I love vg paladins

Llira · 02-25-2007, 07:45 AM

Seems most posts I see here are complaints of one form or another, mostly legitimate, yes, but for the sake of balance I figured I wanted to say how much I love my vg paladin

Seems to me they got the class just right for once. I come from WoW where palas are considered a bit of a joke or at best healbots, so maybe that's why :P

We're good tanks, lots of defensive abilities with quite adequate threat generation tools + imo some of the best rescues in the game on a low cooldown. We also have awesome "oh shit buttons" in the form of virtue abilities.

We have good buffs and some limited healing capability. I like the fact that it's limited, paladins shouldn't be primary healers. We're holy warriors not clerics - this is where wow went wrong.

Our dps isn't great, nor should it be, considering our strong defensive capabilities. We're still able to output decent damage and if not tanking we have a nice offensive aura boosting the whole team's damage by +10% and accuracy by +5% - this more than makes up for our slightly lower dps.

We even have some limited crowd control in the form of judgement of the envious, yeah it's not a sure thing, but it's still saved my ass enough times.

Our solo capabilities seem balanced, 3dots are generally np while 4 dots mean get at least one other to help out. In a group evironment we shine.

Anyways that's my 2 coppers on paladins. I'm currently level 19 and loving it, looking forward to 20 :P
Stat distribution is Str > Dex > Con

regards,
Llira of the 36th Chamber @ Infineum.

GiggsBeckham11 · 02-25-2007, 03:18 PM

QFE.

I played a paladin for 6 months in Beta and play one now and also love the class,also.

I am currently CON=DEX>STR. I do not add any to INT, WIS or VIT.

Velzevul · 02-26-2007, 08:31 AM

I am a 26 DRK and loving it as well.

Although we are kind of screwed with certain aspects of our class that were not implemented all too well, and some are still not working at all while others work only partially, DRk class has lots of potential. And even things I am able to do now, i like a lot.

My stat distribution is str4/dext4/int2, and I also get con2/int2 per level, making it effectively /4/2/4/4/ str/con/dext/int

I know my class is in a fair amount of trouble in terms of working/notworking prospectives, but I tend to stay positive. I guess you can call it "faith in Sigil".

Good job on the game guys :P

J Hoyt · 02-26-2007, 10:02 AM

I just dinged 18 on my Paladin last night and haven't had a chance to play with the new abilities yet but I've loved the Paladin since the beginning. I have close to zero MMORPG experience outside of VG and my highest level alt is a 4 PSI so I can't compare much but I know I'm having fun. I feel I play it quite well. I do very, very well in groups.

Doing pulls with Smite, buffing group strength with that finisher, rescuing the healers when I lose aggro, adjusting auras to help the offensive fighters or healers, great defensive buffs, and saving the day at the last minute with Gifts of Virtue. Sweeeeet.

unst4blec0d3r · 02-26-2007, 12:18 PM

At the lowbie lvl of 15, I'll have to agree that I'm loving the paladin overall. Some tweaks are needed, but that is the same with most classes. I came from WoW originally playing a warrior as my main. But the longer I played him, the less he felt like a tank. The dependency on the healers, made me feel less like a protector. Since then, I've migrated to the "paladin state of mind"

I did a small dungeon on my VG pally and after a bad pull we had too many mobs to deal with, eventually we lost our healer and a couple others. But even with my limited heals, and rescues(love Entwine), I was able to keep myself up and 2 other dps classes up while we finished off the last two mobs. Used a gem on the cleric and we were back on track. I thought to myself, "thats what I'm talking about!"

Anyway, so far so good. I hope for only good to come of the class.

Aeronis · 02-26-2007, 02:13 PM

The paladin feels like a solid and complete class, well thought out. Not overpowered in any way, but everything it has meshes pretty well together and it's fun to play.

The major downside to this is that every single stat is needed, so it's a real pain trying to manage stat distribution.

