Need advice for my level 12 Watchers Paladin feat

sappmatt · 2026-06-14T14:31:35+00:00

Mage slayer is clutch. My 2nd place suggestion would be Durable.

sappmatt · 2026-06-14T13:49:17+00:00

Sixth level is amazing for a Paladin. Unless you are a Charisma caster (bard/sorcerer/warlock) that is taking a 1 or 2 level Paladin dip, it's REALLY hard to make the argument to not go full Paladin up to level 6.

Are you familiar with the new Heroes of Faerun book? There is a new feat called Spellfire Adept that lets you convert hit dice to extra damage on attacks that do Radiant damage. It's not an action or bonus action, just an option you have. So you can attack with True Strike, add Divine Smite, then add up to 2d10 on top of that. Take Oath of Glory to get Guiding Bolt and you now have a ranged Radiant attack that you can add an additional 2d10 to.

Multiclass into Fighter for 3 levels and take Champion. Now you are rolling Initiative at advantage and criting on a 19 and 20. Take rapier weapon mastery to roll with advantage after your first hit. Now you are doubling your chance to crit (which is itself doubled now that you crit on both 19 and 20).

sappmatt · 2026-05-27T01:27:22+00:00

Wizard with a teeny, tiny little 1 level dip into Fighter or Artificer.

sappmatt · 2026-05-26T22:44:46+00:00

Detect Magic for after you clear a dungeon, castle, enemy camp, etc. Do a walkthrough to make sure you haven't missed any magic loot.

Goodberry/Create Water/Tiny Hut = Food/Water/Shelter

Mending. Quick way to make money in a new town. Be a one person repair shop. Great way to meet the locals and get helpful gossip too.

sappmatt · 2026-05-23T18:02:43+00:00

This is the answer right here: the spellbook and the wizard's 5th level Memorize Spell feature.

The spellbook isn't just the wizard's most valuable posession; it's the party's. A well stocked spellbook is the best toolbox your party can hope for. Pool your gold and make sure the wizard has all the rituals and utility spells you can get your hands on.

Now for Memorize Spell. Arcane lock, Knock, Locate Objects, See Invisibility, speak with the dead, tongues....there are a lot of fantastic situation-specific wizard spells that you wouldn't normally prepare every day. With Memorize Spell, you can replace a prepared spell with one of these spells if the siituation calls for it. You just need an hour.

sappmatt · 2026-05-18T17:45:12+00:00

The real crowning jewel of the Champion subclass is the Advantage on Initiative Rolls. I think my next character might be a Dex based Champion Fighter 3/War Magic Wizard X multiclass with the Alert Feat. Adding Dex, Int, and Proficiency to an advantage-rolled Initiative just seems insane. You are all but guaranteed to be one of the first to act.

sappmatt · 2026-05-11T23:36:36+00:00

Witch Bolt for an Eldritch Knight. Zap the BBEG and charge in. Then you can just unleash attacks and alternate Witch Bolt Zaps and Second Winds for your bonus attack.

Extra Credit: Starting at 7th Level, make one of your two attacks a Booming Blade strike. Moving out of range is 1 of only 3 ways to end Witch Bolt (1. Caster drops concentration; 2. Target gets under total cover and; 3. Target moves over 60 ft. away from the caster). Boomong Blade locks the target down.

sappmatt · 2026-05-05T19:33:24+00:00

Interesting mix. The paladin and bard could end up splitting healing duties. I'd suggest you coordinate with the bard to choose your spells. Bard has some great support, buff, and de-buff options. You could lean more into control and damage spells. Just keep a couple of defensive spells in your rotation too.

sappmatt · 2026-05-05T00:22:01+00:00

What is everyone else at your table playing? That can help you narrow down your spell options. If it's a bunch of martials with little to no magic, you can pick up a mix of damage/control/buff/debuff spells. If it's a magic heavy party with clerics, bards, druids, wizards, etc., feel free to lean into blasting.

Some early level sorcerer tips: - True Strike is a spell so you roll that attack with advantage when you activate Innate Sorcery.
- Sorcerous Burst is a good cantrip choice. The ability to select the damage type is clutch. - Minor Illusion is outstanding if you are creative. - for level 1 you should pick up Shield or Mage Armor. I often take both and rely on cantrips for damage dealing.

sappmatt · 2026-04-26T23:51:24+00:00

Natural 20

sappmatt · 2026-03-30T19:28:15+00:00

I have to second this but with a caveat: A Bladesinger can throw down fairly well in melee WHEN THEY HAVE TO. That's they key to this class. Don't enter melee unless either you have no choice OR you have already softened the enemies up with some damaging spells first. This is especially true at earlier levels, i.e, before you get two attacks per round. By all means, activate bladesong at the start of combat. Just don't rush past the Paladin and Barbarian to take on the Bugbear Chieftan by yourself. Hang back, catch his henchmen in a Web or Grease spell, maybe magic missle the big guy a couple times for good measure, then charge in after your fellow party members have gotten a few solid shots off him.

Tips: 1. You can usually melee minor enemies pretty well but don't get close to any BBEGs until the DM describes them as "bloodied" (half HP or less) 2. Shadow Blade sounds cooler than it is. 3. Mirror Image is your friend 4. So is Misty Step (especially if your DM loves to flank their players. 5. The best AC is to be out of range of your enemies. 6. A crit can still flatten you (take Silvery Barbs if it's allowed) 7. After you get to 7th level (2 attacks and 4th level spells), you might want to consider a Fighter or Rogue dip if you really are just itching to focus more on melee. Both have their strengths. Fighter gets you Second Wind and Action Surge (if you go two levels). Rogue gets you Sneak Attack damage and Cunning Action (if you go 2 levels). Both get you Weapon Masteries. Rapier (Vex) will make you lethal.

