Neverwinter Nights Paladin Character Guide Version 1.2 By Scott Steubing gruedragon@hotmail.com =============================================================================== 0.0 TABLE OF CONTENTS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Why play a Paladin? 1.2 Advantages 1.3 Disadvantages 1.4 Paladin Types 2.0 RACES 3.0 ABILITY SCORES 4.0 SKILLS 4.1 Critical Skills 4.2 General Skills 4.3 Worthless Skills 5.0 FEATS 5.1 Paladin Feats 5.2 General Feats 5.3 Feats to Avoid 6.0 MULTICLASSING 7.0 HENCHMEN 7.1 What to look for in a Henchman 7.2 NWN Henchmen 7.3 SoU Henchmen 8.0 SPELLS 9.0 EQUIPMENT 9.1 Armor 9.2 Other Clothing (Cloaks, Boots, Belts, Gloves) 9.3 Jewelry (Rings and Necklaces) 9.4 Helms and Shields 9.5 Weapons 10.0 TACTICS 11.0 MISCELLANEOUS 11.1 Copyright Notice 11.2 Credits and Thansk 11.3 Revision History 11.4 Paladin Guide Locations =============================================================================== 1.0 INTRODUCTION =============================================================================== 1.1 What is a Paladin? Why play a Paladin? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Paladin is a holy warrior, a champion of their deity, dedicated to combating evil in all its forms. They combine the martial prowess of a Fighter, the spell casting of a Cleric and the spirituality of a Monk. In short, Paladins kick butt. :) Yes, Paladins are Lawful Good. But Lawful Good does not mean Lawful Stupid. Nor are Paladins holier-than-thou stick in the muds. Paladins provide a rich role- playing experience. Paladins are holy and good, but that doesn't mean they're Polyanna. Like any character, a Paladin can have character flaws, only a Paladin is constantly striving to overcome their flaws. A Paladin typically has a high Charisma. They could very well be as attractive and loved as the typical Bard, a far cry from the stereotypical humorless, one- dimensional, holier-than-thou Paladin. Finally, to play a Paladin requires certain state of mind. To do good simply for the sake of doing good, without any hope of reward. To help the oppressed and the innocent, and to fight evil wherever it may be. The rewards of playing a Paladin go beyond the gold and magical items you get when going on quests. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1.2 Advantages ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Paladinds get 1d10 Hit Points per level, and use the Fighter Attack Bonus progression. They have access to all armor, including shields, and simple and martial weapons. They can cast some divine spells, and receive many other special abilities. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1.3 Disadvantages ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Paladins only get 2+Int bonus skill points per level. They have demanding ability requirements. They have to be Lawful Good and live up to a certain standard. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1.4 Paladin Types ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The typical Paladin has balanced ability scores. No part of the Paladin life is neglected, be it combat, spellcasting, or fighting the Undead. But one Paladin does not need to be a carbon copy of every other Paladin; there's plenty of room for a Paladin to specialize in one thing or another. A Holy Warrior would have lower Wisdom, sacrificing their spellcasting ability for better martial prowess. They might have a lower Charisma, but that would negatively impact Smite Evil and Divine Might. Since they won't be casting spells, they could multiclass and get 4 levels of Fighter to pick up Weapon Specialization. A Diplomat may be an untraditional role, but given the Paladin's Charisma it is a role they could easily excell at. They focus on Persuade, and possibly Taunt. Their Strength and Constitution may be lower, but they may have to rely on the sword when words fail. A better name for this type of Paladin may be Inquisitor, but I don't like the negative connotations of that word. The Undead Hunter also has high Charisma, but instead of using it to win friends and influence people, he uses it to smite the Undead. An Undead Hunter would be well served taking a level of Cleric and choosing the Sun Domain to boost their Turn Undead ability. Their weapons of choice would be the mace and the warhammer, and other blunt weapons. =============================================================================== 2.0 RACES =============================================================================== Human - Quite possibly the best choice for a Paladin. The extra skill points helps compensate for the Paladin's lack, and the extra Feat always helps. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dwarf - The -2 Charisma hurts. A Dwarven Paladin would never be a good Diplomat or Undead Hunter, though a Holy Warrior could be doable. The -2 Charisma still hurts, though. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Elf - The -2 Constitution hurts, though not as bad as a Dwarf's -2 to Charisma does. Still, the Elf special abilities do not complement the Paladin class. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gnome - The -2 Strength and small stature makes Gnomes unsuited for great warriors, though they do get +2 Constitution. But there is more to being a Paladin than being a great warrior. A Gnome Paladin could make a good Diplomat. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Half-Elf - While a Half-Elf has no major weaknesses or strengths, their special abilities don't complement the Paladin class at all. