Tips and Teammates to support full DPS Paladin? On PotD difficulty

[darkphoton20@gmail.com]

Intro

 

Been having this idea, which I know will sound terrible to many, for a long time since my first playthrough on hard with a tank paladin. I kept itching to remake a new game and try getting the most out of dealing damage as a paladin, as it seems like a weak idea that would provide a challenge and I loved seeing good numbers with Flames of Devotion crits on hard mode. My second playthrough was on path of the famned with a barb dps main, and that turned out all right, without even researching for any tips, so I decided ok I will just jump to the dps paladin idea. I also wanted to do with a two handed, which I know is not as good for flames of devotion, but it's a challenge and role playing idea so I'm going to stick with it.

 

Note: I know basing a paladin on dps Paladin is stupid, especially one that focuses only on himself, but it's on purpose as a challenge and liking self-enhancing dps paladins in general. So don't be too harsh on the idea xD

 

 

Main Idea

After some research, I decided to go with Goldpact Knights for the dot damage boost to FoD and later the increased accuracy buff to liberating exhortation, with max might, perception, dump int(!), keep const and resolve base, and rest on dev (it ended up being a decently high 1). With human as starting class.

 

I want to still land hits and cries even on potd, hence the perception, and with a two handed and heavy armour the Dex helps with the speed. I want to do as much damage per swing and with flames of devotion, which is why I have might at max. Intellect is minimum, despite many good paladin builds, because this will be a fully self buffing solominded paladin dps, which means no sharing auras or healing others, so AoE is not that important though some melee members could still benefit from my auras. This allows higher stats in other dps attributes, but also I found from testing and research, enduring flames from goldpact knights ticks damage faster with low intellect. It does the same damage total regardless of your intellect, but it's spread over a longer period with high intellect (tested on existing late game profile with hirelings and respec). I know the intellect dump would hurt sacred immolation at late game though, but I think the aoe and duration is fine for my build idea since I'm a single target focused build. Maybe I will drop resolve for int later if sacred immolation ends up being too important, but that's late game.

 

Team Composition

My problem now is I'm not sure how to then boost this paladin to his max damage and potential with supporting cast. I didn't finish my barb playthrough and would like to do a barb companion but as if possible, based on what i saw on him playing it as dps I think it is.

 

But what about the rest of the companions? I haven't played them all so I'm not sure who can boost my Paladin the most. And any tips on how to build the barbarian tank to support a two handed Paladin would be great too.

 

 

Thanks in advance, and feel free to bash on my idea and also provide insight into how to improve the main build even though I'm going to be stubborn about it haha. The main issue is the supporting cast really.

Edited June 13, 2017 by darkphoton20@gmail.com

[bigwillystyle]

A few thoughts: 

 

- The Goldpacts do not have the accuracy buff with Liberating Exhortation - that's the Darcozzi.  I played a Goldpact, and the main attraction was not having to worry about your dispositions much ... everyone either can't be Cruel or have to be Cruel.  It's pretty easy to be Stoic and Rational.  The Enduring Flames seemed meh on high intelligence but could be quite good on minimum intelligence.

 

- Low intelligence can work, but low intelligence at level 13 with Sacred Immolation makes Paladins sad Pandas.  

 

- On team composition: I like having Kana around for the Dragon aura.  I also like having Pallegina for a two Paladin party which works better than I thought it would.  Maneha would work pretty well using the Golden Dragon build.  I usually built her with pretty basic Barbarian stuff like the Consecrated Ground boots, Tidefall, etc ...  Fire and forget!

 

- I am currently finishing up my game with a Strange Mercy Paladin which has been good fun - big FOD crits to trigger Strange Mercy, fire and forget, etc ... he'll never be top DPS but low micro

[Boeroer]

Enduring Flames is very good with low INT. Same with Runner's Wounding Shot. FoD doesn't care about INT. Zealous Focus is a must for a dps oriented paladin. Sworn Enemy is great because it lasts until the enemy is dead - no INT involved. Maybe this is a build where Critical Focus is not too bad.

