Paladin build for Tomb of Anihilation (magic items spoilers)

[Alucard89]

So I will start ToA next week. I heard it's a campaign where Paladins are especially good.


So my Idea is to be front liner with great boss-criting Novas, but stay with relevant DPR from fight to fight. So I was thinking about combining either:

1. Half-Elf Drow (Fearie Fire)
2. 1 Level of Hexblade, 6 in Vengeance Paladin, rest in Hexblade.
3. start with 15 STR, 10 DEX, 16 CON, 17 CHA.
4. Take Elven Accuracy at level 5 for 18 CHA.
5. Take Polearm Master at level 9.

The reason for Hexblade dip + Polearm Master are magic staffs that you can find in ToA: so Staff of the Forgotten One and Staff of Striking. Both are superb on crit-fishing build as first one has flat 3d6 Necrotic damage bonus and +3 to hit and other one (also +3) can expand charges (up to 3) to deal extra 1d6-3d6 per hit.

There are also Moradin Gauntlets that can smite for additional 2d6 on hit once per turn and make weapon +1 (additive bonus). I know they are cursed but effects can be removed by simple Remove Curse spell, which Paladin, Warlock, Cleric and Wizard has, so that should no be a problem.

So with either Staff + Gauntlets + Curse + VoE + EA I could crit with one strike for 2d6 + 8d8 + 6d6 + 4d6 + 8 = 86 damage in one hit. 88 with Dueling.

Sadly both staffs, nor Avenger etc. can be used with DEX, so CHA with Hex Warrior are my only option to use Elven Accuracy.

If I can get my hands on Staff of the Forgotten One + Gauntlets then in general fight I would be dealing with Hunter's Mark or Hex: 2 x (5d6 + 8) + 1d4 + 4d6 + 8. Total of 75,5 (81,5 with Dueling taken) DPR, so very good damage overall.

Now few questions arise:

1. How difficult is to obtain Staff of the Forgotten one or Staff of Striking?
2. Is it worth to get 15 STR? Are there any ways to obtain full plate armor in ToA? I know there is Mithril Breastplate, so if there is no plates, I could just go 13 STR and go for medium armors instead.
3. I think I would go here with 1 Paladin/1 Hexblade/5 Paladin and then Either last 4 levels of Hexblade or Paladin. 4 levels of Sorcerer wouldn't I think make sense at this point since ToA ends on level 11.
4. Concentration will be problem till level 7 where I will be able to add +4 to it, making it total +7. Sadly Half-Elfs are not Vumans.
5. Dueling vs Defense? AC +1 is nice, but +2 damage per strike when we strike 3 time (potentially 4 with PAM reaction attack) is really good flat damage increase.

[SociopathFriend]

1. How difficult is to obtain Staff of the Forgotten one or Staff of Striking?


I did not obtain the Staff of Striking until we had delved several levels into the final dungeon and to boot this had been well after a full year of playing as we started from the very beginning and did not skip the jungle parts.
So while it is not difficult it is not 'easily done' so to speak. There is definitely one in the final dungeon I can promise you that.

I did not struggle to find it but I was, at the time, a Lore Bard with a spell selection built almost entirely for exploring dungeons; your mileage may vary as between my spells and my own not entirely worthless wit I was finding ways to beat most puzzles after some thought and creative spell use.

Obviously a Paladin of all things isn't quite going to match a Lore Bard in spells known.

[ShikomeKidoMi]

Those staffs aren't so much hard to get as late game content. I'd suggest taking Hexblade to 2 so you can get Pact of the Blade before going Paladin, just so you can try to argue your magically summoned weapon does magical slashing damage (halberd or glaive) to get you through monster resistances. Taking Improved Pact of the Blade as an Invocation for +1 to hit and damage wouldn't hurt, either. There aren't any magical polearms early on.

Then, when you're in the final dungeon, you can enjoy the huge upgrade of the Staff of Striking.

[pr4wn]

1. How difficult is to obtain Staff of the Forgotten one or Staff of Striking?


The Staff of the Forgotten One is carried by a CR 23 monster in an optional encounter. The adventure takes you to level 11 to 13...

So, basically a walk in the park... :belkar:


-pr4wn

[Alucard89]

Those staffs aren't so much hard to get as late game content. I'd suggest taking Hexblade to 2 so you can get Pact of the Blade before going Paladin, just so you can try to argue your magically summoned weapon does magical slashing damage (halberd or glaive) to get you through monster resistances. Taking Improved Pact of the Blade as an Invocation for +1 to hit and damage wouldn't hurt, either. There aren't any magical polearms early on.

Then, when you're in the final dungeon, you can enjoy the huge upgrade of the Staff of Striking.

Pact of the blade is level 3 Hexblade.

And you don't need to Argue. Pact Weapon does magical damage as per its description.

[Alucard89]

The Staff of the Forgotten One is carried by a CR 23 monster in an optional encounter. The adventure takes you to level 11 to 13...

