Pathfinder: Kingmaker - Paladin Tank Build 

Last three levels rogue for finesse training?

Sure

@@ArcaneAgent Could you do a build for a bit more traditional Paladin tank with heavy armor and greatsword. I don't mind dipping in to other classes but don't want to dip into monk when its going to take away from wielding two handed weapons and wearing heavy armour.

I started to. I made a sword and board shield tank paladin. And then with the same feats I just dipped monk and it was 10 times better

@@ArcaneAgent but to get the monk benefits you can't use any heavy armor and that is not what I want to do. I don't mind if it's not as good as dipping into monk. Just a good solid heavy armor wearing paladin that works.

Makes me wanna make more of these videos

@@ArcaneAgent You totally should. Your videos are the gold standard for class builds in Pathfinder Kingmaker. Edit: ​And I imagine the same is true for your Pathfinder: WOTR videos, although I haven't picked that game up yet, so I haven't gotten into those videos of yours yet.

@@ArcaneAgentplease do so!!! Even if it’s just minor tweaks for updated patches, etc. I came across your channel and love your content! Would love to see more Owlcat games, and even more isometric CRPGs

Good job getting hooked and addicted hehe

Thanks! I'll be streaming on twitch right after the video finishes

Dude thanks. I spend more time making builds than playing the game...

Asmr build incoming

@@ArcaneAgent Aasimar paladin build is an ASMR by itself. 😊 Thanks for the great content as always.

Yer welcome!

Not with foresight 😉

September 2nd!

Hopefully it also comes to xonsole eventually

Its ok! We had 74 people watching the premiere live, and then we had 50 people watching on twitch, so that was fun!

Such hype

Its been wrong, so wrong. I mean they should make it 1 wisdom AC per level of monk, just like duelist

Slayer vivisectionist with opportunity soon

@@ArcaneAgent yeah as soon as you go down the mod route and super deep btsl levels, some whacky opportunities show up. I have a slayer vivisectionist with 2 levels in eldritch scion and 4 in dd for the strength and wand usage. Craft magic item lets me put a wand of savage maw and blade tutor on him. With another wand of vampiric touch and his motherless, mutagen, savage maw, dragon disciple and skald rage power bite, that's a lot of bites. 6 main, 3 off, 5 bites with keen scimitars, I've named him 'CritFisher'.

Enjoy!

It works nicely as there is a decent kama that gives a straight +2 AC bonus when equipped. Because the artisan will often give you 2 you could dual wield them if you wanted to invest that way for stacking AC of 4.

Pew pew with the kamas

I like your username lol

@@ArcaneAgent thanks. is this build viable with an Earth Breaker, and will the AC be effected greatly?

Its why I love the community!

Well get ready for this build

True

I think it's one hand with no offhand so you get the unarmed bonus from one of the monk skills.

Ive got to find them beneath the stolen land

1. No point take mobility past 3. No point to take perception, you can take everything. But on practice, this game love roll lower half of arrey, and better to have more then 1 character in the party with it. wisdom based preferred. 2. Crane style works bad with 2h weapon, so, every monk weapon excluding staff - kama, sai, fists, nunchuks. i give you a tip. If you want make this build - dont take hospitalier. Take normal paladin.

I guess you could stop mobility at 3 and start pumping persuasion. Perception is always a good skill to detect traps, chests, hidden doors etc

@@93overlord Thanks!

The cleric domain? I think so

I'm glad I can entertain

Maybe...

