advice on a Paladin build

[Yogibear41]

Any advice you would make/change on this build? Only starting with first few levels because we advance XP slowly normally.

Race: Aasimar
Stats: 18 str, 12 dex, 18 con, 12 int, 20 wis, 20 cha (we have an absurd point rolling system and to top it off I rolled like a boss)

Monk1/Paladin 5

1. Celestial Bloodline
Flaw 1(shaky) Outsider wings
Flaw 2(not sure what to take) power attack
3. Improved Bull Rush (won't really use just need prereq for shock trooper)
6. Shock Trooper or Divine Might?

Plan to eventually take battle blessing and potentially sword of arcane order if it is allowed(homebrew setting not sure if a mystra equivalent exists) we also use the pathfinder flight rules so a boost to flying mobility would help greatly with fly checks. Not sure if I should go for either celestial mount acf, or charging smite acf, also not sure if DM will allow either. If neither is allowed will probably take the celestial mount feat when I can fit it in.

Going for good damage using power attack/divine might, wings for mobility/awesome factor, lay on hands for back up healing and possibly utility if needed via my limited spell casting ability. Good chance I will be playing just a duo campaign with a half-fey bard.

I want to stay strait Paladin if possible.

EDIT: LA buyoff is allowed.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Why the monk dip? You only get the AC bonus if unarmored. I'd take a Fighter level instead, for the bonus feat-- get Shock Trooper and Divine Might, or else drop your second flaw. Either that or just go straight paladin.

Also, because this is always something that comes up when Paladin is put on the table... why not Crusader? Crusader/Cleric/Ruby Knight Vindicator hits all the paladin points, but better.

[Yogibear41]

I dislike wearing armor with a high ACP especially since it applys to fly skill checks and with a wis of 20 I get a decent AC from the monk dip. Also to qualify for the wings at first level all my base saves have to be +2.

It is also a low magic campaign, with mithril being especially rare even when shopping in large cities, and the place we will be hanging around is basically and outpost town in the middle of now-where so magic items are most likely going to be incredibly rare. So the chances of finding some mithril plate, or even a mithril chain shirt/breastplate is not so good.

TOB is out DM already said no when I asked him a few weeks ago about possibly playing a swordsage.

I intend to get both shock trooper and divine might eventually the question is which one should I take at 6?

[Hytheter]

If you're going unarmored, you could swap your Dex and Cha and take Serenity (http://www.realmshelps.net/cgi-bin/featbox.pl?feat=Serenity) at Level 3. That'll give you +9 AC from the get go, immense saves, and key your class features off Wis instead of Cha, making you a little less MAD. Plus you'll still have decent Charisma anyway for the purpose of social interaction.

[Grod_The_Giant]

I intend to get both shock trooper and divine might eventually the question is which one should I take at 6?
Both are limited use-- Shock Trooper through circumstance, and Divine Might through Turn attempts. Divine Might doesn't have a prereq, but Shock Trooper will land you a lot more damage. I'd probably go with Shock Trooper, all things considered.

Also, Hytheter's idea is a good one. I'd take Serenity at first, and push everything else back a few levels-- that way, Shock Trooper will just be kicking in when normal melee is falling behind.

[Yogibear41]

Well, I just had the realization that if I take monk at 1st my bab will only be +5 at level 6 and shock trooper requires +6 bab to take so I would not be able to take it at 6th anyway.

[Firechanter]

Yeah, given the whole Wings plan, I'd take Serenity, swap Dex and Cha, and drop the Monk level. Go for Chain Shirt now, Mithral or even Celestial Breastplate later, or get a Monk's Belt.

With a Bard as your only companion, going for Harmonious Knight and Words of Creation is probably not worth it. But you should still look into the SotAO thing. You need at least Int 14 to pull it off, though -- ask your DM if a cheap +2 item will fix this; in some games only your native Int score determines what spell levels you unlock.

[Gwendol]

Drop the mount for Divine Spirit (Dungeonscape), trust me on this one.
Normally I would suggest to also take the from smite to song feat, but seeing you have a bard already you don't have to. Finally, you should also take the Mystic Fire Knight levels, and lose turn undead entirely for more arcane spells (since you're going there anyway).

Don't forget to pick up power attack somewhere along the way.

Firechanter: he can always increase INT during level ups, he can afford it.

[Firechanter]

Drop the mount for Divine Spirit (Dungeonscape), trust me on this one.

Very good call, seconded.

