Eldritch Blast + Agonizing Blast is the other half of the package. A pure paladin’s ranged option is throwing a javelin for 1d6 + STR at 30 feet. Your dip replaces that with 1d10 + CHA force damage at 120 feet, scaling beams with character level. Flying enemies, kiting encounters, and ranged phases stop being dead turns.

The warlock’s patron shapes the build’s identity. Hexblade is the headline: Hex Warrior lets the paladin attack with Charisma instead of Strength, freeing the ability array to dump STR entirely. But Hexblade is not the only option — Fiend gives temporary hit points on kills (fuelling a front-line fighter), Undead adds a fear rider on Eldritch Blast, and Genie adds bonus damage once per turn. The warlock dip is strong with any patron; Hexblade just makes the math easiest.

Ability priority: CHA → CON → STR (13 unless Hexblade) — Charisma drives Eldritch Blast, warlock spells, paladin auras, and (with Hexblade) melee attacks. Constitution for durability. Strength 13 is the paladin multiclass requirement — Hexblade can ignore it for attacks but not for the multiclass gate.