Drow Paladin build

[Mubjon]

I have unlocked the drow race and thought about doing a paladin build. I have a level 12 Helf cleric with the fighter del. that I run most days, and I like it but I not the gear to outfit this character like other builds I have seen around here to begin with.

I do have some level 4 items form the cove that I created that I could transfer to the Drow, the plate armor, the blur trinket and I think a few other items.

So the help I am looking for, is what would be a good build for a drow paladin, without all the stuff that you can farm at the end of the game? Especially with all the changes made with the recent update.

I do not have access to monk for whatever that is worth.

[unbongwah]

As always, consult the paladin Bible first. TWF drow paladin is a pretty easy build. Here are two of mine, based on Junts's drow build. The first requires no tomes until lvl 15; the second requires a couple of +1s early on and a +3 CHA tome at endgame, but the benefit is she gets Divine Might IV for a bit more DPS.

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 3.8.2
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 20 Lawful Good Drow Female
(20 Paladin) 
Hit Points: 322
Spell Points: 275 
BAB: 20\20\25\30\30
Fortitude: 20
Reflex: 16
Will: 11

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(28 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             16                    22
Dexterity            16                    18
Constitution         12                    14
Intelligence         10                    10
Wisdom                8                     8
Charisma             16                    20

Tomes Used
+2 Tome of Charisma used at level 15
+2 Tome of Strength used at level 20
+2 Tome of Constitution used at level 20

Level 1 (Paladin)
Feat: (Selected) Two Weapon Fighting


Level 2 (Paladin)


Level 3 (Paladin)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness


Level 4 (Paladin)
Ability Raise: DEX


Level 5 (Paladin)


Level 6 (Paladin)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Two Weapon Fighting


Level 7 (Paladin)


Level 8 (Paladin)
Ability Raise: STR


Level 9 (Paladin)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Piercing Weapons


Level 10 (Paladin)


Level 11 (Paladin)


Level 12 (Paladin)
Ability Raise: STR
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Weapon Fighting


Level 13 (Paladin)


Level 14 (Paladin)


Level 15 (Paladin)
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack


Level 16 (Paladin)
Ability Raise: STR


Level 17 (Paladin)


Level 18 (Paladin)
Feat: (Selected) Extend Spell


Level 19 (Paladin)


Level 20 (Paladin)
Ability Raise: STR
Enhancement: Paladin Weapons of Good
Enhancement: Drow Weapon Attack I
Enhancement: Drow Weapon Attack II
Enhancement: Drow Weapon Damage I
Enhancement: Drow Weapon Damage II
Enhancement: Elven Dexterity I
Enhancement: Unyielding Sovereignty
Enhancement: Follower of the Sovereign Host
Enhancement: Paladin Courage of Good I
Enhancement: Paladin Courage of Good II
Enhancement: Paladin Divine Sacrifice I
Enhancement: Paladin Divine Sacrifice II
Enhancement: Paladin Divine Sacrifice III
Enhancement: Paladin Exalted Smite I
Enhancement: Paladin Exalted Smite II
Enhancement: Paladin Exalted Smite III
Enhancement: Paladin Exalted Smite IV
Enhancement: Paladin Extra Smite Evil I
Enhancement: Paladin Extra Smite Evil II
Enhancement: Paladin Extra Smite Evil III
Enhancement: Paladin Extra Smite Evil IV
Enhancement: Paladin Knight of the Chalice I
Enhancement: Paladin Knight of the Chalice II
Enhancement: Paladin Knight of the Chalice III
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Paladin Energy of the Templar I
Enhancement: Paladin Energy of the Templar II
Enhancement: Paladin Charisma I
Enhancement: Paladin Charisma II
Enhancement: Paladin Toughness I
Enhancement: Paladin Toughness II
Enhancement: Paladin Divine Might I
Enhancement: Paladin Divine Might II
Enhancement: Paladin Divine Might III

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 3.8.2
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 20 Lawful Good Drow Female
(20 Paladin) 
Hit Points: 322
Spell Points: 275 
BAB: 20\20\25\30\30
Fortitude: 21
Reflex: 17
Will: 12

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(28 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             15                    22
Dexterity            16                    18
Constitution         12                    14
Intelligence         10                    10
Wisdom                8                     8
Charisma             17                    22

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Dexterity used at level 3
+1 Tome of Charisma used at level 3
+2 Tome of Strength used at level 20
+2 Tome of Constitution used at level 20
+3 Tome of Charisma used at level 20

