Neverwinter Nights Paladin Character Guide
Version 1.2
By Scott Steubing
gruedragon@hotmail.com
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0.0 TABLE OF CONTENTS
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1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Why play a Paladin?
1.2 Advantages
1.3 Disadvantages
1.4 Paladin Types
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
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1.0 INTRODUCTION
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1.1 What is a Paladin? Why play a Paladin?
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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.
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1.2 Advantages
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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.
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1.3 Disadvantages
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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.
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1.4 Paladin Types
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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.
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2.0 RACES
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Half-Elf - While a Half-Elf has no major weaknesses or strengths, their
special
abilities don't complement the Paladin class at all.
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Half-Orc - See entry under Dwarf. And given the Paladin's low number of
skill
points, the -2 Intelligence hurts as well.
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Halfling - Similar to Gnomes, except they trade the +2 Constitution for +2
Dexterity, a bad trade-off for a Paladin.
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In summary, Humans make the best Paladins, followed by Half-Elves, Elves,
Gnomes, Halflings, Dwarves and Half-Orcs, in that order.
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3.0 ABILITY SCORES
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!)"
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4.0 SKILLS
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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.
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4.1 Critical Skills
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*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.
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4.2 General Skills
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*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.
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4.3 Worthless Skills
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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.
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5.0 FEATS
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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.
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5.1 Paladin Feats
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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.)
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5.2 General Feats
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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.
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5.3 Feats to Avoid
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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.
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6.0 MULTICLASSING
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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.
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6.1 Paladin/Cleric
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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.
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6.2 Paladin/Fighter
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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.
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6.3 Paladin/Monk
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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.
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6.4 Paladin/Ranger
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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.
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6.5 Paladin/Rogue
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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.
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6.6 Paladin/Sorcerer
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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.
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6.7 Paladin/Wizard
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Given the Wizard's reliance on Intelligence, it is difficult to pull off a
Paladin/Wizard multiclass.
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6.8 Prestige Classes
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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.
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7.0 HENCHMEN
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7.1 What to look for in a Henchman
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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.
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7.2 Original Neverwinter Nights Henchmen
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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.
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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.
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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.
===============================================================================
