I'm making a Lv 1 character to join the following group in a 12 level campaign:
Human Fighter(Melee)
Human Rogue(Ranged)
Halfling Bard(Ranged)
Drow Sorcerer(Blaster)
I want to make a Pally and decided on Elf so I can hassle the Drow (All in good fun :) Party needs a frontliner, so picked I THF. Rolled scores: 17 17 14 13 11 10. Here's my preliminary build:
Str 17
Dex 15
Con 12
Int 12
Wis 11
Cha 17
Feats:
1: Power Attack
3: Cleave
5: Step Up
7: Vital Strike
9: Improve Critical (Elven Curve Blade)
11: Improved Vital Strike
Any advice would be appreciated. Particularly, should I swap Str and Con for more Hp? Would both Cleave and Vital Strike be redundant?(things to do with a Standard Action) Which is better? I'm also thinking of squeezing Deadly Aim for some ranged support. If I were to squeeze in a level of Fighter, when would be best? After Lay on Hands? Divine Grace? or wait until Divine Bond?
With a Pally, I assume you are going to be wearing heavy armor (guessing full plate) in the near future? If you are going to switch scores, I would do so with Dex and Con. Strength you are definitely going to need.
Also, your heavy armor is going to be put a limit on your Dex modifier (I believe it only allows up to a +1). So having a 15 won’t do you a lot of good.
Again, this is assuming you go with full plate. But with a Pally, that is what I really do recommend doing so.
Your feats look good. If you feel Vital Strike and Cleave are redundant, then maybe go with Weapon Focus. It only gives a +1 with your chosen weapon, however, it is a prereq. for several feats later on.
As for squeezing in Fighter, would you do it just for Deadly Aim? For me, I like to focus on one or the other (melee or ranged). It’s only worthwhile to do both if you stay down the Fighter route and then you have the feats to support both ranged and melee.
So if you stay on Fighter, then Deadly Aim works. But then I would question even taking Paladin in the first place.
I want to make a Pally and decided on Elf so I can hassle the Drow (All in good fun :) Party needs a frontliner, so picked I THF. Rolled scores: 17 17 14 13 11 10.
First look up one of the "how to build a paladin" threads. Sorry, I don't have a link. They're really good.
(Edit) Here's the link: Paladin Guides
Just My Thoughts:
Consider This
Str: 13
Dex: 17 (+2) = 19
Int: 10 (+2) = 12
Con: 14 (-2) = 12
Wis: 11
Cha: 17
Use the elf race Dex bonus and a 17 to max it out. This build is for a sword and (bashing) board. Paladins are all about smiting which means the more attacks you get the more smiting damage you get. Power attack is fewer, bigger attacks.
(1) Feat: Weapon Finesse (+4 to hit)
(3) Feat: Two Weapon Fighting
(4) Stat bump Dex to 20
(5) Feat: Improved Shield Bash (Dex bonus to hit and AC)
(7) Feat: ????
(8) Stat bump Cha to 18
(9) Feat: Improved Critical
If you have access to Races of the Wild, use an Elven Thinblade (1d8, 18-20/x2)
You've got some nice stat numbers there! 1st stat bump goes to Dex because it helps both your to hit and AC. Second goes to Cha.
Again, just my thoughts.
-Swiftbrook
Swapping Dex and Con won't help due to the Elf's ability modifiers. Swapping Str and Con would give me a 14 Str and a 15 Con.
I checked out the guides and found them very helpful. I was kicking around a TWF build. I went TH because I typically play a Sword n' Board Pally and wanted something different. The TWF build had the same stats
(1) TWF
(3) Improved Shield Bash
(5) Shield Slam
(7) Imp TWF
(9) Improved Critical
(11) Shield Master
I'd need a Dex boost item to pick up ITWF before Lv 8, though.
I went Str over Dex mainly for damage and freeing up a feat. All Dex would get me is some Touch AC and mobility. Although, 20 Dex in Mithral Breastplate is nice. I'll review that build again.
Nice catch on the Thinblade, I hadn't thought of that. If I go SnB I'll definitely ask if I can use a Thinblade.