Paladin 2hand or 1h with shield?

[Swish]

Short answer:-

Tanking in groups: 1h + sword (sword and board)
Why?: Higher AC, help your cleric/healer out.

Solo: 2h (why solo on a paladin?)
Why?: Better DPS, as bad as it is.

[username17]

I suggest hitting the mob at least once before casting Blind.

Due to lag if you run right up to a mob and cast blind the server might not realize you're in Melee range. If that happens the mob might be feared instead of turning to attack you. I've found that if you hit the mob once (confirm the hit, Paladins miss a LOT) the server updates and then it's safe to Blind.


Regarding weapon choice I personally used a Sword of the Morning and a shield until I got my Soulfire (Fashionquest is real), Fiery Avenger, and ultimately the Fiery Defender. I never felt that DPS is a paladins job and that nobody would probably notice if I was using a cracked staff.
Some people do like to use 2hers on Paladins to see the occasional big numbers. But I got enough big numbers to look at as a Rogue main.
I do advise keeping a decent weapon of each type on hand to keep your skills maxed though.

If you are looking for a solid 2HB to go with that sword I recommend Baton of Faith.

[Therudwiz]

For grouping or general solo use 1h and shield. The extra ac at lower levels including the stam / hp boost from some make them great. 2handers are great, but your dps wont be much better. When yiu get your epic, use it, as it let's you bash with it.

[amandaleigh]

1 hand + shield for higher AC.

[Snaggles]

People constantly tout the shield for AC but it seems the stun proc from the Sword of the Morning would actually mitigate more damage (the aggro is a bonus). On average how long does it stun a grind-group mob?

Further, is taking less damage with that and the shield better than doing more damage with a comparable 2hander? a Baton of Faith or Iceflame for example.

[Delymbor]

1hs or 2hs? Both.

I rock a Seord of the Morning and Shield of Stalward Seas for when I am the tank for a group and Axe of Lost Souls when I off-tank and support dps.

There is no "correct" answer for this question. Depending on your group make up, level, types of mobs and weapon, you'll probably switch back and forth a good bit to meet your needs. And that's ok. Keep both skills up and always have both options available on you.

Don't get too wide-eyed at the haste of the mithril. Sometimes a shield and a well timed bash will serve you and your group better. FoL is your main aggro tool, and trust me, you'll get plenty of practice with it!