D&D 4E 4e paladin build

Halazar · Aug 30, 2008

Okay I am just joining in a new 4e adventure level 1 and I want to be a protecting paladin. I was wondering if i can get some advice we are using method 2 for generating ability scores.

Name:Halazar
Level:1
Class

aladin
Race:Human
Alignment:Lawful Good
Deity:Bahamut

STR:14
Con:11
Dex:10
INT:10
WIS:14 (16) +2 for human
CHA:16

Speed:6-1(armor)
Initiative: 4 (Improved initiative)
AC: 10+2(Heavy shield) + 6(Chainmail)
FORT: 10+2+1(class)+1(human)
REF:10+1(class)+2(shield)+1(Human)
WILL:10+3+1(class)+1(Human)
Max HP:26
Bloodied:13
Surge Value:6
Surges/Day:13

Passive insight:10+3(wisdom)+5(trained skill)
Passive perception:10+3(wisdom)

SKILLS
Diplomacy: 8
Heal:8
Insight:8
Intimidate:8

FEATS
Healing Hands
Improved Initiative (couldn't find anything better)

AT-WILL POWERS
Holy Strike
Bolstering strike

ENCOUNTER POWERS
Radiant smite

DAILY POWERS
On pain of death

Okay now keep in mind guys as of right now I'm the closest thing to a tank we have so I'm more like an avenging protecting mix.

El Mahdi · Aug 30, 2008

Shouldn't this be in the General RPG Rules forum or one of the 4E forums?

JiffyPopTart · Aug 30, 2008

I think that your build treads the line between the STR based paladin and the CHA based paladin. Doing so means you are trading ability for versatility.

I went with a CHA paladin and totally ditched STR as a stat. I created a human and valued my stats in this order..

Charisma
Wisdom
Constitution
Dexterity
Strength
Intelligence

Get a decent CON score, grab some plate armor and a heavy shield, and take the toughness and durable feats and you have on your hands a guy who can soak up damage like nobodies business and get beat on all day. This tends to protect your buddies allowing them to actually kill things. I think you should make "killing things" take a back seat to "being able to be beat on for an entire encounter and not go down" to be a good protecting paladin.

Just my two cents, and also MY current character. He tends to be unconscious at the end of every battle, but that just means I did my job to the fullest. I think I calculated it the other day and at 4th level I can generate 214 hit points a day of beefiness (52 HP: 14 healing surges @ 13 points each) before I am totally tapped out.

DS

ppaladin123 · Aug 30, 2008

1. Why are you wearing chainmail? You have plate proficiency automatically as a paladin regardless of your starting constitution score....I'd use it.

2.Your hit points are low for a defender....I'd take the feat toughness instead of improved initiative. It will increase your survivability.

3. With a strength of 14 I'd skip strength-based powers and focus entirely on charisma-based attacks. Check out enfeebling strike....an additional -2 to hit on top of the -2 for the mark is VERY useful for protecting your buddies.

4.Also, if you start with Str 14 and Dex 14 you will qualify for heavy blade opportunity at paragon level. That will let you use charisma-based at-wills for opportunity attacks. I suggest reshuffling your stats.

5. Check out this handbook on the wizards message board: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1054956 for stat-allocation and feat advice.

Hope that helps.

Plane Sailing · Aug 30, 2008

moved to rules forum

Foxen · Sep 3, 2008

Hi...I also play a Human Paladin..heh.You should get one more At-Will Power and one more Class Skill as per Human Racial bonuses.Vailant Strike is really nice but is Str based (it'll come in handy when you get seriously surrounded!), while Enfeebling Strike might be kinda nice for your "protection" pally.For Feats...Action Surge (human, +3 attack when using Action Point) is REALLY nice when you want to hit with your daily or encounter power. Getting that +3 stacked with Combat Advantage and with a power bonus from the Cleric or Warlord really helps to ensure your On Pain of Death hits etc. As mentioned, Toughness is almost a given for almost ALL characters. Toughness basically gives you +1 level worth of hitpoints and survivability really helps especially at 1st level. A pally may be tough, but four or five minion hits etc. will quickly drop your tank to negative hitpoints...For my character, I also got Weapon Focus (don't ask) because I wanted that extra punch for melee...but it's not all that useful. Human Peserverance (+1 to save) comes in handy especially whenever you miss a Save by 1 (odn't forget Divine Mettle!)...but more so, when you're making "Death Saving Throws" you basically double your chances to revive!As already mentioned, why not get plate armor? With plate and heavy shield, that's a good start to becoming a decent tank. Remember, your character is not the heavy damage dealer...leave that to the rogues/rangers/and warlocks etc. And some notes...Don't forget to Divine Challenge during the game...I know it sounds really stupid to say this, but believe me, I forget to mention it during combat more often than nought. As a tank with three Lay on Hands (clarify with your DM if Healing Hands also works on your character...it says ally, but my DM made an exception), you in essence have 2x your hitpoint total independent of any other characters (3 LoH and 1 2nd Wind). This makes you TOUGH and can withstand A LOT of hits...just balance taking those hits with your LoH and 2nd Wind...makes you more indestructable than the average bear.Have fun..Fox

