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Phosphate
2012-02-26, 10:38 AM
The only thing I can cleanly and unequivocally associate with being a Paladin is the "fighting evil" bit. Mercy? Kindness? That can fall in a pinch. What about pacifism? None of their business. Well, of course paladins can exist sporting solely the ideals in RAW, but are those the only true paladins? I wouldn't say so. This is a remake of the paladin based on that view - mechanically tied to the way clerics of different alignments have somewhat different class features.

The Paladin
http://www.elfwood.com/art/f/i/fiach/paladin_alun_farbe.jpg

The paladin is more than a man. He is an ideal. He is, or ought to be, the personification of the virtues of the society that produced him; and at the same time, he is the force, the pillar keeping those virtues alive for everyone, with or without minding the consequences.

Organization: Paladins usually organize in squads or as the chosen generals of armies or as the chosen protectors and enforcers of temples. Lone paladins are uncanny and of great rarity.

Races: Paladins can be of any race, but most tend to be either human or dwarven, because of the religiosity of the first and orderly nature of the latter race.

Alignment: Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral, Neutral Good, or True Neutral. Lawful Good and Neutral Good paladins are referred to as Paragons, while Lawful Neutral and True Neutral paladins are referred to as Inquisitors. If, during the course of the game, a paladin changes alignment so as to change from a Paragon to an Inquisitor or vice-versa, he need not atone, but cannot gain experience for two weeks. If, on the other hand, he changes alignment so that he belongs to neither category, check below.

Ex-paladins: If a paladin becomes Chaotic, he loses his spellcasting until he atones. If a paladin becomes Evil, he loses all his class features, except for proficiencies and spellcasting, until he atones. All ex-paladins are prohibited from gaining new levels in the paladin class.

Age: moderate
Starting Gold: as paladin


Custom
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th

1st|+1|+2|+0|+0|Aura of Good, Detect Evil, Smite Evil|4|1|—|—|—|—|—

2nd|+2|+3|+0|+0|Divine Grace, Lay on Hands/Suffering|4|2|—|—|—|—|—

3rd|+3|+3|+1|+1|Aura of Courage/Conviction, Divine Health|4|3|1|—|—|—|—

4th|+4|+4|+1|+1|Turn/Rebuke Undead, Sanctified Weapon|4|4|2|—|—|—|—

5th|+5|+4|+1|+1|Spirited March/War Mount|4|4|3|—|—|—|—

6th|+6/+1|+5|+2|+2|Remove/Inflict Disease|4|4|3|1|—|—|—

7th|+7/+2|+5|+2|+2|Remove/Inflict Curse|4|4|4|2|—|—|—

8th|+8/+3|+6|+2|+2|Divine Fortune|4|4|4|3|—|—|—

9th|+9/+4|+6|+3|+3|Reactionary Defense/Vindictive Strike|4|4|4|3|1|—|—

10th|+10/+5|+7|+3|+3|Repentance|4|4|4|4|2|—|—

11th|+11/+6/+1|+7|+3|+3|Turn Evil/Rebuke Evil|4|4|4|4|3|—|—

12th|+12/+7/+2|+8|+4|+4|Stalling/Burning Shackles|4|4|4|4|3|1|—

13th|+13/+8/+3|+8|+4|+4|Divine Vision|5|4|4|4|4|2|—

14th|+14/+9/+4|+9|+4|+4|Forgiveness/Purge|5|5|4|4|4|3|—

15th|+15/+10/+5|+9|+5|+5|Unflinching Will|5|5|5|4|4|3|1

16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+10|+5|+5|Holy/Consecrated Ground|5|5|5|5|4|4|2

17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+10|+5|+5|Relentless Pursuit|5|5|5|5|5|4|3

18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+11|+6|+6|Divine Protection|5|5|5|5|5|5|4

19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+11|+6|+6|Holy Remains|5|5|5|5|5|5|5

20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+12|+6|+6|Eternal Paragon/Inquisitor|5|5|5|5|5|5|5

[/table]

Hit Die: d12

Class Skills: Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), and Sense Motive (Wis)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) Χ 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: A paladin is proficient with all simple and martial melee weapons, all types of armor, and all shields.


Aura of Good (Ex): The power of a paladin’s aura of good (see the detect good spell) is equal to her paladin level. A paladin generates an aura of good regardless of his alignment.

Detect Evil (Su): At will, a paladin can use detect evil, as the spell.

Smite Evil (Su):Once per day, a paladin may attempt to smite evil with one normal melee attack. She adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per paladin level. If the paladin accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day.

