To Paladin players, what Feats do you select for your Paladins?

[Nightfall]

Well Green, since you are in FR then, you could go straight Paladin and THEN go Divine Champion. Or just go 15 levels and go divine champion the last 5. Course I wish they had MORE paladin Pr-classes in FR.

Btw, I can email you the Justicar Pr-class if you want it. *hopes Orcus doesn't use me for a chamber pot cleaner...*

 

[Green Knight]

Thanks. I'd appreciate that. I've yet to see a decent Prestige Class which works with the Paladin and wouldn't mind seeing one. My e-mail is Primarch@webtv.net

BTW: What book is the Justicar from, again?

 

[Nightfall]

It's a web enhancement from Tomb of Abysthor. I just happen to have a copy.

 

[reapersaurus]

I'd like a copy of that Paladin PrC, as well, please:
how big is it?
if it's under a MB, send it to dinolover@hotmail.com please.

And Green Knight : why the heck would you want the Education feat?
How many skill points are you going to be able to use that with?

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Don't take out of context, please.
In comparison to a cleric's healing ability (even at 1st level cleric), it blows.
A 1st level cleric has 3d8 +6 healing ability, and that's only dependant on having a 12 in Wis, not like the Pally's 18 in CHA.
So almost 20 points for a 1st level cleric with 12 WIS vs. 28 pts for the 7th level Pally w/ 18 CHA.

Call that inequity what you want, but don't ignore it.

Yes, but you are completely ignoring the fact that Paladins with good charisma have the biggest one action cure ability until the cleric gets Heal.

An 8th level Paladin could easily have a 20 Cha (start 16 + 2 for lvl adv + 2 for item). That is 40 HPs of healing with a single action.

An 8th level Cleric's best spell with heal 4d8+8, averaging 26 HPs. That is a big difference in a tight situation.

You are right at low levels the Paladin healing is no big deal. But at mid-levels it is pretty good. Massive slow healing can be accomplished with a Wand of Cure Lights.

 

[Green Knight]

I'd like a copy of that Paladin PrC, as well, please:
how big is it?
if it's under a MB, send it to dinolover@hotmail.com please.

And Green Knight : why the heck would you want the Education feat?
How many skill points are you going to be able to use that with?

Not sure what you mean. First off, it'll make all Knowledge skills class skills. (Paladins normally only get Knowledge: Religion as a class skill) Second, it gives 2 knowledge skills of my choice a +1 bonus. Third, I've got 4 skill points a level to work with. Two for being a Paladin, 1 for being Human, and 1 because of my Int bonus. You may be right, though, in that Education is a waste. I want Knowledge: War for sure, and Knowledge: Politics and Knowledge: Literature are nice. But I could probably get them to acceptable levels cross-class. Hmm. I just had a thougt. Why not multiclass Aristocrat? Take it at first level, and every level after that be a Paladin. Hmmmm.....

 

[Nightfall]

Okay fellas check your email, and don't worry it's not over a meg, not even close.

 

[Amrynn Moonshadow]

all the paladin talk on this board (and the rules one) had me crack open DotF and take a good long look (with the errata, mind you) . . .

When i first got it, the first thing i looked at were the feats, and then the presitige classes. I only saw a handful of feats (unlike in Song&Silence where there were x number of feats which were just "bonus +2 to two feats" among some cool flavor ones (flick of the wrist), and in MotW there were plenty of feats for all sorts of (mostly druidy) things), and none of them immediately "did it" for me. Also none of the prestige classes "did it" for me either, and i never really took a good long look (aside from knowing that the hospitalier was overpowered, through consensus of the people here).

Well. I did today.

What's up with the feat Divine Vigor ?

Divine Vigor [Divine]
You can channel energy to increase your speed and Constitution.

Prerequisites: Ability to turn or rebuke undead, Cha 13+, Extra Turning.
Benefit: Spend one of your turn/rebuke undead attempts to increase your base speed by 10 feet and gain a +2 enhancement bonus to your Constitution. These effects last a number of minutes equal to your Charisma modifier.

