Optimize Mi Gnome Paladin? :3 (a ton of questions in here)

[mfmg03]

Starting a new game at 3rd-level in a homebrew campaign. We can use any feats from 3.5 except from Eberron and have access to traits and The Book Of Distinctions and Drawbacks.

My character in a few words--
I am making a quirky gnome paladin that is naive, hyper and a little slow to think. He is good-hearted, exceedingly curious, a party animal (wears a keg of ale on his back), is great with kids and totally non-threatening in appearance. If he could have negative points in Intimidation, it would fit wonderfully. He doesn't know how to Swim and is scared of heights, though he travels by horseback.

I would like him to be able to pack a punch but also be annoyingly resilient and useful outside of battle. Using traits, I will get him Perception and Survive, and pump up Ride and Charisma. I also imagine him making potions out of battle, sort of whistling to himself and sitting on his butt dancing, but there's so much involved I don't think I'll be able to manage it.

Here's what I need help with:

1. I suck at skill point distribution. What's the consensus on how much to put into Ride, Diplomacy, Perception and Survival?

I was thinking:
10 Ride
15 Diplomacy
15 Survival
20 Perception

2. Is there an easier way to make my little gnome a potion brewer? Get a potion-making cohort? Potion maker for my Profession? Also, are cure wound potions cheap to make or about the same as if you bought them? I couldn't figure out from the book how to determine prices. (Level 1 potion is about 50gp but level 2 costs 300?)

3. Use Magical Device. Why is it so important to paladins that people typically multiclass in Rouge?

4. Divine Bond mount or weapon? If weapon, why? I'm leaning toward a divine mount, as I would be at a disadvantage on foot and would like a reliable pony. I would also save on Handle Animal skill points.

5. Reach weapon or regular sword? I plan to have a shield <3

6. I read that to maximize AC people go 7 Paladin/ 7 Fighter. Your thoughts on this? I was thinking pure paladin (we probably won't hit level 20) to maximize Lay on Hands and Smite Evil benefit. However, extra combat feats ARE tempting...

7. I read that you can, in one attack, do a disarm, sunder, and trip attempt all in one turn. Is this a full-round attack at work with each attempt coming after a hit or can you really do all that with one swing? I would love to be able to make multiple rolls in one round instead of a "I swing" *roll* "I do damage" *roll" Next!

8. The only handbooks I've ever read are PHB 3.5 and the PF handbook. Any feats worth looking at from the other 3.5 books? We can pick feats from ANY of those (except Eberron)

9. I'm taking Mount Combat but do I need Ride-by-Attack or Spirited Charge? I feel like I'd rather have Vital Strike, I. Vital Strike and Power Attack. (Again, I'm leaning toward multiclassing fighter)

10. Anyone have a .pdf of The Book of Distinctions & Drawbacks they can e-mail me? mgcatalyst@hotmail.com

What's most important to me is that my character have the ability to tank damage and be useful with Survival and Perception checks. Since my character is hasty to make decisions, I can really imagine him making a Survival or Perception check but then deciding on going by instinct to go in a different direction or yelling "Hey what's that!?" and then still get caught flat-footed. In battle, he's the type to just go "ATTACK!!" and charge in before anyone thinks of a strategy.

 

[Kaiyanwang]

1. I suck at skill point distribution. What's the consensus on how much to put into Ride, Diplomacy, Perception and Survival?

I was thinking:
10 Ride
15 Diplomacy
15 Survival
20 Perception

You need to explain better this part.

2. Is there an easier way to make my little gnome a potion brewer? Get a potion-making cohort? Potion maker for my Profession? Also, are cure wound potions cheap to make or about the same as if you bought them? I couldn't figure out from the book how to determine prices. (Level 1 potion is about 50gp but level 2 costs 300?)

Pag 550-551 of the core rulebook it's the answer. Paladin are spellcaster, just take brew potions.

3. Use Magical Device. Why is it so important to paladins that people typically multiclass in Rouge?

Since cure spells are already on your spell list, you should be able to use wands without UMD. So, yeah, you are not forced to take it and be a source of healing for your party anyway.

4. Divine Bond mount or weapon? If weapon, why? I'm leaning toward a divine mount, as I would be at a disadvantage on foot and would like a reliable pony. I would also save on Handle Animal skill points.

My players found the bound weapon more because in my campaign the magic items are rare and it compensates for the lack of feats compared to the fighter (who needs improved critical if you already make your sword keen?). Since you are small, you could be more viable as a mounted warrior too (and really cute, BTW! ). A medium PC has large mounts and is more awkward.

5. Reach weapon or regular sword? I plan to have a shield <3

If you don't go mounted combat, shields with the power attack line are viable too. If you dip in fighter and have enough dxterity, you could try the Shield Slam line too.

I generally associate polearms with combat expertise/combat reflexes line. Very effective, but need a lot of feats. You could, anyay, carry one and use it if you are not the front liner. Proficency with all martial weapon means, BTW, you could smite evil with a bow, too.

6. I read that to maximize AC people go 7 Paladin/ 7 Fighter. Your thoughts on this? I was thinking pure paladin (we probably won't hit level 20) to maximize Lay on Hands and Smite Evil benefit. However, extra combat feats ARE tempting...

If you need more feats, dip 1-2 levels in fighter, no more, or you would too much hurt your smite evil damage and such. And do it only if you have in mind a specific method of combat (shield Slam, Charge feats, and so on)... not "just because moar feat".

7. I read that you can, in one attack, do a disarm, sunder, and trip attempt all in one turn. Is this a full-round attack at work with each attempt coming after a hit or can you really do all that with one swing? I would love to be able to make multiple rolls in one round instead of a "I swing" *roll* "I do damage" *roll" Next!

Generally speaking, is a full attack action, so you can do it only once in a standard action or in a charge. If you can perform a full attack action, you can do it with iterative attacks (and off-hand attacks if present).

One exception is the greater trip feat. In fact, sisnce it allows an attack of opportunity, you could move, attack an enemy tripping him, and then disarming him with the attack of opportunity. Our current fighter do it frequently (is build around shield feats + combat expertise line).

8. The only handbooks I've ever read are PHB 3.5 and the PF handbook. Any feats worth looking at from the other 3.5 books? We can pick feats from ANY of those (except Eberron)

Battle Blessing and few smite feats from Complete champion, and Extra Smite and Cavalry Charger from Complete Warrior definitively deserve a look. BUt you can do well with PF core only.

9. I'm taking Mount Combat but do I need Ride-by-Attack or Spirited Charge? I feel like I'd rather have Vital Strike, I. Vital Strike and Power Attack. (Again, I'm leaning toward multiclassing fighter)

If you go by feet, multiclass fighter AND fight with a two handed weapon, take vital strike. If you fight with mounted combat, spirited charge is a must and will outclass vital strike damage-wise.

10. Anyone have a .pdf of The Book of Distinctions & Drawbacks they can e-mail me? mgcatalyst@hotmail.com

Is this thing you ask legally acceptable?

What's most important to me is that my character have the ability to tank damage and be useful with Survival and Perception checks. Since my character is hasty to make decisions, I can really imagine him making a Survival or Perception check but then deciding on going by instinct to go in a different direction or yelling "Hey what's that!?" and then still get caught flat-footed. In battle, he's the type to just go "ATTACK!!" and charge in before anyone thinks of a strategy.

If you dip in fighter, survival is a class skill. Said this, the other things belong more to the way you roleplay the character (the most important thing).