If you want a dragon sorcerer, here's the build I use (keep in mind the stuff about metamagic/prestigious spellcaster requires the call of the wild mod, which you should really consider getting if you don't have it): If you want your dragon sorcerer to be stupid as well as unwise, you can dump int to 7 from 11 freeing up points to make either STR or DEX 16 at start. You won't need to worry overmuch about excess skillpoints in that case. STR>CHA>DEX>CON>WIS>INT. Progression with spellcasting level and max spell level listed as (x,y): 1: So1 (1,1): +1 hp. Feats: Spell Focus, Greater Spell Focus, Favoured Prestige Class (Dragon Disciple). Bloodline power: Blood Havoc mutation (replaces Claws, +1 damage per die for spells, stacks with +1 from dragon bloodline). Spells: Burning Hands(1), Shield(1) 2: So2 (2,1): +1 hp 3: So3 (3,1): +partial spell. Feat: Metamagic (Elemental Acid). Bloodline power: Dragon Resistances rather than a bloodline mutation. Spells: Magic Missile(1) 4: So4 (4,2) +1 CHA, +Bonus spell(level 1). Spells: Vanish(1), Burning Arc(2) 5: So5 (5,2): +partial spell. Weapon Focus: Bite. Spells: Enlarge(1), Mirror Image(2) 6: DD1 (5,2): +1 hp. Set Favoured Prestige Class Skill Focus (Persuasion) - You lose a spellcaster level here, regain it next level 7: DD2 (7,3): +1 hp. Feat: Prestigious Spellcaster (Dragon Disciple). Bloodline feat: Skill Focus: Knowledge (Arcane) or Toughness depending on whether you play stupid or non-stupid sorcerer. Spells: True Strike(1), Glitterdust(2), Fireball(3), Haste(3) 8: DD3 (8,4): +1 CHA, +1 hp. Spell: Dragon's Breath(4) or Controlled Fireball(4) 9: DD4 (9,4): +1 hp, Feat: Dazzling Display. Spells: Sense Vitals(2), Displacement(3), Wall of Fire(4) 10: DD5 (9,4): +1 hp. Bloodline feat: Blind Fight. -- You lose a spell level here, will regain at 15 11: DD6 (10,5): +1 hp. Feat: Outflank. Spell: Fire Snake(5) 12: DD7 (11,5): +1 CHA, +1 hp. Spells: Web(2), Resistance to Energy, Communal(3), Protection from Energy, Communal(4), Stoneskin, Communal(5). You gain Dragonkind I as an 1/day ability so this is start of life as a dragon. 13: Mo1 (11,5): +1 hp. Feat: Shattered Defenses. Monk feat: Crane Style 14: DD8 (12,6): +1 hp. Bloodline feat: Metamagic(Quicken). Spell: Sirocco(6). --- You gain Dragonkind 1 as spell from lineage here at the same time as you get your 6th level spells, so aren't limited to the 1/day use anymore 15: So6 (14,7): +bonus spell(level 6). Feat: Prestigious Spellcaster (Dragon Disciple). Spells: Dimension Door(4), Geniekind(5), Transformation, Contingency(6), Waves of Exhaustion(7) - note, to be allowed to select a level 6 bonus spell - which you are only allowed to because of the Prestigious Spellcaster taken this level bringing you to level 7 spells - the interface requires you to select the feat first. To do this just select +1hp (or whatever) when you reach the heritage tab, then after assigning skillpoints and the feat return to the heritage tab (click on the tab name to do so) and you'll be able to select bonus spell(level 6) 16: So7 (15,7): +1 CHA, + partial spell. Bloodline power: Blood Intensity mutation. Spells: Angelic Aspect(5), Heroism, Greater(6), Firebrand(7) --- Tired of fireballs capping at 10 dice? No more! You also gain Wings 17: So8 (16,8): +bonus spell(level 7). Feat: Elemental Focus: Fire. Spell Legendary Proportions(7), Stormbolts(8) (Or if you REALLY want to fill up your spellslots with heightened Sirocco for levels 7+, get Metamagic(Heighten) feat instead). 18: So9 (17,8): +partial spell. Spells: Particulate Form(7), Seamantle(8) --- Note that you gain Dragonkind III from lineage, making you bigger and tougher than ever and that it has a pretty scary aura 19: So10 (18,9): +bonus spell(level 8). Feat: Greater Elemental Focus: Fire. Spells: Frightful Aspect(8), Fiery Body(9) 20: So11 (19,9): +1 CHA, +1 hp. Spells: Summon Elder Elemental(8), Meteor Swarm(9).. or Tsunami, Weird, or Time Stop Total spell list: 1 Mage Armor(B), Burning Hands, Shield, Magic Missile, Vanish, Enlarge, True Strike 2 Resist Energy(B), Burning Arc, Mirror Image, Glitterdust, Sense Vitals, Web (or whatever) 3 Dispel Magic(B), Fireball, Haste, Displacement, Resist Energy, Communal 4 Fear(B), 2 of Dragon's Breath/Controlled Fireball/Wall of Fire, Protection From Energy, Communal, Dimension Door 5 Spell Resistance(B), Fire Snake, Stoneskin, Communal, Geniekind, Angelic Aspect, 6 Dragonkind I(B), Sirocco (fort save), Transformation, Contingency, Heroism, Greater 7 Dragonkind II(B), Waves of Exhaustion, Firebrand, Legendary Proportions, Particulate Form (or whatever) 8 Dragonkind III(B) - Stormbolts (fort save), Seamantle, Frightful Aspect, Summon Elder Elemental (or whatever) 9 Overwhelming Presence(B), Fiery Body, Meteor Swarm (or whatever... Meteor Swarm is traditional for nukers, but against Fey you might prefer Weird, Tsunami, or Time Stop - or just ripping them apart as a dragon, but it IS traditional, and when the COTW author implemented it in the mod it deserves to be used, and it looks nice too) About level 4 spells; Controlled Fireball is a perfectly valid replacement for Dragon's Breath or Wall of Fire if you prefer it; especially Wall of Fire is iffy; it is seldom worth using over another blasting spell with more immediate effect, but when it is, it can be very useful indeed. If you take Controlled Fireball, it needs an acid metamagic variant too. Metamagic Quicken(+4): Vanish, Burning Arc, Mirror Image, Sense Vitals, Fireball, Haste, Displacement, Wall of Fire, Dragon's Breath or Controlled Fireball, Dimension Door, Fire Snake Acid(+1): Burning Hands, Burning Arc, Fireball, Wall of Fire, Controlled Fireball if you have it, Fire Snake, Sirocco, Stormbolts

