Paladins and level 5 and 6 spells

[Moginheden]

Paladins gain a new spell level at 4, 7, 10, and 13. The obvious continuation of this pattern would be gaining level 5 spells at 16 and level 6 spells at 19. They don't.

Is there a reason why their spell casting is capped out? I don't see any other class abilities at high levels that would make make up for them not having level 5 and 6 spells.

[Skylancer4]

As partial casters their spells aren't the 'main focus' of the class. They have amazing saves and full BAB, among othere abilities that scale with their level. If you really want more spells, I believe there is a feat that grants additional spells and there are racial favored class bonuses that grants spells for other classes, look to see if there is one for paladin.

Also, samsaran paladins can gain extra spells through one of the racials.

[Nicos]

Moginheden wrote:

Paladins gain a new spell level at 4, 7, 10, and 13. The obvious continuation of this pattern would be gaining level 5 spells at 16 and level 6 spells at 19. They don't.

Is there a reason why their spell casting is capped out? I don't see any other class abilities at high levels that would make make up for them not having level 5 and 6 spells.

Paladins are fine at all their elvels, for example at level 14th they gain Brilliant energy (Divine bond)a Huge DPR increaser.

[solarius]

Not really. Very few monsters got Armor AC that can be ignored by brilliant energy weapon, and by lvl 14 a reasonablely optimized full bab martial would have attack value overflow anyway.

[Moginheden]

Skylancer4 wrote:

As partial casters their spells aren't the 'main focus' of the class. They have amazing saves and full BAB, among othere abilities that scale with their level. If you really want more spells, I believe there is a feat that grants additional spells and there are racial favored class bonuses that grants spells for other classes, look to see if there is one for paladin.

Also, samsaran paladins can gain extra spells through one of the racials.

Bard is another partial caster class that is much more consistent with it's new spell levels known. Most casters don't seem to gain the final level their progression their pattern would imply, (as bards would get level 7 at 19 and clerics and wizards would get level 10 spells at 19) so paladins not getting level 6 spells at 19 would be consistent with other classes. There doesn't seem to be a reason for missing level 5 spells at 16 though.

If you are relying on their BaB and saves for the power of the class wouldn't that put them as overpowered at levels 4-15? For those levels they gain caster progression and full BaB.

Every class with at least some spell casting I've seen outside Paladin and Ranger gains new spell levels at a consistent rate throughout their leveling process. Fighters gain bonus feats and weapon/armor training at a consistent rate throughout their leveling process. Paladin and ranger both seem to be getting less per level at level 16+ than they got from previous levels because they don't get level 5 spells.

I'm not saying the paladin is over or under powered as a class. I'm saying it's inconsistent between early game and late game.

[TheWarriorPoet519]

They have full BaB. Full BaB Partial casters only go up to level 4. See also, The Magus, who does not get full BaB, and whose spell levels go up to 6.

It's because a paladin is a warrior first and a caster second. Ranger's the same deal.