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Welcome, fellow adventurers! Are you ready to face the Shadow-Cursed Lands of Baldur's Gate 3 with honor, strength, and a radiant smile? Then you've come to the right place. This guide is for PC gamers who want to optimize their Oath of the Ancients Paladin to not only survive but thrive during the crucial "Last Light Inn" questline in Act 2. We'll delve into everything from character creation to gear selection, ensuring you uphold your sacred oath while maximizing your combat effectiveness. Walking the righteous path is harder than it looks, especially when demons are involved, but fear not! We can guide you, but the dice decide your fate.

The Last Light Inn: A Paladin's Test

"The Last Light Inn" questline is a pivotal moment in Act 2. The choices you make here will significantly impact the rest of your Baldur's Gate 3 experience. This guide focuses on optimizing your Oath of the Ancients Paladin Build BG3 to maintain their oath, make morally sound choices, and maximize combat effectiveness throughout the quest. This includes dialogue choices, combat tactics, and gear selection. Get ready to become a beacon of hope in the encroaching darkness.

Step-by-Step Paladin Build Guide: Guardian of the Light

We're going to build a Paladin who can dish out incredible damage, protect their allies, and resist the insidious influences of the Shadow-Cursed Lands.

Race: Half-Elf (Wood Elf variant)

For our Paladin, we're going with the Half-Elf (Wood Elf variant). This choice provides crucial advantages:

• Fey Ancestry: Advantage on saving throws against being charmed. "Resistance to mind control and moving faster? Always a plus." This is vital for resisting the many mind-altering effects you'll encounter.
• Darkvision: See in the dark. Essential for navigating the Shadow-Cursed Lands.
• Increased Movement Speed: Extra movement is always welcome, allowing you to close the gap on enemies or reposition to protect allies.

Background: Guild Artisan

"Knowing how to haggle and read people is invaluable, even when your weapon is a warhammer." We select Guild Artisan for proficiency in Persuasion and Insight. These skills will aid you in dialogues, allowing you to resolve conflicts peacefully and discern the truth.

Ability Scores (Level 1)

Here's the starting distribution we recommend:

• Strength: 16 (Essential for melee attacks and carrying capacity)
• Dexterity: 8 (Dump stat; we'll rely on heavy armor)
• Constitution: 14 (Vital for health and concentration saves)
• Intelligence: 8 (Another dump stat; Paladins aren't known for their intellect)
• Wisdom: 10 (Important for Wisdom saving throws, but we'll improve it later)
• Charisma: 16 (Key for Paladin spells, Channel Divinity, and dialogue checks)

"Pump Strength and Charisma early; you'll be hitting hard and inspiring allies."

Level Progression (1-12)

This build prioritizes Paladin levels for maximum Divine Smite potential and Aura benefits.

• Levels 1-6: Paladin (Oath of the Ancients)

  

  Focus on:

  • Divine Smite: Your bread and butter. Turn spell slots into massive radiant damage.
  • Spells like Cure Wounds and Bless: Support your allies and keep them in the fight.
  • Aura of Protection (Level 6): Add your Charisma modifier to saving throws for yourself and nearby allies. This is a huge boost to survivability.

  "Smite evil, heal your friends, and protect them from harm. That's the Paladin way."

• Levels 7-8: Paladin (Oath of the Ancients)

  Take the Great Weapon Master feat at level 4. This feat allows you to make an additional attack after a critical hit or killing a creature. It also allows you to take a -5 penalty to attack rolls for +10 damage. "Turn those misses into massive damage."

• Levels 9-12: Paladin (Oath of the Ancients)

  Take the Resilient feat at level 8, and apply the resilience to your Wisdom saving throws. "Wisdom saves are common during this portion of the game and important for keeping your Oath."

Synergistic Gear for Act 2: Holy Armaments

Gear is crucial for any build, and this Paladin is no exception. Here's what you should aim for in Act 2:

• Weapon: Silver Sword of the Astral Plane (acquired by progressing the Lae'zel questline). "Deals extra damage to Githyanki and other aberrations. Perfect for fighting the Absolute."
• Armor: Armor of Persistence (purchased from Dammon in the Last Light Inn after saving the Tieflings). "Reduces incoming damage and grants advantage on saving throws. Essential for tanking."
• Amulet: Amulet of the Devout (found in the Defiled Temple). "Increases spellcasting ability. More Smites for everyone!"
• Ring: Ring of Protection (stolen from Mol in the Tiefling Hideout in Act 1 if not acquired already)
• Ring: Crusher's Ring (Goblin Camp in Act 1)
• Boots: Boots of Aid and Comfort (Found in the Underdark)

Tips and Tricks: Divine Guidance

Mastering your Paladin requires more than just a good build. Here are some tips to help you shine:

• Oath-Keeping: Avoid actions that break your oath, such as attacking innocent civilians or betraying those who trust you. "Uphold the light, even when it's difficult. Your oath is your strength." Breaking your Oath has significant consequences, including losing access to your Oath-specific abilities.

• Dialogue Choices: Choose dialogue options that reflect compassion, justice, and protection of the innocent. "Words can be as powerful as steel. Use them wisely." Often, there will be clear indicators of which choices align with your Oath. When in doubt, err on the side of mercy and protection.

  

• Combat Tactics: Focus on dealing damage to high-priority targets while protecting your allies. "Be a shield for the weak and a sword against the wicked." Prioritize enemies that can inflict status effects or deal heavy damage to your squishier party members. Use your Channel Divinity options to control the battlefield.

• Managing Resources: Paladins are reliant on spell slots for divine smite. Ensure you have enough resources available for each combat encounter by taking rests when possible, but avoiding taking rests in the Shadow Cursed Lands. Use your Lay on Hands ability to conserve spell slots for healing.

PC-Specific Notes: Optimizing Performance and Visuals

Let's face it, the Shadow-Cursed Lands can be rough on your PC. Here's how to optimize your game:

• Graphics Settings: Reduce shadow quality, volumetric fog, and ambient occlusion for improved performance in the Shadow-Cursed Lands. "Sacrifice some visual fidelity for smoother gameplay. You'll still see the carnage."

  Lowering these settings can significantly improve your frame rate without drastically impacting visual quality. Volumetric fog, in particular, can be a performance hog in the Shadow-Cursed Lands.

• Mod Recommendations:

  • 5e Spells: "Adds additional spells that improve your class identity."
  • Character Sheet Redesign: "Streamlines information about your character"
  • ImprovedUI: "A must have mod for easier UI interaction and class progression."

• Controller: Using a controller can improve ability selection for new players.

Traversing the Shadow-Cursed Lands

Navigating the Shadow-Cursed Lands is a challenge in itself. Make sure to use light sources whenever possible to avoid taking damage from the shadows. Pay attention to the environment and be prepared for ambushes.

The Last Light Inn: A Beacon of Hope

The Last Light Inn is your sanctuary in the Shadow-Cursed Lands. Protect it at all costs. Engage with the NPCs and complete their quests to strengthen the Inn's defenses.

Conclusion

By following this guide, you can create a powerful and morally upright Oath of the Ancients Paladin capable of overcoming the challenges of the "Last Light Inn" questline and beyond. You will unlock new dialogue options, powerful gear, and the satisfaction of walking the righteous path. Remember the importance of Oath of Ancients Paladin Gear Last Light Inn and how to maintain Oath of Ancients Last Light Inn. Go forth, champion of the light, and bring hope to the Shadow-Cursed Lands! Always remember, your journey, your choices, and your rolls will ultimately shape your destiny.