Paladin (tank) Build for curse of strahd

[Battle-Ace]

Im trying to build a tanky paladin for curse of strand.
So far I've lost three characters, my group has effectively lost its tank, and one player is obsessed with running away in boss fights to the point of optimizing a melee range monk specifically for running away.

I've thought of either a optimized half-elf, or potentially a gold dragon mounted combatant with a shield and lance.

Any advice on optimizing such build, such as maximizing its own survivability and that of the rest my party?
Just had a almost total party kill, and I want to prevent a repeat.
My DM gives a beginning feat for all races, as well as inspiration and an "action point" that can be used for one extra action per day. Although new start at the previous dead characters level that has lead to a one level difference in the last boss battle. The monk is the only one that survived, and if this ruling is kept it will mean a two level gap and the difficulty is still ramping up.

[Foxhound438]

the best build advice I can give you is to kick the runner from your group.

Back to serious land, I don't know what kind of challenges are in strahd, but for defensive builds either crown or ancients will be best for your oath. Either take shield master and use a longsword and shield, or take polearm master and go quarterstaff and shield. Depending on just how defense focused you want to be, dueling style or defense style will be best.

[Kurt Kurageous]

Sorry I will be of no help. This is more the optimizer's domain.

(SPOILERS!!!)
My question is why do you keep getting into fights in Barovia? The DM should have convinced you by now that almost nothing is as it seems, and its best to think first, act second, take notes, and ask your DM a lot of questions before you attack. There are over 100 named NPCs you can get to know in this game. Each one has goals and a life (soul-less or otherwise) to lead. Each one has an opinion on Strahd. No opinion = pro-Strahd. Strahd and all of Barovia will react to every single thing you do.

Getting into public fights will mark you as reckless to potential allies. They will likely choose not to help you, as many have to remain hidden from you-know-who. You need their help. Seek allies from unusual places. Quietly declare your intent to defeat the real enemy and see how they react. Do not lose sight of the real enemy. Learn all you can about him. Rally all you can to fight him. Resolve all you can without combat. Be prepared for combat always, but don't seek it.

Ask your DM how they award XP outside of combat.
(END)

[Georlik]

Im trying to build a tanky paladin for curse of strand.
I've thought of either a optimized half-elf, or potentially a gold dragon mounted combatant with a shield and lance.

Any advice on optimizing such build, such as maximizing its own survivability and that of the rest my party?

Half-Elf
Oath of the Ancients
Protection Fighting Style
Inspiring Leader Feat

I do understand that Protection Fighting style is not the best, but it is unique in what it does. Also it is never a waste on paladin as you can always protect your mount if there is no ally nearby. Also note that Temporary HP for 6 party memebers synergise prety well with your Aura of Warding.

But please bear in mind the tone of the story. As it was mentioned by Kurt Kurageous - you are not supposed to fight your way through the module.

[Biggstick]

But please bear in mind the tone of the story. As it was mentioned by Kurt Kurageous - you are not supposed to fight your way through the module.

But but...I swing my mace and stuff dies! That's how it's supposed to work!!!

[Mandragola]

I haven't played CoS, but Strahd is a vampire, right? It occurs to me that you might fight quite a few undead, so devotion makes sense, so as to be able to turn said undead.

Then equip yourself with a shield and defensive style. Defensive is best for paladin tanks as, compared to fighters, they are less reliant on the damage from their hits. They have smites and stuff on top.

Finally you'll want good scores in strength, constitution and charisma. With points buy you could potentially start with 16s in all 3 stats, either by playing a half-elf or as a variant human with something like heavy armour master or resilient: constitution. Resilient is probably the better option as then you can keep bless running more reliably.

That said, I'd probably recommend 14 in either charisma or con instead of 16 so that you didn't have to totally dump intelligence and wisdom, both of which are useful. Either a vuman or a half elf can start with perception regardless of their background, and it's always good to be able to see trouble coming.

