So we've got a mini adventure coming up while our campaign DM takes some vacation time. I've come up with a concept for a character who has a sever grudge against Paladins and is all about shutting them down and subduing them. I figured Ranger would be a good base class for this but am coming up short when it comes to which subclass and/or multi-class would make this concept work mechanically. Since mage slayers are popular maybe we can make a Paladin slayer! I know that Paladins as PC's are incredibly powerful, but I figure that if anyone is good at finding ways to take a target down it'd be the wonderful people of this forum.
Current Concepts: Horizon Walker/Way of Shadows Monk- High Mobility and a few spells for protection. Colossus Slayer/Rogue dip- A bit more power overall Monster Slayer-Seems the best option for single class concept
Races: Satyr-Magic Resistance and High Jump! Scourge Aasimar- Resistance against necrotic and radiant Bugbear- +2 Strength +1 Dex, plus surprise attack Aaracokra/Aasimar- Flying, a Paladin's bane.
Okay, get this! Gloom stalker Assassin Rogue. For the race, maybe yuanti-pureblood for the magic resistance, and the flavor of being a killer of whats supposed to be the knights in shining white armor suits a snake guy more than a satyr in my opinion, but scourge assimar is also cool for the resistance to their divine smites. Remember, with tasha's now out, you can arrange their starting racial stats as you see fit.
With expertise in stealth, you can sneak up on unsuspecting paladins and try to snipe them in one turn, with surprise and critting and dread ambusher. If that won't kill most paladins, I don't know what will.
Whatever combination you go with, remember the paladin’s strengths and weaknesses.
Strengths: Smite damage is wicked against a single target. Generally speaking paladins will have above average saving throws. They have a hit point pool through lay on hands. Poison and disease won’t generally have any or any lasting effect on the them.
Weaknesses: They are melee only, 100%. Use that to your advantage as someone who (can) specializes in ranged combat. Stealth is all well and good, but you do NOT want to go toe to toe with a paladin ever. They can be locked down with ease. Plant growth, spike growth, and conjure animals can all shut down a dozen paladins, allowing you to pick them off at your leisure. Those spells also have no saving throw. They also do damage after casting, and continue to do so while you work. You won’t need to be a gloom stalker assassin rogue to out stealth a paladin. Their perception will be mediocre at best. Any dexterity based class(es) with proficiency in stealth with succeed.
Feels like a weird character. What's their motivation for having such a grudge against such a heterogenous group of people? What about "paladins" is it that they dislike?
Feels like a weird character. What's their motivation for having such a grudge against such a heterogenous group of people? What about "paladins" is it that they dislike?
Nobody really likes the popular quarterback kid from high school.
Feels like a weird character. What's their motivation for having such a grudge against such a heterogenous group of people? What about "paladins" is it that they dislike?
Nobody really likes the popular quarterback kid from high school.
Thanks for the advice! Thinking on it more, I realized almost no one will out burst damage a Paladin except another Paladin. But I know that Paladin's don't do well with multiple enemies (from personal experience). I think the biggest goals I have for the build is maneuverability to be able to get distance and ways to lock them down, either with spells or other means (i.e. stunning strike w/ monk).
Feels like a weird character. What's their motivation for having such a grudge against such a heterogenous group of people? What about "paladins" is it that they dislike?
Nobody really likes the popular quarterback kid from high school.
Lol. :D
The idea I had was basically a kid who got kicked out of "Paladin school" and then figured Paladin's are not as glorious or good as initially thought. Or at least that's the elevator pitch I gave to our temp DM.
Feels like a weird character. What's their motivation for having such a grudge against such a heterogenous group of people? What about "paladins" is it that they dislike?
Nobody really likes the popular quarterback kid from high school.
Lol. :D
The idea I had was basically a kid who got kicked out of "Paladin school" and then figured Paladin's are not as glorious or good as initially thought. Or at least that's the elevator pitch I gave to our temp DM.
Never heard of Paladin school but OK. Irrational characters can be fun. :)
Feels like a weird character. What's their motivation for having such a grudge against such a heterogenous group of people? What about "paladins" is it that they dislike?
Nobody really likes the popular quarterback kid from high school.
Lol. :D
The idea I had was basically a kid who got kicked out of "Paladin school" and then figured Paladin's are not as glorious or good as initially thought. Or at least that's the elevator pitch I gave to our temp DM.
Never heard of Paladin school but OK. Irrational characters can be fun. :)
Sunday school.
Clerics finish and go on to seminary. Paladins get a few ideas in their head as a kid and devote themselves to that, never looking back.