We do suffer compared with warriors and dread knights in aggro generation, but a skilled player can help overcome that with proper use of our tools.

yarilo · 02-26-2007, 02:25 PM

VG Paladin is definetly a capable tank. The most defensive tank with little DPS, some heals and buffs. Virtue points are nice when you have them, agro control was problematic but is better now with the recent fix. It takes effort to play this class, and I like that. Overall, good job Sigil.

Aeronis · 02-26-2007, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yarilo

VG Paladin is definetly a capable tank. The most defensive tank with little DPS, some heals and buffs. Virtue points are nice when you have them, agro control was problematic but is better now with the recent fix. It takes effort to play this class, and I like that. Overall, good job Sigil.

What did they do to fix it?
I noticed that the defensive stance now grants 40% hate generation bonus.

Lizard · 02-27-2007, 12:10 AM

After I got my rescues, realized Smite was an aggro management tool, and picked up that nifty shield-bash-o-maximum-hate at level 14, I am a very happy paladin. I am generally able to hold aggro one two mobs at once, and my rescues work well if I pay attention. I wish there were more ways to regen virtue, but that's about my only complaint right now.

Well, other than the fact a lot of players seem to THINK I'm a cleric.

No.

I can zap a heal in an EMERGENCY. I can't keep a group alive.

Lizard · 02-27-2007, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GiggsBeckham11

QFE.

I played a paladin for 6 months in Beta and play one now and also love the class,also.

I am currently CON=DEX>STR. I do not add any to INT, WIS or VIT.

I've been putting a bit into VIT for faster in-combat regen and into INT for tactic recognition.

J Hoyt · 02-27-2007, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lizard

Well, other than the fact a lot of players seem to THINK I'm a cleric.

No.

I can zap a heal in an EMERGENCY. I can't keep a group alive.

Exactly. I always tell group members that by the time I have to stop fighting and heal someone, we're in serious trouble.

iamnivek · 02-27-2007, 01:53 PM

I find myself to be a capable fighter class as a Pally, but I really shine against undead. At level 14, i happened to come across an lvl 17-18 2 dot undead camp near a house, north east of Vescals exchange. At level 14, i was able to consistently beat the level 18 undead mobs. I ended up farming them for 2 levels. At level 14, I had problems fighting 15 or 16 2 dot non-undead, but i kick butt on the undead.

Khaunshar · 02-28-2007, 03:09 AM

Fear immunity, + the unmentioned 40% hate increase on defensive aura. I sure think the paladin will have a firm place in endgame now too.

Ladon · 02-28-2007, 12:48 PM

I have to agree with everyone. So far I think the Paladin is an excellent and well thought out class. Our solo ability is reasonable, our group utility is excellent, we make excellent main tanks and stack well with the other defensive fighters making excellent secondary/offtanks as well.

However, as I'm gaining levels I am starting to see a problem with aggro generation. It's not so apparent at the lower levels, but later in the 20s and beyond the damage curve of classes starts to become much greater than our aggro generation curve. We simply are unable to keep up, though it seems the developers are well aware of this and promise to address this in the near future.

I'm also not completely happy with the rescue system. Again, at the lower levels it is okay for the casters to take a few hits while you fumble around with targets and the interface to perform the rescue. But as you grow in levels, the mobs start hitting harder and the time required to get a rescue off just takes too long to be as an effective tool as they should be. And considering a major portion of our abilities come in the form of rescues, it is important the system is well tuned. But again, it seems developers are aware of this as well since it has been stated the rescue system will get a revamp. Hopefully we won't have to wait too long for these updates.

Aeronis · 02-28-2007, 10:54 PM

Even with the changes, aggro generation is still a problem for Paladins. Rangers routinely steal aggro away from me and there's nothing I can do about other than to tell the Ranger to throttle down.

But I don't mind not being as good as the other tanks in aggro generation. The Paladin has to play smarter to hold aggro.

That's why there are less Paladins than warriors or dreadknights - It's very difficult to hold aggro, so Paladins are often relegated to secondary tank roles. The best thing a Paladin brings to the team is buffs, making him a good choice for a secondary tank.

