Ironclad Zealot

By Save-vs.-DM



The Ironclad Zealot is a wholly defensive paladin build.

The ironclad
zealot focuses on taking as little damage as possible by avoiding hits
while still maintaining agro with the Intimidate skill and shield bash
attacks. This build will never deal a great amount of damage to
opponents, but you will be a tank without peer.

Character Snapshot

Starting Abilities

Strength: 13

Dexterity: 13

Constitution: 10

Intelligence: 13

Wisdom: 13

Charisma: 14 (+1 4th, +1 8th = 16)



Race: Human



Hit Points: 120



Saves (Includes Ability
bonuses, aura of good, and Enhancements)

Fortitude: +15

Reflex: +10

Will: +10



Class/Race Features class="pn-content-page-body"> class="pn-content-page-body">

• class="pn-content-page-body"> style="font-style: italic;">1
  bonus feat at first level: Humans are quick to master
  specialized tasks and are varied in their talents.
• class="pn-content-page-body"> style="font-style: italic;"> style="font-style: italic;">4 extra skill points at first level and 1
  extra skill point at each additional level: Humans are versatile
  and capable.
• Aura of Good (+2 bonus
  to
  Armor Class and saving throws)
• class="pn-content-page-body">Bonus
  Feats: The Battlemage receives a bonus combat-oriented feat at
  Level 1 and one additional bonus combat feat at each even fighter level
  thereafter).
• Divine Grace (Add
  Charisma
  bonus to saving throws)
• Divine Health (Immune to
  magical and mundane diseases)
• Remove Disease 1/rest
• Smite Evil 2/rest
• Turn Undead 6/rest

Skills

Balance 2 ranks (+3 total)

Intimidate 13 ranks (+19 total)

Others as desired



Feats (in the order taken)

Combat Expertise: Trade attack bonus for Armor Class

Dodge: Gain a +1 bonus to Armor Class

Shield Mastery: Gain an additional +2 Armor Class and damage reduction
2/- when blocking

Improved Shield Bash: Retain shield bonus when making a shield bash
attack

Skill Focus (Intimidate): +3 to Intimidate checks

Improved Shield Mastery: Gain an additional +5 Armor Class and damage
reduction 5/- when blocking



Enhancements

Bulwark of Good III (Aura of Good provides an additional +3 bonus to
Armor Class)

Fighter's Combat Expertise I (Gain an additional bonus to Armor Class
when using combat expertise)

Paladin's Action Boost IV (Gain short term boost to Armor Class, attack
bonus, or saving throws)

Resistance of Good III (Aura of Good provides an additional +3 bonus to
saving throws)



Spellcasting: DC 11 + Spell
Level

Spell Points: 110 (80 base + 30 ability modifier)

Typical Level 1 Spells Prepared:
Cure Light Wounds, Divine Favor

Typical Level 2 Spells Prepared:
Bull's Strength, Eagle's Splendor

Detailed Progression by Level

-Character
Level 1: Starting as
fighter grants you an extra Feat. Added to the extra Feat for being
human, the Ironclad Zealot starts with 3 Feats, a good repertoire to
help you survive the low levels.

• Class trained: Fighter
• Skills: Balance x4, Intimidate x4
  
• Feats: Dodge, Combat Expertise, Shield Mastery
• Enhancements: Fighter's Combat Expertise I, Fighter's Action
  Boost I, Human Versatility I, Skill Tactics I
  

-Character
Level 2: Now you begin
your training as a paladin.

• Class trained: Paladin
• Skills: Intimidate x1
• Enhancements: Fighter's Combat Expertise I, Paladin's Action
  Boost I, Paladin's Grace I, Skill Tactics I
  

-Character
Level 3: Selecting
Improved Shield Bash will allow you to use your shiled as a weapon
without losing its bonus to armor class.

