Halfling Paladin, melee focused?

[Soarel]

Well, my group needs a paladin, and since I prefer playing halflings over other races for numerous reasons, I decided to go with a halfling paladin.

Before I roll up the little paragon of justice, I'd like some advice for playing a melee-focused halfling paladin. I absolutely hate playing with ranged weapons in any RPG, so I'd like some help as to what feats and class specializations I should focus on.

[Ssalarn]

Well, my group needs a paladin, and since I prefer playing halflings over other races for numerous reasons, I decided to go with a halfling paladin.

Before I roll up the little paragon of justice, I'd like some advice for playing a melee-focused halfling paladin. I absolutely hate playing with ranged weapons in any RPG, so I'd like some help as to what feats and class specializations I should focus on.

It's going to be a little rough to go melee because of the hit to STR but... My suggestions-

You'll need a way to amplify your damage, so either pick up a mount with your Divine Bond class feature and do the mounted combat thing, or go two weapon fighting.

You'll want to keep your damage up, so consider spiking it with feats like Risky Striker, which lets you trade AC for damage. It can be a big help at little cost when used during a Smite, and stacks with Power Attack.

How are you generating stats? Weapon Finesse is an option for the TWF build, but you're already hard up for feats, so I'm thinking it may not be worth it. If you do go the Weapon Finesse route, the Piranha Strike feat is like dex-based Power Attack.

Don't stress about picking up Double Slice, you're really using that off-hand attack to deliver more smitey goodness.

[Jiruharudo]

Heya Soarel,

You could always go for a brave little mounted guy.

5 lvls pal, lvl beastmaster for a animal companion, then take devoted tracker feat to combine your special mount and said companion into a "uber mount"

Then take halfling outrider all the way, doubling your mount bonuses and AC.

Then just add a lance to buff up the damage, an bam: Small tank of doom.

And since your mount can be medium, you can take it almost everywhere.

[Metahuman1]

I also suggest going mounted with a lance and power attack/spirited charge as the best your gonna come up with for this. An added tip, let Dex take a dump and wear plate armor to help you not need the points in Dex and instead pump Str.

Beyond that, high priority's should go to Str, Con and Cha, the last one cause your paladin class features really are something you want to get mileage out of in pathfinder. If you can find a way to make your mount progress as both an animal companion and a mount at the same time, even better, this will give you a lot more munch.


Apart from that, maybe ask after some Archetypes.

[NoACWarrior]

While I think sticking with a mount is a better long term tactical decision, did you want to do more damage on a charge? If so you can take the charging smite alternate class ability and drop the mount - it does an additional 2 points of damage per paladin level and if you miss your charge you don't use your smite. The only problem is that your BLS is probably 10-15 in fullplate.

Edit: actually using a lance is a good idea, with the reach you could continually charge smite every round terrain permitting. Theres a feat which increases charging damage with a lance, but I don't know if it restricts to on horseback.

[Metahuman1]

He's playing Pathfinder, so unless the DM let's him, Charging Smite AFC is off the table. That said, spirited charge doubles you damage on a charge attack while mounted on any mount, triples it if your using a lance. With a worth while Str Score, a couple of smaller too hit boosters and Power Attack, your damage is gonna be considerable in spite of all the nerfs to str based melee halflings suffer.

[NoACWarrior]

He's playing Pathfinder, so unless the DM let's him, Charging Smite AFC is off the table. That said, spirited charge doubles you damage on a charge attack while mounted on any mount, triples it if your using a lance. With a worth while Str Score, a couple of smaller too hit boosters and Power Attack, your damage is gonna be considerable in spite of all the nerfs to str based melee halflings suffer.

Ah, thats the feat I was thinking about. In any case I'd go spirited charge with your mount. Remember, due to lack of ground facing rules you do not have to charge something head on so long as your threatened squares connect at the end of your charge. So try to always side strafe left or right so you can do a F/U charge in the next round.

Also, with the lance you have reach, if you can muster you might want to take standstill which can lockdown - but you have no ability to stop 5ft adjusts.

[Ssalarn]

He's playing Pathfinder, so unless the DM let's him, Charging Smite AFC is off the table. That said, spirited charge doubles you damage on a charge attack while mounted on any mount, triples it if your using a lance. With a worth while Str Score, a couple of smaller too hit boosters and Power Attack, your damage is gonna be considerable in spite of all the nerfs to str based melee halflings suffer.

Word. There are still lots of good options for getting your mounted damge up though. A Paladin with Litany of Righteousness can double his smite damage and then use Spirited Charge to deliver that mess with a lance... Which according to the Pathfinder rules of multiplication (two doubles equals a triple, etc.) gets you up to quadruple Smite damage on a charge. Quintuple (?) if it's against an evil outsider, undead, or dragon.

Mounted combat is the best option, TWF would be a solid second, and then maybe Divine Bond weapon with a greatsword for third (mainly due to the halfling's small size and hit to STR).

It's too bad ranged is out of the picture, because a TWF Divine Hunter Paladin using sibats or starknives can be a switch-hitting monster tank.