Looking for input on feat selection

[hkthui]

My paladin basically follows Dworrkin's Holy Avenger Build template (http://forums.ddo.com/archive/index.php/t-156190.html). Like other people, I am not a big fan of the dragonmarks, force of personality, and cleave. In addition, my paladin will be using scimitar / rapier instead of kopesh (keep in mind that he will be a human. I know to maximize my paladin's damage, elf will make much more sense; but let's not argue here). Thus, I am looking to replace 3 feats (Exotic Weapon: Kopesh, Force of Personality, and Cleave) with my own choices:

1) Skill Focus: UMD
1) Toughness
3) Combat Expertise (after eating a +1 int tome)
6) Power Attack
9) Improved Critical: Slashing
12) Exotic Weapon: Kopesh
14F) Improved Crit: Piercing
15) Force of Personality (16 standing saves is a bit low)
15F) Cleave

I am thinking of the following feat combinations:

1) Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack
2) Dodge, Improved Tripping, Extend Spell, Weapon Focus: Slashing, Mental Toughness (Any 3 of these feats)

I am also thinking of unspec'cing Toughness after I acquire Minos Legion.

Any input on which feats to pick is really appreciated.

[Lehrman]

My paladin basically follows Dworrkin's Holy Avenger Build template (http://forums.ddo.com/archive/index.php/t-156190.html). Like other people, I am not a big fan of the dragonmarks, force of personality, and cleave. In addition, my paladin will be using scimitar / rapier instead of kopesh (keep in mind that he will be a human. I know to maximize my paladin's damage, elf will make much more sense; but let's not argue here). Thus, I am looking to replace 3 feats (Exotic Weapon: Kopesh, Force of Personality, and Cleave) with my own choices:

1) Skill Focus: UMD
1) Toughness
3) Combat Expertise (after eating a +1 int tome)
6) Power Attack
9) Improved Critical: Slashing
12) Exotic Weapon: Kopesh
14F) Improved Crit: Piercing
15) Force of Personality (16 standing saves is a bit low)
15F) Cleave

I am thinking of the following feat combinations:

1) Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack
2) Dodge, Improved Tripping, Extend Spell, Weapon Focus: Slashing, Mental Toughness (Any 3 of these feats)

I am also thinking of unspec'cing Toughness after I acquire Minos Legion.

Any input on which feats to pick is really appreciated.

You may want to think about Stunning Blow as a replacement for cleave. Stun=Auto Crit and works great with exalted smite since you do not need to roll to confirm the crit. My Pali--before I messed up his buld by adding monk instead of rogue--used weighted warhammers/mauls to increase the DC of Stunning Blow. Also, when you hit with a 5% weighted weapon, you have the same chance of stunning as you do vorping, but without the need to confirm a crit. My Pali was also slash-specced for dps on red names since they are immune to stunning blow.

Dodge/Mobility/Spring Attack is worth less if you are not making a tempest ranger--this is not to say that dodge is worthless, but that all 3=2 wasted feats.

[Dworkin_of_Amber]

My paladin basically follows Dworrkin's Holy Avenger Build template (http://forums.ddo.com/archive/index.php/t-156190.html). Like other people, I am not a big fan of the dragonmarks, force of personality, and cleave. In addition, my paladin will be using scimitar / rapier instead of kopesh (keep in mind that he will be a human. I know to maximize my paladin's damage, elf will make much more sense; but let's not argue here). Thus, I am looking to replace 3 feats (Exotic Weapon: Kopesh, Force of Personality, and Cleave) with my own choices:

1) Skill Focus: UMD
1) Toughness
3) Combat Expertise (after eating a +1 int tome)
6) Power Attack
9) Improved Critical: Slashing
12) Exotic Weapon: Kopesh
14F) Improved Crit: Piercing
15) Force of Personality (16 standing saves is a bit low)
15F) Cleave

I am thinking of the following feat combinations:

1) Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack
2) Dodge, Improved Tripping, Extend Spell, Weapon Focus: Slashing, Mental Toughness (Any 3 of these feats)

I am also thinking of unspec'cing Toughness after I acquire Minos Legion.

Any input on which feats to pick is really appreciated.

Holy ****, I am still alive!!!

I am WAY overdue for some updates on the Holy Avenger, and yours is one of the most common, so here are my thoughts:

1) I have dropped Cleave/Great Cleave myself... just not worth it
2) Khopesh DPS is great... but if I rerolled Benedict today, I would probably go Piercing spec... I might also get IC: Slash for improved Vorpalling, and maybe even for Khopesh as well, to augment DPS when rapiers don't cut it (pun intended)... but I would build for Piercing off the bat, then consider Slashing/Khopesh later
3) Don't drop Toughness... I am not 100% sure, but I don't think you can get Toughness Enhancements off of Minos Legens... but I could be wrong.
4) I don't think Spring Attack is really worth it, unless you are a ranged character. Movement-collision-detection is all borked in DDO, and probably will remain so for the forseeable future, so I wouldn't recommend going that direction.
5) I wear a Pearl 8, and rarely have issues with Spell Points, so I really don't think MT is needed
6) Force of Personality I traded back out... as I wasn't really running into problems with 20-25 Will Save most of the time (GH only, no Resistance Item)
7) The Dragonmarks are a hotly debated items... personally, I love them, as I don't wear striding items anymore (item slots are precious), and the DDoor is very handy, especially when farming for Chattering Ring (short-manning the Titan)... but to each his own

