Maximizing channel energy as paladin

[flamewolf393]

Ive got a paladin in an undead heavy campaign. His only purpose is fighting lots of undead. For this Im spec'ing him for nothing but lots of channel energy usage and anti-undead utility.

Current build is oracle (life)1/paladin 5 using the archetypes chosen one, hospitlar, and undead scourge. Race is Gathlain (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other-races/more-races/advanced-races-11-20-rp/gathlain-12-rp) His feats are selective channeling, extra channel, practiced caster for oracle (was allowed to pull this in from 3.x), craft wonderous item, and protective channel.

Current gear is a phylactery of positive channeling, and an Amulet of detect undead, hide from undead, and glory medallion.

Is there anything I should have done differently and what should I go for from here?

[grarrrg]

Current build is oracle (life)1/paladin 5 using the archetypes chosen one, hospitlar, and undead scourge.
All of those archetypes are incompatible with each other.
They all alter the Smite Evil ability.
Chosen One and Hospitaler both change Channel Energy.
Hospitaler and Undead Scourge both change Aura of Justice.
You're going to have to pick _one_ of them, unless you get special permission from your DM.

You might also consider Oath Against Undeath (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/paladin/archetypes/paizo---paladin-archetypes/oathbound-paladin/oath-against-undeath) (it can combine only with Chosen One). You get Detect Undead instead of Detect Evil, and at 11th level you can Channel to Harm Undead by spending only 1 use of Lay on Hands.


His feats are selective channeling, extra channel, practiced caster for oracle (was allowed to pull this in from 3.x), craft wonderous item, and protective channel.

Selective Channeling will be much less useful if you are expected to fight mostly Undead.
Protective Channel is fine, but the requirement of 7d6 Channeling will take quite a while to reach, especially if you take the Hospitaler Archetype.


Current gear is a phylactery of positive channeling, and glory medallion.

Glory Medallion should NOT be high on your list of priorities. As it's use is limited to -maybe- +5 HP/Damage per Channel. You'd be better off sinking that gold elsewhere.

Bracers of the Merciful Knight should be on your potential items list. You count at +4 levels for Lay on Hands, both for Uses/day and d6's.



Also remember that Lay on Hands can be used offensively as well, on a successful Melee Touch attack you can bypass their Saving Throw and do full Positive damage.

[Faily]

What you can do, if you're not interested in Paladin spells, is to go Warrior of the Holy Light (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/advancedPlayersGuide/coreClasses/paladin.html#warrior-of-the-holy-light). It will give you 1 more Lay on Hands, an Aura that can buff and support party members, an area of effect damage/heal ability. It is compatible with the Hospitaler as they do not affect the same Class Abilities.

I will admit that Spells are usually much more powerful (especially spells like Hero's Defiance and Paladin's Sacrifice, and the Litany spells), but it's a suggestion if you want to be a Beacon of Peave, Love and Divine Light. :smalltongue:

If it's an Undead heavy campaign, Selective Channel is *not* needed. At all. Undeads can't benefit from the healing of Channel Positive Energy, so you won't have to worry about accidentally healing your enemies with it.

I second the Bracers of the Merciful Knight. They'll be important to you.

Remember that Phylactery of Positive Channeling takes up the same slot as Headbands, which includes the Charisma-boost. While the extra 2d6 is great for those focused on healing, if you want to damage undead, a higher ability score will improve the DC to resist your Channel (they still get save for half damage, after all). Pick up the Faith Trait "Sacred Conduit" which will give you a +1 Trait bonus to the DC of your Channel.

Oracle is nice if you're going for the good old Oradin, but if you want to be truly anti-Undead, Cleric with Sun Domain is super-awesome; Undeads do not get to add their Channel Resistance against your Channel Positive Energy. And you'll get a better secondary Channel-pool from Cleric than you would get from Life Mystery (3+Cha vs. 1+Cha). A bit heavier on your abilities, true, but Sun Domain is really sweet against Undeads.

[Geddy2112]

A headband of alluring charisma will do more in the long run than a phylactery of positive channeling. It gets you more channels/LoH a day, higher DC's, better saves, bonus spells, spell DC's, all that jazz.

Also consider the temple champion archetype to get the sun domain- you will add your pally level to damage dealt in channeling against undead, and undead can't add their save bonus to half damage against channeling. If you went cleric instead of oracle, you could also pick up the glory domain which increases the DC of your channel to harm undead by 2, stacking with sun for uber undead harming. Also consider the ghost hunter archetype for ghost touch smite and bonkers smite damage against undead.