FireLance
Legend
Here's some advice on playing a paladin from Wotc: Paladins with Class.
And from myself:
THE ROLE OF THE PALADIN
Different character classes have different roles to play in an adventuring party. An understanding of the role that each class is most suited to play will help in making decisions related to the development of the character. Of course, a player may always choose to create and develop an atypical or unusual character. However, such a character may not be very effective if he does not make good use of the unique strengths of his class.
Due to his good base attack bonus, d10 hit dice, and proficiency with all martial weapons and all types of armor and shields (except tower shields), the paladin is a competent warrior. In a party without a fighter or barbarian, that may be the paladin's primary role.
A paladin's class abilities make him most suited for a front line position as his ability to smite evil can only be used in melee. At 5th level, he gains the ability to call a special mount, which increases his effectiveness in mounted combat.
A paladin also has some minor healing abilities. He has Heal as a class skill, he gains the ability to lay on hands at 2nd level, and gains access to some healing spells at higher levels. However, a paladin would probably be a secondary healer, unless there is no cleric or druid in the party.
A paladin makes a good negotiator because Diplomacy and Sense Motive are both class skills for him. Only a bard or a charismatic rogue might be a better diplomat.
Due to his lawful good alignment, a paladin may also play the role of the conscience of the party. Do bear in mind, however, that some games do not address moral issues, and a paladin should not act in such a way as to reduce the other players' enjoyment of the game.
ASSIGNING ABILITY SCORES
When assigning ability scores for a paladin character, it should be noted that there are a number of class abilities that a paladin is only able to use if his Charisma and Wisdom are above average. Again, although it is possible to play an atypical paladin whose Charisma and Wisdom are below average, such a character may not be effective.
Charisma is perhaps the most important ability score for a paladin. His Charisma modifier, if positive, is added to his attack roll when he uses his ability to smite evil. At 2nd level, when he gains divine grace and lay on hands, a paladin with a positive Charisma modifier may add it to all his saving throws and heal hit point damage equal to his level times his Charisma modifier per day. Charisma also influences his ability to turn undead, which he gains at 4th level, and his Handle Animal and Diplomacy class skills.
A paladin should have a Wisdom of at least 11 as that is the minimum Wisdom required to cast paladin spells. A high Wisdom also gives him bonus spells per day, improves his Will saves and increases the effectiveness of his Heal and Sense Motive class skills. However, it is not necessary to have a very high Wisdom since a paladin with a Wisdom of 14 has the potential to cast the highest-level paladin spells.
Strength and Constitution are also useful for a paladin as he is expected to be in melee combat fairly often. A high Strength enhances his ability to hit and damage his opponents, and a high Constitution increases his hit points. Constitution also affects his Fortitude saves and Concentration checks to cast a spell on the defensive or to retain a spell when he is injured or distracted when casting it.
Since a paladin gets so few skill points per level, an Intelligence penalty probably hurts him more than a Dexterity penalty. On the other hand, a Dexterity bonus is more useful than an Intelligence bonus because it helps him react faster, makes him harder to hit in combat, increases his accuracy with ranged weapons, and adds to his Reflex saves and Ride skill checks.
CLASS ABILITIES
A 1st-level paladin has access to two significant class abilities. First, he may detect evil at will as the spell. This useful ability may alert him to the presence of evil creatures lying in ambush, warn him that he is dealing with something evil, or help him to find an evil creature or object. Suspicious or paranoid paladins may use this ability everywhere they go and on every creature they encounter. While there is nothing in the rules to stop them from doing so, it may be considered rude or an act of hostility in some campaigns. Again, depending on the campaign, the fact that a creature is evil may not in itself be sufficient reason for the paladin to attack it. Finally, this ability is not foolproof as evil auras may be hidden or disguised by magic.
He may also smite evil once per day with one melee attack to increase the damage he does to evil foes. If he has a positive Charisma modifier, he also adds it as a bonus to his attack roll. This ability has no effect but is expended if he uses it against a non-evil creature. To avoid wasting his smite, he should ensure that an opponent is evil before using it, perhaps with his ability to detect evil.
