Simple but Effective Feats for a 1st-level Paladin

[Magesmiley]

For less experienced players I generally suggest feats which usually provide more bonuses or extra uses rather than those which create exceptions to regular rules or which are often tough for new players to remember how they work or when, or they cause confusion when the player moves to his next character (Zen archery for example - its important to ingrain that DEX modifies ranged attacks, not WIS)..

From your list I'd probably trim it down to:


5. Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword or dwarven waraxe)* Use better weapon.
6. Improved Initiative Gain +4 bonus on initiative checks.
7. Improved Smiting (Complete Divine) Smite evil attack is good-aligned and deals +1d6 extra damage.
13. Shield Specialization (Players Handbook II) Increase shield bonus with selected type of shield by 1.
15. Weapon Focus Gain +1 bonus on attack rolls with selected type of weapon.

All of these are fairly static abilities which can be figured into a character's stats ahead of time, very little to manage during play. They also don't significantly change any other regular rules.

If he wants more choices, probably add:

3. Combat Expertise* Trade penalty to melee attack rolls for bonus to AC.
4. Dodge* Gain +1 Dodge bonus to AC against one opponent.
9. Point Blank Shot Gain +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at ranges of up to 30 feet.
10. Power Attack* Trade penalty to melee attack rolls for bonus to melee damage rolls.

These are situational, requiring a choice to be made in regular play or which require you to remember that you have the ability, but still don't significantly alter the usual behavior of abilities and rules.

As far as adding other feats to the list, I'd try to concentrate on ones which don't create an exception to a standard rule, but provide bonuses to the character. There are some heavy armor optimization feats in Races of Stone that might be good.

 

[Endur]

As someone who has played many paladins ...

For a first level Paladin, there are optimal feats and sub-optimal feats.

Optimal first level feats are:
Power Attack & Cleave (as Thannee mentioned)
Mounted Combat (if the 1st level Paladin will start play with a warhorse and will be doing tournament jousting or fighting on the battlefiled, or will get a horse in play soon)

Sub-optimal first level feats are:
all others.

When Extra Smiting and Divine Might become available (level 6+), take them. Extra Smiting is the best feat available for a Paladin and it can be taken multiple times. Divine Might gives a paladin something to do with his turn undead uses/ per day.

 

[TheNovaLord]

two paladins at 1st level in my 'knightly' campaign we started this week. I said anyone who takes mounted combat can have a light warhorse too start with. Both paladins and the party scout did. Whole thing is going to be quiet outdoorsy.
First encounter the party saw a runaway horse about 500ft away being chased by some very tired goblins...
Lances down and charge from all 5 mounted party members (even those on ponies) was the fun roleplaying is all about.....it doesnt matter they rolled rubbish and mostly missed when they got there.....

Power and cleave OR mounted combat and either mounted archery/ride by attack. If u give him a decent horse to start its a tad like having an NPC (it will have good hp afterall). Could then give him skill focus ride for a freebie as well!

JohnD

 

[Legildur]

Consider TWF + Improved Shield Bash.

That's usually a tough ask for a non-elven/halfling paladin, as the Dex 15+ prerequisite is tough to meet. Typical paladins rely (for good reason) on Str/Cha/Con/Wis, so having 15+ Dex in any sort of point buy scheme this side of 50 points is unlikely.

 

[wmasters]

It depends how new/confident the player is with the rules already. If the answer is not very, I'd focus on the feats that just get added to the character sheet - things like Weapon Focus, Toughness, Skill Focus, Weapon Finess, Zen Archery, Exotic Weapon Proficiency. You can apply these and forget them, and get on with learning how to play.

If they are pretty confident with the rules, then Power Attack is certainely not a bad option, maybe Combat Reflexes or Combat Expertise etc.

 

[FireLance]

Thanks for the feedback so far. Magesmiley has made a good point about feats that give exceptions to the rules, so I'll cut out Ranged Smite Evil, Weapon Finesse and Zen Archery for now, and bring them back in as options after the PC has gained a few levels.

As suggested, I think I will have two lists of feats: one "basic" set which simply and directly modify elements of the character sheet, or which automatically come into play when the PC performs common actions like smiting evil or using an action point:

1. Able Learner
2. Action Boost
3. Exotic Weapon Proficiency
4. Improved Initiative
5. Improved Smiting
6. Shield Specialization
7. Weapon Focus

The other list will be "situational" feats that the player must remember to use or may not be useful in all situations:

1. Combat Expertise
2. Dodge
3. Mounted Combat
4. Point Blank Shot
5. Power Attack
6. Reckless Offense

I will suggest that the player pick at most one feat from the second list.

Despite strong support for Cleave, I don't want to put it in at the moment for the somewhat metagamey reason that I don't see myself pitting the PC against multiple opponents in *any* of the encounters at 1st level, and only a small number of them at 2nd level. So, I would only include it as an option from 3rd level onwards. I'm also not sure that Powerful Charge will be useful once the PC gets his special mount as it doesn't work with mounted charges. The campaign will also likely be more combat-focused, so the skill feats will be less useful.

I will probably introduce Divine Might and Extra Smiting once the PC hits 6th level, since he won't qualify for them now.

 

[kjenks]

Mounted Combat + Ride-by Attack

The first protects his mount (a cheap, store-bought mount at low levels, his paladin't mount at higher levels). The second protects him, allowing him to attack and move away, so an enemy must charge or ready an action to get a single attack.

Having a good horse at his side makes a solo adventurer less lonely.

 

[moritheil]

Sacred Vow, and Vow of Poverty.

 

[brehobit]

Sacred Vow, and Vow of Poverty.

Ya know, I'd never seriously thought about that for a paladin (no armor, no martial weapons) but it could be really really cool to play.

 

[Anguirus]

That's usually a tough ask for a non-elven/halfling paladin, as the Dex 15+ prerequisite is tough to meet. Typical paladins rely (for good reason) on Str/Cha/Con/Wis, so having 15+ Dex in any sort of point buy scheme this side of 50 points is unlikely.

Then take Agile Shield Fighter! I have a newbie paladin in my group who's kicking butt wih that.

At this level, take Shield Specialization and Improved Shield Bash, in order to next take Agile Shield Fighter (TWF - Dex prereq, shield only) and after that, Shield Ward. Then, divine feats, extra smiting, Power Attack, mounted combat feats, whatever.