Paladin Fey’s Foundling Tiefling Build
Real Life, gaming this Tiefling Fey’s Foundling Paladin melee fighter means stacking the deck in your groups favor. Below is a fifth level version of the strong self-healer and tank build found in the Free Optibuilds Paladin PDF (13th Level Build Guide). Best suggested skills, spells, weapons, stats, and names for this Warcraft-like Paladin Knight are included. One build even rides a mount without giving up Weapon Bond.
Character Role / Summary: This Tiefling Paladin build is the very definition of a holy Self-Healing Tank / Frontliner Paladin whose specialization is shielding others from damage. Note that there are also racial and archetype variations to the builds in the Free Optibuilds Paladin PDF. This includes some mean advice on how to turn this build in a raging Paladin and/or a Familiar loving Paladin.
5th Level Paladin Self-Healing Tank
Potential Cool, Great, Awesome or Famous Names: Diablo Protector, Everquest Guardian, Holy Hearthstone
Race: Tiefling (Oni-Spawn) (+2Str/+2Wis/-2Chr) (Alter-Self 1/day)
Traits: Suicidal, Fate’s Favored
Class/Archetypes: Paladin (Standard)13
Paladin Oaths: Oath of Vengeance or None
Favorite Class Bonus: +1 healing/level Lay on Hands
Starting Stats (20 pts): Str (18), Dex (10), Con (14), Int (9), Wis (9), Chr (14). Add +1 to Strength at 4th, 8th. Add +1 to Wisdom at 12th.
Feats / Class Abilities & Selections: 1) Fey Foundling, Aura of Good, Detect Evil, Smite Evil 1/day; 2) Divine Grace, Lay on Hands; 3) Greater Mercy, Aura of Courage, Divine Health, Mercy (Sickened); 4) Channel Positive Energy, Smite Evil 2/day; 5) Power Attack, Divine Bond (Weapon);
Spells: 1st) Divine Favor, Hero’s Defiance
Skills (5 points): Diplomacy (5).
Equipment: +1 Greatsword (2K), +1 Longbow Composite (2K), +1 Fullplate (2K), +1 Ring of Protection (2K), +1 Amulet of NA (2K)
Disclaimer: Optibuilds has never made one of its builds premised on a house rule before. However, this Tiefling build is constructed off of an almost universal house rule regarding the Fiendish Heritage feat. Most GMs simply ignore it and allow you to select variant Tieflings without need for the feat, like the Pathfinder rules allow for an Aasimar. If for some reason your GM is unusual and requires the Fiendish Heritage feat, then disregard this Tiefling build and convert it to one of the alternative builds found in the Free Paladin PDF.
Strategy: Swing your Greatsword with Power Attack, Weapon Bond, Alter Self, and/or Divine Favor. Use Suicidal to protect your friends. Use Lay on Hands (4d6 + 14) – combined with Hero’s Blessing when necessary – to heal up quickly. Use Smite against evil creatures of strong concern. Use Oath of Vengeance when you desperately need additional smites. Enjoy high saving throws
Also see this Paladin Archer and Paladin Quick Guide.
Not sure when this guide was posted, but there was an official book that allowed variant Tieflings without the feat – hence why the choices are legal without the feat (… If you have a permission slip to play Tiefling in the first place…)
I have been perfecting this build for a few years now, and did run a 8th level paladin some time ago on it. We had elephant in the room rules to help my feat taxes along the way, but going into archon style and in harms way feat lines does a lot to allow you to take 2 hits from an adjacent ally. The spells shield other and paladins sacrifice also do a lot to help you take more of the parties damage and the teamwork feat passing grace gives even more survivability to adjacent allies. If this full build was make to protect an under leveled NPC, that NPC could not be killed.