Multiclass Paladin + Pact Magic = What paladin spells can I prepare and cast?

Question

I'm sure this has been asked somewhere already, but I couldn't find it.

Let's say I'm Paladin 5 / Warlock 7. https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/basic-rules/customization-options#Spellcasting

When I choose what Paladin spells I know, I consider myself as a single-classed Paladin 5, which would have 2nd level spell slots, so I can know 2nd level Paladin spells.

Spells Known and Prepared. You determine what spells you know and can prepare for each class individually, as if you were a single-classed member of that class.

When I consider what spell slots I actually have, I look on the multiclass spellcaster table, and see that I only have 1st level Paladin spell slots.

Spell Slots. You determine your available spell slots by adding together all your levels in the bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, and wizard classes, and half your levels (rounded down) in the paladin and ranger classes. Use this total to determine your spell slots by consulting the Multiclass Spellcaster table.

So, if I want to cast one of those 2nd level Paladin spells, I'll need to use one of my 4th level spell slots from Warlock.

Is all of that correct?

Answer 1

If you notice, warlocks aren't included in the list of multiclass spellcasting slot calculations. This is because warlocks' Pact Magic feature isn't the same as the Spellcasting class feature and has a different way of handling spell slots.

Page 164 of the Players Handbook actually explains this.

"If you have both the Spellcasting class feature and the Pact Magic class feature from the warlock, you can use the spell slots you gain from Pact Magic to cast spells you know or have prepared from classes with the Spellcasting class feature, and you can use the spell slots you gain from the Spellcasting class feature to cast warlock spells you know."

So, you handle your Paladin slots as for a single-classed Paladin 5 and then add the Pact Magic Spells slots for a single-classed Warlock 7.

This gives you the rather peculiar situation of:

• 4 × 1st level spell slot
• 2 × 2nd level spell slot
• 0 × 3rd level spell slot
• 2 × 4th level spell slot

Likewise, you handle whatever spells your character knows as a Paladin as if they were single-class Paladin 5 and whatever spells they know as a Warlock as if they were a single-class Warlock 7. The multiclass list only applies if you have two classes which both have the Spellcasting class feature, which doesn't apply here as warlocks don't.

It is worth keeping an easily accessible record of which spell slots are from your warlock levels, as there are Eldritch Invocations which require expending a specifically warlock spell slot (such as Mire the Mind or Sign of Ill Omen, as per the comments).