Species: Half-Dragon(Silver)
Class: Paladin 6
Feats: Improved Turning, Exotic Weapon Proficiency(Greatspear), Dragon Breath, -----
By my DM's houserule, we're guaranteed an additional Feat at, essentially, '0th Level', giving me a 4th Generic Feat to take. My problem is, I'm -really- trying to think of something that will be different. Encompassing something other than my Turning/Smite Ability, or changing my Breath Weapon, since I've already securely bolstered both of those aspects of my character. I'd like to hear ideas about what that last Feat should be. Assume I meat the Attribute prerequisites, since I've not rolled up my stats yet, just used my favorite Character Generator.
Power Attack is always a good, solid choice. You could take Divine Might as well (same source) for extra damagy goodness (PowAttack is a prerequisite).
How sold are you on the greatspear? If you drop Exotic W. P. and carry a greatsword or glaive, you can get Power Attack, plus one of the Divine feats. Heck, drop Improved Turning and get both of 'em...maximize your resources.
My two bits.
IMO, drop Improved Turning (you'll never be very good at it anyway) and take Divine Vigor from...PHB2 or C. Warrior, I can't recall which. It lets you burn a turn attempt for temporary hp.
Power Attack is always a good, solid choice. You could take Divine Might as well (same source) for extra damagy goodness (PowAttack is a prerequisite).
How sold are you on the greatspear? If you drop Exotic W. P. and carry a greatsword or glaive, you can get Power Attack, plus one of the Divine feats. Heck, drop Improved Turning and get both of 'em...maximize your resources.
My two bits.
The concept I've got, being goody-twoshoes LG, is that he doesn't -want- to get into a fight. I know it's a -horrible- reference, but picture, if you must, the -proper- concept of a Jedi Consular. The whole 'having the weapon, but never wanting to use it' sort of thing? Well, I figure a spear is the only thing unassuming that wont totally screw me royally come-time for me to actually knuckle-up and beat something down. And the Greatspear does the more damage I was looking for. Greatsword is an obvious symbol of power, of might, of '-I- -will- -kick- -your- -ass-!'. I just had it in my mind that a spear, even the mighty Greatspear, would come across as slightly less threatening. Now, in reality, I'm not married to the EWP-Greatspear, but I'm open to suggestions for a less-threatening version of a heavy-hitting weapon that would, preferably, give me some range(as the spear does), since I'm not taking any other weapons.
And Improved Turning, yeah, may not be worth much, but I was trying to stay away from the typical 'Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave'-style Paladin.
EDIT: The more I'm thinking about it, the more I'm considering doing away with EWP, and the Greatspear concept, and going with the premise of building to take the Ascetic Knight Feat, and -truly- go the way of passive-aggresive. Plus take the Monsterous Feat Improved Natural Weapon, once for Bite and possibly even twice for Claws and encompass both natural attacks. So, along those lines:
Improved Natural Weapon - Claws
Improved Natural Weapon - Bite
Ascetic Knight
Dragon Breath
What'ch'ya'll think? :D
If you can you might want to take the feat jotunbrud too. For that extra +4 on trip checks.
You shouldn't take cleave or great cleave. Take combat expertise instead and then improved trip. Someone tripped and with your greatspear pointed at his neck is going to think twice before doing anything anymore.
If you can you might want to take the feat jotunbrud too. For that extra +4 on trip checks.
Maybe he doesn't want to play a tripper, eh? Cleave is a perfectly decent feat...great cleave is less valuable, but still decent.
The natural attack path could be interesting...never played a character like that.
Here's my opinion on the Greatsword vs Greatspear argument. Both are large weapony things. Neither says "peace." Heck, being a half-dragon is going to make the whole "peaceful" thing harder to pull off.
I wouldn't blow a feat on EWP. Instead, I recommend using a greatsword or longsword (+ shield) and doing what my current PC (rogue/pally) does: take the enemy down hard and fast. If Diplomacy fails, dancing around poking at tne enemy won't accomplish much. OTOH, if you take down an eney with our first swing (large-damage weapon + huge Strength + Power Attack + smite evil), the others start to consider not pursuing the matter, especially if you offer a chance to surrender after evey foe you drop.
Another option, assuming you've got the Int for it, is to go Combat Expertise + Imprved Disarm (or you could go Power attack + Improved Sunder). Hard for most humanoids to keep fighting without a weapon.
Improved Natural Weapon - Claws
Improved Natural Weapon - Bite
Ascetic Knight
Dragon Breath
I'm still, for some reason, really liking this concept. The EWP, yeah, is obviously sacked if I stay with it, but eventually fists, claws and teeth -ought to be- the only weapons he needs. Yeah, ranged, I'm toastercaked unless I take something like Flying Kick and an ass-load of Jump, which could be fun as well...
You shouldn't take cleave or great cleave. Take combat expertise instead and then improved trip. Someone tripped and with your greatspear pointed at his neck is going to think twice before doing anything anymore.
If you can you might want to take the feat jotunbrud too. For that extra +4 on trip checks.
I thought about the pure pacifist ideas, and really, it appeals to me, up until I've got to battle a full-sized dragon who -can't- be disarmed. 'Jotunbrud'? Never heard of it. Where's it located?
Maybe he doesn't want to play a tripper, eh? Cleave is a perfectly decent feat...great cleave is less valuable, but still decent.
The natural attack path could be interesting...never played a character like that.