You should add Intense Flames and Scion of Flame. This will boost your burning lashes to +120% with FoD - which is quite ouch. Would be even better with an arquebus, but a great sword is also good enough.

Other talents are Two Handed Style, Savage Attack and Apprentice's Sneak Attack

 

Your main Weapon should be Tidefall. Its woundig damage gets boosted by high MIG and works the same as Enduring Flames and Runner's Wounding Shot: the lower it INT the better, the more MIG the better. With this setup you will do good damage already. Tidefall is the two handed weapon with the highest DPS if you have high MIG.

 

You can do 2 FoDs with +120% lash damage per encounter and Runner's Wounding Shot with +80% raw damage. If you find a Gridle of the Driving Wave you could add a Knockdown with +20% damage, too.

 

Now try to focus on the abilities which don't use INT or already have very high base durations (like Lay on Hands - still good even with dumped INT). For example, Healing Chain doesn't care about INT at all. Abjuration, too.

 

Edit: With the Ultimate Hat of Alluring Perfection (Stalwart) ypu can even reduce your INT to 1 which is perfect for wounding, Enduring Flames and Runner's Wounding Shot. At the same time you get +2 MIG and +2 CON which is decent. -2 RES, too...

Edited June 13, 2017 by Boeroer

[MasterCipher]

I love Boeroer's idea of enduring flames with low INT. I explored the idea of a DPS pally alternative to Bittercut x2 Bleak Walker, but didn't think of this at the time. Given the low INT, all your self buffs are going to be low duration, so you might want to consider bringing Pallegia (first time I've ever recommended a companion for mechanical reasons btw) for her twice/encounter haste buff and have her take exhortation of haste, coordinating attacks and wield a marking weapon (or 2). With a 2 hander, your going to want gauntlets of swift action for yourself to try to get your recovery as close to 0 as you can.

[darkphoton20@gmail.com]

Thanks, I'll definitely try those tips out. I really want to lower int even more that sounds like a great idea, and use tidefall and consider using pallegia like a couple of you mentioned. What about the rest of the allies - should I hire my own priest and make a full supporter? How do I push this dps-focused pala to the max with supports? I'm unsure of all the other class buffs to allies and like debuffs to enemies, which is why I'm asking. 

[MasterCipher]

Companions are free when you find them and start at you level. Hirelings are a 1 time expense but can only start at 1 level below your main character's level. I'm a min/max type, but it's not necessary because overall the devs did a good job balancing stats. It's a matter of preference, most on the forums seem to prefer companions for the RPG flavor. You get to pick talents, skill points, and abilities/spells for your companions, but you can't respec them or modify their attributes. If you go the hireling route, try to buy lvl 1 hirelings as soon can to save coin.

[Boeroer]

If you want to concentrate all support on your paladin's dps then as companions you want:

 

- Priest for buffing: Inspiring Radiance (stacks with Zealous Focus), Devotions of the Faithful (stacks with Insp. Radiance and Zealous Focus), Champion's Boon and so on

- Paladin for more buffing and healing: Coordinated Attacks, 1 marking weapon with Outworn Buckler or 2 marking weapons (dual wielding) - those all stack with the above. If Darcozzi then also Inspiring Liberation (stacks with all of the above, too). Lay on Hands...

- Druid: Moonwell, Form of the Delemgan, Nature's Balm and so on. Also good for CC.

- Chanter: Aefyllath Ues Mith Fyr chant (the burning lash you will receive profits from your Scion of Flame talent and thus the chant wil add a 30% lash instead of 25%). Also great for ciphers since the additional burning lash will increase focus gain.

- Cipher: CC, Pain Block, Going Between

 

Also take the Doemel questline and get The Merciless Hand talent. 

Edited June 14, 2017 by Boeroer