Paladin Starting Equipment

[EricTheGreat12]

After having just gotten PvsS in the mail yesterday, I realized that the Paladin has a massive total of 8 (!!!!) equipment items. While the Paladin was made to be a powerful warrior and should therefore utilize all of his equipment efficiently, most players just don't have the time to equip all of the items on the Paladin during the course of an entire game.

For those who have the expansion/looked at the expansion, what combo do you think I should prioritize for the Paladin's equipment (ex: Helm of Justice, Sword of Reliance and Radiant Breastplate OR Sword of Radiance, Signet of the Dawn Breaker and Radiant Breastplate), and what suggestions would you have in terms of playing the Paladin's equipment cards ?

[Coshade]

Congrats on getting a copy of PvS!
My suggestions with the Paladin is to pick a style you want him to play as, then choose the equipment to gain valor that supports it. For example if you want to support your dudes-> go with the cape. If you want to bash things, the sword and the ring is damn good. It's rare to get more then 1 aura going (although very possible), so gearing up toward a "main" aura is best.

The best way to pick an aura you want is how you structure your book, and if going an aura depending on the match up is more favorable then the main strategy.

[EricTheGreat12]

Congrats on getting a copy of PvS!
My suggestions with the Paladin is to pick a style you want him to play as, then choose the equipment to gain valor that supports it. For example if you want to support your dudes-> go with the cape. If you want to bash things, the sword and the ring is damn good. It's rare to get more then 1 aura going (although very possible), so gearing up toward a "main" aura is best.

The best way to pick an aura you want is how you structure your book, and if going an aura depending on the match up is more favorable then the main strategy.

Problem with Valor is that it's interesting but limited: there are hardly any cards that get use Valor, with the only major exceptions being Sword of Radiance and Smite. Valor is necessary for these cards to be played with force, but most other cards just simply don't need Valor. While it's also nice for Auras, those are bonuses that are applied three times throughout the entire game, and once they are applied, Valor is not longer useful for them.

Will probably take a more offencive Sword approach, as I mostly have support Cleric kind units, and my only powerfull creatures being Alfiya and Brogan Blooodstone.

[ringkichard]

You're regularly activating all three simultaneous auras?

[EricTheGreat12]

You're regularly activating all three simultaneous auras?

No, and apologies as I didn't word it properly, but what I meant is that if I would apply all 3 auras as the game progressed, one by one.

[Coshade]

That is actually the point of Valor. You should be able to get enough for 1 aura average, and maybe get some for other cards. But it's usually enough to help you out late game.

[Halewijn]

Is it that hard to activate aura's? I expected to have at least 2 of them activated on average.

I think most of my paladin books will run battle forges to spam the little pieces of equipment. (Unless maybe when I would add a temple of Asyra instead)

edit:
Not from experience, but to me it seems that the ring and the armor are most important. If you are not using Casiel it might be handy to cast the cloak as well. The boots depend on your opponent. I would definatelly cast them against a druid, Siren or Forcemaster (and maybe wizard). I'll probably not cast it against other mages.

The helmet only when you notice/expect the opponent will focus on your creatures.

 If you are going melee, than the sword is of course a must.  The gloves are pretty nice, but I would probably only cast them after having cast, or just before casting, the sword of radiance. The shield is probably the piece I'll use the least. It's pretty nice, but I think too expensive for most games. I think the shield is probably a mid to late game piece of equipment, while the other pieces would have priority.

[Coshade]

Honestly I think the determining factor on how many auras you want to activate, and how many pieces of equipment you should take, is based on when you want a timing push. Battle Forge books will end up getting more equipment (obviously), but you always sacrifice other pieces to make those happen. The more pieces you sacrifice that is outside of your mage the less quick actions (not quick cast actions) you want to risk to initiate the auras.

[Halewijn]

Battle Forge books will end up getting more equipment (obviously), but you always sacrifice other pieces to make those happen. The more pieces you sacrifice that is outside of your mage the less quick actions (not quick cast actions) you want to risk to initiate the auras.

You lost me. Can you rephrase?

[Puddnhead]

Activating an aura costs you a quick action...which is NOT a quick spell action.  This means that you cannot use your Quickcast marker to activate an aura.  You must use your full action (you can move first).  When you are in the thick of the fighting, pausing to activate an aura is a very important decision.

If you focus on a battleforge you are generally not going to have a lot of creatures on the field which means that your supply of available actions is limited making the Aura decision an even more critical decision.

So, yes, gearing up and hitting stuff will get you more Valor than playing cautiously or supporting creatures, but you may find that using the actions on activating the auras is more costly than you first anticipated.

Hope that helps.

[Coshade]

Yeah puddn worded it well. Sorry if I sounded a little meta there. Basically the battle forge makes you have less creatures because that mana is getting used on buffing the mage. So activating an aura is much more serious of a consideration because more mana is tied up on buffing your mage.

[Puddnhead]

Yeah puddn worded it well. Sorry if I sounded a little meta there. Basically the battle forge makes you have less creatures because that mana is getting used on buffing the mage. So activating an aura is much more serious of a consideration because more mana is tied up on buffing your mage.

Ah yes, this is a point that I failed to see.  Because all of those buffs are on your Paladin you'll be sacrificing their usefulness for the turn to activate an aura.  I could see a turn where the Paladin casts Heal or Purify and then activates an aura, then he jumps back into the fight to mete out retribution.

[EricTheGreat12]

Is it that hard to activate aura's? I expected to have at least 2 of them activated on average.

I think most of my paladin books will run battle forges to spam the little pieces of equipment. (Unless maybe when I would add a temple of Asyra instead)

Wow, I completely forgot about Battle Forge    . With that in mind, Battle Forge is a card that would be extremely valuable, no matter the equipment synergy I choose.

That is actually the point of Valor. You should be able to get enough for 1 aura average, and maybe get some for other cards. But it's usually enough to help you out late game.

Yes, I won't deny that Valor can be usefull for the Paladin , I'm just saying that it is limited, as the set doesn't utilize it enough, so it's not pure chaos if he cannot gain enough Valor throughout the game.

Activating an aura costs you a quick action...which is NOT a quick spell action.  This means that you cannot use your Quickcast marker to activate an aura.  You must use your full action (you can move first).  When you are in the thick of the fighting, pausing to activate an aura is a very important decision.

If you focus on a battleforge you are generally not going to have a lot of creatures on the field which means that your supply of available actions is limited making the Aura decision an even more critical decision.

So, yes, gearing up and hitting stuff will get you more Valor than playing cautiously or supporting creatures, but you may find that using the actions on activating the auras is more costly than you first anticipated.

Hope that helps.

This is what I love about this game; so many decisions can be taken, that you sometimes have to prioritize an action that may win/lose you the game. I think though that a Paladin is above anything else, aggressive, and in order to be agressive he should be defending himself adequately while having a good army to attack. I do not think I'll ever be able to equip all 8 of his pieces, but I do believe that some such as the Helm of Protection and the Sword of Radiance and Radiant Breastplate, while still having a strong army of clerics and knights (even Alfyia, if I can manage the game right)