So, basically a walk in the park... :belkar:


-pr4wn

CR 23 vs 5 people level 11-13 is not hard at all. Especially with Vengeance Paladin.

So both staffs are only in late game, eh?

What magical weapon I get get earlier in ToA?

[pr4wn]

CR 23 vs 5 people level 11-13 is not hard at all. Especially with Vengeance Paladin.


I guess my DM is more viscous than most then... :smallsmile:

-pr4wn

[Keravath]

CR 23 vs 5 people level 11-13 is not hard at all. Especially with Vengeance Paladin.

So both staffs are only in late game, eh?

What magical weapon I get get earlier in ToA?

If your DM is playing ToA straight up then your answer is in the spoiler ...


Short answer. None.

I think there are about two magic weapons prior to the final tomb. Ykwla +1 which you might be able to actually purchase and a late game flametongue longsword. There might be one or two more buried somewhere but it wasn't in content I played.

The Staff of Striking and Staff of the Forgotten One are both from the tomb at the end. The staff of striking is about 1/3 to 1/2 way through the tomb while the other is in pretty much the final encounter of the entire book so I would not base your build for the entire game on the premise of getting a particular magic weapon.

Almost any character will do fine in tomb of annihilation. We had a nature cleric in our group for a while and in the jungles of Chult he was amazing. I played a rogue/warlock - pact of the blade ... in part because it was the only way for me to obtain a magical ranged weapon. There are none in ToA - at least none we found. The other reason I chose a rogue was that with an adventure called "Tomb of Annihilation" .. I thought it would be fun and might come in handy. I started variant human with the observant feat and picked up Devil's sight from warlock. There were quite a number of times where the high passive perception and expertise in perception and investigation were almost indispensable.

Anyway, depending on whether your DM adds magic items or not ... you may want to be 6 paladin/3 warlock by level 9 and pick up a magical weapon by going blade pact with improved pact weapon.

[Warlush]

I would just warn you about ToA and heavy armor. If memory serves there is a variant the DM can use to force exhaustion in the jungle if you're in heavy armor. YMMV

[SociopathFriend]

I guess my DM is more viscous than most then... :smallsmile:

-pr4wn

There's also the fact said optional boss doesn't pick the most party-favorable time to show up. If a DM decides to play it ruthlessly it's most likely far harder than the CR suggests.
I know if my DM at the time had played it better he definitely could've TPK'd us or at least most members that weren't me. He made two costly errors that overall screwed over the encounter in our favor and that is almost certainly the only reason we won.



Short answer. None.


Do Adamantine Weapons count? There's a mine you can help work in that gives you that option. Otherwise I too don't recall too many options for magical weapons prior to the final dungeon.
And then it just throws the loot at you if you can get past the puzzles, traps, and monsters.

[Benny89]

Sadly ToA doesn't have any magic weapons at all almost. WoTC seems to hate magic weapons in their adventures.

[Alucard89]

If your DM is playing ToA straight up then your answer is in the spoiler ...


Short answer. None.

I think there are about two magic weapons prior to the final tomb. Ykwla +1 which you might be able to actually purchase and a late game flametongue longsword. There might be one or two more buried somewhere but it wasn't in content I played.

The Staff of Striking and Staff of the Forgotten One are both from the tomb at the end. The staff of striking is about 1/3 to 1/2 way through the tomb while the other is in pretty much the final encounter of the entire book so I would not base your build for the entire game on the premise of getting a particular magic weapon.

Almost any character will do fine in tomb of annihilation. We had a nature cleric in our group for a while and in the jungles of Chult he was amazing. I played a rogue/warlock - pact of the blade ... in part because it was the only way for me to obtain a magical ranged weapon. There are none in ToA - at least none we found. The other reason I chose a rogue was that with an adventure called "Tomb of Annihilation" .. I thought it would be fun and might come in handy. I started variant human with the observant feat and picked up Devil's sight from warlock. There were quite a number of times where the high passive perception and expertise in perception and investigation were almost indispensable.

Anyway, depending on whether your DM adds magic items or not ... you may want to be 6 paladin/3 warlock by level 9 and pick up a magical weapon by going blade pact with improved pact weapon.




That sucks...

Maybe I should reconsider my character.

Yuanti-Ti PB 1 Hexblade/11 Evocation "Nuclear Wizard" might be better suited as both AoE and single target blaster. And I don't need magic equipment. Abjuration deep gnome could also work.

Also 1 Hexblade/X Ancient Paladin Yuanti-Ti PB might be great ultimate tank for it. Though that would only be option if my party already had good damage.

Hexblade as always seems like great choice in any published adventure not only due to his overall power but easy access to +1 magic weapon, but I already played it.

Cleric would be awesome but no Revifify allowed in adventure (again.. after CoS...).

Hexblade 2/Lore Bard would also be great because I could chose best options with magic secrets.