Ziegander
2011-09-06, 09:51 PM
Vote Up A Paladin Fix
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cZvu50zKf7A/SmnmCjeakfI/AAAAAAAAAHA/XifdLhgx-K0/s400/dragonborn_paladin_final.jpg
In Round 1 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=11621804) we established the primary aspects of the Paladin fix we're working on to be Protector, Physical, Agent of Good/Healer/Smite, and Commander (in that order of importance).
In Round 2 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=213175) we established that the general flavor concept that will guide the mechanical design of our Paladin is that of the Gray-Guard (see spoiler).
The Paladin is a man whose devotion is given to two sides of the same coin: defend the righteous/destroy the wicked. By whatever means necessary, the Paladin will ensure that the innocent are protected and that foul deeds do not go unpunished. His skill set is well-suited to those aims and he is possessed of the moral flexibility to ensure that a crisis of faith never stops him from getting the job done. A masterful combatant, the Paladin is also a skilled tracker and a scholar of ancient arts - some white, some black. Combining martial training with naturalistic skills and alchemical knowledge, the Paladin can offer medicine to friends and punish foes with dark rituals. He is whatever Good needs him to be, sometimes a knight shining, but also sometimes far more dirty.
In this, the third round, I will begin designing the class proper, and as I do, the voters will let me know when and where I'm going wrong. The third round will be all about levels 1 - 5. In later rounds we will concentrate on class features of higher levels.
If I've gotten something right, voters should let me know by quoting the relevant text and responding with a +1. If I totally screwed something up, voters should quote and respond with a -1.
Let's go ahead and keep this one open for let's say 15 days. Seems good. Every 5 days, I will tally the pluses and minuses. Any feature with less than +1 will be replaced with something new (or possibly merely re-written based on feedback). In this round, voters are free, and encouraged, to vote more than once - even for things they've already voted on (but no more than once per day).
Alignment: Any (Non-Evil?)
Hit Die: 1d10
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |
Agency
1st|+1|+2|+2|+2|Defiant Stand, Guardian's Glare, Smite Evil (+1d6)|
1
2nd|+2|+3|+3|+3|Armored Ease I|
1
3rd|+3|+3|+3|+3|Smite Evil (+1d6, -1 penalty)|
2
4th|+4|+4|+4|+4|Warning Shout|
2
5th|+5|+4|+4|+4|Smite Evil (+2d6, -1 penalty)|
3
[/table]
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier): Balance, Bluff, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, Gather Information, Handle Animal, Heal, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (all skills, taken individually), Listen, Move Silently, Ride, Search, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Spot, Survival, Swim, Tumble, Use Magic Device, and Use Rope.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A Paladin is proficient with all simple and martial weapons as well as the bola, net, and whip. A Paladin is proficient with light and medium armors as well as shields (but not Tower Shields).
Agent of Good
While a Paladin himself is not necessary of Good alignment he wholly believes in the ideal of Good and devotes himself to promoting the most overall Good that he can through his actions. He is not some knight-priest or temple enforcer; the paladin does whatever he must to further the cause of Good. Sometimes this requires him to defend the meek and heal the sick, other times this requires him to punish the wicked and skulk in the shadows.
A Paladin starts with 1 Agency Point (AP) and gains an additional AP every odd-numbered level after 1st. These AP are used to buy certain abilities or consumable items and refresh at the start of each day. Abilities gained last only until the next time the Paladin's AP are refreshed.
A Paladin must get 8 hours of complete rest in order to refresh his AP. He may elect to spend his AP at any time during the day, but spending his AP, regardless of how many he spends at a time, always requires 1 hour of uninterrupted concentration.
Examples
Healer's Hands (1 point) - Until the next time you refresh your AP you gain a +5 bonus to Heal checks, +1 per two Paladin levels, and once per day, per ally, restore 1d6 hit points to allies you successfully stabilize.
Crafty Alchemist (1 point) - Until the next time you refresh your AP you may craft alchemical items as though you were a spellcaster and gain a +5 bonus to all Craft checks, +1 per two Paladin levels.
