Solo Paladin with Trapping Question

[Tychos]

I'm playing a THF paladin build I've pieced together from a couple different threads, and I'm hoping some nice folks can help me sort out which direction I should go from here.

I took Rogue at L1 for the usual trapping points, and I've leveled up as a Paladin since (currently L5 total, 4 Pal/1 Rog).

I'm going with the Feydark Illusionist plan for offense, pushing a Cha build (7 points there for the +hit/+dmg Cha), then fill out KotC / Sacred Defender.

My original plan was to take a Fighter level at 8 to pick up some BAB and a feat (since Paladin 19 doesn't do anything for me from what I can tell) and stick with Heavy armor, but it seems like Evasion is extremely good, and maybe I should pick up a 2nd level of Rogue and wear light armor instead. My general idea here in the first life is just to get through it soloing and maybe do low-end reaper stuff, tops. Thoughts?

Character stats / info at the start:
LG Dragonborn
Str 16
Dex 6
Con 14
Int 14
Wis 12
Cha 18

(I'll get Str to 17 and Wis to 14 with gear/points for relevant feats / spells.)

Feats so far:
1) THF / Blue Dragon
3) Magical Training

Any input is greatly appreciated!

[C-Dog]

First, this is just going to 20, right, not 30? (Big diff!)

I'm playing a THF paladin build I've pieced together from a couple different threads
...
My original plan was to take a Fighter level at 8 to pick up some BAB and a feat (since Paladin 19 doesn't do anything for me from what I can tell) and stick with Heavy armor, but it seems like Evasion is extremely good

The decision between Heavy Armor vs. Evasion is almost more of a playstyle/gearing diff - both are strong in different ways. Evasion is great, but not as great if you can't support it w/ Dex (or Ins. Ref). Dex 6 proly isn't going to cut it, so do you have a plan for Ins. Ref. in the build, and then also the room for gear to boost Int (which will also help w/ trapping)?

(I'll get Str to 17 and Wis to 14 with gear/points for relevant feats / spells.)

Um, by "points" I hope you're referring to Level Ups and not Enhancement AP. Feat requisites only count [Starting Score + Level Ups + Tomes], not gear/enhancements/buffs. If you don't have it already, you could also grab your +2 Tome @ 1,750 Favor if the feat isn't needed until Level 15* or so.

(* A reasonable point to make 1,750 for most players. Dedicated players can make it by 12, or perhaps even earlier. I ~think~ that, as of recently, a Level 8 Toon can (just barely?) scrape up 1,750 favor, but that's a LOT of level capping.)

(Speaking of which... something this complex, you 100% should have had a 1-20 plan for the build before Level 1. Unless this is first life AND you're willing to tear it down and start again. WAY too easy to paint yourself into a corner. Anyway...)

The sketch for the rest looks reasonable, except for the fact that it's only a sketch. The big payoff for Pali is their L14 spells, so asap on that.

[Tychos]

Thanks for the input- my plan was to go 18/1/1 (pal/rog/war) and use heavy armor, and it sounds like I should stick with it, given that I don’t intend to push INT with the build for insightful reflexes. Although, the high CHA save bonuses will feed into Reflex, too, right? I’ll take a look at that when I’m on tomorrow. If so, I’m still torn over what seems better. Hmm. Basically, I was trying to mix the best of both FTPDDO’s build and Strimtom’s Feydark CHA pally before realizing the first one uses evasion and light armor. Derp by me.

This would definitely only be going to 20 to be reincarnated for the paladin life. I will absolutely have to spend a level up in STR- and I either will have to spend two others on WIS or get a time. Thanks for letting me know before I ended up in a mess.

Is it worth farming the reaper points on a first life character? I’ve been able to do a couple of Keep on the Borderlands at R1, but I’m worried some of the later ones in that chain may prove difficult even at L5, and I only suspect as I go up this will become more and more challenging on a first life character.

Thanks!

[Xgya]

First, this is just going to 20, right, not 30? (Big diff!)


