Paladin Guide

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Overview

Paladins are a hybrid support tank that can play both offensively and defensively. Their main attribute is to create stability so the rest of the group can execute. Of all the melee classes in the game, there is perhaps none that brings as much group utility as the Paladin does to his group. Historically utilized in an off-tank role, and paired with a more peel-oriented or offensively-oriented tank, Paladins are mechanically difficult yet in the right hands, very powerful. Players will enjoy playing Paladins if you like playing challenging melee classes who can both supply enormous amounts of group utility and also thrive solo.

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Group Playstyle

In classic DAoC 8v8, the Paladin is the glue of Albion melee options. They aren’t the star damage dealer, the best peeler, or the most support-rich class, but they are at its core a tank that can do all of these jobs and make all of those jobs stronger and easier for the group at large. At a big-picture level, the Paladin is Albion’s anchor, fueling the train, protecting the backline, and situationally deciding when the group can safely commit to offense.

Chants: Your Group’s Utility

The most valuable toolkit is the group utility of the Paladin’s chant line. Endurance, Spec AF chant, damage add chant, heal chant, and resists are hugely beneficial to the group. These chants are instant spells that pulse, so the Paladin needs to decide when and what chants to use.

Resist chants are also beneficial, particularly if your group doesn’t run a Friar who typically buffs the group with elemental type (heat, cold, and matter) resists. In lieu of a Friar, Paladins can twist the same resist chants albeit at a slightly lower delve. This creates enormous flexiblity with group composition in an era where Clerics are arguably more valuable than Friars.

While Chants are valuable, they are also difficult. The Paladin must actively monitor his uptime of chants. For example, you might twist a few chants simultaneously but you’ll want to decide which chant should “stay active” e.g. be the last chant in the sequence. Creating situational chant uptime is important. For example, you may want to prioritize endurance if your group is melee oriented and pushing, or perhaps keep spec AF chant running if you’re trying to recover from a Hibernian “5 natty” tank train pushing onto your casters.

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Offense vs. Defense: Paladin Does it All**

At a high level, a Paladin in DAoC 8v8 should always be asking: *“Where am I most needed right now?” *That’s the core of the class. Unlike a pure damage tank, Paladin is a constant priority manager. Your value comes from making the right decision every few seconds.

Your job as Paladin is constantly managing and prioritizing:

  • space

  • enemy access

  • your group’s stamina

  • defensive stability

You’re not asking: “How do I kill someone?”

You’re asking: “How do I make my group win this exchange?”

That might mean:

  • peeling

  • guarding

  • slamming

  • pushing

  • twisting chants

Whatever solves the immediate problem.

Group Spec Options

Paladin character builder:
https://blackthorn-daoc.com/class/Paladin

48 Chants, 42 Shield, 39 Two Handed, 34 Weapon (Slash / Crush / Thrust)

  • Gives you best version of every chant in the game (except for Matter Resist chant)

  • 42 Shield spec is mandatory for group spec since it gives you Slam

  • Offensive damage is less since 2H and Weapon are only 39 and 34, respectively, but probably acceptable for a more peel-oriented role in a hybrid or caster group.

  • You would use Doubler (39 2H) and Onslaught (15 2H) to peel with your two hander

44 Two Handed, 42 Shield, 42 Chants, 36 Weapon

  • Many Paladins prefer to stop at 42 Chants for the best Endurance chant

    • Note: an alternative to this spec is the same as above, but raise Chants to 43 (for best AF buff) and drop Weapon to 35.

  • 42 Shield spec is mandatory for group spec since it gives you Slam

  • Two Handed damage is much better, and you gain access to Level 44 2H style “Two Moons” which is a 9-sec stun.

49 Chants, 44 Thrust, 42 Shield, 26 Parry

  • Good spec for purely defensive, peel-Paladins

  • You drop Two Handed entirely since you will never be trying to deal spike damage

  • 49 Chants gives you best chants in the game

  • 42 Shield spec is mandatory for group spec since it gives you Slam

  • Gives you access to the level 44 Thrust style “Wyvernfang” which is an extremely useful 27 second follow-up snare. Some defensive-minded peel tanks prefer this spec because you can execute the 27 second snare very quickly with capped swing speed 1h thrust weapon.

  • Gives you high defensive skill

Group Realm Ability Builds:

  • First priority: Determination, Purge, Long Wind
    Unlike damage dealers, whose effectiveness may simply be reduced by crowd control, a Paladin’s value often drops to nearly zero when he is mezzed, rooted, or stunned. If the Paladin is unable to act, he cannot protect the group. Since Paladin’s do not get Stoicism, they are more prone to sitting out longer roots. Thus, Determination and Purge are essential.**
    **

  • Second priority: Faith Healing
    Faith Healing is a group 100% instant heal. It is a fantastic RA for group purposes.

  • Third priority: Passives (e.g., Mastery of Blocking) and other Actives

Solo Playstyle

In groups, you’re a support tank. Solo, you become a durability grinder. Paladins usually win by outlasting people, controlling fights, and forcing long engagements. Being extremely hard to kill in plate armor and with multiple sources of added armor factor, with high shield/parry to boot, becomes your biggest strength.

You have slam, essentially infinite endurance, potential to unleash situational dps via your two-handed weapon, and have useful RAs to keep yourself alive.

The biggest weakness of Paladin solo is the high time to kill. While you can outlast almost any opposing class in the game, you also deal relatively lower damage compared to some of the foes you’ll be fighting, like assassins, light tanks, etc.

PvE/Leveling

Paladin is the steady foundation of Albion PvE groups. While other classes contribute bursts of damage or utility, the Paladin’s value comes from consistency, protection, and group sustain through chants and aggro control.

Your Core Job: Hold Aggro

In leveling groups, your primary responsibility is to spam taunt styles and keep mobs focused on you. Why this matters:

  • Casters and healers are fragile and lose efficiency if they’re getting hit.

  • Aggro bouncing around creates chaos and increases healing strain.

  • A stable tank line lets your DPS maximize uptime.

Your basic PvE flow looks like:

  1. Pull or receive the pull

  2. Establish aggro immediately

  3. Lock mobs down

  4. Rotate targets if needed

Think of yourself less as a damage dealer and more as an aggro manager.

Chant Uptime: Your Defining Feature

Your chants are the heartbeat of the group. The most important is Endurance Chant. This is what keeps your melee group functional.

Without it:

  • Tanks run out of endurance

  • DPS slows down

  • Taunt styles become inconsistent

  • Pull pace drops

With it:

  • Tanks can spam taunt styles continuously

  • DPS maintains uptime

  • Group momentum stays high

Your rule is simple: Endurance chant must never drop.

Cross Guarding: Advanced Group Efficiency

One of the strongest tricks in PvE is cross guarding. If there is another shield tank in the group (like a another Paladin or Armsman), it is often smart to guard each other.

How it works:

  • You place Guard on them.

  • They place Guard on you.

Benefits:

  • Both tanks intercept attacks for each other.

  • Incoming damage gets spread and mitigated.

  • Healers spend less mana and fewer casts.

  • Safer chain pulling.

This is especially powerful against:

  • High-con mobs

  • Multi-mob camps

  • Named mobs

  • Fast attacking enemies

Cross guard is one of the easiest ways to make your group more durable.

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