request: good feats for 6th level human paly

[Elder-Basilisk]

I would reconsider Extra Smiting especially with charging smite. If +12 damage on a smiting charge at 6th level (or +24 damage on a smiting charge if your DM is dumb enough to allow Rhino's Rush into the game) is good, the ability to do it twice more is better. At 6th level, with extra smiting, you can put out as many smites as a 6th level sorceror can put out fireballs. It's not every attack, but it's good. By the time you're 12th level, +24 or +48 (Rhino's Rush) damage on a charge is incredible. And it's not bad to just be able to toss out a bunch of smites and take down an opponent. You still have to pay attention to how many smites you have and how often you use them, but with extra smiting you'll still have more smites than a wizard has castings of his highest level spell.

As to the X/encounter, thought, I'll wait and see if 4th edition is ok, horrible, or great before I stake myself down on it. For now though I'll confine myself to pointing out that with Extra Smiting at 6th level, you can make it a per encounter ability if you want it to be. Just smite once per encounter.

I agree that the PHBII alternate class feature is great for a paladin. (Not a feat, but great.)

Extra Smiting just doesn't seem too useful to me, but then again I generally ignore the paladin's smite ability because you only get like 1 or 2 - and you can use them both on a full attack and miss twice and they're wasted. Sure, you eventually get up to 5, but there are so FEW that you're always just saving them for the BBEG anyway. Extra Smiting uses a precious feat slot and doesn't even solve the problem. Yeah, smites = oh wait, there's that one other character option I forgot about... (Seriously, they need to make smiting X/encounter - it wouldn't hurt anything and it would actually make it useful. And it roughly scales with your full attack action anyway...)

To be fair, I'm talking about level 6... And Sacred Vengence works on every attack that round, too (but not bows, you're right - but then again, paly + bow = huh?). I don't know: if you know you're going to be fighting a lot of undead, and one option gives +3 and the other gives +2d6, it still seems pretty clear cut...

I think your soundclip is intriguing, but I am not yet a believer. Please explain further, if you don't mind.

 

[Nifft]

Per-Encounter Paladin = Crusader.

Works great right out of the box.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Darklone]

Halfling pally on flying mount with bow. Pick a halfling subrace with CHA+2.

 

[phindar]

This is not a vote for the Bastard Sword, but I'll just mention it. The B. Sword is about the only worthwhile choice if you use Monkey Grip. d10 goes to 2d8, and that ain't all that bad. (Of course, "ain't all that bad" is hardly a ringing endorsement.)

 

[Nifft]

This is not a vote for the Bastard Sword, but I'll just mention it. The B. Sword is about the only worthwhile choice if you use Monkey Grip. d10 goes to 2d8, and that ain't all that bad. (Of course, "ain't all that bad" is hardly a ringing endorsement.)

Consider that you could have just used a greatsword "for free", and then you realize you're paying two feats for +2 damage. Is it still worth it?

Cheers, -- N

 

[evilbob]

Bows: because fiends have wings.

Fair enough.

In a fight, you won't have time to waste an action readying or removing your shield -- actions are the most precious commodity in D&D.

I guess the tack I keep approaching this from is that a move action seems like a small price to pay to effectively chance "stances" - but your point about every action being precious is valid. However, if you go with a buckler, you can change your attack style every round without an action penalty: you'll just take a -1 to attack and lose your shield bonus to AC if you go two-handed. This seems to give the best of both worlds: you get the AC if you want it and you get the two-handed if you want it. Again, it's similar to Combat Expertise, except you don't need a 13 Int.

Paying a feat for +1 damage is a bad deal.

This is pretty true.

If you want to deal damage, that's fine too -- use a greatsword as your weapon. Power Attack is your friend when you're using a two-handed weapon, so pick that up, and Weapon Focus gives you another +1 attack to turn into another +2 damage. You'll have a lower AC (until you can pick up an animated shield), so get more hit points (Divine Vigor, Improved Toughness) or count on your Lay On Hands to compensate for unexpected damage, and a Wand of Cure Light Wounds to heal you up between fights.
...
At 6th level, you should have someone capable of casting eagle's splendor on you before or even during a fight. This will boost the duration of Divine Vigor, and will boost the damage output of Divine Might.

That is an excellent strategy, for sure.

Er... did I answer your question?

I think so - thanks.

 

[Darklone]

Bastard sword: Rocks if you use the Exotic Weapon Master since you can add twice your str bonus if you use it as twohanded weapon. Costs some feats as well but if you have a char with str 40...

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

I recommend against Cleave.

Power Attack + Divine Might are practically a necessity IMHO.

Extra Smiting and Leadership are superb as well.

Divine Vigor is very good, but compete with Divine Might for Turning Attempts.

 

[Nifft]

Bastard sword: Rocks if you use the Exotic Weapon Master since you can add twice your str bonus if you use it as twohanded weapon. Costs some feats as well but if you have a char with str 40...

That works okay for a Fighter or Barbarian, but wouldn't a Paladin rather pump his Charisma into the stratosphere, get godlike saves, huge attack bonus on Smites, and huge damage bonus via Divine Might (which he can use an obscene number of times, thanks to his high Charisma)?

If your PC can get a 40 in both Strength and Charisma, obviously ignore my prioritization advice.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Darklone]

If your PC can get a 40 in both Strength and Charisma, obviously ignore my prioritization advice.

Cheers, -- N

*** IGNORE BUTTON ***

Yupp, you're right, for the high Cha Paladin it's a bad weapon.

Most high str and cha builds would start with an LA race and add the half-dragon template (for example, half-celestial works too or both).