Paladin Power! in IWD2:EE (Class Help Guide)
Flame_Excess
Member Posts: 29
This is in reference to the Paladin according to Icewind Dale 2: Enhanced Edition that was posted here:
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/87952/icewind-dale-2-enhanced-edition-is-released/p1
Someone on Reddit asked for help, also complaining about the power balance of the Paladin:
https://www.reddit.com/r/icewinddale/comments/17yif1v/paladins_suck_iwd_2_iwd_2_ee/?rdt=62436
So this thread is meant to be a help guide to demonstrate how the paladin has been re-balanced and can in fact do wonders (now).
First, stats. The paladin is regarded as the only class which does have focused stats, but my experience with the Paladin means that I had no problem what-so-ever spreading all stats, including intelligence, even though the most obvious choice should be CHARISMA.
Before I get even deeper into Charisma-based bonuses in detail, what makes the Paladin the most powerful class is its improved SMITE EVIL feat and ability. It can deal some 200 damage with 1 hit. (You read that right.) Charisma is truly a powerhouse and the best ability one should focus on after having good armor, high saves (again with Charisma), immunities, and a powerful magical weapon. Regardless, I would advice putting 3 feat points into Improved Smite Evil as soon as possible.
Thanks to Smite Evil, my Paladin nearly single-handles the black dragon (Temple Guardian), while everybody else struggled hitting and otherwise bypassing both damage and magic resistance. Also, dealing 200 damage may not come at first, but it's eventually possible with the combination of 1: High Paladin Level, 2: Very High Charisma (20+), 3: Maxed out Improved Smite Evil feats, 4: Paladin of Mystra for extra 20% magic damage at level 11, and 5: Ring that adds 60% Smite Evil damage, with of course 6: Weapon which naturally deals high damage or has high enhancement bonus.
However, the second most powerful Paladin's special ability is the 4th-level spell called 'Duel'. It is by far the best spell - though a mix of high armor with reflect attack comes close - and works to take out mages, removing easy yet annoying targets in bigger fights, saving a party member from getting slain by an attacker, or even avoiding area spell effects.
Back to talking about stats, my paladin is the only charisma-based character, therefore I also gave it some skill points (namely diplomacy), so I needed intelligence. In my recent build, I also added the Bard class (see why below), with some Bluff and Use Magic Device, from level 1 (therefore benefiting from full level 1 skill points).
With only one Charisma-based character in the party, the skill bonus and the special racial feat of Mercantilism makes the HUMAN the best in my opinion. Other good races include the Half-Elf for Sleep immunity and higher charm resistances, and the Aasimar for its Paladin favorite class and Charisma bonus.
Then again, I chose to combine it with the 1 Bard level to effectively render my party immune to fear. (Fear immunity (Aura of Courage) Paladin level 2 + Bard Song level 1 to regain party control) However, the best class combination (or do both) is the Paladin with the Sorceror class, thus granting an extra 4x reflect attack at level 1 and access to reading scrolls. Still, Smite Evil accounting for Paladin levels, this only dilutes the class' power if too many levels are spent in the Sorceror class. (However, it is indeed counter-productive to pick the Wizard over the Sorceror which also uses Charisma as a key ability score.)
With higher saves thanks to its Charisma bonus added to them, I also focused on choosing feats (again, after picking all 3 Improved Smite Evil) into saves (Iron Will feat, etc). I have been somewhat tempted to add in Snake Blood into this, but I don't think it's worth it both for being far inferior to other saves feats, and because Mercantilism also requires another feat at level 1. (Adding Courteous Magocracy, that's a little too much to take very early.)
One of the best advantages being its immunities, and to fully maximize them, 2 druid levels (check alignment restriction: Neutral Good) for gaining Immunity to Web, Entangle, Spike; or the Ranger for Slow Poison (spell). Another possibility is running a Barbarian level to pick up more rages through feat once at higher level (and therefore gaining immunity to many more), or choosing another variant of this Paladin into a 'turner': picking both Planar Turning and Improved Turn Undead feats after picking a Cleric level grants extra turning charges.
This, of course, is only best applied if you choose the Human, Aasimar, or Half-Elf race, otherwise you will get an experience disadvantage. So by level 20, you should have: Paladin 15, Bard 1, Sorceror 1, Cleric/Barbarian 1, Druid/Ranger2. All of this is obviously optional, and one could opt well for any other build they prefer, including a pure level 20 Paladin.
Again for stats, I just split all: 14/12/14/12/14/14. However late-game, Charisma is the main stat.
14 Strength isn't an impressive number, but once at level 10-20, it doesn't make such a difference for hit purposes. Then 12 Dexterity means +1 bonus, because even the best armor doesn't provide more than +1 bonus. Even 10 would be alright. 14 Constitution means higher hit points, which are quite important. 12 Intelligence is just me trying to maximize Charisma skills onto one character, but is otherwise a dump stat. 14 Wisdom for casting 4th-level Duel spell. And finally the most important, 14 Charisma, which I start low, but put (almost) every point into thereafter (the other being Wisdom for higher level spellcasting).