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Half-Orc - See entry under Dwarf. And given the Paladin's low number of skill points, the -2 Intelligence hurts as well. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Halfling - Similar to Gnomes, except they trade the +2 Constitution for +2 Dexterity, a bad trade-off for a Paladin. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In summary, Humans make the best Paladins, followed by Half-Elves, Elves, Gnomes, Halflings, Dwarves and Half-Orcs, in that order. =============================================================================== 3.0 ABILITY SCORES =============================================================================== Paladins, like all classes, have only a limited number of points to spend on their ability scores, but unlike most classes, they need good scores in four abilities: Strength, Constitution, Wisdom and Charisma. Luckily these demanding ability requirements can be met without sacrificing Dexterity and Intelligence. Keep in mind that ability score boni are increased only for *even* ability scores; however, Feat ability score requirements are always *odd* numbers. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Strength - Needed for the melee Attack Bonus as well as damage. As a frontline Fighter, a Paladin needs at least a 14 here, and I would go no lower than 13. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dexterity - Gives a bonus to AC (depending on the type of armor you have on), and influences Reflex Saves. As a Paladin will be wearing heavy armor much of the time, I would raise Dex no higher than 12. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Constitution - Influences Hit Points and Fortitude Saves. Needed As a frontline Fighter, a Paladin should have least a 14 here, though you could go lower in a pinch. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Intelligence - The least important ability for a Paladin. I would put it at 10, no lower, as Paladins need all the skill points they can get. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wisdom - Influences spellcasting ability and Will Saves. As Paladin spell levels go only up to level 4, there's no reason to raise Wisdom past 14. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Charisma - Influences many Paladin abilties: Divine Grace, Lay on Hands, Smite Evil, Turn Undead, Divine Might and Divine Shield. I'd put at least 14 here, possibly higher if you can afford to. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A nice, balanced, ability score spread for a Paladin would be: Str 14, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 14. At character level 4, 8, 12, 16 and 18, you get to raise one ability one point. The obvious candidates for a Paladin are Strength and Charisma. Also keep in mind that Paladins get both Bull's Strength and Eagle's Spendor, so they can increase their own Strength and Charisma for a limited time. Plus, there are several items available in NWN that increase Strength and Charisma. See section 9 for more details. Barry Ukrainetz says: "However, the way I envision it, at levels 4,8,12,16,20 raise your Con instead of Str or Cha. Typically Str can be bought, found, or cast. Same with Cha. But Con usually can't. Raising it will make him the proverbial immovable object! At level 16, with Bull's Strength and Eagle's Splendor cast on himself, he'll have a Str of 16-19, Con of 18, and a Cha of 16-19. And that's without any other equipment. Now that's tough! Let's see a Fighter have those kinds of stats! "The reason why I speculate that would be more effective than strength is that between Bull's Strength, a Girdle of Giant Strength, and Gauntlets of Ogre Power, a Paladin's 14 strength is bound to go to 24 sooner or later anyway. Throw in a Holy Avenger, Divine Might, Divine Favor (the spell), Bless, Prayer, and you already have so many damn plusses that you lose track! Whether or not you add another 1 or 2 to that total, although beneficial, becomes irrelevant at least when compared to the extra 20 or 40 hit points you could have had by planting the extra points into Constitution! Given the choice, an extra +1 or +2 to hit/damage or an extra 20-40 hit points, I'll take the hit points (to mention nothing of the plusses to the Fort save!)" =============================================================================== 4.0 SKILLS =============================================================================== All skills marked with an astrick (*) are class skills. In Shadows of Undrentide, Discipline is now a class skill for Paladins. Keep in mind that Paladins are severely lacking in skill points, leaving you no room to waste them. So choose wisely. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4.1 Critical Skills ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Discipline - It's been said that Discipline is a required skill only because BioWare implemented it. Regardless, Discipline can be very helpful in resisting Knockdown and Called Shots, as well as Disarm attempts. Now that it is a class skill for Paladins, there's one less reason to multiclass to Fighter. *Persuade - While Persuade isn't used all that much in user-created modules, this skill is a necessity in the original OC and SoU. It plays up to the Diplomat aspect of the Paladin; if you don't want to emphasize that aspect, give Persuade a pass. