I'm trying an unusual concept here and would like feedback on whether the following build is viable. It need not be 'the best', but I am open to some optimization clean-up if you find obvious problems. Beyond that, I'm mostly wanting to make sure it's decent enough that people would be comfortable with it at a PFS table. Can I get thoughts on this?
At a glance: Intelligent, polite Paladin focusing on polearm-based control fighting. Wants to take lots of AOOs and control space.
PFS legal, 20 point buy.
Human, LG Align, Paladin 11 (Hospitalier OR Chosen One archetype used). Deity is Qi Zhong.
Favored Class bonus: +1 HP at every level
Attributes
Str 17 (15 + 2 Human)
Dex 14
Con 12
Int 14 (Not a typo, please see below)
Wis 7
Cha 14
+1 to Str at L4, +1 to Wis at L8.
The Int 14, Wis 7, Cha 14 is meant to reflect a very specific character idea: A Paladin who is actually pretty well-studied and polite, with a big heart... and bad eyesight and similar issues.
I'm open to some stat juggling here if it helps shore up a weakness.
Hospitalier archetype is to reflect the healing interest, but I might go Chosen One instead to get a fun familiar (an Owl and later a Silvanshee Agation, I think).
Human racial ability substitutions: None at this time but am open to PFS-legal ideas.
Traits:
Tianjing Temple Guard (+1 to AOOs with Polearms) - Am open to other suggestions.
Fate's Favored (Improves Luck bonuses) - Also open to other ideas here.
Skills omitted for brevity. Assume the usual mix of Diplomacy, knowledges, Perception, possibly Heal, etc. Int 14 will help here.
Feats:
L1: Combat Reflexes (human bonus feat), and Weapon Focus Horsechopper OR Bec De Corbin
L3: Weapon Trick: Polearm Tricks
L5: Power Attack
L7: Lunge
(Will pick up Blind-Fight via an Ioun Stone resonance at this point)
L9: Weapon Versatility in whatever was Weapon Focus'ed above. Very open to other suggestions, I'm mostly using this to enjoy all three damage types on one polearm. That's 'important flavor' for me, but not absolutely vital.
L11: Phalanx formation or open to better ideas.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
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So why paladin? This is may be important later
Also, why weapon trick? which polearm trick are you planning on using?
So your guy here doesn't really control any space. But there are ways to control space.
Anyone with weapon training as a fighter (or picks up a feat) qualifies for a Weapon Mastery feat Difficult Swings, which creates difficult terrain for enemies for squares adjacent to you, meaning it's harder to run past you.
Another option for anyone is pushing assault, this lets you push them away to not get past you as easily.
Now what I suggest is going the Cavalier with the Disciple of the Pike archetype to get weapon training with a polearm. This also gives you the ability to have bonuses when identifying monsters and more skill ranks, aka representing he's studied. Then you could go with any order you want, and there are plenty that can leverage charisma. Also if you look into this check out the Courtly Knight archetype, stacks and makes you more social.
Now for your current plan. I don't think fate's favored is worth it for you since your luck bonuses aren't for a long time and it causes you to need to buff in combat instead of just fighting round 1. I'm also not seeing the draw of the weapon trick and would trade that out for cunning which gives more skill points.
You may be rolling up a Paladin, but this guide to the "Reach Cleric" should have all you need.
Chess Pwn: I like the mix of spells and melee a Paladin offers. Weapon Trick is mostly to gain the abiilty to attack adjacent. The lack of Difficult Swings however is so noted, and I wonder if there's a way to work around that. Hrm.
VRMH, thank you; I'll snag a copy of that and read it after work tonight!
Which spells of the paladin are you interested in? And are they are combat buff spells are they worth the action to cast them? I have a paladin and seen a few and most of the time it's more useful for you to just kill something than try to cast.
Also I wouldn't worry about attacking adjacent (your gauntlets from heavy armor or a cestus work if you REALLY need it) I have many PFS characters and like 7 of them are reach weapon users and I can't think of a time when adjacent was needed when I had my reach weapon. It's just overrated more than it's really useful.
