Please, help me with my current character.

[Luth]

After a rather bad yesterday, I realize my character is somewhat gimped. I would like to ask for help on giving it more viability, as I initially made it having in thought both pure RP + me playing on other servers which were more punishing if you did not have defenses of any kind. Honestly I did not expect the free Ability Score gifts when i first logged in.

Then again... My character is a Paladin 8/Fighter 4

Base AS:
STR 18
DEX 12
CON 12
INT 10
WIS 14
CHA 19 (Pumping it for the time being)

Chosen Feats:
Luck of Heroes (Because, you know, I thought having a high saving roll was absolutely important)
Knockdown
Power Attack
Weapon Focus (Longsword)
Weapon Specialization (Longsword)
Improved Critical (Longsword)
Divine Might
Blind-fight
Extra Smiting

I got suggested that I completely delete the character, but after having taken this time to level the character, I seriously don't want to resort to that... Also, as a side thought; Why does it always seem that I make the absolute worst choices when making characters for any game, seriously?

Is there any way to lead the character somewhere viable, or is it just a laughstock to delete?

[Marauder]

What part of the build are you having trouble with, specifically? I'm admittedly mediocre compared to some of the other people on this server but I can try to help.

Also if you're a member of the Arelith 3.0 Discord, they have a channel dedicated to being a soundboard for helping with builds, and it has been extremely helpful to me on a number of classes I'm ignorant on. To be frank, they could probably offer better advice than I can!

[Rodent]

Erh, it seemed salvageable until I saw the INT score. You'll probably have to remake. Most combat builds need Improved Expertise and you just don't have the INT for that. Apart from that, as Marauder said. Come on in and ask for a build for your concept!

[flower]

You will also badly luck any skill points-.

[Cybernet21]

I see you followed my advice XD.Let's see i'm not that good with builds but i have some better understanding on Arelith Builds so i'll help the best i can.

With those stats i say you go for a smiter build;Basically Fighter 5(since you already got Fighter 4/with the 5th level on 21),Paladin 15(most or all of them pre-epic) and 10 Champion of Torm(most of them epic).So basically:
1-5 Paladin
5-9 Fighter
10-19 Paladin
20 CoT
21Fighter
22-30 CoT

For feats,i will let others talk about this as i'm not that good at this but basically the ones you already have plus almost everything divine or smite based and a couple more genral ones(and any one that is needed so you can become CoT).

Skills are now somewhat complicated with that INT but might still be doable,I would say to max three skils(might be the max you can do,I'm not that good with skills either),Discipline,Heal,Taunt (and some others if you have a few points left,but i'll let people who are better at mechanical knowledge of the game than me)

And last but not least ,your gear should be focused at CHA-STR (the two are good but mostly CHA) and CON.Ability points on level ups somewhat like 5 for CHA and 2 for STR or 4 and 3.

I Hope i helped somewhat,even though it's mostly a general direction.

[rat0a]

Let Scurvy chime in He knows the class very well.

Maybe your build is somewhat salvageable

That low INT will hurt though you need skills points for a few things like DIC

I was reluctant with the DEX myself but my second Paladin is doing alright with DEX 8 and Potions

The question by the look of your stats is what do you want? STR Paladin or CHA Paladin?

[Luth]

What part of the build are you having trouble with, specifically? I'm admittedly mediocre compared to some of the other people on this server but I can try to help.

Also if you're a member of the Arelith 3.0 Discord, they have a channel dedicated to being a soundboard for helping with builds, and it has been extremely helpful to me on a number of classes I'm ignorant on. To be frank, they could probably offer better advice than I can!

I tried finding the Discord link, but I gave up after only finding nothing but badtalk about it.

The question by the look of your stats is what do you want? STR Paladin or CHA Paladin?

Charisma. The reason I've high STR is because I thought it'd help settle in.

By what you all have told me, it seems there's no way but to delete character. I heard characters can be remade in order to not lose anything or something like that. Could it be done on this case wihout losing much, or am I just screwed?

[Rodent]

You cannot carry equipment and such over. Its called Muling and the system will auto-delete your equipment. That being said, you are at least relatively early in the character and remaking properly will only help your enjoyment of the server, in the long run.

[rat0a]

I been saying it for the last two years: People invested in Paladin class need some love around here lol

Luth: So you like to do a Smitter Paladin Build like Timon's? He uses a lot Divine Might, Divine favor and Divine shield without it he does damage like a PC out of the Boat. I take it you like to use GS too?