Of the newer games? Solasta has thr better handle of 5e rules

Do you have spell combat on? Do you have a 1 handed weapon? Have you already walked during the round. Is it at touch spell?

On the inquisitor?

@@ArcaneAgent investigator, from the eldritch arcana mod I think it is. Or maybe into the wilds

Can you explain that please? How does Sorc get Paladin more Smite slots?

@@TheOriginalJealot It doesn't. I was thinking in fifth edition when I wrote that. You'd have to get more smite through a Mythic feat.

Paladins can be very easy because they are very tanky. Sylvan sorc can be easy because they get a pet from level 1

Reach weapons are mainly strength weapons, so you'll only get as many attacks of opportunity as you have dex modifier

@@ArcaneAgent would it make much difference to the overall build if you switched the dexterity and strength scores and used something like a glaive? I'm new to the game and still wrapping my head round it, I've played 5e but not pathfinder.

The dexterity is not only for your attack, but also your defense

@@ArcaneAgent but is it just giving you an extra couple of points of AC? Since the AC is so high an extra couple of point wouldn't make to much difference would it?

Yes. You can lower your dex and choose to use strength instead. However, why not double up on AC AND attack with one skill? Dex also allows you more attacks of opportunity

I made one back in 2018 hehe. Druid monk

@@ArcaneAgent wow will have a look enjoy druid alot but hate how they are not very tanky

Yeah druids get the short end of the sticj

What do you want to achieve?

@@ArcaneAgent A paladin that has some practical offensive spellcasting abilities without overly compromising a Paladin's proficiency as a melee / support character. Thanks for your expert advice.

I wasnt wearing armor. I had a plus 4 natural armor amulet. A plus 4 deflection ring. And a plus magic armor bracelet

Thank you

Ive made a thug duelist Aldori defender build before

@@ArcaneAgent you're really good about replying back to comments and it's appreciated. Thanks, great videos!

Well right now when I only get 11 comments a day, I try to reply back

John you could go with something like Scaled Fist 1, paladin 3-4 for saves and anti fear then do the abyssal eldritch scion with 4 points in dragon disciple for the spells and added str buffs which would make up for the BAB loss. Add in a few levels of vivisectionist for a significant duration mutagen effect and some sneak damage.

@@Jarredpearman wow, yeah that sounds cool!

You could do that and grab cautious fighter, +2 ac while defensive fighting

@@ArcaneAgent Cool! Doesnt look as cool as wings in your build but its cool. Thanks!

Those wings are nice

I don't think it's worth it. Cautious fighter + size bonus = wings, but you do less damage, are slower, less carry capacity, no halo. Halfling just couldn't compete without a way to speed up and supplement their damage at the very least.

What about a halfling cautious fighter with crane wing and also vivisectionist wings...

I actually created a dual wield bard while streaming on www.twitch.tv/thearcaneagent last week. I just havent edited it yet

@@ArcaneAgent This takes advantage of the bug that lets you use combat trick over and over though right? table top and cotw don't let that happen :( Haven't found a way to make cotw allow it like vanilla does.

That armor is good armor!

most likely you are best off using armor early on and transitioning as the charisma armor overcomes normal armor

Always always add rogue hehe

Why add rogue level if you can dip vivisectionist. Same benefits + mutagen :)

Cus rogue is my thing

Like a ranger? Battleaxes are 2 handed right?

