Fluff and items for a Triton Paladin

[NiklasWB]

Hey Playgrounders,

I’m thinking about playing a Triton paladin for an upcoming shorter campaign. We will start at level 6 or 7. I wanted to ask you on for some input on a few things though.

The DM has said that he will allow us all one free magic item that isn’t too overpowered and fits into our backstory. Seeing as how I will be using heavy armor and be STR based I thought that a Mariner’s Armor would fit the character perfectly. However, now that I’m reading the item I realized that maybe I don’t actually need to have a Mariner’s Armor to be able to use the heavy armor effectively while swimming/being underwater. Am I reading the rules right? If I have a swim speed (being a Triton) and have the STR to use the heavy armor without penalty, I don’t suffer any negative effects to movement, combat etc while swimming/underwater? This would basically make a Mariner’s Armor only make me float to the surface if knocked unconscious… which might even be bad for someone who can naturally breathe underwater.

So maybe I should pick another more useful item. A weapon or a shield +1 or something like the Decanter of Endless Water…

Next I need to decide what weapons I will be using primarily. The trident is a classic I suppose, but it is mechanically inferior to other martial weapons, so I’ll probably stay away from that. It also feels a bit too “on the nose - Aquaman/Poseidon”. I can see this character using sword & shield (rapier maybe?), a two handed sword or a longspear or polearm of some sort… The problem is the fluff. Basically, would you say that a creature with a swim speed would also be able to use a sword (or any other non-piercing weapon) without disadvantage underwater? Or are piercing weapons the only logical choice? In the end I’m guessing it would be up to the DM, but I’m trying get a grasp on what would “make sense” fluff-wise before I ask about the rules/crunch.

What about webbed feet/hands? Do you think that a Triton would need to be barefoot to be able to use his swimming speed?

I’m also guessing that the thought of a cloak or other not fitting clothes would be very alien to a Triton, both in and out of water.

What do you guys think? How would you arm a Triton paladin and are there any interesting fluff ideas I could use?

[vincegetorix]

For the magic item, I think the mariner armor is useless to you. In the same idea, I dont think that having webbed feet or hands covered makes it impossible to use your swim speed, lets just say its more about swimming techniques than physical advantage. Same for the weapons: if you have a swim speed, you can use any weapon without disavantage underwater. For your choice of magic item, I have some interesting ideas that you may love:

Folding Boat (there's no use to being a aquatic creature if your party cant follow you)
Javelin of Lightning
Cloak of the Manta Ray (a cloak, so it seems you can use cloak under water) that gives you Swimming speed of 60.
Animated shield, so you may swim while wielding a shield.
I like the idea of the decanter.

I can see a Triton paladin fighting with a longspear and heavy crabshell armor, a cloak of scale-like material floating behing him. Summon steed for a giant Sea Horse! Have him oppose Slarkrethel and the Kraken Society (if playing Forgotten realm) or a perveted water-genasi priest of the godess of moon and tides and his buncj of were-shark fantatics!

[Byke]

I know you said something not overpowered, but if I ever played a Triton I would love the trident "Wave", if your DM is open to some RP opportunities, have it start as a simple +1 trident, that you have quests to do to awaken it's other properties.