Best Weapon for Newbie PaladinFollow

My fiance uses an Argent Protector. Used to be uber but now, it's a twink item. Should be able to find it in bazaar for a reasonable fee. 1hslash is not as good damage as 2h Slash, only reason you would go 1h slash with shield is to bash to prevent spell casters from casting. The rest of the time you will want a high damage weapon with a high damage to delay ratio.

This is purely MY opinion and is not necessarily shared by the majority.

Edited, Tue Feb 10 09:57:16 2004 by bdfoster

Tip #1...save your money on weapons and put it instead into armor.

Although 100pp is not a great deal of money you should be able to buy some relatively inexpensive 1HS weapons and still have plenty of money left over for armor, strength, or hp items. Some favorite 1HS weapons that are enormously inexpensive at this level: Zraxthril Forged Flamberge (around 20-30pp and a really cool looking graphic, ratio 9/35), Elder Wolf Jawbone (around 45-50pp, ratio 11/29 (note you get a negative charisma bonus so remove the weapon from your primarly slot when selling)). You will also want to skill up on 2HS, but for all effectiveness your better off using 1HS+Bash until lvl 45+. It's always better to train up on a weapon skill at lower levels instead of waiting till later. Buy a very inexpensive 2HS weapon for training purposes (vellium 2 handed sword comes to mind).

You will want a good shield. If you have the patience I would recommend crafting your very own using the blacksmithing tradeskill. Making shields is a great way to build up the tradeskill at the lower trivia levels. Basically hunt down as many rusty weapons as you can lay your hands on, convert them to tarnished weapons, and then melt them down into ore. Take the ore and make it into sheets of metal. The sheets of metal can be sold or combined with a mold to make a shield. Handmade shields are not exactly light, but you have the joy of making it with your own two hands and hopefully making a tiny profit from the venture. Use your hard earned cash to buy armor or stat items.

p.s. Depending if it has been patched or not, you can buy small bricks of ore for 2sp. I would still look out for rusty weapons (especially rusty two handed swords), which would still be cheaper to craft the ore. This just takes more time farming.

Actually, it is recommended level of 55. I have used it since level 25 and is very nice when I am MA (helps the clerics out a bit).

I would echol the Zraxthril Forged Flamberge as a great, affordable weapon at your level, I used one until my main pally did the ghoulbane quest and then gave it to a war alt to use. I have a frog pally (lv 16) that is using a polished tomahawk that I got off a named gnoll in HHP - fast and great proc that makes user invulnerable to hits for a short period. He rules in CB with it. You are going to get access to better and better weapons, spend your money on armor that will stay with you longer.

p.p.s. If you get low on cash hunt green goblins in Butcherblock for additional funds. The heads and blood vials sell for around 4pp. The area is heavily camped and expect some kill stealing from time to time. At level 12 you should be able to easily solo the goblin warrior camp, and this could very possibly double the amount of money you have to spend.

(Although the Argent Protector is an awesome weapon it normally sells for around 5,000pp. My level 51 pally is currently using this and it really isn't a newbie weapon - or withing your budget).

The best one hand weapon for a paladin is Mace of the fallen crusader, but I have no idea what they sell for on stromm. Both my 52 and 36 paladins use them. For 2hs I use weighty polearm.

Take a look on the Paladins of Norrath website for a good discussion on dps for paladins and the mace is the best till you get to 52.
If you want to switch to 2hs look at Axe of the Ironback 16 39 or a Blackend alloy ******* sword as well as the weighty polearm. A note about the reccomended level stats. It has been noted elsewhere on this board that the dmg done is based on the max damage not the one in parenthesis.

Tarv has a good point about piercing weapons especially the centi war spear. Winjon my 35 paladin uses a crystal grinder to keep his pierce skill high.

I would also give condsideration to the comment of Valzarius, ac is more important at your level. Paladin dps is not great, worry about a good weapon only if you are soloing a lot.

