Paladin Questions/Advice?

[JRROGERS]

Hey All--

I'm rather new to D&D and Living Greyhawk LG (1 year now) and my main regional char (Shield Lands) is a Paladin 4 (mounted combat type, moving towards cavalier or Knight of the Holy Shielding). I have a few questions and was hoping the wisdom of the regular posters could enlighten me:

1--My char currently carries a +1 longsword, light crossbow, club, and lance. I have no silvered or cold iron weapons. What would be the smartest and cheapest way to make sure I can overcome the usual DR's? (I'd like to shy away from just carrying cold iron/silver bolts).

2--I know it makes sense to buy spiked gauntlets in case I get grappled or swallowed whole, but does it make sense to cold iron/silver them? Also, I currently use masterwork full plate...can I just buy gauntlets or masterwork gauntlets, or do I have to buy a whole new suit of armor?

3--With my 12 Wis, I get 1 spell a day at fourth level. What would you consider to be the most useful spell to memorize every day? I lean towards Bless Weapon, but maybe I'm overlooking something.

4--I just spent a lot of cash to purchase a +2 Cloak of Charisma. If you were playing this char, what would be your next large magical purchase? I've got access to a Wand CLW and should be purchasing that soon. What's next--upgrading to +1 armor and shield? Better than studded leather barding for my mount? Something else?

Thanks for all your help in advance! Just trying to make sure Kelur Ahmstaf stays alive long enough to get knighted!

JRRogers

 

[Plane Sailing]

Hi and welcome to ENworld!

I can only give some initial suggestions, but I'm sure others will chip in soon.

1) Silversheen is normally available to give your weapons the silver characteristic, otherwise I'd get a silver dagger and a cold iron dagger. At your level you are not going to be meeting creatures with too much DR of those types anyway. Time enough to worry about having a magic cold iron weapon when you reach mid levels!

2) No, I don't think that cold iron or silver spiked gauntlets make sense. There are so few demons or creatures with DR that swallow whole or grapple, and unless you are focussed on grappling your best bet is to get out of the grapple as soon as possible rather than stay in it and do a little bit of damage!

3) Generally I'd go with Bless Weapon too, unless I was going to be fighting conjurers or dominators when Protection from Evil becomes a godsend

4) I don't know what LG cash and stuff is like, so take this with a pinch of salt. If possible I'd make my next upgrade "Keen" for the longsword (~6000gp by the DMG), partly because of the excellent synergy with Bless Weapon. I wouldn't worry about your warhorses barding because trusting to your Mounted Combat/Ride skill to negate a hit is likely to be its best defence anyway. The only reason for not going with Keen now would be if you thought that it would be easier to get Holy in the near-moderate future (but as a +2 equivalent that may well be out of reach for a long time). The other good option if you are facing a particular type of enemy a lot is Bane - e.g. evil outsider bane gives an extra +2 hit and +2d6 damage against evil outsiders for that ~6000gp upgrade.

Cheers

 

[green slime]

My next magical purchases would be armour, then shield.

 

[Geoff Watson]

Silver and Cold Iron (non-magic) weapons are pretty cheap, I'd get one or two of each, and some arrows/bolts. I'd get a strength bow rather than the crossbow, assuming your strength is higher than 11.

I would disagree with Plane Sailing about Keen. Partially because Keen is terrible, and partly because it doesn't work with Bless Weapon.

What sources are allowed for spells? There are many Paladin spells out there. Bless Weapon and Protection from Evil are the two best PHB Pal1 spells.
I'd get a bunch of scrolls. There are several nice paladin spells, and unless you get some scrolls or wands you can only cast one per day. First level scrolls only cost 50gp, (or 25 if the spell is 1st level for a real spellcaster).

Barding for your horse would be good, as it is relatively cheap.

Geoff.

 

[wmasters]

Divine Sacrifice is another good 1st level Pal spell worth considering

 

[Plane Sailing]

I would disagree with Plane Sailing about Keen. ...and partly because it doesn't work with Bless Weapon.

I'll admit its a long while since I played a paladin (3.0), has that changed or where we always doing it wrong?

 

[Infiniti2000]

I'll admit its a long while since I played a paladin (3.0), has that changed or where we always doing it wrong?

It's in the bless weapon spell description:

This last effect does not apply to any weapon that already has a magical effect related to critical hits, such as a keen weapon or a vorpal sword.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

While your number of spells per day sucks horribly, your caster level is not bad for a few low level utility spells. I would prep Bless Weapon every day. Start filling out a small library of scrolls. All you first level spells (obviously), plus a few higher level scrolls like Remove Paralysis and Dispel Magic -- it is worth sucking up the failure chance in a real emergency. Note that at 6th level you can cast Remove Paralysis from a scroll without error, even if you would not be able to prep the spell for a few more levels.

Wand of CLW (obvious). Consider a Wand of Divine Favor and a Wand of Bless Weapon (made for 1500 gp) when you have the coin. Wand of Lesser Restoration custom made for 1500gp(!). Really useful and a bargain that last one.

Better barding is not a big priority. The mount probably has more HP than the average member of the party and a decent AC to boot. If it gets in trouble you can get it out of trouble with a Free Action. I have a Paladin up at 9th level and Chain Shirt barding is plenty good enough for now. Your mount dying is an inconvenience, but a lesser one than you or another PC dying, after all.

I am a big fan of Divine Might and Extra Smiting.

 

[Goldmoon]

While your number of spells per day sucks horribly, your caster level is not bad for a few low level utility spells. I would prep Bless Weapon every day. Start filling out a small library of scrolls. All you first level spells (obviously), plus a few higher level scrolls like Remove Paralysis and Dispel Magic -- it is worth sucking up the failure chance in a real emergency. Note that at 6th level you can cast Remove Paralysis from a scroll without error, even if you would not be able to prep the spell for a few more levels.

Wand of CLW (obvious). Consider a Wand of Divine Favor and a Wand of Bless Weapon (made for 1500 gp) when you have the coin. Wand of Lesser Restoration custom made for 1500gp(!). Really useful and a bargain that last one.

Better barding is not a big priority. The mount probably has more HP than the average member of the party and a decent AC to boot. If it gets in trouble you can get it out of trouble with a Free Action. I have a Paladin up at 9th level and Chain Shirt barding is plenty good enough for now. Your mount dying is an inconvenience, but a lesser one than you or another PC dying, after all.

I am a big fan of Divine Might and Extra Smiting.

Most of my Paladins mounts are usually more combat effective then my fellow PC's. Take full advantage of the Paladin's Special mount. Armor it as much as is practical and dont neglect magic items for it.

 

[kjenks]

Consider the Practiced Spellcaster feat and a Lesser Metamagic Rod of Maximize for your Divine Sacrifice spell.

Another feat alternative: Quicken Spell and Divine Metamagic, to make use of your mostly-wasted Turn Undead class feature.