And from myself:
THE ROLE OF THE PALADIN
Different character classes have different roles to play in an adventuring party. An understanding of the role that each class is most suited to play will help in making decisions related to the development of the character. Of course, a player may always choose to create and develop an atypical or unusual character. However, such a character may not be very effective if he does not make good use of the unique strengths of his class.
Due to his good base attack bonus, d10 hit dice, and proficiency with all martial weapons and all types of armor and shields (except tower shields), the paladin is a competent warrior. In a party without a fighter or barbarian, that may be the paladin's primary role.
A paladin's class abilities make him most suited for a front line position as his ability to smite evil can only be used in melee. At 5th level, he gains the ability to call a special mount, which increases his effectiveness in mounted combat.
A paladin also has some minor healing abilities. He has Heal as a class skill, he gains the ability to lay on hands at 2nd level, and gains access to some healing spells at higher levels. However, a paladin would probably be a secondary healer, unless there is no cleric or druid in the party.
A paladin makes a good negotiator because Diplomacy and Sense Motive are both class skills for him. Only a bard or a charismatic rogue might be a better diplomat.
Due to his lawful good alignment, a paladin may also play the role of the conscience of the party. Do bear in mind, however, that some games do not address moral issues, and a paladin should not act in such a way as to reduce the other players' enjoyment of the game.
ASSIGNING ABILITY SCORES
When assigning ability scores for a paladin character, it should be noted that there are a number of class abilities that a paladin is only able to use if his Charisma and Wisdom are above average. Again, although it is possible to play an atypical paladin whose Charisma and Wisdom are below average, such a character may not be effective.
Charisma is perhaps the most important ability score for a paladin. His Charisma modifier, if positive, is added to his attack roll when he uses his ability to smite evil. At 2nd level, when he gains divine grace and lay on hands, a paladin with a positive Charisma modifier may add it to all his saving throws and heal hit point damage equal to his level times his Charisma modifier per day. Charisma also influences his ability to turn undead, which he gains at 4th level, and his Handle Animal and Diplomacy class skills.
A paladin should have a Wisdom of at least 11 as that is the minimum Wisdom required to cast paladin spells. A high Wisdom also gives him bonus spells per day, improves his Will saves and increases the effectiveness of his Heal and Sense Motive class skills. However, it is not necessary to have a very high Wisdom since a paladin with a Wisdom of 14 has the potential to cast the highest-level paladin spells.
Strength and Constitution are also useful for a paladin as he is expected to be in melee combat fairly often. A high Strength enhances his ability to hit and damage his opponents, and a high Constitution increases his hit points. Constitution also affects his Fortitude saves and Concentration checks to cast a spell on the defensive or to retain a spell when he is injured or distracted when casting it.
Since a paladin gets so few skill points per level, an Intelligence penalty probably hurts him more than a Dexterity penalty. On the other hand, a Dexterity bonus is more useful than an Intelligence bonus because it helps him react faster, makes him harder to hit in combat, increases his accuracy with ranged weapons, and adds to his Reflex saves and Ride skill checks.
CLASS ABILITIES
A 1st-level paladin has access to two significant class abilities. First, he may detect evil at will as the spell. This useful ability may alert him to the presence of evil creatures lying in ambush, warn him that he is dealing with something evil, or help him to find an evil creature or object. Suspicious or paranoid paladins may use this ability everywhere they go and on every creature they encounter. While there is nothing in the rules to stop them from doing so, it may be considered rude or an act of hostility in some campaigns. Again, depending on the campaign, the fact that a creature is evil may not in itself be sufficient reason for the paladin to attack it. Finally, this ability is not foolproof as evil auras may be hidden or disguised by magic.
He may also smite evil once per day with one melee attack to increase the damage he does to evil foes. If he has a positive Charisma modifier, he also adds it as a bonus to his attack roll. This ability has no effect but is expended if he uses it against a non-evil creature. To avoid wasting his smite, he should ensure that an opponent is evil before using it, perhaps with his ability to detect evil.