@@ArcaneAgent omg you replied?! 🥰 great axes are 2 hand battle axe are 1 hand

Ah so you're looking for that kinda build

@@ArcaneAgent another reply? That's it. You asked for it. Im following your twitch and hitting you with that twitch prime when I catch you on. What time you stream? And what time zone?

I stream mondays at 2pm EST and Fridays at 3pm EST. However with that new Baldurs Gate 3 dropping Tuesday...i might stream Tuesday

A little different. But if your dm allows the feats, sure

it's close enough, honestly. you can build this and a bit better than this in pnp, the problem with kingmaker is the lack of feats. the pnp game has more. edit: and your gm would probably allow a monk dip for paladin, scaled fist works very similarly. It's logical for a lawful fighter like a paladin to take a dip in monk, you can't rely on your weapons all of the time. Sometimes you just need your fist and your god.

Yeah what taco said

I got the portraits from the nexusmods.com under kingmaker potraits

@@ArcaneAgent many thanks :)

To add more damage? Use a weapon that isn't slashing or piercing against a golem that has damage resistance

@@ArcaneAgent Nope, since we're not going seriously for it, how to remove all damage :)

Hehe

Keep in mind the investments in damage through team feats here will primarily benefit the other melee thus the tank is more the enabler than the damage.

Yeah and his buffs to every one is the biggest plus

I got it from some portrait pack on nexus mods

Ive made some for jubilost, amiri, Octavia, valerie

@@ArcaneAgent do link!

No real reason except I know mobility helps you not get hit on attacks of opportunity. Make your persuasion as high as you desire!

Not a mercenary. It's a main character

@@ArcaneAgent thank you for the quick reply appreciate the answer.

This isnt a custom recruit. Its a main character

@@ArcaneAgent Okay, so main character gets extra ability scores. Didn't know that, thanks.

Yup

It shouldn't change much at all. As long as you can still go lawful good for paladin

@@ArcaneAgent ok thx a lot !

If you're talking about the fear from neverwinter nights 2, I don't think that's in this game. However the duelist prestige class is your best bet

@@ArcaneAgent thank you :)

Stupid good

Asap.

Like spears and huge shields?

Arcane Agent yea for at least 4 party members

Maybe, baldurs gate 3 comes out next week

My brain. Seriously I come up with an idea, and then see how I can do that in game.

Sorry, I didn't communicate that well. The program you are using in the background of your video. The one that shows all the levels, skills, and feats. I like how it shows everything. That would be incredibly useful when building characters in the future.

I'm stupid. Pathfinder: Kingmaker is the software. How did I miss that. (Face palms)

Oh I was confused. Are you playing tabletop? This video is for the CRPG video game

I prefer turn based. Let's you aim your fireballs perfectly

@@ArcaneAgent thanks man. What game do you think is better pathfinder, DOS2 or deadfire?

Well ive never played dos2 or deadfire, so kingmaker it is for me hehe

@@ArcaneAgent try deadfire its good

but there is thematical skirt & bikini armor potential here ^^

Kamas I believe

You can go persuasion sure. I like perception because I always wanted to see baddies and hidden things. Then again you might need perception to get greater and improved blind fight

@@ArcaneAgent was asking i like passing the persuasion checks when you are without the other guys. I have one of them doing the perception thing,

Thanks man. I'm currently taking a break from videos as we are leaving for church camp in 19 days. So my focus is there right now with my Youth students

coz without buffs from others u will die or deal 0 dаmage

Slayer build?

Tru

My latest run on hard mode I decided to further include archtypes that I had never used. I ended up with a frontline of a dwarf armored hulk and a shielded aldori swordlord that share the tanking duties. At level 12 their AC is up in the 50s with the barb right around 53 while in defensive rage and the swordlord around 58 when fighting defensively and her buffs active. While they don't have things like mirror image, they just added shield wall and they will both be using tower shields so I expect both these frontlines will be able to easily get over 70 AC needed to block all normal hits by endgame. In terms of tanks they have both made slow progress though are picking up and the dwarf racial for the barb gives an extra 4 AC against giants which includes Hargulka.

The only issue is when those stunning capable enemies roll a 20

You could use nunchucks if you wanted to

@@ArcaneAgent was just curious as you get nunchucks for free in the prologue or whatever the jamandi castle bit is before you even get to olegs

Are you making it the main character or a mercenary

@@ArcaneAgent You already answered the question in the comments, thanks!