So, given all that, assuming you want Piercing, no Dragonmarks, and no FoP... might I suggest:
1) Skill Focus: UMD
1) Toughness
3) Combat Expertise (after eating a +1 int tome)
6) Power Attack
9) Improved Critical: Piercing
12) Skill Focus: Intimidate (or Bullheaded)
14F) Improved Crit: Slashing (or Weapon Focus: Piercing)
15) Extend Spell
15F) Dodge

This would go full Piercing Route, with IC: Slash really just to help out for DPS or Vorpal confirmations. I think going Intimidate as a full skill as well might help round out the build (I wish I could respec my skills to add this to my Holy Avenger)...

NOTE: Stunning Blow is also a good choice!

You could drop SF:Intimidate and go Khopesh if you wanted more DPS, but if I was going to go primarily Piercing, I wouldn't bother with Khopeshes... too much of a Plat Premium, and harder to get. Go Piercing, and add a good Vorpal LS, and a good DPS Longsword or Scimmy for when you need it.

But that's just my 0.02cp

[Dexxaan]

Get the Minos, get a Siberys Shard and 10K Plat....get a new feat.


Welcome back Dworkin...you have been away a long time.

[Freeman]

The toughness enhancements working with Minos is a known bug, so I wouldn't count on those always being available if you spec the feat out. I'd second the vote for Stunning Blow though, I've found it very useful.

[Dworkin_of_Amber]

Get the Minos, get a Siberys Shard and 10K Plat....get a new feat.


Welcome back Dworkin...you have been away a long time.

Yup Yup!

Thanks... new job that actually keeps me busy during the day + 3 month break from DDO... but I'm back now.
Not quite as frequent on the boards, but I am around.

[hkthui]

Thank you for everybody's comments. Also, welcome back, Dworkin!

I have been thinking of taking Ranger levels instead Figher levels (11 paladin / 2 rogue now), though I will probably stick with fighter levels:

1) Skill Focus: UMD
1) Toughness
3) Combat Expertise (after eating a +1 int tome)
6) Extend Spell
9) Improved Critical: Piercing
12) Improved Crit: Slashing
14F) Power Attack
15) Stunning Blow
15F) Dodge

Power Attack was not that useful until like level 12 or so. On the other hand, my Holy Avenger has been using a PoP X since level 9 and have found Extend Spell handy.

Thomas

[Jondallar]

one thing that I have found is that I need more SP for fights like VoD where I am spamming divine sacrifice the entire time. Mental toughness can be really handy, essentially doubling the sp of a low wisdom paladin/avenger. I would swap out IC:slash if you are only doing it for vorpals, because the way vorpal works is roll a natural 20, then roll again to see if you hit, period. It doesnt matter if the conformation roll is a crit or just a plain old hit. Speccing pierce does make sense. Piercing banishers, w/p, ect. Another way to increase sp is with a shroud item.

[Dworkin_of_Amber]

Don't forget that 11 Pal / 2 Rog / 3 Fighter also offers a number of good & cheap enhancements:

Fighter's STR 1
Fighter's Armor Mastery 1
Fighter's Tower Shield Mastery 1
Fighter's Critical Accuracy 1

And Fighter 3 grants Tower Shields, and 2 Bonus Feats.
Ranger does grant Bow Strength, Rapid Shot, & TWF... but the Bow feats are not particularly useful, and TWF is nice, but very situational for a Holy Avenger build. My HA does have a TWF slot setup with 2x GCB's for Portals, but that's about it... and there you hit on a 2 pretty much no matter what, so TWF doesn't add much... yes it adds +1 attack per chain (I think)... but not worth giving up Fighter 3 for.

Plus in the longer run, I am planning for 11 Pal / 2 Rog / 6 Fighter (haven't decided on the final level) to pickup 2 more Fighter Bonus Feats (Weapon Spec comes to mind). As for Level 20, I can see merit in Pal 12, Rog 3, or Fighter 6

Pal 12 offers a little bit, Rog 3 to boost up some skills and another 1d6 Sneak... and Fighter 7 for FAM2/FTSM2/Str2... I think Fighter 7 wins out... but I'm not 100% convinced yet.


And FYI: I did respec out Cleave for IC: Pierce on my HA... still staying primarlily Khopesh based, as I have some very nice Khopeshes collected, and not many good Piercing weapons handy... but I think it will pay off in the long run. It is really hard to set aside my +5 Flaming Adamantine Khopesh of Righteousness (or my newest find: +5 Flaming Khopesh of Maiming)... but I think I will gradually move to Piercing Weapons, and keep a few select Khopeshes for pure DPS and utility (like my Ghost Touch of Greater Undead Bane!)

Dworkin