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Pillars of Faith (and Facestabs): The Paladin's Handbook (By Litigation)
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<blockquote data-quote="Veep" data-source="post: 6707959" data-attributes="member: 6793297"><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 22px"><strong><u>Champion's Prayers: Epic Tier Powers</u></strong></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 18px"><strong><u>Lv. 22 Utility</u></strong></span></p><p></p><p><strong>Shared Valor</strong> is the jewel of this level. <strong>Shared Sacrifice</strong> is also a good option if you're not led by a Cleric. Holy Wings can be good for a few levels until you can afford at-will flight items.</p><p></p><p><strong>Class Powers</strong></p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="color: Purple">Angelic Rescue</span> (PHB)</strong>: This one isn't going to see too much use.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Purple">Cleansing Burst</span> (PHB)</strong>: Turn the Tide, Mark II. At least this daily is a minor action, but there's still the question of just how often will the entire party be saddled with multiple save-ends effects and penalties.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000">Dark Grace</span> (HoS)</strong>: A purely Shadow power from the Blackguard Vice of Domination, and sadly pretty lackluster. The aura 1 has extremely limited range for its THP granting to allies, and halving an ally's healing from surge usage and taking the other half is rather inappropriate for your Defender role.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Failure Is No Option</span> (DP)</strong>: Thoroughly obsoleted by Shared Valor.</p><p></p><p>Fateful Cleansing (D 381): This daily is essentially a double-strength Lay on Hands (one surge for two surges' worth healing) with saves against all such effects. Decent.</p><p></p><p><strong>Gift of Life (PHB)</strong>: With Leaders everywhere getting resurrection spells at this level now, this daily isn't as crucial as it was. It's still a good backup spell, if nothing else.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #800080">Gift of Resistance</span> (D 387): This daily stance is only worth it at all if you have sources of resistance to specific damage types, and even then it's pretty campaign specific. You'd have to be fighting a lot of enemies that inflict the type of damage you resist for this to be really useful.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Holy Wings</span> (DP)</strong>: You get to fly once per encounter. You also get some extra AC against OAs. Good for helping you get where you need to on the battlefield. Although if you're in the market for Airstriders in a few levels, you'll want to <span style="color: #ff0000">retrain out of this</span>.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Purple">Inspiring Hymn</span> (DP)</strong>: This encounter power is rather situational. Even when they do happen, only few enemies, even at this tier, have truly devastating crits.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #800080">Rampaging Bloodlust</span> (HoS)</strong>: A strictly Shadow power from the Blackguard Vice of Fury, and not too hot for you. True, your allies do gain a decent amount of damage on their attacks if you've got several enemies in this power's aura, but aura 2 is a rather small area to work with, and making your allies yield combat advantage isn't exactly appropriate for a Defender, either. </p><p></p><p><strong>Return to the Living (DP)</strong>: Not a bad daily to keep around. It can definitely save you, although it's unlikely you'll have to, or want to, spend all four healing surges.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Shared Sacrifice</span> (E:HFK)</strong>: The effect of this Cavalier Virtue-related daily is certainly a good thing: Free exchange of healing surges among you and all allies within your aura 5. However, if you have a <span style="color: #ff0000"><strong>Cleric in the party</strong></span>, don't take this, since that Cleric should have the Shared Healing feat, which accomplishes much the same thing.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Shared Valor</span> (E:HFK)</strong>: How do you like starting one fight per day with yourself and your allies in perfect attack formation, all of you buffed with a solid amount of THPs? This Cavalier Virtue utility is a fantastic positioning enabler for a party with multiple melee units, one that a Bard would envy. A high Charisma will add even more starting THPs.