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Message: <blockquote data-quote="auburn2" data-source="post: 7450445" data-attributes="member: 6855259">I agree with you about spells and eldritch knight is behind the Paladin (and a battlemaser, champion or any barbarian) when it comes to melee.I don't think the extra 2d8 balances the third attack (and thanks for pointing it out I neglected it in my numbers).  Obviously it will vary by build but the fighter gets a full extra attack including all the dice and the strength/dexterity bonus plus the chance to critical and gets that every single round without using a bonus action.  The problem with pole arm master is it cuts into a feat which are already in short supply for a Paladin since he wants to be maxing Cha (and if you want GWM that is another feat).  The 11th level Paladin only has 2 feats (or 3 if he is variant human).  So if you are going this route and if you max strength to start with you will need to keep Charisma at 16 to keep up with the fighter in dpr without smite.A Paladin can have good strength and constitution but he will never match a comparatively built strength-based fighter with point buy without using smite.  The extra 1d8 is 4.5 average on all attacks at llth level, but if a fighter takes strength instead of charisma or feats he is doing an additional +2 strength damage every hit once he gets it to 20 and at llth level getting more attacks.  Using your comparison above for an 11th level variant human fighter with pole arm master vs Paladin with pole arm master and the rest of feats going to strength/charisma the 16str Paladin is doing 2d10+1d4+3d8+9=36 avg, the 20str fighter is doing 3d10+1d4+20=39 avg.  The fighter also has 11 more hps due to a higher constitution.</blockquote>

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