Help me make my paladin awesome.

[Mattarias]

Hello Gameologists, I'm Mattarias, long time lurker, first time poster. I feel bad for having this be my first post, but I would like your help in optimizing the first character I've gotten to play in years. If you don't mind.

First off, this is in a two-person campaign, with myself, a paladin, and a... Well, I'm not sure what the other character is, but they can cast CLW, so I'm assuming a cleric. We also have an old bard NPC tagging along, but I'm afraid he doesn't count for much.
Campaign starts at level one, with almost any 3.5 WotC books allowed, though Eberron, ToB, and the like would need DM approval. It looks like leveling will be slow, so I'd like to get my build together in as few levels as possible. The only house rule I can think of is that Smites are per-encounter, rather than per day. If that helps at all.

Here is my build so far. I'm trying to make a charging-based unarmed Paladin with the ability to inspire. He acts kinda like this guy. So far, I've planned on taking Flying Kick and the charging smite variant in order to maximize my character's "special attack". However, I'm not sure how to acquire some sort of inspire courage ability without multiclassing, as I'd prefer to avoid going bard. Harmonious Knight looks to be right out.

I do, however, plan on going Monk. I'm just unsure WHEN. Likely around level 6, in order to get my charging smite faster..

This is my theoretical build so far:

Human Paladin 1: Improved Unarmed Strike, Power Attack
Pally 3: Flying Kick
Divine Warrior level 4 extra feat: Divine Might
(Level 5: Charging Smite!)
Monk bonus/Monk 1: Stunning Fist, Ascetic Knight

Aaannd.. That's all I got. Any suggestions? Thank you kindly in advance for all the help.  

(P.S. Any advice on what to call my awesome flying-power-smite-to-the-face-kick? Every special attack needs an awesome name.  )

Edit: Oh, also, I want to get Climb, Balance, and Jump as class skills. Any ideas on that? Thank you.

[NiteCyper]

Marshal, Prestige Bard, Serenity, Unarmed Swordsage,

[Mattarias]

Huh, quick response. I don't really want things keyed off wisdom, and swordsage is likely out, but I didn't think of pretige bard or Marshal. Huh, thanks.

[Prime32]

There's an option somewhere to trade detect evil for Inspire Courage.

If you want to deal a lot of damage with a Giga Drill Breaker charge, there are better ways than paladin. Go for the paladin of freedom variant (Chaotic Good paladin) and you can multiclass with barbarian (one of the best classes for this, especially with the ACF from Complete Champion which trades fast movement for the ability to make a full attack as part of a charge).

There's not really much point to monk levels - what did you want from them exactly? See if you can get the battle dancer from Dragon magazine (and Dragon Compendium) approved - it's like a monk, but Cha-based.

Shame about ToB, since crusader would also work well for what you want to do.

[Mattarias]

That option is out, unfortunately. It also doesn't increase with level either. Either way, a no-go.

I'm kinda stuck with this paladin, so no barbarian, unfortunately. Though my DM would likely have a heart attack at the mention of a pally going barb either way. 

Battle dancer might be an option though. I'll check it out. Monk levels are for increasing unarmed damage. Is battle dancer a monk variant? Hmm..

[Hallack]

You really should either rearrange your progression so as not to have to pay a feat for Improved Unarmed Strike unless your DM is going to let you retrain it once you take Monk.  

How many Monk levels are you considering?  2 is a pretty standard dip for Saves and bonus feats/features.

The Overwhelming Attack variant Monk would net you Power Attack and Improved Bull Rush as bonus feats.

I'd suggest something more like using the Overwhelming Attack Monk variant

Monk  1  --- Bonus: Power Attack, Improved Unarmed Strike, Decent skills, plus other stuff, 1st Flying Kick,
                  Human Feat
Paladin 1 --- Paladin goodies
Monk 2   ----Bonus: Improved Bull Rush, Evasion, 3rd level Feat: Ascetic Knight
Paladin 2 ---Paladin Goodies
Paladin 3 ---- Paladin Goodies
Paladin 4 --- Paladin goodies (turn undead), 6th level Feat, Plus

With this you have another Feat you can choose at first level and at 6th.  Several of the Divine feats are probably worth considering as are some of the Devotion feats using the Turn Undead as additional fuel.  

There is also SNap Kick feat in ToB for more unarmed attacks.

I'll stop for now until you have a chance to peruse the above.

Cheers

[Mattarias]

Woah, huh. I forgot about Monk variants. Good idea. Unfortunately, I can't change what's on my sheet, as the campaign's already started. It looks like he WILL let me retrain IUS, however, so that's good.