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #800080">United in Faith</span> (PHB)</strong>: Minor-action mass-triggering of healing surges for this daily. A Leader-type heal about 12 levels too late.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 18px"><strong><u>Lv. 23 Encounter</u></strong></span></p><p></p><p>Chaladins get an amazing punishment stacker in Demand Respect. Straladins who actually have a level-appropriate implement should take <strong>Champion's Call</strong>. Otherwise, they can get the solid Grave Smite or Resounding Smite.</p><p></p><p><strong>Strength OR Charisma, Weapon</strong></p><p> </p><p><span style="color: #0000ff">Grave Smite</span> (D 380): Prone and inability to stand is solid. If you have Paladin's Truth at this point, Necrotic isn't an issue.</p><p></p><p><strong>Trial of Adversity (DP)</strong>: Trigger mass saves, then make a 4[W] attack with possibly a bonus to attack and damage. Fair enough.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><strong>Strength, Weapon</strong></p><p> </p><p><strong>Martyr's Smite (PHB)</strong>: Solid damage, and if you hit, you can take the damage the target deals in place of an ally. Decent.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Resounding Smite</span> (PHB)</strong>: Can potentially knock everyone around you prone. A good melee control power.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><strong>Strength, Implement</strong></p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="color: #00ccff">Champion's Call</span> (DP)</strong>: If you have an implement that can hit reliably, you definitely want this. It's essentially your version of the Fighter's Warrior's Urging.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><strong>Charisma, Weapon</strong></p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000">Censuring Radiance</span> (DP)</strong>: The effect weakens an enemy if it doesn't include you in an attack. Which would be fine if you weren't doing this already (via the feat Weakening Challenge). It's also inferior to Enervating Smite at Lv. 17, which just weakens outright.</p><p></p><p><strong>Resurgent Wrath (DP)</strong>: Decent attack with either healing surge trigger or saving throw for you and an adjacent ally. And by this point, this attack should clear the 30-point barrier fairly consistently for the extra Wisdom-related bonuses.</p><p></p><p><strong>Sublime Transposition (PHB)</strong>: Benign Transposition's big brother. Decent rescue-and-attack power for when one ally is getting mobbed.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><strong>Charisma, Implement</strong></p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Demand Respect</span> (DP)</strong>: Another punishment stacker, and a genuine upgrade to Price of Cowardice this time around. An immediate interrupt just like its predecessor, this one has twice the range and also knocks prone in addition to the blinding. Unlike Price of Cowardice, this one works even on non-marked enemies, so off-defenders will love it, too.</p><p></p><p>Freezing Censure (D 381): Attacks Will, Cold, ranged 5 and restrains the enemy on hit. Fair.</p><p></p><p><strong>Here Waits Thy Doom (PHB)</strong>: Like Beckon Foe except a lot more damaging and Radiant. This one actually isn't bad.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 18px"><strong><u>Lv. 25 Daily</u></strong></span></p><p></p><p><u></u></p><p><u></u>Chaladins and Baladins will marry Discipline the Unruly and give it some sweet, sweet loving. Straladins take <strong>Exalted Retribution</strong> for the nice Catch-22 and extra attacks it creates.</p><p></p><p><strong>Strength OR Charisma, Weapon</strong></p><p> </p><p><span style="color: #800080">World in Winter</span> (D 380): It's important to note that the difficult terrain and light obscurity effects are NOT party friendly. That is a HUGE blow to what would've been a fantastic control power.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><strong>Strength, Weapon</strong></p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="color: #0000ff">Exalted Retribution</span> (PHB)</strong>: Hit or miss (and on miss it deals half-damage), this power creates a very nifty Catch-22 opportunity. The enemy you target with this provokes a supercharged OA from you when it makes an attack, regardless of if it's against you or against your allies. Which makes this a good way for a Paladin to get an extra attack in a round. Too bad the enemy can save against this, but even the one probable extra attack (especially if set up right) is worth its weight in damage.