I notice that you have listed your Favored Class bonus of 1 Hit/Skill point per level, but not the additional 1 Hit/skill point for being Human.
I would skip Weapon Focus, Weapon Versatility and Polearm Tricks feats, they don't seem to be doing a lot towards your stated goals. Work on the aforementioned Difficult Swings. (I don't see how a feat gives you a Fighter Class Feature, Chess Pwn. Source?) Also, Iron Will and the Indomitable Faith feat & trait will help patch up your anemic Will save.
Take in a Lucern Hammer instead of the Bec de Corbin; it's a d12 damage weapon instead of a d10 with the same mechanical advantages (brace and reach).
Notes:
1. Lunge is something you do on your turn, it will not extend your reach to 15' at other times during a combat round. I.E., no threatening guys going past 15' away.
2. Reach means you do not threaten anyone at 5', and cannot attack them. I know that you could choke up with Pole Arm tricks, but it's easier, costs less feats, and does 1d4 damage instead of 1d6 to simply punch someone with a spiked gauntlet.
Which spells of the paladin are you interested in?
I like the healing plus the familiar (the latter being if I go Chosen One).
I notice that you have listed your Favored Class bonus of 1 Hit/Skill point per level, but not the additional 1 Hit/skill point for being Human.
I'm confused, what extra HP for being Human? The skill point I know about, but the HP?
Take in a Lucern Hammer instead of the Bec de Corbin; it's a d12 damage weapon instead of a d10
d12 and x2 crit, whereas the Bec de Corbin has d10 and x3 crit. I thought someone ran a lot of math on this a while back and found the latter to be superior (albeit only slightly)? Did I misunderstand that?
As a broad reply, I'll take a look at the Feat list and see what I can clean up there. Are the core attributes (str/dex/con/etc.) alright, at least? If it's just the feats and traits to clean up, that will make things easier.
For what it's worth, I am willing to multiclass if it will significantly help. Aura of Justice is nice, but losing one (1) level of Paladin for something else is acceptable if this will do something useful on the polearm side of things. Would doing Fighter 1 do anything good here?
Hmm, good points. Okay, I've juggled the equipment, traits, and feats as follows.
Equipment: Switching to a Lucerne Hammer as main polearm, as a +16 damage bonus will not be forthcoming on this build. Thank you for correcting my mistake, Avoron. Armor spikes or a cestus or so on will be used to handle adjacent combat.
Traits: Are now Reactionary (+2 init) and Indomitable Faith (+1 will).
Feats: (Staying Paladin 11)
L1: Combat Reflexes and Open Slot. Toughness, perhaps? Or Power Attack? Any better ideas?
L3: Power Attack OR Open Slot (if Power Attack is taken at first level), am open to ideas here.
L5: Martial Focus: Polearms
L7: Difficult Swings
L9: Lunge
L11: Phalanx Formation
That should about fix this build, right?
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Why not take Phalanx Formation in one of those open slots so you can take something that requires a high BAB at 11th, like Improved Critical.
Greater Mercy is also usually good on a Paladin.
If you really want to control an area, finding a way to enlarge or get long arm would help. Although with my Paladin I just use potions of enlarge person. It’s not always ideal, though, due to action economy.
I prefer the bardiche to both weapons you mentioned. D10 with 19-20 crit range. Although only slashing damage.
...Good idea! There, now the build looks finished. I'd have to figure out a Level 11 feat, but that's something I can decide when I get there.
At this point, I'm happy with the build. Folks are free to chime in with other ideas (and I think I'm going with a Chosen One to get a fun familiar, instead of the originally pitched Hospitalier)... but I'm pleased with this overall design now.
Thanks for your help, everyone!
Phalanx Formation is for reaching past a party member to smack an opponent without taking the -4 'soft cover' penalty. If you don't take it early, it may not be worth taking. Well, at 11th level your attack rolls (based just on stat/BAB) are 11 + 4 = 15. So your full attack is 15/10/5... so Phalanx Formation will help you connect on the second and third roll.
I still recommend Iron Will, as your Will saves are still lagging.