As the paladin levels, he gains more uses of this ability: once per encounter at level 4, twice per encounter at level 8, cha mod times per encounter at level 12 and once per round from level 16.

Divine Grace (Su): At 2nd level, a paladin gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws.

Lay on Hands/Suffering (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, a paladin with a Charisma score of 12 or higher can heal or inflict wounds by touch (touch attack). Each day she can heal a total number of hit points or deal untyped damage equal to her paladin level Χ her Charisma bonus. A paladin may choose to divide her healing and damage among multiple recipients, and she doesn’t have to use it all at once. The healing can only be done by Paragons, and is named Lay on Hands. The damage dealing can only be done by Inquisitors, and is named Suffering. Using lay on hands/suffering is a standard action.

Regardless if Paragon or Inquisitor, a Paladin can use this power to deal damage to undead creatures. Using lay on hands in this way requires a successful melee touch attack and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. The paladin decides how many of her daily allotment of points to use as damage after successfully touching an undead creature.

Aura of Courage/Conviction (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a paladin is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). If Paragon, each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects. If Inquisitor, each enemy within 60 feet of her receives a -2 penalty to the save DCs of their fear effects.

This ability functions while the paladin is conscious, but not if she is unconscious or dead.

Divine Health (Su): At 3rd level, a paladin gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases.

Turn/Rebuke Undead (Su): When a paladin reaches 4th level, she gains the supernatural ability to turn or rebuke undead. She may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier. She turns undead as a cleric of the same level. Paragons turn undead, while Inquisitors rebuke them. Regardless, if the paladin has twice the HD of the undead being turned or rebuked, they are destroyed instead (Inquisitors do not control undead).

Sanctified Weapon (Su): Any weapon wielded by a paladin of level 4 or more is treated as a +1 magical weapon which is treated as Good aligned for the purpose of overcoming DR (again, regardless of the alignment of the paladin). This increases to +2 at level 9 and +3 at level 15.

Spirited March/War Mount (Su/Sp):

Spirited March: A level 5 Paragon paladin increases his base land speed by 5 feet for all purposes. This increases to 10 at level 10, 15 at level 15 and 20 at level 20. Additionally, for cha rounds per day he can move through difficult terrain without incurring a speed penalty (this ONLY applies to nonmagical terrain).

War Mount: Upon reaching 5th level, an Inquisitor paladin gains the service of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed to serve her in her crusade against evil. This mount is usually a heavy warhorse (for a Medium paladin) or a warpony (for a Small paladin).

Once per day, as a full-round action, a paladin may magically call her mount from the celestial realms in which it resides. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the paladin’s level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the paladin and remains for 2 hours per paladin level; it may be dismissed at any time as a free action. The mount is the same creature each time it is summoned, though the paladin may release a particular mount from service.

Each time the mount is called, it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it may have taken previously. The mount also appears wearing or carrying any gear it had when it was last dismissed. Calling a mount is a conjuration (calling) effect.

Should the paladin’s mount die, it immediately disappears, leaving behind any equipment it was carrying. The paladin may not summon another mount for thirty days or until she gains a paladin level, whichever comes first, even if the mount is somehow returned from the dead. During this thirty-day period, the paladin takes a -1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.

Remove/Inflict Disease: At 6th level, a paladin can remove (Paragon) or inflict (Inquisitor) a disease upon a target once per day as a full round action. Inquisitors can only inflict diseases on evil targets, but paragons can remove disease regardless of the target's alignment. Both effects have a range of touch. Changes to cha mod uses per day at level 12.

Remove/Inflict Curse: At 7th level, a Paragon paladin can use Remove Curse and an Inquisitor paladin can use Bestow Curse as a cleric of the same level once per day. Changes to cha mod uses per day at level 14.

Divine Fortune (Su): A level 8 paladin is immune to all curses.

Reactionary Defense/Vindictive Strike (Ex/Su): To use either of these abilities you must Ready them first. If either of them is successfully activated, for the next 2 rounds you can use Ready as a swift action:

Reactionary Defense: (Paragon) if an opponent strikes you in melee, you may substitute your AC with an attack roll. If the result of your roll is higher than your opponent's, his attack fails, and you gain a permanent and stacking bonus to AC equal to the difference against that opponent only.

Vindictive Strike: (Inquisitor) next time you deal damage with an attack of opportunity, mark the opponent you've struck. If he is Evil, he will receive critical damage from your next melee hit (if your weapon is vorpal, its vorpal properties are not triggered by Vindictive Strike).