</p><p></p><p><strong>Mark of Weakness (DP)</strong>: Save-end weakens and Sanctions on hit, half damage and weaken for one turn on miss. Fair.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #800080">Radiant Storm</span> (E:HFK)</strong>: Close burst vs. Reflex for good hitting, half-damage on miss, and creates a zone for a whole encounter in which the enemy gets zapped for 10 radiant damage if he enters or ends his turn in it. This one seems to have been tailor-made for the Cavalier, and it shows. You don't offer the incentive for the enemy to stick around next to you the way the Cavalier does, which makes this power a lot less potent in your hands.</p><p></p><p><strong>Ravenous Shadows (HoS)</strong>: Creates a wall that can slide nearby enemies into it upon conjuration and the minor-action sustains, immobilize them and make them eat some combined cold/necrotic damage. Actually better in your hands than in those of the Blackguard for whom it originated, and a fair control spell.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #800080">Roaring Thunder</span> (E:HFK)</strong>: Pretty much Thundering Smite, Mark II, this time with a daze on the target and an extra square's distance on the mass-prone effect. Can't say I'm impressed.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Purple">Spurn the Unworthy</span> (DP)</strong>: The attack itself isn't that good for this level, and all you get are an extra weapon die's worth of damage on your melee basic attack. Not impressive.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: #800080">Venomous Infection</span> (HoS)</strong>: Attack that deals a fairly hefty amount of ongoing acid and poison damage and comes with a minor spray damage effect when the target is bloodied or killed. Cool enough flavor, but in practice it doesn't exactly inspire.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><strong>Charisma, Weapon</strong></p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="color: #ff9900">Discipline the Unruly</span> (DP)</strong>: At this point, there is no reason for any Paladin with an attack-caliber Charisma to not take this. It's about as good as area control can get. Enemies within 5 squares of you, marked or not, that attack any ally automatically suffer a solid amount of radiant damage and are blinded for a round. You can sustain this with minor actions, and you will most definitely want to do that. A fantastic power for both primary and off-defenders, this one allows for some incredible punishment-stacking combos.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Harsh Verdict</span> (DP)</strong>: Attacks Will, which is about all this one has going for it. No reason to take this over Discipline the Unruly.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><strong>Charisma, Implement</strong></p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">To the Nine Hells with You</span> (PHB)</strong>: To the Nine Hells with this power, you mean. Generic marks and moderate fire damage at this point just do not measure up.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 18px"><strong><u>Lv. 27 Encounter</u></strong></span></p><p></p><p>Stunning Smite absolutely rules this level for Straladins and Baladins. Although Chaladins have nothing to complain about with Restricting Smite and <strong>Deific Vengeance</strong> in their repertoire.</p><p></p><p><strong>Strength, Weapon</strong></p><p> </p><p><strong>Ardent Judgment (DP)</strong>: Bonus to attack and crit if the enemy is marked, and creates vulnerability 10 to all damage if you used Ardent Vow. Fair on an Ardent Vow build, inadequate <strong><span style="color: Purple">otherwise</span></strong>.</p><p></p><p><strong>Blinding Smite (PHB)</strong>: Attacks Will and blinds, like its name says. Would get more attention if not for a couple other powers at this level.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Purple">Overwhelming Smite</span> (DP)</strong>: Sanctions enemies next to you on hit. At this point ... meh.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Stunning Smite</span> (PHB)</strong>: Still the king. Attacks Will, and can potentially stun all enemies next to you. This one is as good as melee control gets.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Terrible Charge</span> (DP)</strong>: This one is about as good as charge powers get, so if you're particularly charge-focused this stunner is for you. Otherwise, Stunning Smite is better.