Best BG3 Lockadin Build: Multiclass Guide for 2026

Latest Update: August 15, 2026 – Categories: Baldur’s Gate 3

Master the Patch 8 Lockadin build with our Paladin Warlock multiclass guide features the best Charisma-scaling gear, leveling progression, and high-damage Smite combos for Honour Mode. In Baldur’s Gate 3, the Paladin class serves as the foundation for the Lockadin build, offering powerful spells, heavy armor, and strong subclass features.

The Lockadin (Paladin/Warlock) is the ultimate “Single Attribute Dependency” (SAD) damage dealer. The Lockadin build combines the Paladin and Warlock classes for a versatile and powerful character. By using Pact of the Blade, you can ignore Strength or Dexterity for weapon damage scaling, allowing you to pump up Charisma to its highest possible. This makes you single stat focused, helpful in combat and as the “party” face when engaging in dialogue. In Baldur’s Gate 3, the Lockadin is a powerful, charisma-driven gish that combines heavy armor, high-burst Divine Smites, and Pact of the Blade extra attacks. However, the build is less effective until level 10 and requires careful planning for ability scores and race selection.

This build guide is updated for Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 8, Community Update #36.

Related Guides

• Baldur’s Gate 3 Best Builds for 2026
• BG3 Best Multiclass Builds Explained
• Baldur’s Gate 3 Class Tier List
• Best Beginner Class in BG3
• Baldur’s Gate 3 Best Solo Class
• BG3 Best Builds for Honor Mode
• Ultimate BG3 Companion Tier List

Why Use the BG3 Lockadin Build (Paladin Warlock)?

The main reason to use the Paladin Warlock Multiclass combination is the Bind Hexed Weapon or Pact of the Blade. This allows you to make any weapon scale in effectiveness off your Charisma modifier, not strength or dexterity. Charisma specifically, can reach 24 with a couple of permanent bonuses and Birthright hat. This allows you to use another Elixir for even more utility or damage. Plus Charisma is great for manipulating conversations and influencing dialogue.

The standard and optimal level splits for the Lockadin are 7 Paladin / 5 Warlock or 5 Paladin / 7 Warlock. The build is strongest at level 10 when it gains access to three attacks per action.

You also gain extra attack through Deepened Pact and Paladin’s Class features. With the Paladin’s weapon proficiencies, you can equip two-handed melee weapons, use Charisma, and retain all of the burst spellcasting from the Warlock. Plus, add in Divine Smite damage passively, and you have one of the highest burst characters in all of BG3.

If that weren’t enough, the Magical Darkness strategy offers another defensive layer. By selecting the Devil’s Sight invocation, you can drop a Darkness cloud and stand inside it with total immunity to ranged attacks and spells, while granting yourself Permanent Advantage on every melee strike. With the Paladin’s Aura of Protection adding a massive bonus to every saving throw, you become a walking fortress that is statistically improbable to hit or disable.

If you want super burst, you can use Hexblade’s Curse on a target for easier chances of critical hits. Plus, you gain proficiency bonus on damage rolls. This offers massive burst damage on a single target, only using a bonus action.

Lastly, the Hex + Eldritch Blast combination gives you a great ranged damage option when you can’t reach a target. Plus, this combination scales with your level, giving you great ranged damage options even when your spell slots are exhausted.

Character Creation Selections – Paladin Warlock (Lockadin) build

The biggest choice for your Lockadin build in character creation is race. The Half Orc offers the highest damage on critical hits, and with Hexblade’s Curse, it’s a no brainer. If for whatever reason you don’t like the Orc, the Zariel Tiefling is another option due to free Smite spells. Wood Elf is also a strong choice, offering increased movement speed, natural Perception proficiency, and immunity to magical Sleep, making it optimal for certain early game strategies. If you consider Duergar, keep in mind their only downside is reduced movement speed, but their strengths can outweigh this minor drawback.

You will also want to start off as a Paladin at level 1 so you gain heavy armor proficiency and get access to Divine Smite sooner at level 2. The paladin oath you choose is important, as it determines your subclass and abilities; you can also break your paladin oath later to become an Oathbreaker Paladin for additional build options and unique features. Your Origin character is an important decision, as Tav is recommended but Dark Urge can be powerful if you want to play as an Oath Breaker “evil” character. Just select Oath of Vengeance at level 1 as your subclass.

For ability score, remember that your damage won’t scale from Strength so dump the stat to zero or 8. However, in the early game, you can use the Elixir of Hill Giant Strength to temporarily boost your Strength to 21 until a long rest, which is very useful for early encounters and gear requirements. Since you won’t get this until a few levels into the game, you can respec with Wither’s later on and have more strength at the start. It’s critical that you have an odd number on Charisma so you can get Auntie Ethel’s bonus +1 in Act 1, giving you 18. Then, with an ability score feat, 20, plus Birthrights (22), and Mirror of the Loss bonus end up at 24 Charisma! With both your spells and melee attacks scaling, this is critical to making the build work.

