Hey, I'm running a paladin who just hit 8th level. This is the highest I've had a character get to in 5th Edition and I'm wondering about where to go with the ASI/feat selection.
She's a tiefling Devotion Paladin with the Dueling fighting style and her stats are Str 17 (currently 21 due to Belt of Hill Giant Strength), 10 dex, 14 con, 10 int, 10 wisdom, 18 Charisma.
I'm considering taking either the Infernal Constitution feat for the damage resistances (fairly useful in this game), Mage Slayer, or boosting my Constitution, but I wanted to see if anyone had suggestions. I'm not likely to bother with War Caster since I don't really cast too many spells so maintaining concentration or having a weapon and shield in my hands are rarely issues.
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Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
With an 18 Cha, Inspiring Leader can be quite helpful. The inspiration bit can be fun to roleplay too. Shield Master is good for anyone with a good Ref save (which should be decent for you since lvl 6) and using a shield. I personally really like Skilled for a high Cha character that probably doesn’t have proficiency in too many interpersonal skills. Magic Initiate can give you a couple of cantrips that will allow you to do some damage from range, using the high Cha mod again.
Honestly, I think you’re spoiled for choices here.
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Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
I chose the Mounted Combatant and love it. This pairs well with the Find Steed and even better with the Find Greater Steed. It allows me to move around the battle field with great ease as the mount can use it's action to dash or disengage (dodge isn't super important as all attacks will come to you). It means you don't get locked down and have more chances to get up in the face of your enemies or to your allies in need. The flying mount when you get level 4 spells is even more amazing. Additionally auto advantage to medium or smaller creatures is a fantastic boon. The telepathy within 1000 feet allows you to at times have an extra set of eyes. Of course AOE gives it damage but evasion helps and your aura giving bonuses can help. I have fought some tough baddies including Tiamat and the times that it dies has only been 4 or so times. The DM role play's my steed too so it has led to some fantastic and/or funny moments.
I've thought about Mounted Combatant, but 99% of our adventure has been in places where a horse would be a liability rather than an asset. I've never bothered casting Find Mount.
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Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
As with everything it is dependent on your campaign and DM. We have a ranger who has a dire wolf and griffon so it wasn't a stretch for my mount to be able to access places. Also I had a stuffed camel toy when I was a child so my mount has his name and is a camel (my character being from Calimshan this made sense). So it all seemed to make sense and works really well. When I got Find Greater Steed he grew wings and is now a pega-camel.
It does mean though that when I can't have my mount (e.g. Balders Gate, small enclosed places, he dies and I don't/wont use a slot to bring him back) then my feat is nullified. But I'm not a min-max player and my mount has become a central to my player. When I've got him though and riding him about I feel epic.
I'd vote against mounted combatant for a pally. You only get 3-5 feats in an entire campaign, but you get more spell slots every day. So a feat to help keep a mount alive isn't a great option when you can just cast the spell again. There going to be many cases where most paladins can't use the mount (that is to say, inside), and therefore get no benefit from the feat. Even with the feat, it doesn't help when you run into AoE attacks, most of which, when level appropriate, are going to one-shot most mounts. And I say that as someone playing a halfling pally, so I get a medium mount, so I can and do take it indoors. And it taking the dodge action has usually kept it alive through even most melee combats. Plus I'm Oath of Ancients, so I can misty step us places to avoid many of the other problems with being indoors (a horse can't climb a rope). So I get lots of use from my mount, but I still wouldn't take that feat.
I'm not trying to argue that Glen is doing it wrong. It seems they are having a good time, and that's what matters, just offering the other side of the argument.
Mounted Combatant is an excellent choice if the build centered around GWM, I'd say. Otherwise, I would say it's not necessary for a sword-n-board build.
I'd recommend capping out on CHA. That extra point in increasing your aura of protection just breaks the game's math further on your knee, turning you into a holy version of Batman's Bane. That's better saves for everyone, and thus more meaningful mitigation than a feat for specific damage resistance.
Keep in mind that until 18th level, Aura of Protection only has a 10 foot radius, which means that most of the time the party is not going to be inside the radius. Generally I've only got one or occasionally two other PCs that are close enough to take advantage of it. That means there's two more ASIs until then, and at present I don't feel like an extra +1 to saves is that big a deal.
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Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I would look at either capping out Charisma or getting a +2 in Constitution. Having +5 to saving throws is really nice, but depending on how much tanking you do, having that +3 Con mod means at least one more good hit you can take. For Feats, Sentinel is hard to beat, but I would also look at Tough, again depending on how much damage you tank for the party.
Hey, I'm running a paladin who just hit 8th level. This is the highest I've had a character get to in 5th Edition and I'm wondering about where to go with the ASI/feat selection.
