Mage Slayer

By Save-vs.-DM

The Mage Slayer is a paladin build that focuses on one all-important task: slaying spellcasters quickly without taking damage from spells. This build is much more offensive than a standard paladin build, though the high saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities provide a good deal of protection for the Mage Slayer.

Character Snapshot

Starting Abilities
Strength: 14
Dexterity: 12
Constitution: 12
Intelligence: 10
Wisdom: 12
Charisma: 14 (+1 4th, +1 8th = 16)

Race: Dwarf

Hit Points: 110

Saves (Includes Ability bonuses, aura of good, and Enhancements)
Fortitude: +15 (+21 vs. spells)
Reflex: +11 (+17 vs. spells)
Will: +11 (+17 vs. spells)

Class/Racial Features
Aura of Good (+2 bonus to Armor Class and saving throws)
Divine Grace (Add Charisma bonus to saving throws)
Divine Health (Immune to magical and mundane diseases)
Dwarven Spell Resistance: +2 bonus on saving throws versus spells and spell-like abilities.
Dwarven Stability: +4 bonus on Balance checks.
Dwarven Stonecunning: +2 bonus on Search checks when indoors.
Poison Save Bonus: +2 bonus on saves versus poison.
Remove Disease 2/rest
Smite Evil 3/rest
Turn Undead 6/rest
Weapon Familiarity: Treat dwarven waraxes as martial weapons.

Skills
Diplomacy 13 ranks (+16 total)
Heal 13 ranks (+14 total)

Feats (in the order taken)
Weapon Focus (Slashing): Gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls with slashing weapons
Power Attack: Trade attack bonus for damage bonus
Luck of Heroes: Gain a +1 bonus to saving throws
Improved Critical (Slashing): Doubles the critical threat range of slashing weapons

Enhancements
Bulwark of Good III (Aura of Good provides an additional +3 bonus to Armor Class)
Dwarven Spell Resistance III (Gain an additional +4 bonus on saves versus spells)
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

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Detailed Progression by Level

-Character Level 1: Focusing on a type of weapon early ensure you will be a better attacker from the beginning.

• Class trained: Paladin
• Skills: Diplomacy x4, Heal x4
  
• Feat: Weapon Focus (Slashing)
  
• Enhancements: Extra Smite Evil I, Paladin's Grace I, Paladin's Action Boost I, Skill Interaction I
  

-Character Level 2: An uneventful level except that you can upgrade Paladin's Action Boost.

• Class trained: Paladin
• Skills: Dimplomacy x1, Heal x1
• Enhancements: Bulwark of Good I, Dwarven Spell Resistance I, Paladin's Action Boost I, Resistance of Good I
  

-Character Level 3: Power Attack is your standard plan of attack against casters will low AC.

• Class trained: Paladin
• Skills: Dimplomacy x1, Heal x1
• Feat: Power Attack
• Enhancements: Bulwark of Good I, Dwarven Spell Resistance I, Paladin's Action Boost II, Resistance of Good I
  

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

• Class trained: Paladin
• Skills: Dimplomacy x1, Heal x1
• Enhancements: Bulwark of Good I, Dwarven Spell Resistance I, Paladin's Action Boost I, Resistance of Good I
  

-Character Level 5: This is a farily uneventful level. You will not be changing any Enhancments or gaining any Feats.

• Class trained: Paladin
• Skills: Dimplomacy x1, Heal x1
• Enhancements: Bulwark of Good I, Dwarven Spell Resistance I, Paladin's Action Boost II, Resistance of Good I
  

-Character Level 6: The selection of Luck of Heroes should help you shrug off some of the nastier status affecting spells you are sure to encounter int he dungeons at this level.

• Class trained: Paladin
• Skills: Dimplomacy x1, Heal x1
• Feat: Luck of Heroes
• Enhancements: Bulwark of Good II, Dwarven Spell Resistance II, Paladin's Action Boost III, Resistance of Good II
  

-Character Level 7: This level will improve your hit points, spell points, and BAB.

• Class trained: Paladin
• Skills: Dimplomacy x1, Heal x1
• Enhancements: Bulwark of Good II, Dwarven Spell Resistance II, 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: Paladin
• Skills: Dimplomacy x1, Heal x1
• Enhancements: Bulwark of Good II, Dwarven Spell Resistance II, Paladin's Action Boost I, Resistance of Good II
  

-Character Level 9: Choosing Improved Critical will help you dish out even more damage against the meatier casters of the high end.

• Class trained: Paladin
• Skills: Dimplomacy x1, Heal x1
• Feat: Improved Critical (Slashing)
• Enhancements: Bulwark of Good III, Dwarven Spell Resistance II, Paladin's Action Boost III, Resistance of Good III
  

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

• Class trained: Paladin
• Skills: Dimplomacy x1, Heal x1
• Enhancements: Bulwark of Good III, Dwarven Spell Resistance III, Paladin's Action Boost IV, Resistance of Good III

Notes: The Mage Slayer should focus on one thing: killing enemy spellcasters as quickly as possible. As soon as you see a spellcaster, activate Power Attack and your Action Boost to increase either your attack bonus (if the spellcaster has a high Armor Class) or your saving throws (if the spellcaster has very potent spells). Charge forth and quickly dispatch the spellcaster, using Smite Evil if possible. When not fighting spellcasters, simply use a shield and a dwarven waraxe, switching to a two-handed slashing weapon when confronting spellcasters.

This build requires a few advanced tactics and a good working knowledge of how to navigate quickly around the battlefield. While it excels at damaging spellcasters and avoiding harmful spells, you will need to know how to switch targets quickly and follow moving monsters in order to get the most out of this build.

This build works nearly as well with halflings (replace Dwarven Spell Resistance III with Halfling Luck III) and humans (replace Dwarven Spell Resistance III with Paladin's Grace II).

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