The Complete Paladin Justicar Tank Build – Neverwinter Mod 29 Spelljammer
Welcome to our Paladin Justicar Guide, updated for Mod 29: Spelljammer.
The Paladin Justicar in Neverwinter is a tank-focused class that excels in protecting allies and absorbing damage. Equipped with heavy armor and a shield, the Justicar uses divine abilities to bolster defenses and draw enemy attention, ensuring the safety of their party.
Consider using one loadout for an
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.
Basic Paladin Justicar Info
Below is all the basic information for the Justicar, from race choices to stats.
Other Paladin Builds
Race
What race you play doesn’t play a huge role, but will give you a small boost. Generally, I would advise you to play a race that you enjoy.
- Aasimar – 2% Power, Outcoming & Icoming Healing, Defense and Max Hit Points – +2 to any two stats – 2% max hit points to party members
- Menzoberanzan Renegade – Reduce Defense and Damage of mobs by 3% – +2 Dex and Cha or Wis – 5% Deflect Severity
- Human – 1% Bonus to all stats – +3 To any Ability Score
- Dwarf – 20% Resistance to Knock and Push – +2 Con and Str or Wis – 5% Defense bonus
- Drow – Darkfire – +2 Dex and +2 Cha or Wis – 5% Deflect Severity
- Metallic Ancestry Dragonborn – Recieve 5% more healing – +2 to Any two Ability Score – 3% Critical Strike – 3% Power
- Dragonborn – Recieve 5% more healing – +2 to Any Ability Score – 3% Critical Strike – 3% Power
- 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%
- Halfling – 5% Deflect – +2 Dex and +2 Cha or Con – 10% Bonus to Control Resistance
Ability Score Priority
Put all your available Ability Scores into Charisma and Constitution.
Stat / Rating Priority
Your cap for each stat is based on your item level. To cap a stat, the numbers of the stat need to be equal to or higher than your item level.
If your stat number is higher than your item level, you are wasting stats and should try to allocate stats differently.
For every 1000 points, a stat is lower than your item level you lose 1% in that stat.
As a tank your main focus should be on Defensive stats.
Offensive Stats
- Power (90%)
- Critical Strike (90%)
- Critical Severity (90%)
- Combat Advantage (90%)
- Accuracy (90%)
Defensive Stats
- Defense (90%)
- Awareness (90%)
- Critical Avoidance (90%)
- Deflect (90%)
- Deflect Severity (90%)
Paragon Path Feats, Powers & Rotation
This part is all about optimizing the Justicar with the best feats, powers, and boons.
Paladin Justicar Combat Powers
At-Will Powers
- Radiant Slam
- Shielding Strike
Encounter Powers
- Absolution – Burning Light (AoE)
- Binding Oath (ST) – Templar’s Wrath (AoE)
- Smite (ST) – Vow of Enmity (AoE)
Daily Powers
- Divine Protector
- Divine Judgement (ST) – Radiant Charge (AoE)
Class Features
- Aura of Valor, Wrath or Protection
- Divine Challenger
Paladin Justicar Feats
- Sacred Shield
- Burning Vengeance
- Justicar’s Bulwark
- Shield of the Gods
- Intimidating Presence
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.
Tier 1 Boons
- Recruit’s Training – 0.2% Power Per Rank
- Critical Strike – 0.2% Critical Strike Per Rank
- Critical Avoidance – 0.2% Critical Avoidance Per Rank
- Cultist Bulwark – 0.2% HP Per Rank
- Cultist Power – 1% Increased damage and damage resistance vs. Cultists.
Tier 2 Boons
- Defense – 0.2% Defense Per Rank
- Demonic Bulwark – 0.2% HP Per Rank
- Demonic Mastery – 1% Increased damage and damage resistance vs. demons.
- Marathon Runner – 2.5% Movement Speed Per Rank
- Lingering Medicine – 1% Increase effectiveness of healing potions.
Tier 3 Boons
- Awareness – 0.2% Awareness Per Rank
- Dino Bulwark – 0.2 HP Per Rank
- Dino Power – 1% Increased damage and damage resistance vs. dinos.
- Deflect Severity – 0.2% Deflect Severity Per Rank
- Lingering Fortification – 1% Increase effectiveness of healing potions.