She's a tiefling Devotion Paladin with the Dueling fighting style and her stats are Str 17 (currently 21 due to Belt of Hill Giant Strength), 10 dex, 14 con, 10 int, 10 wisdom, 18 Charisma.
I'm considering taking either the Infernal Constitution feat for the damage resistances (fairly useful in this game), Mage Slayer, or boosting my Constitution, but I wanted to see if anyone had suggestions. I'm not likely to bother with War Caster since I don't really cast too many spells so maintaining concentration or having a weapon and shield in my hands are rarely issues.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
The only other thing I’d add would be sentinel if you do the tanking. Otherwise those choices look good
Also, lucky can always be fun. I always keep that on my short list, though I never seem to take it.
Mage Slayer and Sentinel are both good feats, because among other things, they give you another way to attack with your reaction.
With an 18 Cha, Inspiring Leader can be quite helpful. The inspiration bit can be fun to roleplay too.
Shield Master is good for anyone with a good Ref save (which should be decent for you since lvl 6) and using a shield.
I personally really like Skilled for a high Cha character that probably doesn’t have proficiency in too many interpersonal skills.
Magic Initiate can give you a couple of cantrips that will allow you to do some damage from range, using the high Cha mod again.
Honestly, I think you’re spoiled for choices here.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
I chose the Mounted Combatant and love it. This pairs well with the Find Steed and even better with the Find Greater Steed. It allows me to move around the battle field with great ease as the mount can use it's action to dash or disengage (dodge isn't super important as all attacks will come to you). It means you don't get locked down and have more chances to get up in the face of your enemies or to your allies in need. The flying mount when you get level 4 spells is even more amazing. Additionally auto advantage to medium or smaller creatures is a fantastic boon. The telepathy within 1000 feet allows you to at times have an extra set of eyes. Of course AOE gives it damage but evasion helps and your aura giving bonuses can help. I have fought some tough baddies including Tiamat and the times that it dies has only been 4 or so times. The DM role play's my steed too so it has led to some fantastic and/or funny moments.
I've thought about Mounted Combatant, but 99% of our adventure has been in places where a horse would be a liability rather than an asset. I've never bothered casting Find Mount.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
As with everything it is dependent on your campaign and DM. We have a ranger who has a dire wolf and griffon so it wasn't a stretch for my mount to be able to access places. Also I had a stuffed camel toy when I was a child so my mount has his name and is a camel (my character being from Calimshan this made sense). So it all seemed to make sense and works really well. When I got Find Greater Steed he grew wings and is now a pega-camel.
It does mean though that when I can't have my mount (e.g. Balders Gate, small enclosed places, he dies and I don't/wont use a slot to bring him back) then my feat is nullified. But I'm not a min-max player and my mount has become a central to my player. When I've got him though and riding him about I feel epic.
I'd vote against mounted combatant for a pally. You only get 3-5 feats in an entire campaign, but you get more spell slots every day. So a feat to help keep a mount alive isn't a great option when you can just cast the spell again. There going to be many cases where most paladins can't use the mount (that is to say, inside), and therefore get no benefit from the feat. Even with the feat, it doesn't help when you run into AoE attacks, most of which, when level appropriate, are going to one-shot most mounts. And I say that as someone playing a halfling pally, so I get a medium mount, so I can and do take it indoors. And it taking the dodge action has usually kept it alive through even most melee combats. Plus I'm Oath of Ancients, so I can misty step us places to avoid many of the other problems with being indoors (a horse can't climb a rope). So I get lots of use from my mount, but I still wouldn't take that feat.
I'm not trying to argue that Glen is doing it wrong. It seems they are having a good time, and that's what matters, just offering the other side of the argument.
Mounted Combatant is an excellent choice if the build centered around GWM, I'd say. Otherwise, I would say it's not necessary for a sword-n-board build.
I'd recommend capping out on CHA. That extra point in increasing your aura of protection just breaks the game's math further on your knee, turning you into a holy version of Batman's Bane. That's better saves for everyone, and thus more meaningful mitigation than a feat for specific damage resistance.
Keep in mind that until 18th level, Aura of Protection only has a 10 foot radius, which means that most of the time the party is not going to be inside the radius. Generally I've only got one or occasionally two other PCs that are close enough to take advantage of it. That means there's two more ASIs until then, and at present I don't feel like an extra +1 to saves is that big a deal.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I would look at either capping out Charisma or getting a +2 in Constitution. Having +5 to saving throws is really nice, but depending on how much tanking you do, having that +3 Con mod means at least one more good hit you can take. For Feats, Sentinel is hard to beat, but I would also look at Tough, again depending on how much damage you tank for the party.
This character leveled up over a month ago.
Moderators, can this thread be shut as the question is long answered?
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.