Level 1 (Paladin)
Feat: (Selected) Two Weapon Fighting


Level 2 (Paladin)


Level 3 (Paladin)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness


Level 4 (Paladin)
Ability Raise: STR


Level 5 (Paladin)


Level 6 (Paladin)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Two Weapon Fighting


Level 7 (Paladin)


Level 8 (Paladin)
Ability Raise: STR


Level 9 (Paladin)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Piercing Weapons


Level 10 (Paladin)


Level 11 (Paladin)


Level 12 (Paladin)
Ability Raise: STR
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Weapon Fighting


Level 13 (Paladin)


Level 14 (Paladin)


Level 15 (Paladin)
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack


Level 16 (Paladin)
Ability Raise: STR


Level 17 (Paladin)


Level 18 (Paladin)
Feat: (Selected) Extend Spell


Level 19 (Paladin)


Level 20 (Paladin)
Ability Raise: STR
Enhancement: Paladin Weapons of Good
Enhancement: Drow Weapon Attack I
Enhancement: Drow Weapon Damage I
Enhancement: Drow Weapon Damage II
Enhancement: Elven Dexterity I
Enhancement: Unyielding Sovereignty
Enhancement: Follower of the Sovereign Host
Enhancement: Paladin Courage of Good I
Enhancement: Paladin Courage of Good II
Enhancement: Paladin Divine Sacrifice I
Enhancement: Paladin Divine Sacrifice II
Enhancement: Paladin Divine Sacrifice III
Enhancement: Paladin Exalted Smite I
Enhancement: Paladin Exalted Smite II
Enhancement: Paladin Exalted Smite III
Enhancement: Paladin Exalted Smite IV
Enhancement: Paladin Extra Smite Evil I
Enhancement: Paladin Extra Smite Evil II
Enhancement: Paladin Extra Smite Evil III
Enhancement: Paladin Extra Smite Evil IV
Enhancement: Paladin Knight of the Chalice I
Enhancement: Paladin Knight of the Chalice II
Enhancement: Paladin Knight of the Chalice III
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Paladin Energy of the Templar I
Enhancement: Paladin Energy of the Templar II
Enhancement: Paladin Charisma I
Enhancement: Paladin Charisma II
Enhancement: Paladin Toughness I
Enhancement: Paladin Toughness II
Enhancement: Paladin Divine Might I
Enhancement: Paladin Divine Might II
Enhancement: Paladin Divine Might III
Enhancement: Paladin Divine Might IV

[Mubjon]

Thanks for the link I will bookmark that, I did not see it in the forum when I was searching for posts with Drow.

I would use Rapiers then? Or whatever the drow racial weapon is. Or would you use a Two handed weapon in the beginning till I get ITWF? As well do you need a base of 17 dex to get to GTWF?

I do not have access to the tomes and I will not spend money on them at this point, I spent $50 to buy a few low level and mid level packs and the Helf/HORC champion pack that gave me access to the 32 pt builds.

I would like a drow though, as it is my favorite race from PnP'

I also just noticed that you did not take the drow faith Volkur or however it is spelt, is there a reason for that? I heard the summons for the second part is a good meat shield.

thanks

[unbongwah]

I would use Rapiers then?

Correct - or short swords, but rapiers are better DPS. It would also be possible to build for khopeshes instead: take Imp Crit Slash instead of Pierce; take khopesh instead of Extend Spell; drop the drow racial weapon enhs.

Or would you use a Two handed weapon in the beginning till I get ITWF?

Yes, at low levels, you would probably do more DPS with 2H weapons: a Carnifex or keen falchion would be your best bets. But it all depends on what weapons you have access to (I'm guessing you don't have a lot of gear you can pass down to your paladin, apart from what you've mentioned), so feel free to experiment with different weapon combos as you level.

As well do you need a base of 17 dex to get to GTWF?

Also correct: you need DEX 15 for TWF; and DEX 17 for ITWF & GTWF. Most people start DEX 15 or 16 then take a DEX tome, but you've said you don't have one. Though you could grind for one on your cleric; lvl 12 is about the right range for +1s to drop as a quest or chest reward.

I also just noticed that you did not take the drow faith Volkur or however it is spelt, is there a reason for that? I heard the summons for the second part is a good meat shield.

I messed with the Vulkoor Avatar on my drow pally; it's kinda fun at first, but the problem is it doesn't scale with your char or pally lvl AFAICT, so it quickly becomes too weak to do any good. The free once-every-10-min. heal from Sovereign Host is a lot more useful.

