Sun Paladins

[Shoob]

Hmmm, I like them, the one major drawback is that their positive energy drops over time quickly so you cant really stock up on it, making you rely less on things that use it as you dont have much of it anyways.

[Jaorin]

To work around that a bit, you use the things that generate energy first. That way, the light blade thing can always be up when you are attacking things.

[Shoob]

true, but I like keeping it up

[darkgod]

If you like their spell effects wait until you see a line of them marching against orcs to protect you !
hihi

[Final Master]

I really like how sun paladins play. They feel very unique and are very viable in almost all parts of the game. However, what determines their maximum positive energy? I would love for it to either A) Increase more in level - B) Have a slight increase via a certain stat - C) Be higher in the beginning

[yufra]

I really like how sun paladins play. They feel very unique and are very viable in almost all parts of the game. However, what determines their maximum positive energy? I would love for it to either A) Increase more in level - B) Have a slight increase via a certain stat - C) Be higher in the beginning

Option (A) already occurs.

[Final Master]

I meant a greater increase. Maybe 2-3 points of increase as with most other talent juice that other classes have access to.

[Shoob]

is there a need for it really? I mean most of their talents add positive energy...

[edge2054]

I guess if you're using the combat tree a lot more then the sun tree it could be an issue. My weapon of light build was fine but I didn't spend my PE on anything else.

[Final Master]

Alright, I'm starting to have some issues playing Sun Paladins. I usually am a Dwarf Paladin or sometimes a Dunadan Paladin. I tend to raise strength to 22, con to the first health talent, then raise magic as much as I can. I tend to max out weapon of light and the first light DOT spell. From there I raise health regen/spellshield as high as possible along with the second and third chant talents. Ofcourse I'm raising weapon combat above all others when I can too.

I usually have no issues until I get to the sandworm layer as I usually end up surrounded and really unable to escape regardless of phase door and teleport. If I make it through there then I have issues in either the elven ruins or tol falas. I may have a huge amount of resists (except ofcourse knockback/stun unless I find some stability armor [not yet]) and I am capable of a large amount of damage thanks to weapon of light, the chant shields and light DOT, but ... I just bite it. Some of the time it's been stuff where it's like "I should have just used a speed potion, phased, lesser healings until 'x' comes at me, then try to bash it's face in", or not teleporting when I start to get a bit overwhelmed. However I am really stunned in how I die some times, such as at 600 or so health and knocked down to enough for a weenie to kill me in a round (which then happens) because of random huge damage from {usually} a boss.

I guess what I'm asking for is some advice in a few areas.

1) How viable do you really think their magic is outside of weapon of light and the second and third chants? I LOVE beam spells but theirs just seems rather meh compared to say lightning.

1a. If it is a very good/smart/viable route to take, should I focus on magic more, and really just negate pumping str/con? What would be the secondary stat from magic then, str or con?

1b. Is the unlocked spell talent tree worth getting as the 4th talent is not finished, the second talent is almost the same as the first, and I don't remember what the third talent is?

1c. Using the first light DOT spell, is it usually better to wait to use it when a npc is in a blocked/slow moving area (such as a large line of them and you use it in say slot 3) or wait until the npc is right in your face (if melee) and let it do it's thing while you pound away?

2) Outside of reposte, is the shield tree worth it? I know shield pummel is the one stun they have and sometimes you just HAVE to have a stun, but is overpower and assualt worth it?

2a. If the shield attack talent tree is worth it, is it at the same level of power as a fighters? A fighter with a solid shield is freaking amazing because of shield wall mostly, but sun paladins do not have access to this. How much of a problem is the far east without 50+ def/armor when playing a melee character?

2b. If the shield tree is worth it, then certainty the stamina regen talent is worth it yes? If not, why not?

3) Generic points seem like they would go rather fast for a sun paladin, because I am always raising weapon focus, massive armor, health, and sword mastery (for a few reasons...). That's 30 points plus the points putting into your chants is pretty much all of them and then some. Should I just stick to that route and not have things like trap detection and heightened senses?

3a. Which of the chants are actually important to max out. I know for a fact that the level 3 talent which grants elemental resistance is a must, but how important is increasing the first one with physical and spell resistance? Having high elemental resistance (talent 3) vs high saves (talent 1) seems like the much better deal. Along with that, high physical damage resist (talent 2) seems important as well against the heavy hitting melee enemies. The problem with talent 2 is, however, you SHOULD be almost as tank-y as fighters, so is the physical damage resistance really important?

3b. The fourth chant talent which increases light damage seems like either a huge buff or not needed. If using JUST weapon of light at level 5, is the 4th chant talent worth investing in? Would it generate enough of a damage boost to warrant using it over chant talent 3?

4) Without armor of stability and the gem that grants 30/60% stun resistance, that leaves just free action potions to prevent stuns/freezes. That wasn't an issue ever when playing archers/mages, but without 242423341 different ranged attacks available on call, this is probably an issue. I haven't died from stuns/freezes with sun paladins yet, but I know it will happen in Vor.

4a. Even with 100% stun/knockback resistance from something/combination of things, high defense/armor, medium high fire/lightning/acid/cold resist... they are clearly sturdy to survive, but against multiple high level npcs how would they fair? Again, I haven't gotten one to the far east, and that's my goal with every character. If I can't take out the hoards of orcs in the prides, let alone the spiders due to damage output, I can only imagine the slime tunnels...

5) Is there a viable race other than dwarves and dunadan to play as a paladin? I see MAYBE nolder for even more resistance (outside of dwarves), but I really don't know.

6) Thank you!

FM

[edge2054]

In regards to number 2.

My entire strategy with my last Sun Paladin was Overpower, Pummel, Assault, and Weapon of Light. Each of these abilities multiplies the damage output of Weapon of Light 2 - 3 times.

Otherwise I put points into the AoE burst and avoided the rest of their magic.

Seemed to work really well, until I ran into a brittle ooze or jelly or whatever in the sandworm liar. I may give them another chance at some point.

Anyway the point of my post was Weapon of Light + Assault (or Overpower/Pummel) = Pure Awesome for single target DPS.

[Fela]

I play sun paladins as fighters enhanced with light magic, i.e. assault, overpower etc. and strength being main stat - weapon and armor requirements and str bonus on weapon damage. Don't forget that they also have a spell hat blinds most non undead.

That being said I found them strong early on, but have yet to not be killed by the master due to lacking the stuns and burst damage i'm used to with shadow blades, probably stacking up on phase door scrolls and clearing the level beforehand is the way to go there. Also i have not played them with the new 'friendly fire' NPCs yet, which will invalidate my usual carn dum strategy of leaving hatchlings at my feet alive and using searing light and fire beam on stronger enemies behind them.

The main problem i see is in the east with the open pride areas. In earlier games with my SB i had situations that were pretty much instant death without targeted PD (I saved once and checked this, just to test my theory - about 2k incoming damage from pyro- and cryomancers after 1 step).

[Kemsha]

I tend to focus a bit on ranged damage

Firebeam to stack up positive energy, then Crusade, then Wave of Power if they're still at range
At close range is like everyone says, Pummel and Assault
Sometimes Overpower and start from the beginning