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S2 Ep. 13 - Class Review: Paladin · Bards and Barrels

• 0:02
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to Bars and Barrels, the podcast for Dungeons and Dragons players new and old.
• 0:06
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Brett Miller, and I'm joined by my friends and co-hosts Phil Boone and Ross Struis.
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_00: We'll be exploring the world of Dungeons and Dragons in each episode, sharing our experiences, offering tips and advice for those who play and run this classic game.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: So whether you're a new player just starting out, or a seasoned veteran, looking to get some new perspective on things, Bards and Barrels has something for everyone.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: So sit back, grab a drink, and join us as we rubble for initiative and embark on this epic adventure.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: And there it is, the opening crack.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_00: How's it going, fellas?
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, that was a beaute, right?
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, that was gorgeous.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_03: We're here, there's beer, you can't ask for more than that.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: Ross is over there, like, oh shit, where's the crack?
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: Where's my beer?
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_01: Brief moment of panic.
• 0:53
  unknown: Yeah.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_03: No, I got you covered, Ross.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_03: 30-some episodes in, and I still go, oh crap.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_03: Wait, who's got it?
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_03: It's not me.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_03: I just know that.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, Ross might be a little distracted because this is your episode.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, this is the one you've been waiting for.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: I'm so excited for this.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: So tonight we are covering the paladin, uh, doing one of our class reviews, doing a deep dive into what it takes to be the paladin, who they are, how you can roleplay if you want to take on an oath to become a paladin.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, it's kind of like back when we did the the warlock episode, and like you you playing R and having played a warlock for so long.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, it's really nice to talk about a class that you feel like you know really well.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_03: And so I'm very excited to to share some of my thoughts on this and uh Thorn being a paladin and all that.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_03: It's it's gonna be a good episode, it's gonna be fun.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_01: You guys are hilarious because I'm like struggling.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_01: How can I make this paladin a rogue?
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_01: And you can't.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_01: I couldn't get there.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_01: I was so frustrated.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_00: This is the one that's like the polar opposite of a rogue, so I've lost.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_03: I I feel like the paladin is a mix of a lot of things, but a rogue is not one of them.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_03: Nope, not even close.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_03: Stealth is not the forte here.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: So, uh, what are our first thoughts looking at the paladin?
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: The the holy warrior.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_03: Um, well, I I'm even gonna jump in with my first pro here.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_03: Um I I I like we we talk about versatility when we do these a lot and how you can make characters what you want to be, like any of these classes that we've been talking about.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_03: The paladin, not so much, but what a paladin does do really well is if you want to, you know, have some spell casting, if you want to be, you know, a fighter barbarian-esque character, and you still want to be somewhat of a healer, because you can still do that as a paladin, it allows you to be those things all at the same time and still be right at the front, swinging and causing a lot of damage.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I agree with that.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_01: I think that a lot of times people think kind of like uh, oh hey, we got a paladin, we're okay on the healing front, which you sort of are, but you have to remember that's not like a paladin's true design initially.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_01: Like you're to be in the fray, like sword swinging, oath following, like, yeah, you can heal a little bit, but uh some of that healing's gotta be for yourself.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_01: It's self-preservation.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, that's exactly what it I what it is.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, I mean, if you think of like the hierarchy in like like just a church in Feyrune, let's start with that.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_03: So, like, you know, the priests are your like everyday worship, doing the prayers and stuff.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_03: Your clerics are like they can certainly be warriors, and and we pointed that out in their class review, but they're more meant to be like your healers and your buffers, and your paladin is your warrior.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_03: And to what you guys just said, you're 100% correct.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_03: They can heal other people, but that healing is really for themselves when they're at the front taking the hits.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: They're gonna unleash some smite on somebody and oh god, yes.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, you know, I think this is a great class for first-time players that are looking to get into role-playing.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: This one, I think, really sets you up to get into your characters' footsteps and live out who they are a little bit more approachably than some of the other classes.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I would agree with that, but I think too that it almost lends itself to being a um not necessarily party leader, but definitely a strong presence in the party.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_01: You have something that motivates your character, like your oath of devotion, once you take that, like that drives a lot of your decisions.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_01: So it's easy when you get approached with the situation of like, oh, okay, well, what would my character do?
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly what their oath says they're gonna do.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_01: Like you have a code, right?
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I I think that's a good uh an excellent point.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_03: Uh I I do like the idea of this being somebody's first class because it it allows you to dip your toes into some different areas.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_03: The spell list isn't so overwhelming that you're making tons and tons of choices.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_03: Your buff spells and your healing is not so extreme that you need to be focused on everybody else.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_03: It's it's you and maybe somebody next to you that you're fighting with, and then you're still getting those cool melee type things that as a fighter or a barbarian, you're not getting rage or anything like that, but you're still getting some cool uh hits, hit things that you can do.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_01: So my only like footnote to that is I feel like as a new player, I might forget to smite.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_03: Oh, yes.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_03: You're absolutely right, because I mean that's something that that doesn't feel natural, and the fact that it it's it takes a spell slot to do, but it's not a spell and it's not an action.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_03: So it's very easy to forget in in terms of like action economy, right?
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_03: Because it's like it doesn't take anything.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I gotta expend a spell slot, but it's like it's not a reaction, it's not a bonus action.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_03: So where do I put it in the order of things that I do?
