Let's talk Paladins

[SMac8988]

So for an upcoming game a few friends and I plan to start I am looking at a paladin. And I wanted to get a dialog started with some of the Giants about favored builds with them, ideas about the I different oaths and suggestions for my character.

We will be playing a group of 3 dwarf brothers, from a kingdom in the high north, on the fringe of society. Our father will have been the king prior to a great beast from below the mountain, haven't decided what it is may leave it to the dm to decide, and attacks. The king and the eldest brother died during the attacks.

My character will have been the captain of the guard, and feels is choices are what lead to the death of his family. After the attacks, he wondered drunkenly till he fell at the steps of Serenrei's temple. Now trying to redeem himself he travels with his brothers to gather an allies to save his brothers. My friends are playing a dragon sorc and frenzy barb.

Was thinking oath of the crown, from sword coast, and run shield and war hammer, and use get mounted combat with a Lance at my back to switch to.

I'm newish to paladins and was hoping to learn a lot from this. Also if someone can explain how exactly I pick my animal for find steed, cause I was thinking we
A Wooly Rhino would be perfect

[Professor Gnoll]

Picking your steed is usually a DM discretion thing. So if you ask, they'll tell you if you can pick an animal or not.
As for the other parts, think about how you handle your oath.
- What does each part of the oath mean to you, personally? Why do you think those ideals are important?
- Do you bend the rules of your oath, or do you stick to it as tightly as possible?
- What exactly drove you to make that oath in particular?
- How do you go about carrying out the tenets of your oath? What are your methods?

[Arkhios]

I'm newish to paladins and was hoping to learn a lot from this. Also if someone can explain how exactly I pick my animal for find steed, cause I was thinking we
A Wooly Rhino would be perfect

I would rather not dive into the swamp of "what's better than the other", but I'll try and explain this one as best I can.

Find Steed already lists a few appropriate animals, and even if you wanted something special, you should keep within those frames. That is, you shouldn't be able to get anything more powerful than one of the listed creatures already are. I'm away from books, and I'm not sure if there are stats for a woolly rhino, but I would guess that a it is by far superior compared to any of the listed examples. As always, discuss with your DM about this. You can't just pick whatever you want, you must have your DM's permission. If you wanted woolly rhino just because of how it looks like, I would reflavor the Elk stats as Woolly Rhino. If I recall, Elk has a powerful charge or something like that, with Gore attack.

[Oramac]

Our father will have been the king prior to a great beast from below the mountain, haven't decided what it is may leave it to the dm to decide, and attacks. The king and the eldest brother died during the attacks.

My character will have been the captain of the guard, and feels is choices are what lead to the death of his family. After the attacks, he wondered drunkenly till he fell at the steps of Serenrei's temple. Now trying to redeem himself he travels with his brothers to gather an allies to save his brothers.

Honestly, this sounds more like an Oath of Vengeance to me. That's a lot of bad **** to happen to one guy.

That being said, play it how you think the character would evolve. Don't let bunch of faceless names on the internet define your character for you.

[SMac8988]

I was planning on reskinning the elk, figured it would work for what I need.

The reason for the crown was the abilities it has helps me to maintain my team some. And figured since his goal is to return his city back to its glory. Vegence was my close second, but seems everyone I seen plays venegence.

And I plan to play how I want but was looking for advice and just general discussion about stuff.

[KorvinStarmast]

The reason for the crown was the abilities it has helps me to maintain my team some. And figured since his goal is to return his city back to its glory. Vegence was my close second, but seems everyone I seen plays venegence.

Perfect. We (my DM and I) did a custom war boar steed for our dwarf last year. I'll send you the stats when I can find the file. It was a cross between a warhorse and a boar, in terms of getting the numbers to almost match. I made a table with Boar, Giant Boar, and Warhorse, and once we compared all of the numbers, this is what we came up with. See of your DM likes it. If I can figure out how to attach a file to a PM, I'll make a pdf and send the whole thing to you.

War Boar
(Large(-) beast/sprit) (Dwarf paladin Summoned Steed)
Armor Class 11 (natural)
Hit Points 22 (3d10 + 6)
Speed: 50 or 60 ft (I think the DM went with 60, either value would do).
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 6 (−2) 10 (0) 6 (−2)
Senses Passive Perception 10
Languages - Special (It's special since it's a summoned steed). We never got to the part of the dwarf having a conversation with his steed, but he did understand dwarf language fluently.
Charge. If the boar moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a tusk attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 7 (2d6) slashing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Relentless (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). If the boar takes 8 damage or less that would reduce it to 0 hit points, it is reduced to 1 hit point instead.
Actions. Tusk. Melee Weapon Attack:
+5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing dmg.

