Lv 1: Paladin 1
Choose Subclass: Oath of Vengeance (Gain Inquisitor’s Might skill, increasing Light damage based on Charm and inflicting the Dazed status on the target.)
Lv 2: Paladin 2
Gain Divine Smite (Skill that converts Spell Slots into devastating Light damage.)
Choose Fighting Style: Great Weapon Fighting (Very important for Great Axes, allowing you to reroll if you roll 1 or 2 damage, boosting average damage.)
Lv 3: Paladin 3
Gain Vow of Enmity (Powerful skill, applying it to a target grants a 100% Advantage on your attacks for 10 turns.)
Lv 4: Paladin 4
Choose Feat: Great Weapon Master (GWM) (Reduces slash accuracy by -5 in exchange for +10 raw damage, and bonus damage upon death or critical hit.) (Get one more free attack in Bonus Action)
Lv 5: Paladin 5
Gain Extra Attack (2 normal attacks per action) and level 2 spells such as Misty Step to dash towards enemies.
Lv 6: Paladin 6
Gain Aura of Protection (Instantly adds Saving Throw to you and your allies equal to CHA [+3], making you and your team incredibly resistant to magic status effects).
Lv 7: Cleric 1 (Tempest Domain) Choose a god you worship (Talos or Selûne recommended). Gain the ability Wrath of the Storm (When enemies attack you at close range, you can use a lightning/sound shock reaction to deal 2d8 damage). Prepare the spell Create or Destroy Water (creates a wet area). (This increases the lightning damage taken by enemies by double!)
Lv 8: Cleric 2 (Tempest Domain)
Gain the ability Channel Divinity: Destructive Wrath (Divine Creation Button: When dealing damage with lightning or sonic force) This can be used to unleash a powerful burst of damage, always matching 100% accuracy without needing to roll the dice anymore!
Lv 9: Cleric 3 (Tempest Domain)
Unlocks Level 2 spells: Shatter (a powerful area-of-effect sonic explosion dealing maximum damage).
Lv 10: Cleric 4 (Tempest Domain)
Choose Feat: Ability Improvement (+2 STR) to increase your Strength to 18, or if using STR-boosting items in Act 3, you can choose Savage Attacker instead.
Lv 11: Cleric 5 (Tempest Domain)
Unlocks Level 3 spells: Call Lightning (calls in area-of-effect lightning) and Spirit Guardians.
Lv 12: Cleric 6 (Tempest Domain)
Gain the Thunderbolt Strike ability (whenever you deal Lightning or Thunder damage to an enemy, they are instantly knocked back 3 meters!) and gain 2 Channel Divinity uses per Short Rest.
Strengths and Weaknesses of this Build
Strengths
Nuclear Burst Damage: The combo of Thunderous Smite (Paladin) combined with lightning spells and activating the Destructive Wrath buff can deal hundreds of damage in a single turn. Enemies afflicted with the Wet status will take double the lightning damage!
Superb Crowd Control: Thanks to Thunderbolt Strike, every time you swing your lightning-encrusted axe, enemies are knocked back 3 meters without any rollback. Easily send enemies into abyss or push them away from squishy allies.
Durable and Worthy of Heavy Armor: Features thick armor, high AC, Aura of Protection for magic resistance, and self-healing and resurrection. This build ensures you can always be a pillar of support for your team.
Weaknesses:
Resource Hungry: This build’s effectiveness is tied to Spell Slots and Channel Divinity points. If you use them all up in the first fight, your damage in subsequent fights will drop, requiring frequent Short Rests or Long Rests.
Low Mobility in the First Turn: Due to high armor and lack of DEX upgrades, movement speed may be insufficient in the early turns. You’ll need to rely on boots or spells like Misty Step to compensate.
Gameplay Guide and Key Skill Combos:
Drakethroat Glaive Trick (Most Important): Before engaging, place your greatsword on the ground. Then, have another character equip the Drakethroat Glaive and cast the Draconic Elemental Weapon (Lightning) spell on your greatsword. Pick it up, and your greatsword will receive +1d4 lightning damage for free all day (Long Rest). This results in your normal attacks instantly knocking enemies back due to the level 12 effect!
The Storm Smite Combo: Have a teammate cast Create Water on the boss beforehand (the boss will be in the Wet state). You then use Vow of Enmity on yourself (ensuring 100% hit chance). Cast Thunderous Smite (adds $2d6$ echo damage), attack the boss with normal attacks ➔ add max-level Divine Smite ➔ upon hit, activate Reaction: Destructive Wrath. Result: All lightning and echo damage will explode at maximum power instantly. Furthermore, enemies will be knocked back and fall (Prone), paving the way for us to easily land a second critical hit!