[Diegovog]

You don't need luck of heroes, paladins already have pretty good saving throws. (I would start with weapon focus to help with some extra ab early)
I feel paladin works better with 8 dex since you need a lot of stats.
I would get Divine Shield before Divine Might to help you level. Often that extra AC when a bunch of enemies surround you is better than the extra damage for survival.
I also would go for scimitar or rapier.

[Luth]

After speaking with both Titania and other players, I decided I want to reroll a completely new character. I was thinking probably Arcane Archer, for the sake of fun.

I don't want to commit the same mistake twice; Can I get either the discord to discuss builds, or suggestions to follow for it?

[WanderingPoet]

Since you do want to restart your character (and you will level faster with the knowledge from the first!) or tips for when you do create a new character in DnD style games - keep in mind the cost of points as you put more points into an attribute. For example, putting 16 in strength rather than 18 means you have 6 points to put into elsewhere - you could put 2 points into con and 4 into int and have 2 more skill points, access to expertise, improved knockdown, disarm etc, 1 life/level - at the cost of 1 damage and 1 ab.

Same goes for Charisma. Also keep in mind you don't get level 4 paladin spells until level 14 paladin, so unless you plan to take at least 14 (15 more likely unless you have gear with bonus spells) levels in paladin you don't need 14 wisdom. Dex can typically be 4 less than the armour you plan to wear can support (buffs can bring you the rest of the way) but 12 is a good amount so you don't have to rely on buffs. More con the better, as that'll let you survive crits.

That said - being a weaker RP character is often quite a bit of fun, as long as you steer clear of PvPing powerbuilds - pve really isn't all that difficult if you plan ahead and make sure to have a lot of healing kits. Other than a severe lack of skill points from low int (and related int feats) the build isn't bad overall. I've seen smite paladins one shot evil dragons without even using a weapon, afterall!

Arcane Archers are fun - and starting as a Ranger Archer does make it easier to keep up with great arrows (making free Damask arrows to go with AA damage feats and a temp essence leads to some painful damage). As a ranger you also don't need arcane spellcasting.

[Prestige]

Base AS:
STR 18
DEX 12
CON 12
INT 10
WIS 14
CHA 19 (Pumping it for the time being)

These stats are rough. If you want to salvage the character, you really ought to consider deleveling once and taking strength instead, and going with Strength over Charisma. I'll be honest I'd go with 16 paladin, 4 fighter, 10 CoT (It wouldn't be amazing, but without rebuilding it's the best you're gonna get). You don't really benefit at all from a Rogue/Bard dump like some people might suggest because with 10 int you max three skills. When I test leveled something with your skills, I chose Discipline, Heal, and Taunt.

Fully buffed (with +12 to str, con, and charisma), it got 60 AB and 52 AC (Counting Haste and Barkskin potions). With 45 standing AB, you have a bit of wiggle room to get to the +20 cap. Its saves in Divine Wrath are absolutely horrifying without factoring in gearing beyond stats. In short, it's got more offensive power than Stephen Colbert at the White House Correspondent's dinner.

If you're open to the concept of re-building, the best paladin builds mostly use the class as a divine shield/might dip, and so they subvert the problem of multi-attribute dependency by cutting wisdom and dexterity. You can get 12 dexterity through a high-roll on a Cat's Grace potion, and the paladin spells aren't really that amazing as they stand.

Chosen Feats:
Luck of Heroes (Because, you know, I thought having a high saving roll was absolutely important)
Knockdown
Power Attack
Weapon Focus (Longsword)
Weapon Specialization (Longsword)
Improved Critical (Longsword)
Divine Might
Blind-fight
Extra Smiting

The only no-go here is Extra Smiting: everything else is okay. Luck isn't an amazing choice by any stretch of the imagination, but it isn't a deal-breaker. Here is what I took for pre-epics, feat wise. Here is what I did post-epic. You could take an Epic Skill Focus at 21 and put off Epic Weapon Specialization until 27, but it's rather a negligible difference in my honest opinion.

[Shadowy Reality]

Don't let go of a character just because its build is subpar, however. If you are having fun, just roll with it.

If it is actively affecting the fun you have, however, go nuts.

[Luth]

Don't let go of a character just because its build is subpar, however. If you are having fun, just roll with it.

If it is actively affecting the fun you have, however, go nuts.

I realize this point, yes; However...

As much as I enjoying RPing, I'm a powerplayer and a munchkin at heart; I can't have fun knowing my character is subpar or poorly built. While I enjoy going astray from the "overpowered" builds, not that much as to be utterly useless.

[Mithreas]

I used to have a similar problem. When I first came to Arelith, however, I made a conscious decision to step away from that. My first PC here was a pure fighter (initially; later he took CoT for RP reasons) whose highest stat was... wis.