Hospitaler doesn't have lay on hands connected to channel. Making this guy heal fairly decently also. Didn't highlight this in the vid but it is a great aspect to the build

Dangit I forgot to mention that

I'm more of a fan of turn based. Especially since you need position to launch fireballs. That bring said, I build my builds for turn based

Yes

Yep

Ive never tested nor played unfair. However, this build has some good saves, good AC. And if youre able to cast mirror image that helps out immensely

Arcane Agent thanks for the answer. So i guess some bard levels might not be a bad idea? Will definitely try your build.

If bard gets some mirror image, yes

Just for a little bit of will saves

Well hello there

I don't really write down my music, I get it from a non copyright website that I pay for

But that song is called, "if we never see tomorrow babe"

Good to know, thanks!

@@ArcaneAgent "If we never gonna give you up, Never gonna let you down Never gonna run around and desert you Never gonna make you cry Never gonna say goodbye Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you"

I'm a Christian. I'm also the fulltime youth pastor at our church. I try my best to provide a family friendly stream hehe. I mean I don't cuss period, and I try to avoid evil looking scenes or parts of the game

@@ArcaneAgent Based. You just earned a new sub good sir.

Thanks. My lead pastor knows I play the games and even lets me stream them from the office after hours

Welcome to pathfinder. Where high dex and monk and duelist and sword saint make you better than full plate mail

The sad thing is sword saint and duelist Canny Defense are bugged and stack together. You can make a high dex, very high int character and get ridiculous AC values while ignoring basically all of the AC feats, while also taking advantage of the high int to get 4-5 skills maxed.

@@jordanfox470 if you dip one level for scalefist you can get dex + 2x int + cha to ac. Just +8 śtats items give you 16 AC :D

Everyone keeps asking for a heavy armor build tank. I'll need to make one and show everyone their AC. I'm not only a Christian I'm the youth pastor at my church!

@@ArcaneAgent that would be great. I play a lot of RPGs but mostly of the JRPG genre not as much the CRPG. I’m playing divinity original sin 2 and had to look up builds for that too and I hear Pathfinder is really difficult. I’ve been really enjoying the builds and it will help a lot, though I’ll still likely play on an easier mode. Nice to be talking to a fellow pastor as well, I’m a worship/lead pastor in the UMC.

Haha

Not only am I a bible believing gamer, I'm a youth pastor !!!

Monk is crazy imbalanced. I think their AC bonus should be per level of monk just like a duelist

Me too

Tank builds are boring. I agree. But this build was geared towards buffing the entire team as well as having high saves to combat level 17 baddies

@@ArcaneAgent But what buff did you mean? I ask this only because Aura of Life - trash(similar scrolls very cheap and you need this only on melee char) And as a tank you wont heal in combat - Why dont pick just Paladin? Your party even get very strong offensive buff on 11 lvl wich have alternative in 1 priest domain. And also, you can make havy armor pall with 60+ AC on 17 lvl.

And so beautiful is it being free, that we can neither work for it, nor earn it. But to only receive freely

@@ArcaneAgent Amen, brother! Also, awesome vid and thank you for the amazing build. I'm using this as a template for my first playthrough (with only a few changes) and at level 6 I've got AC: 27, Flat Footed: 19, Touch: 24, Fortitude: 17, Reflex: 15, Will: 14, and 64 health. Playing through real-time on challenging, but I also want to play a turn-based run as well. Havin lots of fun so far when I get a chance to play! "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:8-10

@@TheOriginalJealot turn based is my favorite!

@@ArcaneAgent I almost started on turn-based, because I've been a huge turn-based tactics/strategy fan since the days of Final Fantasy Tactics, Tactics Ogre, and Front Mission 3, but that itch is rarely scratched these days. Still, for some reason I went with real-time at the start of this playthrough and I'm actually enjoying it a lot more than I have with previous iterations of this genre in other games. I think I need to up the difficulty... I'm going through Trobold fortress and my party has been half-dead for the last several fights, and I'm basically out of heals, but I can keep just sending them against each group of enemies and they just auto-attack them into oblivion so fast while barely taking damage. Still... I think I'm going to wait to do that until my next playthrough because I think as soon as I move the difficulty above challenging, I'm going to find scaled up enemies anyway and it will be like a double increase in difficulty.

I love love love the the turn based mode

I'm 85 years old

@@ArcaneAgent no really are you like 50ish