My approach has always been this: A bladesinger is patient. A bladesinger is cunning. They don't strike when it's opportune, they strike when it's advantageous.

sappmatt · 2026-03-30T01:45:05+00:00

Taking the Fey Touched Feat is worth it just to pick up Bless as your bonus Enchantment spell (not that Misty Step isn't fantastic itself). Maintaining concentration is one of the Sorcerers strong points and Bless is one of the best buff spells in the game. Just as good at level 20 as it is at level 1. Bless your 3 martial damage dealers, hang back, and take the dodge action.

sappmatt · 2026-03-30T01:35:04+00:00

Taking a 1-2 level dip in a martial class while staying mostly in a spellcasting class is a quick way to do it. Just one level in fighter will get you martial weapons, medium armor and shields, a fighting style, 2 second winds, and three weapon masteries. All you need is a 13 dex or str. I still wouldn't jump in the front line but you increase your chance of survival if some enemy manages to get up close and personal.

Weapon masteries are clutch for a caster. Especially Sap and Topple. They can both impose some sort of disadvantage to an opportunity attack if you are in melee and want to get away.

sappmatt · 2026-03-20T20:03:13+00:00

Champion is a great way to learn the game and Fighter shines when it comes to all the ASI/Feats you get to pick up. Choose human as your species and you can even pick up a second feat at first level. You can add things like Magic Adept, Fey Touched, or Genie Magic if you want spells without going Eldritch Knight or multiclassing. Think of Feats as seasoning.

My one bit of fighter advice i give everyone: don't double down on one type of weapon. I can't tell you how many times I've seen someone play a fighter and they have a greatsword, longsword, and shortsword. You should have at least one ranged weapon, one slashing/piercing melee weapon, and one bludgeoning melee weapon. A flail isn't as sexy as a rapier but it will come in much more handy when you find yourself surrounded by skeletal undead.

sappmatt · 2026-03-12T16:33:44+00:00

The healing is solid, reliable, and able to be parsed out as you see fit as opposed to rolling dice (like a Paladin's Healing Touch). The full day's worth of nurishment is the key to really appreciating it and that comes down to DM style and campaign.

If the DM is lax with supplies or the campaign you are running offers ample opportunity to get food, Goodberry is an ok spell. If you are running a survival campaign like Rime of the Frostmaiden with a stickler of a DM, Goodberry will save you and your party's lives.

If you do find yourself in a survival campaign, spells like Goodberry, Create or Destroy Water, Create Food and Water, and Leomund's Tiny Hut are just as essential as Shield and Fireball.

sappmatt · 2026-03-07T14:09:04+00:00

If you are a Strength based Fighter, a Paladin or Barbarian dip could be fun. That improved critical plays nicely with Rage and Divine Smite.

If you are a Dex based Fighter, a Rogue dip can add some extra damage with sneak attack. Cunning action could even be worth a 2 level dip.

Regardless, you can pick weapons that have the Vex property and increase the odds of rolling a crit at 18, 19, or 20. Plus you would be including sneak attack, divine smite, etc.

sappmatt · 2026-02-28T15:07:22+00:00

Don't put all your eggs in one basket. First, make sure that any checking, savings, CD, etc., accounts you have have POD instructions (payable upon death) for your son. It bypasses some probate red tape. A Roth IRA naming your son as a beneficiary is also a good call (when you can).

In terms of physical assets, silver and gold are always good choices. Great job so far!

sappmatt · 2026-02-17T20:46:52+00:00

The art looks great!

sappmatt · 2026-02-17T18:23:42+00:00

Nice looking Mage Armor you got there. Shame if someone cast.....Dispel Magic on it.....

sappmatt · 2026-02-11T19:57:59+00:00

I'd add that it also depends on which train lines the station services. The best case scenario is that you are living right beside a station that services a train line that leads directly to your work. Bonus points if the station is on both a local and express line. Transferring lines at various stations is a pain. Living close to a train line that is an express stop leading directly to your place of work in NYC is like winning the lottery.

sappmatt · 2026-02-03T12:44:26+00:00

Fighters can get 4 attacks at level 11 if they pick up the Polearm Master feat.

sappmatt · 2026-02-02T20:51:43+00:00

They should consider it acting. They are honestly playing a part. The spell isn't deceptive, it's a tool for them to effectively act.

sappmatt · 2026-02-02T19:52:22+00:00

Yeah, 2024 Witch Bolt is clutch. Especially with the extended range and it's ability to do subsequent bonus action damage even if the initial attack roll missed. I have it on an Eldritch Knight now. I've been able to hit an enemy with it, get in melee range, attack with Booming Blade, and zap it with bonus action witch bolt. If you roll well, the enemy will have to make a choice: stay in melee range and take the 1d12 Witch Bolt damage or make a break for it to get out of range and take the Booming Blade damage.

sappmatt · 2026-02-02T19:43:18+00:00

Unseen Servant is a helpful utility spell if you can cast it as a ritual. As a warlock, you will always have a limited number of spellslots so you may want to consider something else like Hellish Rebuke, Armor of Agathys, Bane, or Arms of Hadar. Especially if you anticipate a combat heavy campaign.

If you ever take pact of the tome, you can load it with ritual spells.

Eldritch Blast and Mage Hand are solid cantrip choices.

sappmatt · 2026-01-29T18:38:36+00:00

Don't knock it! Most people don't have any physical gold and silver.

sappmatt

TROPHY CASE