Call of the Wild (1 point) - Until the next time you refresh your AP you gain the Wild Empathy ability as a Druid of your Paladin levels, as well as a +5 bonus to Handle Animal, Ride, and Wild Empathy checks, +1 per two Paladin levels.
Peril Runner (1 point) - Until the next time you refresh your AP you gain the Trapfinding special ability and a +5 bonus to Disable Device and Search checks, +1 per two Paladin levels.
Unseen Stalker (1 point) - Until the next time you refresh your AP you gain a +5 bonus to Hide, Move Silently, and Survival checks, +1 per two Paladin levels.
Heights of Heroism (2 points) - Until the next time you refresh your AP you gain the benefits of any feat on the Fighter's list of bonus feats for which you meet the prerequisites.
Smite Interloper (2 points) - Until the next time you refresh your AP, whenever a creature attacks any other creature that is friendly to you (not including yourself), for 1 round you consider that creature evil for the purposes of your Smite Evil ability.
Trackless Tracker (2 points) - Until the next time you refresh your AP you gain the benefits of the Track feat, you leave no trail, and you cannot be detected by scent.
Sadistic Strike (Healer's Hands, 2 points) - The first time you deal damage to a foe each encounter you may make a Heal check at a DC equal to that foe's armor class. For the rest of the encounter you deal 1d6 sneak attack damage against that foe if the check succeeds and for every 5 points you exceed the check DC.
Ethalas Infusion (Crafty Alchemist, 2 points) - You gain three unstable vials of Ethalas Infusion which become worthless the next time you refresh your AP. Any creature that imbibes one of these infusions regains 3d12 hit points +1 per Paladin level (maximum +15). Hit points regained over a creature's maximum hit points are given as temporary hit points that last until the next time you refresh your AP.
Animal Companion (Call of the Wild, 2 points) - Until the next time you refresh your AP you gain the service of an animal companion as a Druid of your Paladin level.
Break Will (3 points) - Until the next time you refresh your AP, whenever a creature fails its saving throw against your Guardian's Glare that creature suffers a -2 penalty to Wisdom for the rest of the encounter. This penalty can stack with itself but is overlapped by Wisdom damage or penalties from other sources.
Skilled Surgeon (Healer's Hands, 3 points) - Until the next time you refresh your AP, for every five points you exceed the Heal check DC you may administer long-term care in half the time (DC 20 for 4 hours, DC 25 for 2 hours, DC 30 for 1 hour, etc).
[...]
Witchpyre Draught (Crafty Alchemist, [...], ? points) - You gain an unstable vial of Witchpyre Draught which becomes worthless the next time you refresh your AP. This vial contains enough dose to be applied once as a grenade-like weapon, three times as an injury poison, or five times as an ingested poison (Fort DC 10 + 1/2 Paladin level + Wisdom modifier). A creature that is poisoned by Witchpyre Draught is unable to cast spells or use spell-like abilities and is unable to benefit from any spell, spell-like ability, or supernatural ability for 1d6x10 minutes. Even on a successful save, Witchpyre Draught automatically removes curse, enchantment, and transmutation effects as Break Enchantment, but with no caster level check.
Defiant Stand (Ex): For a total number of rounds per day equal to 4 + his Constitution modifier +1 per Paladin level, a Paladin may enter (or end) a Defiant Stand on his turn. These rounds need not all be taken consecutively, however, after his Defiant Stand ends, the Paladin is Fatigued for twice the number of consecutive rounds. During a Defiant Stand, both the Paladin and unfriendly creatures within 5ft per Paladin level treat that area as difficult terrain. The Paladin also adds his Charisma modifier to attack and damage rolls, to AC, and to saving throws, and delays all hit point damage dealt to him.
Hit point damage dealt to the Paladin is added to a delayed damage pool, rather than subtracted from his hit points. At the end of his Defiant Stand, the Paladin is dealt an amount of damage equal to that in his delayed damage pool. If an attack that deals hit point damage to the Paladin carries an additional effect such as ability score damage or stunning the Paladin makes any associated saves upon being subject to the attack, but does not suffer the additional effect, even on a failed save, until the end of his Defiant Stand.
