Paladin Level 70ish - Cap Full Build Help

[Pereus]

Goals by CAP:

- AS the 600's(off stance) with only my spells.
- DS in the 400 range(off stance), armor/shield enchants should help
- Ability to hunt in OTF by 75-80

Current Specs:

Info
STR|CON|DEX|AGI|DIS|AUR|LOG|INT|WIS|INF
100|91|96|100|83|83|64|65|100|81


Skill Base
Skill|Bonus|Ranks
Armor Use|260|160
Shield Use|248|148
Combat Maneuvers|186|86
Edged Weapons|248|148
Multi Opponent|130|35
Physical Fitness|172|72
Dodging|196|96
Harness Power|166|66
Spiritual Lore - Blessings|120|30
Spiritual Lore - Religion|130|35
Perception|35|7
Climbing|70|15
Swimming|5|1
Spells - Minor Spirit|20|20
Spells - Paladin|38|38


Combat Maneuvers
Name|Rank
Combat Movement|2
Disarm Weapon|1
Feint|4
Specialization|5
Surge of Strength|1


Current Weapon: 4x Tier 2 Unlocked Iasha Falchion w/ Plasma Flares
Current Shield: 5x Blank Tower Shield
Current Armor: 5x Lightning Flaring Max Lightened Full Plate

Summary

Here's what I would like. I need help with a few things.

First, I need suggestions on weapons. My weapon at this point is shit and I have the money to get something better. I would like suggestions on whether I should switch to polearms like a lance, some kind of two weapon system, or if I should stay sword and board. I want whatever the most power I can get out of. I also have a fusion falchion I have been debating bonding to so I can swap out power as necessary. Good lances are extremely hard to find too.

Second, I was told to drop my dodging, but I guess that goes hand in hand with the weapon type, so I will skip the dodging part for now until I see weapon responses.

Third. What areas do you think I need to increase/decrease to gain access to higher level hunting grounds and fight the beasties there. I know I need more perception, climbing, swimming, when should I start raising those?

Fourth, I think my raise trains are pretty worthless at this point unless someone can tell me otherwise. Is there a gain to having 1640 other than the ability to raise?

Fifth, I would like to be able to use Zealot pretty much always. Do others do this as well? I want to bump up my lores to give me 0 - tops 10 DS decrease. Good idea or bad idea?

Sixth, Ive found Im very vulnerable to combat maneuvers both by players (unknown levels) and beasties. Is there anyway to change that or are we just screwed in that aspect? Also, are there any cmans I should have opposed to the ones I have now and should I jack up any of the ones I have now? I do want to master Feint and Combat Movement.

Anything else would be extremely helpful, I have a fixskills available so I need your guys' expert advice. This is the only character I have, so I really don't know what I need to do towards cap.

Thanks!

[Gelston]

First, I need suggestions on weapons. My weapon at this point is shit and I have the money to get something better. I would like suggestions on whether I should switch to polearms like a lance, some kind of two weapon system, or if I should stay sword and board. I want whatever the most power I can get out of. I also have a fusion falchion I have been debating bonding to so I can swap out power as necessary. Good lances are extremely hard to find too.

Being an elf(and your AGIDEX being basically topped out) I'd say a lance would be a great idea. Find yourself a perfect and you'll have an insane DF with arm of the arkati running. Good lances aren't necessarily hard to find, they just aren't generally very cheap. If you have the coin, I'd so go for it.

Second, I was told to drop my dodging, but I guess that goes hand in hand with the weapon type, so I will skip the dodging part for now until I see weapon responses.

Obviously, if you switched to lance, you wouldn't want to drop dodge at all. I'd say keep it at around 1.5x, which you'd be able push up to with the new TPs you'd gain from dropping shield use. (Even though Lances are a bit more expensive than OHE, TP wise)


Third. What areas do you think I need to increase/decrease to gain access to higher level hunting grounds and fight the beasties there. I know I need more perception, climbing, swimming, when should I start raising those?

Depends on where you want to hunt. For Nelemar you'll want atleast 40 ranks of swimming. If you plan on being encumbered you'll need more. I usually try to .5x climbing and swimming from the start anyways, and that generally seems to keep me perfect for any hunting areas for that character.

Fourth, I think my raise trains are pretty worthless at this point unless someone can tell me otherwise. Is there a gain to having 1640 other than the ability to raise?

