I have read Bodhi's Guide to the Optimal Paladin and Antipaladin 3.1
trying to figure out what to do. The strategy suggested is Archer, Lancer, Two handed sword Paladin or medic paladin. (there might have been another, but I'm not sure)
I know the optimal thing to do with a Paladin is to lay down as much damage as possible, but I am not going for as much damage as possible. From my last few games, that doesn't appear to be my game style. :)
I want something like a Light melee paladin if that is possible, but I have not seen anything like that.
I suppose that sounds like swashbuckler, but it is my preference to stay away from the Advanced Class Guide.
My group doesn't have the Occult book so I want to stay away from that too.
Third Party stuff is off limits too.
Other than that, Any suggestions are welcome.
Thanks.
What do you mean by "light melee?" You could try an Iroran Paladin, AKA Enlightened Paladin, and use monk weapons/unarmed strikes and light armor.
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Paladin of Sarenrae with Dervish Dance feat?
As long as it is in the right campaign, a good portion of a Paladins damage comes from smiting, especially against the foes that matter. That means to a degree, your weapon doesn't matter as much. Sure a two-handed great-sword will do more damage than a rapier, but against the right foe, the difference is less for a Paladin than for anyone else.
From what it seems you want, I would probably build a balanced character with a base 16 or so dex and a bast 14 or so strength (allowing other decent stats for con and chr) and not bother with dex-to-damage.
This would let you go with a light armor keeping up your mobility and let you do ok damage normally while having a really good AC, especially if you use a light shield or buckler. I would probably look at taking the mobility feat and making a point of drawing attacks of opportunity (being likely to not be hit, and having swift lay on hands if you hit means you can take it better than most) that would allow the others in your party to maneuver far more freely.
What do you mean by "light melee?" You could try an Iroran Paladin, AKA Enlightened Paladin, and use monk weapons/unarmed strikes and light armor.
I had the same question. What is it you want to do? Be a tank? Mobile fighter?
AND, I'm playing a Champion of Irori right now, and it is a lot of fun! But there are some problems with it as (at least how Hero lab is calculating it) I am not entitled to many of the Monk unarmed features - like my unarmed counting as silver/magic as long as I have ki - despite being a 9th level character. I only took 2 levels of Paladin (to get the better saves) and the rest Monk and then Champion of Irori, which meant I had 5 levels of Monk? I don't have my sheet here, but it was a surprise when my fists weren't counting as a Monk of the same level.
Dave Justus makes some good recommendations as well.
In my current game I am playing an Arcane Duelist. At 8th level now, I have a chain shirt, katana and heavy shield. When I get to 10th level, I will get medium armor and want a mithiril breast plate. After that, I don't want the heavy armor that my Archetype can get.
We have a Tank in our group and I don't wish to play one.
I was thinking of a Paladin for the next game (what ever that is) but most paladins are heavy armor, sword and board or two handers.
I like the mobile paladin as it appears to be different than the generic paladin.
The "monk" Paladin is interesting and I would really have to take a look at it. I have played a standard monk before and only started to work after 9th level.
If you were to dip to support this concept, daring champion cavilier with order of the star would go well.
How good is your group at working together? The Holy Tactician is a fantastic source of teamwork feats (note: if your GM makes you wait until battle starts to activate Battlefield Presence, then never mind). Giving everybody in your party Outflank, Paired Opportunists, or Broken Wing Gambit can do some interesting things. It would at least give you more to think about than just smashing face and laying on hands.
It's going to be tough to do a pure tumble-round-the-battlefield guy in a class that has no bonus feats, no natural route to dex to hit or to damage, and doesn't have Acrobatics as a class skill.
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Here is what my Dex paladin is looking like at level 4:
Azalea Pavonis
Female halfling fighter 2/paladin 2
LG Small humanoid (halfling)
Init +4; Senses Perception +1
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Defense
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AC 20, touch 15, flat-footed 16 (+4 armor, +4 Dex, +1 shield, +1 size)
hp 40 (4d10+8)
Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +6 (+1 vs. fear); +2 vs. fear
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee mithral dogslicer +11 (1d4+4/19-20)
or mithral dogslicer +9 - piranha strike (1d4+8/19-20)
Ranged longbow +9 (1d6/×3)
Special Attacks smite evil 1/day (+3 attack and AC, +2 damage)
Paladin Spell-Like Abilities (CL 0th; concentration +3)
. . At will—detect evil
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Statistics
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Str 10, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 16
Base Atk +4; CMB +3; CMD 17
Feats Piranha Strike, Slashing Grace[ACG], Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (dogslicer)
Traits captain's blade, fate's favored
Skills Acrobatics +10 (+11 while on a vessel afloat on water), Climb -1 (+0 while on a vessel afloat on water), Diplomacy +10, Handle Animal +10, Knowledge (religion) +6, Perception +1, Survival -1 (+1 to avoid becoming lost); Racial Modifiers +2 Perception
Languages Common, Dwarven, Halfling
SQ lay on hands 4/day (1d6)
Combat Gear oil of bless weapon, oil of magic weapon, wand of cure light wounds, alchemist's fire (2); Other Gear mwk chain shirt, mwk buckler, arrows (40), longbow, mithral dogslicer, muleback cords, wayfinder, artisan's outfit, canteen, grappling hook, halfling trail rations (4), ink, black, inkpen, masterwork backpack, paper (5), silk rope (50 ft.), wooden holy symbol of Chaldira, 605 gp, 9 sp
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Special Abilities
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Detect Evil (At will) (Sp) You can use detect evil at will (as the spell).
Fate's Favored Increase luck bonuses by 1.
Fearless +2 racial bonus vs Fear saves.
Lay on Hands (1d6 hit points, 4/day) (Su) As a standard action (swift on self), touch channels positive energy and applies mercies.
Piranha Strike -2/+4 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage with light weapons.
Slashing Grace (Dogslicer) Treat chosen weapon as 1-handed piercing weapon and can had Dex instead of Str to dmg.
Smite Evil (1/day) (Su) +3 to hit, +2 to damage, +3 deflection bonus to AC when used.
Highlights: Dex to damage and piranha strike come online 3rd level. Captain's Blade trait adds acrobatics as a class skill. Switch out for another similar trait if society faction traits are not available. Fate's Favored will further boost my saves as I start getting into magic items which grant luck bonuses to them.
As I level up and get more general feats, fighter levels will be retrained into paladin levels, and the combat feats I lose will be re-taken as general feats.
What I had in mind when it came to Dex to damage was taking Dawnflower Bard at level 1 and the rest in Paladin. I get Dervish Dance immediately and have the rest of my feats for something else.
My first Trait is usually Reactionary and I was thinking of Flame of the Dawnflower.