Tier 4 Boons
- Disenchanting Aura – 0.2% Control Resistance
- Deflect – 0.2% Deflect Per Rank
- Necrotic Bulwark – 0.2% HP Per Rank
- Necrotic Mastery – 1% Increased damage and damage resistance vs. undead.
- Lingering Power – 1% Increase effectiveness of healing potions.
Advanced Boons
- Welcome Blessing – 1% Incoming Healing Per Rank
- Quick Turnaround – 1% Recovery Speed per rank.
- Second Wind – 1% Stamina Regen
- Call of Power – 1% Action Point gain per rank
- Masterclass – 1% Forte per rank
Master Boons
- Blessed Resilience 3/3
- Enhanced Application 3/3
- Blessed Advantage 3/3
- Life Lessons 3/3
- Focused Retaliation 3/3
Guild Boons
- Offense – Power or Critical Strike Bonus
- Defense – Awareness, Defence, Hit Point Bonus or Incoming Healing
- Utility – Revive Sickness
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.
Note that the best-in-slot for your build might vary depending on what stats you have.
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
- Enchanted Depthforged Armet (Lair of the Mad Dragon Master)
- Rugged Sallet of the Dragon Hunter (Dragon Hunts)
- Mane of the Manticore
- The Dark Maiden’s Ward Helm (Temple of the Spider)
- Turban of Shifting Sands
Armor
- Enchanted Depthforged Breastplate (Lair of the Mad Dragon Master)
- Abyss Conqueror’s Provoker Cuirass (The Demonweb Pits Master)
- Rugged Mail of the Dragon Hunter (Dragon Hunts)
- Blessed Bone Devil’s Ribcage (Avernus Hunts)
- Forest Guardian’s Ward/Raid Scalemail (Vault of Stars)
Arms
- Best-in-Slot Ultraviolet Elven Gloves (The Imperial Citadel Master)
- Superior Crushers of the Dragon Hunter (Dragon Hunts)
- Abyss Conqueror’s Provoker Gloves
- Arms of the Last Resistance
- Midnight’s Grips
- Crag Scaler’s Gauntlets
Feet
- Best-in-Slot Rugged Sabatons of the Dragon Hunter (Dragon Hunts)
- Blessed Wisps of the Shadow Demon
- Slips of the Rain
Weapons
- Peer Into the Void Set / Voidtouched (The Imperial Citadel Master)
- Living Magma Set / Encased Magma (Master of Flame Campaign Store)
- Demonweb Empowerment / Perfect Set (Northdark Campaign)
- Dark Matter / Solarium & Starcore Set (Adventures in Wildspace Campaign Store)
- Scalebreaker’s Wrath / Duergar Set (Dragonbone Vale Campaign)
Main Hand Modification
- Radiant Slam
Offhand Modifications
- Recharge Speed
- Incoming Healing or any stat you might need
Rings
- Diamond Abyssal Loop
- Manticore’s Mane Bite
- Dreadbreaker Hoop
- Darklake Ward Ring +1
- Topaz Abyssal Loop
- Stalwartneedle Ring of Bulwark
- Malachite Abyssal Loop
- Stalwartneedle Ring of Celerity
- Darklake Ward Ring +1
- The Living Silver Fern
- Waywatchers Ring of Precision
- Ring of the Overwhelmed +5
- Ring of the Condemned +5
Neck & Waist
- Tiamat’s Prized Possesions: Tiamat’s Golden Necklace, Tiamat’s Golden Sash, Tiamat’s Arcane Globe
- Valhalla’s Rebuke: Cloak of Valhalla, Belt of Valhalla
Shirt
- Ember Plated Shirt
- Dazzling Flarefiber Shirt
- Lolth’s Embrace
- Rugged Dwarven Body Pattern
- Shirt of the Dragon Cult
Pants
- Ember Plated Pants
- Cerebral Predator Ink / Ocean’s Predator Ink
- Covert Branche Scout Breeches
- Rugged Dwarven Limb Pattern
- War-Worn Pants
- Lower Pact Brands (Avernus Hunts)
Artifacts
Primary Artifact
- Bloodbrass Pistol
- Demogorgon’s Reach
- Mythallar Fragment
- Wyvern-Venon Coated Knives
Secondary Artifacts
Choose secondary artifacts based on the stats you are lacking.