You can safely ignore dex. You've got to lose out somewhere and tanks aren't generally in much of a hurry.

Ancients would be ok too of course. Personally I think that devotion gives you more, with things like the turning and magic weapon. Ancients does give you the excellent resistance to all spells, but in my experience it isn't all that common for monsters to cast damaging spells, so this isn't as valuable as it might appear. It does happen of course!

[SMac8988]

I am currently running strahd, and it's really awesome. So first and for most have fun :).

I wanted to go a bit tank as well, so that my wife; who is new to d&d could spread her wings and do whatever she desired. Without knowing your team build I couldn't give the best advice, but I can pass what I'm doing along.

I decided to multi class as a half orc. Going 3 in barb and everything else in paladin. I orginally was going to go bear totem for the defensiveness of it, but ended up going fury for the bonus action attack to make up for not getting my second attack till level 7.

Resistance to slash pierce and bludg will help keep you going against most of what you will fight, and basically doubles your hit pool. Bear would spread that tk more resistence, and using reckless attack will draw most the aggro to you. If you interested in pulling even more, go wolf with front line fighters, they will have to focus you or continued to be ****ed.

Then I am going paladin of devotion, help with all the undead. Plus scared weapon and bless basically knock out the negative of great weapon master, and three hits plus smite with that bad boy on a great axe hurts.

Hope this helps!!!

[Specter]

A dip in either Wizard or Sorcerer goes a long way in helping with Shield. But to pill it off with an actual shield, you'll need War Caster.

Going pure paladin, never underestimate Tough as a feat (or Resilient CON with an odd CON).

As for the monk running, it's a good strategy for monks, but he should get back next round to kick them again!

[Byke]

Half-Elf
Oath of the Ancients
Protection Fighting Style
Inspiring Leader Feat

I do understand that Protection Fighting style is not the best, but it is unique in what it does. Also it is never a waste on paladin as you can always protect your mount if there is no ally nearby. Also note that Temporary HP for 6 party memebers synergise prety well with your Aura of Warding.

But please bear in mind the tone of the story. As it was mentioned by Kurt Kurageous - you are not supposed to fight your way through the module.

I second the Oath of the Ancients pally at least 7 levels, as the module only goes to about 10, I would go undying light lock for the last 3 levels as it will give you more bang for you buck....sorc if you or going to keep the char for another campaign (But the 6th level UL lock feature is also awesome and may be worth continuing in for a tank char)

[EvilAnagram]

It's important to remember that a tank has three goals: Keep the enemy on you, stay alive, keep your allies alive. This build is focused on accomplishing those three things.

Half-Elf

Starting Stats (point buy)
Str 10
Dex 15+1
Con 13+1
Int 8
Wis 12
Char 14+2

Protection Style

Oath of the Crown - Includes Channel Divinity
options that make you incredibly sticky and heals your allies, plus Divine Allegiance, and next level you get Spirit Guardians! You'll be a radiant, sticky healing madman.

Sentinel and Inspiring Leader for feats to keep enemies on you and keep your allies alive.

Some of the builds in this thread are made by people who assume that you do not want to completely embrace being a tank. They assume that you must also want to be a major damage dealer. This build assumes that you are interested in being a tank.

[PeteNutButter]

I second the power of shield spell on melee, for a one level dip in sorcerer you can't beat the survivabity boost.

As an aside the first level of undying warlock is kind of busted for CoS, if you are the only melee. Combine it with sentinel so they can't just walk away and there is a solid chance foes do literally NOTHING. Solid chance here meaning if they can't beat your spell save DC. Avoidance tank for days.

[Mandragola]

Casting shield requires a free hand, or the warcaster feat. Paladins are MAD enough already so requiring a feat is kind of irritating, especially if you delay ASIs by multiclassing. I wouldn't recommend sorceror for Strahd. It's possibly useful if you're playing up to lvl 20, but you probably aren't.