Apostle · 03-01-2007, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aeronis

Even with the changes, aggro generation is still a problem for Paladins. Rangers routinely steal aggro away from me and there's nothing I can do about other than to tell the Ranger to throttle down.

But I don't mind not being as good as the other tanks in aggro generation. The Paladin has to play smarter to hold aggro.

That's why there are less Paladins than warriors or dreadknights - It's very difficult to hold aggro, so Paladins are often relegated to secondary tank roles. The best thing a Paladin brings to the team is buffs, making him a good choice for a secondary tank.

I actually, in a small way of course

, like it when someone takes agro for a second. It lets me pop my damage rescue further helping my agro. (Except when its a disciple who FD's RIGHT when I go to use my rescue which wastes it

)

Also.. keep in mind, our defensive aura is giving us an additional 15% extra mitigation we are not supposed to be getting. Its a bug and will be fixed. (I wouldnt mind them conveniently overlooking that BUG but thats asking a bit much hehe)

Najarati · 03-01-2007, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aeronis

That's why there are less Paladins than warriors or dreadknights - It's very difficult to hold aggro, so Paladins are often relegated to secondary tank roles. The best thing a Paladin brings to the team is buffs, making him a good choice for a secondary tank.

I don't know about you, but I didn't roll a Paladin to be a secondary tank. The three Defensive Fighters were all billed as being equal (or close to it) in terms of tanking ability and were meant to serve as main tanks--all of them, not just the Dread Knight, not just the Warrior. Honestly, I'm tired of the class always being regulated to secondary status when it really should not be so. I don't mind the fact that we can be capable secondary tanks, but it should not detract from our ability to be the main tank.

On another note, I'm beginning to think the +40% hate modifier recently added to our Defensive Aura is not functioning correctly. I don't seem have any more or less aggro control than I did before it was added. As for its extra mitigation, I hope it stays too. It's one of the few abilities we have that truly makes me feel defensive/tough on a consistent basis.

Khaunshar · 03-01-2007, 07:24 AM

Hmm well my paladin is just 17, so I dont know much about the damage curve from a tank point of view. However, the paladin I often group with is 32, my bloodmage is 32, and he holds aggro like an arms dealer on an anti-war demonstration.

Thats to a 32 ranger with red/orange weapons, who outdamages anything I ve ever seen in this game so far with ease (yes, even pre-nerf DRKs with kronus axe)

Marlowe Lawbringer · 03-01-2007, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aeronis

Even with the changes, aggro generation is still a problem for Paladins. Rangers routinely steal aggro away from me and there's nothing I can do about other than to tell the Ranger to throttle down.

But I don't mind not being as good as the other tanks in aggro generation. The Paladin has to play smarter to hold aggro.

That's why there are less Paladins than warriors or dreadknights - It's very difficult to hold aggro, so Paladins are often relegated to secondary tank roles. The best thing a Paladin brings to the team is buffs, making him a good choice for a secondary tank.

This attitude needs to be smacked down wherever it appears. Hard. Paladins satisfied with whatever bone they are thrown by the devs helped perpetuate Kunark. And the Kunark state of mind is still the biggest enemy that paladins have in MMORGs. It is still too early in the game (both in levels and Sigil's rather unfinished development) to know precisely how paladins shape up against other tanks, but anything less than MT equality, as repeatedly promised by Sigil, is not acceptable.

Lizard · 03-01-2007, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khaunshar

Fear immunity, + the unmentioned 40% hate increase on defensive aura. I sure think the paladin will have a firm place in endgame now too.

Yeah, I just noticed the +40% hate bonus. When I am in a group now, I always go to that stance. Even when adds pop and start chewing on the sorceror, all it takes is a little whack with the shield bast and the smite to get them to pay attention to me (esp. w/the sorceror's Forget ability).

At lower levels, I found it impossible to hold aggro, but at 15, I am doing it easily unless someone screws up.