Guardian's Glare (Ex): A Paladin is a devout defender of his allies, and even at 1st level his presence on the battlefield is hard to ignore. Within 5ft per Paladin level, creatures hostile to the Paladin's allies must make a Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 Paladin level + Charisma modifier) at the start of each of their turns.
A creature that fails this save suffers a -4 penalty to attack rolls and must attempt to harm the Paladin instead of any of his allies if the Paladin is closer (area effects must originate as close to the Paladin as possible). A creature that makes this save is immune to the effect for up to 24 hours or until the Paladin hits it with an attack.
Alternative Guardian's Glare
Enemies within 5ft per Paladin level with Intelligence scores of 3 or higher suffer a -4 penalty to attack rolls against the Paladin's allies. Furthermore, if an enemy attacks one of the Paladin's allies rather than attacking him, for 1 round he treats that enemy as evil for the purposes of his Smite Evil class feature (see below). Enemies with Intelligence scores of 3 or higher are well-aware of this threat as evidenced by the Paladin's piercing stare.
Smite Evil (Ex): A Paladin deals an additional 1d6 points of damage any time he attacks an evil creature. This extra damage increases by 1d6 at 5th level and every four levels thereafter.
Starting at 3rd level, evil creatures threatened by the Paladin suffer a -1 penalty to AC and saving throws. This penalty increases by 1 at 7th level and every four levels thereafter.
Armored Ease (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a Paladin begins to learn ways to adapt his fighting style and his everyday life to wearing protective armor. As he gains levels he develops more effective ways of wearing his armor until it becomes as a second skin.
Armored Ease I - The Paladin is no longer fatigued after sleeping in his armor, halves the time required to don and remove his armor, and adds +1 to the armor bonus of any armor he wears and reduces his armor's check penalty by 1 as well. The armor bonus and check penalty reduction both increase by 1 at 6th level and once every four levels thereafter.
Warning Shout (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a Paladin may spend 2 rounds of his Defiant Stand for the day as an immediate action to remove the flat-footed condition from allies within 5ft per Paladin level. This effect benefits the Paladin himself and may be used even during a surprise round.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cZvu50zKf7A/SmnmCjeakfI/AAAAAAAAAHA/XifdLhgx-K0/s400/dragonborn_paladin_final.jpg
In Round 1 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=11621804) we established the primary aspects of the Paladin fix we're working on to be Protector, Physical, Agent of Good/Healer/Smite, and Commander (in that order of importance).
In Round 2 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=213175) we established that the general flavor concept that will guide the mechanical design of our Paladin is that of the Gray-Guard (see spoiler).
The Paladin is a man whose devotion is given to two sides of the same coin: defend the righteous/destroy the wicked. By whatever means necessary, the Paladin will ensure that the innocent are protected and that foul deeds do not go unpunished. His skill set is well-suited to those aims and he is possessed of the moral flexibility to ensure that a crisis of faith never stops him from getting the job done. A masterful combatant, the Paladin is also a skilled tracker and a scholar of ancient arts - some white, some black. Combining martial training with naturalistic skills and alchemical knowledge, the Paladin can offer medicine to friends and punish foes with dark rituals. He is whatever Good needs him to be, sometimes a knight shining, but also sometimes far more dirty.
In this, the third round, I will begin designing the class proper, and as I do, the voters will let me know when and where I'm going wrong. The third round will be all about levels 1 - 5. In later rounds we will concentrate on class features of higher levels.
If I've gotten something right, voters should let me know by quoting the relevant text and responding with a +1. If I totally screwed something up, voters should quote and respond with a -1.
Let's go ahead and keep this one open for let's say 15 days. Seems good. Every 5 days, I will tally the pluses and minuses. Any feature with less than +1 will be replaced with something new (or possibly merely re-written based on feedback). In this round, voters are free, and encouraged, to vote more than once - even for things they've already voted on (but no more than once per day).
Alignment: Any (Non-Evil?)
