Is it intentional that Paladins get Con to skills? If so, why?
I wouldn't make Smite Evil like that, as reducing MAP is already a ranger thing. I think that Smite Evil should be a single big attack instead.
I would make it a level 1 class feat that gives you a 2-actions Strike with additional effects. Something more powerful than Power Attack, but that only works against evil targets.
What kind of effects? Well, some ideas:
- Ignore DR, like you suggested; this can't be the only effect you gain, anyway, as it would be too situational;
- Add (your CHA modifier times the number of damage dice) to the damage. This is not multiplied on a critical hit;
- Add some condition that hampers your foe for 1 round (my favourite solution!);
- Do something even on a miss.
Well my idea was to change the current paladin set up with retribution instead to a knight class and make paladin a new but replacing a few abilities from knight and giving the paladin his iconic ones.
I appreciate the work you put into this HWalsh, it is thought provoking.
I agree with Megistone, Smite Evil should not effect MAPs. That's Hunt Target. Smite should get more of a damage boost against evil, rather than a better chance at hitting the enemy or bypassing DR. (which I agree is way too situational)
I personally like Retributive Strike as is. But it would be nice to have it have a "Lone Paladin" aspect feel to it as well. I'm personally expecting that coming in future splat books, but we'll see.
Love Litany of Defense and Weapon Paragon. I don't see the devs making a feat in which you can shield block without raising your shield first, but I would be happy with a paladin feat to raise a shield as a reaction. Weapon Paragon gives Paladins a good reason to wield their deity's favourite weapon (which is always a bonus) and fills a lacking area in the feat choices. If you didn't take the Mercy Feat or don't want to be an Angel then you are out of luck at level 18... I would tweak the feat to not cap it at d12s, but add +2 to damage if the favoured weapon is a d12. They already have this rule elsewhere...
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Verbal action
Target: One evil creature, within 100ft
Sometimes, a swift death is the only way.
Every strike you make against your target has the wrath of your deity behind it.Benefit: Your weapon counts as if its potency was one higher than what it is, against the target of your Smite Evil. A mundane weapon would become a +1 weapon, a +1 weapon would become a +2 weapon and so on, providing all the benefits a weapon, of that potency, would provide. Furthermore, the effect of Smite Evil is not limited by the usual limit of Potency Runes, which means using a +5 weapon against the target of your Smite Evil will make it count as a +6 weapon.
Additionally, all the damage you deal to the target of your Smite Evil ability bypasses DR of any kind.
These effects last until the target is dead, unconscious or until the Paladin announces a new target.
Thoughts?
Could tie it to Spell Powers? :P
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Cha-CHING! Yes, as nice as retributive smite is, this is the problem. And smart enemies quickly learn that the paladin does the most damage per turn and start attacking only the paladin, and so the paladin gets no additional retributive strikes. So the Paladin is forced to use allies as meat shields so that he can retributive strike. behind it.
Allow me to speak as someone who has played several 4th edition D&D Defenders, including the Paladin, and my thoughts on options like Retributive Strike.
You don't want to ever use Retributive Strike.
Oh, you want to be *able* to use it! Every round, you want to be able to make a Retributive Strike. But more importantly, you want the enemies to know you can make those rolls, and have them change their actions. You WANT them to attack you!
With your higher AC and HP, it's more likely they'll miss (or roll a normal hit instead of a critical hit), and that you'll still be standing. The Wizard or Rogue you're protecting would not be as lucky. Plus, it's more economical to heal 40 damage from one PC than 50 damage from two PCs.
That kind of playstyle is not for everybody, but if you want to know what a Defender does, it defends. They are the Offensive Lineman in the football team of PCs.
Apparently there's some big change coming for Paladin next week.
Tuning in to the stream this friday to get some more details!
...and honestly? I like retstrike as an idea. Punishing and weakening enemies that hit your allies. It's good. It's just clunky AF right now, and makes you reaction-dependant and lacks proactivity... Nice idea, but lot of room to improve.
Agreed, the number of good reaction-based powers for Paladins are crowding each other out.
You can have only one target designated as the target of your Smite at a time. If you use Smite Evil against a target when you already have a target designated, the prior target loses the designation and the new target gains the designation. In any case, this designation lasts until your next daily preparation (see page 332).
This is quite a big departure from PF1. Having several opponents you were smiting at one time was a bread-and-butter tactic in our higher level PF1 games, who tended to have a few, quite lethal fights.
---Furthermore, I am of the opinion that Table 10-2 should be destroyed