The benefit to having 1640 other than to raise is to have more paladin ranks. The biggest deal is that it increases the combat maneuver bonus for 1611, which in turn means more AS. It also raises your Paladin CS.

Fifth, I would like to be able to use Zealot pretty much always. Do others do this as well? I want to bump up my lores to give me 0 - tops 10 DS decrease. Good idea or bad idea?

Good idea. You'll be in plate, and you can manage good enough redux. Try and get more PF, by the way.

Sixth, Ive found Im very vulnerable to combat maneuvers both by players (unknown levels) and beasties. Is there anyway to change that or are we just screwed in that aspect? Also, are there any cmans I should have opposed to the ones I have now and should I jack up any of the ones I have now? I do want to master Feint and Combat Movement.

The best defense against combat maneuvers is knowing the combat maneuver. You can't defend against them all, but CDef is helpful for defending. If you do switch to lance, I'd say pick up charge, which will help you defend against that fairly deadly maneuver later on in Nelemar.

[Pereus]

Good advice, thank you.

I was also running some calculations against my Zealot idea.

1. You can't get lower than -11 DS and that is with a staggering 190 ranks in lores, which is out of the question till waaayyyyyyy after cap.

2. I would be in offensive all the time every time. Kind of good, kind of bad.

[Axhinde]

That'd be pointless. You'd be still be stuck in offensive. When I Zealot, feint is key. If there's 2 or more in the room, 1630 then mstrike. I switched from polearm to ohe/shield and my survivability skyrocketed and my killing power actually increased due to my HCW handaxe and ambush.

PF should be at a minimum of 1.5x. I had enough points to 2x shield, 1.5x CM, .5x Dodge, and 55 ranks of MOC.

You can get away with 35 ranks in Paladin until cap, but i think its better to get more if you have the points. Polearm Paladins, even in the 70 range are tight on points.

I had rank 5 sbash, rank 4 feint, rank 3 wspec, and 1 surge. I never even use surge.

Here's my skills at 72...



At level 72: Ranks X # PTP MTP
Armor Use 150 (2.1X) 3 3 0 150
Shield Use 146 (2.0X) 2 3 0 2x
Edged Weapons 146 (2.0X) 2 3 1 2x
Combat Maneuvers 109 (1.5X) 2 5 4 1.5x
Multi-Opponent Combat 55 (0.8X) 1 5 2 55
Physical Fitness 109 (1.5X) 2 3 0 1.5x
Dodging 36 (0.5X) 2 5 3 .5x
Climbing 40 (0.5X) 2 3 0 40
Swimming 30 (0.4X) 2 2 0 30
Perception 36 (0.5X) 2 0 3 .5x
Harness Power 54 (0.7X) 1 0 5 .75x
Spell Research 58 (0.8X) 2 0 27
Minor Spirit 20 (0.3X) 2 0 27 20
Paladin 38 (0.5X) 38
Spiritual Lore 25 (0.3X) 2 0 7
Religion 25 (0.3X) 25

4x hcw handaxe, plain 4x full plate, and 4x flaring shield. DS is around 300 in offensive, around 500 in defensive. Zealot AS is 460 and doesnt live long enough to hit me. Even if it does, redux, beseech, 1607 and staunching keeps me pretty much at full health and MAYBE a minor or two.

[liquiddrool]

I like polearms with a flaring weapon, flares have a chance to hit on trip thus stunning or possibly knocking down if the trip doesn't get them on the ground.

You're at a disadvantage against non-trippable enemies, pretty much just swinging in offensive unless you cast at them.

** A 4x lance, bonded is good enough for a half-elf with 5 swing RT

[Pereus]

How much does dodging actually help if I do decide to go sword and board? I noticed you only half .5x Axhinde. Should I drop it down to that level?

[Gelston]

It depends on the size of your shield. Paladins can get more shield bonus than anyone, so I'd say dodge isn't so important to you. Especially with a tower shield.

[Axhinde]

I don't use 1609 because I prefer to zealot. I know it's a great spell an helps ebp blocking, but I don't use a tower shield since a medium shield is easier to bash with. Polearm paladins are strong but honestly i prefer the ambushing I do with my ohe.

I don't really need the dodge, I just like the DS.