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><strong>Charisma, Weapon/Implement</strong></p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Astral Thunderbolt</span> (DP)</strong>: A two-part Thunder attack. The first part is with your weapon against Fortitude, and a hit slows the enemy and debuffs its attacks by -2. On hit, you also get a secondary attack with your implement vs. Fortitude that does further damage and also slaps a -2 attack debuff. Both attacks can be against the same target, so you can do some real single-target damage with this one, as well as stack the debuffs on the enemy.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><strong>Charisma, Weapon</strong></p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="color: DeepSkyBlue">Restricting Smite</span> (PHB)</strong>: This attack vs. Will is best used against enemies with powerful AoEs and off-action attacks. It's extremely effective at letting your allies maneuver as they please without such a threat being able to harm them. Incidentally, puts down a generic mark as well. Still a great power.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><strong>Charisma, Implement</strong></p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="color: Purple">Brand of Judgment</span> (PHB)</strong>: Attack vs. Will. Not all that impressive, actually. The enemy taking half damage from his own attack isn't likely enough to dissuade him from making an attack, or appreciably add to the party's DPR.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Deific Vengeance</span> (PHB)</strong>: An immediate reaction power made when an enemy attacks you. It attacks Fortitude with a +2 bonus and does very nice damage from quite some range. This power is threatening enough to force enemies into a catch-22 if your mark is as potent as it should be. Only reason it's not ranked even higher is because the weakening effect suffers from Dazing Rebuke Syndrome.</p><p></p><p><strong>Wrathful Flame (DP)</strong>: Good burst area on this attack vs. Reflex, which helps. Best done after a mass-Sanction.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><strong>Strength, Weapon AND Charisma, Implement</strong></p><p> </p><p>Charge of the Dead (D 381): This Necrotic attack can be used on a charge, and on hit, you follow up with the implement-based burst that targets the enemy you charged as well as those closeby. Solid damage potential, being a multi-attack power, and by this point Necrotic isn't an issue if you have Paladin's Truth. Fair enough.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 18px"><strong><u>Lv. 29 Daily</u></strong></span></p><p></p><p>Straladins aren't particularly excited about their capstones. Avatar of Virtue, Powerful Faith and Prostration aren't bad, but hardly get the blood pumping. And the rest of the STR powers here are just awful. This would definitely not be a bad time for Straladins to consider power-swapping, or failing that going back and taking Discipline the Unruly if they hadn't already. Chaladins, on the other hand, can smile at their capstones, with both Even Hand of Justice and Name of Awe being solid powers.</p><p></p><p><strong>Strength, Weapon</strong></p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="color: #800080">Avatar of Vice</span> (HoS)</strong>: 5[W] hit with half-damage on miss, and regardless of hit or miss extra CHA-mod necrotic damage on all attacks and you also get some THPs when you hit. The dark counterpart to Avatar of Virtue, and not nearly as useful for you overall, unfortunately. The cool recharge feature for Blackguards is useless to you.</p><p></p><p><strong>Avatar of Virtue (E:HFK)</strong>: 5[W] hit with half-damage on miss, and regardless of hit or miss a mass-surge trigger, followed by CHA-mod power bonus to your damage and some free healing to throw around on all your turns after. Not bad. Certainly better than many other powers here.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Day of Reckoning</span> (DP)</strong>: This one is just plain terrible.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Devastating Surge</span> (DP)</strong>: No. If you really want a healing capstone attack, take Avatar of Virtue.</p><p></p><p><strong>Powerful Faith (PHB)</strong>: Solid single-target damage and if it hits, triggers a secondary attack that can blind all enemies within 10 squares for a round. Not totally great, but considering its competition you take what you can get.</p><p></p><p><strong>Prostration (DP)</strong>: Good damage for a close burst 1, attacks Reflex so it'll hit often, has Lightning and Thunder keywords, and hit or miss, it knocks prone. This one's decent, again, considering most of the alternatives.