Is a +10ft/round increase and a +1 HP / lvl increase (for cha mod. # of rounds) worth two feats? Mind you, getting extra turning allows you to do this an extra three (i think) times a day, two feats for a single classes paladin are pretty steep. This seems better for a multiclassed Paladin / Fighter . . . and who's going to say no to better speed and a heartier tank?

Additionally, what's up with Extra Smiting? Gives you +1 smite ability / day? Am I the only one who changed the paladin by rule zeroing the smite deal to something that goes up with paladin level (kinda making it worth it to be a high lvl paladin, instead of a low level one with alot of fighter levels?). (then again, that's akin to my rule zero'd ranger who isn't front loaded, and has way cool abilities after 16 or so dedicated levels)

Talk to me guys . . .

 

[reapersaurus]

Almost all the Divine Feats are a waste of book space, as written.
There are lots of good ideas there, and they should have just been granted as class abilities, but the only ones worth even considering are Divine Shield and Divine Might. (and only if your CHA is above 18)
Divine Vigor is close, but as you say, too darned expensive for what can be gotten MUCH better by magic items.
(Expeditious Retreat and Endurance comes to mind)

The cost of feats is just TOO PRECIOUS for a paladin.

As for Rule 0ing the # of smites a paladin gets:
I have been proposing that since last year.
It become very clear to me that it was silly that a high-level paladin would smite evil once, MAYBE for some damage, and then be like a normal fighter against them.

Paladin gets extra smites at 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th levels.

 

[Green Knight]

I agree that Paladins' should get extra Smite Evil attacks per day as they go up in level. That's why I like Divine Might so much. It's like a mini Smite Evil that you can get multiple times a day (though I think ultimately more useful, as it lasts for a number of rounds, rather than only good for 1 attack).

Anyway, I'm done. This is what I've come up with:

1st Aristocrat 1 Power Attack / Improved Shield Bash
2nd Paladin 1
3rd Paladin 2 Mounted Combat
4th Paladin 3
5th Paladin 4
6th Paladin 5 Divine Might
7th Paladin 6
8th Paladin 7
9th Paladin 8 Divine Shield
10th Fighter 1 Shield Expert
11th Fighter 2 Ride-By Attack
12th Paladin 9 Spirited Charge
13th Paladin 10
14th Paladin 11
15th Paladin 12 Leadership
16th Purple Dragon Knight 1
17th Purple Dragon Knight 2
18th Purple Dragon Knight 3 Extra Turning
19th Purple Dragon Knight 4
20th Purple Dragon Knight 5

He'll be a Paladin of Helm, so he'll be able to multiclass both Fighter and Purple Dragon Knight without any problems.

This is what I'm thinking background-wise. Started his life as a nobleman in Cormyr, but gave up all the trappings of nobility when he received the call to Paladinhood. So he joined up with the Cormyrean army and rose through the ranks. (Remember, I'm starting the character at 7th level)

He served til 1371 DR, when a red dragon led an army of orcs and goblinoids into Cormyr. (I need to read "Death of the Dragon" for this part of the background, so forgive me if I step on canon, but I'm making this part up based on bits I've heard from that book.) He took part in that war, and witnessed the battle between Azoun and the red dragon, and feels guilty that he couldn't do something, anything to save King Azoun.

So he left the Purple Dragons and travelled west, where he fell on hard times. During the course of which he loses his Paladin abilities (He didn't do anything that an Atonement can't fix. But while he can Atone, he doesn't feel worthy of becoming a Paladin again).

So when the other PC's find this guy, he'll be a broken down has-been. A tough and experienced warrior, but totally demoralized. As for what spurs him back into, action, well, that depends on the game.

But my goal is to eventually have this guy return to the Purple Dragons, where he gets elevated to the rank of Purple Dragon Knight (the Prestige Class) and sets up a castle somewhere along Cormyr's border to protect it. Helm is the deity of Guardians, Protectors, and Protection, and this Paladin of Helm will rededicate himself to defending Cormyr.

So how does that sound?