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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Blue" data-source="post: 7593000" data-attributes="member: 20564">I'm sorry, but I strongly disagree with a lot you have.  I wish you followed the traditional standard of rating different options rather than just putting out "the one true way".At the very least, not using a single ASI for a MAD class like a paladin, especially when mis-matching a +2 STR race and a DEX weapon build is ... painful.  +2 to hit/damage at 20th is easily demonstrated mathematically as not the way to build a "paladin for combat".  +1 CON mod and +2 CHR mod at 20th also ignore the staple of paladin's survivability.And for all those feats, you miss out on some of the ones that can amp up a paladin's damage output (if that's what you mean by "for combat") significantly.Let's start with your race/class combo and build from there.  Half Orc paladin.  Okay, have +2 STR, let's go heavy armor and a two handed weapon.  Half orc crit bonus also favors larger weapon dice, which plays into the two handed weapon.  Say a d12 great axe.  Take protection fighting style to make up for part of the loss of a shield.  Since you're looking at crits doing well, go for Oath of Vengeance - increase from 5% to 9% chance to crit with advantage.  Right now at 3rd level you're looking at +5 to hit (vs. +4 from your build), doing d12+3 damage (3d12+3 on a crit thanks to half-orc's Savage Attacks feature, which happens about 1 blow out of 11.)   4th level you can increase your STR to get up to +4, or if you have a party that buffs you look at Great Weapon Mastery.  Suddenly those crits also grant another attack.  And with party buffing (bless, etc.) and your oath for advantage you coyuld be trading -5 to hit for +10 damage very easily.And this all doubles when you hit 5th for extra attack.There are some great guides for Paladin and other classes here, I invite you to look over them.</blockquote>

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