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4.2 General Skills ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Heal - Depending on who you ask, Heal can either be required or useless. In both the original OC and SoU, as well as most user-made modules, full healing is no further away than the Rest button. However, in both the OC and SoU, Healing Kits are plentiful, as are potions. In combat, healing potions are better, but Healing Kits are better outside of combat. Before you spend too many points on this skill, keep in mind that Heal can be used untrained, and you always Take 20 when outside of Combat. So a high rank isn't all that important, unless you're counting on Heal to cure poison or disease. *Lore - 100 gold to identify an item is cheap, though it can be helpful to be able to identify a weapon or armor when out in the field. In SoU, Lore also has other uses than merely identifying items, so don't ignore Lore entirely. *Taunt - I've never used Taunt in combat, so I can't vouch for how effective it is. It does seem to be a bit un-Paladin like to me. Appraise - If this was a class skill, I'd say go for it, especially early on. But in both the OC and SoU, you end up with more gold than you know what to do with, with precious little to spend it on. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4.3 Worthless Skills ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Animal Empathy, Perform and Use Magic Device are all unavailable to Paladins without multiclassing. *Concentration - Paladins won't be casting many spells in combat, and being Taunted is quite rare, if it ever happens. Disable Trap, Set Trap, Craft Trap - Paladins have too few skill points to properly develop these skills. Hide, Move Silently - Virtually useless while wearing Heavy Armor. Listen, Search, Spot - Paladins have too few skill points to properly develop these non-class skills. Open Lock - Paladins are much better served by bashing chests and doors open than wasting skill points here. *Parry - The usefulness of Parry is debatable. Regardless of which side of the debate you come down on, a Paladin usually wears Heavy Armor, and given that armor check penalties apply, Parry is simply not that good of a option. Paul Jennings says: "And, about what you said about the parry skill, I think it's pretty usefull early on. early in the game, enemies tend not to miss much when they take a swing at you, and having a shield in one hand and being able to parry with your other hand's weapon helps stop about half of the blows that would hit." Pick Pocket - Just about the most un-Paladin skill there is. Spellcraft - Paladins don't have enough spells to be able to counterspell, and thanks to Divine Grace they don't need the bonus to their saving throws versus spells. Tumble - This could be useful in avoiding Attack of Opportunity. However, it's a non-class skill and based on Dexterity, so a Paladin will never get this skill up to useful levels. =============================================================================== 5.0 FEATS =============================================================================== While Paladins get a lot of specialized Feats for their first three levels, they only get the usual Feats at levels 1, 3, 6, 9, 15 and 18 to use on other Feats. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.1 Paladin Feats ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Granted at 1st level: Armor Proficiency: All, plus Shields - Thanks to their low Dexterity scores, Paladins do not do well in Light Armor. Weapon Proficiency: Simple and Martial - The only weapons Paladins do not have access to are Exotic. Divine Grace - Your Charisma bonus is added to your saving throws. Divine Health - Paladins are immune to disease. Lay on Hands - Once a day, Paladins can heal their Charisma bonus times their level points of damage. It's not much at the early levels, but can be better than a healing potion or kit later on. Granted at 2nd level: Aura of Courage - Paladins are immune to fear Smite Evil - Once a day Paladins can add their Charisma bonus to his attack roll and Paladin level to damage. Keep in mind that just because someone is hostile to you, doesn't mean they're evil. Granted at 3rd level: Turn Undead - Paladins can Turn Undead, like a Cleric 2 levels lower, three times a day plus their Charisma bonus Remove Disease - Once a day, Paladins can cure a companion of disease. (Being immune to disease themselves, Paladins don't need to use this on themselves.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.2 General Feats ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cleave - Gives an extra attack on an adjacent opponent when you cause enough damage to kill an opponent. Very nice when you're surrounded. Extra Turning - With how easy it is to rest, the usefulness of this Feat is debatable. But with both Divine Might and Divine Shield using Turn Undead charges, this Feat almost becomes a necessity. Knockdown - Being able to knock an opponent down on their ass can be very useful, but given the limited number of Feats a Paladin has, you might not have the luxory of being able to pick this one. Power Attack - Before SoU, this was useful only for bashing locked doors and chests, and for the occasional low-AC, high-HP monster. With SoU, this is required for Divine Might and Divine Shield, making this a necessity. Toughness - The extra HP per level is like an extra +2 Con. Conventional wisdom says to take it as soon as possible, to take full advantage of it. I say take since Toughness is retroactive, take it as late as possible, unless you enjoy rerolling your HP ad