====== Paladin Guide — Javelina ======

//Category: Guide | Region: Cobrahn | Difficulty: Intermediate//

//A comprehensive paladin guide covering weapon choice, gear progression, and foci skills. Written by Javelina of PHNX Guild.//

===== Weapon Choice =====

The most important early decision for a paladin is weapon selection. You start as a fighter and should pick one weapon to specialize in — splitting specializations is almost useless.

==== Longsword (LS) ====

**Benefits:**
  * Easy to obtain beginner LS in Cobrahn
  * Can use a shield with it
  * The Silver Saber is one of the best all-around weapons — hits hard, is silver/glowing P-weapon, can hit all high-end lairs

**Drawbacks:**
  * Can only hit crits on same hex
  * Consistency in damage is not there
  * Difficult to find a good LS besides Slicer and Saber

==== Greatsword (GS) ====

**Benefits:**
  * Hits consistently harder than LS
  * Excalibur is an extremely powerful top-end weapon

**Drawbacks:**
  * Excalibur takes a long time to obtain
  * Two-handed, can't wield a shield
  * No good mid-tier GS other than Slicer

==== Halberd (Hally) ====

**Benefits:**
  * Halberds are numerous for every size player
  * Ranged attacks (can hit 1 hex away)
  * Better blocker than GS or LS
  * Consistently harder hitter than average GS or LS
  * Prones frequently

**Drawbacks:**
  * Inability to belt a halberd
  * Two-handed, can't wield a shield

Once you have chosen your weapon, **stick with it**. You can have secondary skills but always keep a primary.

===== Gear Progression =====

Gear is more important to a paladin than probably any class in the game. Properly geared, you can survive almost anywhere relative to your size.

==== Newbie Gear ====

  * N-1 plate armor / Sanquin scales
  * Iron broadsword / greatsword / store-bought hally
  * Any rings you find (1/1 to 3/3) in Nork dungeons
  * Any helm, bracers, gauntlets, boots from dungeons

==== Starter Gear (Level 8+) ====

  * Weapon enchanted to +4 (most ments do +4 for free)
  * HP helm from Tehruh or Yeti Island
  * RD gauntlets
  * Protective ammy (acid, lightning, poison)
  * Combat boots +3 (Tehruh / Yeti Island)
  * RB sash
  * Protective or combat bracers
  * SD scales
  * Kitty robe
  * Rak robe
  * Yellow robe (from Maeling west caves)

==== Medium Gear (Level 15+) ====

  * Levi Full Plate
  * Assorted robes (BNRs, SNRs, Sliths, SERs, etc.)
  * 5/5 rings (DT is the place to find them)
  * Enmiss bracers
  * Dancers / Haste boots
  * More advanced weapon
  * RD gauntlets / Vamps
  * P-ammy
  * HP helm
  * Attack sash

==== Advanced Gear ====

  * Sea Hag Full Plate
  * 2 Reggies, Probe
  * 5/5 rings
  * Haste / Elephant boots
  * Vamps
  * P-ammy
  * P-helm
  * Enmiss bracers
  * +7 Halberd

===== Foci Skills =====

^ Skill ^ Foci ^ Description ^
| 15 | Charge | A ranged attack that hits a hostile crit up to 3 hexes away |
| 17 | Parry | Increases defenses and enables blocking until an aggressive move. This is when you become a true paladin. |
| 18 | Strike | Strikes a powerful blow. Defense drops slightly but barely noticeable. |
| 19 | Blindstrike | Hit crits you cannot see — blind or hidden targets (anti-thief strike) |
| 20 | Multistrike | Great for experience, less useful for skill. Good for clearing zoos. Used less as you grow. |
| 21 | Boost | +2 agility, +2 strength. Short duration, stuns for a few rounds. Useful for baiting lairs. |
| 21 | Thruststrike | A harder-hitting Charge that costs 5 HP to use |
| 22 | Powerstrike | Hits harder than Strike with about the same defense loss. Replace Strike with this. |
| 23 | Defend | Generally worthless except for playing around in SF |
| 24 | Superboost | +5 agility, +5 strength. Replace Boost with this. |
| 25 | Armorstrike | Two swings at the same crit. Hits very hard. Be careful on lair hunts (e.g. don't use on Nin). |
| 26 | Ultraboost | +8 strength, +8 agility. Stun lasts longer. Replace Superboost. |
| 27 | Maxstrike | Hits like a tank (2 strikes like Armorstrike). Makes many things soloable. Ages relatively quickly. |
| 28 | Disarm / Healingtouch | Can make crits drop/belt their weapons. Can now heal yourself. |

===== See Also =====
  * [[classes:paladin|Paladin Class]]
  * [[guides:paladin_paladin|Paladin Guide — Ztinktoof]]
  * [[guides:start|All Guides]]

> Source: [[https://wolfguild.com/mirrors/PHNX/|PHNX Guild]]