Coming back. playing a Paladin

[Istan]

I'm coming back, and I'll be playing a Paladin on stromm. I don't have SoD yet, but I'll buy it in about a month. How will soloing on my paladin be? I'll be starting on a completely new server, so I can't twink him. Will it be extremely difficult to solo him without a merc.

Also, is playing a paladin a bad idea if I don't plan to raid extensively end game? I want to focus on group content as I don't have the time to devot to raiding. Will I be replaced with mercs, or should I be able to find groups pretty easily at the higher levels?

One last question, when I buy SoD, I'll probably be adding another account too. What class would I box with a Paladin and Cleric Merc? I was thinking a wizard just for the insane DPS, or is there a better class?

Thanks in advance.

[Bigcat Daddy-o]

Delete Paladin.
Make a SK.

The advantages are too numerous to mention, but a summation would be: You don't ever have to contemplate riding a Unicorn.


That is all

Edit: Wizard would be an awesome choice for second box with a Paladin, as it covers some essential skills. You will still be lacking in general pulling but will add runner control, awesome DPS and 'get out of jail free card' from Wizard evac, as well as some ease of moving around. I'd still skip the paladin and go for a SK though. another good option is mage with SK, with Paladin you are still missing that runner control which always became an issue for me in tight dungeons.

[Mendler]

I agree with ^^^ make an SK since their dps, overall, is much better and have some great tools. If were a non raider, I would make a mage or necro as a main since the gear is amazing.....melee gear is crap in ac and it will take a LONG time to get were you need to be in order to tank the higher zones.

In the end do what you want to play regardless of what we say. We've seen the pendilum swing to SK's lately is why we say SK atm if you want to tank.

[Ughbash]

Wizard defintely though I would say use a mage as your tank.

It is easier to equip a mage to pet tank then it is to equip a knight to real tank.

[Arslayn]

Mage and a Shaman or Mage and Druid.
Can Coth split/pull with the Mage/Druid with the pet being down right excellent Tank, or even add merc clerics or merc cleric and tank. You have Evac if it falls apart etc. Shaman makes the tanking easier with slows and dots/heals and more pets.

[Cromagnon]

I'm going to go against the grain on this one, since it seems to me like you are very interested in your pally.

First and foremost, I'd recommend getting a Tank Merc to level your pally up with instead of a cleric merc. Your survivability (healing/tanking) should be above par already (hello defiant armor =D )and what you are going to be lacking most as a pally, plain and simple, is dps, and the tank mercs especially at the lower game have some astonishing dps.

Secondly, you seem to realize the dismal dps a pally has, and want to compensate with your 2nd box being a wizard. Not a bad choice, gives some utility, allows you to lock agro with pally at beginning of fight, and let your wiz med in the meantime, and then end the fight with wiz nuking the mobs socks off. But pulling is going to not be very fun with that combo.

I would HIGHLY recommend pairing a Necromancer instead and for good reason. Your pally is going to be killing slow, and therefore your necromancers dots will have time to "ramp" up to give you almost as good dps as a wizard would. Necros get some great undead spells, and also at level 37 a undead only slow (read slows down delay of mobs weapons) that tops out at 70% slow!. Believe they also get some nice nukes, dots, and even an AA undead mez. Not to mention their undead charming abilities. Add to all of that the fact that you can use your necro to Feign Death pull, a pet for extra dps, and your necros ability to eventually rez (if your pally wipes) and you have a great little duo there, will do good versus live mobs, and unbelievably well versus undead.

<EDIT> Forgot to mention the necro also brings to the table snare, which is taken for granted alot of the time, but which is HUGE when it comes to dungeoning and dealing with crowded areas, root works, but not that well.

Just my 2 cents, hope that helps,
Crom

[Veril]

I'm with Cromagnon on this, tank merc for DPS at the low end. They really own, and pallys can do reasonable healing. And a necro adds pretty much everything a paladin needs. DPS, Pulling, Snareing Slow (vs Undead), rezzing.

[Boleslav]

You will do fine leveling a Paladin.

While a Necro makes a great duo partner, the RP aspect of a Paladin hanging with a Necro may be an issue (it was for me).

My box is a Shaman. PAL/SHM is also a powerful combo. You lose some of the utility of the Necro, and the SHM is lower DPS. But the SHM does respectable DPS, adds healing/haste/buffs, and isn't as big a stretch philosophically.

Boleslav Forgehammer

[shiftie]

With the addition of mercs bards make an exceptional box for a paladin (they made a nice box before hand also). I have a lot of fun boxing either my ranger or bard depending on what I feel like doing. Having a box that can track as well as navigate dungeons easily is really beneficial. I've often contemplated pairing a wiz with my paladin but never spent the time to level one up. Burst DPS is most lacking in the later levels as slay becomes obsoleted through content omission and lack of upgrades so a class that can put out nice burst dps would be awesome.

[Ughbash]

[Bigcat Daddy-o]

I would say necroing a year old thread is weak. He's probably leveled fully geared, quit playing by now. Why do you guys do that?

Not that I give a rats ass, but seriously. a year old? get a hobby.

[shiftie]

I didn't check the thread date. And I was uber bored while on jury duty /shrug.