Repentance (Sp): If Paragon, you may cast Atonement twice per day, or 4 times per day at level 16, as a cleric of the same level. If Inquisitor, you may cast Geas once per day, or twice per day at level 16, as a cleric of the same level. A Paragon cannot Atone himself.

Turn/Rebuke Evil (Su): As Turn/Rebuke Undead, but the target gets a will save against a DC of 15 + class level/2 + your Cha mod. The uses of Turn/Rebuke Undead and Turn/Rebuke Evil are shared, that is, if you have a Cha of 14 you can use 3 of one and 2 of the other, but not 5 of both.

Stalling/Burning Shackles (Sp): Select a target within 50 feet as a standard action. If he is within 50-25 feet, you must succeed on a ranged roll and he is given a ref save to negate. If he is within 20-10 feet, he is given a ref save to negate. If he is right next to you, he cannot negate the use of this feature. The target is enchained with magical shackles that you summon, rendering him unable to move, pinned and prone. Breaking the shackles requires succeeding on a DC 20 Str check for non-evil captives, and for evil ones, a DC 20 + Cha mod Str check. The DC is 20 even for evil captives in an anti-magic field. Also, in an anti-magic field, the following 2 effects do not apply:

Stall: (Paragon) After he breaks from his shackles, if he is Evil, the target will become unable to move at above his base speed for 2 minutes.
Burn: (Inquisitor) When he becomes shackled, if he is Evil, the target will receive 5d6 points of fire damage per round until he frees himself and 5 rounds afterwards.

The same target cannot be shackled more than once per day.

Divine Vision (Su): You have True Seeing permanently active on yourself (it can be closed and reactivated as a full round action). In addition to all the benefits offered by True Seeing, it also allows you to learn the alignment of all targets within 120 feet of you.

Forgiveness/Purge (Sp):

Forgiveness: (Paragon) When you kill an evil creature in battle, you can make its soul go to an afterlife as if it was Neutral on the Good-Evil axis instead of evil. The creature must be willing.
Purge: (Inquisitor) When you kill an evil creature in battle, you may roll d20 + Cha mod. If your result is higher or equal to the Cha score of the recently deceased creature, destroy its soul. All evil creatures within 120 feet of you become shaken for 3 rounds.

Unflinching Will (Ex): By level 15 a paladin may choose to ignore any mind-affecting effect on him.

Holy/Consecrated Ground (Sp): A level 16 paladin can enchant up to 400 square feet of ground with holy energy per day. This is done by simply walking through the squares you want enchanted as a move action (or several move actions). This feature cannot be spotted through nonmagical means and loses its magic after 24 hours.

Holy Ground: (Paragon) Good-aligned creatures passing through a Holy Ground gain a +2 morale bonus to attack rolls, damage, saves and skill checks for 1 minute. If they are stationary within the Holy Grounds, they also receive a sacred bonus to AC of +10.
Consecrated Ground: (Inquisitor) Evil-aligned creatures passing through a Consecrated Ground receive a -2 morale penalty to attack rolls, damage, saves and skill checks for 1 minute. If they are stationary within the Consecrated Grounds, they also receive 5d8 damage per round.

Relentless Pursuit (Su): A level 17 paladin becomes immune to fatigue and exhaustion. He also removes fatigue and exhaustion from targets with lay on hands if he heals a minimum of 10 points (paragon), or incurs fatigue or exhaustion on a target of lay on hands if he deals a minimum of 10 damage (inquisitor), at a rate of damage dealt/10 rounds of exhaustion followed by damage dealt/3 rounds of fatigue.

Divine Protection (Su): If Paragon, you gain DR 20/-. If Inquisitor, you gain DR 15/Evil and if an Evil creature deals lethal damage to you it must succeed on a will save against a DC of 10 + class level/2 + cha mod or receive the amount of damage it dealt.

Holy Remains (Su): The corpse of a level 19 paladin does not decompose and cannot be used as material for an undead minion. Furthermore, if he is brought back to life through any means, regardless of the wording of the spell, the paladin doesn't lose any levels or experience.

Eternal Paragon/Inquisitor (Su): An epic paladin is the stuff of legends, his power renowned to both the wicked and the pure. Regardless of the type, a level 20 paladin stops aging:

Eternal Paragon: You become immune to negative energy effects and damage. Also, you and all good aligned creatures within 400 feet of you gain Fast Healing 5. Furthermore, once per day you may cast True Resurrection without the required material component.
Eternal Inquisitor: You become immune to negative energy effects and damage. Also, all evil creatures within 400 feet of you lose the ability to heal naturally (thus they also lose their fast healing and regeneration, if they had any). Furthermore, once per day you may cast Implosion as a cleric of the same level, but you may only target creatures whom are Evil.