I like that progression. ._. Wish I came to you guys before I actually made my character.  Dang.

..And yeah, I was thinking a two level dip in monk.

[Akahi]

There's this feat in Dragon Magazine, Serenity I think it's called.... it lets you base your Paladin abilities on Wis rather than Cha, good synergy with monk stuff, but looking at your sheet, probably not worth taking....
There's also Strenght of Conviction feat from Elder Evils, that allows you to trade a Smite Evil attempt for a Smite attempt, just in case your DM throws in a Golem or other Neutral thing trying to kill you....

[Prime32]

Monk levels are for increasing unarmed damage.

There are much better ways to increase your damage. And if you still want big fists, the Superior Unarmed Strike feat from ToB gives you the unarmed progression of a monk a few levels below your character level. If you have monk levels it instead treats your monk level as being a few higher - this actually makes the feat weaker in a high-level build with only a few monk levels, but most DMs would be reasonable enough to give you the better of the two.

That said, monk 2 grants you some bonus feats, good saves and evasion, so it can be worth it for other reasons (Wis to AC won't benefit you that much if you're Cha-focused, which is why I suggested battledancer).


Consider looking at some "Hood" builds, using the Battle Jump feat.

[Mattarias]

Well, I plan on taking Ascetic Knight in order to stack Monk and pally levels for unarmed damage, but alright, I'll look into that. Looking pretty feat starved though..

"Hood" builds look good. Would they work well with the wall jumper skill trick or something similar? Hmm.. I do plan on being all about running up walls later on..

Edit: Looks like regional feats are out. Damn..

[kurashu]

Devoted Performer much?

[NiteCyper]

1. re: Monk variants: Martial Monk to get Fighter bonus feat list.
2. "Unfortunately, I can't change what's on my sheet, as the campaign's already started."
Rebuild quest.
3. re: regional feats: not even the with the 2 ranks of "knowledge ([location])"-rule?
4. re: "I do plan on being all about running up walls later on.": Up the Walls feat, Chameleon template grants climb speed, Slippers of Spider Climbing, White Cloak of the Spider,

[Mattarias]

Where is the Martial Monk from? Sounds nice.
Rebuild quests aren't gonna be for a while, if at all.
Regional feats: Looks like it.
Wall climbing: Niiiice. I'll have to look for those. Forgot about spider climb.

Forgot about Devoted Performer.. Could work. Just not as early as I'd like. Hm.

Perhaps something like paladin 17/Monk 2/Bard 1, with the appropriate feats? Monk at levels 6/7, Bard at.. later?

[JaronK]

I'm always a fan of Cleric/PrC Paladin over regular Paladin.  It just does so much more... even if you only have a two level dip into PrC Paladin and take the Holy Mount feat, you end up getting absolutely everything from the Paladin class and more.  With DMM:Persistant Divine Power it really does the job. 

And then with your Monk dip you could go into Sacred Fist and really bring it home.

JaronK

[Mattarias]

Heh. It does, admittedly. However, I'm not a fan of clerics. Just in general. They're not my thing, powerful as they are.

What is Sacred Fist from, anyways?

[Phaenix]

With your DMs per-encounter smite houserule, you could be smiting on just about every attack. May I suggest Power Attack & Awesome Smite (CC)?

Also, check out some of the smite-centered builds here.

EDIT: Sacred Fist is from Complete Divine. Page 59.

[Mattarias]

With your DMs per-encounter smite houserule, you could be smiting on just about every attack. May I suggest Power Attack & Awesome Smite (CC)?

Also, check out some of the smite-centered builds here.

EDIT: Sacred Fist is from Complete Divine. Page 59.

Well, so far it's only once every encounter. But good point. Thanks for the link! Awesome Smite looks... awesome. 

Unfortunately, I'm a paladin of an ideal (Courage/Glory), so I can't pick up anything that requires a deity or their favored weapon, but I'm fnding these interesting. Thanks.

[PlzBreakMyCampaign]

Where is the Martial Monk from? Sounds nice.
Rebuild quests aren't gonna be for a while, if at all.
Regional feats: Looks like it.
Wall climbing: Niiiice. I'll have to look for those. Forgot about spider climb.

Forgot about Devoted Performer.. Could work. Just not as early as I'd like. Hm.

Perhaps something like paladin 17/Monk 2/Bard 1, with the appropriate feats? Monk at levels 6/7, Bard at.. later?

A drag mag. I believe they are bonus feats to (GWF without fighter levels)

[Mattarias]

Alright, thanks. I'll look it up. I have a few issues lying around.  If not, hey, Crystal Keep might have it. Thanks.

[NiteCyper]

CrystalKeep does have it.