[Mubjon]

Correct - or short swords, but rapiers are better DPS. It would also be possible to build for khopeshes instead: take Imp Crit Slash instead of Pierce; take khopesh instead of Extend Spell; drop the drow racial weapon enhs.

I guess extend would work out with this character, because it would be just the buffs and no offensive spells like the BB on my cleric. Have to think about this though, because the kopeshes have better dmg output, and I could save the AP from following the drow racial weapon line.

Yes, at low levels, you would probably do more DPS with 2H weapons: a Carnifex or keen falchion would be your best bets. But it all depends on what weapons you have access to (I'm guessing you don't have a lot of gear you can pass down to your paladin, apart from what you've mentioned), so feel free to experiment with different weapon combos as you level.

Yeah I do not have much equipment for this character, I could look for a keen falchion though through my cleric and pass it on to her.

Also correct: you need DEX 15 for TWF; and DEX 17 for ITWF & GTWF. Most people start DEX 15 or 16 then take a DEX tome, but you've said you don't have one. Though you could grind for one on your cleric; lvl 12 is about the right range for +1s to drop as a quest or chest reward.

Any typical place to find them at? I am going to start lvl 4 of the necro here soon with my cleric, I have about 4 f2p quests to do in the 11 to 13 range first.

I messed with the Vulkoor Avatar on my drow pally; it's kinda fun at first, but the problem is it doesn't scale with your char or pally lvl AFAICT, so it quickly becomes too weak to do any good. The free once-every-10-min. heal from Sovereign Host is a lot more useful.

Cool thank you, I know of the 10 min heal from the sovereign host II, I thought the drow faith one gave a +1 to rapier damage and attack, but I think that is just to short swords, which would not help me.

[unbongwah]

Have to think about this though, because the kopeshes have better dmg output, and I could save the AP from following the drow racial weapon line.

Yeah, I think Junts has said that even with the drow racial enhs, khopesh is still better DPS for paladins, and I trust his judgment in these matters. And as you've probably noticed, the drow weapon enhs chew up a lot of APs. One advantage of rapiers was Banishing, but that just got changed in U9; now I'm not sure if they're worth using at all.

Really the only issue for khopesh then is: where do you squeeze it in? I suppose you could take it at lvl 3 and push back Toughness to lvl 15, but I'm reluctant to suggest that on a squishy drow melee build. OTOH, bumping back any other feat from lvl 1 to 12 delays your DPS. So one option would be to start with rapiers to take advantage of your racial enhs while leveling, then add khopesh @ lvl 15 once you start crafting greensteels.

Any typical place to find them at? I am going to start lvl 4 of the necro here soon with my cleric, I have about 4 f2p quests to do in the 11 to 13 range first.

AFAIK unbound tomes are just random drops; I'm not aware of any good places to farm for them. I think my first one came from one of the Sentinels quests; I got one from Lordsmarch; another from Demon Sands. Some of the raids drop tomes, but oftentimes they're BtC; so it would do little good to farm for one on your cleric.

[Mubjon]

Yeah, I think Junts has said that even with the drow racial enhs, khopesh is still better DPS for paladins, and I trust his judgment in these matters. And as you've probably noticed, the drow weapon enhs chew up a lot of APs. One advantage of rapiers was Banishing, but that just got changed in U9; now I'm not sure if they're worth using at all.

Really the only issue for khopesh then is: where do you squeeze it in? I suppose you could take it at lvl 3 and push back Toughness to lvl 15, but I'm reluctant to suggest that on a squishy drow melee build. OTOH, bumping back any other feat from lvl 1 to 12 delays your DPS. So one option would be to start with rapiers to take advantage of your racial enhs while leveling, then add khopesh @ lvl 15 once you start crafting greensteels.

I keep forgetting about crafting stuff too, probably because I have not made it that far yet. I do agree that toughness is needed early with a drow.

AFAIK unbound tomes are just random drops; I'm not aware of any good places to farm for them. I think my first one came from one of the Sentinels quests; I got one from Lordsmarch; another from Demon Sands. Some of the raids drop tomes, but oftentimes they're BtC; so it would do little good to farm for one on your cleric.

I am not sure I have the sentinels quest line, as I purchased Shan, Necro and one other I cannot remember right now, but it is in the marketplace and I think it has the chronosphere raid in it. Unless that is a f2p raid, cannot remember and I am not in the game at the moment.

I will probably finish out the quests with my cleric for the f2p ones I have and run them a few times to see if I get some tomes to help the drow.

thanks for the help, you got me thinking now