You have to use TARGET with it, since it is a targeted spell. There's a couple different ways to integrate TARGETing into a spell, but the best is to just start with it instead of using PREPARE, since starting with TARGET automatically prepares the spell for you. If you want to use PREPARE then follow it up with a TARGET command afterwards to start the aiming process. Unlike most types of spells for which difficulty of casting is modified by how prepared the spell is, targeted spell difficulty of casting is modified by how targeted the spell is.

I.e.:
TARGET FST <mana>
(Wait for "Your formation of a targeting pattern around <creature> has completed." Can harness or use cambrinth here if desired.)
CAST

That should help, hopefully.

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>>Flint-Tipped: It sounds like you aren't targetting your targetted spell pattern. When you cast a targetted spell there's no need to type Prep but Target is essential. The Target command will Prepare the spell pattern as well as Target your foe.

Also, make sure you have 100 stance points allocated to offenses. (Last time I tested, targeted spells will miss in a purely defensive stance.)

Note: the damage type of Footman's Strike is determined by the two highest physical damage types of your held weapon.

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Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall rank!

sortable list of all Trader-owned shops and inventory: http://www.elanthia.org/TraderShops/

armor and shields: https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Armor_and_shield_player_guide

Yep, thanks Isharon. Its been taking me awhile to kill anything in here so checking my stance was the first thing I did.

Is this how Paladin combat goes throughout the game? Very tanky, but seemingly low damage, at least thus far. It literally takes me 20mins to kill a troll with a broadsword and mid forties in offensive ranks.

I'm okay with that because I think I could kill everything in here at once if I could face them all. They barely touch me, but man its a loooong fight.

>>Riolobo: Is this how Paladin combat goes throughout the game? Very tanky, but seemingly low damage, at least thus far. It literally takes me 20mins to kill a troll with a broadsword and mid forties in offensive ranks.

Paladins aren't the fastest killers, but they aren't the slowest either. There are many things you can do to improve your performance.

Make sure your equipment is in good repair -- and upgrade to player-made weapons and armor when you can afford them.

Make sure your attacks are optimized for the weapons you're using: https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Combat_maneuvers

Try to maintain good balance. (See above for balance-building maneuvers, such as feint and bob.)

If what you are hunting is resistant to a particular type of damage, make sure you are dealing the right kind of damage. (For example, if you are hunting stone constructs, you will not make much headway with slice or puncture damage, but impact damage is very effective.)

Increase your DPS by attacking with your weapon while waiting for spells to target.

Buff your stats (Heroic Strength and Courage), offensive skills (Righteous Wrath and Crusader's Challenge), and weapons (Rutilor's Edge). https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Category:Paladin_spells

Train strength and agility to improve performance with weapons (especially those that are well suited or well balanced).

Use debilitating spells like Stun Foe and Halt.

Use tactical maneuvers like weave and shove.

Make sure you are in good health. (Wounds and scars hinder a variety of activities, including combat.)

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Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall rank!

sortable list of all Trader-owned shops and inventory: http://www.elanthia.org/TraderShops/

armor and shields: https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Armor_and_shield_player_guide

Wood trolls are immune to stuns, which is why SF has no effect.

Crossing weapons and armor are now all very reasonable. It's okay to stick with them until you can afford crafted items. It's even okay to stick with them after (at least until you can appraise well enough to understand the difference).

Taking a moment to emphasize some of the good advice above: As a paladin, if you learn defenses from an opponent, you'll probably be at the edge of your weapon skills. This means staying alive will rarely be a challenge, but you need to make training decisions to emphasize your offensive abilities.

To this end, our main tools are:
1) Buffs - righteous wrath, heroic strength, courage, rutilor's edge
2) Tactics - weave applies a very significant defense debuff, circle unbalances your opponent, bob recovers fatigue and balance. Combos (see analyze) are good for learning tactics skill.
3) Offensive spells - you've already discovered sf and fs. In addition to those, I've had very good luck with learning rebuke much earlier than some recommend (early 20s). The knockdown effect makes it much easier to hit your opponents.
4) Stats - agility, agility, agility.

>Is there a list anywhere for store bought weapon progression?

No. There is an ongoing update program for NPC store inventory. As long as you buy from any stores that have been recently updated you'll get pretty decent gear. Milgrym's Weapon Shop in the Crossing is an example of this. You'll be surprised at how quickly you'll earn enough plats for crafted steel.

