[NPC Builds] Paladins, specifically Pallegina

[MoxyWoo]

Unlike a typical "class build" the NPC paladin has some specifics that need to be addressed due to their loss of faith and conviction.  I'll be using Pallegina as the base race, but any can be fine with work.

 

Race:  Avian Godlike, has +deflection vs ranged attacks, and +perception (deflection) and deflection when disengaging below 50%.  Undocumented she sometimes gets another +8 deflection not listed or maybe its a bug of the above.

 

Stats:  She has scores all over the place, in particular she seems to have some tanking, and some dps stats which makes her a weird amalgam.  Unfortunately she lacks the main character benefits of deflection/saves from Faith/Conviction, but can use the paladin exclusive outworn buckler.

 

Build 1:  The Fast Running tank.

-A form of CC, you basically lure some of the monsters away by eating some possible disengagement attacks by running by them really fast.

-Synergy is formed with a cipher in your group using the Ectopsychic power to create the beam line.

 

Talents:  Fast Runner, Weapon/shield style, optional Hold the line.

 

Abilities:  Lay on Hands, Zealous Charge

 

Notable Gear:  Disengagement cloak, Outworn buckler + Hatchet or +engagement weapon, optional Shod in Faith

 

Notes:  A more mobile tank with some self healing via lay on hands, the INT is not totally wasted as it helps the duration of the healing from it, and 'running' during the recovery animation time is a good strategy.  Can be used with any effects that target allies, but cipher does it best with their beam spells and shock.

 

 

Build 2:  The Gunadin

-This build is better with more ranged people as the aura radius is tiny but its easier to lump ranged people together.

-Pallegina has such low MIG that she needs to use the heavy hitting guns for best effect, but it has synergy with flames of devotion.

 

Talents:  Weapon Focus:  Soldier or Ruffian, Marksman, Quickswitch, Intense Flames, Gunner, Penetrating Shot

-Lot of talents to take, I wrote them roughly in the order of importance from left to right.  I didn't add Critical Focus because I thought the hit to crit conversion rate is tiny next to the above talents, but YMMV.

 

Abilities:  Flames of Devotion, Zealous Focus (saves on bless cast and has 1 more accuracy)

 

Gear:  Depends on focus.  Your big shots with the big guns of the group are best by using Flames of Devotion.  Either way with Intense flames + Burning Lash on all of them = chunky numbers.  Optionally, using 1 gun and then quickswitching to Tall Grass or Dual sabres for this build is also a good choice.  Flames of Devotion will use a "full attack" so sabres deal more damage, while Tall Grass is generally safer.

 

Hireling:  Darcozzi is better with the Inspiring Exhortation for +accuracy.  Race choice would either be Orlan for the +hit to crit, or Wood elf for the +acc at ranged, or Island Aumua for the 3 slots... 2 guns > Tall Grass.

 

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Hope that helps make your hireling paladins decent at something, even with the above though, your paladin is a 2 trick pony at best and the first can be beat out by a monk easily with Long Stride (and has additional benefits of wounds/rooting pain), and the second is basically, a rogue that has 2 "bullets" but those bullets are pretty hard hitting so can be fun to see.

[Kaigen42]

Alternate build: Piker

 

Hand Pallegina Tall Grass for midline support.

Pallegina's base Might isn't great, but Tall Grass lets her smack enemies for prone effects while still wearing light armor/clothes.

 

Abilities: Flames of Devotion, Zealous Focus/Charge, Sworn Enemy, Inspiring Triumph*

 

Talents: Weapon Focus: Soldier, Two-handed Style, Savage Attack, Intense Flames, Critical Focus*, Bloody Slaughter*

 

Critical Focus is optional; it increases her ability to prone, but you might not find Zealous Focus useful in your party. Zealous Charge is a good alternate, as this build helps Pallegina avoid engagements and help set up Ectopsychic Echo similarly to the Fast Running Tank. Bloody Slaughter + Intense Flames gives you the best possible odds for landing a last hit to trigger Inspiring Triumph; if it doesn't kill the enemy, the hit->crit conversion will at least boost your odds of proning them. If you don't put much stock in Inspiring Triumph, you can easily drop it.

 

Gear: Tall Grass is the centerpiece here. In the other weapon slot, you can put an Arquebus for an opening shot, or something like Tidefall as an alternate close-range weapon. I've been having Pallegina run around in enchanted Vailian Clothes, but there's lots of good unique robes and padded armor if you want more DR. If you really need Tall Grass on another party member, you can get a similar effect from Lost Thayn's Reach, or switch weapon focus to Peasant and use Wend Walker for a stronger lash.

[eubatham]

Nice builds guys, going to give that "Fast Running Tank" a definite try in one of my future playthroughs.

[Kaigen42]

Also, a gear idea for the Gunadin: Use a Marking gun (Pliambo per Casitas for Soldier or St. Garam's Spark for Ruffian) as your second weapon. Fire the first gun with FoD, switch to the second to unleash your second FoD, and then the Marking quality will allow Pallegina to paint targets for the closest ally at hand. This can boost the accuracy of another ranged DPS or help a caster land a spell on a critical target.

[Crucis]

This is the kind of thread I'd like to see more of.  Threads that discuss various builds for each class, without getting too hardcore on extreme min-maxing of stats.  Talk about what are the good abilities and talents for the class in general, and more specifically for the different build variations.  What kind of weapons, armor, and other items are good for the various builds, without arguing about which is the absolute perfect max DPS weapon, etc., etc.