Worked out pretty well. It's not as big as a giant boar, but it's bigger than a boar. It's a War Boar, and our story was that for a time, centuries ago, hill dwarves bred boars especially for combat steeds for dwarves.

[SMac8988]

That looks similar to what I was thinking. I figured gore would be maybe a 1d8 and then have charge or trample something like that.

Idea is as we enter my Lance range I stab, then he gores and leaves then prone. Seems like a cool combo to me.

Then just smite the **** out of them. I really like the idea of mounted combat, and feel that paladin really does best this gen

[Foxhound438]

I wanted to get a dialog started with some of the Giants about favored builds with them, ideas about the I different oaths and suggestions for my character.


some favorite builds of mine:

polearm mastery+shield: use a quarterstaff for your weapon and dueling fighting style; the flat +2 works well with getting the extra attack. This generally does about the same damage as a halberd without GWM, with the added benefit of shield AC. It can work thematically with any oath. starting as a dwarf means you'd have to skip an ASI to get this early, but that's not hugely problematic.

Devotion Great Weapon: the name pretty much says it. the basic idea is to use devotion paladin's channel divinity to negate great weapon mastery's drop to hit chance. Your stats would be a bit harder here, you'd probably want to start something like 17/8/14/10/11/15 for a dwarf, so your first two ASI will have to even off str and cha and get the feat. takes a tad longer to set up build-wise but it's doable. Might be difficult to justify taking oath of devotion with your background though.

sorc 3+: the idea here is eventually (like, really late game) take some sorcerer levels and quicken your choice of the weapon attack cantrips from the SCAG. This gives you 3 attacks per turn, at the cost of spell points, without needing to use a polearm or 2 weapon fighting. Basically to optimize output from various per-hit damage boosts paladins get access to. Fluffing in sorc levels can be an issue, but not terribly so. If your DM is obsessed with everything having some reason to have it, you'd have to include "dormant sorcerous ability" in your character description from the outset and you should be fine.

[SMac8988]

My idea for feats was possibly shield and mounted combat. Don't see a great need for much else. One stat boast can get me to 18 10 16 11 12 16. Putting one point in str and 1 in cha.

Then my idea would be go crown and be able to maintain my groups pressense. Eventually pop spirt guards and the challenge ability.

But like I said, new to the paladin.

[bid]

Idea is as we enter my Lance range I stab, then he gores and leaves then prone. Seems like a cool combo to me.
Remember that if your steed acts independently, it has its own initiative and you may have to ready an attack and wait until it moves.

[SMac8988]

I figured, my dex will be poop so I'll rarely be going first, and since he is summon from find stead he listens to my orders without it needing an action on my part. Unless I'm reading that wrong.

[Foxhound438]

My idea for feats was possibly shield and mounted combat. Don't see a great need for much else. One stat boast can get me to 18 10 16 11 12 16. Putting one point in str and 1 in cha.

Then my idea would be go crown and be able to maintain my groups pressense. Eventually pop spirt guards and the challenge ability.

But like I said, new to the paladin.

that's a fine plan. Crown gives a couple good spells, but i'm not a fan of any of the other abilities. I generally prefer ancients, but that's just my personal choice.

ps I'm pretty sure you're over point buy with those stats, but maybe you rolled them.

[SMac8988]

that's a fine plan. Crown gives a couple good spells, but i'm not a fan of any of the other abilities. I generally prefer ancients, but that's just my personal choice.

ps I'm pretty sure you're over point buy with those stats, but maybe you rolled them.

I did sorry, was at work. My int or dex would be lower

[bid]

I figured, my dex will be poop so I'll rarely be going first, and since he is summon from find stead he listens to my orders without it needing an action on my part. Unless I'm reading that wrong.
I think the worst that can happen is this:
- steed's turn: charges in and does its attack
- target's turn: disengage move 5' away
- your turn: nothing is range, ready attack
- steed's turn: move 5' and attack
- your reaction: attack
- target's turn: attack and move 5' away
- steed's reaction: attack of opportunity
- your turn: nothing is range, ready attack

[Fighting_Ferret]

Paladin is a very good class in 5e. Your idea for playing crown sounds good to me, and is in the flavor of what you are wanting to accomplish. I haven't done mounted combat yet... you might be limited in some areas and it can be very useful in others. Give it a go and let us know how it turns out for you...

[SMac8988]

I just absolutely love the idea of mounted combat, I just need to learn how it works. And with find steed i dont need to constantly have my mount with me. Like if we are in a house....