You might also consider squiring or apprenticing to an established paladin. You'd have the advantage of a direct source for paladin roleplay opportunities, your own personal paladin guide and probably either get geared out or put onto a path for gearing yourself out.

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So. A polite suggestion. I played Plat for 5+ years.

If you're a true novice to DR, I honestly suggest playing prime for at least a few months, and getting a really solid fundamental understanding of DR. Plat has an awesome community but not a ton of players (I think 5-10 is their norm/max now). It makes finding gear and getting questions answered irksome.

Prime also tends to have more social interaction (good and bad and terrible) which would help acclimate you to how DR 'works' at a more basic level.

As far as gear goes: steel weapons are good. Shop armor is ok. What you really want is lightened versions of both, from players. Lennon will, as far as I know, RP with new Paladins to make their armor for free, and he makes the best in the game. Light crafted steel will protect better and weight/hinder less than store steel. Same for weapons. Aim for the lightest you can get until you hit 30+ strength and stamina.

Thanks yet again, Isharon!

Badgopher, not brand new to DR, though with all of the changes I may as well be. In fact when I played a long time ago I did venture into plat, though not for long, the community was great (when I saw them)! What irked me more than anything as I recall back then was getting teaching ranks, it was very difficult and finally I gave up on it. Today scholarship is more easily attained and teaching is no longer a requirement, so I am being tempted. Just not liking that initial one time charge at all.

Prime seems to have changed a lot as a community... I fancy my Paladin as an undead killer (but may be changing that as I am not a fan of the undead progression at this point, especially without bless) and when I wander into the Ranger area I see a bunch of zombies if you know what I mean...

If I do stay in prime and I just might, I need to look at getting into one of the orders and really start figuring out how I want to rp my Paladin. Still figuring those things out and all of the new mechanics as you guys can well see.

>>It makes finding gear and getting questions answered irksome.

Literally spent an hourish today equipping someone who just returned with some glaes weapons and lumium armor.

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Uzmam! The Chairman will NOT be pleased to know you're trying to build outside of approved zones. I'd hate for you to be charged the taxes needed to have this place re-zoned. Head for the manor if you're feeling creative.

> magic theorist. Magic theorist has a 100 scholarship, 50 arcana rank requirement.

I thought paladins could learn cleric spells without magic theorist. It's only needed if they wanted to learn a spell that taught sorcery.

Thats right, it was sorcery. I have a cambrinth armband I got on the Paladin rack today, but no ranks of arcana at the moment. Approaching 40 in scholarship. I am indeed in game, well logging in now. Don't have a gweth or anything though. I am milling about the crossings if you are in the area.

~Koldred

Oh. Thanks Isharon. But no sorcery for me!

Skaen and some of his fiends helped me in game with using cambrinth to learn arcana and gave me a bless scroll. It really made things a lot more interesting, and created more questions! How many scroll slots do Paladins get? Is a scroll slot the same thing as a spell slot?
At some point, if possible I think Id like to learn PFE as well from a cleric scroll. Theres a few cleric spells I'd like to eventually get to battle the undead. I can't imagine we are allowed to permanently learn as many scrolls as we want, as long as we have a spell slot and they are Holy magic. Or can we?

Hi Thayet, thanks.

Am I misunderstanding elanthipedia here;

A magic user can permanently learn a spell by STUDYing it if the caster meets all of the below criteria:
-You have enough empty spell slots to learn the spell.
-The spell is analogous or comes from your guild.

I thought analogous meant in regards to spells, the same mana type. If not, then how many uses do you get from invoking a spell scroll?

Analogous spell patterns are a specific type of spell that any guild can use without the use of sorcery. They're all available for purchase at the Crossing artificer's shop. DIR MAGIC I believe will get you there.

See: https://elanthipedia.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Category:Analogous_Patterns_spellbook

Of those, Manifest Force is easily the most useful, although Gauge Flow has uses as well especially for people with higher ranks that have trouble learning magic skills through casting.

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<<If not, then how many uses do you get from invoking a spell scroll?

Oops, forgot the other half of your question.

When you invoke a scroll then you memorize it indefinitely just like it was in your actual spellbook. You can cast it as many times as you like while you retain knowledge of it. You can lose knowledge of it by using RELEASE SCROLL <spell name> or through death. If you DEPART while dead then you always lose any invoked scrolls. If you are raised by a cleric then you have a chance to lose them based on the number of favours you have. The more the better, although it's never guaranteed. 30 is generally considered the number to have to give you the best chance of retaining them. It's a very good chance at that number of favours.

