Cunning defense worth it with prop-up

[Druhar]

I have been playing a paladin off and on for a year now and love the class. I am at level 42 and use a shield and one-handed bash. I am wondering if it is worth spending the cman points on cunning defense versus other more important cmans (at this level). With the upcoming fix skills I can get prop-up to tier 3. The following are my cmans and shield cmans. Thoughts on any changes? Thanks in advance.

Cman

Skill name Mnemonic Ranks
Specialization I wspec1 4
Surge of Strength surge 1
Cunning Defense cdefense 2

Shield Cman

Skill name Mnemonic Ranks
Tower Shield Focus tfocus 4
Shield Bash bash 4
Prop Up prop 2
Protective Wall pwall 2

[JNewhall]

What are you hunting?

[time4fun]

I would get feint before any more cunning defense, but I would definitely say cdefense is worth it in the long-term.

If it helps, here's what I have at level 83

Skill name Mnemonic Ranks
Disarm Weapon disarm 5
Feint feint 4
Surge of Strength surge 2
Cunning Defense cdefense 1

Skill name Mnemonic Ranks
Tower Shield Focus tfocus 3
Shield Bash bash 5
Shield Forward forward 2
Shield Spike Focus spikefocus 2
Shield Spike Mastery spikemastery 2
Block the Elements eblock 2
Protective Wall pwall 2
Shield Strike strike 5


Note I'm a little weird, and I don't have wspec but do have disarm. That's not super common for a Paladin, obviously.

[Druhar]

Hunting undead primarily

[Erous]

This also depends on your race. If you're pointy eared, or a wee one, your maneuver capabilities are far better than being a fatty, making cdefense less desirable early on. But, I consider cdefense to be one of the great CMANs for later content, or if you're constantly running into maneuver issues, like getting deaded to creature maneuvers in the wild, or bandit problems. Though having bandit problems and being a paladin would mean you're doing something wrong.

Edit: You should also start looking at block the elements over prop. While prop is good, I have it as well, you still can get proned for a good while while prop activates. With eblock, you're able to absorb damage from bolt and ball spells, including some creature spells that aren't necessarily bolt based, such as a flare from a weapon...and I may be wrong, but also maneuvers like Illoke stone fist.

Being that you're hunting undead agree that Feint is a must have. You're going to hit undead that turtle soon, such as Eidolons in bonespear, or heralds and arbalasters in River's Rest...this also helps with say troll necros in RR, or other critters too to where you can't kill them without dropping their stance

[Druhar]

Great thanks to all the posters. I never have a problem with bandits, even as a giant man. So Feint here I come!