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_01: As you're thinking through your turn, you're like, nope, did my action, did my bonus action.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_01: It's like, whoa, yeah, I gotta do that.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_01: You got a smite right.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: Good thing, bad thing, it does come in at second level, so you don't have to remember it right off the bat, but it comes in pretty quickly, and then you're gonna have it through the rest of your character using that divine smite a lot.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_03: And and I do think that that might be a con of this class, is like some of some of your higher power features do take some time to get to.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_03: Like if you're expecting all this at level one coming into this character, you're gonna be a little disappointed.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_03: It's kind of light at level one.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_03: It is, it is very light.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, you're a glorified fighter at level one, is what you are.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_03: You're you're a fighter with a god, is what you are.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_03: That's that's what it is.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_03: That's fair.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_03: Um, but I think another con, at least for me, is uh, and we we've had this with a couple other classes, is alignment lock.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_03: Like you have some variation in that you could be chaotic good or neutral good, but the reality is for a paladin, because of those oaths and the life that you live to become a paladin, you are locked into that good alignment and probably lawful good.
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_03: Like you can work with your with your DM to do whatever you like within that range, but ideally you're a lawful good paladin.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, you know, one of the one of the cons I had, which you can get around, but you're basically focused on melee.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_00: You're not gonna do a lot of range damage as a paladin.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_00: You can, but it's not really your bread and butter.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: And a lot of your buffs come through as melee damage buffs.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's true.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_01: Uh personal con for me, that charisma is your spellcasting modifier.
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_01: I knew that was coming.
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_01: Put too many points in there for my liking.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_01: I'm not surprised with that at all.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_01: No, but I mean, it's set up for that, right?
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_01: So charisma is your spellcasting um modifier for this class, but also it makes a lot of sense with you know taking the oath, being a holy warrior, speaking on behalf of you know, your deity.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_01: I think that it makes a lot of sense.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_01: So that's just a personal one for me.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I I don't disagree with that though.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_00: And that does lead into the paladin potentially being the face of the party.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_00: We talked about them kind of leading the party, but also being the face when you're speaking or engaging with NPCs, the paladin can step into that role depending on who else is in the party.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_01: I especially think too, they can definitely have an intimidating like persona as well.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_01: So it doesn't necessarily just have to be persuasive or you know, everyone loves them, like they might just be scary, like totally straight up badass.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_03: I I think a pro-con, and we talked about the con for this being that you know some of some of your higher power features don't come in until later levels.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_03: And by later levels, we're talking like third through fifth, not like way later.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_03: Um, but the the flip side of that is when they do come in, you can be up front and deal a crap ton of damage.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_03: Like every swing, if you're layering in, uh, and we'll talk about this later because there's there's like actual spell smite, and then there's your divine smite.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_03: So you can buff yourself with a smite, swing with your weapon, you get two attacks at the later levels, and then turn around and then divine smite on top of that, and all of a sudden you've done 50-60 damage.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_03: And there's the coupe flap.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_03: So so it's it's like maybe not in those early levels, you're not doing a ton of damage, but after you those things kick in, you you can put some hurt on some people.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_01: And you've got some buffs too once you start getting up into those higher levels, too, like your aura of protection, like that kind of stuff too, that can benefit the whole party as well.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, I do want to note one thing.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_03: In the mailbag, I said that the the aura of protection was a plus four to everybody's saving throws.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_03: It is not a plus four.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_03: The aura protection, you basically give your modifier for a saving throw to everybody else, not a flat plus four.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_03: So I just want to clarify that.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_03: So I may have made that sound much better.
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_03: I think Thorns charisma modifier.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_03: Charisma modifier is a plus four right now.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_03: That's why it was stuck in my head.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_03: But makes sense.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_00: So, speaking of the damaged abilities of the Paladin, they're not really going to be unleashing tons of damage consistently throughout a battle.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_00: They're gonna do some big punches, but I don't think it's gonna be your sustained damage that like a fighter or a barbarian is gonna put out over an entire fight.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_00: They're coming in for some big punches.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_01: I think that kind of ties into what Ross had mentioned, where like some of your smites and things take your spell slots, so you have a limited number of times that you can stack those on top of things.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, you're right.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_03: I I I don't know if it because I mean they still get two attacks and they're proficient in martial weapons, so it's like they're still gonna be dealing a fair amount of damage throughout an entire combat round.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_03: But yeah, for like larger hits and stuff like that, it's gonna be limited by spell slots for sure.
• 10:29
  SPEAKER_00: But when they do punch, they pack a big one.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: Oh yeah.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_00: So going over to the pop culture references, where are we gonna find some paladins out there in the wild?
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_00: I think Thor is the first one that comes to mind.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_03: Uh I I think we also dropped him in as a cleric, but I think he like when you think of like flowing blonde hair and lightning on the armor and stuff like that and the glowing white eyes, it Thor comes to mind probably first and foremost.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_00: In that same world, Captain America?
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, totally could be.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_00: On the flip side of it, I also had Wonder Woman as a holy warrior.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_00: What other ones?
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_03: I'm trying to think like if there's any um like specifically like religious type characters that are out there that would fit the bill.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_01: Like any Crusaders, like a lot of Crusaders, Crusaders historically speaking, right, would classify the knights of the round table.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, that would that would be a great example historical example.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_00: Um, Ross, this was one I'm surprised you didn't mention.
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_00: Was Obi-Wan or Luke, Skywalker?
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_00: That's true.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_00: From Star Wars, those both could be Paladins.
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_03: A lot of Jedi could probably fit the bill as well as many other classes, but is Vader an Oathbreaker?
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_03: I would say absolutely.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_03: I think any Sith would be technically an Oathbreaker.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_03: Ooh, I like.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_00: In the other world, uh, Game of Thrones coming at you with Baric Baric Dondarian or Brienne of Tarth.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_00: Both of those could be.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, yeah.
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_00: Um, a weird one.
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_00: Or Inigo Montoyas, excuse me.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_00: I was trying to think of someone from Princess Bracken.
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_00: I wasn't sure who it should be.
