The Complete Paladin Justicar Tank Build – Neverwinter Mod 18 Infernal Descent

Welcome to our Paladin Justicar Tanking Guide, updated for mod 17: Undermountain / Uprising and mod 18 Infernal Descent. In this guide, we will give you tips and info on how to play the Paladin class, previously called Oathbound Paladin. To learn more about the new mod, check out our mod 18 Infernal Descent guide.

For the latest Neverwinter news and events, go to the MMOCULT Neverwinter Hub.

The Paladin is a holy warrior, introduced in mod 6: Elemental Evil. They can either be Healers through the Oathkeeper paragon path or Tanks through Justicar. Consider using one loadout for a Oathkeeper build so that you can fill both roles. You can also check out our Paladin solo build here. An Oathkeeper Healing Build can be found here.

The purpose of our class guides is not just to show you a build that you can copy and use on your character, but to show you a base build and teach you the mechanics and stats of the game, so you can understand and play your class to its fullest capabilities.

Try different gear, feats, and powers and learn to tailor your own build for your playstyle. See our guide to making your own build for more info.

Paladin Justicar Guide Index

Basic Paladin Justicar Info

Best Paladin Justicar Races

1. Metallic Ancestry Dragonborn – 3% + Healing – +2 to Any two stats – 1500 Crit – 3% Increased Damage
2. Dragonborn – 3% HP + Healing – +2 to Any two stats – 1500 Crit – 3% Increased Damage
3. Tiefling – 5% + Damage to targets below 50% health – +2 Cha and +2 Con or Int – 10% to reduce damage of target for 5 sec by 2.5%
4. Human – 250 to all ratings (offensive & defensive) – +3 to any stat.
5. Dwarf – 20% Resistance to Knock and Push – +2 Con and +2 Str or Wis – 2000 Defense bonus.

Paladin Justicar Ability Score Priority

Put all your available Ability Scores into Constitution and Charisma.

Paladin Justicar Stat / Rating Priority

Offensive Stats:

• Armor Penetration (Caps at 85K)
• Critical Strike (Caps at 85)
• Accuracy (Caps at 85)
• Combat Advantage (Caps at 135k)
• Power (No Cap)

Defensive Stats:

• Defense (Caps at 85K )
• Deflection (Caps at 85K)
• Critical Avoidance (Caps at 90K)
• Awareness (Caps at 95K )
• Health (No Cap)

Paladin Justicar Paragon Path Feats & Powers

Paladin Justicar Combat Powers

At-Will Powers:

• Oath Strike
• Radiant Slam / Shielding Strike

Encounter Powers:

• Templar’s Wrath / Binding Oath
• Vow of Enmity
• Smite

Daily Powers:

• Heroism
• Divine Judgement

Class Features:

• Composure / Divine Challenger
• Aura of Wrath / Aura of Valor

Paladin Justicar Feats

• Sacred Shield
• Burning Vengeance
• Justicar’s Bulwark
• Sheltering Light
• Unyielding Champion

Paladin Justicar Boons

You should always choose boons based on what stats you currently need. Therefore a selection of several viable boons is available to you for each tier.

At end-game, you should hit the stat caps without needing any of the boons.

Tier 1 Boons

• Recruit’s Training – 250 Power
• Critical Avoidance – 250 Critical Avoidance
• Cultist Bulwark – 1000 HP
• Cultist Power – 1% Increased damage and damage resistance vs. Cultists.

Tier 2 Boons

• Squire’s Training – 250 Power
• Defense – 250 Defense
• Demonic Bulwark – 1000 HP
• Demonic Mastery – 1% Increased damage and damage resistance vs. demons.

Tier 3 Boons

• Knight’s Training – 250 Power
• Awareness– 250 Awareness
• Dino Bulwark – 1000 HP
• Simple Support – 2% Companion Influence
• Dino Power – 1% Increased damage and damage resistance vs. dinos.

Tier 4 Boons

• Captain’s Training – 250 Power
• Deflect – 250 Deflect
• Necrotic Bulwark – 1000 HP
• Necrotic Mastery – 1% Increased damage and damage resistance vs. undead.

Tier 5 Boons (Choose 2)

• Welcome Blessings – 1% Incoming Healing
• Call of Power– 1% AP recovery

Master Boons

• Blesses Resilience 3/3

Guild Boons

• Offense – Power
• Defense – Hit Points

Paladin Justicar Weapons & Gear

If you are new to Neverwinter and need to know how to get better gear and increase your item level, check out our Gearing Up Guide.

The best way to gear up in Neverwinter is by making a lot of Astral Diamonds, check out our Astral Diamond Guide to learn all the secrets of AD farming.