Leveling Progression – Paladin Warlock (Lockadin) build

Action Economy & Buff Stacking

Most of your time spent will be using an action for a melee attack. You want to start out with Booming Blade as it adds damage passively, then trigger Divine Smite on targets who need extra damage to finish off. Before attacking, make sure your weapon is bound with Bind Hexed Weapon.

Key spells for the Lockadin include Hex, Hellish Rebuke, Darkness, and Hunger of Hadar. Warlock spell slots are limited compared to pure spellcasters, but they are replenished on a short rest, allowing for strategic use in fights. When using spells like Hex, it’s important to maintain concentration to maximize your damage output. Useful spells from the Oath of Vengeance subclass, such as Hold Person and Misty Step, further enhance your tactical options.

Most of your time spent will be using an action for a melee attack. You want to start out with Booming Blade as it adds damage passively, then trigger Divine Smite on targets who need extra damage to finish off. Before attacking, make sure your weapon is bound with Bind Hexed Weapon. At level 10, combining the Extra Attack feature from Paladin and the Deepened Pact feature from Warlock grants you an additional attack, enabling three attacks per action for maximum damage.

As you see above, this turns any weapon into a Charisma scaling weapon. Your damage will be increased the more charisma you have, thus making your ability score incredibly important.

Your bonus actions should be spent on Hex with Eldritch Blast, Hexblade Curse on a critical target, or Hunter’s Mark to add extra damage early. Divine Favour or Shield of Faith can also be used if you need a bit of offense or defense. Vow of Enemy is great if you need advantage on a single target, and have a bonus action to spare that turn. Either way, make sure to use an action and bonus action, and activate your Aura whenever you unlock it. When selecting feats, consider the Great Weapon Master feat for a high-risk, high-reward playstyle, as it increases your damage output at the cost of attack accuracy.

Gear Progression Path – Paladin Warlock (Lockadin) build

Act 1 (Early Game)

Act 2 (Mid Game)

Act 3 (Best in Slot)

Potions, Elixirs, and Consumables

Essential Elixirs (The Aura & Smite Focus)

Since the Lockadin uses Hexed Weapon to bind their weapon to their Charisma, Strength elixirs are not needed. Below are some Elixir options for max offense and survivability:

• Elixir of Bloodlust: Since you have Extra Attack from both Paladin (Level 5) and Warlock (Level 5), this elixir allows you to potentially swing 3–4. Drink this before any encounter with multiple enemies to trigger the “Kill-Action” early.
• Elixir of Cloud Giant Strength: While your weapon scales with Charisma, this elixir sets your Strength to 27. If you use the Balduran’s Giant Slayer greatsword, you get to add both your Strength and Charisma modifiers to damage. This is the highest “burst” setup in the game.
• Elixir of Vigilance: Grants +5 to Initiative. Since Lockadins usually dump Dexterity to 10 or 12, this prevents you from being “surprised” or stuck at the bottom of the turn order. Essential for dropping your Aura of Protection before the enemies can cast fireballs at your team.
• Elixir of Viciousness: Increases your Critical Hit range. As a Vengeance Paladin, you thrive on crits to double your Level 3 Warlock Smites. Best used when you already have Advantage from Vow of Enmity.

Potions & Consumables

• Potion of Speed: Provides an extra Action and +2 AC. Use this for 3 turns when you need a super turn. Because you are a Paladin, the +2 AC makes you nearly untouchable.
• Potion of Angelic Reprieve: Relished by Lockadins. It grants the benefits of a Short Rest. Since your highest-level Smite slots come from Warlock, this potion effectively “reloads” your shotgun mid-dungeon.

Oils & Weapon Coatings

• Diluted Oil of Sharpness: Provides a +1 bonus to Attack and Damage rolls. Since you already scale off Charisma, this makes your hit chance virtually 100% even against high-AC bosses like Raphael or Gortash.
• Arsonist’s Oil: If you are using a weapon that deals Fire damage (like the Searing Smite from Zariel Tieflings), this turns Fire Resistance into Vulnerability, doubling your output.

Illithid Powers and Synergies

Tier 1: The Essentials

• Luck of the Far Realms: Mandatory. Use this to guarantee a Critical Hit on your highest-level Warlock Divine Smite. This can easily deal 80+ damage in a single swing.
• Favourable Beginnings: Adds your Proficiency Bonus to your first attack.
• Cull the Weak: Automatically executes enemies with low HP. This clears “trash” mobs while you focus your Smites on the boss.

Tier 2: Combat Utility

• Ability Drain: Every time you hit an enemy, you reduce their Strength (or other stat). This makes it harder for bosses to hit you back in melee.
• Repulsor: A massive AOE knockback. Perfect for a Lockadin who gets surrounded; blast them away, then pick them off with Eldritch Blast.

Tier 3: Mastery (Astral Tadpole)

• Fly: Grants infinite mobility. Fixes the Paladin’s biggest weakness, mobility.
• Freecast: Removes the spell slot cost of your next action. Use this to cast a Level 3 Darkness or a spell for free.

Permanent Bonus Tracker

Maximize your Lockadin’s potential by securing these “missable” permanent buffs.