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, yeah.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_00: Especially when every time he walks into a battle, he says, You killed my father, prepare to die.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_03: Like it's a vengeance paladin of Vengeance paladin.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, he's quoting his oath as he goes into battle, right?
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_00: So true.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I I like that.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_00: So there's there's plenty of good pop culture references out there.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_00: Um, what are we gonna look at with the quick build that Dungeons and Dragons puts out for us?
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_03: Uh I think it's no surprise.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_03: Um it it kind of depends.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_03: Uh this is gonna be a little personal preference, but the but the book specifically says when you do your quick build, you're gonna drop your high stat into strength and then follow that up with charisma.
• 12:39
  SPEAKER_03: Uh I and the paladins that I have built, and I've built three of them.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_03: I have put charisma number one in all of them.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_03: You have a problem.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_03: I have built other characters too.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you very much.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_00: You know, normally I think their recommendation is pretty spot on, but with this one, I could I could see strength, I could see charisma, I could see constitution being your number one, even to give you more health.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_00: Like you could go a lot of different ways.
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_01: I think it depends which way you want to play it, right?
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_01: Because I I would lean more towards probably like a strength con and just be to do more of a melee fighter if my spells are really not gonna be my biggest thing, and like the social side of charisma for me is whatever.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_01: So I would definitely build mine a little differently.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_03: The rogue doesn't need to not be intimidator, is that what you're saying?
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_01: No, no, I would dread playing about it.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_03: So this is why last night you weren't standing up giving the speeches with Brad and I.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_01: I looked something up at one point.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_01: Monty Python quote.
• 13:50
  SPEAKER_01: It counts.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_01: You were in there.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_01: I tried.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_01: Uh the last piece of the quick build, I think, is that they mark uh choosing the noble background.
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_01: Uh this one especially I felt was like a take it or leave it.
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_01: I definitely didn't feel like a noble background was necessary for this type of character.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_00: But a lot of times the background that they recommend with the quick build, they start with so few options in just like the player's handbook.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_00: They're so limited on what they can put in that quick build option.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_03: I I thought noble was an interesting choice for them to suggest to start with, just because like when you think of like where a paladin came from, like he probably ended up in a monastery.
• 14:31
  SPEAKER_03: They not he.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_03: They probably ended up in a in a monastery at some point to train, become a priest, and then eventually became this warrior, right?
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_03: So it's like that's not where a noble is gonna get thrown.
• 14:41
  SPEAKER_03: This is more likely to be like an orphan or you know, a soldier that's found his way, his path, or something like that.
• 14:48
  SPEAKER_03: Not not a noble.
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_01: I was surprised by noble as well.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_01: Even an accolade, I feel like fits better than a noble.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_00: So looking at some of the key features, or that when we start talking about the different features of a paladin, starting out at first level, you get divine sense and lay on hands.
• 15:05
  SPEAKER_00: So divine sense is basically you get some spidey sense of what's going around around you, and you can sense undead, celestials, and fiends even just around you, which can really come in handy if like you're playing Curse of Strahd or something like that.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_00: You're gonna run into a lot of those, and as a paladin, you'll just sense those correct area.
• 15:25
  SPEAKER_03: I think the big thing with divine sense is you you also sense them behind cover.
• 15:30
  SPEAKER_03: So there's really as long as they're within a certain range of the of the player, uh, they can't hide.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_03: So if you fall into one of those three categories, there's really nowhere for you to go.
• 15:39
  SPEAKER_03: They're gonna know where you're at.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_03: Now, it's gonna be at the discretion of your DM how much information you get out of that.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_03: Phil was very generous in descent to a furnace on giving me the location of imps which like to go invisible.
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_03: Um, but I think that's up to some interpretation.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_03: You could just potentially say, Oh, there's you know, there's a demon in the room with you, but it's up to you.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_03: Like if you feel that like they're in tune with their god enough, you could say, well, there's a demon in that corner, or however you want to play that.
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_01: And uh I I I love the lay on hands, or as I prefer to call it good touch.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_01: So you can just heal party members basically.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, this is a great level one little quick healing buff that you just have a little pool of healing that you can give out as needed, resets on a long rest, so it is fairly balanced.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_00: Like you're gonna have to keep an eye on how many you're using at any given time.
• 16:31
  SPEAKER_00: But as you level up, it scales up with you.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so your your pool increases by five per level, like per paladin level.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_01: So it doesn't take long to amass you know a chunk.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, even at fourth level, you're talking 20 HP that you can restore.
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_01: It's better than a healing potion.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_03: And and it fits because like if you're if you're gonna be at the on the front lines and you're taking, you know, later in a campaign, if you're taking 20 and 30 point hits, you're gonna want that there, or if a buddy next to you is doing the same thing, you know, it's just a way to touch.
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_03: Here we go.
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_03: You're better.
• 17:04
  SPEAKER_03: Let's keep going.
• 17:05
  SPEAKER_00: So then at level two, we get into some of the more um key features, which are your fighting style as a as a paladin, your spell casting starts to come in, and then you also get one that we've touched on a little bit already, Divine Smite.
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, so you so your fighting style is interesting because that that's really kind of banking into that fighter-esque type area of this class.
• 17:28
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, you're choosing from defense, dueling, great weapon fighting, and protection, each of those giving you some interesting uh advantages.
• 17:37
  SPEAKER_03: So, like defense is going to give you a plus one bonus to your AC.
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_03: Depending on the armor that you're wearing, because you are proficient in all armors as a paladin, you may not necessarily have to take this.
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_03: If you have Adamantine plate armor.
• 17:49
  SPEAKER_03: And then carrying a shield.
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_03: And carrying a shield, then you it's still kind of fun to have this because you know when your AC is a 21, it's pretty fun to tell the DM to go F off for a round.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, but you you just may not need this one.
