TWF Mod 9 Holy Avenger

[mediocresurgeon]

I was a fan of S&B paladins back when the level cap was 10. They had the best DPS of any class vs Red Named due to no cooldown on Smite, they had awesome saves, and impressive AC.

Paladins may, once again, return to their former days of glory.

I am dedicating this thread to a community effort to build and design an effective TWF pure paladin, capable to taking Knight of the Chalice III and the Paladin Capstone. Please post suggestions and feedback, and the build posted below will continue to morph into a more perfect character.

Philosophy:
In order to survive in melee, a character either needs a way to reduce damage (through AC, damage reduction, etc) or the hit points to soak the damage (like barbarians). In order to maximize damage output, Strength should be used to wield melee weapons instead of Dexterity (this adds damage per hit, and removes the need to take Weapon Finesse as a feat).

From a practical aspect, requiring the use of a +4 stat tome to be effective will be in bad taste, since the odds of getting the stat tome you need from a raid are pretty slim (even after 20 completions). Since +3 stat tomes will drop as random loot in mod 9, these will be considered practical and appropriate for use in order to reach the minimum ability score necessary for extremely important feats and abilities (such as the dexterity requirement for the Two Weapon Fighting feat chain).

Current Build:
Race: Human
Strength: 30 (16 base, +5 levels, +3 tome, +6 item)
Dexterity: 24 (15 base, +2 dex tome, +1 human, +6 item)
Constitution: 24 (14 base, +3 tome, +1 human, +6 item)
Intelligence: 8 (8 base)
Wisdom: 16 (10 base, +6 item)
Charisma: 26 (14 base, +4 tome, +6 item, +2 Paladin)

The high dexterity here is only to fulfill the dex requirement for the TWF feat chain, and a slight boost to reflex. Emphasis is placed on Strength, as this will not be a finesse build.
*Discussion Point: How would you set the starting stats, and why?

Feats:
-Two Weapon Fighting
-Improved Two Weapon Fighting
-Greater Two Weapon Fighting
-Toughness
-Improved Critical
-Power Attack
-Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Khopesh
-Extend Spell (rebuffing Zeal and Divine Favor is annoying, since you can't swing and buff at the same time--might swap for another Toughness, or Oversized Two Weapon Fighting)
*Discussion Point: What feats would you use?
*Discussion Point: Will this build be able to hit accurately enough to do top DPS?

Skills:
-Balance: 11 ranks
-Tumble: 1 rank
-Use Magic Device: 11 ranks
*Discussion Point: Will the Intimidate/UMD be high enough to be of practical use?

Sustainable Armor Class:
(This is the build's theoretical self-buffed AC, excluding effects which last under 2 minutes or are not available from this build. Exception: Haste)
Item Slots Used: Bracers, (Boots or Gloves), Armor
10 base
+18 Dragontouched Leather (Protection +5, Insight +4, armor ritual)
+7 Dex
+5 Paladin
+3 Barkskin (potion)
+2 Chaosgarde
+4 Shield wand
+1 Haste (potions, party-buff)
= 50 AC
Armor Class is determined not to be this build's strong point, and will be not worth the investment.

[Balkas]

Divine Might IV requires 20 Base Charisma.



You may want to consider going Dwarf.

Dwarf Armor Mastery + Daggertooth Belt = Wearing Full Plate.

I wouldn't take Dodge.

If you're going to try for DPS, I'd definitely go for Power Attack instead of Combat Expertise.

My TWF Pally.

You'd have to switch out to KotC though.

[Arkat]

Just a thought. What if they make the Holy Avenger sword an Exclusive item (which I'm in favor of)? Will you still be hot to TWF?

[hydra_ex]

Your AC is hardly worth it. Same goes for intimidate. Don't worry about intimidate without taking rogue levels or fighter levels.

[mediocresurgeon]

Your AC is hardly worth it. Same goes for intimidate. Don't worry about intimidate without taking rogue levels or fighter levels.

What is the breaking point for Intimidate? At what skill bonus does it start to become practical?

Same question for AC.

[hydra_ex]

What is the breaking point for Intimidate? At what skill bonus does it start to become practical?

Same question for AC.

At level 20? nobody knows. But currently, 55 is required as a base for it to have any point, with 60 being a mark which an AC build should work to have. 70 is about untouchable, while 80 is pretty much godly.

A barbarian I know is kinda side-specced for inti, and can get most things on normal (that means full ranks, and some of the inti enhc). I'd say 45 BASE (item, head, GH, etc.), with 60 being ideal. Right now, your at 12+15+13+4+2+3 = 49 at most right now (thats with all buffs, and just barely above what is decent). At 20 cap, its probably not going to mean much, except against the weakest trash mobs. Intimidate is worth having at this level, but don't expect much more than half the trash mobs with reasonable accuracy. And with your AC, I don't think that you may want all that much agro anyways, at least without the constant attention from a cleric which only comes from the 60+ intimitanks in raids.

[sirgog]

What is the breaking point for Intimidate? At what skill bonus does it start to become practical?

Same question for AC.

AC at current endgame:

<50 - near to useless on all difficulties
51-54 - modest reduction in incoming melee damage on normal only
55-58 - modest reduction on hard difficulty, significant reduction on normal
59-62 - Modest reduction on elite, significant on hard, near-invulnerability to all save raid bosses on normal
63-66 - significant reduction in incoming melee damage on elite, near invulnerability to melee damage on all other foes save Hard difficulty raid bosses
67-70 - Excellent damage mitigation on all save Elite Vod, Elite Hound, Elite Shroud
80+ - Near invulnerability to melee damage on all elite content.


Intimidate is useful on trash around 30/34/38 and on raid bosses around 50/54/58, but really needs to be into the stratosphere to be excellent on Elite raid bosses,

[Wu_Jen]

After playing a bit, you might want to switch out your TWF for THF if you want to use that Holy Avenger. Just saying..........

[Thrudh]

AC at current endgame:

<50 - near to useless on all difficulties
51-54 - modest reduction in incoming melee damage on normal only
55-58 - modest reduction on hard difficulty, significant reduction on normal
59-62 - Modest reduction on elite, significant on hard, near-invulnerability to all save raid bosses on normal
63-66 - significant reduction in incoming melee damage on elite, near invulnerability to melee damage on all other foes save Hard difficulty raid bosses
67-70 - Excellent damage mitigation on all save Elite Vod, Elite Hound, Elite Shroud
80+ - Near invulnerability to melee damage on all elite content.


Intimidate is useful on trash around 30/34/38 and on raid bosses around 50/54/58, but really needs to be into the stratosphere to be excellent on Elite raid bosses,

Someone needs to sticky this AC breakdown... Great description.

[mediocresurgeon]

Just a thought. What if they make the Holy Avenger sword an Exclusive item (which I'm in favor of)? Will you still be hot to TWF?

I have seen no screenshots of a Holy Avenger posted by players on the Lamannia server, nor have I seen a Dev post mentioning the inclusion on the Holy Avenger sword into DDO. Therefore it is not a concern. Also, even if it were to be included, and was the be so overpowered that every Paladin on DDO has to have one, that would not bar me from putting a different-yet-still-badass sword in my other hand.