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Sanctioned Slaughter</span> (DP)</strong>: Epic fail. Nothing else to say.</p><p></p><p>Sorrowsworn Smite (D 381): Save-ends blinding and inability to heal on hit. Again, Necrotic isn't an issue if you have Paladin's Truth. The feeble miss consequences for a power of this level keep this one from being great.</p><p> </p><p></p><p><strong>Charisma, Implement</strong></p><p> </p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Even Hand of Justice</span> (PHB)</strong>: Attacks Will, does solid damage hit or miss, and if it hits, the enemy takes the full damage and effects from his own attacks. Basically, the harder they hit, the harder they fall, and their own immunities and resistances do not apply. Use this against enemies with particularly dangerous attacks. Saves against this are done at a -2 penalty. Nice capstone, overall.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Blue">Name of Awe</span> (DP)</strong>: Solid damage in a nice burst, and on hit causes save-ends immobilize and weaken (slows on miss). And Sanctions for a round hit or miss. Good crowd-control power.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Veep, post: 6707959, member: 6793297"] [CENTER][SIZE=6][b][u]Champion's Prayers: Epic Tier Powers[/u][/b][/SIZE][/CENTER] [Size=5][b][u]Lv. 22 Utility[/u][/b][/size] [b]Shared Valor[/b] is the jewel of this level. [b]Shared Sacrifice[/b] is also a good option if you're not led by a Cleric. Holy Wings can be good for a few levels until you can afford at-will flight items. [b]Class Powers[/b] [b][COLOR=Purple]Angelic Rescue[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: This one isn't going to see too much use. [b][COLOR=Purple]Cleansing Burst[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Turn the Tide, Mark II. At least this daily is a minor action, but there's still the question of just how often will the entire party be saddled with multiple save-ends effects and penalties. [b][COLOR=#ff0000]Dark Grace[/COLOR] (HoS)[/b]: A purely Shadow power from the Blackguard Vice of Domination, and sadly pretty lackluster. The aura 1 has extremely limited range for its THP granting to allies, and halving an ally's healing from surge usage and taking the other half is rather inappropriate for your Defender role. [b][COLOR=Red]Failure Is No Option[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Thoroughly obsoleted by Shared Valor. Fateful Cleansing (D 381): This daily is essentially a double-strength Lay on Hands (one surge for two surges' worth healing) with saves against all such effects. Decent. [b]Gift of Life (PHB)[/b]: With Leaders everywhere getting resurrection spells at this level now, this daily isn't as crucial as it was. It's still a good backup spell, if nothing else. [COLOR=#800080]Gift of Resistance[/COLOR] (D 387): This daily stance is only worth it at all if you have sources of resistance to specific damage types, and even then it's pretty campaign specific. You'd have to be fighting a lot of enemies that inflict the type of damage you resist for this to be really useful. [b][COLOR=Blue]Holy Wings[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: You get to fly once per encounter. You also get some extra AC against OAs. Good for helping you get where you need to on the battlefield. Although if you're in the market for Airstriders in a few levels, you'll want to [COLOR=#ff0000]retrain out of this[/COLOR]. [b][COLOR=Purple]Inspiring Hymn[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: This encounter power is rather situational. Even when they do happen, only few enemies, even at this tier, have truly devastating crits. [b][COLOR=#800080]Rampaging Bloodlust[/COLOR] (HoS)[/b]: A strictly Shadow power from the Blackguard Vice of Fury, and not too hot for you. True, your allies do gain a decent amount of damage on their attacks if you've got several enemies in this power's aura, but aura 2 is a rather small area to work with, and making your allies yield combat advantage isn't exactly appropriate for a Defender, either. [b]Return to the Living (DP)[/b]: Not a bad daily to keep around. It can definitely save you, although it's unlikely you'll have to, or want to, spend all four healing surges. [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Shared Sacrifice[/COLOR] (E:HFK)[/b]: The effect of this Cavalier Virtue-related daily is certainly a good thing: Free exchange of healing surges among you and all allies within your aura 5. However, if