1h + shield or 2h weapon for a paladin warlock multi class ?

[Buurt]

I only did fighter in this game so I was wondering can I use 2h weapon as a paladin warlock or should I use 1h weapon + shield ?

I wanna go full damage and not really support

[Kernest]

Well, wanting to go full damage kinda implies using a 2H weapon already.

Assuming you're taking Pact of the Blade for the Charisma based attacks, you should have more than enough room to take Great Weapon Master as a Feat.

Though my preference is Polearm Master, it's less damage.

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

Originally posted by Buurt:

I wanna go full damage and not really support

You answered your own question.

[Metrod125]

If you're going with what I think you're going with. You can go 1h + shield and focus exclusively on charisma for CHA mod for damage with Pact of the Blade power with 3 attacks per turn instead of two.

There is also the unique greatsword in act 3 that doubles your STR mod for damage and gives you the ability to turn yourself into a giant for more damage.

[Mike Garrison]

My advice it to worry less about what is "optimal" and play the way you think would be fun.

Even on Honor Mode, there is no single one build that *has* to be used.

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

Originally posted by Mike Garrison:

My advice it to worry less about what is "optimal" and play the way you think would be fun.

Even on Honor Mode, there is no single one build that *has* to be used.

This is only sorta true. If you don't have decent hit chances and understand some of the status effects you can absolutely get wrecked.

[Mike Garrison]

Originally posted by Pan Darius Cassandra:

Originally posted by Mike Garrison:

My advice it to worry less about what is "optimal" and play the way you think would be fun.

Even on Honor Mode, there is no single one build that *has* to be used.

This is only sorta true. If you don't have decent hit chances and understand some of the status effects you can absolutely get wrecked.

Well, then you learn.

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

Originally posted by Mike Garrison:

Originally posted by Pan Darius Cassandra:

This is only sorta true. If you don't have decent hit chances and understand some of the status effects you can absolutely get wrecked.

Well, then you learn.

Yes, to optimize...

[FunkyMonkey]

I'm on the boat that sword & shield is the way to go for Paladins. Their big damage come from smite anyway and Dueling fighting style with a shield and smites does good enough damage. 2H weapons need Great weapon master to reach their full potential and that comes with -5 to-hit penalty. If you miss, you can't smite. This is why I prefer sword&board on my Pallys. Makes you a great tank with Aura of Protection and you can be the one in your party to concentrate on Bless, Clerics should have something better to concentrate on anyway.

[Thomas D.]

I guess its not Honour Mode, right? Because otherwise Paladin + Pact Blade Warlock is not as strong as it is below Honour Mode. (In Honour Mode you dont get 3 Attacks).

I played a Githyanki (Laezel) with the Silver Sword (which you can get at the end of Act 1 if you let Voss drop it => Drop Command spell). There isnt much that can compete with raw damage, especially that early on in the game. But you have to want to do that "trick" and have to play a Githyanki (otherwise the Sword wont be as good).

But the main Source of damage is primarily all the things you add to your sword (like Smites, Attribute Modifiers, Buffs, Debuffs of the enemy, Poisons / Oils and Gear Procs) than the sword itself. So the difference isnt that big later on in the game if you want to go One Handeded or Two Handed. Still Two Handed will yield the higher damage output in the end.

Except if you want to use the Great Weapon Master Feat (primarily because of the additional attack not so much because of the damage) then you definetly have to go Two Handed. But Savage Attacker is also a good / strong Feat on a Paladin. Especially because I often used my Bonus action for things like Misty Step (to get to another enemy after I oneshotted the previous one, two or even more).

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

Originally posted by FunkyMonkey:

I'm on the boat that sword & shield is the way to go for Paladins. Their big damage come from smite anyway and Dueling fighting style with a shield and smites does good enough damage. 2H weapons need Great weapon master to reach their full potential and that comes with -5 to-hit penalty. If you miss, you can't smite. This is why I prefer sword&board on my Pallys. Makes you a great tank with Aura of Protection and you can be the one in your party to concentrate on Bless, Clerics should have something better to concentrate on anyway.

If you're going 2HD I'd recommend Savage Attacker over GWM, especially in the beginning of the game - Savage rerolls all dice, including Smites and Crits, so it adds up fast.

[guard65]

Originally posted by Pan Darius Cassandra:

If you're going 2HD I'd recommend Savage Attacker over GWM, especially in the beginning of the game - Savage rerolls all dice, including Smites and Crits, so it adds up fast.

+1 on that,

I also get Pole Arm Mastery, you get the extra attack and the reaction attack almost every round, at least with numbers. Bump those crits up there.

[Farsha]

Optimal for dmg is 2hander.
But most Paladin dmg does not come from the weapon but from Smite.
Having shield and thus higher AC is also very beneficial, better defense and higher chance of keeping concetration. (that is important for lot of Paladin spells even offensive ones)
So having 1 handed weapon is not that big dmg drop off actually and can have it's benefits.

Depends what you want to do really.
You don't have to min-max in this game just kinda don't build completely gimped characters.

[アンジェル]

Originally posted by Buurt:

1h + shield or 2h weapon for a paladin warlock multi class ?
I only did fighter in this game so I was wondering can I use 2h weapon as a paladin warlock or should I use 1h weapon + shield ?

I wanna go full damage and not really support

Obviously 2H

+2/+3 AC is not that relevant later on and a shield you mainly use for its other effects or if the character needs extra protection

[jonnin]

Early game there are almost zero 2h weapons with + d4 and similar element damage. There are some versatiles but the everburn blade may be the only one in act 1 and it lacks a + to hit.
meanwhile you can 1h the fire or ice staff or any of several others, and with the dueling feat, any of the light weapons get a flat +2 damage which pulls you almost up to 2h damage. Consider nere's rapier for example, its d8, +d4 psychic, +2 from the feat, 4-14 range which is almost as good as the everburn blade which clocks in at 3-16 I think (2d6 + d4 fire). I think this trend holds through much of the game.. you eventually get some really nice 2h weapons, but when? Mid act 3? That kinda works out because by the time you can hit anything with that -5 +damage 2h feat, its also rather late game.

You can respec when you find something you want to use and its time to move to the 2h feat, but for most of the first 2 acts I advise 1h and shield. This also depends a bit on how you set up your warlock split. If its warlock heavy, and just a taste of paladin, then you will be casting spells and EB a lot and a shield is better. If its paladin heavy, you may be smashing 2h more.

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

Originally posted by アンジェル:

Originally posted by Buurt:

1h + shield or 2h weapon for a paladin warlock multi class ?
I only did fighter in this game so I was wondering can I use 2h weapon as a paladin warlock or should I use 1h weapon + shield ?

I wanna go full damage and not really support

Obviously 2H

+2/+3 AC is not that relevant later on and a shield you mainly use for its other effects or if the character needs extra protection

Yeah, I disagree. The highest AC shield you can get is +4 to your AC, that's a -20% chance to get hit, and some shields offer some rly good abilities. That said, I wish there was more variety in shields to xhoose from, they're kinda underrepresented compared to other gear.