Hit Die: 1d10
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |
Agency
1st|+1|+2|+2|+2|Defiant Stand, Guardian's Glare, Smite Evil (+1d6)|
1
2nd|+2|+3|+3|+3|Armored Ease I|
1
3rd|+3|+3|+3|+3|Smite Evil (+1d6, -1 penalty)|
2
4th|+4|+4|+4|+4|Warning Shout|
2
5th|+5|+4|+4|+4|Smite Evil (+2d6, -1 penalty)|
3
[/table]
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier): Balance, Bluff, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, Gather Information, Handle Animal, Heal, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (all skills, taken individually), Listen, Move Silently, Ride, Search, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Spot, Survival, Swim, Tumble, Use Magic Device, and Use Rope.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A Paladin is proficient with all simple and martial weapons as well as the bola, net, and whip. A Paladin is proficient with light and medium armors as well as shields (but not Tower Shields).
Agent of Good
While a Paladin himself is not necessary of Good alignment he wholly believes in the ideal of Good and devotes himself to promoting the most overall Good that he can through his actions. He is not some knight-priest or temple enforcer; the paladin does whatever he must to further the cause of Good. Sometimes this requires him to defend the meek and heal the sick, other times this requires him to punish the wicked and skulk in the shadows.
A Paladin starts with 1 Agency Point (AP) and gains an additional AP every odd-numbered level after 1st. These AP are used to buy certain abilities or consumable items and refresh at the start of each day. Abilities gained last only until the next time the Paladin's AP are refreshed.
A Paladin must get 8 hours of complete rest in order to refresh his AP. He may elect to spend his AP at any time during the day, but spending his AP, regardless of how many he spends at a time, always requires 1 hour of uninterrupted concentration.
Examples
Healer's Hands (1 point) - Until the next time you refresh your AP you gain a +5 bonus to Heal checks, +1 per two Paladin levels, and once per day, per ally, restore 1d6 hit points to allies you successfully stabilize.
Crafty Alchemist (1 point) - Until the next time you refresh your AP you may craft alchemical items as though you were a spellcaster and gain a +5 bonus to all Craft checks, +1 per two Paladin levels.
Call of the Wild (1 point) - Until the next time you refresh your AP you gain the Wild Empathy ability as a Druid of your Paladin levels, as well as a +5 bonus to Handle Animal, Ride, and Wild Empathy checks, +1 per two Paladin levels.
Peril Runner (1 point) - Until the next time you refresh your AP you gain the Trapfinding special ability and a +5 bonus to Disable Device and Search checks, +1 per two Paladin levels.
Unseen Stalker (1 point) - Until the next time you refresh your AP you gain a +5 bonus to Hide, Move Silently, and Survival checks, +1 per two Paladin levels.
Heights of Heroism (2 points) - Until the next time you refresh your AP you gain the benefits of any feat on the Fighter's list of bonus feats for which you meet the prerequisites.
Smite Interloper (2 points) - Until the next time you refresh your AP, whenever a creature attacks any other creature that is friendly to you (not including yourself), for 1 round you consider that creature evil for the purposes of your Smite Evil ability.
Trackless Tracker (2 points) - Until the next time you refresh your AP you gain the benefits of the Track feat, you leave no trail, and you cannot be detected by scent.
Sadistic Strike (Healer's Hands, 2 points) - The first time you deal damage to a foe each encounter you may make a Heal check at a DC equal to that foe's armor class. For the rest of the encounter you deal 1d6 sneak attack damage against that foe if the check succeeds and for every 5 points you exceed the check DC.
Ethalas Infusion (Crafty Alchemist, 2 points) - You gain three unstable vials of Ethalas Infusion which become worthless the next time you refresh your AP. Any creature that imbibes one of these infusions regains 3d12 hit points +1 per Paladin level (maximum +15). Hit points regained over a creature's maximum hit points are given as temporary hit points that last until the next time you refresh your AP.
Animal Companion (Call of the Wild, 2 points) - Until the next time you refresh your AP you gain the service of an animal companion as a Druid of your Paladin level.
Break Will (3 points) - Until the next time you refresh your AP, whenever a creature fails its saving throw against your Guardian's Glare that creature suffers a -2 penalty to Wisdom for the rest of the encounter. This penalty can stack with itself but is overlapped by Wisdom damage or penalties from other sources.
