Gun-slinging Paladin

[DCParry]

Hey all -

 

Moving through my first play-through (on hard) with my cipher and having a great time (I found myself really getting into the disillusioned hard-bitten constable persona I conjured up for him), but I am thinking about my next sojourn as a Paladin focusing on guns, because I have a gun, and I am a travelin'  (Also: https://youtu.be/To-wfwkmXds ). What are the thoughts on stats?

 

Might, of course, but how important would int be for a build? Most of the damage would come from the flames, which are instant, but I am not sure about later paladin abilities. I know the reload is slow for fire arms, but does a high dex make enough difference to justify the investment?

 

I am envisioning a coastal amaru for the extra weapon set. 

 

All input welcome. 

 

 

[PrimeJunta]

Dexterity makes a big difference, as does wearing no armor.

 

There are basically two ways around the slow reload time: Island Aumaua + fast switching + extra weapon slot, gives you up to four guns, boom boom boom boom fight is over. Or pick the Gunner talent, and have Kana Rua chant the "quickly nocked their arrows" chant for fast reload.

 

Currently blunderbusses are probably the best firearms but pistols and arquebuses aren't half bad either. The latter is eclipsed by the arbalest though. I predict a patch will change this relationship.

[Mungri]

I'm using one arm as a backup backline tank and it works amazing. Wish Id gone wood elf instead of human.

 

Max int is important if you want your auras to hit all your party from the back. I'm using the defense aura atm but you can also take the accuracy one for more damage.

 

Though I actually dumped dex on mine so his DPS is lowered, I did 18 might / 18 con / 3 dex / 10 per / 17 + 1 int / 10 resolve because I also needed him to protect my backline if anything gets past my tanks. Add a arquebus priest and gun chanter, then whatever else you want.

 

I'm using an arbalest on my Paladin though. I need him to hit hard enough to get kills because he has the heal and +7 all defense AoE buffs when he kills stuff, plus I went kind wayfarer so he can heal the party with flames of something. And I don't have a chanter cos I didn't know about the gun buff so nvm, arbalests for me.

 

17 con / 19 int would have been more ideal for mine, every bit of int counts for the auras and wayfarer heals and buffs.

Edited April 1, 2015 by Mungri

[DCParry]

Hawt. Thanks for all the input. 

 

My plan is to pick up a support chanter as soon as I can for machine gun song. Armor is always something I have a hard time with, I can't decide whether the DR is worth the extra reload time or not. Of course, if you are not getting hit, the question is easily answered, but I am not so proud as to not admit that everyone in my party gets hit at one point or another.  

[Mungri]

Even with two dedicated tanks, I still get mobs through to the backline, so being able to swap the paladin to sword & shield and run my squishies away is an extra line of defense. 3 dex sucks though with arbalests, but I couldn't gimp his deflection.

 

I think though he would still work fine with 10 con and 10 dex. I'll keep that in mind for future ranged paladins.

Edited April 1, 2015 by Mungri

[DCParry]

Ya, I am on the fence on how important con is for non-dedicated tank-ish characters, as in is the percentage bonus on top of a base important enough for the investment. 

 

I do have to admit that sometimes my melee cipher with 10 con has HP envy of Eder. 

[Lasci]

Stats do not a PC make. Talents and abilities are far more important.

 

Take high Might and Dexterity if you want to focus solely on sticking to the back and shootin' at things. The idea of having four weapon slots is definitely an intriguing one, though I'm not entirely sure it's worth the investment.

 

Also, I'm almost positive that despite what the tooltip says, the paladin auras don't have a range on them. Maybe when they're activated the range counts? I've double and then triple checked this by sending Pallegina to the other side of the map while my party fought, and the buff was still active.

[Mungri]

They do have a range on them because its listed in the tooltip and it is increased by int.

 

Your 'stats don't matter' mantra isn't accurate in any way at all, they do matter.

 

And not just the auras, they can also get a lot of AoE head and buffs.

Edited April 1, 2015 by Mungri