Dragonborn Conquest Paladin

[Rdothodgson]

Hello,

I'm working on a Dragonborn Conquest Paladin build and I'm trying to determine what Feats I have room for.

Sword and Shield
Starting stats after racial bonuses
Str: 16
Dex: 8
Con: 15
Int: 8
Wis: 10
Cha: 16

My tentative plan for ASI/feats in no particular order:

+2 Cha
+2 Cha
Dragonfear (round out my con stat and synergies with class)
Shield Master(frightened enemies can't get up)
Sentinel (very tanky and synergizes with conquest paladin's aura - enemies get hurt if they attack me and get attacked by me if they attack my party)

My dilemma right now is whether Warcaster is essential to having fun with this build. As a concentration spell casting heavy paladin I'm concerned about my effetiveness once I start taking concentration saves. Being able to ignore the Somantic component of spells would also make sentinel potentially more effective as I wouldn't have to sheath my sword to cast anything leaving my OAs weak

Thanks for any advice!

[Foxhound438]

Dragonfear (round out my con stat and synergies with class)
Shield Master(frightened enemies can't get up)
Sentinel (very tanky and synergizes with conquest paladin's aura - enemies get hurt if they attack me and get attacked by me if they attack my party)

My dilemma right now is whether Warcaster is essential to having fun with this build. As a concentration spell casting heavy paladin I'm concerned about my effetiveness once I start taking concentration saves. Being able to ignore the Somantic component of spells would also make sentinel potentially more effective as I wouldn't have to sheath my sword to cast anything leaving my OAs weak


1) I like the shield master choice. Really does well with frightened, at least once you get the aura

2) sentinel doesn't seem necessary. It seems good, but redundant. You can already reduce anything's speed to 0 just by scaring it with a channel/dragon fear/wrathful smite once you get to level 7, and you have shield master to then shove enemies away from your allies, which means that they only can attack you (and at disadvantage)

3) war caster is nice, but it again isn't really necessary. Advantage on concentration saves is nice, but honestly that specific thing would be better served taking resilient: con for proficiency instead. You would adjust your stats a bit as such, starting with 15 con and 17 str to take dragon fear boosting str, and then later resilient boosts con. Ignoring somatic components is pretty narrow, since a lot of the spells with somatic components divine casters get to kind of cheat with having a casting focus on their shield. This was clarified somewhere (I think sage advice) to be legit. Basically it counts as holding the spell focus, which can be used in somatic components.

[QuickLyRaiNbow]

With an 8 Dex I'd consider Alert in place of Sentinel.

[CTurbo]

Looks like you're on the right track. I would definitely try to max Cha as fast as you can.

The feats you have selected are all really good, but I would not bother trying to plan TOO far ahead to be honest. If you actually get into the high levels, it likely won't be anytime soon. There is no telling what you might want to do by then.

[DarkKnightJin]

For a similar idea that I have, I plan to take 1, maybe 2 levels of Hexblade at some point.
Makes the character nice and SAD on Charisma, gives an always prepared Wrathful Smite, and Shield. Also 1 or 2 short rest slots for a bit of Smiting if you want.

Getiing access to Eldritch Blast is also a nice touch for a Paladin, that otherwise rather lacks in the ranged devision.

Anyway, I wouldn't worry about the Dragon Fear feat till the 8th level ASI. It's not going to help you terribly much before the fear-lock aura comes online.

The 4th level ASI you can put towards Cha, which is probably the safe move.

But, as was said: Don't plan ahead -too- much. The character and the leveling choices they make should be informed by the story they're part of.

[Edgerunner]

For a similar idea that I have, I plan to take 1, maybe 2 levels of Hexblade at some point.
Makes the character nice and SAD on Charisma, gives an always prepared Wrathful Smite, and Shield. Also 1 or 2 short rest slots for a bit of Smiting if you want.

For a Hexblade, Shield looks really good but it's also a Trap. You have so few spells and to use Shield, which doesn't scale at all, seems like a waste to me honestly

[Davrix]

a lv 1 dip of hexblade can be very worth it but as you will see with conquest. There is no jumping off point that doesn't delay all your fun things as a paladin. Shield is really really nice and using your Char to hit is also great. Just realize your going to delay everything one level. I would also argue you would and SHOULD have a good RP reason for taking such a pact.

As for feats

max char to 20 asap

Sentinel / Shield master and war-caster are all great feats

The must is Shield Master
I would argue War caster is more important over sentinel because your wrathful smite needs to maintain concentration and aside from he fear spell its your Number one source of fear. Sentinel I feel is the trap because once you have your lv 7 aura its not as effective and your not using a weapon with reach.

You will get more out of war caster and then taking the Con resilient feat IMO.

[Spacehamster]

Hello,

I'm working on a Dragonborn Conquest Paladin build and I'm trying to determine what Feats I have room for.

Sword and Shield
Starting stats after racial bonuses
Str: 16
Dex: 8
Con: 15
Int: 8
Wis: 10
Cha: 16

My tentative plan for ASI/feats in no particular order:

+2 Cha
+2 Cha
Dragonfear (round out my con stat and synergies with class)
Shield Master(frightened enemies can't get up)
Sentinel (very tanky and synergizes with conquest paladin's aura - enemies get hurt if they attack me and get attacked by me if they attack my party)

My dilemma right now is whether Warcaster is essential to having fun with this build. As a concentration spell casting heavy paladin I'm concerned about my effetiveness once I start taking concentration saves. Being able to ignore the Somantic component of spells would also make sentinel potentially more effective as I wouldn't have to sheath my sword to cast anything leaving my OAs weak

Thanks for any advice!

Would take +2 CON or STR instead of sentinel. :)

[Davrix]

Would take +2 CON or STR instead of sentinel. :)

with a 15 in con he would be better off taking resilient feat to make it a 16 and get the con save out of it.

[Spacehamster]

with a 15 in con he would be better off taking resilient feat to make it a 16 and get the con save out of it.

He said he takes a feat to get 16 CON so it would be 16 to 18 CON.

[DarkKnightJin]

For a Hexblade, Shield looks really good but it's also a Trap. You have so few spells and to use Shield, which doesn't scale at all, seems like a waste to me honestly

Everything about Paladin and Warlock is managing the spell slots throughout the adventuring day. You don't use Shield if you don't think/know it's not gonna make a difference. It's a backup for if you get smashed suddenly.

It's not a spell you're going to be using all the time. Unless you get like, the Spell Mastery boon and you can cast it at-will. Then you just become a flippin' Juggernaut.