A very defensive build, Paladin tanks aren't interested in doing more damage than they have to. The build below dedicates several talents & abilities to buffs (Exhortations) for the party, but you may find that you need to sacrifice these in order to make your Paladin even tankier.

Stats

Might

18+ more for the bonus to healing than the bonus to damage

Constitution

10

Dexterity

3

Perception

3

Intellect

18++

Resolve

18++

Paladin Order

Shieldbearers of St. Elcga They have access to a couple of order-specific abilities that are pretty awesome for tanks

Race

Human, Coastal Aumaua, Wild Orlan, Pale Elf, Mountain Dwarf, Fire Godlike, Moon Godlike, Nature Godlike

Culture

Old Vailia Intellect / The Living Lands Might / Ixamitl Plains Resolve

Background

Whatever

Skills

Lore

Survival for the +healing bonus

Talents & Abilities

1

Lay on Hands

2

Shielding Touch Shieldbearers of St Elcga / ? other orders

3

Zealous Endurance / Zealous Focus If you have another party member take the cross-class ability, your paladin should take Endurance. It's better late game anyway, once everyone gets their own +Accuracy bonuses

4

Weapon and Shield Style

5

Flame of Devotion Shieldbearers of St Elcga / Liberating Exhortation other orders

6

Sheilding Flames Shieldbearers of St Elcga / ? other orders

7

Reviving Exhortation

8

Cautious Attack We care more about the +Deflection than the hit to our attack speed

9

Reinforcing Exhortation

10

Greater Lay on Hands

11

Hastening Exhortation

12

Superior Deflection

13

Sacred Immolation too good of an ability to pass up, even as a tank

14

Scion of Flame boosts Sacred Immolation, Flames of Devotion, and the Fire Godlike's passive ability

15

Coordinated Attacks / Abjuration / Behold the Martyr / Liberating Exhortation / Righteous Soul / Healing Chain

16

Deep Faith

Others

Hold The Line / Defense Boosts (Will, Fortitude, etc) / Wound Binding

Gear

• Weapon: Anything that debuffs on hit, or weapons with "Coordinated Attacks" enhancement
• Shield: We dont' care about our own Accuracy, so the shield with the highest Deflection wins
• Armor: The heaviest armor you can find. Enchantments like Second Chance are good

Final Gear

Company Captain's Hat

Anslög's Compass: Sold by Ponamu Bird-Scorned.

Cloak of Comfort

Reward for The Weaver's Song, an average adventure in Caed Nua (after the Great Hall is restored).

Argwes Adra

Looted from the unique Fampyr, Cabiros in Level 8 of Endless Paths of Od Nua.

Enchanted with +2 PERCEPTION

Gauntlets of Ogre Might

Yenwood Field: Looted from Gathbin's corpse after defeating his army during The Battle of Yenwood Field.

[WM1] Russetwood: Sold by Morug outside Flames-That-Whisper Caverns, after finishing The Ogre Matron quest without killing too many ogres.

[WM2] Cayron's Scar: Looted from Master Diometto to the northwest.

Random loot item spawning in various locations (9×).

Iron Circle

[WM2] Looted from Chief Rending-Maw of the first Lagufaeth group at Cayron's Scar.

Gwyn's Band of Union

[WM2] Secret urn near the Salt Well in the Halls of Presence, The Abbey of the Fallen Moon.

Boots of Zealous Command

Sold by Winfrith in Winfrith's Arms and Armory, Dyrford Village.

Arthek's Cord

[WM2] Bone pile under lingering soul, The Halls of Silence, The Abbey of the Fallen Moon.

Steadfast

[WM2] Iron Flail Fort: Looted from or received as a reward from commander Adaryc during the quest The Iron Flail.

The Grey Sleeper

[WM1] Longwatch Falls: Pulled from a stone pedestal at the dwarven ruins.

Thy Clef

Twin Elms: Loot from Simoc in the Hall of Warriors, Elms' Reach, or reward by him for Sacrificial Bloodlines.