2handed paladin build

[Ravioli]

So I've looked over guides, and can't seem to find a solid guide really pointing to 2handed weapons being that spectacular. However I'm wanting to have a good build for a 2handed offensive paladin. The stat system is still a bit overwhelming to me in means of what is good for what. Any tips?

[angrytrex]

I'm running a solo one right now, but only on normal difficulty. I started off the early game using the firebrand items like the Belt and the Gloves to summon the sword which does great damage early on. This works well with scion of flame and 2h style for an extra 35% damage, and you can boost up that alpha strike skill the paladins get at level 1 for even more fire damage. I've hit things for up to about 180 damage this way in a single attack. The belt will also give you a fire shield when you get critical hit, and if you go with the boots that cast consecrated ground on a crit, you can become a monsterous beast really easily.

Later in the game i've switched to the Blade of the Endless Paths which is nice. Paladins also get this AoE Fire skill later in the game which pretty much makes everything easy mode unless it's immune to fire. It's almost boring once you get to this point

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

What sort of tips do you hope for? The basics apply to every "build". Hardly any "build" is not a tradeoff.

Depending on the chosen difficulty level, a single Paladin won't do wonders. Depending on what roles your companions fill, you can decide on how defensive or offensive to become with a 2H Paladin.

There are spectacular 2H weapons, such as this one for Vessel killers:
--> https://pillarsofeternity.gamepedia.com/St._Ydwen%27s_Redeemer

Paladin class base traits decide that you start with -5 Accuracy compared with a Fighter and -10 Deflection compared with a Fighter. You should raise Perception quite a bit for the Accuracy bonus, since you don't get the same Accuracy bonus you would get for wielding only a single 1H weapon. And you don't need to raise Resolve for a Deflection bonus, because there are talents to increase your defenses - if you feel like investing into defenses, of course. The bonus of the Paladin-specific Faith and Conviction talent depends on your disposition ranks, however. And that may influence which paladin order you want to choose. So, beware!

Offensive talents, such as Flames of Devotion, Sworn Enemy and one Zealous Aura should be obvious choices.

For 2H weapons, I prefer Fighters with increased DEX for action speed and increased PER for an Accuracy bonus, and then use ordinary great swords, such as Tidefall:
--> https://pillarsofeternity.gamepedia.com/Tidefall
Usually I reduce CON and RES a few points, since offensive Fighters are durable enough even without receiving support.

[ColorsFade]

Originally posted by Ghaz:

So I've looked over guides, and can't seem to find a solid guide really pointing to 2handed weapons being that spectacular. However I'm wanting to have a good build for a 2handed offensive paladin. The stat system is still a bit overwhelming to me in means of what is good for what. Any tips?

Tons! OMG, I love my offensive Paladin.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1353802426

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1353802516

I don't run solo, so mine is based around party-build ideas.

For starters Kind Wayfarer + Strange Mercy. As an offensive Paladin he makes a LOT of kills (he's always 1st or 2nd in my party in total kills) so his proc to heal the group from Strange Mercy goes off a lot. I LOVE that.

I give him Weapon Focus: Adventurer so he can use Greatswords and Pikes. Estocs are better than Greatswords IMO because of Damage Reduction Bypass, but I have two front-line fighters already (Eder and Pellginga) so he needs to be able to strike from the 2nd row at choke points, hence the pike for reach. There are a lot of good Greatswords in the game so it works out fine.

For stats, I agree with D'amarr from Darshiva: give him DEX and PER so he can be accurate, and then as you can see I give him a lot of MIGHT so he can do more damage when he hits. I don't give him INT, CON or RES (you can see I dumped a point in CON and his RES is 12 because of gear). He's not a defensive paladin at all.

Talents are easy. Other than Strange Mercy, just go mostly all offensive. You can see mine here: Flames of Devotion, Critical Focus, Bloody Slaughter, Intense Flames, Sworn Enemy. Anything that is "on all the time" or toggles to "on" and helps offensively, that's what I want to take.

There are a lot of other abilities that are like 15-seconds in duration and I basically hate those. I already turn my party AI off and micro-manage their actions, so I don't go for the short-duration abilities because it's just one more thing I have to remember the duration on. That's why he has a couple party-saving abilities like Lay on Hands (it's been useful in a pinch) and Reviving Exhortation. He's been a true Paladin and made a couple saves at times when I've got careless with other party members.