• Class trained: class="pn-content-page-body">Paladin
• Skills: class="pn-content-page-body">Intimidate x1
• Feat: Improved Shield Bash
  
• Enhancements: Bulwark of Good I, Fighter's Combat Expertise I,
  Paladin's Action Boost I, Resistance of Good I
  

-Character
Level 4: Place your
Ability point into Charisma.

• Class trained: class="pn-content-page-body">Paladin
• Skills: class="pn-content-page-body">Intimidate x1
• Enhancements: Bulwark of Good I, Fighter's Combat Expertise I,
  Paladin's Action Boost II, Resistance of Good I
  

href="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?set_albumName=Exclusive_Screenshots&id=Ironclad_Zealot&op=modload&name=Gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php"> alt="Ironclad Zealot"
src="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/files/gallery/albums/Exclusive_Screenshots/Ironclad_Zealot.sized.jpg"
style="border: 2px solid ; width: 267px; height: 200px;" align="left">-Character
Level 5: This is a
farily uneventful level. You will not be changing any Enhancments or
gaining any Feats.

• Class trained: class="pn-content-page-body">Paladin
• Skills: class="pn-content-page-body">Intimidate x1
• Enhancements: Bulwark of Good I, Fighter's Combat Expertise I,
  Paladin's Action Boost II, Resistance of Good I
  

-Character
Level 6: Use your Feat
for Skill Focus and select Intimidate as your skill. This will better
enable you to pry monsters away from your party members.

• Class trained: class="pn-content-page-body">Paladin
• Skills: class="pn-content-page-body">Intimidate x1
• Feat: Skill Focus (Intimidate)
  
• Enhancements: Bulwark of Good I, Fighter's Combat Expertise I,
  Paladin's Action Boost II, Resistance of Good I
  

-Character
Level 7: This level
will allow you to upgrade several Enhancements.

• Class trained: class="pn-content-page-body">Paladin
• Skills: class="pn-content-page-body">Intimidate x1
• Enhancements: Bulwark of Good II, Fighter's Combat Expertise I,
  Paladin's Action Boost III, Resistance of Good II
  

-Character
Level 8: Place
your Ability point into Charisma to increase your modifier to +3.

• Class trained: class="pn-content-page-body">Paladin
• Skills: class="pn-content-page-body">Intimidate x1
• Enhancements: Bulwark of Good II, Fighter's Combat Expertise I,
  Paladin's Action Boost III, Resistance of Good II
  

-Character
Level 9: Improved
Shield Mastery will make you a defensive powerhouse behind your shield.

• Class trained: class="pn-content-page-body">Paladin
• Skills: class="pn-content-page-body">Intimidate x1
• Feat: Improved Shield Mastery
  
• Enhancements: Bulwark of Good II, Fighter's Combat Expertise I,
  Paladin's Action Boost III, Resistance of Good II
  

-Character
Level 10: This final
level brings about more Enhancement upgrades, completing your defenses.

• Class trained: class="pn-content-page-body">Paladin
• Skills: class="pn-content-page-body">Intimidate x1
• Enhancements: Bulwark of Good III, Fighter's Combat Expertise I,
  Paladin's Action Boost III, Resistance of Good III
  

Notes: Playing an Ironclad
Zealot is really quite simple. In general, you should keep Combat
Expertise on most of the time, unless you happen to be fighting hoards
of creatures with a low attack bonus. When you encounter a large group
of creatures, simply wade into the hoard and hit Intimidate to pull the
agro. At this point, go into blocking mode and use shield bash attacks
to hold the agro while your allies cut down the mob.



If you're up against an opponent with a very high armor class, hit your
paladin action boost to increase your attack bonus. If you're up
against an opponent with a very good attack bonus, hit your paladin
action boost to increase your Armor Class.



While this build will never see a lot of glory in the dungeon's of
Stormreach, you will keep your allies alive much longer and save your
cleric precious spell points. This build isn't for the glory seekers –
it's for the team-oriented and defensive player. For you players with
slower reflexes, this is a good build for you. This build requires very
little “twitch” combat, so it tends to be better for those of us who'd
rather not jump around like a monkey on speed.