I was jsut saying your one level away from Extra attack, but need to go thru 5 levels of Pally to get it. Meaning you would be level 9 before getting your extra attack, vrs lvl 5 with fighter.
Fighter build advice
I was jsut saying your one level away from Extra attack, but need to go thru 5 levels of Pally to get it. Meaning you would be level 9 before getting your extra attack, vrs lvl 5 with fighter.
UngeheuerLich
Legend
Paladin now will give you smites at level 5 and together with battle master maneuvers you may make up for not having a second attack and an ability score increase. Another fighting style at paladin 2 should also increase your effectiveness. Level 4 fighter paladin 1 may be the worst place to switch, because the paladin gets a lot of damage at level 2. Level 3 Paladin gives oath bonuses and level 4 your ability increase and your extra attack at level 8. and at level 9 you get either paladin aura or another ASI from fighter and at 10 the other one. I don't know what you get as paladin 7 but I gues it will at least be a spell slot you can use for smites. Then Paladin 8 for another ASI.
UngeheuerLich
Legend
Also damage seems to be not your main concern. So maybe protection fighting style will allow your monk and rogue friends to stay in melee for a while. Your protection fighting style alliws your monk to use his ki exclusively for flurry of blows instead of rhe occasional dodge as bonus action. And your rogue may use an off hand weapon in case that he misses with his first attack. So it may be well worth the trade of you extra attack, since your friends will hit a lot harder than you anyway.
FormerlyHemlock
Hero
Is your DM the type who is likely to have you continuously fighting dragons at high level, or are armies of hobgoblins, beholders, or mind flayers just as likely?
From a versatility perspective, having a tank who is functionally immune to mobs is a good thing, even if HAM is not useful against dragons and Pit Fiends.
Good news for the Paladin is that if HAM is not useful in your high-level campaign, Protection From Evil almost certainly is, and vice versa.
The DM is the type to use a wide scale of mobs to fight the party so that there's always a challenge, he does however have a tendency to upscale encounters. (example: we handled a young adult green dragon pretty easily at lvl 3, next encounter had us fighting a worg, an owl bear and quite a decent amount of bugbears).
With what all of you have been saying HAM sounds like the best option, I'll trade in my parry maneuver for commanders strike to boost the parties damage output as well.
Dueling fighting style at lvl 2 pala has my preference over protection, since generally I'm the only one on the frontlines anyway and I'd like to be able to do at least a bit of damage myself incase it's really needed.
With what all of you have been saying HAM sounds like the best option, I'll trade in my parry maneuver for commanders strike to boost the parties damage output as well.
Dueling fighting style at lvl 2 pala has my preference over protection, since generally I'm the only one on the frontlines anyway and I'd like to be able to do at least a bit of damage myself incase it's really needed.
Kithas
First Post
I agree, protection is garbage. Commanders strike is also quite nice. As a small suggestion, Magic initiate into sorc/warlock for sword burst, Booming Blade and whatever lv1 spell would make your worries about both aoe damage and extra attack virtually disappear. You will easily stay up on damage even without extra attack, and sword burst is super helpful for paladins, if you haven't noticed you don't have much aoe...
(p.s. Earth tremor is a classic l1 spell for tanks)
3fgtr/17pally is a classic and very strong build, honestly though for you I would recommend 4/16, with point-buy you want the extra asi and getting that asi now means you can grab magic initiate at lvl4 instead of lvl7, that will be a looong 3 levels trust me. Also Paladin level 5 spells kinda suck :/ Destructive wave is the only good one and even that is kinda mediocre when you only get it once per long rest.
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UngeheuerLich
Legend
I disagree. Protection is not garbage... it just eats your reaction. If yoj don't plan on using that reaction every round otherwise, it may help. Dueling is a good choice however.
Zaruthustran
The tingling means it’s working!
I recommend you take that 4th level as Fighter, and pick up either Heavy Armor Master or Shield Master. The push/prone from Shield Master is a huge party buff and battlefield control.
Then get one more level of Fighter for Extra Attack.
Then dip into Warlock. Yes, Warlock! Agonizing Blast + Eldritch Blast gives you a viable ranged attack, and the at-will False Life from Fiendish Vigor (in combo with Heavy Armor Master) gives you absurd durability. Plus Hex is a solid damage buff (+1d6 for both of your attacks) and debuff (disadvantage on target's ability checks of your choice; choose Str or Dex if you picked up Shield Master).
Then get one more level of Fighter for Extra Attack.
Then dip into Warlock. Yes, Warlock! Agonizing Blast + Eldritch Blast gives you a viable ranged attack, and the at-will False Life from Fiendish Vigor (in combo with Heavy Armor Master) gives you absurd durability. Plus Hex is a solid damage buff (+1d6 for both of your attacks) and debuff (disadvantage on target's ability checks of your choice; choose Str or Dex if you picked up Shield Master).
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