you have a [COLOR=#ff0000][b]Cleric in the party[/b][/COLOR], don't take this, since that Cleric should have the Shared Healing feat, which accomplishes much the same thing. [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Shared Valor[/COLOR] (E:HFK)[/b]: How do you like starting one fight per day with yourself and your allies in perfect attack formation, all of you buffed with a solid amount of THPs? This Cavalier Virtue utility is a fantastic positioning enabler for a party with multiple melee units, one that a Bard would envy. A high Charisma will add even more starting THPs. [b][COLOR=#800080]United in Faith[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Minor-action mass-triggering of healing surges for this daily. A Leader-type heal about 12 levels too late. [Size=5][b][u]Lv. 23 Encounter[/u][/b][/size] Chaladins get an amazing punishment stacker in Demand Respect. Straladins who actually have a level-appropriate implement should take [b]Champion's Call[/b]. Otherwise, they can get the solid Grave Smite or Resounding Smite. [b]Strength OR Charisma, Weapon[/b] [COLOR=#0000ff]Grave Smite[/COLOR] (D 380): Prone and inability to stand is solid. If you have Paladin's Truth at this point, Necrotic isn't an issue. [b]Trial of Adversity (DP)[/b]: Trigger mass saves, then make a 4[W] attack with possibly a bonus to attack and damage. Fair enough. [b]Strength, Weapon[/b] [b]Martyr's Smite (PHB)[/b]: Solid damage, and if you hit, you can take the damage the target deals in place of an ally. Decent. [b][COLOR=Blue]Resounding Smite[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Can potentially knock everyone around you prone. A good melee control power. [b]Strength, Implement[/b] [b][COLOR=#00ccff]Champion's Call[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: If you have an implement that can hit reliably, you definitely want this. It's essentially your version of the Fighter's Warrior's Urging. [b]Charisma, Weapon[/b] [b][COLOR=#ff0000]Censuring Radiance[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: The effect weakens an enemy if it doesn't include you in an attack. Which would be fine if you weren't doing this already (via the feat Weakening Challenge). It's also inferior to Enervating Smite at Lv. 17, which just weakens outright. [b]Resurgent Wrath (DP)[/b]: Decent attack with either healing surge trigger or saving throw for you and an adjacent ally. And by this point, this attack should clear the 30-point barrier fairly consistently for the extra Wisdom-related bonuses. [b]Sublime Transposition (PHB)[/b]: Benign Transposition's big brother. Decent rescue-and-attack power for when one ally is getting mobbed. [b]Charisma, Implement[/b] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Demand Respect[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Another punishment stacker, and a genuine upgrade to Price of Cowardice this time around. An immediate interrupt just like its predecessor, this one has twice the range and also knocks prone in addition to the blinding. Unlike Price of Cowardice, this one works even on non-marked enemies, so off-defenders will love it, too. Freezing Censure (D 381): Attacks Will, Cold, ranged 5 and restrains the enemy on hit. Fair. [b]Here Waits Thy Doom (PHB)[/b]: Like Beckon Foe except a lot more damaging and Radiant. This one actually isn't bad. [Size=5][b][u]Lv. 25 Daily[/u][/b][/size] [u] [/u]Chaladins and Baladins will marry Discipline the Unruly and give it some sweet, sweet loving. Straladins take [b]Exalted Retribution[/b] for the nice Catch-22 and extra attacks it creates. [b]Strength OR Charisma, Weapon[/b] [COLOR=#800080]World in Winter[/COLOR] (D 380): It's important to note that the difficult terrain and light obscurity effects are NOT party friendly. That is a HUGE blow to what would've been a fantastic control power. [b]Strength, Weapon[/b] [b][COLOR=#0000ff]Exalted Retribution[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Hit or miss (and on miss it deals half-damage), this power creates a very nifty Catch-22 opportunity. The enemy you target with this provokes a supercharged OA from you when it makes an attack, regardless of if it's against you or against your allies. Which makes this a good way for a Paladin to get an extra attack in a round. Too bad the enemy can save against this, but even the one probable extra attack (especially if set up right) is worth its weight in damage. [b]Mark of Weakness (DP)[/b]: Save-end weakens and Sanctions on hit, half damage and weaken for one turn on miss. Fair. [b][COLOR=#800080]Radiant