A Few Paladin Issues

[Talonblaze]

So there's been a few issues that have come up about my Paladin character that has unfortunately halted us mostly due to game balance.

1. I've decided to become a Mystic Fire Knight (deity Mystra), and take all the substitute options and have reached level 4. The extra bonus spells were extremely nice and the trade off for -2 HP wasn't all that bad along with losing Turn Undead. (We got a cleric for that.)
However the one thing that has us all confused about is this:
Improved Spellcasting (Ex): When casting paladin spells, a Mystic Fire Knight can treat her caster level as equal to one-half her paladin level +2.

Now, is it just me or is that a nerf rather than an 'improvement' to a paladin's spellcasting ability? Last I checked, caster levels were = to class level that could cast spells. I don't see how this is a benefit at all.

It will definitely hinder my ability to effectively utilize Sword of the Arcane Order. If it is what I think it is.

2. Me and my DM argued about some of the feats I was prepping for in the future. One of them was Cumbrous Will.
Benefit: Before rolling a Will save, you can decide to activate this feat, which gives you a +6 bonus on your saving throw.
After the saving throw is resolved, regardless of the result you are shaken until the end of the encounter.
A shaken character takes a –2 morale penalty on attack rolls, checks, and saving throws.

Now the key thing about this feat is, I'm basically utilizing as a 'get +6 Will anytime you want' feat without any issues. Since last I recall reading, shaken was a fear effect, which Paladin's are immune to.
What my DM was saying was that regardless of the AoC, I would get the -2 stuff from using this feat. Saying its a self inflicted fear or something to that effect. (Basically finds it unbalancing.)
Do paladins essentially ignore any negative downsides relating to fear as long as the use doesn't call for someone to NOT be immune? (Such as Craven.)[FONT=&quot]
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[Sekhmet]

Paladin caster level is 1/2 Paladin levels. A level 20 Paladin casts spells as a level 10 Cleric. (PHB pg.44, last paragraph "Spells")
So the Mystic Fire Knight is actually better, being at 1/2 + 2.

As far as your feat choice goes, I could argue it either way. Yes, Paladins are immune to fear as a supernatural ability. Supernatural abilities, however, can be suppressed by their owner to allow affects. As a DM, I'm honestly fine either way, however I could easily make the case that you allow the negative to bypass your immunity in order to use the feat.
Even with that ruling, however, the -2 would last for a maximum one round before you "reactivated" your supernatural abilitiy.

 

[Talonblaze]

As far as your feat choice goes, I could argue it either way. Yes, Paladins are immune to fear as a supernatural ability. Supernatural abilities, however, can be suppressed by their owner to allow affects. As a DM, I'm honestly fine either way, however I could easily make the case that you allow the negative to bypass your immunity in order to use the feat.
Even with that ruling, however, the -2 would last for a maximum one round before you "reactivated" your supernatural ability.

Hrm, well the whole purpose of the feat was to boost my Will. I see it as equivalent as a construct/undead taking a feat that fatigues you, even though they know they are immune. I'm just taking advantage of the rare instance of where a fear effect doesn't work, to provide a benefit. (After all, how many are out there?) Taking a hit, even if it's -2 can lead to quite a big hit in that following round. Which I don't know is worth it when other feats could be more beneficial. (After all, this penalty basically affects all abilities besides damage.)

In the instance if my AoC is disabled by other means, yeah the feat's effects would be something to be cautious of.

 

[Dandu]

The Craven feat grants a -2 on saves vs Fear effects and specifically notes that you cannot take it if you are immune to fear. Cumbrous Will has no such line.

Make of that what you will.

 

[Sekhmet]

Oh quite. I'm not calling it unbalanced or particularly amazing, just pointing out my $0.02. Dandu is quite correct, the feat does not say that if you are immune to fear you may not use this feat (whereas other feats or abilities do make that distinction).
You could hardly ask for a better argument in your favour than that.

 

[Talonblaze]

Thanks guys. Think this sums up all I was asking.

Now I have to figure out how to buff my paladin caster level now. XD

 

[Empirate]

Are you sure Cumbrous Will is a good option for you? Binding up two feats (Iron Will is a prereq iirc) just for good will saves, which should already be OK due to Divine Grace... sounds suboptimal. Paladins are rather feat-strapped as is, aren't they? I'd rather take Law Devotion and Leadership or Practiced Spellcaster, or something, than save boosters.

 

[Talonblaze]

Are you sure Cumbrous Will is a good option for you? Binding up two feats (Iron Will is a prereq iirc) just for good will saves, which should already be OK due to Divine Grace... sounds suboptimal. Paladins are rather feat-strapped as is, aren't they? I'd rather take Law Devotion and Leadership or Practiced Spellcaster, or something, than save boosters.

As its one of the Paladin's weakest saves, I think its fine. As the tank avoiding nasty Will saves is something useful to benefit in most dire situations. As useful as Law Devotion is; already have several options to increase AC that isn't restricted to alignment. DM removed Leadership and considering most of the spells I'll be casting are from the SotAO feat, Practiced spellcaster would benefit me little.
The Iron Will is also a prereq for a few of my other feats so its not just wasted for this one in particular.

 

[Empirate]

Law Devotion provides an attack bonus OR an AC bonus, and can be switched "on your next action", meaning whenever you take a free action - which can be out of your turn. Power Attack away with the attack bonus, then switch the an AC bonus until it's your turn again. As for the alignment restriction - you're a Paladin, I'm positive you WILL be lawful. Unless you're a Pally of Freedom or something, of course.

Increased caster level is always good, especially on Sor/Wiz spells. Self-buffs have longer duration, you'll get more Mirror Images, that Glitterdust takes longer to wear off etc. etc.

 

[Talonblaze]

Law Devotion provides an attack bonus OR an AC bonus, and can be switched "on your next action", meaning whenever you take a free action - which can be out of your turn. Power Attack away with the attack bonus, then switch the an AC bonus until it's your turn again. As for the alignment restriction - you're a Paladin, I'm positive you WILL be lawful. Unless you're a Pally of Freedom or something, of course.

Increased caster level is always good, especially on Sor/Wiz spells. Self-buffs have longer duration, you'll get more Mirror Images, that Glitterdust takes longer to wear off etc. etc.

Yes, but the benefit matter's little. If defense is needed, I use my Improved Combat Expertise, if attack is needed, I'll use True Strike for a +20. (Thanks to SotAO).
The increased caster level would only affect my paladin spells and not the ones from SotAO. (It notes that caster levels for such spells are Wizard + Paladin class levels) and a caster level cannot exceed a character level (unless noted otherwise). In which case my caster level for those spells would be equal to such and Practiced Spellcaster would do nothing to them.
Plus the more likely I am to succeed Will saves (which is common for most spellcasters and monsters), the easier it would be to activate Vengeful Surge for offensive power when I get it.
The fact I traded out Turn Undead also lessens the potential of Law Devotion as the 'once per day' isn't enough versus the unlimited uses of the feats I currently are aiming for.