Making lv 1 Paladin for the first time & need help

[LightPhoenix]

I'm going to go a little different of a route myself, and this doesn't fit the stereotypical paladin, so you may not want to go with it.

STR 8
DEX 14
CON 12
INT 10
WIS 13
CHA 17

Still focus on Mounted Combat, but focus a little more on Archery as well. A higher Dex and your Divine Grace make you a little more able to take punishment, plus if you're an archer you're not going to be on the front lines as much. This compensates for a lower Con bonus. The 13 in Wis means you only need to put one point into it to reach the highest Paladin spells, and they're mostly buffs anyway, so you don't need a high DC. If you're in an outdoors setting, Mounted Combat, Mounted Archery, Point Blank Shot are your best bets, with any of the "Archery" tree feats afterwards. Since you'll only have 7 or 8 feats, you won't have much to play around with. You could go with Leadership and get a cohort if your DM allows it. For skills, obviously Ride, and one other of your choice.

If you really want to disregard Str, you could be a Gnome or Halfling. If you go Halfling, I would swap Dex and Con above and get a 14 in both. Either way this will give you two 14s while only affecting where you're already weak.

Anyway, it really does depend on context, if you need a front-line fighter, you're better off going with Str as your big stat as others have suggested. I just like the concept of a weak Paladin myself.

 

[Psyduck]

Thanks for all of the help. I finally chose a type. I'm playing a human Paladin with the following stats.

str 14
dex 10
con 12
int 8
wis 13
chr 17

When my group comes up to an encounter, The always like to jump the gun (or sword), and start combat. I plan on showing them that bloodshed is not always necessary. With that thought, I took diplomacy ranks. I also took some ranks in ride and heal (my mount isn't going to come into play much; we're in the underdark).

As for my code: defend the innocent and avoid bloodshed unless necessary.

So far, I escaped 2 encounters from talking my way out of them, and my party is a bit more cautious about firing in the dark at moving shadows

Thanks once again for all of the help

 

[Kesh]

Ahhh, yes. Good plan. Try to talk through it, and if that doesn't work, kick their butts. I like.

"Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far." - Theodore Roosevelt.

 

[Erithtotl]

Thanks for all of the help. I finally chose a type. I'm playing a human Paladin with the following stats.

str 14
dex 10
con 12
int 8
wis 13
chr 17

When my group comes up to an encounter, The always like to jump the gun (or sword), and start combat. I plan on showing them that bloodshed is not always necessary. With that thought, I took diplomacy ranks. I also took some ranks in ride and heal (my mount isn't going to come into play much; we're in the underdark).

As for my code: defend the innocent and avoid bloodshed unless necessary.

So far, I escaped 2 encounters from talking my way out of them, and my party is a bit more cautious about firing in the dark at moving shadows

Thanks once again for all of the help

Always cool to see people take a stereotyped class and do something original with it. Good for you! (though I think its a good idea you didn't go with the 8 str suggestion!)

Oh, and Power Attack isn't all that great but Cleave is ALWAYS useful. Anyone who says its not doesn't understand the rule.

 

[Jeph]

Here's a concept. Don't know if it would work out all that well strategically, but here goes: Elven paladin-archer. This would be the stat break down (including racial modifiers):

STR 13
DEX 16
CON 6
INT 10
WIS 12
CHA 17

Just stay out of melee, all right? Besides, it's pointless for a paladin who works at a distance to have a high Con if they've got a good Cha--they can just take an action to heal themselves, and presto, instant HP! You could probably find an elven diety that's nuetral good, take a level or two of Fighter, and eventually cross-class into Order of the Bow Initiate around level 8. In the way of magic items, mithral armor and temporary HP giving one-shotters would probably be best.

-Jeph

 

[Gargoyle]

Before the game, talk out of character with your DM about what he considers an evil act or gross violations of the Code.

In the game, get a phylactery of faith asap.

Sounds like you've got a great character concept.

 

[David Argall]

blunt cleve

"but Cleave is ALWAYS useful. Anyone who says its not doesn't understand the rule."

Well, it is not a cost at any time, but quite obviously it is not useful when you have only one opponent, [or when one of your foes is using a reach weapon and is out of your immediate reach, or...] and of very little use if you are unlikely to be the one that drops the foe. If you are doing 10 hp while the stud barbarian is doing 30, you just won't get to cleve often.

Cleve works fine vs a bunch of wimps. When you are facing small numbers of monsters that have lots of hp, it's close to nothing.