All in all, that is why a HUMAN, CHARISMA-based PALADIN can be very powerful and is an excellent complement to any (good-aligned) party in IWD 2: EE.
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/87952/icewind-dale-2-enhanced-edition-is-released/p1
Someone on Reddit asked for help, also complaining about the power balance of the Paladin:
https://www.reddit.com/r/icewinddale/comments/17yif1v/paladins_suck_iwd_2_iwd_2_ee/?rdt=62436
So this thread is meant to be a help guide to demonstrate how the paladin has been re-balanced and can in fact do wonders (now).
First, stats. The paladin is regarded as the only class which does have focused stats, but my experience with the Paladin means that I had no problem what-so-ever spreading all stats, including intelligence, even though the most obvious choice should be CHARISMA.
Before I get even deeper into Charisma-based bonuses in detail, what makes the Paladin the most powerful class is its improved SMITE EVIL feat and ability. It can deal some 200 damage with 1 hit. (You read that right.) Charisma is truly a powerhouse and the best ability one should focus on after having good armor, high saves (again with Charisma), immunities, and a powerful magical weapon. Regardless, I would advice putting 3 feat points into Improved Smite Evil as soon as possible.
Thanks to Smite Evil, my Paladin nearly single-handles the black dragon (Temple Guardian), while everybody else struggled hitting and otherwise bypassing both damage and magic resistance. Also, dealing 200 damage may not come at first, but it's eventually possible with the combination of 1: High Paladin Level, 2: Very High Charisma (20+), 3: Maxed out Improved Smite Evil feats, 4: Paladin of Mystra for extra 20% magic damage at level 11, and 5: Ring that adds 60% Smite Evil damage, with of course 6: Weapon which naturally deals high damage or has high enhancement bonus.
However, the second most powerful Paladin's special ability is the 4th-level spell called 'Duel'. It is by far the best spell - though a mix of high armor with reflect attack comes close - and works to take out mages, removing easy yet annoying targets in bigger fights, saving a party member from getting slain by an attacker, or even avoiding area spell effects.
Back to talking about stats, my paladin is the only charisma-based character, therefore I also gave it some skill points (namely diplomacy), so I needed intelligence. In my recent build, I also added the Bard class (see why below), with some Bluff and Use Magic Device, from level 1 (therefore benefiting from full level 1 skill points).
With only one Charisma-based character in the party, the skill bonus and the special racial feat of Mercantilism makes the HUMAN the best in my opinion. Other good races include the Half-Elf for Sleep immunity and higher charm resistances, and the Aasimar for its Paladin favorite class and Charisma bonus.
Then again, I chose to combine it with the 1 Bard level to effectively render my party immune to fear. (Fear immunity (Aura of Courage) Paladin level 2 + Bard Song level 1 to regain party control) However, the best class combination (or do both) is the Paladin with the Sorceror class, thus granting an extra 4x reflect attack at level 1 and access to reading scrolls. Still, Smite Evil accounting for Paladin levels, this only dilutes the class' power if too many levels are spent in the Sorceror class. (However, it is indeed counter-productive to pick the Wizard over the Sorceror which also uses Charisma as a key ability score.)
With higher saves thanks to its Charisma bonus added to them, I also focused on choosing feats (again, after picking all 3 Improved Smite Evil) into saves (Iron Will feat, etc). I have been somewhat tempted to add in Snake Blood into this, but I don't think it's worth it both for being far inferior to other saves feats, and because Mercantilism also requires another feat at level 1. (Adding Courteous Magocracy, that's a little too much to take very early.)
One of the best advantages being its immunities, and to fully maximize them, 2 druid levels (check alignment restriction: Neutral Good) for gaining Immunity to Web, Entangle, Spike; or the Ranger for Slow Poison (spell). Another possibility is running a Barbarian level to pick up more rages through feat once at higher level (and therefore gaining immunity to many more), or choosing another variant of this Paladin into a 'turner': picking both Planar Turning and Improved Turn Undead feats after picking a Cleric level grants extra turning charges.
This, of course, is only best applied if you choose the Human, Aasimar, or Half-Elf race, otherwise you will get an experience disadvantage. So by level 20, you should have: Paladin 15, Bard 1, Sorceror 1, Cleric/Barbarian 1, Druid/Ranger2. All of this is obviously optional, and one could opt well for any other build they prefer, including a pure level 20 Paladin.
Again for stats, I just split all: 14/12/14/12/14/14. However late-game, Charisma is the main stat.
14 Strength isn't an impressive number, but once at level 10-20, it doesn't make such a difference for hit purposes. Then 12 Dexterity means +1 bonus, because even the best armor doesn't provide more than +1 bonus. Even 10 would be alright. 14 Constitution means higher hit points, which are quite important. 12 Intelligence is just me trying to maximize Charisma skills onto one character, but is otherwise a dump stat. 14 Wisdom for casting 4th-level Duel spell. And finally the most important, 14 Charisma, which I start low, but put (almost) every point into thereafter (the other being Wisdom for higher level spellcasting).
All in all, that is why a HUMAN, CHARISMA-based PALADIN can be very powerful and is an excellent complement to any (good-aligned) party in IWD 2: EE.
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