Needless to say, he was not a strong character; a retired mercenary captain who was OK in a fight but was never going to match the young bloods. That mechanical weakness was a part of his story, and helped me grow as a player. (My second main character was even more ridiculously built, and ended up taking Cleric late in her career despite a base 10 wisdom, so I may have gone a little overboard with the theme. But the point stands, that there is fun to be had with weak characters, if you find a storyline you can embrace).

[Cybernet21]

Don't let go of a character just because its build is subpar, however. If you are having fun, just roll with it.

If it is actively affecting the fun you have, however, go nuts.

I realize this point, yes; However...

As much as I enjoying RPing, I'm a powerplayer and a munchkin at heart; I can't have fun knowing my character is subpar or poorly built. While I enjoy going astray from the "overpowered" builds, not that much as to be utterly useless.

Well why not just resetting the character then?You'll lose the equipement but the character will still have contacts and friends, be on the factions you already joined.That way you arent totally restarting over,all the RP you had and will have is still there.And by level 9 or so you will be much better than current level 12.

Believe me i was in the same situation once,not wanting to reset but...now that i did i can tell you it's worth it,and decide wich type of build you lile(Fighter like Pally-STR focused,or smiter like pally-CHA focused,etc..) and people will help you with either.

But if you are not having fun with Luth i totally understand not wanting to still play him

[rat0a]

Yup told the player the same thing Just RP you got owned by the undead at the grave yard

I can make you some gear

If you decided to delete we need to do a funeral

[msterswrdsmn]

You really didn't need luck of heroes, because CHA-high paladins are going to have high saves no matter what.

The build is salvagable, though the lack of skillpoints is going to hurt you, as is the inability to get INT feats like expertise.

I'd give some advice, but im not terribly paladin-savvy. Offhand? Grab divine shield, and use COT levels to get great smiting.

[Diegovog]

Mhm, you can just remake your character entirely and start over. That way you don't throw away all the rp.
Mind you, 12 levels is easy to catch up and you will have an easier time.

[andthenthatwasthat]

First, Luth, you have an amazing character with an amazing RP going. It is a pleasure RP'ing with you. I would always put that before any PvP potential. After all, this is not a PvP server.

As much as I enjoying RPing, I'm a powerplayer and a munchkin at heart; I can't have fun knowing my character is subpar or poorly built. While I enjoy going astray from the "overpowered" builds, not that much as to be utterly useless.

While this is not a power build, it is hardly a useless build. If you follow a few suggestions in this thread you will end up with a decent PvE character that will contribute to any party. You may even want to consider a third class that can give you more skill points (rogue/bard). There are always going to be power builds that will win against it in PvP and there will be situations in which you will loose. However, the best PvP'ers are those who know how to pick or adapt situations to their character's strengths. Also, PvP happens so rarely that (for me) it is silly to build characters around it.

[kittenblackfriends]

I mean, you took Blindfight. Most new players skip it, figuring it's not that important.

So you didn't do BAD.

I would say that you are attempting to do both tanking and spanking, which is why you're excelling at neither.

Tanking in NWN isn't just about survivability - it's about gimping the opponent so they can't get to your backline. This means feats like knockdown or called shot. Tanks want to prioritize AB, so that these skills get off, and AC so they can take more hits. They still want damage because "if they ded, they controlled", but full tanks are definitely going to excel more in parties where other people can provide the DPS.

Spanking, on the other hand (or flanking), prioritizes high DPS - meaning building damage at the cost of AC. Now, flankers in NWN get a +2 ab bonus, meaning your damage output is even higher. This usually means flankers can't handle the same thing that full tanks can, though they have some survivability. They will also tend to have a weapon in both hands (or a 2H weapon). Smiting is more of a spanking technique.

One thing to note that is if your tank isn't -guarding you, you must know how to disengage if a target switches aggro. This isn't as much of an issue on Arelith BECAUSE of -guard, but it is a mechanical technique required on other servers, and still has its place on Arelith (since you can only -guard one person). This is also part of the reason many flankers have rogue levels - because tumble lets them disengage with more safety, not just the AC bonus. That and they're often in a position to get off sneak attacks.

[Roshamboe]

Let Scurvy guide you on this.

[Ork]

Never go CHA heavy on paladin. It's a torturous experience.

[rat0a]

Never go CHA heavy on paladin. It's a torturous experience.

Agree with Ork CHA Paladin are complicated specially for a first character on this server

The spread STAT is way too much and now you can't choose a third Major gift on CON with the new changes.

You run out of spells fast even with excellent enchanted EPIC gear


Yes I'm running two currently one that just capped Yesterday and the other one is level 16 but then again I'm masochist