Storm[/COLOR] (E:HFK)[/b]: Close burst vs. Reflex for good hitting, half-damage on miss, and creates a zone for a whole encounter in which the enemy gets zapped for 10 radiant damage if he enters or ends his turn in it. This one seems to have been tailor-made for the Cavalier, and it shows. You don't offer the incentive for the enemy to stick around next to you the way the Cavalier does, which makes this power a lot less potent in your hands. [b]Ravenous Shadows (HoS)[/b]: Creates a wall that can slide nearby enemies into it upon conjuration and the minor-action sustains, immobilize them and make them eat some combined cold/necrotic damage. Actually better in your hands than in those of the Blackguard for whom it originated, and a fair control spell. [b][COLOR=#800080]Roaring Thunder[/COLOR] (E:HFK)[/b]: Pretty much Thundering Smite, Mark II, this time with a daze on the target and an extra square's distance on the mass-prone effect. Can't say I'm impressed. [b][COLOR=Purple]Spurn the Unworthy[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: The attack itself isn't that good for this level, and all you get are an extra weapon die's worth of damage on your melee basic attack. Not impressive. [b][COLOR=#800080]Venomous Infection[/COLOR] (HoS)[/b]: Attack that deals a fairly hefty amount of ongoing acid and poison damage and comes with a minor spray damage effect when the target is bloodied or killed. Cool enough flavor, but in practice it doesn't exactly inspire. [b]Charisma, Weapon[/b] [b][COLOR=#ff9900]Discipline the Unruly[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: At this point, there is no reason for any Paladin with an attack-caliber Charisma to not take this. It's about as good as area control can get. Enemies within 5 squares of you, marked or not, that attack any ally automatically suffer a solid amount of radiant damage and are blinded for a round. You can sustain this with minor actions, and you will most definitely want to do that. A fantastic power for both primary and off-defenders, this one allows for some incredible punishment-stacking combos. [b][COLOR=Red]Harsh Verdict[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Attacks Will, which is about all this one has going for it. No reason to take this over Discipline the Unruly. [b]Charisma, Implement[/b] [b][COLOR=Red]To the Nine Hells with You[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: To the Nine Hells with this power, you mean. Generic marks and moderate fire damage at this point just do not measure up. [Size=5][b][u]Lv. 27 Encounter[/u][/b][/size] Stunning Smite absolutely rules this level for Straladins and Baladins. Although Chaladins have nothing to complain about with Restricting Smite and [b]Deific Vengeance[/b] in their repertoire. [b]Strength, Weapon[/b] [b]Ardent Judgment (DP)[/b]: Bonus to attack and crit if the enemy is marked, and creates vulnerability 10 to all damage if you used Ardent Vow. Fair on an Ardent Vow build, inadequate [b][COLOR=Purple]otherwise[/COLOR][/b]. [b]Blinding Smite (PHB)[/b]: Attacks Will and blinds, like its name says. Would get more attention if not for a couple other powers at this level. [b][COLOR=Purple]Overwhelming Smite[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Sanctions enemies next to you on hit. At this point ... meh. [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Stunning Smite[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Still the king. Attacks Will, and can potentially stun all enemies next to you. This one is as good as melee control gets. [b][COLOR=Blue]Terrible Charge[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: This one is about as good as charge powers get, so if you're particularly charge-focused this stunner is for you. Otherwise, Stunning Smite is better. [b]Charisma, Weapon/Implement[/b] [b][COLOR=Blue]Astral Thunderbolt[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: A two-part Thunder attack. The first part is with your weapon against Fortitude, and a hit slows the enemy and debuffs its attacks by -2. On hit, you also get a secondary attack with your implement vs. Fortitude that does further damage and also slaps a -2 attack debuff. Both attacks can be against the same target, so you can do some real single-target damage with this one, as well as stack the debuffs on the enemy. [b]Charisma, Weapon[/b] [b][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Restricting Smite[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: This attack vs. Will is best used against enemies with powerful AoEs and off-action