Here's my opinion on the Greatsword vs Greatspear argument. Both are large weapony things. Neither says "peace." Heck, being a half-dragon is going to make the whole "peaceful" thing harder to pull off.
I wouldn't blow a feat on EWP. Instead, I recommend using a greatsword or longsword (+ shield) and doing what my current PC (rogue/pally) does: take the enemy down hard and fast. If Diplomacy fails, dancing around poking at tne enemy won't accomplish much. OTOH, if you take down an eney with our first swing (large-damage weapon + huge Strength + Power Attack + smite evil), the others start to consider not pursuing the matter, especially if you offer a chance to surrender after evey foe you drop.
Another option, assuming you've got the Int for it, is to go Combat Expertise + Imprved Disarm (or you could go Power attack + Improved Sunder). Hard for most humanoids to keep fighting without a weapon.
Sunder is out, this is the same DM who has the near-insta-PC Death situations when something magic is sundered. Soooo not even gonna go there. Disarm and Trip are nice ideas, don't get me wrong...but with what I'm going to be dealing with in this mega-arctic campaign, it'll be half-useless to me, which is why I actually -considered- blowing an EWP for something that packed a punch for a reason.
Ascetic Knight path gives me the disgusting opprotunities I'm looking for, but because I'm also blowing two additional feats to up the damage on my natural attacks, is it overkill? I'm thinking so. So, on a revised formula, I'm looking at this:
Ascetic Knight
Dragon Breath
------
------
*lol* Yeah, I know, -now- I'm stuck on the last two Feats. Calling Combat Expertise and Disarm/Trip useless for argument's sake, how about some suggestions to add to my, now, gaping Feat slots? >.<
And I'm actually thinking of breaking-down and going with a Halberd, giving me the trip-maneuver access that would be nice, and the two-type damage options. And it'll save me from taking an EWP.
Some of the devotion feats from Complete Champion are nice. They are also pretty solid for just about any build I can think of.
Ooo, -pretty book-. I looked it up, but I'd have to special order it
But something tells me that it solves the discussion/conclusion my DM and I came to: 'Multiclassing/Prestige Classing Paladins is nearly worthless'.Or if you want to really focus on your weapon, Kensai is a good option too.
Multiclassing with a Paladin can work pretty well. For some good tips on that you might want to visit the charops board. I know for a fact Paladin2/sorceror 4 is a great start for the classical gish.
Or if you want to really focus on your weapon, Kensai is a good option too.
I had thought of Kensai, giving the old-fashion Samurai flavor to it, but for some reason my DM thinks that if you multiclass from a Paladin to anything else, you can no longer take levels in Paladin. For example, if I did you idea of Paladin 2/Sorcerer 4, then I could never take another level of Paladin ever again.
Someone got a ruling on this one, cause I ain't never heard or read that anywhere.
If you're set on paladin, try Paladin X (whatever you need to meet the prereqs for Kensai) and then Kensai 10.
Remember: using multiple attacks (TWF or Multiweapon fighting) is bad vs DR (DR applies to EACH hit). Also, beware the lack of magical properties on your natural weapons (as well as mundane properties like adamantium or cold iron).
If you really wanna go peace and love, get Vow of Poverty from Book of Exalted Deeds.
So, besides Kensai(which I'm putting on the back burner), and besides Complete Champion(since I don't have that book available to me right now), anyone got any other ideas on Prestige Classes and whatnot? And to be honest, I'm not married to Ascetic Knight now either, obviously. But Dragon Breath, out of Races of the Dragon, I'm keeping regardless. So that leaves me with 3 Feats to play with on 6th Level Paladin. 0th Generic(Houserule, don't ask), 1st Generic and 3rd Generic.
So, please, any and all ideas are welcome :D
I could tell you a whole list. But instead I'm gonna be lazy and link you to the Paladin Handbook
Lazy bastard...-but it's oh so pretty-, thanks! :D:D
And I finally got the Complete Champion, aaaaand I think I'm gonna dump the normal Paladin and go for the Holy Warrior. Ix-nay on the spells, and say hel-lo to extra Feats!
I know, I'm shamelessIf you really wanna go peace and love, get Vow of Poverty from Book of Exalted Deeds.
How do you do a paladin with VoP? "Alright even though I am wearing nothing more than a robe and carying a club, I really am a paladin!" Mind you, this is the best way I can see someone actualy pulling off a jedi is a paladin with VoP.
now, as for feats, A spring attack-whirlwind attack Holy Warrior is a good way to have reach without having reach (all people within 10 feet at once) pluss smite evil whirlwind attack.... you know i just think i'm going to file this one over here for later...
A spring attack-whirlwind attack Holy Warrior is a good way to have reach without having reach (all people within 10 feet at once) pluss smite evil whirlwind attack.... you know i just think i'm going to file this one over here for later...
Oooooo...now -that's- a Hell of an idea. The seldom-used Spring Attack/Whirlwind Attack progression. Now -that- I may try to pull off. I'll edit this post as soon as I read things over, bbl...
Oooooo...now -that's- a Hell of an idea. The seldom-used Spring Attack/Whirlwind Attack progression. Now -that- I may try to pull off. I'll edit this post as soon as I read things over, bbl...
EDIT:
Yup! I'm doing it. Holy Warrior-type Paladin with Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Dragon Breath. There's my four :D As for weapons, eh, I -should- stick with Bite since it's Bahamut's favored, I may blow EWP-Dire Pick later on at some point.