Vision and Awareness – Maximizing Perception for the Lockadin

For the Lockadin build, vision and awareness mechanics are absolutely essential combat statistics, ranking equally with raw melee damage output. This specialized build configuration relies heavily on gap-closing mechanics and delivering devastating melee attacks with magic weapon enhancement, making high perception scores a critical requirement for detecting hidden threats before they can execute their attack patterns.

Situational awareness mastery plays a fundamental role in optimizing both magic weapon effectiveness and Eldritch Blast targeting accuracy. Precise enemy positioning data enables perfect ranged attack angles and optimal melee strike positioning for critical damage execution. When wielding magic weapons enhanced by Bind Hexed Weapon mechanics, every attack sequence must achieve maximum efficiency – missing concealed enemies or failing threat detection protocols eliminates your tactical advantage completely. Similarly, Eldritch Blast casting reaches peak effectiveness when targeting unaware enemies before they can execute defensive repositioning or counter-attack strategies.

Combat Strategy

The Lockadin’s power comes from Charisma Synergy. Because your melee attacks, spell DC, and aura protections all scale off Charisma, your rotation is incredibly consistent.

When planning your melee rotation, it’s important to select a fighting style – such as Great Weapon Fighting – at Level 2 as a Paladin to maximize your melee effectiveness and damage output.

For your bonus action, consider using Hunter’s Mark to mark your target and add extra damage to your attacks, further increasing your overall effectiveness in battle.

When using the Vow of Enmity spell as part of the Oath of Vengeance subclass, remember that it gives you advantage on attack rolls against enemies for 10 turns, making it a powerful tool for sustained offense.

Melee Rotation

Your goal here is to get advantage so you can ensure Smite never misses. This can be done through ability or Risky Ring. Below is your primary melee rotation:

1. Pre-Combat/Turn 1 (Bonus Action): Cast Vow of Enmity on yourself. In Patch 8, targeting yourself grants Advantage against all enemies for 10 turns.
2. Action: Perform your first melee attack. On hit, toggle Divine Smite (using your highest-level Warlock Slot).
3. Extra Attack: Swing again. If the first hit didn’t kill the target, Smite again.

If you trigger another action via Bloodlust, don’t overthink anything, keep on smashing the primary target. You can use Hexblade Curse or Hunter’s Mark before combat too and add some extra damage.

Ranged Rotation

Use this when enemies are kiting you or when you need to keep threats away from your squishy allies.

1. Action: Cast Eldritch Blast. With Agonizing Blast, you add your +5 CHA modifier to every beam.
2. Bonus Action: Cast Hex on a high-HP target. This adds 1d6 Necrotic damage to every beam of your Eldritch Blast, significantly scaling your ranged DPS.
3. Crowd Control: If enemies are bunched up, swap your Action for Darkness or Hunger of Hadar. This creates a zone of Blindness and difficult terrain that deals damage every turn, effectively taking those enemies out of the fight.

Survival Rotation

This is how you solo-tank encounters or survive Honor Mode boss “Legendary Actions.”

1. The Darkness Loop (Action): Cast Darkness centered on yourself.
2. The Passive (Devil’s Sight): Because of your Warlock Invocation, you can see perfectly. Enemies outside the cloud cannot target you with ranged attacks or spells, and enemies who enter the cloud have Disadvantage against you.
3. Bonus Action: Use Lay on Hands for a quick self-heal if your HP dips, or cast Armor of Agathys (at Level 3) before combat to gain 15 Temporary HP that deals 15 Cold damage back to anyone who hits you.
4. Aura of Protection: Simply by standing near your allies, you provide a +5 bonus to all Saving Throws, making your entire party nearly immune to “Save or Die” spells like Hold Person or Confusion.

Party Synergies

Your party composition should contain a Life or Light Cleric (Shadowheart), area based damage dealer spellcaster Sorcerer or Wizard, and a Ranger/Rogue multiclass build for party members. Your Cleric heals and buffs, while your Sorcerer nukes with large AOE spells, and Ranger and Rogue combo helps with ranged damage and exploration. If you don’t need healing, you can swap out Cleric for a melee based Fighter or another spellcaster.

FAQs about the Paladin Warlock (Lockadin) Build

1. Does the 3rd attack still work?

On Tactician and Balanced, yes. On Honor Mode, the extra attacks from Warlock and Paladin do not stack.

2. Should I go 7/5 or 6/6?

Go 7/5 if you are an Ancients Paladin (Spell Resistance) or Oathbreaker (Damage Aura). Go 6/6 for more spell slots and a second feat earlier

3. Which Warlock Patron is best?

Hexblade is the best because of the bonus action utility.

4. Should I use a Shield or a Greatsword?

Use Greatsword for the most melee damage. One Hand and Shield is great if using Shadow Blade spell instead of a melee weapon.

5. Can I Smite with Eldritch Blast?

No. Divine Smite requires a melee weapon attack. Use Eldritch Blast for ranged damage and Smites for melee.

Looking for more Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3) Guides and Content?

Thanks for reading our build guide. Below are other guides and articles about the BG3:

• 9 Best Classes for Beginners in BG3
• Warlock Build for BG3
• Oathbreaker Paladin Build for BG3
• 10 Multiclass Builds for BG3
• Hack’s YouTube Channel