- Mythallar Fragment
- Bloodcrystal Raven Skull
- Gond’s Anvil of Creation
- Illusionist’s Mask
- Sigil of the Bard/Ranger/Warlock
- Symbol of Water
Enchantments
When getting enchantments, always get the ones with the stats you are lacking in with your gear, boons, etc in mind.
If you still need to refine your enchantments, see our Refinement Guide for tips on how to farm refinement.
Offense Enchantments
- Garnet Enchantment
Defense Enchantments
- Amethyst Enchantment
- Jade Enchantment
- Cobalt Enchantment
Utility Enchantments
- Cobalt Enchantment
Bonus Enchantments
- Movement Or Recharge
Combat Enchantments
- Fortified Nature
- Flash Freeze
Overload Enchantments
- Unholy Protection
- Resiliency of the Depths / Bulwark Of Brimstone from Hell Pit
- Various Marks from Stronghold Vendor
- Corrupt Black Ice / Lethal / Piercing
- Black / Red Dragon Glyph
Armor Reinforcement Kits
- Any stat you might need
Jewelry Reinforcement Kits
- Combat Awareness Jewel
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.
Pick one from each of the categories below depending on the stats you are lacking.
- Invocation Blessing: Grace of Battle / Gift of Awareness / Righteous Boon / Gamber’s Fortune
- Stronghold Food: Chocolate
- Event Food: Caprese
- Elixir: Elixir of Steadfast Devotion
- Potion: Crafted Potion of Defense
- Belt: Stone of Health, Dragonfire, Chain of Scales
Companions
Summoned Companion
For your summoned companion you have the choice between using Augmented companions which will make it easier to cap stats or an active combat companion which will do damage. At the moment Active/Striker companions are usually better than augment companions.
Active Companion Choices
- Spined Devil
- Drizzt Do’Urden
- Portobello Davinchi
- Tutor
- Stalwart Golden Lion
- Black Death Scorpion
Enchantment Power
- Armor Break
- Redemption
- Dulled Senses
- Vulnerability
- Slowed Reactions
- Weapon Break
- Any stat you might need
Companion Powers
Below is a selection of viable companion powers.
Offense Powers
- Tamed Velociraptor (Raptor’s Instincts) – Part of the Pack (Good in Groups)
- Golden Deep Crow’s Presence – 7.5% Awareness
- Rimefire Golem’s Presence – 15000 HP and 3.8% Critical Severity
- Neverwinter Knight (Neverwinter Knight’s Discipline) – 7.5% Outgoing Damage
Defense Powers
- Lich (Undying Overload) – Reduce Incoming Damage by 7.5%
- Duergar – 7.5% Critical Avoidance
- Bruenor – 4.7% Awareness and Defense
- Frost Mimic – 3.75% Awareness and Defense
- War Dog – 3.75% Awareness and Defense
- Skeleton – 3.75% Critical Avoidance and Defense
- Faithful Initiate – 3.75% Critical Avoidance and Defense
- Myconoid – 3.8% Critical Avoidance and Awareness
- Harper bard – 15000 HP and 3.8% Awareness
- Red Dragon Ioun Stone – 3.8% Incoming Healing and 15000 HP
- Moonshea Druid’s Wisdom – 15.000 HP and 3.8% Critical Avoidance
- Iron Golem’s Presence – 15.000 HP and 3.8% Defense
- Minstrel – 3.8% Power and 3.8% Awareness
- Green Slime – 7.5% Defense
Utility Powers
- Golden Deep Crow – 7.5% Awareness
- Regis – 4.7% Defect Chance and Severity
- Watler – 7.5% Deflect
- Xegyi’s Insight – 30000 Hit Points
- Energon – 30000 Hit Points
Mounts
Mount Insignia Bonuses
All classes and specs should consider using Wanderer’s Fortune and or Traveler’s Treasures before you have refined all your gear and enchantments, for extra refinement every day.
Insignia bonuses are mostly down to preference. Some boost damage a bit, and some boost survivability, while others add utility.
As a tank, the self-healing bonuses are the most valued.
