This pure paladin vanguard is not a unique or unusual build. It's the cookie-cutter standard approach for a S&B dps paladin. The only reason I'm posting this build at all is to lay out all the details for a brand new player (compared to BigErkyKid's
Erkid the Basher) and also to set it up so you can go with S&B immediately from level 1. (Compared to unbongwah's
Sacred Vanguards.) Both of those linked builds are strong, and similar, so feel free to go with those instead of this.
No tomes or past lives are required. If you have an int tome, put the extra skill points into Heal.
There are no feat exchanges. For the legendary feat at level 30, regardless which race you choose, go with Arborea for dps or Plane of Earth for more PRR.
Vanguard Paladin
Paladin 20
Lawful Good Human or Dwarf
Stats
. . . . . . . . .28pt . . . . 32pt. . . . .34pt . . . . 36pt. . . .Level Up
. . . . . . . .---------. . --------- . .---------. . --------- . .--------
. . . . . . . .Hum / Dwf. . Hum / Dwf . .Hum / Dwf. . Hum / Dwf . . 4: STR
Strength. . . . 16 / 16 . . .16 / 16. . . 18 / 18 . . .18 / 18. . . 8: STR
Dexterity . . . .8 /. 8 . . . 8 /. 8. . . .8 /. 8 . . . 8 /. 8. . .12: STR
Constitution. . 14 / 14 . . .16 / 16. . . 14 / 14 . . .14 / 16. . .16: STR
Intelligence. . 10 / 12 . . .10 / 12. . . 10 / 12 . . .10 / 12. . .20: STR
Wisdom. . . . . .8 /. 8 . . . 8 / 10. . . .8 /. 8 . . .10 /. 8. . .24: STR
Charisma. . . . 16 / 14 . . .16 / 14. . . 16 / 14 . . .16 / 14. . .28: STR
Skills
. . . . . 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
Concent . 3. 2. . .2 . . 2. . .2 . . 2. . .2 . . 2. . .2 . . 2. . .2 .23
Intim . . 4. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 23
UMD . . . 2. . .1 . . 1. . .1 . . 1. . .1 . . 1. . .1 . . 1. . .1 . . 11
Heal. . . 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
. . . . .12. 3. 3. 3. 3. 3. 3. 3. 3. 3. 3. 3. 3. 3. 3. 3. 3. 3. 3. 3
Feats
.1. . . . : Stunning Blow
.1 Human. : Exotic Weapon: Bastard Sword
(Dwarf skips this, uses Dwarven Axe instead)
.1 Deity. : Follower of: Sovereign Host
.3. . . . : Shield Mastery
.6. . . . : Two Handed Fighting
.6 Deity. : Unyielding Sovereignty
.9. . . . : Improved Critical: Slashing
12. . . . : Improved Shield Mastery
15. . . . : Improved Two Handed Fighting
18. . . . : Greater Two Handed Fighting
21 Epic . : Empower Healing Spell
24 Epic . : Overwhelming Critical
26 Destiny: Perfect Two Weapon Fighting
27 Epic . : Epic Damage Reduction
28 Destiny: Perfect Two Handed Fighting
29 Destiny: Deific Warding
30 Epic . : Power Attack
30 Legend : Scion of: Arborea
OR Scion of: Plane of Earth
Spells
- Cure Light Wounds, Protection from Evil, Divine Favor, Bless
- Eagle's Splendor, Resist Energy, Angelskin, Remove Paralysis
- Cure Moderate Wounds, Magic Circle Against Evil, Prayer, Remove Blindness
- Holy Sword, Zeal, Cure Serious Wounds, Death Ward
Enhancements (80 AP)
Vanguard (41 AP)
- To the Fore!, Shield Combat I, Vicious Shield I, Shield Combat II, Vicious Shield II, Shield Champion
- Shield Specialization, Armor Training II
- Shield Specialization, Brutality III, Stunning Shield III
- Shield Specialization, Follow Up III, Fatal Bulwark, Strength
- Shield Specialization, Shield Charge III, Strength
- Shield to the Face, Shield Charge III, Armored Strength
Knight of the Chalice (25 AP)
- Slayer of Evil, Courage of Heaven, Slayer of Evil II, Improved Courage of Heaven
- Extra Turning II, Extra Smite II
- Divine Might III, Exalted Cleave III
- Exalted Smite III
- Empowered Smite
Sacred Defender (13 AP)
- Holy Bastion, Sacred Defense
- Extra Lay On Hands III, Durable Defense III
- Resilient Defense II
- Strong Defense III
Human or Dwarf (1 AP)
- Human Damage Boost or Dwarven Toughness
Leveling Guide
- SD0 Holy Bastion; SD1 Extra Lay On Hands I, II, III
- SD1 Durable Defense I, II, III; SD2 Resilient Defense I
- SD0 Sacred Defense; KoC0 Slayer of Evil; KoC1 Extra Smite I, II
- KoC1 Extra Turning I, II; KoC0 Courage of Heaven; KoC2 Exalted Cleave I
- KoC2 Exalted Cleave II, III; KoC2 Divine Might I
- KoC0 Slayer of Evil II; Van0 To the Fore!; Van1 Shield Specialization
- Van1 Armor Training I, II; Van0 Shield Combat I; Van2 Brutality I
- Van2 Stunning Shield I, II, III; Van0 Vicious Shield I
- Van3 Follow Up I, II, III; Van2 Brutality II
- Van2 Shield Specialization; Van3 Shield Specialization
- Van2 Brutality III; SD2 Resilient Defense II; SD3 Strong Defense I, II
- Van0 Shield Combat II; SD3 Strong Defense III; Van3 Strength
- KoC2 Divine Might II, III
- KoC3 Exalted Smite I, II
- KoC0 Improved Courage of Heaven; KoC4 Empowered Smite; Van4 Shield Charge I
- Van4 Strength; Van4 Shield Charge II, III
- Van4 Shield Specialization; Van5 Armored Strength
- Van0 Vicious Shield II; KoC3 Exalted Smite III; Hum0 Damage Boost or Dwf0 Toughness
- Van5 Shield to the Face; Van3 Fatal Bulwark
- Van5 Shield Charge I, II, III; Van0 Shield Champion
Destiny (24 AP)
Unyielding Sentinel
- Energy Resistance III, Brace for Impact II, Shield Prowess III
- Legendary Shield Mastery III
- Renewal III, Endless Lay On Hands III
- Purify Weapon
- Strength of Vitality III
Twists of Fate (11 fate points)
- Haste Boost (Tier 3 Dreadnought)
- Legendary Tactics (Tier 1 Dreadnought)
- Extra Action Boost (Tier 1 Dreadnought)
Play around with destiny and twists. You might prefer Divine Crusader, and you'll probably want to twist in Sense Weakness from Fury of the Wild. The Haste Boost and Extra Action Boost twists are mainly for Humans; I don't really like using action boosts unless I can double up on them, using two at the same time. (LD Haste + Human Damage.)
You can read about my experience leveling this build through heroics
here.