New Player Looking for Advice

[kmonster]

Attack penalties without rapid shot: 0,-5,-10,-15
Attack penalties with rapid shot: -2,-2,-7,-12,-17
So with rapid shot the 2nd,3rd and 4th attacks are better by 3 and you get a 5th attack at -17

Weapon focus in greatswords is enough for your paladin since other melee weapons will hardly ever be used. Not worth switching to a weapon which does 5 less damage to avoid 5 DR. +1 to hit for the very few occasions you do want to switch to blunt (certain trolls) isn't that great. It's worth taking weapon focus axe for better ranged attacks however.

[Thrasher91604]

Thanks for all the help!
Still need to plan out the spell selections for my bard and sorcerer.

Aasimar Morninglord of Lathander 28 / Paladin 2 (primary tank, buffer, secondary healer)
Deep Gnome Monk 30 (decoy, scout, secondary tank)
Human Druid 30 (primary healer / summoner / secondary buffer / secondary tank - shapeshifted)
Human Bard 28 / Rogue 2 (party spokesman, thieving, charmer, buffing, secondary scout)
Drow Sorcerer 30 (bombadier)
Tiefling Diviner 30 (charmer, bombadier / identifier, secondary scout)


M Aasimar Morninglord of Lathander 28/ Paladin of Helm 2

Ability Scores When Created

Strength - 18
Dexterity - 13
Constitution - 18
Intelligence - 3
Wisdom - 20 (incs +2 bonus from Aasimar)
Charisma - 8 (incs +2 bonus from Aasimar)

Ability Score Bonuses

4th level - +1 Strength
8th level - +1 Strength
12th level - +1 Strength
16th level - +1 Strength
20th level - +1 Strength
24th level - +1 Strength
28th level - +1 Strength

Skills

Concentration - 4

Feats

1st level - Dodge
3rd level - Weapon Focus: Great Sword
6th level - Rapid Shot
9th level - Power Attack
12th level - Improved Critical
15th level - Cleave
18th level - Dirty Fighting
21st level – Lightning Reflexes
24th level – Cleave
27th level – Discipline
30th level – Heroic Inspiration


M Deep Gnome Monk 30

Ability Scores When Created

Strength 16 (incs deep gnome -2 penalty)
Dexterity 18 (incs deep gnome +2 bonus)
Constitution 18
Intelligence 3
Wisdom 18 (incs deep gnome +2 bonus)
Charisma 1

Ability Score Bonuses

4th level - +1 Wisdom
8th level - +1 Wisdom
12th level - +1 Wisdom
16th level - +1 Wisdom
20th level - +1 Wisdom
24th level - +1 Wisdom
28th level - +1 Wisdom

Skills

Hide - 2
Move Silently - 2

Feats

1st Level - Dodge
3rd level - Rapid Shot
6th level - Power Attack
9th level - Cleave
12th level - Improved Critical
15th level - Dirty Fighting
18th level - Toughness
21st level - Toughness
24th level – Toughness
27th level – Toughness
30th level - Toughness


F Human Druid 30

Ability Scores When Created

Strength 18
Dexterity 16
Constitution 18
Intelligence 3
Wisdom 18
Charisma 3

Ability Score Bonuses

4th level - +1 Wisdom
8th level - +1 Wisdom
12th level - +1 Wisdom
16th level - +1 Wisdom
20th level - +1 Wisdom
24th level - +1 Wisdom
28th level - +1 Wisdom

Skills

Concentration - 2
Spellcraft - 4

Feats

1st level - Dodge, Spell Focus: Transmutation
3rd level - Spell Focus: Evocation
6th level - Spell Focus: Transmutation
9th level - Rapid Shot
12th level - Scion of Storms
15th level - Spirit of Flames
18th level – Spell Focus: Transmutation
21st level – Weapon Focus: Pole Arms
24th level – Dirty Fighting
27th level – Improved Critical
30th level – Lightning Reflexes


M Human Bard 28 / Rogue 2

Ability Scores When Created

Strength 8
Dexterity 17
Constitution 16
Intelligence 14
Wisdom 3
Charisma 18

Ability Score Bonuses

4th level - +1 Dexterity
8th level - +1 Charisma
12th level - +1 Charisma
16th level - +1 Dexterity
20th level - +1 Dexterity
24th level - +1 Charisma
28th level - +1 Charisma