DPS
- Warlord’s Inspiration
- Artificers Persuasion
- Assassin’s Covenant
- Calvary’s Warning
- Gladiator’s Guile
Self Healing
- Lionheart’s Perseverance
- Oppressor’s Reprieve
- Knight’s Condemnation
- Barbarian’s Revelry
- Survivor’s Blessing
- Survivor’s Gift
- Knight’s Rebuke
Utility
- Wanderer’s Fortune
- Traveler’s Treasures
Insignia Type
- Fortitude
- Courage
Mount Collars
- Sturdy Barbed Collar
- Wayfaring Regal Collar
- Unified Regal Collar
- Suportive Crescent Collar
Mount Powers
Mount Equip Power
- Pack Tactics
- Runic Aura
- Mystic Aura
- Any defense stat power
Mount Combat Power
- Eclipse Armament (Eclipse Lion)
- Swarm (Bat Swarm)
- Tyrannosaurus Rex’em (Tyrannosaur or King of Spies)
- Magnificent Inspiration (Pegasus)
- Hell’s Impact (Balgora)
- Cauldron (Cauldron)
- Aureal Armament
If you have any questions or suggestions about our Neverwinter Paladin Justicar guide, please leave a comment below!
Updates
- 29.08.2024: The build has been updated for module 29: Mountain of Flame. Basic info including stat priority, skills, mounts, enchantments, artifacts, and gear has been updated. Unrelevant info and fluff have also been removed to make the guide easier to read.
- 11.02-2025: Updated with Mod 30 gear.
Most pallys who use relentless avenger get a lot of complaints about it because it pushes enemies away and messes up aim for other players
I’m getting slaughter by everything. Powers I normally used before aren’t an option. I was 16k before and earned it through a lot of grinding on week nights and weekends. Now it’s like starting over. This sucks!
Same, I’m looking for a different website to get information on builds from I used to love my pally now after they reset everything and I do it this recommended way I’m getting slaughtered and it’s pissing me off. First this game starts dying and becomes a pay to play charging you for something as minuscule as bags. Then they go and screw it up trying to “fix” it maybe they’re trying to kill their own game so they can collect the life insurance money idk but it’s embarrassing
You are doing something wrong, easy as that. Get some help on Reddit and in-game.
im using this build and just hit 41. things r dropping like flies. u had to b doing something wrong
You have for the weapons “Alabaster Greatsword / Alabaster Sword Knot (Best in Slot)”. Am I missing something, or can paladins now use sword knots?
The Celestial set is the BiS but that’s a hell of a grind but worth it. Next best is the Legion Guard you can grind that out in the Wastelands of Avernes pretty easily. The third best is the Mountaineer set which is easy as hell to get and is viable till you can get either of the other two sets. the other shit is a numbers game. Just look at your stats and see what you need. As far as the main Artifact I chose the Staff of Flowers refined to the max. It just made sense to me, I’m a tank and unlike other MMOs if you build this tank right you can do hella damage as well as hold agro. Most importantly, build your tank to your play style. My playstyle is going to be way different than yours and vise versa. This is a guide, a starting point for your tank. Your play style will dictate the changes you need to make. Personally, I don’t see the fun in having a build pre-made where all I need to do is mash buttons with no thought involved. A frick’n monkey can do that.
typo maybe?
Alabaster Greatsword / Alabaster Sword Knot are Barbarian gear
Is Justicar gear same as Oathkeeper gear? Obviously gear listed for Justicar is barbarian gear.
Relentless Tickle no longer pushes enemies away in Mod 16.
Is this guide ever going to be corrected?!
It shouldn’t need to be corrected because it’s obvious what was meant. Alabaster greatsword, longsword, butterknife etc., clearly the Alabaster set is generally considered BiS for most classes by most players aside from Watcher and upcoming Mod 17.
This, like all other class guides, is a base guideline of builds to help you make one all your own. Use it lightly, dig into more, make yours. Good gaming.
Why does no one like Half Elves for Paladin?
Time for an update!
The weapons I can understand but you can’t tell me that all that DPS hunt gear is BIS for a pally tank.