nauseum every level up. Blind Fight - I'm not entirely sure how useful this is, but I've been blinded or under darkness so much when playing SoU, that I get this every time now. Divine Might - Adds your Charimsa bonus to your damage for a number of turns equal to your Cha bonus. Not that great early on, when your Cha isn't all that high and you only get one attack per round. But in the later levels, Divine Might can be very useful. There are two things to keep in mind, however. SoU 1.30 has a bug where if your Cha bonus is +6, the actual damage bonus is 1d4; +7 is 1d6, +8 1d8, etc. This should be fixed in 1.31. Also, if try to activate Divine Might and your character gets to make an Attack of Opportunity on someone, Divine Might won't activate. Divine Might uses Turn Undead charges, so it might not be the wisest choice in an area teeming with the Undead. Divine Shield - Works like Divine Might, except it adds your Charisma bonus to your AC, and it doesn't have the Cha bonus over +5 bug. Like Divine Might, Attacks of Opportunity will cancel activation, and it uses Turn Undead charges. Great Cleave - Works like Cleave, only it is usable multiple times per turn. I used to think this feat was the greatest, but I misunderstood how it worked. This feat works best when you're surrounded by monsters you can easily kill in one hit. IOW, when you don't really need it. To take the best advantage of Great Cleave, you need to wield a high-damage weapon, to better ensure you get one-hit kills. Silver Palm - Can only be taken at 1st level. Plays up to the Diplomat aspect of the Paladin, though given the limited number of Feats a Paladin can take, you might not be able to afford it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.3 Feats to Avoid ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Artist, Blooded, Bullheaded, Courteous Magocracy, Thug - These Feats are only available to 1st level characters, and most of them aren't applicable to Paladins, nor to they play to their strengths. Extra Music, Lingering Song - These Feats are available only to Bards. Ambidexterity, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Stunning Fist, Circle Kick, Extra Stunning Attacks, Spring Attack - Paladins generally do not have the Dexterity required for these Feats. Disarm, Improved Disarm, Improved Knockdown, Improved Parry, Expertise, Improved Expertise - Paladins generally do not have the Intelligence required for these Feats. Combat Casting, Empower Spell, Extend Spell, Maximize Spell, Quicken Spell, Silent Spell, Spell Focus, Spell Penetration, Still Spell, Greater Spell Focus, Greater Spell Penetration - While Paladins can cast spells, they are not Wizards or Sorcerers. Give these a pass. Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Arcane Defense, Luck of Heroes, Resist Poison, Snake Blood, Strong Soul - Thanks to Divine Grace, a Paladin generally has very good saves, so these Feats are not as necessary as they might be for other classes. Improved Critical, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization - In my opinion, Paladins are best served by using whatever the best weapon they can find or buy. They don't have enough Feat slots to focus on a single weapon type. The only exception is if the campaign or module has a Holy Avenger available. Alertness - Neither Listen or Spot are class skills. Improved Power Attack - While Power Attack is useful for SoU Paladins, Improved Power Attack is as useless as it's always been. Improved Unarmed Strike - Paladins are not Monks. Skill Focus - Pre-SoU, getting Skill Focus for Discipline may have been worth it. Otherwise, give this one a miss. Two-Weapon Fighting - Without Ambidexterity, this Feat is next to useless. Weapon Finesse - Paladins generally don't have the Dexterity to make this Feat work properly. Weapon Proficiency Exotic - While Bastard Swords and Katanas are great one- handed weapons, Paladins do not have enough available Feat slots to make this worth while, IMO. Dirty Fighting - You give up all extra attacks for an extra 1d4 damage. Divine Might is better in every way. Besides, what type of Paladin would fight dirty? Improved Initiative - I'm unsure what effect initiative has on NWN. Due to the few available Feat slots, I'd give this one a pass. Rapid Reload - Most Paladins won't be using ranged weapons, given their low Dex scores. Resist Disease - Paladins are immune to disease already. Resistance to Energy - Could be useful, but there are other Feats I'd rather get instead. Stealthy - As if a Paladin in full plate, tower shield and wielding a glowing weapon could be stealthy. Zen Archery - This could make ranged combat viable for Paladins given their Wisdom scores. However, I don't think Paladins have enough Feat slots to make it worth while. =============================================================================== 6.0 MULTICLASSING =============================================================================== Paladins do not multiclass well. They gain benefits throughout all 20 levels, and many of their abilities are dependent upon level. However, Paladins are fairly front loaded, making a level or two a good investment for some classes, and some classes can benefit a Paladin if you don't mind sacrificing some of the Paladin's meager spell casting abilities. Paladins cannot multiclass with either Barbarian, Bard or Druid, due to alignment restrictions. Any character with a moderate to high Charisma could do well to take a level or two of Paladin. