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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Owen K.C. Stephens" data-source="post: 2916992" data-attributes="member: 3190">I happen to be playing a paladin in a game that just reached 13th level, and I'm finding some decisions I made early on are having surprising consequences now. So far, these have all been good, but we are, as a group, startled at how effective some decisions are.For example:Practiced Spellcaster: Because my paladin is supposed to be a priest who suffered tragedy and turned to more martial skills after a little divine inspiration, I wanted to run him as spell-heavy for a paladin. As soon as I could, I took Practiced Spellcaster, to represent his more advanced spellcasting training. And then I largely forgot about it.Until I cast divine favor.Since it gives a +1 per 3 caster levels, I was getting +1 more to hit and damage due to my higher caster level (which boosted to my character level until I hit 9th, and even now my caster level is 10 rather than 6). This has had benefits for heal mount, dispel magic, greater magic weapon, and any durational spells. A few pearls of power and my paladin is backing up the cleric just fine.Spirited Charge/Smite Evil/Power Attack: Obviously this is going to be a powerful combination, but I had no idea how powerful until a few weeks ago. Of course, some people might inerpret some of this differently, but:With a lance, I have a +18 attack and deal 1d8+6. If I smite evil, that hops up to +21 attack and 1d8+19. If I'm charging, +23 to attack and 1d8+19. If I'm mounted and my target is Medium and not mounted, +25 attack, 1d8+19.If I trust my +18 was good enough, I can power attack for 7 points. Since a lance is a two-handed weapon, that's +14 damage. That brings me to 1d8+33. However, with spirited charge I deal TRIPLE DAMAGE with a lance, making it 3d8+99. Should I happen to crit (much more likely with bless weapon than otherwise) it's 5d8+165 (If a bulls strength or something similar is up it gets even worse). The beholder didn't stand a chance.Similarly, a player in one of our games recently created a dwarf barbarian. Her speed is brought up to 30, because of fast movement. In mithral full plate, it's still 30 because dwarves keep their full speed in medium armor – same speed as a human barbarian in the same armor.So, what surprising synergies have other people found in actual game-play?</blockquote>

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