Edited:


I keep recommending this type of build as an easy to play and gear DPS melee for new players and/or low maintenance alts, so I'm laying it out here for reference.

No-Brainer

Race: Bladeforged
Alignment: Lawful Good
Class: 20 Paladin


Stats:..........Level 1 (32 pt build)

Strength............18 + level ups
Dexterity............6
Constitution.......16
Intelligence.........8
Wisdom..............6
Charisma...........16 (14 on a 28 pt build)


Feat Progression

Level 1   : Adamantine Body
Level 3   : Two Handed Fighting
Level 6   : Power Attack
Level 9   : Improved Critical: Slashing
Level 12 : Improved Two Handed Fighting
Level 15 : Greater Two handed Fighting
Level 18 : Weapon Focus: Slashing
Level 21 : Overwhelming Critical
Level 24 : Weapon Focus #2
Level 26 : Perfect Two Handed Fighting
Level 27 : Epic Damage Reduction
Level 28 : Perfect Two Weapon Fighting
(You can retain access to Momentum Swing without the Cleave feat after an ER/LR/TR so long as you don't reset LD.)


Enhancements

Knight of the Chalice: 41 AP

Core 6/6

Extra Smite 2/2
Extra Turning 3/3

Divine Might 3/3
Exalted Cleave 1/3
Melee Power AB 3/3

Exalted Smite 3/3
Divine Sacrifice 3/3
+1 Str

Censure Demons
Empowered Smite (2 pts)
+1 Str

Censure Outsiders
Avenging Cleave 3/3




Sacred Defender:14 AP

Core 2/6

Extra Lay on Hands 3/3
Resilient Defense 3/3

Durable Defense 3/3

Strong Defense 3/3


Racial: 25 AP

Core 1/5

Mechanist 3/3

Communion of Scribing 3/3
Great Weapon Aptitude 3/3

Improved Power Attack 3/3

Power of the Forge
Weapon Attachment
Communion of Handling



Epic Destiny: Legendary Dreadnought

Extra Action Boost 3/3
+1 Str

Improved Power Attack (2 pts)
Momentum Swing 3/3
AB: Damage 3/3

Lay Waste
AB: Haste 3/3
Critical Damage 1/3

Advancing Blows (2 pts)
Devastating Critical (2 pts)

Master's Blitz: PRR (2 pts)


Twists:

Sense Weakness
Malicious Weapons
Hail of Blows
Primal Scream

Weapon: Thunderforged Falchion
Other gear: Shadow Dragon Scale Docent, Orchard Accesories, Epic Artificer Ring

huh, it never occurred to me to pick up cleave and not take the first enhancement. I either got both feats or both enhancements, the more you learn.

5 Foot Step wrote on Mar 10^th, 2015 at 11:37pm:


For a new character with no gear I'd go down this path, the shield line with vanguard will give a significant boost to defence, with a few CC options for good measure.



Vanguard (in text since there are no icons)
To the Fore! (Rank 1)
Shield Combat (Rank 1)
Vicious Shield (Rank 1)
Shield Specialization I (Rank 1)
Unbalancing Shove (Rank 1&2)
Shield Specialization II (Rank 1)
Stunning Shield (Rank 1)
Missile Shield (Rank 1)
Follow Up (Rank 1,2,3)

Munkenmo wrote on Mar 11^th, 2015 at 1:27am:


That is an option, but I was never satisifed with the DPS in Vanguard since THF and SM became mutually exclusive.

If I were to build for more defense, I'd stay pure THF Pally and just drop the Racial tree down to 11 points and put those points into Defender. (Grabbing +3 AC, +2 saves, +20% HP, +10% run speed, +50% armor bonus)

5 Foot Step wrote on Mar 11^th, 2015 at 2:16am:


Do you mean just the melee power, or am I missing something?

5 Foot Step wrote on Mar 11^th, 2015 at 2:20am:

replace hail of blows or primal scream. get precision and cocoon.

Csw on Kotc hits for ~ 850 average, I'd take both Quicken and Emp Heal on kotc.
On Vanguard, runnin with Emp Heal only. Don't really miss quicken with uber ac and prr and tower shield.
And hardcore tanking like Deathknights is done with SF pots anyway.

Vanguard setup without capstone, 10 melee power and tier 4 in Defender is just retarded.

string table error, tableDID wrote on Mar 12^th, 2015 at 4:16am:


I dont know, personally i wouldnt take it.
I dont like "chance to fail that doesnt apply only on rolled 20s from mobs or 1s on to hit" stunning options.

To unreliable, and it wont work with that dc in upper necro/horns anyways.
If you do not plan to run those, go for it

Bigjunk wrote on Mar 12^th, 2015 at 10:22am:


78 is a perfectly viable fort DC. That'll work in EE Orchard and Stormhorns.

I've played both THF KotC and S&B Vanguard. I won't be playing or recommending S&B Vanguard ever because the DPS is complete shit compared to THF KotC.

Munkenmo wrote on Mar 13^th, 2015 at 11:17pm:


You honestly think anyone is going to have survivability issues in heavy armor with Reconstruct and Lay on Hands available? If they do, then Vanguard might not help them...

Munkenmo wrote on Mar 14^th, 2015 at 1:08am:




Vanguard might not help them.

Quote:


Pure pally, full THF, full SM, Vanguard capstone. I played it, it sucked. Granted, SM was bugged out at the time and not granting double strike, but I can't see that making enough difference. I'm used to playing top tier DPS. Maybe it looks good if you're used to average DPS, but my character screen currently has SWF wolf, TWF Barb, THF Pally, Combat Brute Rogue...and this sword and board crap didn't come anywhere near the DPS numbers of any of those builds.

I admit that it looks good on paper. That's why I tried it out after all. Maybe it's because shield bash is capped to 1 per second. Maybe it's because there is no TF shield. Maybe it's because it doesn't get 100 light damage on every hit and every glance. Maybe it's because it doesn't qualify for Balanced Attacks. Maybe it's because it doesn't get +160% damage vs helpless. Maybe it's because it doesn't do an entire screen's width of bane damage swinging a freaking Club of the Holy Flame.

No, it's all of those things.