Non-mounted combat Paladin builds

[Stormborn]

Helping a player prepare for an upcoming campaign. Its Ptolus, and as an urban/dungeon only game the player asked if they could swap something out for the Mount. I agreed that a celestial animal of less than 2 HD summonable for 1 hour/level (based on variants from Dragon and a PrC...Crusader IIRC) would be an appropriate alternative.

Now, since this paladin isn't going to be mounted, likely ever, I'm looking for some ideas I might suggest to her for an alternative build. I have come up with one idea for a feat tree focused around things like Extra Smiting, Improved Smiting, and Extra Turning, Divine Might, and Sacred Vengence.

I'm looking for feats, Prestige Classes, spells, or even multiclass (I will allow a feat to multiclass with one other class freely) ideas for her build. The PC concept is a last remaining champion of a dying religion centered around an angel who voluntarilly came to Pramael knowing she couldn't ascend and later became a minor godess after a great combat with a fiendish hoard. The PC has come to Ptolus looking for others of the faith and attempting to find connections to the godess.

I am willing to consider any WotC, Green Ronin, or Malhavok products. Or make an argument for your favorite.

 

[javcs]

I shall suggest going towards the Shadowbane Inquisitor or Shadowbane Stalker from Complete Adventurer, which would require multi-classing with rogue or some similar class to meet the sneak attack dice pre-req.

Inquisitor has full BAB, Stalker has 3/4 BAB. Inquisitor is the more combat oriented, and the Stalker is more like a rogue. But both give you more SA dice

Inquisitor is pages 68-70, Stalker is pages 70-74. Those pages include the sample NPCs and a full page pic showing a team of two, one Inquisitor and one Stalker.

CAdv also has feats permitting continuation of multiclassing with the paladin and monk, also, with the Inquisitor the character can freely multiclass between Paladin and Rogue without penalty or feat, but not with the Stalker.

Sounds interesting, and fun.
Cheers.

 

[Wardo]

FYI: PHB2 has a paladin varient ability that replaces the mount with an extra-strength smite at the end of an (unmounted) charge.

The Kensai prestige class in the Complete Warrior works pretty well with Paladin, and doesn't focus on the mount at all.

What book is Improved Smite in? I just started a paladin myself.

 

[Stormborn]

What book is Improved Smite in? I just started a paladin myself.

Complete Divine. Requires CHA 13 and smite. When you smite it counts as having a good allignment (for a Paladin) for purposes of ovecoming DR and does an extra +1d6 damge to foes of evil alignment. It would also work for other classes that have smite attacks, effecting different alignments depending on the specifics.

 

[javcs]

Could go for Kensai, too, if it's a more strict beater type build the player wants.

 

[the_mighty_agrippa]

I am playing a human mountless paladin in a city-based dungeon as well. I took the Charging Smite option from PHBII to replace the mount. The ability gives you an extra 2 points of damage/level on a charge where you Smite Evil.

Paladin 4/Pious Templar 2

Weapon Focus [Falchion]
True Believer
Power Attack
Leadership

He's very dangerous in melee and brutal on a charge.

If I was to go straight pally, I would have used the following feats:

Power Attack, Cleave, Iron Will, Divine Power ->

 

[IndyPendant]

The Charging Smite alternative from the PHBII is great for the unmounted paladin. It bears noting too that if a paladin uses a charging smite and misses his attack, that does not count as one use of the smite ability--unlike regular smite attacks.