Rafe · Sep 3, 2008

For a "tank" paladin, I'd go with:

At-Will Powers:
- Bolstering Strike (defensive "self-buff")
- Enfeebling Strike (defensive "debuff")
- Valiant Strike (good for solid hits when multiple enemies are around you, which you'll want if you're "tanking")

Encounter:
- Piercing Smite (to mark those adjacent to you and keep attention on you)

Daily:
- Paladin's Judgement (if you're a tank, you're in melee - this gives you good damage and allows you to heal someone; On Pain of Death will draw OAs on you because it's ranged.)

For feats, I agree with Sabathius42 re: Toughness and Durable. 26 hp as a "tank" is pretty low. Toughness will give you 31. I'd also make your Con score a 12 (at a minimum) so your hp will be 32 (bloodied at 16 instead of 15, your surge value becomes 8 instead of 7, and you get another surge/day on top of the Durable bonus).

When you're looking at abilities and feats, keep asking yourself: How can I best stay alive and keep those around me alive? Remember you're not a striker... you're a striked.

At 2nd level, it's a toss-up between Sacred Circle - gives protection to more people - and Martyr's Blessing, which can allow you to absorb an adjacent ally's damage. I'm more a fan of Sacred Circle, personally.

Armadillo · Sep 3, 2008

I'll join the chorus in recommending Toughness over Improved Initiative. The additional hit points will be most welcome. Also, I haven't seen this in play yet, but I anticipate that having a higher rank for Bloodied will also come in handy. I've learned to live with the fact that my Paladin will always go last.I'll also recommend Valient Strike. It isn't as much a Strength based at-will as it is a situational at-will. Receiving a +2, +3, or more to hit is a nice advantage when you're surrounded by multiple opponents.For your Daily, I'd recommend Radiant Delirium. It is Cha vs Reflex, does nice Cha-based damage, has a continuing effect, and most importantly, it still does damage and has an effect even if you miss. Plus, it can act to interrupt a continuing action or be used to prevent a target from fleeing. On Pain of Death acts against Will, so it isn't great against casters.

zillah · Sep 4, 2008

how do you have 13 healing surges a day? it should be 10 because your con score is only 11.
Idk how i feel about a human paladin trying to do both. pick one, then optimize it. unless your dragonborn, its really gonna be a rough time in the character career trying to do both.

Tarlison · Aug 16, 2012

Mika, level 1
Human, Paladin|Sorcerer
Hybrid Paladin: Hybrid Paladin Reflex
Sorcerous Power: Sorcerous Power Dexterity
Hybrid Talent: Paladin Armor Proficiency
Human Power Selection: Bonus At-Will Power
Background: Born Under a Bad Sign (Born Under a Bad Sign Benefit)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 9, Con 13, Dex 16, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 18.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 9, Con 13, Dex 16, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 16.

AC: 20 Fort: 12 Reflex: 17 Will: 16
HP: 31 Surges: 9 Surge Value: 7

TRAINED SKILLS
Intimidate +9, Bluff +9, Diplomacy +9, Religion +5

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics -1, Arcana, Dungeoneering, Endurance -3, Heal, History, Insight, Nature, Perception, Stealth -1, Streetwise +4, Thievery -1, Athletics -5

FEATS
Human: Hybrid Talent
Level 1: Sorcerous Blade Channeling

POWERS
Bonus At-Will Power: Acid Orb
Hybrid at-will 1: Virtuous Strike
Hybrid at-will 1: Burning Spray
Hybrid encounter 1: Valorous Smite
Hybrid daily 1: Majestic Halo

ITEMS
Plate Armor, Adventurer's Kit, Heavy Shield, Dagger

This is my Mage Knight Built its not much but it should be decent enough to be a Paladin