Its all completely understandable. Oath of Vengeance got access to Hunter's Mark, and now they all have to die.
As above. Always stay out of melee. While Paladins want to stare into the eyes of evil from six inches away as their radiant smite destroys the evil, you should prefer the distant crumpling of heavy armor against heavy armor as the body inside heaves its last breath and falls to the ground. The snap of 20 arrows still stuck in its body breaking as the Pally hits the earth never to smite again. Long Bow, Sharpshooter, Elven Accuracy, spells without saves. Tabaxi might be good for the extra move. Gloom stalker if you plan on killing them at night.
Happy hunting.
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Hi all,
So we've got a mini adventure coming up while our campaign DM takes some vacation time. I've come up with a concept for a character who has a sever grudge against Paladins and is all about shutting them down and subduing them. I figured Ranger would be a good base class for this but am coming up short when it comes to which subclass and/or multi-class would make this concept work mechanically. Since mage slayers are popular maybe we can make a Paladin slayer! I know that Paladins as PC's are incredibly powerful, but I figure that if anyone is good at finding ways to take a target down it'd be the wonderful people of this forum.
Current Concepts:
Horizon Walker/Way of Shadows Monk- High Mobility and a few spells for protection.
Colossus Slayer/Rogue dip- A bit more power overall
Monster Slayer-Seems the best option for single class concept
Races:
Satyr-Magic Resistance and High Jump!
Scourge Aasimar- Resistance against necrotic and radiant
Bugbear- +2 Strength +1 Dex, plus surprise attack
Aaracokra/Aasimar- Flying, a Paladin's bane.
Let me know what your guys think!
Okay, get this! Gloom stalker Assassin Rogue. For the race, maybe yuanti-pureblood for the magic resistance, and the flavor of being a killer of whats supposed to be the knights in shining white armor suits a snake guy more than a satyr in my opinion, but scourge assimar is also cool for the resistance to their divine smites. Remember, with tasha's now out, you can arrange their starting racial stats as you see fit.
With expertise in stealth, you can sneak up on unsuspecting paladins and try to snipe them in one turn, with surprise and critting and dread ambusher. If that won't kill most paladins, I don't know what will.
Whatever combination you go with, remember the paladin’s strengths and weaknesses.
Strengths: Smite damage is wicked against a single target. Generally speaking paladins will have above average saving throws. They have a hit point pool through lay on hands. Poison and disease won’t generally have any or any lasting effect on the them.
Weaknesses: They are melee only, 100%. Use that to your advantage as someone who (can) specializes in ranged combat. Stealth is all well and good, but you do NOT want to go toe to toe with a paladin ever. They can be locked down with ease. Plant growth, spike growth, and conjure animals can all shut down a dozen paladins, allowing you to pick them off at your leisure. Those spells also have no saving throw. They also do damage after casting, and continue to do so while you work. You won’t need to be a gloom stalker assassin rogue to out stealth a paladin. Their perception will be mediocre at best. Any dexterity based class(es) with proficiency in stealth with succeed.
Feels like a weird character. What's their motivation for having such a grudge against such a heterogenous group of people? What about "paladins" is it that they dislike?
Nobody really likes the popular quarterback kid from high school.
Lol. :D
Thanks for the advice! Thinking on it more, I realized almost no one will out burst damage a Paladin except another Paladin. But I know that Paladin's don't do well with multiple enemies (from personal experience). I think the biggest goals I have for the build is maneuverability to be able to get distance and ways to lock them down, either with spells or other means (i.e. stunning strike w/ monk).
The idea I had was basically a kid who got kicked out of "Paladin school" and then figured Paladin's are not as glorious or good as initially thought. Or at least that's the elevator pitch I gave to our temp DM.
Never heard of Paladin school but OK. Irrational characters can be fun. :)
Sunday school.
Clerics finish and go on to seminary. Paladins get a few ideas in their head as a kid and devote themselves to that, never looking back.
Its all completely understandable. Oath of Vengeance got access to Hunter's Mark, and now they all have to die.
As above. Always stay out of melee. While Paladins want to stare into the eyes of evil from six inches away as their radiant smite destroys the evil, you should prefer the distant crumpling of heavy armor against heavy armor as the body inside heaves its last breath and falls to the ground. The snap of 20 arrows still stuck in its body breaking as the Pally hits the earth never to smite again. Long Bow, Sharpshooter, Elven Accuracy, spells without saves. Tabaxi might be good for the extra move. Gloom stalker if you plan on killing them at night.
Happy hunting.