potential build for u23, the abbot strikes back

[the_one_dwarfforged]

i was recently thinking about a build for doing a paladin life, and it occurred to me that this build would work pretty well right now even and especially in u23 with the changes to heavy armor, defensive stance, and all of the undead we will be fighting (something i 100% approve of, honestly why do lowbies with minimal fort bypass options fight so many undead enemies...).

Level 28 Lawful Good Purple Dragon Knight Male
(2 Fighter / 14 Paladin / 4 Ranger / 8 Epic)
Hit Points: 457
Spell Points: 501

BAB: 20/20/25/30/30
Fortitude: 29
Reflex: 20
Will: 15

Starting Feat/Enhancement
Abilities Base Stats Modified Stats
(36 Point) (Level 1) (Level 28)
Strength 18 35
Dexterity 12 19
Constitution 14 21
Intelligence 8 14
Wisdom 8 15
Charisma 16 25

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Strength used at level 2
+1 Tome of Dexterity used at level 2
+1 Tome of Constitution used at level 2
+1 Tome of Intelligence used at level 2
+1 Tome of Wisdom used at level 2
+1 Tome of Charisma used at level 2
+2 Tome of Strength used at level 6
+2 Tome of Dexterity used at level 6
+2 Tome of Constitution used at level 6
+2 Tome of Intelligence used at level 6
+2 Tome of Wisdom used at level 6
+2 Tome of Charisma used at level 6
+3 Tome of Strength used at level 10
+3 Tome of Dexterity used at level 10
+3 Tome of Constitution used at level 10
+3 Tome of Intelligence used at level 10
+3 Tome of Wisdom used at level 10
+3 Tome of Charisma used at level 10
+4 Tome of Strength used at level 14
+4 Tome of Dexterity used at level 14
+4 Tome of Constitution used at level 14
+4 Tome of Intelligence used at level 14
+4 Tome of Wisdom used at level 14
+4 Tome of Charisma used at level 14
+5 Tome of Strength used at level 18
+5 Tome of Dexterity used at level 18
+5 Tome of Constitution used at level 18
+5 Tome of Wisdom used at level 18
+5 Tome of Charisma used at level 18

Starting Feat/Enhancement
Base Skills Modified Skills
Skills (Level 1) (Level 28)
Balance 1 14
Bluff 3 17
Concentration 2 38
Diplomacy 3 17
Disable Device n/a n/a
Haggle 3 17
Heal 1 35
Hide 1 14
Intimidate 3 18
Jump 4 22
Listen -1 12
Move Silently 1 14
Open Lock n/a n/a
Perform n/a n/a
Repair -1 13
Search -1 13
Spellcraft -1 12
Spot -1 12
Swim 4 22
Tumble n/a 19
Use Magic Device 5 29

Level 1 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Cleave
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Artificer
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Barbarian
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Bard
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Cleric
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Druid
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Favored Soul
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Fighter
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Fighter
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Monk
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Paladin
Feat: (Pastt Life) Past Life: Ranger
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Ranger
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Rogue
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Sorcerer
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Wizard
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Power Attack
Feat: (Human Bonus) Two Handed Fighting

Level 2 (Paladin)
Feat: (Deity) Favored by Amaunator

Level 3 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Completionist
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Point Blank Shot

Level 4 (Ranger)
Feat: (Favored Enemy) Favored Enemy: Undead

Level 5 (Ranger)

Level 6 (Ranger)
Feat: (Selected) Great Cleave

Level 7 (Ranger)

Level 8 (Paladin)

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

Level 10 (Paladin)

Level 11 (Paladin)

Level 12 (Paladin)
Feat: (Selected) Empower Healing Spell

Level 13 (Paladin)

Level 14 (Paladin)

Level 15 (Paladin)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Two Handed Fighting

Level 16 (Paladin)

Level 17 (Paladin)

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

Level 19 (Paladin)

Level 20 (Paladin)

Level 21 (Epic)
Feat: (Selected) Epic: Overwhelming Critical

Level 22 (Epic)

Level 23 (Epic)

Level 24 (Epic)
Feat: (Selected) Manyshot

Level 25 (Epic)

Level 26 (Epic)
Feat: (Epic Destiny) Epic Destiny: Perfect Two Weapon Fighting

Level 27 (Epic)
Feat: (Selected) Epic: Epic Damage Reduction

Level 28 (Epic)
Feat: (Epic Destiny) Epic Destiny: Perfect Two Handed Fighting

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Enhancement: Purple Dragon Knight - Human Versatility: Damage Boost (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Purple Dragon Knight - Human Adaptability: Strength (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Purple Dragon Knight - Action Surge: Strength (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Purple Dragon Knight - Action Surge: Strength (Rank 2) 8 ap spent
Enhancement: Purple Dragon Knight - Action Surge: Strength (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Purple Dragon Knight - Improved Recovery (Rank 1)

Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Hunter of the Dead I (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Courage of Heaven (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Hunter of the Dead II (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Improved Courage of Heaven (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Extra Turning (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Extra Turning (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Extra Turning (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Extra Smite (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Extra Smite (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Divine Might (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Divine Might (Rank 2) 31 ap spent
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Divine Might (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Extra Smite (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Extra Smite (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Vigor of Life (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Exalted Smite (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Exalted Smite (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Exalted Smite (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Strength (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Vigor of Life (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Knight of the Chalice (Pal) - Strength (Rank 1)

Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Holy Bastion (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Divine Righteousness (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Sacred Defense (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Extra Lay on Hands (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Extra Lay on Hands (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Extra Lay on Hands (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Durable Defense (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Durable Defense (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Durable Defense (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Sacred Armor Mastery (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Sacred Armor Mastery (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Sacred Armor Mastery (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Resilient Defense (Rank 1) 25 ap spent
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Resilient Defense (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Resilient Defense (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Strong Defense (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Strong Defense (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Strong Defense (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Charisma (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Hardy Defense (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Hardy Defense (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Hardy Defense (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Sacred Defender (Pal) - Charisma (Rank 1)

Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Kensei Focus: Heavy Blades (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Extra Action Boost (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Extra Action Boost (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Extra Action Boost (Rank 3) 10 ap spent
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Haste Boost (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Haste Boost (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Haste Boost (Rank 3)

Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Far Shot (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Deepwood Stalker (Rgr) - Tendon Cut (Rank 1) 2 ap spent

Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Shield of Whirling Steel (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Improved Reaction (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Improved Reaction (Rank 2) 4 ap spent
Enhancement: Tempest (Rgr) - Improved Reaction (Rank 3)


twists in ld:
grim precision
piercing clarity
hail of blows
cocoon/brace for impact


pros:

- lots of bonus damage to undead
- will benefit from any improvements to paladins
- will not be affected by divine grace change
- good saves
- will not be limited to a prr/mrr cap, this advantage will likely become more and more useful than it will be initially as more sources of prr/mrr are added.
- ranged option, im a melee sort of guy but i couldnt live without the ability to use a bow effectively any more, even if not used often absolutely worth having, and adding 4 ranger levels doesnt prevent having 14 pally levels, which is all i would want.
- haste boost
- will benefit from defensive stance not requiring a shield
- can be adapted to twf (obviously better because, paladin), or swf if you dont have completionist, or are willing to drop it.
- good self heals
- good hamp
- could be adapted to a robot, i think ( +1 human bonus feat -2 heal feats (empower, quicken) = -1 body type feat, right? havent looked into ap/skill points though)

cons:
- lack of robot immunities, level drain being a big deal in undead content (sure there is dw but in deathwyrm that gets dispelled, could see something like that in epic necro potentially)
- lack of improved crit range, unless in dc or ld and using a blunt weapon, which might be something i would do
- lack of shadowveil

comments, criticisms, begin.

[Battlehawke]

It will be interesting to see what comes up next in Lamania.

The discussion of Vangard. A S&B Tree means some added offense and defense for S&B.

Heavy Armor builds come back into their own. The return of a purposeful AC with the addition of MRR. Will a steady 70ish % damage avoidance from melee AND spell damage be worth it compared to an Improved evasion build that has a chance at ZERO damage or half if the save is missed. Half of a 1000 point fireball hurts...

Paladins with a focus on added Light damage that improves at higher levels sounds interesting. If you have a 400 Light Spellpower that CAN impact the light damage.....it could get at least... interesting. ...

I have been trying to think of a S&B Light Based Heavy Tank that would work. Obviously without a sneak peek at the Vangard Tree its hard to say. Perhsps some combo of Paladin, Fvs or Cleric?

If the new Warchanter and Swashbuckler Trees are any kind of hint of whats to come, then I am for sure...Super Excited!!!.

[Purkilius]

A friend did a very similar build and he was disappointed! But YMMV

[Purkilius]

It will be interesting to see what comes up next in Lamania.

The discussion of Vangard. A S&B Tree means some added offense and defense for S&B.

Heavy Armor builds come back into their own. The return of a purposeful AC with the addition of MRR. Will a steady 70ish % damage avoidance from melee AND spell damage be worth it compared to an Improved evasion build that has a chance at ZERO damage or half if the save is missed. Half of a 1000 point fireball hurts...

Paladins with a focus on added Light damage that improves at higher levels sounds interesting. If you have a 400 Light Spellpower that CAN impact the light damage.....it could get at least... interesting. ...

I have been trying to think of a S&B Light Based Heavy Tank that would work. Obviously without a sneak peek at the Vangard Tree its hard to say. Perhsps some combo of Paladin, Fvs or Cleric?

If the new Warchanter and Swashbuckler Trees are any kind of hint of whats to come, then I am for sure...Super Excited!!!.

I am excited to, but will there ever be a viable dps Paladin without a heavy splash like the build above?

[Battlehawke]

I am excited to, but will there ever be a viable dps Paladin without a heavy splash like the build above?

We will see.

Again I think that if the evidence of the new Bard changes are "the right track" for the Devs. They are clearly focused on keeping the Paladin DPS to scale as it levels upwards. So I think they have that in mind. How do you make the Paladin viable DPS wise with out nerfing its Survivability? If it has one of the highest DPS and Survivability ratings in the game then why play any other class? The Barbarian is currently the complete opposite: low Survivability with good DPS but the problem is if that you are dead then your DPS is zero.....which is often the case of Barbarians.

Making each and every class "Selff Suficient" seems to be the way of the current game. I think every class should have very defined weakness' and Strengths. However I am OK with the current direction. I've convinced myself that at level 28 they are almost Demigods and should all be pretty self sufficient. It does make sense.....

I can't wait to make my Ogier the Dane build....

[the_one_dwarfforged]

I am excited to, but will there ever be a viable dps Paladin without a heavy splash like the build above?

when amrath/vale were endgame?

when deathwyrm/abbot is endgame? seems to me like pallies just have to suffer until the content changes in their favor. and they can only get better right?

also i dont think in undead heavy content a pure pally is much worse off compared to a heavy splash, but heavy splashing adds a lot to pretty much every class right now, not exclusive to pallies.

[the_one_dwarfforged]

A friend did a very similar build and he was disappointed! But YMMV

cant say that really surprises me, i think this build will really be better once u23 comes out and all the mobs are undead and heavy armor and paladins get buffed. right now i have no plans to use the build.

[Eth]

Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Slashing Weapons

Criticism right here. Bludgeoning, please. Shining Devastation (it might get an upgrade anyway with U23 ).