Skills

Bluff – 3
Diplomacy – 4
Disable Device – 4
Intimidate – 4
Open Locks – 4
Pickpocket – 3
Search – 4

Feats

1st level - Dodge, Mercantile
3rd level - Lingering Song
6th level - Spell Focus: Enchantment
9th level - Spell Focus: Enchantment
12th level - Rapid Shot
15th level - Spell Focus: Evocation
18th level – Spell Focus: Evocation
21st level – Spell Focus: Necromancy
24th level – Spell Focus: Necromancy
27th level - Spell Focus: Transmutation
30th level – Spell Focus: Transmutation


M Drow Sorcerer 30

Ability Scores When Created

Strength 9
Dexterity 20
Constitution 16
Intelligence 12
Wisdom 3
Charisma 20

Ability Bonuses

4th level - +1 Charisma
8th level - +1 Charisma
12th level - +1 Charisma
16th level - +1 Charisma
20th level - +1 Charisma
24th level - +1 Charisma
28th level - +1 Charisma

Skills

Spellcraft - 4
Concentration - 4

Feats

1st level - Spell Focus: Evocation
3rd level - Spell Focus: Evocation
6th level - Spell Focus: Necromancy
9th level - Spirit of Flame
12th level - Spell Focus: Necromancy
15th level – Aqua Mortis
18th level – Spell Focus: Enchantment
21st level – Spell Focus: Enchantment
24th level – Scion of Storms
27th level - Aegis of Rime
30th level – Combat Casting


M Tiefling Wizard 30

Ability Scores When Created

Strength 18
Dexterity 20
Constitution 18
Intelligence 20
Wisdom 3
Charisma 1

Ability Score Bonuses

4th level - +1 Intelligence
8th level - +1 Intelligence
12th level - +1 Intelligence
16th level - +1 Intelligence
20th level - +1 Intelligence
24th level - +1 Intelligence
28th level - +1 Intelligence

Skills

Alchemy - 4
Concentration – 4
Hide - 2
Arcana – 4
Move Silently - 2
Spellcraft – 4

Feats

1st level - Spell Focus: Enchantment
Spell Focus: Enchantment
3rd level - Spell Focus: Evocation
5th level - Spell Focus: Necromancy
6th level - Spell Focus: Evocation
9th level - Spirit of Flame
10th level - Spell Focus: Necromancy
12th level - Aqua Mortis
15th level - Scion of Storms, Spell Focus: Transmutation
18th level – Spell Focus: Transmutation
20th level – Aegis of Rime
21st level - Combat Casting
24th level – Rapid Shot
27th level – Dodge
30th level – Toughness

[kmonster]

For the tank I'd take cleave even earlier (it nearly doubles your attacks per round early on), but greater cleave is useless, since killing a 100+ HP monster in later chapters with a single cleave attack is nearly impossible.
This character doesn't need a will save improving feat like discipline at level 24 when his will save bonuses could be lowered by 10 without loosing the perfect success chance.

The rapid shot feat for your bard is useless. 1 round of singing grants bonuses to all party members for 3 rounds. You won't be able help that much by shooting.

[Thrasher91604]

Good points!

I'm thinking I'll drop greater cleave and disicipline and add SF: Evocation twice. Some of those Lathander domain spells are nice (meteor storm and fire storm). But one in particular, holy smite, is necromancy. Hmmmm...

[Klorox]

If you're not going to use the holy avenger, and you're going to start with an 8 CHA, why make your tank a paladin at all? Why not go with a Dwarf and add Fighter levels instead of Paladin? No use for that 8 CHA anyway, punt it and max out DEX (even in heavy armor, it will add to missile attacks, and the best armor in the game allows up to a 15 DEX to be useful).

If you want a real tank type, a Dwarf Cleric of Tempus is an awesome option. Free specialization in an awesome weapon type (Axes also give you the freedom of using a shield or not). Sure, you won't get that +2 to WIS, but that's made up for with slightly faster level advancement.

[Thrasher91604]

I can't go back and take paladin levels after adding the morninglord level. grrrr. No immunity to fear...

I'm using the mod that turns the holy avenger into a greatsword.

I hope that makes up for it.

He's having a pretty easy time of it already...