• 18:03
  SPEAKER_03: Uh the dueling one gives you uh a plus two bonus to damage rolls with that weap with that weapon.
• 18:09
  SPEAKER_03: So if you're looking for something, this is nice at particularly at lower levels where you're you may not be dealing as much damage.
• 18:15
  SPEAKER_03: Um great weapon fighting when you roll a one or two on the damage die for an attack that you make with a melee weapon you're wielding with two hands, you can re-roll that.
• 18:24
  SPEAKER_03: I actually think my paladin might be a great weapon fighter, and I probably don't use that like I should.
• 18:29
  SPEAKER_01: I feel like you've botched that one for sure.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 18:32
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, I mean that that's one of those things is like there's not a lot of detail in this class, but there are a few things like this that you just kind of get lost in the shuffle, right?
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 18:40
  SPEAKER_03: Uh and then the last one is protection.
• 18:42
  SPEAKER_03: Um, when you see a cre when you goodness, English, when a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that's within five feet, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on that attack roll.
• 18:53
  SPEAKER_03: So that's handy too.
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_03: It's kind of like the sentinel feat in a way where you can redirect tacks to you.
• 18:59
  SPEAKER_03: That's another one that like if you really want to play that frontline fighter, protection's a good one because you can direct tacks back at you and then impose disadvantage on your attacks to your teammates.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_01: It's like whatever that rune magic you did last night that saved our butts like six times.
• 19:12
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_03: Correct.
• 19:15
  SPEAKER_03: Um at second level, you also gain your spellcasting.
• 19:18
  SPEAKER_03: So like your early spells aren't gonna be like a wide range.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_03: Um, you're gonna get things like cure wounds.
• 19:24
  SPEAKER_03: Again, these again, these are gonna be typically be spells that are focusing more on yourself than anything else.
• 19:29
  SPEAKER_03: Uh the big one at level two is your divine smite.
• 19:31
  SPEAKER_03: So whenever you land a melee attack, you can expend a spell slot to add an extra 2d8 to uh the damage that you do, and then for every level that you add onto that, you have to expend a spell level of a level higher.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_03: But up to 68, you can add that much additional damage.
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_03: So you can add, you know, 48 extra damage when you do a uh level what five five or six uh smite.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_01: And when we talked about like how you are uh Divine Smite's super powerful, right?
• 20:03
  SPEAKER_01: But at second level, you only get two spell slaughter, period.
• 20:07
  SPEAKER_01: Like it's not like you can be And no cantrips, no, no cantrips, and the highest spell level you'll ever cast as a paladin is fifth.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_01: Correct.
• 20:17
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so you're a light spell caster.
• 20:20
  SPEAKER_01: But I mean, hey, when you get up to higher levels and you can smite and smite and smite.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_01: That's true.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_01: What else do you need?
• 20:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 20:28
  SPEAKER_00: Nothing.
• 20:28
  SPEAKER_01: 68.
• 20:29
  SPEAKER_03: Even some of your normal spells are smite.
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_00: So the only thing you're gonna need as a paladin at those upper levels is more dice.
• 20:36
  SPEAKER_00: So we keep rolling more spites.
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_03: And we we won't make it this far down the list, but at 11th level, you actually get an improved divine smite where it adds your smite onto a melee attack hit no matter what.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_03: Which again, I I'm a level 13 paladin.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_03: I don't think I have applied this correctly because there should be an extra 1d8 on every melee attack that I make.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_01: We are definitely doing this way too close to getting back into the other game.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_03: Reminding Ross of all the things he can do.
• 21:04
  SPEAKER_03: I love this.
• 21:05
  SPEAKER_03: Oh, we're gonna have to nerf some skills of I'm gonna have to have like a one sheet for my character like up on the wall.
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_03: Don't forget this.
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_01: I have to start going through the monsters and be like, hmm, that should smite.
• 21:16
  SPEAKER_01: That should smite smite back.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_00: At level three, we get into kind of the key features of your paladin, which is um divine health, but then also the big one, sacred oath.
• 21:31
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I think before we get into the oath, the divine health is quite interesting because it makes you immune to all disease.
• 21:37
  SPEAKER_03: Most of the time in a campaign, unless unless there's a specific reason to bring up sickness and disease, like maybe the plague for whatever reason, you're not going to run into this a lot.
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_03: Where we have used it is I took that to mean that a paladin can also not get drunk.
• 21:53
  SPEAKER_03: And so I have drunk a few people under the table for strategic strategic purposes because I'm Assuming that a paladin cannot do so, much like Captain America.
• 22:03
  SPEAKER_03: That might be a home homebrew rule, but it's fine.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_00: It was it made for a lot of a lot of fun at the table.
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_00: That's and that's all that matters.
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_00: Do what you need to do.
• 22:16
  SPEAKER_00: But the the sacred oaths, that's the big one that really sets apart who you are going to be as a paladin.
• 22:24
  SPEAKER_00: Um, Phil, what are some of the big ones that we're looking at?
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_01: Uh so if you just dip into the basic rules, you only get one choice initially, um, which is the oath of devotion.
• 22:35
  SPEAKER_01: So this is what you typically would see kind of as your like holy warrior.
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_01: Um, they uphold the ideals of honesty, courage, compassion, honor, and duty.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you gain an aura that actually harms fiends and undead.
• 22:47
  SPEAKER_01: You inspire your allies and you compel the truth.
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, if you kind of look outside of the basic rules and go to the player's handbook, then we have the um Oath of Vengeance.
• 22:59
  SPEAKER_01: So focused on defeating evil.
