Can Low-Magic Paladins Be Cool?

[TonyTron]

Going into a low-magic, mostly human campaign. My understanding of this is that there aren't any overtly crazy magic feats/abilities allowed. Since Smite Evil and Lay on Hands aren't being taken away from my class levels there is some room for negotiation.

My stats from which to build are as follow:
STR 17
DEX 13
CON 13
INT 10
WIS 8
CHA 15

He's human level 3 and intended to be (great)sword focused as a relevant character trait related to the world. Advice?

[Seerow]

This really depends heavily on the DM's interpretation of low magic, and what is or is not allowed. We need more details to provide any actually useful advice.

[KrimsonNekros]

There's an Alternate Class Feature for Paladins without spells in Complete Warrior you might want to look at.

[Big Fau]

There's an Alternate Class Feature for Paladins without spells in Complete Warrior you might want to look at.

That's easily a contender for "Worst Paladin ACF". Seriously, it's bad. At least the one in Complete Champion is useful.

[TonyTron]

This really depends heavily on the DM's interpretation of low magic, and what is or is not allowed. We need more details to provide any actually useful advice.

Hm. Well. There isn't really a restriction on what books can be used. These abilities have been allowed as options: Dragontouched, Sacred Vow, Nymph's Kiss.

So -- I am guessing that magic is allowed when it comes to stat or skill boosts and the like, buuuuut not so much as an offensive thing.

[NotScaryBats]

Have you considered a Crusader from Tome of Battle? They explicitly do not have spells, but rather maneuvers, which are non-magical 'cool things' that your character can do. Some are Su, but most are Ex.

The flavor is very similar to a paladin, give him a holy symbol, make worship of the god of your choice a part of the character, and that is how I would make a low/no magic paladin.

[Irk]

try to do harmonious knight + smite to song + divine spirit + song of heart + words of creation + dragon fire inspiration + maybe initiate of milil to do a buffing bardadin. No actual magic, just singing.

[Kelb_Panthera]

This really depends heavily on the DM's interpretation of low magic, and what is or is not allowed. We need more details to provide any actually useful advice.

Very much this.

Is it just SU abilities and no spells or spell-likes?

Is it nothing with an overt display of magic but subtler things are cool?

Is it something that the DM is arbitrarily deciding on a point by point basis?

Is it just the typical magic items and spellcasters are uncommon thing?

Help us to help you. Ask the DM how he's deciding this thing and get back to us and we'll be happy to help.

Oh, and at the risk of sounding like an after-school special, any character can be cool if you play it cool.

[Seerow]

try to do harmonious knight + smite to song + divine spirit + song of heart + words of creation + dragon fire inspiration + maybe initiate of milil to do a buffing bardadin. No actual magic, just singing.

Divine Spirit is a really bad feat. But other than that, that's not a bad idea except for being really feat intensive and probably not what the OP had in mind when wanting to play a paladin.



To the OP: Given what you've said, it sounds like your DM is one of those people who translates "Low Magic" as "Don't expect to see magic items or NPC casters", as opposed to low magic actually impacting what you are allowed to do.

Personally I'd recommend grabbing a couple of Divine feats (there's a bunch of them that let you turn your Turn Undead attempts into useful abilities. Stuff like Cha mod to AC, cha mod to damage, move as a swift action for the next minute, give your whole party fast healing 3 for 1+cha mod rounds, and so on), and Battle Blessing (cast all of your standard action paladin spells as a swift action), and have fun with it.

But then I've always felt that Paladin's smite evil was one of their least useful abilities. (Then again my favorite Paladin build is Paladin2/Binder3/Knight of the Sacred Seal 5, taking the two vestiges that give Turn Undead every 5 rounds and Smite Evil every 5 rounds, and the feat that drops those both down to 4 rounds)

[Metahuman1]

Have you considered a Crusader from Tome of Battle? They explicitly do not have spells, but rather maneuvers, which are non-magical 'cool things' that your character can do. Some are Su, but most are Ex.

The flavor is very similar to a paladin, give him a holy symbol, make worship of the god of your choice a part of the character, and that is how I would make a low/no magic paladin.

This.

Your other good option is a Binder from Tome of Magic. With the Right Vestiges Bound, your a better paladin then most paladins. Seriously, there is not a signature ability of the Paladin that the Binder can't replicate with the right Vestiage Bound as well or better then the Paladin has. On top of having options they can't touch with out spells, and some they have a hard time/can't touch WITH spells.

[Irk]

Divine Spirit is a really bad feat.

The dungeonscape ACF (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20070209a), not the feat, never the feat.

[Seerow]

The dungeonscape ACF (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20070209a), not the feat, never the feat.

Ahh.

I actually just recently reread Dungeonscape. I should have known that. Oh well. Yes, that feature is quite nice.

[Nettlekid]

Now, this would be contingent on you going Paladin 12, which you would basically never do. I think. But if you did, perhaps consider the Underdark Knight Paladin ACF from Complete Champion? Give up your special mount to get a few bonuses like increased speed, and at level 12, you get Ex Earth Glide. That is to say, completely nonmagically, it works in an AMF, who knows how on earth he's doing it, you can swim through the ground. And in a low magic world highly lacking in Stone Shape and the like, exactly who can catch you as you charge up out of the ground, smack your enemies around a little, and pop back down with Travel Devotion? Bonus points for being a Raptoran and flying into the ground.

[Gwendol]

Bard songs are magical, but yes, you should definitely try to get From smite to Song, as it delivers so much more to your team than smite typically does. Also Divine Spirit: in a low magic setting having extra healing will be golden.

What has the DM proposed to give you in return for lost (?) spellcasting? Or does low magic mean you can keep your spellcasting?

[Slipperychicken]

I would probably ask to trade in for PF paladin's version of Smite Evil in exchange for losing spells.