Head

• Lion Guard’s Barbute
• Protégé’s Visor Helm / Helm of the Spy’s Guild

Armor

• Lion Guard’s Ward Cuirass
• Protégé’s / Spy’s Guild
• Barkhide

Arms

• Spiked Defender Vambrace
• Plated Gauntlets of the Successor

Feet

• Infernal Forged Cuisses

Weapons

• Lionheart Set (Best in Slot)
• Alabaster
• Burnished Set

Main Hand Modification

• Oath Strike

Offhand Modifications

• Health Points
• Incoming Healing

Rings

• Tanner’s Hardened Leather Ring
• Gold-plated Ring

Neck & Waist

• Reflective Armaments (Reflective Collar, Mirror-Plated Belt, Erratic Drift Globe)

Shirt

• Infernal Forged Shirt
• Protege’s Shirt

Pants

• Infernal Forged Trousers
• Protégé’s Pants

Paladin Justicar Artifacts

Primary Artifact

• Halaster’s Blast Scepter
• Wyvern-Venom Coated Knives
• Erratic Drift Globe

Secondary Artifacts

Choose secondary artifacts based on the stats you are lacking.

• Arcturia’s Music Box
• Trobriands Ring
• Staff of Flowers
• Halaster’s Blast Scepter

Paladin Justicar Enchantments

When getting enchantments, always get the ones with the stats you are lacking in with your gear, boons, etc in mind. For example, if you’ve capped Crit with your gear and boons, don’t get azure enchantments for your offense slots. If you still need to refine your enchantments, see our Refinement Guide for tips on how to farm refinement.

Offense Enchantments

• One Tenebrous Enchantment – Radiant Enchantments

Defense Enchantments

• Radiant Enchantment

Armor Enchantments

• Elven Battle Enchantment – Negation Enchantment

Utility Enchantments

• Tactical Enchantment

Weapon Enchantments

• Vorpal Enchantment
• Bronzewood

Overload Enchantments

• Various Marks from Stronghold Vendor
• Corrupt Black Ice / Lethal / Piercing
• Black / Red Dragon Glyph

Armor Reinforcement Kits

• Hit Points Armor Kit

Jewelry Reinforcement Kits

• Awareness / Stamina Regen Jewel

Paladin Justicar Consumables & Buffs

Consider getting VIP for the Power of VIP HP buff if you aren’t already. Also always stand in campfires to get the +1 ability campfire buff.

Get one from each of the rows below:

• Empowered Chain of Scales (Best in Slot) > Adorable Pocket Pet > Tymora’s Lucky Coin

• Wild Storm Elixir > Elixir of Fate

• Squash Soup > Watermelon Sorbet

Paladin Justicar Companions

Summoned Companion

Bulette Pup

Enchantment Power

Potent Precision

Companion Powers

Below is a selection of viable companion powers.

Offense Powers

• Rimfire Golem’s Presence – 16000 HP and 2000 Armor Penetration

Defense Powers

• Harper bard – 12000 HP and 15000 Awareness
• Red Dragon Ioun Stone – 10% Incoming Healing and 8000 HP
• Alluring Insight – 10% Healing and 2000 Power
• Monshea Druid’s Wisdom – 16000 HP and 2000 Critical Avoidance
• Iron Golem’s Presence – 16000 HP and 2000 Defense

Utility Powers

• Xegyi’s Insight – 32000 HP
• Energon – 32000 HP

Companion Equipment

Double slotted “Of the Companion” gear

Companion Runestones

Empowered Runestone and runestones for any stat you might need.

Paladin Justicar Mounts

When choosing a Legendary Mount for the Mount Powers, look for a mount that has both a useful equip and combat power.

What other mounts you use is not that important. What is important is to get the right insignia bonuses, and many different mounts can offer the various bonuses. To find out what mount has the bonus you want, check out our Insignia Bonus Guide.

All classes and specs should consider using Wanderer’s Fortune before you have refined all your gear and enchantments, for extra refinement every day.

Insignia Bonuses

• Survivor’s Blessing
• Oppressor’s Reprieve
• Barbarian’s Revelry
• Gladiator’s Guile
• Knight’s Rebuke

Insignia Type

• Prosperity
• Fortitude
• Dominance

Paladin Justicar Mount Powers

Mount Equip Power:

• Stalwart – 50000 HP

Mount Combat Power

• Trample (War Triceratops)

If you have any questions or suggestions about our Neverwinter Paladin Justicar guide, please leave a comment below! More info about the Paladin class can be found at The Neverwinter Reddit. More builds and further info can also be found at MMOMinds.

For the latest Neverwinter news, go to the MMOCULT Neverwinter Hub.