• 23:01
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you show no mercy to the wicked, you gain abilities to frighten enemies, uh, you can smite with vengeance uh and ultimately pursue your quarry relentlessly.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_01: The other player handbook option is the Oath of the Ancients.
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_01: Uh this one's kind of cool.
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_01: You channel the power of nature to protect the world from unnatural threats.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_01: So you end up gaining some resistance to like non-magical damage at a certain point.
• 23:26
  SPEAKER_01: Um you can speak with beasts, and here you're smite.
• 23:29
  SPEAKER_01: Um you smite with radiant energy here, which I feel like most is radiant energy.
• 23:35
  SPEAKER_01: Or is it force?
• 23:35
  SPEAKER_01: Is it radiant energy?
• 23:36
  SPEAKER_03: It's radiant energy.
• 23:37
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 23:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 23:38
  SPEAKER_00: I had to ask the paladin expert over there.
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_00: Which is really powerful.
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_00: So side note, like coming in at with radiant damage, like not a lot of stuff is resistant to that, and you're gonna pack a bunch.
• 23:50
  SPEAKER_01: That oh, yeah, absolutely.
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_01: I think that's true.
• 23:53
  SPEAKER_01: Um, in Xanathar's Guide to Everything, we've got the Oath of Conquest.
• 23:58
  SPEAKER_01: Um, this uh oath strikes fear into your enemies, and you control the battlefield.
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_01: So you gain an aura that weakens enemies, uh, you can frighten them, force them to flee ultimately, um, and you can channel divinity to compel obedience or to spread fear, kind of depending on what the need is.
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_01: Um there is in Xanathar's this one's listed as an unofficial oath.
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_01: I'm not sure about that, but the oath of redemption, uh, you believe in offering redemption and second chances.
• 24:27
  SPEAKER_01: So you seek to reform those who've fallen from grace, you gain abilities to calm emotions, sense remorse, uh, and ultimately turn enemies into allies.
• 24:36
  SPEAKER_01: Channel divinity to emit a calming aura, um, or ultimately force creatures to confront their guilt as well.
• 24:45
  SPEAKER_01: Um in the critical role supplement, there's one called Oath of the Open Sea.
• 24:50
  SPEAKER_01: Uh so you defend the freedom of the seas and revere the ocean's power.
• 24:55
  SPEAKER_01: Um, fight for the freedom of travel and exploration on the open seas, respect the natural world and the creatures that inhabit it, uh, gain abilities to resist drowning, breathe underwater, command aquatic creatures.
• 25:07
  SPEAKER_01: Obviously, kind of campaign specific.
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, if you're just traveling overland, may not have a lot of uh fun role-playing opportunities with that one.
• 25:16
  SPEAKER_01: Um, there's actually one kind of tucked away in the dungeon masters guide here, and we hit on it a little bit earlier, but it's the oath breaker.
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_01: And it's it's not really an oath, it's like someone who didn't follow their oath, right?
• 25:29
  SPEAKER_01: So paladin who strayed from their oath and became corrupted.
• 25:33
  SPEAKER_01: So, depending on how you play your paladin, if you're actually not staying in alignment with your oath or you were making conscious decisions to go against what your deity is requesting of you, uh your DM may turn you into an oathbreaker, right?
• 25:47
  SPEAKER_01: You may have crossed the line.
• 25:49
  SPEAKER_01: So at that point you wield dark magic and inspire fear.
• 25:52
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you gain abilities to frighten creatures, curse enemies, control undead, uh, and here you're channeling divinity to um your channel divinity is for an aura of hate or to terrify creatures.
• 26:04
  SPEAKER_01: So a much darker um version.
• 26:07
  SPEAKER_03: So so I feel like this is where going back to like when we we were in our pros and cons, how like a paladin typically has an alignment lock to the good sign.
• 26:17
  SPEAKER_03: Well, this is where the oathbreaker comes in.
• 26:19
  SPEAKER_03: And I I I love the fact actually that this your DM gets the discretion to decide this.
• 26:25
  SPEAKER_03: And I think that's why it's an oath, but it's not an oath, because you can't choose an oathbreaker, because you can't become an oathbreaker unless you had an oath already, right?
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_03: So you have to choose something else, and then based on how you roleplay, and there's not really a lot of consequences for in DD for not role-playing a character correctly, this is a rare exception.
• 26:44
  SPEAKER_03: If your DM determines that you are making some decisions that are unbecoming of a paladin and the holy path that you have chosen, it's time for a switch.
• 26:54
  SPEAKER_03: And this is where you would shift probably from that good into that more evil alignment, uh, and probably the only way you can become evil as a paladin.
• 27:04
  SPEAKER_01: Definitely makes sense in why it's tucked away in the Dungeon Masters Guide, because it is their choice.
• 27:08
  SPEAKER_01: But where I see this or where this could have come into play with Thorne, Ross's character in our descent into a Vernus campaign, is if you were to enter into some sort of a pact correct with a fiend.
• 27:19
  SPEAKER_01: But I mean, I would assume that your deity may have been displeased by that.
• 27:24
  SPEAKER_03: I'm not sure it would have been enough to fully tip the scales, but I I I love that because it allows a lot of flavor that you can put into something because it's kind of like your god senses the things going on behind your decision, right?
• 27:40
  SPEAKER_03: So are you doing it because you are truly an evil person and just ignoring your path, or like did you make the did you make the deal as a strategic move, as a means to an end kind of thing?
• 27:52
  SPEAKER_01: I think regardless, I think that Thorne's tattoo would have shifted, even if you I think so too.
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_01: I don't think it'd have gone Oathbreaker, but your tattoo, the scales would have shifted.
• 28:01
  SPEAKER_03: You are being a naughty naughty boy.
• 28:04
  SPEAKER_01: Um there's just a couple left.