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>RIOLOBO

If you want to maximize damage, be sure to keep a ranged weapon up with your primary weapon ranks. That goes for every guild. Ideally, pick up a crossbow and train offhand. You can offhand attack by using LEFT in your command (e.g. SLICE LEFT, LOB/THROW LEFT). You can also target a spell while aiming. Give this a shot: aim your crossbow, target FST, offhand lob your favorite thrown weapon 3 times, then fire and cast. You can sub lob for throw if you have trouble hitting or gouge or any offhand melee attack. You can sub FST for your debilitation of choice. More importantly, that's strong damage and four offensive skills you're training with each attack simultaneously: TM/debil, offhand, thrown/melee, crossbow.

I've found that the best way to train TM and debilitation, for my playstyle, is to alternate between both spell types between attacks. So, if I'm training 2HE, I may prep halt at min mana, attack with the weapon once or twice, cast, then target FST, attack until fully prepped and cast. Constantly casting between attacks ensures TM and debilitation remain at high mind states for the duration of a fight. I would not focus on training TM at the expense of any weapon on any character. TM is always an ancillary attack for me; same with debil.

Also, you mentioned you use a broadsword. I would advise you make another weapon your primary weapon, assuming large edged is your primary weapon now. If you like edged weapons, large edged has lower damage potential than 2HE for the same RT while small edged has potentially higher DPS. A lot of people will tell you to pick up polearm as your primary melee weapon because it's the best of both worlds. It's also arguably the most paladiny weapon out there.

Things tend to die slower at low skill, but that changes as you climb the ranks and get better gear. Paladin damage is about average at melee so that shouldn't be a problem. We're below average at range, but that's really only a problem in challenging invasions where other guilds can kill things before you can get to melee and in PvP where only thieves and barbs will allow melee... When it's on their terms. I'm hoping this will change with future paladin spells or abilities affecting engagement, but I don't think there's been any indication that it necessarily will.

Try finding a weaponsmith in game. You may be surprised how light 2HE and how heavy light edged can go, which only serves to devalue large edged even more. I'd advise against large blunt for similar reasons. I prefer staves to the other blunts, personally, and it's easy to train with a nightstick.

Definitely train offhand. On its own, the skill is lackluster. When you combine it with xbow, you'll wonder where it's been all your [DR] life. Plus, this guild is a relatively light on TDPs compared to other guilds, so it's an easy extra TDP option since training 2 weapon skills simultaneously is always better than 1.

I'd strongly recommend picking up polearm, too, or in place of 2HE. There are light single-handed polearms (javelins) you can use to train now until you get to the heavy duty halberds and pikes. Not only do many of them double as heavy thrown weapons for some great synergy, but its one skill that serves so many purposes. Want a high damage, low balance polearm that matches most 2HEs? No problem. Is balance at least somewhat important to you (should be as a weapon secondary guild)? No problem there either because there are high damage, high balance piercing polearms and a more balanced weapon choice in halberds. If you're still not convinced, then consider that as a paladin you may want to be really good at jousting. Polearm skill is factored into your jousting effectiveness as well.

The only thing 2HE has on polearms is damage at extreme weights, which you'll probably never use anyway because of their terrible balance (means you'll miss noticeably more). I'm not biased in this. I'm actually 2HE primary with 1k ranks and 100 in most stats. I don't have a weapon on me heavier than 75 stones due to weapon balance, and I'd switch switch my 2HE and polearm ranks right now if given the choice.

Weapon straps are in the back-room of the general store. Tie the strap to the weapon, and you can wear it over your shoulder.

Sounds great. I was planning on messing around with crafting this coming weekend, so I'll muddle my way though and get some steel smelted.

Can you make javelins? I've been looking for them but no luck. I found a light spear on the Paladin rack and have been messing with it a little bit to get a feel for polearms.

Skaen gave me some gweths so I should be able to find you if next weekend works for you.

~Koldred

Hi Isharon, I wish I could make that teaching night. Unfortunately I am gone tues early am until fri eve every week.

Haven't played much this weekend either as Ive been a little under the weather. Feeling better now and am going to try to get a few things done that I was hoping to accomplish this weekend.