13th Age 2e Pregenerated Character Builds: Gallant Paladin

By Jay Godden

In this series, I’m presenting two different pregenerated builds for every 13^th Age Heroes’ Handbook character class, at all levels. My goal is to present complete mechanical builds using only standard elements and rules from the Heroes’ Handbook, ready for you to apply your own backgrounds, icon relationships, and One Unique Thing.

In this pair of articles, we look at two potential builds for the Paladin.

The Paladin is usually the main defensive line of any party they find themselves in, boasting the highest AC of all the classes, and having the hit points to match. They have reliable offense to go along with their very strong defensive stats which keeps them threatening in melee while they divert attention from their less armoured allies. Depending on talent choices, Paladins can either double down on tanking and other party support, or become highly dangerous in their own right, even taking on a sort of anti-paladin role with the Evil Way talent.

All Paladins have access to the Smite power, to augment their melee attacks at choice moments, and Lay on Hands to heal themselves or allies with a touch. This is changed from first edition where Lay on Hands cost one of your talents. This makes them versatile combatants that are pretty simple to play.

Gallant Paladin
Download the Gallant Paladin character sheets here. These sheets make use of the class-specific character sheets designed for second edition by Miguel Friginal.

This build is slightly more complicated than a typical Paladin, snagging mechanics from the Cleric and Bard classes for extra options. You are highly charismatic, able to make your foes smitten with you as easily as you can smite them and encourage your allies to great acts of heroism. This build is very capable in one-on-one duels, using Lay on Hands to keep yourself up and Smite and Bold to bring down monsters quickly, becoming even more dangerous at higher levels with the Improved Smite and Holy Avenger talents. While you don’t have any explicit tanking abilities, you will almost certainly be one of the most defensive members of your party, so feel free to put yourself into dangerous situations to take the heat off your allies. The Gallant probably uses a two handed weapon, though a sword and shield works well too.

As usual magic item choices are left out of the character sheets, check with your GM to see if they will be granting you any. A magic weapon is your first priority, though once you reach 8th level your Holy Avenger talent will epicify a magic weapon of your choice. On top of that, you might consider whether an arcane implement of some sort might be useful for your bard spells, or defensive items such as belts, armour, or a necklace, to keep yourself independent.

Talents

Bold

This gives you a +1 bonus to attack against enemies that none of your allies are engaged with, and another +1 against a particular enemy type as decided each arc. If you have an inclination from the story that you will be facing a lot of a particular type you can select that early on, or you can wait a couple of battles before activating this when you see a dangerous foe you plan to go toe-to-toe with.

Divine Domain (Beauty Domain)

The Divine Domain talent lets you get the benefits of a Cleric Domain of your choice. The Beauty Domain helps your allies to avoid fumbles, and its invocation offers bonuses to everyone who is on full hp. You can use Lay on Hands to keep yourself topped up to ensure you benefit from this.

Voice of Song (Befuddle)

Grabbing the Bard spell Befuddle offers us an option to use at range that targets the usually low MD, and can help to control dangerous monsters. It also fits our theme of a disarmingly charming and/or beautiful Paladin. If you can wait until the escalation die is 2+ it only costs a quick action and has a more powerful effect.

Kin Power

Human’s Push It lets you supercharge your Smites even further, adding extra damage against important enemies (if you can hit!)

Attributes

Paladins can use Charisma in place of Dexterity to determine their AC, and it powers some of your magical abilities too, though Strength is still our primary stat for combat: Str 19 (+4) Dex 12 (+1) Con 14 (+2) Wis 13 (+1) Int 10 (+0) Cha 17 (+3).

1^st level

Attributes: Str 19 (+4) Dex 12 (+1) Con 14 (+2) Wis 13 (+1) Int 10 (+0) Cha 17 (+3).

Kin Power: Push it

Talents: Bold, Divine Domain, Voice of Song

Spell: Befuddle (You can change your Bard spell freely when you have a full heal up, this is just a suggestion for a default arc)

Feat: A: Bold

2^nd level

New feat (A: Smite).

3^rd level

New feat (A: Lay on Hands).

4^th level

+1 to three attributes (Strength, Wisdom, Charisma), new feat (A: Befuddle).

5^th level

New talent (Improved Smite), new feat (C: Voice of Song: Song of Self (which will give you access to Cutting Words after it’s expended).

6^th level

New feat (C: Smite).

7^th level

+1 to four attributes (Strength, Constitution, Wisdom, Charisma), new feat (C: Push It).

8^th level

New talent (Holy Avenger), new feat (E: Holy Avenger).

9^th level

New feats (E: Lay on Hands replaces adv, A: Improved Initiative).

10^th level

+1 to five attributes (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Wisdom, Charisma), new feat (E: Smite).

Zenith feat

New feat (Z: Smite)