• 28:06
  SPEAKER_01: So in the Sword Coast Adventurers guy, we've got the Oath of the Crown.
• 28:08
  SPEAKER_01: Uh you uphold the laws and social order.
• 28:11
  SPEAKER_01: I could maybe see a noble fitting more along the lines of this one.
• 28:14
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you gain an aura that compels obedience to authority, you can inspire your allies, protect them from harm, and here you channel divinity to compel truth and force obedience.
• 28:24
  SPEAKER_01: And then Tasha's Cauldron of Everything has two.
• 28:27
  SPEAKER_01: We've got the Oath of Glory.
• 28:28
  SPEAKER_01: So you lead the charge in battle and inspire heroism and others.
• 28:32
  SPEAKER_01: You gain an aura that grants temporary hit points to allies and lets them move faster.
• 28:37
  SPEAKER_01: And here you can channel divinity to inspire allies or yourself with a burst of radiant energy.
• 28:42
  SPEAKER_01: So once again, just kind of bumping up that radiant um presence in the battlefield.
• 28:48
  SPEAKER_01: And lastly, is the Oath of Watchers.
• 28:51
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, guardians against threats from other planes.
• 28:54
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you gain resistance to psychic damage, you can see invisible creatures, uh, you can smite aberrations.
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_01: Um, here are your channel divinity to ward an area against extra planar creatures, reveal hidden ones.
• 29:08
  SPEAKER_01: Uh so this one to me definitely could be, I think they're technically rangers, but if you looked at like the Knight's Watch from Game of Thrones, this seems to fit for them, like an oath of the watchers, protecting against extra planar creatures or non-natural creatures.
• 29:23
  SPEAKER_01: White walkers, I think that that kind of oh yeah, right along that path.
• 29:27
  SPEAKER_01: So there's a lot of oaths.
• 29:28
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, that's a good list to be able to pick from.
• 29:31
  SPEAKER_00: And you can go a lot of different ways of of how to build your paladin based on that.
• 29:38
  SPEAKER_00: You know, the other key thing with picking your oath is you also get spells that come with your oath.
• 29:45
  SPEAKER_00: So as you level up, you're gonna continue to get more spells, and those are always equipped.
• 29:49
  SPEAKER_00: You don't have to select which spells to pick, those are always gonna be equipped for you.
• 29:54
  SPEAKER_00: So, since we've been talking about paladins, how to build it, uh what you want to be looking for, we took it upon ourselves to build a level one paladin that we want to share with you guys.
• 30:04
  SPEAKER_00: So, Ross, what did you pick up on for your paladin?
• 30:08
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, you've gone through a couple of these already.
• 30:10
  SPEAKER_00: What did you settle on this time?
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_03: So, um, first of all, we should know that since we build level one characters, there's not gonna be a whole lot in these because we didn't even we haven't even picked an oath for these yet.
• 30:20
  SPEAKER_03: So this is really like so it's literally something you can start with.
• 30:24
  SPEAKER_03: Uh so my paladin's name is Balin Assheel.
• 30:28
  SPEAKER_03: Um, he is a half-elf paladin, uh, because he gets that plus two to charisma.
• 30:33
  SPEAKER_03: So that's nice and helpful.
• 30:35
  SPEAKER_03: Uh the this I I I rolled out of my mind on this one.
• 30:39
  SPEAKER_03: I still can't believe D D Beyond uh rolled this good for me.
• 30:43
  SPEAKER_03: Um, but after the bonuses and everything from the racial traits, uh, I have a 20 on charisma, so a plus five.
• 30:50
  SPEAKER_01: So if you rolled out of your mind, is that like theater of the mind you just made your numbers up?
• 30:54
  SPEAKER_01: Totally, totally.
• 30:55
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, yes.
• 30:56
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, if that was the case, I wouldn't have given myself a 10 in wisdom, but you know what?
• 31:00
  SPEAKER_03: Had to make it look real.
• 31:03
  SPEAKER_03: Uh so I did end up with that 20 in charisma, so that plus five bonus is nice, but uh a 10 in wisdom, a 15 in intelligence, a 16 in constitution, a 12 in dex, and a 14 in strength.
• 31:13
  SPEAKER_03: So it's it's he's a pretty beefy guy.
• 31:15
  SPEAKER_03: Now, I will explain a little bit of that away by saying I didn't come up with a ton of backstory for him, but I did go through like his characteristics, and he's 137 years old.
• 31:25
  SPEAKER_03: He is a soldier, he is a mid-ranked, not like a general soldier, but um when I was going through his personality traits and bonds, um, what I came up with was that he has been in lots of battles and he almost has PTSD.
• 31:40
  SPEAKER_03: Like there's been decisions made where he has lost a lot of people, and in that process, he found Latander and then realized that his path forward was one of a holy one, and that the way to redeem himself and and losing his men is to go try to strike down the forces of evil in the world.
• 31:59
  SPEAKER_03: Um, so beyond that, um, there's really not a whole lot to share because there's not a lot of things to share in here.
• 32:05
  SPEAKER_03: Um, I did give him some perks in intimidation, insight, persuasion, medicine, uh kind of typical things that you would think for a paladin that would probably help them out in the long run.
• 32:15
  SPEAKER_03: I I love always love having persuasion because it helps in social situations.
• 32:19
  SPEAKER_03: So that's a pretty straightforward one.
• 32:21
  SPEAKER_03: Uh languages, uh half elf gets common and and elvish anyway, and then I chose dwarfish.
• 32:27
  SPEAKER_03: Um, had I probably put a little more into his backstory, I probably would have came up with a reason for that.
• 32:32
  SPEAKER_03: But uh otherwise, that's that's about it for for Batlin.
