Help Making a Paladin?

[sparhawk]

I am new to 3ED but I am experienced in 2ED so some of this that seems easy goes against most of what I new in 2ED.

I am joining a new group and want to make a Paladin.
They use a straight 90 point system to make charecters but no stats can go over 18 with out race modifiers. I am not sure yet if I want or if I can use ECL races.
The way I plan putting my stats

STR 18
Con 16
DEX 10 (will be wearing heavy armor)
INT 14
Wis 14
CHA 18

Should I redo my stats or are these ok? What kind of skills and feats should I use? Should I look at going to PrC or stay straight Paladin or should I multiclass?

I have not played with this group yet so I do not have some of the answers to some of the questions that are going to be asked.

What kinds of questions should I be asking my DM?
This is a home brew world but I think they are using all game material.

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

I'd drop 2 points in Int and put them in Dex...maybe drop 2 points in Str and put them in Wis too, if you can...

Feats: Weapon Focus, Extra Smiting (from DotF), and the divine feats from DotF too (requires Extra Turning)...Ride is also very useful as a skill...

I'm only rambling, but my main advice would be to chose a style of Paladin you like and then concentrate on it, you'll get more out of the character if you specialize a little.

 

[Mr Fidgit]

ask your DM if there are any special paladin orders in his homebrew. in FR, some orders allow free multi-classing with certain other classes. the examples in FR also state which PrCs the order has free access to.

definately ask about ECL races. Aasimars are born to be paladins (+2 Wis & Cha, etc.)

 

[sparhawk]

What advatages will I have, having a 16 wisdom other than 1 extra 3rd lvl spell? I would think that a higher strength would be more inportant than a 16 in wisdom.
Why should I have a 12 dex? If I am in heavy armour won't I loose any dex modify to AC because of the weight?

 

[sparhawk]

The skills I am going to take for sure are
Weaponsmithing
Ride

My Paly will not use a bow because he views it as cowardly he would rather fight face to face.
I am not sure what other skills I want at this point.
Any advice would be nice.

Thanks in advance

 

[BLACKDIRGE]

Be a gnoll. That's what I did.

 

[Mr Fidgit]

i'd take ride, handle animal, with a few points in heal and diplomacy (unless you really want want your paladin to make weapons instead of buying/finding/being issued them)

i'd use a bow anyway. there are situations where you'll need it. your paladin may view this as cowardly, but that flying creature will view you as dead

as far as Dex, unless you have a really generous DM, or start out a higher level than 1st, you won't be able to afford the heavy armor you want to wear. so a higher Dex isn't necessarily a bad thing

more Wis would help your spot and listen (which aren't class skills for a paladin) and your Will save, but i'm not sure i'd change them...

 

[Mr Fidgit]

a gnoll paladin , BLACKDIRGE? i thought half-orc paladins were the running 3e joke

 

[Squire James]

Several reasons to increase Dex to 12:

1. If you're starting at first level, you'll be lucky to start past scale mail. Scale mail and large shield is AC 16, and trust me AC 17 makes a big difference!

2. Reflex save (think "Will save" when asking about Wisdom).

3. Because there are times the bow is a better weapon than the sword (not that you're getting a bow at level 1 either...).

4. I've saved the best for last! Full Plate armor allows a +1 Dex bonus. AC 19 without a shield is actually good enough to consider going with a greatsword. I'm not sure AC 18 is going to cut it!

That being said, a few reasons NOT to increase Dex beyond 10:

1. Those 2 points go better somewhere else.

2. The GM's will let you buy Dexterity improvement items "off the rack".

3. You plan on using a shield and/or Expertise feat to make up the lost AC points.

 

[sparhawk]

Thanks for all the advice.

A little bit of his history is,

His father was a paladin but was killed by an assasin with a bow and poison by being shot in the back. my character was then raised by the paladin order of his father so his armor is being passed down to him and he will be using a shield and mace (or warhammer). I want him to be more of an undead hunter than your typical sword wielder. I think I will leave the dex where it is but should I take a couple of point off STR and put it in WIS.