If at all possible, I'd try and get a melee weapon in every skill (1HB, 1HS, 2HB, 2HS, Piercing) to use for skillups... You might want to consider questing your newbie weapon. There's usually not -terrible-, and will last you until you have more money to buy weapons with.

Yeah, you should focus on your armor as a Paladin, but I will tell you this as a Rogue. It doesn't matter how much AC and HP you have if you're not doing enough dps to keep aggro. Yes, it matters. Granted, you don't have to be doing a lot to hold it, but you have to be doing -some-.

As for weapons themselves, as it has been noted, as of BEFORE today's patch, recommended level damage is "broken". A Mace of the Fallen Crusader or a Glacierbone Hammer could do you wonders, assuming that the recommended level problem isn't fixed today. It may very well be, which is why I bought my SK a MoSS, just in case. =)

Weapons without recommended level... A Centi Shortsword is probably out of your price range. Uhm, try looking into buying a Runic Carver, those aren't bad 2HS to start with...

Just don't rely too heavily on one weapon skill. It'll really mess you up if you get a big upgrade on a skill that you're not good with.

Keep one maxed, but remember to switch in and out every now and then. Versatility will help you in the long run.

Having played a low level untwinked Paladin before the hybrid taunt was weakened, I will say I had a moderate amount of trouble holding aggro.

Now having played my twink SK, I can say that dps DOES matter some, as I can easily grab aggro even with a failed taunt by pure dps on my weapons.

Is a moderate amount of dps necessary to hold aggro in all situations? No. Is it handy? Yes.

And I never said he had to have a great dps weapon. He just has to do a moderate amount. A 1 hander around 1/2 dmg/dly ratio or a two hander around 2/3 dmg/dly ratio will do the job.

Best weapon for a lvl 12 paladin is going to be...

Massive Dragonclaw Shard

No lvl requirement, 28/30 ratio. Can wear a nice shield with it to increase your AC, hp/mana as well as get some bash damage with it. The 28/30 ratio is nice, and the delay is long enough to cast in between swings.

Unfortunately this weapon is going to run you around 5k, so I guess my point is moot. It would be something good to shoot for though.

Edited, Tue Feb 10 12:57:09 2004 by yoconnor

Thanks for all the replies.

I managed to pick up a Shissar Knight Sword from the bazaar last night. There were 2 for sale one was 500pp the other 90pp. Guess which one I bought?

I had the Zraxthril Forged Flamberge before and although it was nice it seems painfully slow compared to my new weapon.

Any other suggestions re armour/shields would be appreciated. I currently have the newbie armour from the starting quests.

Thanks again.

Ravenblade, lvl 12 Paladin, Stromm.

Hey Raven, I will add my humble opinion with the rest. Although I dont want to start any controversy, and each to their own, nobody seems to have hit the Pally nail on the head yet, that of severe damage output. Again, my opinion, but in my experience, I am only used as a Main tank in an emergency, lol. Usually i am in a support role. As such, my damage is important, not necessarily my "hold aggro" role. An old Pally told me very early on, Go 2HS, Go Heavy and go slow, lol. I never looked back, and actually started with an Argent Protector, back when they were very expensive. I have stayed the path, and believe have done well. My 1HB and 1HS are mid level, and I have a couple good weapons, but nothing compared to my current 2HS. I am sorry, I cant remeber the name right now without doing a search, but it is in the 42/44 dam/del range, and often strikes 160+ with a crit once in awhile over 200. I am maxed in the skill. More and more, I see Pally's with large 2HS weapons, it seems to make sense, it has for me anyway.

Yup I can guess, its a good 1HS weapon


If someone has already mentioned it sorry - but have have you looked at the ole weighty pole arm

Dirt cheap, its so good for the pp, someone tried to give me one and I wouldn't take it, I didnt believe how cheap he said it was! - but then I went and bought one for 40pp in the baz. Ok so its 2HS - but it did me a few levels .. yup


General piece of advice, when shopping, keeep an eye out for class or race restricted weapons, they tend to sell cheaper - yes its obvious because the market is smaller - but easily overlooked.


Good luck