Skilled Surgeon (Healer's Hands, 3 points) - Until the next time you refresh your AP, for every five points you exceed the Heal check DC you may administer long-term care in half the time (DC 20 for 4 hours, DC 25 for 2 hours, DC 30 for 1 hour, etc).
[...]
Witchpyre Draught (Crafty Alchemist, [...], ? points) - You gain an unstable vial of Witchpyre Draught which becomes worthless the next time you refresh your AP. This vial contains enough dose to be applied once as a grenade-like weapon, three times as an injury poison, or five times as an ingested poison (Fort DC 10 + 1/2 Paladin level + Wisdom modifier). A creature that is poisoned by Witchpyre Draught is unable to cast spells or use spell-like abilities and is unable to benefit from any spell, spell-like ability, or supernatural ability for 1d6x10 minutes. Even on a successful save, Witchpyre Draught automatically removes curse, enchantment, and transmutation effects as Break Enchantment, but with no caster level check.
Defiant Stand (Ex): For a total number of rounds per day equal to 4 + his Constitution modifier +1 per Paladin level, a Paladin may enter (or end) a Defiant Stand on his turn. These rounds need not all be taken consecutively, however, after his Defiant Stand ends, the Paladin is Fatigued for twice the number of consecutive rounds. During a Defiant Stand, both the Paladin and unfriendly creatures within 5ft per Paladin level treat that area as difficult terrain. The Paladin also adds his Charisma modifier to attack and damage rolls, to AC, and to saving throws, and delays all hit point damage dealt to him.
Hit point damage dealt to the Paladin is added to a delayed damage pool, rather than subtracted from his hit points. At the end of his Defiant Stand, the Paladin is dealt an amount of damage equal to that in his delayed damage pool. If an attack that deals hit point damage to the Paladin carries an additional effect such as ability score damage or stunning the Paladin makes any associated saves upon being subject to the attack, but does not suffer the additional effect, even on a failed save, until the end of his Defiant Stand.
Guardian's Glare (Ex): A Paladin is a devout defender of his allies, and even at 1st level his presence on the battlefield is hard to ignore. Within 5ft per Paladin level, creatures hostile to the Paladin's allies must make a Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 Paladin level + Charisma modifier) at the start of each of their turns.
A creature that fails this save suffers a -4 penalty to attack rolls and must attempt to harm the Paladin instead of any of his allies if the Paladin is closer (area effects must originate as close to the Paladin as possible). A creature that makes this save is immune to the effect for up to 24 hours or until the Paladin hits it with an attack.
Alternative Guardian's Glare
Enemies within 5ft per Paladin level with Intelligence scores of 3 or higher suffer a -4 penalty to attack rolls against the Paladin's allies. Furthermore, if an enemy attacks one of the Paladin's allies rather than attacking him, for 1 round he treats that enemy as evil for the purposes of his Smite Evil class feature (see below). Enemies with Intelligence scores of 3 or higher are well-aware of this threat as evidenced by the Paladin's piercing stare.
Smite Evil (Ex): A Paladin deals an additional 1d6 points of damage any time he attacks an evil creature. This extra damage increases by 1d6 at 5th level and every four levels thereafter.
Starting at 3rd level, evil creatures threatened by the Paladin suffer a -1 penalty to AC and saving throws. This penalty increases by 1 at 7th level and every four levels thereafter.
Armored Ease (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a Paladin begins to learn ways to adapt his fighting style and his everyday life to wearing protective armor. As he gains levels he develops more effective ways of wearing his armor until it becomes as a second skin.
Armored Ease I - The Paladin is no longer fatigued after sleeping in his armor, halves the time required to don and remove his armor, and adds +1 to the armor bonus of any armor he wears and reduces his armor's check penalty by 1 as well. The armor bonus and check penalty reduction both increase by 1 at 6th level and once every four levels thereafter.
Warning Shout (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a Paladin may spend 2 rounds of his Defiant Stand for the day as an immediate action to remove the flat-footed condition from allies within 5ft per Paladin level. This effect benefits the Paladin himself and may be used even during a surprise round.