[Crake]

Unless there's some monk ACF that gives full bab that I dont know about, how're you qualifying for shock trooper's +6 bab at level 6 with a monk level? (Saw you'd already noticed that) Also might want to consider Aescetic knight to have your monk and paladin levels stack for smite evil and monk unarmed strike?

[Christine Daae]

I myself am playing a paladin right now, and must say Wizard 1/ Paladin 5 is working well for me right now. I am a Lolth touched drow (3LA) and I am still keeping up with my 9th level counterparts with ease with this build so far. If you want to take a look at her she is Irraly in my signature.

Basically when I know enemies are coming I cast shield, Followed by enlarge person on myself. Use neverskittter in initiative. And reap the rewards of a chargining smite for +15 damage. That's not including our petal bard that adds +9 more damage to my output (who is not really all that optimized as she could add much more if we had more sources available). On Average I deal as much damage as our DMM persist cleric, If I were to throw in Divine sacrfice spell I would out damage him by a mile.

[Yogibear41]

Why wizard instead of sorcerer? Just wanted a spellbook for sword of arcane order?

Also, Lolth Touched Drow + good alignment and paladin, my DM would laugh me out the door. lol I must read your backstory now there has to be something interesting in there.


EDIT: I also notice you just joined GITP welcome :smallsmile:

[pilvento]

+1 to CHA for DEX if you are going unarmored.

And why not Monk/Cleric/Prestige paladin :smallbiggrin:

[dantiesilva]

@Yogibear41 The DM allowed her to change Lolth to Eilistraee for the same bonuses and such, and with being a Paladin of freedom CG is all around her. Dancing around nude with a bastard sword in two hands....It is very disheartning as I now cast most of my buffs on her as well DMM persist can not keep up.

Why wizard over sorcerer, one reason really. We have a bunch of wizards who all can not keep us alive to save their lives. Between a beguiler, Bard, and 2 wizards not one has celerity or Wings of cover. Or any other spell that can keep us alive for that matter. So she chose to be an abjurant champion charger that used spells to make herself stronger.

[Yogibear41]

Dancing around nude with a bastard sword in two hands....It is very disheartning

Seems pretty awesome to me ROFL :smallcool:

[Blackhawk748]

Dancing around nude with a bastard sword in two hands....It is very disheartning as I now cast most of my buffs on her as well DMM persist can not keep up.

Just popped on here to see if th OP needed some random advice, but hes in good hands, but then i saw this. LOL. just thought you needed to know.

[Hytheter]

Wizard Paladin? As though Paladins aren't MAD enough already...

Then again, I suppose only 11 or 12 INT is required for the purpose it serves.

[Yogibear41]

Okay so after some thinking and listening to yall's advice this is what I think I will be going for:
18 str, 16 dex, 18 con, 14 int, 20 wis, 12 cha, 16 com/apperance(I'm pretty)
Boosting Wisdom at 4,8,12,16, and 20.
1. Monk
2. Paladin
3. Paladin
4. Paladin
5. Paladin
6. Paladin 5 bab
7. Paladin (planar variant= celestial mount) 6 bab
8. Wizard(unearthed arcana variant, fighter feat instead of scribe scroll)
9. Wizard 7 bab
10. Paladin
11. Paladin
12. Paladin 10 bab
13. Paladin
14. Paladin
15. Paladin 13 bab
16. Paladin
17. Paladin
18. Paladin
19. Paladin
20. Paladin 18 bab
Feats:
1. Heritage, Wings, Power Attack
3. Serenity
6. Improved Bull Rush
8. ShockTrooper
9. sword of the arcane order
12. Battle Blessing
15. ? (dm may or maynot allow planar paladin if not will probably take celestial mount here)
18. ?

Taking Shaky and Pride of arms(-4 on non martial weapon attacks including spells) as my flaws.

Things I am considering: instead of taking 2 levels of wizard only take 1(original thinking was that since I wasn't going to lose any bab out of it I could go ahead and take 2 for some extra free spells known), making the wizard a conjuration specialist banning necro and enchantment, going for abjurant jaunt/conjuration specialist acf(don't plan on having a familiar anyway)

Not sure if going specialist would be worth it since I will only have 1-2 levels of wizard anyway and it would reduce my versatility with sword of the arcane order.


Considering something like flyby attack and greater flyby attack as level 15, and 18 feats, dropped divine might from the build because I now only have a charisma of 12, do to serenity build.