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6.1 Paladin/Cleric ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A 19/1 Paladin/Cleric can be a very effective Undead Hunter. Taking the Sun Domain give a big boost to the Turn Undead ability, and other domains can extend Turn Undead to work on Elementals, Constructs and Vermin. A 19/1 Cleric/Paladin with moderate to high Charisma gets a nice boost to their saving throws, with only a slight delay in spellcasting, as well as access to martial weapons and the chance to get Discipline as a class skill. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6.2 Paladin/Fighter ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- With Discipline being a Paladin class skill as of SoU, the only reason for a Paladin to take multiclass to Fighter is for the bonus Feats and Weapon Specialization. Keep in mind that SoU has fixed the requirements for Weapon Specialization, so you need a full four levels of Fighter. A 16/4 Paladin/Fighter, with Weapon Specialization, makes a good Holy Warrior, only sacrificing some spellcasting ability. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6.3 Paladin/Monk ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Monk is another class that does not multiclass well. Taking a single level of Monk gives Cleave for free (though not Power Attack, so the usefulness of this is doubtful), Evasion, and your Wisdom bonus applying to your AC when not wearing Armor. In other words, you don't gain that much. Six levels of Monk gives Knockdown and Improved Knockdown, but that sacrifices too many Paladin levels, IMO. Given the Monk's saving throws, taking a level of Paladin for Divine Grace isn't worth it, especially considering the Charisma of the typical Monk. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6.4 Paladin/Ranger ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you must dual wield, and don't mind sacrificing Charisma for Dexterity, then go ahead and take a level of Ranger. Otherwise, the Ranger class has very little to offer the Paladin. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6.5 Paladin/Rogue ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This is a rather controversial multiclassing option. First, there's the question of whether or not a Rogue can or should be Lawful Good, then there's those Rogue skills and abilties like Sneak Attack and Open Lock that are questionable for a Paladin. But Rogues are not necessarily thieves. I see a Paladin/Rogue as being an inquisitor/investigator, much like the Divine Seeker Prestige Class in the PnP Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting. A level of Shadowdancer would also compliment this multiclass. Taking three levels of Rogue gets the Paladin Evasion and Uncanny Dodge. A Paladin/Rogue would most likely sacrifice Strength for Dexterity, and possibly Constitution for Intelligence, making Halfings or Elves good choices. Taking a level of Rogue would make it easy to get the necessary ranks in Hide if you wish to go the fallen Paladin/Blackguard route. (Thanks to Andre Prasetya). In any case, a Paladin/Rogue would do best if they started out as a Rogue instead of a Paladin, to take advantage of the Rogue's starting skill points. For the more diplomatic Rogue, taking a level or two of Paladin grants Divine Grace, heavy armor (which probably wouldn't be worn anyway), martial weapons, and Discipline as a class skill. However, taking a level of Fighter instead would better serve most Rogues. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6.6 Paladin/Sorcerer ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Given the Sorcerer's reliance on Charisma for their spellcasting, taking a level of Paladin, or even starting out as a Paladin, is a very good idea. Just make sure to hotkey your armor, or take the Still Spell Feat. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6.7 Paladin/Wizard ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Given the Wizard's reliance on Intelligence, it is difficult to pull off a Paladin/Wizard multiclass. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6.8 Prestige Classes ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It is difficult, if not impossible, for a Paladin to qualify for the follow Prestige Classes: Arcane Archer, Assassin and Shadowdancer. However, a level of Shadowdancer would compliment the above mentioned Paladin/Rogue investigator very well. A Paladin can become a Harper Scout, as Search is the only required skill that's a non-class skill, and only 4 ranks are needed, though it can be tough for a Paladin to get the required Alertness and Iron Will. However, Harper Scout complements Bards and Rogues much more than it complements Paladins. If you want to roleplay a fallen Paladin, the Blackguard is an interesting choice. I do find the requirement of 5 ranks in Hide to be odd, as chances are it'll never be used, but adding a level or three of Rogue can take care of that, as well as adding a Sneak Attack that stacks well with the Blackguard's Sneak Attack. =============================================================================== 7.0 HENCHMEN =============================================================================== 7.1 What to look for in a Henchman ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Regardless of your class, the key to picking a good henchmen is finding one that complements your character. If you are a frontline fighter, you need someone who can handle traps and pick locks. If you're a physically weak mage, you need a good, strong