• 32:36
  SPEAKER_00: Did you have an oath of a path of which oath you're gonna go down?
• 32:41
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I I I mean I was gonna get I was not gonna get too exotic with him just because of that back.
• 32:46
  SPEAKER_03: I had the idea for the backstory before I would have gotten to the oath, and so I think he it would definitely be an oath of devotion for him.
• 32:52
  SPEAKER_03: He he's gonna tow the line moving forward, so that was uh that was a pretty easy one.
• 32:58
  SPEAKER_00: Phil, who are you bringing to the table?
• 33:00
  SPEAKER_01: Uh today I'm bringing to you Aganach, the uh uh Seder paladin.
• 33:07
  SPEAKER_01: Ooh, all hail Pan.
• 33:10
  SPEAKER_01: Uh we went with actually I decided I was gonna play a Seder because I'm like, hmm, what DD do I want to follow?
• 33:18
  SPEAKER_01: Pan.
• 33:19
  SPEAKER_01: Sure, why not?
• 33:20
  SPEAKER_01: Love it.
• 33:20
  SPEAKER_01: It's gotta be a Seder.
• 33:22
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 33:22
  SPEAKER_01: Uh background-wise, uh, I decided to go Acolyte.
• 33:27
  SPEAKER_01: So Aganach is a devout follower of Pan and has studied in the temple.
• 33:33
  SPEAKER_01: Um trying to decide if I think he spent a little time in the Feywild too.
• 33:37
  SPEAKER_01: I didn't get the whole backstory written, but that's in there somewhere.
• 33:40
  SPEAKER_01: Um idea was to head towards probably the Oath of the Ancients.
• 33:45
  SPEAKER_01: So protecting this world from unnatural threats kind of lends into that beast's realm.
• 33:51
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but role-wise, this was like the most boring role I've ever had.
• 33:56
  SPEAKER_01: Probably ever.
• 33:57
  SPEAKER_01: It wasn't good, it wasn't bad.
• 33:59
  SPEAKER_01: Um I put well, I split my highest numbers, which were sixteens, and strength and charisma, because that's what the book told me to do.
• 34:09
  SPEAKER_01: And then uh I had two fourteens.
• 34:13
  SPEAKER_01: So we went constitution and wisdom, because perception checks, and AZ.
• 34:22
  SPEAKER_01: And I shit you not, 13 in intelligence, 12 in dexterity.
• 34:30
  SPEAKER_00: Ooh.
• 34:31
  SPEAKER_01: I only have a plus one.
• 34:33
  SPEAKER_01: This is like the least rogue character you can do.
• 34:35
  SPEAKER_01: I'm looking at this initiative plus one, and it makes me want to cry.
• 34:39
  SPEAKER_01: Like, this guy might be able to swing.
• 34:41
  SPEAKER_01: What did I even give him?
• 34:43
  SPEAKER_01: I gave him oh, ooh, double-bladed scimitar.
• 34:46
  SPEAKER_01: Ooh, okay.
• 34:47
  SPEAKER_01: But he's gonna swing at last.
• 34:49
  SPEAKER_01: Plus one?
• 34:50
  SPEAKER_01: Are you kidding me?
• 34:51
  SPEAKER_01: What the hell is that?
• 34:53
  SPEAKER_03: The funny thing is, nobody can see you, but we can tell how much this pains you just by the look on your face.
• 34:58
  SPEAKER_00: This is gonna have the finishing blow on every once in a while when he actually gets a swing.
• 35:04
  SPEAKER_01: He's never gonna get a turn.
• 35:06
  SPEAKER_01: Rogue's gonna sneak attack and kill someone before he even gets to swing his double-bladed scimitar.
• 35:11
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and let's see.
• 35:12
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, I got a couple up other languages because the acolyte as well.
• 35:16
  SPEAKER_01: So um, we got common elvish, and then I picked up Sylvan uh to kind of go with the woods, forestish theme, and then celestial, possibly, just in studying in the temple or monastery.
• 35:30
  SPEAKER_01: It kind of seems like it fit.
• 35:33
  SPEAKER_01: That's really all that's important.
• 35:35
  SPEAKER_01: None of the rest of it's important.
• 35:36
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 35:37
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, Brett.
• 35:38
  SPEAKER_01: So disclaimer.
• 35:39
  SPEAKER_01: We look way too excited.
• 35:41
  SPEAKER_00: We do not share our characters with each other before we start.
• 35:44
  SPEAKER_00: That's true.
• 35:45
  SPEAKER_00: Oh boy.
• 35:46
  SPEAKER_02: Oh no.
• 35:47
  SPEAKER_00: So I will introduce you to Ellerin Oakenshield, who is a wood elf paladin, um, and is coming with the Fey Lost background.
• 35:59
  SPEAKER_00: So this wood elf, Ellerin, was transported to the Fey Wild as a young wood elf, and then got brought back to the material plane and has become an ardent follower of Pan.
• 36:13
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 36:15
  SPEAKER_00: And is on the search for Pan.
• 36:17
  SPEAKER_00: Um, also going down the Oath of the Ancients line.
• 36:21
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my gosh.
• 36:22
  SPEAKER_00: Some twosies over here.
• 36:24
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I'm wondering if you had the the same basis of where this came from is Percy Jackson.
• 36:34
  SPEAKER_01: I don't think I meant to.
• 36:36
  SPEAKER_01: I intentionally went to.
• 36:37
  SPEAKER_01: As soon as I created it, I'm like, oh man.
• 36:39
  SPEAKER_01: Oops.
• 36:40
  SPEAKER_00: So I was I was basing this off of Grover from Percy Jackson, who is a satyr, like Phil's, um, who goes on a search for Pan in those books.