I heard that a negation was best in slot for armor enchantments
Metallic Ancestry Dragonborn – 3% + Healing – +2 to Any two stats – 1500 Crit – 3% Increased Damage
Dragonborn – 3% HP + Healing – +2 to Any two stats – 1500 Crit – 3% Increased Damage
I think it’s the opposite
Metallic Ancestry Dragonborn – 3% Healing + 3% HP – +2 to Any two stats – 1500 Crit – 3% Increased Damage
Dragonborn – 5% Healing – +2 to Any two stats – 1500 Crit – 3% Increased Damage
I like how most people are bitching on your guide’s not being right.
Did anybody read this at the beginning of the guide? :
“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.”
Get it together people. Read the guide.
Under [Paladin Justicar Mount Powers]
For Mount Equip Power it is suggested that Stalwart gives 50000 HP, is that Swift Golden Lion by chance?
I ask because Stalwart is a companion.
PS I found your guide quite informative.
No stalwart is the name of the buff the war triceratops gives which give 50k hp
No it’s not. Lion Guard, Alabaster and burnished have sets for all classes. Since the expansion of the Wastelands in Avernes, the Lion Guard set is no longer BiS and the Alabaster is pretty much equal to the Burnished and Mountaineer Set. Celestial and Legion Guard are the two BiS Sets now.
I am wondering if you are working on an updated build since mod 19 has dropped?
ummmmm we r in mod 19……..it dropped a while back
Trample as mount combat power is a big no.
I’d like to say that whoever wrote this doesn’t know how to play a pally. Soon as I saw Con and Charisma I lost hope for this article. A Paladins damage is based off intelligence cause its magic based. My int is 24 with a chrs of 25 with nothing added to it. Con is 29. The multi enchantments are crap for us IMO, due to being to offset the stats with boons, insignias, and companion items. That all being said it all depends on your play style though. You could have best stats, and still be shit.
Keep in mind, this build is for tanking, not for DPS, so you need CON for the extra HP and you need the CHA for the bonus companion influence, as that also gives extra HP and stats. Those are the correct stats to max out for a pally tank, as the pally has hard taunts. If you do not have the stats, the multi-stat enchants are BiS, but if you have the stats, take radiants for the extra power, which has no cap. Why lose hope when it is giving good advice for these things. You may have high damage output, which is great, but you are not able to hold the aggro quite as well. This guide is just that: a GUIDE. that means that you can tailor the build to your own needs, and while it is in need of an update, your mindset is too.
@Blazingangel86, Radiant damage is physical damage according to descriptors in game which is physical damage and based on strength.
“The paladin draws upon their faith, wielding divine radiant power ( physical power – Strength) to deal damage & healing Magic ( Wisdom ) to heal self and allies”
Int has no impact on damage a Paladin does.
For Mod 20:
– Put all your attribute points into CON and CHA for maximum HP and forte
– Your most important stats are defense and awareness!!! You are not a DPS!
– Get gear with high item levels, especially the Vault of Stars healer breastplate with item level 1500 which gives you 1000 forte and 1500 awareness per group member!
– Buy the diamond artifact set from New Sharandar. It lowers incoming damage when standing still for 3 seconds.
– The April’s Fowl ring is actually a good artifact for tanks as it increases defensive stats
– The Avernus rings which give you more threat and resistance when walking are good choices and cheap on the AH
– Awareness Jewels and HP armour kit
– Free: oath strike and the one which charges at enemies
– At-wills: sacred weapon, wrath of the templar and vow of enmity. Sometimes absolution or burning light can save your ass.
Dailies: Sword, Shield,
Companion gear: the grimoires which increase awareness and/or defense. Forget the New Sharandar stuff!
Runestones: HP, awareness and/or defense
– Recommended passive Companions: war dog, the dog from Old Sharandar, frost mimic, harper bard and owl (defende + awareness. The dog from Old Sharandar is one of the few companions which gives you defenese stats in the attack slot)
Recommended active companions: the ioun stone which gives you HP and awareness
– Recommended Mounts: golden warhorse (for crit defense and an alternative to the tunnel view), kettle (for awareness and AoE damage/support)
– HP insignias
– Insignia powers: everything which heals you + 1 Guile of the Gladiator
@Frumon Silverkin
– Enchantments: dark for support slot, otherwise radiant ones for HP and tactical ones for awareness. 1 tenebrous might be interesting as well as an assassin one.
– Armour enchantment: Elven battle enchantment
– Weapon enchantment: Bronzewood, Holy Avenger
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