How is the Paladin?

[Crothian]

It looks like in a month we will start a Pathfinder game and the only class from the PHB I never got to play was the Paladin so I'm thinking of playing one in the Kingmaker. I'm just looking for general or specific thoughts on the class, significant changes from 3.5 that might not be terrible obvious, and just anything Paladin and Pathfinder related.

 

[InVinoVeritas]

I've played a Pathfinder paladin. It was fun.

A few things to note:

Smite Evil is different. Basically, you choose an evil target, and you get bonuses against that target. It's easier to use, and you don't have to worry about smiting and missing.

Lay on Hands is excellent. In particular, you can lay hands on yourself as a swift action. So, if you're a half-orc, say (half-orcs don't have penalties to Charisma--and can even have a bonus!) then your Orc Ferocity gives you an action to use after you've been dropped to negatives, at which point you use a healing surge lay hands on yourself, and you're good as new. Multiple times a day.

I was a paladin of Shelyn, and they have the glaive as a favored weapon. I like reach weapons.

All in all, the paladin is easier to use, and still an excellent brick.

 

[milo]

You also have an option not to have a mount, instead you can have a divine bond with your weapon. This allows you to enhance the weapon a few times a day. The full bonus to will saves is extremely nice. All in all I think the paladin is a great class and no longer just there for RP/flavor reasons. I didn't see them played very often in 3.0/3.5 as they left quite a bit to be desired. I know that it is about role playing not roll playing, but I never thought the paladin had great role playing capabilities either, being LG only and having to abide by your DM's interpretation of the alignment.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

As In Vino Veritas* said - Smite is a whole lot easier to use, and more useful.

Not much more powerful, but keeping the bonus against your chosen malefactor makes it much more handy.

Laying on of hands... nice, but still tends to be the ability that the paladin saves in case it is needed later, and, fairly often, later never comes. The new and improved Cleric still covers the healing better than the paladin, and most often the person the paladin ends up healing is himself - most often in the middle of combat.

The Auld Grump

* Nice handle, that.

 

[Terath Ninir]

My wife just started up a paladin and is still 1st level, but she's enjoying her so far. The new smite is especially cool. It doesn't really increase the power that much, but it really, really makes it more useful.

 

[Nebten]

I think smite evil increases the power quite a bit. It lasts until the target is dead, the additional damage is doubled if its an outsider, undead or evil dragon and you get Cha bonus to deflection AC.

Its pretty nice. A game changer compared to the 3.x version.

 

[ruemere]

I have a 13th level paladin in my party. Here are the important bits:

The class has a great potential, however you need to look beyond smites. Of smite, the most important thing to remember is that you ignore target's DR for the duration of smite.

• You are unkillable as long as you have smites to power your self-healing (Smite bonus to AC helps). You can also use Lay On Hands to damage undead (touch attack).
  At higher levels, thanks to Mercy ability, you will be able to use Lay On Hands to heal conditions in addition to damage.
  
  Recommended feats: Extra Lay On Hands, Extra Channel Energy (sometimes, all you need to do, is to keep everyone standing), Extra Mercy (more bad stuff to remove).
• Divine bond, 1st type. Your own, customizable holy sword.
  
• Aura of Justice aka BBEG Killer. Probably the most powerful paladin ability provided you have at least two melee friends within 10'.
  
• Code of conduct. It's better now, and a bit more lenient.
• Combat feats: Stand Still or Improved Trip, and Step-Up.

Regards,
Ruemere

 

[Steel_Wind]

How is the Paladin?

Put it this way: If you are an evil villain and you are STUPID enough to allow yourself to be forced into melee with a Paladin?

You >>deserve<< to get the ass kicking you are surely about to receive.

With smite evil, bless weapon and divine bond? At 8th level, the Paladin is nigh unstoppable. At 11th level?

Game over man; Game over.

 

[Volaran]

I think smite evil increases the power quite a bit. It lasts until the target is dead, the additional damage is doubled if its an outsider, undead or evil dragon and you get Cha bonus to deflection AC.

Its pretty nice. A game changer compared to the 3.x version.

This now has errata. The double smite damage to undead, evil outsiders and evil dragons only works on the first successful strike. Then it reverts to normal smite damage.

 

[Azmyth]

Pathfinder Paladin is excellent!

I haven't played one yet, but I have a Pally in my KingMaker group and several in my PFS pool of players,
so I can share at least the GM side of the coin.

Smite Evil : I love the PFRPG rework of this power! Despite the endless debating on the Paizo forums,
I don't think it too powerful and I was NOT in favor of the recent errata-nerf mentioned by Volaran.
The 3.5 SE is a 'Power Attack of Good' to one strike, whereas the PF SE is more of a 'Declaration of Good's Power' on one target.
The change is subtle and the damage IS NOT out of proportion.

Lay on Hands : This granted also saw a retooling in the PF Pally. Instead of a total hp chunk allotted per day,
the PF Pally rolls a 1d6 each laying of hands. Times per day is the same math, .5 level + CHR bonus.

Mercy : This granted adds effects to the Laying on Hands. Starting at 3rd and every three levels thereafter, one Mercy can be added.
Each time a Pally LoH, all additional Mercy effects are received by the target.

Remove Fatigue,
Remove Shaken,
Remove Sickened,
Remove Dazed,
Remove Disease,
Remove Staggered.

At 9th can choose from the following additional Mercies:

Remove Curse,
Remove Fear,
Remove Nauseated,
Neutralize Poison

At 12th:

Remove Blindness,
Remove Deafened,
Remove Paralyzed,
Remove Stunned.


The last notable changes to the class (not already mentioned) are the Aura Powers granted at 8th, 11th, 14th, 17th and 20th level.


It seems fairly obvious to me that the Paladin is now more attractive to play into higher levels as well as being seriously fun in the earlier stages of development.
None of the Paladins in any of my PF games are unbalanced compared to the other PCs, and if you like this type of personality, you will love playing this version of the classic arch-type!