My Paladin Needs Your Help!

[Charwoman Gene]

Okay, so my campaign is in a downswing, we are bringing back some old characters, and affording the player an opportunity to rebuild their characters at 15th level.
((This is a two-player[one player, one GM {Me}] troupe campaign with a large party, it works for us except for the paper shuffling))

My problem is this. My wife (the player) is really good at min/maxing a character in the niche she selects. I (the DM) suck at this. Now, I have a Rogue/Sorcerer Arcane Trickster and a Dwarven Wizard/Fighter that I think are okay, but the paladin... ah, Justin while developing a personality, seems to suck.

Okay, thematically, he has to retain a significant number of paladin levels, his mount is important. He is a truly good paladin, capable of mercy, suffering from a church that has practically shifted LN and stands close to shifting to a new Deity (which of course is a front for someone very bad...)

None of this is particularly relevant to the fact that his Attack rolls of +25/+20/+15 seem anemic next to my wife's significantly higher Fighter/Ranger Archer and Bard/Swashbuckler/Duelist/Rogue combo. He is a joke.

Help.

Currently a Paladin 14, rebuilding him as he goes to 15th level. Assume full wealth by level, open access to basically any non-Ebberon/FR WotC book.

He presently has the folowing feats:
Power Attack
Cleave
Great Cleave
Divine Might
Weapon Focus (Longsword)

Items Girdle of Giant strenth, Vanilla magic shield and Armor, +3 Keen Holy Surge Longsword.

Help!

 

[Darklone]

Hmm, his BAB is +15, his str should be around +5, he has a +3 sword plus Weapon Focus...

I'm slightly surprised that's worse than a Bard/Rogue combo.

What are his attribute scores?

Another problem: As sword&boarder, he has high AC but a rather low damage output. And he lacks the feats to go TWF with shieldbash. Prolly as well as the high Dex.

 

[szilard]

Give him an animated shield and a two-handed weapon. Power attacks just got a lot better. Power attacking smites are always good.

Divine feats? Divine Might is really nice.

Make use of Paladin spells in the Spell Compendium. In particular, look at spells that are swift actions - as those supplement you in combat rather than taking you out of it. Rhino's Rush and Knight's Move are two good ones.

-Stuart

 

[Charwoman Gene]

Well, I think he has 20 strength with his items, I'm not in front of his sheet right now.

I'm heavily considering the following things.
1) 2-level fighter dip to gain two feats
2) Switching to Greatsword
3) Dropping cleave feats for something else.

Any good Prestige classes?
Good Feats?

 

[szilard]

If you're considering a two-level dip into fighter, think about Crusader or Knight as alternate possibilities.

You might also want to consider the Prestige Paladin from Unearthed Arcana (Cleric 1/Fighter 4/Paladin 10). You'd certainly get more feats that way.

It might be worth looking at the combat focus feats from PHBII. A lot of people seem to like them.

-Stuart

 

[Charwoman Gene]

Crusader? Is that the Bo9S Paladinesque class?

 

[Darklone]

Could you provide details about your wifes builds ?

 

[szilard]

Crusader? Is that the Bo9S Paladinesque class?

From Bo9S? Yes. Paladinesque? Arguably.

-Stuart

 

[the_mighty_agrippa]

I'm guessing your wife had high Strength to begin with and has enhanced it with magic items over time. She'll rule for damage output.

If you want to keep up in damage, you'll need to go with a two-handed weapon and an animated shield.

Feats

Power Attack
Cleave
Extra Smiting
Divine Power
Weapon Focus [Greatsword]

+X Keen Holy Greatsword

 

[pawsplay]

Is he human?

If his mount is so important, why doesn't he have mounted combat feats?

With that sword, what's wrong his damage output?