• 36:50
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, but wanted to take it a little bit of a different route going with the wood elf vibe.
• 36:54
  SPEAKER_00: Uh which seemed to fit pretty well.
• 36:58
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, but yeah, I mean, Phil basically touched on all my stuff.
• 37:03
  SPEAKER_00: My roles were pretty much trash.
• 37:05
  SPEAKER_00: I had 15 for strength as my highest, and everything else was worse than that.
• 37:10
  SPEAKER_00: Jeez.
• 37:10
  SPEAKER_00: So uh if you want to challenge, you can try this character, but I would not probably recommend it.
• 37:16
  SPEAKER_00: Go for Phil's it's a better.
• 37:18
  SPEAKER_01: This Seder is gonna sit in my character shelf and never get played, and you know why?
• 37:22
  SPEAKER_01: It's not the Seder's fault, it's because he's a paladin.
• 37:26
  unknown: That's fair.
• 37:28
  SPEAKER_01: When Ross runs out of paladins, we'll just transfer it.
• 37:31
  SPEAKER_01: It's fine.
• 37:32
  SPEAKER_03: I'll give you two more.
• 37:33
  SPEAKER_03: It's fine.
• 37:34
  SPEAKER_03: You could merge these two together and probably have a good character.
• 37:37
  SPEAKER_03: Basically have the same thing.
• 37:38
  SPEAKER_03: But I roll higher initiative than you do.
• 37:40
  SPEAKER_01: That's just rude.
• 37:42
  SPEAKER_01: That was just weird.
• 37:44
  SPEAKER_01: If I roll the 20, I don't care what character I'm playing, that baby's going into X.
• 37:50
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 37:51
  SPEAKER_00: Final thoughts.
• 37:52
  SPEAKER_00: The paladin.
• 37:53
  SPEAKER_00: Ross, I know you're a big fan.
• 37:54
  SPEAKER_00: What what else are you after you've dug into this a little bit more?
• 37:57
  SPEAKER_00: Any new thoughts on it?
• 37:58
  SPEAKER_03: Uh well, yeah, I'm obviously a little impartial.
• 38:01
  SPEAKER_03: Uh or not, I'm not impartial.
• 38:03
  SPEAKER_03: I am partial to the paladin.
• 38:05
  SPEAKER_03: Um I think overall, I I didn't really think about this being a good character necessarily for people to start with, but I think it is just because you get to dip your toes into some different things.
• 38:14
  SPEAKER_03: I do like that.
• 38:15
  SPEAKER_03: We did mention in the mailbag how uh Phil had mentioned how awful it would be to have two paladins in a party, and I don't actually disagree with that now, uh, having looked at this.
• 38:24
  SPEAKER_03: I think it'd just be so hard and like complexity, like if you have similar alignments, like it just doesn't offer enough variability if you have multiple ones.
• 38:33
  SPEAKER_03: The nice thing is though, is if when you have one paladin, because of that alignment they have, they typically tend to create a little tension with other characters in the party because of decisions or flightiness.
• 38:44
  SPEAKER_03: I think that's why Ari and Thorne in our campaign, like it's not that they don't like each other, it's more of like Thorne is like this and Ari is like this, and I think sometimes it just they annoy the shit out of each other.
• 38:56
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 38:57
  SPEAKER_03: And there's nothing wrong with that.
• 38:58
  SPEAKER_00: I think that just it adds a lot to the game.
• 39:01
  SPEAKER_00: And I'll touch on that with my one of my final thoughts is if you're gonna go down that route and have some kind of confrontation at the table, make sure the other people at the table are on board with that and your DM is on board with that too.
• 39:13
  SPEAKER_00: We've gotten to the point where we're very comfortable doing that with our characters, but if you're jumping into a new table, be a little weary of stepping on the rogue's toes or calling him out when he's trying to pickpocket somebody.
• 39:27
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 39:29
  SPEAKER_00: He's just doing his job.
• 39:30
  SPEAKER_00: Play the table a little bit.
• 39:32
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 39:32
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, you're the holy warrior, you're all righteous, you're goody two shoes, but you also need to eat.
• 39:38
  SPEAKER_00: So hey, look at the other way.
• 39:41
  SPEAKER_01: That's fine.
• 39:43
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, my final thoughts on the paladin.
• 39:46
  SPEAKER_01: I I think it's a I actually do think it's a great entry-level character.
• 39:50
  SPEAKER_01: So you get some good experience with some melee combat, you have some spells, but not a ton you have to keep track of.
• 39:57
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I don't know.
• 39:58
  SPEAKER_01: I just thought the overall, I hate to say it, but I think that a paladin would be fun to play.
• 40:04
  SPEAKER_01: And it kind of hurts to say it.
• 40:06
  SPEAKER_03: But is but are you?
• 40:07
  SPEAKER_03: Man, that's so glorious to hear you say that.
• 40:09
  SPEAKER_01: No, I'm still not gonna do it.
• 40:11
  SPEAKER_01: But you don't have to play, and that's fine.
• 40:14
  SPEAKER_01: This one I actually would want to play.
• 40:15
  SPEAKER_03: So Okay, you get as the DM, you get along with Thorne, all right.
• 40:19
  SPEAKER_01: I do.
• 40:20
  SPEAKER_03: I may push his buttons every now and then.
• 40:22
  SPEAKER_01: The the only yeah, but we'll leave that for another episode.
• 40:26
  SPEAKER_00: That's gonna do it for this episode of Bards and Barrels.
• 40:29
  SPEAKER_00: You can listen to past episodes of the show anywhere podcasts can be found.
• 40:33
  SPEAKER_00: You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube at Bards and Barrels.
• 40:37
  SPEAKER_00: We'll see you soon.