The decision between Heavy Armor vs. Evasion is almost more of a playstyle/gearing diff - both are strong in different ways. Evasion is great, but not as great if you can't support it w/ Dex (or Ins. Ref). Dex 6 proly isn't going to cut it, so do you have a plan for Ins. Ref. in the build, and then also the room for gear to boost Int (which will also help w/ trapping)

I'll just add that this is a Paladin build we're talking about, with points in Fey, so high chances to be Charisma-focused.
Charisma-focused Paladins might not need any extra help to reach Reflex saves for Evasion to work, especially in low skull heroics.

[C-Dog]

my plan was to go 18/1/1 (pal/rog/war) and use heavy armor...

Curious - what did you see getting out of Warlock 1?

This would definitely only be going to 20 to be reincarnated for the paladin life...

Then, from a practicality point of view, you may want to treat this as an 18-level build. Why? Because you get to Level 18 (when you can still join Level 16-19 PUGs), and stop and quest 16-19 until you have enough XP to take both L 19 and L 20. Why would you do that? Because if you take 19 then you can't join a typical PUG for a L16 quest. Nothing stopping you from taking 19 and just joining PUGs for L17-19 quests, it's just that you lose out on any L16 offers.

Once you're capped to 20, to take 20 and you only need to do, at most, 20 quests for your 20 Tokens, and you're done.

Is it worth farming the reaper points on a first life character?

Of course! It all adds up, and will help next life. So long as you aren't dying so often that you're a burden to the group, each Reaper Point will make the next Reaper quest that much easier, and most(!) players understand that you have to start somewhere. Much of Reaper Difficulty involves learning how to play against Reapers, not just being stronger, so start now.

Me, I put the 1st point into Barricade Core (+18 HP while in Reaper), then put 4 pts into my offensive tree and that attack boost (either spell power or ranged/melee power boost), and then the 6th pt into the Barricade S.T. boost (not so much for the boost itself, but to get +1 additional Action Boost of the offensive boost, 4 total. From there you can either go 2 pts into the other offensive boost (for your +2nd additional Action boost, 5 total) or just plug away at filling the Barricade/Defensive tree, which adds +8 HP/ beyond the actual perk and is what most recommend to chase first.

Either way, GL, and haff fun stomin' da cassul!

[Tychos]

Whoops - was thinking warrior (war), instead of fighter (fig)- that’s the other one-off level.

Thanks again for all the help!

[C-Dog]

Whoops - was thinking warrior (war), instead of fighter (fig)

Ah - Fighter makes more sense. (And it's "ftr", not "fig". )

[Tychos]

lol, I'll get it right one of these days.

So here's my current leveling / feat plan:

Currently at L5 (1 rog / 4 pal) with 17 base str

6) Child of Faith [3 pal levels]
7) Ftr - Improved Two Handed Fighting [6 BAB]
9) Improved Critical: Slashing [8 BAB]
12) Greater Two Handed Fighting [11 BAB]
15) Beloved of the Divine [12 pal levels]
18) ??? Quicken spell / Empower Healing

I've re-prioritized when to pick up the Feydark line - I'm finding it much easier to survive with Sacred Defense (Durable 3/3 upgrade) in the early game, and the difference now between my STR modifier and CHA is not enough to warrant throwing 7 points at that line right out of the gate. Additionally, the 12 points I've spent in KotC gets me to Greatsword as a favored weapon, which is really nice.

I'm concerned that only 4 skill points per level (as opposed to 5 for FTPDDO's Human version with 2 Rogue), may leave me lacking in the trapping department. I can only level two of Disable, Spot, and Search each level-up. I'll have to see how it goes, I suppose.

[C-Dog]

I can only level two of Disable, Spot, and Search each level-up. I'll have to see how it goes, I suppose.

That's unfortunate, but it is what it is. You can get away w/ only the initial 4 ranks of Open Lock and call that good - you may have to re-roll many times until you roll high enough (and you'll def want good Dex + OL swap gear), but you can open ~90%+ of the Locks in the game w/ that.