attacks. It's extremely effective at letting your allies maneuver as they please without such a threat being able to harm them. Incidentally, puts down a generic mark as well. Still a great power. [b]Charisma, Implement[/b] [b][COLOR=Purple]Brand of Judgment[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Attack vs. Will. Not all that impressive, actually. The enemy taking half damage from his own attack isn't likely enough to dissuade him from making an attack, or appreciably add to the party's DPR. [b][COLOR=Blue]Deific Vengeance[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: An immediate reaction power made when an enemy attacks you. It attacks Fortitude with a +2 bonus and does very nice damage from quite some range. This power is threatening enough to force enemies into a catch-22 if your mark is as potent as it should be. Only reason it's not ranked even higher is because the weakening effect suffers from Dazing Rebuke Syndrome. [b]Wrathful Flame (DP)[/b]: Good burst area on this attack vs. Reflex, which helps. Best done after a mass-Sanction. [b]Strength, Weapon AND Charisma, Implement[/b] Charge of the Dead (D 381): This Necrotic attack can be used on a charge, and on hit, you follow up with the implement-based burst that targets the enemy you charged as well as those closeby. Solid damage potential, being a multi-attack power, and by this point Necrotic isn't an issue if you have Paladin's Truth. Fair enough. [Size=5][b][u]Lv. 29 Daily[/u][/b][/size] Straladins aren't particularly excited about their capstones. Avatar of Virtue, Powerful Faith and Prostration aren't bad, but hardly get the blood pumping. And the rest of the STR powers here are just awful. This would definitely not be a bad time for Straladins to consider power-swapping, or failing that going back and taking Discipline the Unruly if they hadn't already. Chaladins, on the other hand, can smile at their capstones, with both Even Hand of Justice and Name of Awe being solid powers. [b]Strength, Weapon[/b] [b][COLOR=#800080]Avatar of Vice[/COLOR] (HoS)[/b]: 5[W] hit with half-damage on miss, and regardless of hit or miss extra CHA-mod necrotic damage on all attacks and you also get some THPs when you hit. The dark counterpart to Avatar of Virtue, and not nearly as useful for you overall, unfortunately. The cool recharge feature for Blackguards is useless to you. [b]Avatar of Virtue (E:HFK)[/b]: 5[W] hit with half-damage on miss, and regardless of hit or miss a mass-surge trigger, followed by CHA-mod power bonus to your damage and some free healing to throw around on all your turns after. Not bad. Certainly better than many other powers here. [b][COLOR=Red]Day of Reckoning[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: This one is just plain terrible. [b][COLOR=Red]Devastating Surge[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: No. If you really want a healing capstone attack, take Avatar of Virtue. [b]Powerful Faith (PHB)[/b]: Solid single-target damage and if it hits, triggers a secondary attack that can blind all enemies within 10 squares for a round. Not totally great, but considering its competition you take what you can get. [b]Prostration (DP)[/b]: Good damage for a close burst 1, attacks Reflex so it'll hit often, has Lightning and Thunder keywords, and hit or miss, it knocks prone. This one's decent, again, considering most of the alternatives. [b][COLOR=Red]Sanctioned Slaughter[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Epic fail. Nothing else to say. Sorrowsworn Smite (D 381): Save-ends blinding and inability to heal on hit. Again, Necrotic isn't an issue if you have Paladin's Truth. The feeble miss consequences for a power of this level keep this one from being great. [b]Charisma, Implement[/b] [b][COLOR=Blue]Even Hand of Justice[/COLOR] (PHB)[/b]: Attacks Will, does solid damage hit or miss, and if it hits, the enemy takes the full damage and effects from his own attacks. Basically, the harder they hit, the harder they fall, and their own immunities and resistances do not apply. Use this against enemies with particularly dangerous attacks. Saves against this are done at a -2 penalty. Nice capstone, overall. [b][COLOR=Blue]Name of Awe[/COLOR] (DP)[/b]: Solid damage in a nice burst, and on hit causes save-ends immobilize and weaken (slows on miss). And Sanctions for a round hit or miss. Good crowd-control power. [/QUOTE]
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Pillars of Faith (and Facestabs): The Paladin's Handbook (By Litigation)
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