Actual newbie paladin build needed!

[saintcamber]

So, most of the builds I see here claiming to be "newbie friendly" are not actually that. So I'm hoping for some help.

Here is what I would like to do, with each factor listed in order of importance. I do have access to 32 point builds, and Warforged.

1) Paladin
2) Truly newbie friendly: no special items required to get started
3) Limited or no multiclassing required (prefer none)
4) Dwarf
5) Prefer two-handed fighting

Can someone help, and really dumb it down for me? What feats and skills to take, and when?

I don't necessarily need a "perfect" first character, but I'd like to at least have a good start.

Thank you!

[Kam-Ekaze]

Let's see, just off the top of my head:

Dwarf 20 Paladin

16 STR +5(level-ups) +1(tome) +6(item) = 28
10 DEX +6(item) = 16
15 CON +2(dwarf) +1(tome) +6(item) = 22
8 INT = 8
10 WIS +6(item) = 16
15 CHA +2(paladin) +1(tome) +6(item) = 24

I included 3 +1 ability tomes which are reasonably easy to come across on your way to 20, the build will function without them except maybe the charisma tome, which will bump your base cha to 16 and enable you to get divine might II, which is just about the best you will pull off using dwarf as a race. +6 to a stat item are widely available from level 13 onwards.

The build starts with 10 wisdom, which means you will need at least a +1 wisdom item by level 4 to be able to cast first level paladin spells, and a +4 wisdom item by level 14.

Feats by level:

1. Two handed fighting
3. Toughness
6. Improved two handed fighting
9. Extend
12. Greater two handed fighting
15. iCrit: Slashing
18. Power Attack

Ths build uses great axes for damage and makes use of dwarven axe enhancements. Also can optionally switch to a dwarven axe plus a shield if necessary in sticky situation where too much aggro pulled.

You should put skill points into balance and concentration every level, even if you only get 0.5 point increases per level. Just make sure you don't end up with a .5 to finish.

You should also look into Knight of the Chalice and take that prestiege enhancement line.

Using the compendium you should be able to work out which enhancements you need for the PrE. Play around and experiment with enhancements. They are flexible, and will teach you much about your build.

Hope this helps =]

[cyadra]

No problems

Make a dwarf pally.

Put 16 into CHARISMA
16 into STRENGTH
14 into CON
the rest (if any is left) is up to you, I suggest Wisdom.

Your first feat: Toughness.

The only skill you will worry about is Jump and Concentration.

Go run around in the newbie area for a couple of levels. Try to get yourself a Great Axe (either buy it or from a drop)

Your next feat at level 3 will be Two handed fighting.

Try to get some plate mail armor, and look for +1 items to CHA, STR, etc.

For enhancements. Try to get enhancements for toughness (extra hit points) first.
Use your smite skill on the bosses.

Good luck from there.

[unbongwah]

I would go with base stats 16 / 8 / 16 / 8 / 10 / 14 with all level-ups into STR. No tomes required, though you do need a +WIS item to cast spells. [Could dump-stat WIS, but then you'd need at least a +3 WIS item to cast lvl 1 spells, which are hard to come by as a n00b before lvl 6 or so; whereas +1 stat items are easy-peasy to find by lvl 4.] You won't be able to go higher than Divine Might I without a +2 (or +4) CHA tome, but base CHA 16 on a dwarf (or WF) paladin isn't worth gimping your other stats on a 28-pt build IMHO. Focus on greataxes for DPS, dwarven axe + shield if you need to off-tank. For feats I would go for a slightly different order than Kam-Ekaze: Toughness, THF, ITHF, Imp Crit Slash, GTHF, PA, Extend.

[Kralgnax]

One nice thing is that you can get not one, but two early grataxes on Korthos

1. One from the grotto tutorial - +1 , +1 fire damage, better than a poke in the eye.
2. And one from the Collaborator quests - (Molin'S ?) - Evil humanoid bane, just right for Sahuagin and unfortuanately, more or less useless once you leave Korthos.

Unfortunately, that's it for static greataxe rewards untill Delara's (as far as I can recall)

There's nothing wrong with taking toughness & related enhancements at low levels, but OTOH things just don't hit that hard. Still, it's easy, & will add value later.

[Shishizaru]

One nice thing is that you can get not one, but two early grataxes on Korthos

1. One from the grotto tutorial - +1 , +1 fire damage, better than a poke in the eye.
2. And one from the Collaborator quests - (Molin'S ?) - Evil humanoid bane, just right for Sahuagin and unfortuanately, more or less useless once you leave Korthos.

Unfortunately, that's it for static greataxe rewards untill Delara's (as far as I can recall)

There's nothing wrong with taking toughness & related enhancements at low levels, but OTOH things just don't hit that hard. Still, it's easy, & will add value later.

Just to clarify (and possibly nitpick), Carniflex (for Delera's) is not static, it's semi-static. Plenty of "I've run Delera's [arbitrarily large number] times and not gotten Carniflex " threads/posts floating around.

As a personal preference, I take Toughness early. I prefer to be alive then to do "awesome" damage. Things don't hit too hard at low levels, and by the same token, don't take much to kill either. I'd say it's mostly preference. (If you were an Elf or a Drow, I'd advocate more strongly for taking it earlier, but you're a Dwarf, so w/e ^^)

[Kralgnax]

Just to clarify (and possibly nitpick), Carniflex (for Delera's) is not static, it's semi-static. Plenty of "I've run Delera's [arbitrarily large number] times and not gotten Carniflex " threads/posts floating around.

As a personal preference, I take Toughness early. I prefer to be alive then to do "awesome" damage. Things don't hit too hard at low levels, and by the same token, don't take much to kill either. I'd say it's mostly preference. (If you were an Elf or a Drow, I'd advocate more strongly for taking it earlier, but you're a Dwarf, so w/e ^^)

Good point about Carnifex - never seen it on Argo, seen it several times on Cannith. My main point is that - AFAIK - there's no axe equivalent to (say) the rather nice Nicked weapons from the Sharn syndicate AP - longsword, scimitar, greatsword, longbow, mace, kama (?)

Also, I don't want to diss toughness, I'm just not 100% sure it's the best early feat for a new Paladin - but that being said, it's easy, clear and will be a gift that keeps on giving.

[unbongwah]

I don't think there are any Nicked axes from the Sharn chain - great, dwarf, battle, or hand - now that you mention it. I think I found a nice Shock greataxe early on, though.

The main reason for taking Toughness early on a pure paladin is your lvl 6 - 12 feats are usually spoken for; and who wants to wait until lvl 15 for extra HPs?