fighter to tank for you. And so on. Since you run only a single character in NWN and SoU, and can have only one henchmen, chances are you won't be able to have a fighter and a thief and a healer and a mage. Luckily, you happen to be a Paladin, and thus can fill multiple roles yourself, namely that of the fighter and healer. Therefore, you need to fill just the thief and mage roles. Since you can have only one henchmen at a time, I would concentrate on filling the thief role, at least until you start to hit the mid-levels. By then you should be able to bash any lock and you should have enough hit points to survive springing any traps. Another thing to keep in mind in the original OC is that each henchmen will give you an item and XP if you complete their quest. It is to your benefit to hire all the henchmen to get their items and XP, returning to your henchmen of choice for adventuring. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7.2 Original Neverwinter Nights Henchmen ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Boddyknock Glinckle, Gnomish Sorcerer - I haven't had much personal experience with Boddyknock, though I can confirm that his AI leaves much to be desired. Not the best choice for a companion. However, Boddyknock's item, the Lantonese Ring, grants Regeneration and a Charisma bonus, making it very useful for a Paladin. Daelan Red Tiger, Half-Orc Barbarian - Being a Barbarian, Daelan is not the best choice for a companion. You can do anything he does better. However, his Amulet of the Red Tiger Tribe does grant a bonus to Strength, even though its Immunity to Fear is redudant for you. Grimgnaw, Dwarven Monk - It is debatable whether a Paladin would even associate with a Monk of the Long Death. Regardless, what can be said for Daelan can also be said for Grimgnaw. His Amulet of the Long Death grants a Constitution bonus and Spell Resistance. Linu La'neral, Elven Cleric - Her clumsiness isn't apparent out in the field, where she can generally hold her own in a fight. Linu is very useful when facing hordes of undead (though being a Paladin, you aren't a slouch yourself), but her AI when casting spells sometimes leaves something to be desired. With some judacious resting to ensure she has her spells when you need them, Linu can really kick butt. Linu has a great personality and some funny stories, and is a good choice for a companion, but not the best choice. Male characters can even pursue a romance with her if you want. Her item is the Pendant of the Elf, which grants Darkvision and a Dexterity bonus, not the most useful item for a Paladin. Sharwyn, Human Bard - She can also unlock a few chests, but is useless against traps. Her spellcasting AI is about as bad as Boddyknocks. Not the best choice for a companion. Male Paladins probably have the Charisma to successfully pursue a romance with Sharwyn, if you can put up with her. Her Belt of the Performer grants a Charisma bonus, but there are probably other belts you'd rather wear. Tomi Undergallows, Halfling Rogue - While a Rogue may seem an odd choice for a Paladin to pick, Tomi is probably the best choice for a companion, at least early on when it's hard to bash locks and the traps can easily kill you. He has a great personality and stories. Tomi is rather fragile, so either protect him or set him to use his ranged attack. His Ring of the Rogue doesn't do you a bit of good. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7.3 Shadows of Undrentide Henchmen ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shadows of Undrentide adds henchmen inventory control (hopefully to be added to the original OC via a future patch), which greatly increases their usefulness. Deekin Scalesinger, Kobold Bard - Deekin isn't available as a henchmen until the Interlude, but by then he's probably the best choice. Easily the funniest henchmen ever, and the best personality, even beating out Linu and Tomi in that department. Very fragile, you do not want Deekin on the frontlines at all. Deekin is best used hanging back using his crossbow, bardsong and spells. Deekin can multiclass as a Rogue, though he won't put any points in Open Lock. Dorna Trapspringer, Dwarven Rogue/Cleric - A very useful companion. You can tell Dorna to focus on either the Rogue or Cleric class; otherwise she'll level up in both classes, which may be the best choice. SoU doesn't have near the traps or locks the original OC had, and in the Interlude you find an item that disarms traps three times a day, so there's no need to hold on to Dorna past Chapter 1. Xanos Messarmos, Half-Orc Sorcerer/Barbarian - I have no personal experience with Xanos, disliking his personality. As a Sorcerer, he has the caster AI problems, and as a Barbarian he makes a poor tank, as he still insists on casting his level 1 Sorcerer spells. =============================================================================== 8.0 SPELLS =============================================================================== Paladins have access to a limited amount of spells, mainly in the protection and healing areas. They are not suited for casting spells in combat, and have no direct damage spells anyway. See the in-game descriptions for what each spell does and their duration. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8.1 Level 1 Spells ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bless - Readily available via potions and the Scabbard of Blessing. But if you want to use your few spell slots on this, it will probably last longer than the potion will. Cure Light Wounds - While a Paladin can make a good secondary healer, they have two few spell slots to match a Cleric. Lay on Hands is much better. Endure Elements - The best level 1 spell, IMHO. The spell to cast when facing spell casters, or when tripping a trap. Resistance - It can help another party member, but the Paladin usually doesn't need it, thanks to Divine Grace. Virtue - Just about the most useless spell in NWN, IMHO. Protection from Alignment - This can be useful. Keep in mind that the AC bonus is a Deflection bonus, and thus doesn't stack with other Deflection boni. Divine Favor - An improved Bless. Very short duration, though. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8.2 Level 2 Spells ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Aid - Like Bless, it is readily available via potions. Bull's Strength - Excellent spell, especially considering that a Paladin's Strength usually isn't as high as a Fighter of the same level. Remove Paralysis - Too bad you can't cast this on yourself... Resist Elements - At first glance it looks better than Endure Elements, but the duration is really short. I prefer Endure Elements, as it's a cast-and- forget spell. Eagle's Splendor - Another excellent spell. Aura of Glory - Useful only in specific situations and if you're in a party. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8.3 Level 3 Spells ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cure Moderate Wounds - See Cure Light Wounds. Dispel Magic - I'd much rather bash a monster with my weapon than try to dispell their enchantments. Prayer - Bless on steroids. Possibly my favorite Paladin spell. Short duration, but a single casting should take you thru most combats. Remove Blindness/Deafness - I've never had a reason to cast this, especially with the Blind Fight feat. Magic Circle Against Alignment - See Protection from Alignment. The in-game duration is listed as 1 hour/level, but my experience shows it to be more like 1 round/level. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8.4 Level 4 Spells ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cure Serious Wounds - See Cure Light Wounds. This one may be worth taking. Death Ward - Possibly the most useful 4th level spell. Freedom of Movement - Nice if you're Entangled or Webbed, but Freedom is easy to get via items. Neutralize Poison - By the time you can cast this, Antidote poitions, Neutral Poison scrolls and Healing Kits should be plentiful. =============================================================================== 9.0 EQUIPMENT =============================================================================== 9.1 Armor ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Paladins can wear all armor (with the exception of the Monk robes). They should wear the best armor they can find or buy. The only reason to go for a lower AC armor is because it offers something else your other equipment doesn't, and that you can't live without. In D&D and NWN, every point of AC counts. Some armor to keep an eye out for: In the original OC, the Armor of Comfort can be found in the Beggar's Nest. And the Red Dragon Armor is the well deserved reward upon beating one of the toughest bosses, if not the toughest, in the game. Early on in SoU, Paladins can get the Valiant Armor, as well as the Valiant Defender (tower shield) and Valiant Helm. The Valiant Armor is very nice, though it weighs a lot ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9.2 Other Clothing (Cloaks, Boots, Belts, Gloves) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The best cloaks for a Paladin are Cloaks of Fortification (+1 to +3) and Nymph Cloaks (+1 to +5 Charisma). I personally think a Cloak of Fortification is a better choice than a Nymph Cloak, given the numerous other ways a Paladin can increase their Charisma. For boots, early on Boots of Hardiness (+1 to +3) are the best choice, though Boots of Striding (+1 to +5) are a nice second choice. My favorite boots, however, are Boots of Speed. The best belt for a Paladin is a Belt of Giant Strength, and the best gloves are Gauntlets of Ogre Power. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9.3 Jewelry (Rings and Necklaces) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For rings, there's really only two choices: a Ring of Resistance (+1 to +3) and Boddyknock's Lantonese Ring (+1 to +4 Charisma and Regeneration). A (Lesser) Ring of Power is a good second choice, though the elemental resistance isn't as needed thanks to the spell Endure Elements. For the amulet slot, Daelan's Amulet of the Red Tiger Tribe (+1 to +4 Strength) is a good choice. Outside the original OC, a Talisman of Pure Good (+3 Wisdom, +3 Charisma, Spell Resistance) is an excellent choice. An Amulet of Natural Armor or Periapt of Wisdom (both +1 to +5) are also good choices. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9.4 Helms and Shields ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For helms, a (Greater) Mask of Persuasion (+1 to +2 Charisma) is a good choice, though I prefer the Immunity to Mind Affect Spells and Spell Resistance of a Golden Circlet. As for shields, the best shield bar none is Hastsezini's Shield, a +5 Tower Shield usable only by Lawful characters. