Paladin feat advice, is it worth taking a 1 level fighter dip to get Staggering Critical sooner?


Advice


Hi all, I'm currently playing a lvl 3 melee Paladin with a big Falchion. So far that's working out very nicely. I expect the campaign to run to about level 15, perhaps 17 if the DM stretches it out. I really like utility the following feats give but I'm wondering if it's worthwhile taking a 1 level fighter dip somewhere between level 8 and 13 to get Improved Critical/Staggering Critical earlier?

Human Bonus - Fey Foundling
1 - Power Attack
3 - Greater Mercy
5 - Furious Focus (min bab 1)
7 - Improved Sunder (min bab 1)
9 - Sundering Strike (min bab 9)
11 - Improved Critical: Falchion (min bab 8)
13 - Critical Focus (min bab 9)
15 - Staggering Critical (min bab 13)
17 - Stunning Critical (min bab 17)


I would say you are better off sticking with a straight Paladin. To me delaying your Paladin abilities and the loss of a caster level is not worth the extra feat.

I would probably go for Improved Critical earlier so you can take advantage of Bless Weapon. Bless Weapon does not work with a Keen weapon but does work with Improved Critical. Cast a 1st level spell and all your threats are automatically confirmed.


I'd forgotten about Bless Weapon, good idea thanks.


I'd go straight Paladin too - Oath of Vengeance in fact - and instead of Sundering and Staggering I'd play to the class's strength by taking Extra LoH feats. Those are swift self-heals that are especially potent given the choice of Fey Foundling and Greater Mercy and they power your additional Smites as well.

I'd recommend you browse over my advice on this thread for an Elven Paladin, most of who's concepts could be easily adapted to Human.

On the other hand, having fun is always the most important optimization, and if you think you would enjoy a Sundering Staggering Paladin, by all means give it a go. Paladins are almost impossible to mess up.

Finally, keep in mind that Paladins can automatically make their weapons Keen through their Weapon Bond ability, and Keen bonuses don't stack with Improved Critical which might mean you can find a better use for that feat. I'd save those first level spells for Hero's Defiance, at least two of them - they will absolutely positively save your life.


But the Weapon Bond ability is only useable once per day for a number of minutes equal to your level right? So the rest of the adventuring day Improved Crit could be handy to have.


Losing one level of paladin is pretty harmless, IMO.


Ed Wiscombe wrote:
But the Weapon Bond ability is only useable once per day for a number of minutes equal to your level right? So the rest of the adventuring day Improved Crit could be handy to have.

1/day at 5th, 2/day at 9th 3/day at 13th and so on - and of course Divine Bond can do a LOT more than make the weapon merely Keen... but then again, you're precluding the possibility of finding or buying a keen weapon which is one of the most common and least expensive magical enhancements out there. 8,000 gold for a +1 Keen weapon or burning an entire feat for the same effect?


hogarth wrote:
Losing one level of paladin is pretty harmless, IMO.

There are just so many level dependent abilities for Paladins... it won't break the character certainly to lose a level, but if you don't need to then I don't see why you would. By 15th or 17th level Paladins should be doing much more amazing things than occasionally staggering a foe.

Generally I save those Crit feats for Fighters who get many attacks/round (Whirlwind Attack or TWF). When a Paladin crits most foes, by the next round it'll probably be too dead to worry about being Staggered.

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