Author Topic: Pathfinder Sword and Board Paladin, what do you think of it?  (Read 12991 times)

Offline Maculosa

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Pathfinder Sword and Board Paladin, what do you think of it?
« on: November 06, 2011, 10:38:52 PM »
Hello!

We are starting a new pathfinder campain really soon and want to see if my character i'm planning to play is ok or could be improved in some way.

We are allowed to use only the Player Guide and the Advanced Player Guide... no Ultimate Magic/Combat or others books.

I want to play a Sword and Board Paladin, i know S&B is not what will give me the best of the paladin but i like the flavor and it's what i want to play.
We are allowed to use 25 Point buy.

Here my Character:

Race: Human
Class: Paladin

I will use Human Paladin favoced class to give me energy resistance (fire)

STR: 15
DEX: 15
CON: 12
INT: 10
WIS: 9   
CHA: 18 (16 + 2)

Feats Progressions:

L1: Exotic Weaon Profiency (Falcata)
L1: Two Weapon Fighting
L3: Improved shield Bash
L5: Double Slice
L7: Shield Slam
L9: Improved Critical
L11: Shield Master
L13 : Bashing finish

Traits:

Indomitable Faith
Dangerously Curious

Is there anything that could be improved?

Thanks and sorry for my poor english.

Offline Soft Insanity

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Re: Pathfinder Sword and Board Paladin, what do you think of it?
« Reply #1 on: November 07, 2011, 12:19:18 PM »
Paladin is very playable in Pathfinder.  Is your group using the modules?

I ask that because there's alot of evil things in the modules, which makes Paladin shine.

Offline veekie

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Re: Pathfinder Sword and Board Paladin, what do you think of it?
« Reply #2 on: November 07, 2011, 12:47:34 PM »
For starters, put that charisma back into Strength. While a lot of paladin abilities key off charisma, you're spending most of your time vigorously applying your weapon on your enemy, the to hit and damage bonuses would serve far better. As it is you're getting merely 1 more damage out of Double Slice, when if you swapped your Str with Cha you will be getting 2 AND the to-hit you badly need.

Secondly, ditch the exotic weapon proficiency, if you're mounted(see next question) you can use a lance one handed, or just a plain scimitar(the higher crit range works well with the later critical feats). Swap it for Power Attack instead, it works even for off hand attacks, and if your strength is swapped with charisma you should be able to hit even when power attacking.

Thirdly, what is the campaign premise?
Overland or dungeon crawl? The new mount is somewhat better(its animal companion based), but it does rely on being able to well...ride.

Fourth, clarify with your DM if Double Slice's benefits carry over to power attacking as well, if not you might want to replace it(+2 damage to a secondary attack isn't really worth it on its own). Given your higher than usual Dex you might find a use for Combat Reflexes(opportunity attacks = more crits = more extra shield bashes).

Fifth, check if you can afford a keen weapon. No sense throwing a feat slot after it when you could instead take Critical Focus and start qualifying for the other critical feats, or at least confirm more often.
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Offline StreamOfTheSky

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Re: Pathfinder Sword and Board Paladin, what do you think of it?
« Reply #3 on: November 07, 2011, 03:19:08 PM »
I would do

Str 16 (18 after racial)
Dex 14
Con 14
Int 10
Wis 8
Cha 15

Increasing charisma at level 4, and then either str or cha every 4th level thereafter, your choice.  You can also put Wis at 7 to make Int 12.  Paladins really don't need wisdom.  What level are you actually starting at?  13?
« Last Edit: November 07, 2011, 03:21:27 PM by StreamOfTheSky »

Offline Maculosa

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Re: Pathfinder Sword and Board Paladin, what do you think of it?
« Reply #4 on: November 07, 2011, 06:00:32 PM »
Yes DM will use a Module but we don't know which one is it... but i had some hint that it will include Evils.

Second, we will have a fighter that will focus on DPS but lacking AC.
I do not necessary focus on DPS, but want to be balanced between damage and defence.
but still want to be able to put some high damage on evil ennemies. (the reason of the Falcata) with a crit range on 17-20 with X3 dmg and smite evil is not bad.

I put 18 Cha to have maximum Lay on and since i will lacking some CON. but with 18 i maximise smite evil dmg and ac bonus.
At level i will put +1 str that will give me 16 STR, at lvl 8 put +1 to DEX to get 16 dex.

Also not that i need to have 15 dex for two weapon fighter prerequiste.

Third i do not want to play mounted even if it's better.

and as for magic item i know we will not be able to buy anything we want even if we have the cash for... so i can't count on specific item for character development.

Last we will start at LVL 1, but i'm just planning my futur levels

Offline veekie

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Re: Pathfinder Sword and Board Paladin, what do you think of it?
« Reply #5 on: November 07, 2011, 10:05:57 PM »
Quote
Second, we will have a fighter that will focus on DPS but lacking AC.
I do not necessary focus on DPS, but want to be balanced between damage and defence.
but still want to be able to put some high damage on evil ennemies. (the reason of the Falcata) with a crit range on 17-20 with X3 dmg and smite evil is not bad.
Not necessarily a good way to add damage. The Falcata is one feat in exchange for +1 to the critical multiplier compared to the longsword, which is still less effective than a scimitar for the purpose of criticals(you want them for shield bash). For the same feat, Power Attack grants you +2 damage, and it gets better.

Quote
I put 18 Cha to have maximum Lay on and since i will lacking some CON. but with 18 i maximise smite evil dmg and ac bonus.
At level i will put +1 str that will give me 16 STR, at lvl 8 put +1 to DEX to get 16 dex.
Smite evil damage ignores charisma, and simply compare the value of +1 to hit on some enemies per day, versus +1 to hit AND damage, to every enemy.
Start at 18 strength, you can get by just fine with a charisma of 14 or 15.

So make your feat order more like:
1: Power Attack
1: Two Weapon Fighting
3: Improved Shield Bash

Your priority is to be functional by first level, and that means you can't actually attack effectively with your shield unless smiting at the time.
Everything is edible. Just that there are things only edible once per lifetime.
It's a god-eat-god world.

Procrastination is the thief of time; Year after year it steals, till all are fled,
And to the mercies of a moment leaves; The vast concerns of an eternal scene.