3.5 Paladin, Order of the Arcane Sword Build

[Rhyltran]

So I'm currently playing in a campaign and I'm about to start playing in another. I want to make a Knight of Mystic Fire Paladin. Also for image purposes I don't really want to use anything other than Paladin levels. I want to stick to the Paladin image. I'm aware I can use another class like Crusader and pretend to be paladin but that isn't what I want to do.

So the group is about Mid Op and I was considering at first using a charge build but riding on a mount using a lance doesn't fit my image of a Paladin. I'd rather use a sword. Any advice? I'm aware I'm being really picky. :) I just don't want to be useless.

[ExLibrisMortis]

Obligatory link (http://community.wizards.com/content/forum-topic/3407376).

If you're going paladin 20, that's pretty much the golden standard. You mix Mystic Fire Knight and Harmonious Knight substitution levels (technically not legal, but acceptable fluff-wise), Sword of the Arcane Order, Battle Blessing, Words of Creation and From Smite to Song to get swift-action paladin and wizard spells (at CL 18, and you have plenty of spell slots), inspire courage +10 and inspire greatness +6d10 HD (4 targets), and you're doing that with a healing spirit to triple your LoH pool (that's 3 * CHA * level hp/day).

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

I would strongly recommend going Cloistered Cleric (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#clericVariantCloistere dCleric) 1/ Paladin 19 instead of just Paladin 20. Get the Inquisition domain plus Knowledge Devotion and either Law Devotion or Strength Devotion for your domains. Put at least one rank in each Knowledge skill that identifies a creature type and you always get +1 to attack and damage against every opponent from Knowledge Devotion. You can use wands of Cleric spells even if you don't have spells of that level yet.

Trade your Paladin turn undead for Divine Counterspell in CM, and get 5 ranks in Kn: Arcana (class skill from Knowledge Devotion), so your Divine Counterspell check is 1d20 + Character Level + 2, considering the Inquisition domain's power adds to it. Take Practiced Spellcaster for either class (Paladin would be preferred) and pick up the feat Divine Defiance in FC2, which allows you to spend a turn undead attempt (from Cleric) to counterspell as an immediate action, which you can use to activate Divine Counterspell. So you can get all your attacks in every round and still be able to counterspell any time you need to without sacrificing any actions during your turn.

I would trade out your special mount for either Charging Smite in PH2 or Underdark Knight in CC. Charging Smite does two additional damage per Paladin level, in addition to the normal smite damage, so you end up adding three times your Paladin level to those attacks, and you can cast (Wand of) Rhino's Rush to double your damage with that attack. A wand takes the same action to activate as the spell's casting time per Rules Compendium, and you can get a weapon/shield with a wand chamber from Dungeonscape. Underdark Knight gives tons of benefits when underground, including the Earth Glide (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/elemental.htm#earthElemental) ability like Earth Elementals have.

[RoyVG]

Especially if you are going to throw away or never use your mount, I'm seconding the Charging Smite ACF , it's the best alternative there is.
Charging Smite mentions that if your Charging Smite fails to hit your target, it is not expended, so you are more guaranteed to actually get our smite damage. You don't have to be afraid of losing out. Put a Wand of Rhino's Rush in your weapon as mentioned above using a wand chamber and go to town, every Charging Smite now deals (Weapon damage + 2-3x strength (1 or 2 handed weapon) + 6x Paladin level). And that is not taking into account things like Power Attack, Leap Attack, which can all add significant amount of damage to that one charge attack.

[Rhyltran]

Obligatory link (http://community.wizards.com/content/forum-topic/3407376).

If you're going paladin 20, that's pretty much the golden standard. You mix Mystic Fire Knight and Harmonious Knight substitution levels (technically not legal, but acceptable fluff-wise), Sword of the Arcane Order, Battle Blessing, Words of Creation and From Smite to Song to get swift-action paladin and wizard spells (at CL 18, and you have plenty of spell slots), inspire courage +10 and inspire greatness +6d10 HD (4 targets), and you're doing that with a healing spirit to triple your LoH pool (that's 3 * CHA * level hp/day).

Thanks. :) I have a problem, however. The Harmonious Order alternative class features was a web enhancement I believe and everywhere I can find the link is gone.

[Sgt. Cookie]

Tip for the future: Copy the Link Address, paste it into the search bar and replace "www." for "archive.".


For now though, link (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060327a)

[Rhyltran]

Tip for the future: Copy the Link Address, paste it into the search bar and replace "www." for "archive.".


For now though, link (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060327a)

Awesome! Good to know. I got it. :)