Personally, he's my second-favorite party member (my melee Cipher main is #1). I have a blast with this dude. He feels very much like a "Paladin" - has the Lay on Hands and Revive for saves, but then he's just an offensive beast. And watching his Strange Mercy proc go off several times during a battle is fantastic fun.

[smilehigh]

Originally posted by ColorsFade:

I give him Weapon Focus: Adventurer so he can use Greatswords and Pikes. Estocs are better than Greatswords IMO because of Damage Reduction Bypass, but I have two front-line fighters already (Eder and Pellginga) so he needs to be able to strike from the 2nd row at choke points, hence the pike for reach. There are a lot of good Greatswords in the game so it works out fine.

He has the Lay on Hands and Revive for saves, but then he's just an offensive beast. And watching his Strange Mercy proc go off several times during a battle is fantastic fun.

Weapon Focus: Adventurer is for Estocs and Pollaxes.
Greatswords and Pikes belong to Weapon Focus: Soldier. Which is also better if you do alpha-strikes with arquebuses (or arbalests). Adventurer has War Bow which is inferior for start of combat alpha-strikes.

There are great estocs in the game including BotEP but you have to factor in the fact that they only have one damage type - piercing. Greatswords have two damage types - piecing and slashing.

LoH is very slow and if you have a priest in your party it is not strictly needed. You can skip it along with Reviving Exhortation for which you can use scrolls (with enough lore of course).
Reviving Exhortation is still better because it revives the character with 300 health points, but it is still not that critical unless you are being severely beaten by the enemy already and your revived character is surrounded. It depends on your playstyle and on how much you rely on healing and reviving characters during combat. Personally I try to avoid situations when may party members are downed (though it still happens sometimes) but that's just me.


By the way does Aegis of Loyalty still synergize with Sacred Immolation?

[ColorsFade]

Originally posted by smilehigh:

Weapon Focus: Adventurer is for Estocs and Pollaxes.

Bah, you're right. I originally took Weapon Focus: Adventurer because I was going to have him using Estocs, but then I wanted him in the second row with a Pike and forgot to respec him. Good catch.

LoH is very slow and if you have a priest in your party it is not strictly needed.

I prefer the Paladin have LoH and Revive so the priest doesn't have to disrupt her chain-casting buffs/debuffs to heal someone (who also may be farther away and force her to move). And the thing is, what to take for the Paladin instead? I found other options to not be worth it. There are only so many offensive abilities and talents. The utility makes for nice saves when things go sideways.

You can skip it along with Reviving Exhortation for which you can use scrolls (with enough lore of course).

I'd rather give my Paladin Athletics for Second Wind and use their consumable slots for healing potions or defense/deflection potions. I've gone the scroll route before with characters and IMO it is not worth the investment in points to raise their Lore to the point where they can use the scrolls.

Personally I try to avoid situations when may party members are downed (though it still happens sometimes) but that's just me.

Doesn't everyone try to avoid those situations?

[smilehigh]

Originally posted by ColorsFade:

And the thing is, what to take for the Paladin instead? I found other options to not be worth it. There are only so many offensive abilities and talents. The utility makes for nice saves when things go sideways.

Well, I usually take
FoD at lvl 1
Zealous Aura at lvl 3
Sworn Enemy at lvl 5
Aegis of Loyalty at lvl 7

So for me the option to take LoH is available at lvl 9 at which point LoH becomes less relevant.
So I usually take something like Coordinated attacks or Righteous Soul.

But it's a matter of preference and personal playstyle. I'm not saying your build is not viable.
And I know many people view LoH as a canonic paladin ability.

Personally I try to avoid situations when may party members are downed (though it still happens sometimes) but that's just me.

Doesn't everyone try to avoid those situations?

Some people are more tolerant of this thing than others. Sometimes you can play more recklessly if you know you will be able to revive your party member. Sometimes you might want to get Zero Knockouts achievement.

[ChefNorby]

Use this for 2 handed crit paladin build

Race:
- Hearth Orlan (10% of their Hits into Crits)
- Kind Wayfarers
Important Talents for this Build:
- Zealous Focus
- Critical Focus
- Weapon Focus Soldier
- Two-Handed Style
- Scion of Flame
- Intense Flames
- Bloody Slaughter (optional)
Weapon:
- The Hours of St. Rumbalt https://pillarsofeternity.gamepedia.com/The_Hours_of_St._Rumbalt
- Fire enchant on the sword

I hope this helps you. Have fun

[Ravioli]

Thanks for the input everyone. I'll give the methods you've posted a try. Very much appreciated.