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9.5 Weapons ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For a weapon you want to choose any medium or larger weapon. I don't recommend being tied down to one specific weapon type by getting Weapon Focus or Weapon Specialization. A Paladin should use the best weapon he can find or buy. Generally, a Paladin can't afford to get Exotic Weapon Proficiency, though you may find worth it so you can use a Bastard Sword or Katana. In the original OC, the Drone Morningstar +4 is probably the best one-handed weapon available that a Paladin can use. SoU has a Holy Avenger. Againsted the undead, the Mace of Disruption (available in +2 and +5 varieties) is an excellent choice. The choice to use a one-handed weapon and a shield or a two-handed weapon is up to you. It basically comes down to whether or not you want to sacrifice AC for damage. All I can recommend is try both styles out and see which one you like best. =============================================================================== 10.0 TACTICS =============================================================================== This is a general tactics section, rather than "How to beat such-and-such a monster." If you want something like that, there are plenty of walkthrus available for both NWN and SoU that go into a lot more depth than I can here. For the most part, a Paladin's tactics are similiar to a Fighter's, only the Paladin has the benefit of his spells. As a Paladin has to prepare his spells ahead of time, and since he has only a limited number of spell slots, knowing what you're getting into before hand can be helpful. When playing multiplayer, allow the party's Rogue to scout around. Singleplayer, see one of the aforementioned walkthrus. In my opinion, there are three spells a Paladin should have going at all times. The first is Endure Elements. That spell is great when facing spellcasters, plus it can save your life when tripping a trap. The next two are Bull's Strength and Eagle's Splendor, to boost your Strength and Charisma. If you don't have an item that grants a Deflection AC bonus, such as a Cloak of Fortification, Protection from Evil is also a good spell to have going. In actual combat, typical Fighter strategy, coupled with some common sense, will save the day. When surrounded, if you're using a two-handed weapon, switch to a one-handed weapon and shield. You need the AC more than you need the extra damage. Activating Divine Shield, if you have it, is also a good idea. Backing into a doorway, a wall or a corner, to reduce the number of immediate opponents, is also a good idea. When facing a melee boss and his pack, take out the weaker underlings first. If facing a spellcasting boss, take him out first. Pause the game, if you must, and evaluate the situation, and target the greater threats first. I'd probably target Rogues first (because of their Sneak Attacks), spellcasters, then melee, then any ranged attackers. One point bears repeating: Pause the game. The pause hotkey (default is the Space Bar), is your friend. PnP D&D isn't real-time, and there's no reason why you should treat NWN as a real-time click-fest either. Finally, when going up against low-AC, high-HP creatures, such as Dire Wolves, Power Attack can be your best friend. =============================================================================== 11.0 MISCELLANEUS =============================================================================== 11.1 Copyright Notice ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The text of this guide is Copyright(c) 2003 by Scott Steubing. Neverwinter Nights is Copyright(c) by BioWare and Atari. Dungeons & Dragons is Copyright(c) by Wizards of the Coast. Do not copy, duplicate or distribute this guide, or any part of it, without permission of the author. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11.2 Credits and Thanks ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks to: Doug, for getting me interested in Paladins. Rich Burton, for his excellent Paladin module, Twilight, which really showed me what a Paladin can do. Ross Glenn and Eddi LaRusic, whose Rogue and Monk Guides, respectively, influenced the layout of this guide. BioWare, for making such a great game. Floodgate, for making such a great expansion. GameFAQs, for hosting this guide. Paul Jennings, for his comments on the Parry skill. Barry Ukrainetz, for his thoughts on raising Constitution, as well as many other comments. Everyone who has read and commented on this guide. Your emails are appreciated! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11.3 Revision History ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ver 1.2 - Some spelling errors and other typos corrected. Added a contribution to the Abilities section on Constitution. Finally added the Tactics section. 1.1 - Druids are no longer listed as a possible Paladin multiclass, reworded the Multiclass section a bit; notable changes are the Paladin/Rogue, Paladin/Blackguard and Paladin/Shadowdancer. Added the Spells section. Expanded the equipment section a bit. Changed Great Cleave. Fixed various typos. 1.0 - Initial version. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11.4 Paladin Guide Locations ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sites which have permission to host this guide: GameFAQs, http://www.gamefaqs.com ActionTrip, http://www.actiontrip.com Cheats.de, http://www.cheats.de DLH.Net, http://dlh.net IGN, http://faqs.ign.com Sorcerer's Place, http://www.sorcerers.net/index.shtml If you want to host this guide on your site, contact me at gruedragon@hotmail.com . Chances are, I'll be more than happy to grant you permission and send you the latest version. ===============================================================================