Build a Paladin for a Dummy

[goto124]

Where 'dummy' means 'someone who's new to tabletop games'. I'm looking for a simple, easy-to-use paladin build, both mechanics-wise (only 2 attacks to choose from, etc) and fluff-wise (maybe Oath of Ancients, which doesn't seem to make you do anything a decent good non-disruptive player won't do anyway). Would the paladin be Str, Dex or Cha based?

The more details, the better! Thanks!

[Madfellow]

Shouldn't be too hard I figure. Strength or Dex could serve equally well as a primary stat, with Charisma as the secondary and Con as the tertiary. There's no special secret to making a simple paladin; the basic paladin build is easy enough to grasp I think.

[Grek]

There's actually instructions for that in the PHB, under Quick Build.

You are a Mountain Dwarf Paladin of the Ancients with the Noble background. You are proficient in Brewing, Chess, Athletics, Persuasion and the Elven language. You start with a warhammer, a shield with a holy symbol of Moradin painted onto it, 5 javelins, a priest's back, chain mail and 5d4 x 10 gp. Your ability scores are:

Str: 16 Dex: 10 Con: 15
Int: 8 Wis: 12 Cha: 15

At level 1, your attack options are: Hit It With My Hammer (1d20+5 for 1d8+3 damage), or Throw A Javelin At It (1d20+5 for 1d6+3 at a range of 30 ft). You can also use Divine Sense to tell if there is evil around, or Lay On Hands to heal people. Your AC is 17, and your background makes other nobles respect you.

At level 2, you take up the Defense fighting style (+1 AC, or 18 total) and gain 2 1st level spell slots. These spell slots can either be used to cast one of your three prepared Paladin spells, or to Divine Smite someone you hit with your battle axe for an extra 2d8 damage. On most days your prepared spells are Detect Magic (tells you if there's magic around), Detect Poison and Disease (tells you if something is poisoned and/or diseased) and Shield of Faith (for 10 minutes, the target gets +2 AC).

At level 3, you get Divine Health (you are immune to diseases) and pick your Sacred Oath, which is going to be Ancients. Once per short rest your sacred oath lets you channel Divine Power to either turn call down Nature's Wrath (summons vines to restrain a creature) or to Turn the Faithless (fey and fiends are forced to run away from you instead of attacking and also any illusions disguising them go away).

Your spellcasting also improves at level 3. You have three 1st level spell slots instead of just two, and you can prepare a bunch more spells at once. Add the following to your list of prepared spells: Compelled Duel (if the target fails their wisdom save, they have disadvantage when attacking anyone besides you and aren't allowed to move more than 30 feet away from you for the next minute), Ensnaring Strike (Bonus Action: the next time you hit someone with a weapon, they have to make a strength or dexterity bonus vs being covered in vines. The vines entangle them and do 1d6 damage per turn until they break free) and Speak with Animals (lets you understand and be understood by animals for 10 minutes)

At 4th level, you get an Ability Score increase, which is going into Strength. Your Strength is now 18.

At 5th level, you get an extra attack every round, and your proficiency bonus (the number you add to everything you're proficient in) increases to 3.

[Rhaegar14]

At level 1, your attack options are: Hit It With My Hammer (1d20+5 for 1d8+3 damage), or Throw A Javelin At It (). You can also use Divine Sense to tell if there is evil around, or Lay On Hands to heal people. Your AC is 13, and your background makes other nobles respect you.

At level 2, you take up the Defense fighting style (+1 AC, or 14 total) and gain 2 1st level spell slots. These spell slots can either be used to cast one of your three prepared Paladin spells, or to Divine Smite someone you hit with your battle axe for an extra 2d8 damage. On most days your prepared spells are Detect Magic (tells you if there's magic around), Detect Poison and Disease (tells you if something is poisoned and/or diseased) and Shield of Faith (for 10 minutes, the target gets +2 AC).

Emphasis mine. Nitpick, but your AC with chainmail and a shield is definitely 18, not 13.

EDIT: Added emphasis.

[Malifice]

Human Paladin with the Noble background. Heavy armor master feat.

Str: 16 Dex: 10 Con: 14 Int: 8 Wis: 10 Cha: 16

Chain mail, a lot of javelins, a great big sword.

HP: 12
AC: 16
DR: 3/-
Move: 30'

Options:
Smash hard with big sword: +5 (2d6+3)
Throw javelin: +5 (1d6+3)
Heal someone of 5 damage.

[Pyon]

I love how the skill names everyone is making sounds like this character is for a 5 year old.

[goto124]

The thread title has the word 'dummy' in it, so it's spot on :smallbiggrin:

[Grek]

Emphasis mine. Nitpick, but your AC with chainmail and a shield is definitely 18, not 13.

EDIT: Added emphasis.

Good catch! Fixed.

[odigity]

I love how the skill names everyone is making sounds like this character is for a 5 year old.


The thread title has the word 'dummy' in it, so it's spot on :smallbiggrin:

Actually, 5 year olds tend to be smarter than most of the adults around them for the simple reason that they have learned a bunch of falsehoods yet.

[coredump]

couple of things for your consideration

1) You can get even simpler by using the fighter mechanics, and just having him be "good" and devoted to a church.

2) If starting at low level, you may not need to be *too* concerned about complexity, since PCs start simple and get complicated over time. Giving players a chance to 'catch on'.

[Tenmujiin]

Stat priority should be strength then your choice of constitution and charisma (constitution gives more hp, charisma gives stronger spells and abilities). Either take a greatsword and greatweapon fighting style for an offensive build or longsword and shield with defense fighting style for a defensive build.

Combat options are
1. Attack, if it lands decide whether to smite
2. Cast a spell, most of these are either smites, heals or buffs and have fairly clear use cases. By the time you gain access the the first spells (level 2) you should have a hang of the basics of the rules and your class. You don't get many complicated spells until level 5 so you have plenty of time to get used to playing D&D and a paladin.

Oath of the ancients is probably the simplest paladin fluff wise but devotion isn't too bad either. Remember that in 5e paladins don't have to follow their code, they just have to try really hard and feel bad if they fail.