Of those 3, you want Search + DD at full ranks - anything else and you're risking a fail, and that's not what a Trapper does.

Normally you'd plan to have enough Skill Pts to include UMD in that (at least half-ranks), but Search + DD are the priorities of any character that calls themself "trapper".

[slarden]

I am certainly not trying to push store purchases on you, but an int tome would increase your skill points and is an easy-button solution if you are willing to spend some $.

Furthermore after using an int tome, you can use the free lesser you get with your character and those tomes will be used starting @ level 2. The best time to use the lesser is after you get 32 point build as you get to respec with 32 points rather than 28.

Consider sword and board if you want a more survivable paladin and don't plan to use evasion anyhow. I am running an 18/1/1 (except 1 wizard instead of rogue) bastard sword/tower shield with KOTC tier 5 and sacred defender 31 pt spend and it's perfomed well up to level 24. I am using the two-handed fighting and shield feat line but didn't have to take exotic weapon proficiency since I am a dwarf. In general bastard swords are a bit more accessible at level 30 compared to dwarven axes (although too many bastard swords are evil unfortunately). Sword and board is a bit slower dps but so much more survivable on a first life character.

[tsteigner]

lol, I'll get it right one of these days.

So here's my current leveling / feat plan:

Currently at L5 (1 rog / 4 pal) with 17 base str

6) Child of Faith [3 pal levels]
7) Ftr - Improved Two Handed Fighting [6 BAB]
9) Improved Critical: Slashing [8 BAB]
12) Greater Two Handed Fighting [11 BAB]
15) Beloved of the Divine [12 pal levels]
18) ??? Quicken spell / Empower Healing

I've re-prioritized when to pick up the Feydark line - I'm finding it much easier to survive with Sacred Defense (Durable 3/3 upgrade) in the early game, and the difference now between my STR modifier and CHA is not enough to warrant throwing 7 points at that line right out of the gate. Additionally, the 12 points I've spent in KotC gets me to Greatsword as a favored weapon, which is really nice.

I'm concerned that only 4 skill points per level (as opposed to 5 for FTPDDO's Human version with 2 Rogue), may leave me lacking in the trapping department. I can only level two of Disable, Spot, and Search each level-up. I'll have to see how it goes, I suppose.

i wouldn't choose either Child of the Faith nor Beloved of the Divine Feat's since they don't really bring so much for a Paladin imo
plus you have to keep in mind if you want to take Feydark Illusionist Enh. tree you need the magical Training feat .... which you took at lvl 3 but instead of child of the Faith i would choose Power Attack and the 2nd Feat ( Beloved ) if you want to go into epics def. Empower Healing

[Tychos]

I've made it to level 8, so I've already picked up Child of Faith, but I'll keep Power Attack in mind for next life. I intend to just run this to 20 and reincarnate for the Paladin life, and figure out what to do from there. I'm really enjoying this character, though - it's fun.

Definitely open to any more ideas for this run or the next, though - I've always been a big fan of D&D Paladin.

[tsteigner]

I've made it to level 8, so I've already picked up Child of Faith, but I'll keep Power Attack in mind for next life. I intend to just run this to 20 and reincarnate for the Paladin life, and figure out what to do from there. I'm really enjoying this character, though - it's fun.

Definitely open to any more ideas for this run or the next, though - I've always been a big fan of D&D Paladin.

another thing is don't spent any lvl-up pts on wisdom .... you just need to reach 14 wisdom as a target and gear will count into that
nowadays +6 - +8 items in lvl up to 20 are not too hard to come by, so a paladin usually starts with wisdom as a dumbing stat ( e.g. 8 wis )
if you look for you next life precision is better then power attack, but that one needs dex 13 instead of str 13 ( power attack )

I personally think hvy armor is better then Evasion on a Paladin which needs to stant toe-to-toe to the mobs, since evasion doesn't help against melee hits only spells and hvy armor is easier to reach good values in PRR & MRR than light armor