Spellcasting: A Paladin casts divine spells at his full class level. To cast a spell he must have a Cha of 10+spell level or more, and the DC of his spells is Cha-based. He receives bonus spells per day for having a high Cha.

A paladin can cast prepared spells at their normal level, or spontaneous spells using a slot at least 2 levels higher. To prepare his spells, a paladin must spend an hour in prayer once per day (no need for sleeping). He instantly knows all spells on his spell list.



Levels 1-4: as RAW Paladin
Level 5: Commune, Dismissal, Disrupting Weapon, Flame Strike, Freedom of Movement, Hallow, Raise Dead, Righteous Might, Spell Resistance
Level 6: Banishment, Mass Bear's Endurance, Mass Bull's Strength, Blade Barrier, Forbiddance, Heal, Heroes' Feast, Undeath to Death

Yitzi
2012-02-26, 10:42 AM
Interesting idea, and I very much like (and have myself been playing around with) the idea of paladin as the living ideal of fighting evil. You might want to consider allowing even Chaotic Good alignment (CG is very much about fighting evil), replacing the spellcasting with something else.

Idhan
2012-02-26, 12:40 PM
For what it's worth, I think that turning undead would make more sense for both paragons and inquisitors, especially if inquisitors have the ability to rebuke stripped of its "command" feature.

Interesting that inquisitors get the mount, while paragons get the fast movement. I'm sort of curious why. (Are paragons trying to avoid exploiting horses for their own benefit or something?)

I am curious to see how this develops, like Burning/Stalling Shackles and other so-far undeveloped features.

Phosphate
2012-02-26, 01:54 PM
replacing the spellcasting with something else.

I want this to at least touch Tier 3, so...probably not, sorry. I will hand pick his spells into a new list to make sure it doesn't have access to anything retarded or non-melee, though.


For what it's worth, I think that turning undead would make more sense for both paragons and inquisitors, especially if inquisitors have the ability to rebuke stripped of its "command" feature.

To turn an undead means to make it run away in fear, basically allowing it to escape. To rebuke an undead means to make it cower, thus stay in its place to be slaughtered, thus is the logical choice for an inquisitor.

Or that's how I think about it anyway.


(Are paragons trying to avoid exploiting horses for their own benefit or something?)

Yes.


I am curious to see how this develops, like Burning/Stalling Shackles and other so-far undeveloped features.

I don't think I'll finish it today, but I'll do my best :smallwink:.

Yitzi
2012-02-26, 04:13 PM
I want this to at least touch Tier 3.

You can get tier 3 without spells per se...you just need options that are equally versatile. I see a CG paladin as being more of a trickster/ambush sort, so giving him bluff and maybe sneak attack might work well if combined with stuff to help him resist the nastier magic stuff.

Of course, spells work too, but I'd still advise giving the CG paladin some roguelike features.

Phosphate
2012-02-27, 12:57 PM
You can get tier 3 without spells per se...you just need options that are equally versatile. I see a CG paladin as being more of a trickster/ambush sort, so giving him bluff and maybe sneak attack might work well if combined with stuff to help him resist the nastier magic stuff.

Of course, spells work too, but I'd still advise giving the CG paladin some roguelike features.

This class is not really versatile if you take away its spells (I mean, its only way to change class features is by changing alignment). And well...I'm pretty uncomfortable with a CG paladin. It just doesn't...feel right to me.

Anyway, added spells. Also gave him full instead of half CL because why not?

Prime32
2012-02-27, 06:07 PM
And well...I'm pretty uncomfortable with a CG paladin. It just doesn't...feel right to me.Look at my av. Tell me that guy is not a "pillar keeping those virtues alive for everyone, with or without minding the consequences", now tell me he's not chaotic. :smalltongue:

The problem with "embodying the virtues of his society" is, what if his society is corrupt/tyrannical? In such a setting, going along with society would be apathetic or evil - anyone who fights for good does so by making his own path.

I'd say the CG version of Forgiveness/Purge would be something which lets you convert people to Good rather than killing them.

Phosphate
2012-02-28, 12:04 PM
The problem with "embodying the virtues of his society" is, what if his society is corrupt/tyrannical? In such a setting, going along with society would be apathetic or evil - anyone who fights for good does so by making his own path.

Going along with it is perfectly justified as Lawful Neutral - and you can just leave it if you don't like it if you're Neutral Good - I mean, as paladin you'd want to respect the rule of the land, not compulsorily uphold it if it goes against your own ideals.

But...I'll think about it.