I'd still recommend devotion. Immunity to charm is kind of important vs a particlar important kind of monster. So important that it could even beat resistance to all magic damage. Turn undead is definitely a hugely important feature as well. I'd stay paladin all the way through, for access to lvl 3 spells at 9 and fear immunity at 10. IDS at 11, if you get that far, is awesome.

To be honest though, any paladin oath can work as a tank - even vengeance. Vengeance with sentinel is a pretty strong build. You get a lot of attacks of opportunity, which you can use to dance around the enemy from lvl 7.

[PeteNutButter]

Casting shield requires a free hand, or the warcaster feat. Paladins are MAD enough already so requiring a feat is kind of irritating, especially if you delay ASIs by multiclassing. I wouldn't recommend sorceror for Strahd. It's possibly useful if you're playing up to lvl 20, but you probably aren't.

I'd still recommend devotion. Immunity to charm is kind of important vs a particlar important kind of monster. So important that it could even beat resistance to all magic damage. Turn undead is definitely a hugely important feature as well. I'd stay paladin all the way through, for access to lvl 3 spells at 9 and fear immunity at 10. IDS at 11, if you get that far, is awesome.

To be honest though, any paladin oath can work as a tank - even vengeance. Vengeance with sentinel is a pretty strong build. You get a lot of attacks of opportunity, which you can use to dance around the enemy from lvl 7.

I played a Valor bard for CoS, and was trying to avoid sorcerer because my previous character was a paladorc. After one hard session that nearly TPKed two or even three times, I broke down and took sorc at lvl 7. I didn't even come close to dying again. I picked up shield and false life, up-casted false life between fights for hps and shielded everything.

When the difference between taking 20+ damage or not is a 1st level slot... its a pretty easy decision. If your DM lets you take it as your "free feat" at level 1, its a win win.

[Mandragola]

Sure, shield is a good spell, but if I wanted a guy in plate who could cast it I'd just play an eldritch knight. No delays on attacks, con saves, not MAD and no need to MC. A Paladorc can only cast shield from level 6 (assuming they go for two attacks first, which they should) and in that case you're already half way through the adventure.

[Corran]

Im trying to build a tanky paladin for curse of strand.
.......
Haven't played CoS, but from what I can imagine, devotion is a good choice. Though EvilAnagram makes a good case for the crown paly. Ancients is great too, but I guess its usefulness depends heavily on if you are being attacked with spells a lot, and as I said, I haven't played the adventure.
Naturally S&B.
Then it depends. On your group set up. Will you be having allies fighting next to you, or is everyone else at range (the mobile monk is not counting as a melee buddy)? If you are fighting next to someone, then protection is a good option for your fighting style. If you are all alone in melee (and that is why you are having so much trouble tanking), then defense for fighting style and a sorcerer dip (1 or 3) might be very good for you.


Sure, shield is a good spell, but if I wanted a guy in plate who could cast it I'd just play an eldritch knight. No delays on attacks, con saves, not MAD and no need to MC. A Paladorc can only cast shield from level 6 (assuming they go for two attacks first, which they should) and in that case you're already half way through the adventure.
Shield at level 5 imo. First you need 4 paladin levels for warcaster (I am obviously assuming S&B), then you take 1 sorc level (or even 3), and after that you carry on with paladin for the aura(s). Personally, I dont mind delaying the extra attack on tanky paladorcs, as I can rely on gfb/bb.

[djreynolds]

SPOLIER AHEAD

I cannot stress how important all 3 saves are, dex, wis, and con.

But wisdom is huge, protection from evil is huge. Strahd's DC is awful, almost like having to roll a crit.

You will find heroes feats somewhere, look for it, It last 24 hours and since it is a 6th level spell, it is the only way you can cast it.

Resilient con is very good, undead like to lower HP max.

10th level Aura of Courage, well I wish we had had this ability.

An example of a fighter with a say 14 in wisdom and resilient wisdom, is +6 save and even then you may fail your wisdom save.