name: Paladin (Shield Tank, Human)
style: Shield Tank
concept: >
  Sword-and-board variant of the Demon Smiter (user, 2026-10-10): a Falcata in one hand
  through Exotic Weapon Proficiency and a Heavy Steel Shield +X on
  the same plate line, with Mythic Armor Focus (Medium) -
  Endurance, plus Dodge and Crane Style (DEX 13, like Seelah) so it fights defensively
  at -2. Trades the Fauchard's two-handed damage for AC.
open_questions:
  - "Angel's Halo is not wired into the live engine."
  - "Divine Grace, Lay on Hands, Channel Positive Energy, Divine Weapon Bond, Mercy and the auras are not modeled."
  - "Divine Favor scales off character level because Paladin caster level is not tracked separately."
mythic_path: Angel
mythic_rank: 10
size: medium
attack_ability: STR
race: Human
race_ability_choice: [CHA]
weapon:
  - {level: 1, weapon: "Falcata", why: "19-20/x3 one-handed, beside the shield (user, 2026-10-10)."}
setup:
  - {level: 1, main_hand: "Falcata"}
shield: Heavy Steel Shield
level_up_stats: [STR, STR, STR, CHA, CHA]
abilities:
  str_: 17
  dex: 13
  con: 14
  int_: 7
  wis: 8
  cha: 16
armor:
  - {level: 1, armor: "Half Plate", why: "Heavy armor from the start (user, 2026-10-09)."}
  - {level: 4, armor: "Full Plate"}
  - {level: 6, armor: "Mithral Full Plate", why: "Counts as medium once worn, so the medium Armor Focus feats apply; level assumed (Act 2 vendors)."}
  - {level: 10, armor: "Carapace", why: "Staunton Vhane's +2 mithral full plate, worn from level 10 (user, 2026-10-09)."}
equipment:
  - arodens_wrath
  - armor_enhancement
  - amulet_of_natural_armor
  - ring_of_protection
  - weapon_enhancement
  - shield_enhancement
  - belt_of_physical_perfection
  - headband_of_mental_perfection
levels:
  - Paladin
  - Paladin
  - Paladin
  - Paladin
  - Paladin
  - Paladin
  - Paladin
  - Paladin
  - Paladin
  - Paladin
  - Paladin
  - Paladin
  - Paladin
  - Paladin
  - Paladin
  - Paladin
  - Paladin
  - Paladin
  - Paladin
  - Paladin
picks:
  general_feat:
    - {level: 1, choice: "Exotic Weapon Proficiency:Falcata"}
    - {level: 3, choice: "Power Attack"}
    - {level: 5, choice: "Dodge", why: "+1 dodge AC; opens Crane Style (DEX 13, like Seelah; user, 2026-10-10)."}
    - {level: 7, choice: "Improved Unarmed Strike", why: "Crane Style prerequisite."}
    - {level: 9, choice: "Crane Style", why: "Fighting defensively at -2 attack for +4 dodge AC."}
    - {level: 11, choice: "Outflank", why: "+4 flanking beside Seelah, and teamwork attacks of opportunity. Crane Wing needs a free hand, so not with a shield (user, 2026-10-10)."}
    - {level: 13, choice: "Improved Critical:Falcata", why: "17-20 on the Falcata."}
    - {level: 15, choice: "Critical Focus", why: "Needed for Critical Focus (Mythic) at 18."}
    - {level: 17, choice: "Combat Reflexes", why: "With Outflank, Seelah's crits give extra attacks of opportunity: worth more than Armor Focus's +1 AC in team fights."}
    - {level: 19, choice: "Armor Focus:Medium Armor", why: "+1 AC in Carapace."}
  bonus_feat:
    - {level: 1, choice: "Weapon Focus:Falcata", why: "+1 attack."}
  mythic_hero:
    - {level: 5, choice: Close to the Abyss, mythic_rank: 1, why: "MR 1 hero power: a Gore beside the weapon and other natural attacks."}
  mythic_feat:
    - {level: 8, choice: "Mythic Armor Focus (Medium Armor) - Endurance", mythic_rank: 2, why: "+half the armor's AC in effectively medium armor; this rank-2 slot was empty (user, 2026-10-09)."}
    - {level: 12, choice: "Power Attack (Mythic)", mythic_rank: 4, why: "+3 damage per Power Attack step instead of +2."}
    - {level: 17, choice: "Improved Critical (Mythic):Falcata", mythic_rank: 6}
    - {level: 18, choice: "Critical Focus (Mythic)", mythic_rank: 8, why: "Auto-confirms critical hits."}
    - {level: 20, choice: "Flawless Attacks", mythic_rank: 10, why: "Iterative attack penalty step drops from -5 to -4."}
  spell:
    - level: 4
      by_spell_level:
        1: ["Divine Favor"]
    - level: 13
      by_spell_level:
        4: ["Burst of Glory"]
items:
  - {name: "Engraved Lucky Bracers", level: 1, until_level: 17, why: "+1 luck AC in the free wrist slot."}
  - {name: "Embroidered Gloves", level: 18, why: "+3 luck AC in the free hands slot (replaces the bracers' +1 luck)."}