Mounted Halfling Pali

[Daeion]

The question is, is it worth it? I’ve been putting together several different level 10/tier 5 characters in preparation for my return to the game after a 5 year hiatus and I had read a pali guide where they had suggested mounted combat for small palis and I thought I’d see what it looked like. The idea was that this way you could stay mounted in dungeons since your mount would only be a medium sized creature, but maybe I’m missing something but I’m underwhelmed right now. If I’m figuring correctly, on a charge I would deal 1d6+6 x3, with an average damage of 3.5 and I’m looking at (3.5+6) x3 = 28.5 damage. If I smite and I’m figuring this correctly, 10 x3 + 28.5 = 50.5 becomes the total.

Now maybe that is acceptable damage, I’m not sure, but previously I’d made a mythic vital strike warrior who was doing on average 75 (6d6+54) damage every round with a 17-20 crit range regardless of alignment. I also made a gunslinger that could do 141 (1d8+19 x6) damage a round if all shots hit, and I wasn’t even finished building it yet, and once again that was regardless of alignment. Now if this was a human, I’d have 1d8+8 (str back and +2) x3, or 37.5 damage for the charge.

I get that my damage is going to be less because I’m playing a small race, but it just feels like I’m missing something that makes mounted combat worth it before level 14 when you can have 14 ranks in ride and get Mounted Skirmisher.

[Jaunt]

How are you getting only 1d6+6x3? This is with a level 10/tier 5 character? The whole point of mounted combat is getting lance charges. In order to maximize your charges, you need a lot of static bonuses to multiply. Paladins do that with Smite Evil, weapon enhancements, power attack and so forth. If you're just hitting a thing 3 times with a sword, with no bonuses, you're going to suck no matter what you're doing.

If you're doing mythic, mythic vital strike is sick beyond belief. If your GM will let you use it, use it, otherwise don't benchmark your build around that.

And yes, if you're a paladin, your damage isn't going to be that hot when you're not smiting. It's just not what you do.

[The Shaman]

Worth it? I am not sure it is the most optimal path, but I can definitely see it not working out. Also, how for the love of Cthulhu do you not do a lot more static damage at level 10? Power attack? Enhancements? That is, of course, before your mount starts chiping in. You do lose out a on a bit of damage (- 1-3 damage from the strength penalty and lower damage dice), but even with spirited charge will not cause a massive difference.

So where are the pluses? Well, first, you get +1 to attack and AC due to being small, and a mount removes one of the big penalties of most small races - the land speed. So while your damage might be a tad less, you get better defense and accuracy. Your mount also does not block movement the way a large mount would.

Personally, I think mounted archery works even better for a small mounted paladin, but I think melee can also work. Sure, other builds may do more damage, but do not forget the extra utility and defense a paladin brings. Everyone nearby gets a big bonus to charm and fear resistance - you are flat-out immune. You heal and remove some nasty conditions, and have a smattering of spells to boot. A paladin may be a beatstick, but s/he is not just a beatstick.

[Daeion]

So yeah, I was forgetting power attack... and I hadn't included gear past a lance yet, though the gunslinger didn't have any equipment besides it's weapon either. So mythic power attack brings me up to 1d6+15x3 or 55.5 average before smite, which is certainly better. The reason I don't want to count smite is that the group I play in doesn't play any of the adventures/modules/scenarios that are out there where you can count on facing a lot of evil creatures, instead we tend to face more tragic figures, so good or neutral people being forced to do bad things or neutral creatures like elementals and the such. We still have big baddies, but as there's typically at least one evil character in our group, good guys come after us as well... I've always wanted to play a pali but have never tried because I don't feel it will mesh with the group I play with, even if it isn't lawful stupid or lawful dbag.

[Jaunt]

If you're not fighting (many) evil enemies, paladins...well, that's not their gig. Maybe run a Cavalier instead. Or if you want to go mounted archery, Ranger/Slayer.

[The Shaman]

Well, the paladin definitely isn´t nearly as good against non-evil enemies. Just how the ranger wasn´t so hot versus non-FEs before instant enemy came around.

Mind you, against non-evils the paladin has some fluff uses. Members of an order with such demanding - and kept - requirements can safely be expected to have an impeccable reputation, which the paladin player can leverage if the DM is not a sticker for his/her tragic story not being interrupted. It won´t wholly make up for the story denying you the use of your major offensive class feature, but it is something.

[The Human Diversion]

People above are correct, the real power of the small paladin is smiting, and to a lesser degree, power attack. You bring smite and power attack into the mix and you're doing 1d6+25 (x3) or more on a hit. Toss in litany spells and you're upping that multiplier to x4