Help building a Pacifist Paladin

[walfulninja]

Hello everyone! I require some assistance making a pacifist paladin. The core idea behind it is a paladin that uses a wooden sword and refuses to kill people. Can this build be viable as a PC? What about a NPC?

[yellowrocket]

Better class blah blah blah

Optimized droning on

I don't see fluff wise why it wouldn't work. He wouldn't be able anything a normal paladin couldn't except fight fire monsters and iron wood or petrified wood would over come that

[Troacctid]

Tripping, grappling, and disarming are all compatible with pacifism and are certainly possible for a Paladin. Your special mount is likely to be a good grappler as well, since they'll probably be large-sized. If you were to go with an actual Vow of Nonviolence, I would recommend an Ordained Champion + Prestige Paladin chassis instead, since they can take advantage of it better.

[Karl Aegis]

Paladin has no class features that actually support this idea. You're better off using a Merciful Weapon than an improvised weapon attempting to deal non-lethal damage (what is that -8 to-hit?).

[denthor]

You could always use a man catcher it is on a pole with large net and hooks does like 1d3 of damage and controls movements of the opponent.

[Flickerdart]

Hello everyone! I require some assistance making a pacifist paladin. The core idea behind it is a paladin that uses a wooden sword and refuses to kill people. Can this build be viable as a PC? What about a NPC?
Remember that a paladin won't only fight people - monsters are everywhere in a D&D setting. Is your paladin merciful to animals? Giant vermin? Demons and undead?

[walfulninja]

Remember that a paladin won't only fight people - monsters are everywhere in a D&D setting. Is your paladin merciful to animals? Giant vermin? Demons and undead?
Thats a good point. Short of binding them, you can't really non lethally dispatch a demon. Undead arnt alive to start so there an exception. The demons are an interesting case however. What do you guys think?

[OldTrees1]

Just build it as a normal* paladin that focuses ever so slightly more on optimizing attack so that they can take the -4 non lethal penalty when appropriate.

Also dive into the social skills for when they wake up.


*Wait, don't normal paladins also avoid lethal means when possible?

[walfulninja]

Just build it as a normal* paladin that focuses ever so slightly more on optimizing attack so that they can take the -4 non lethal penalty when appropriate.

Also dive into the social skills for when they wake up.


*Wait, don't normal paladins also avoid lethal means when possible?

Couldn't i use a club/great club and fluff it as a wooden sword to avoid that penalty? I don't have my books atm but i believe those can be used for non lethal strikes.

[OldTrees1]

Couldn't i use a club/great club and fluff it as a wooden sword to avoid that penalty? I don't have my books atm but i believe those can be used for non lethal strikes.

Only the Sap, unarmed attacks, and weapons blessed with the Merciful enchantment can deal non lethal without the -4 atk penalty.

However that -4 penalty was designed to be small enough that PCs should feel free to deal non lethal damage with their spiked morningstars and razor sharp scimitars.

Also you want a weapon that can deal lethal for the occasional foe that can only be pacified with lethal damage(ex Dracula).

[aspekt]

Have you looked at the class abilities for the PrC Apostle of Peace.

Also, consider maxing out your CHA stat and Diplomacy skill.

As for your weapon any weapon that deals regular damage can deal subdual damage as well, albeit at a -4 penalty. This modifier appears to apply to a weapon which deals only subdual damage also.

Here's the SRD reference:

http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Nonlethal_Damage

[Platymus Pus]

Dip into fist of the forest and some cha boosting classes.

[Glimbur]

Only the Sap, unarmed attacks, and weapons blessed with the Merciful enchantment can deal non lethal without the -4 atk penalty.

However that -4 penalty was designed to be small enough that PCs should feel free to deal non lethal damage with their spiked morningstars and razor sharp scimitars.

Also you want a weapon that can deal lethal for the occasional foe that can only be pacified with lethal damage(ex Dracula).

There's also a two handed non-lethal weapon in Book of Exalted Deeds. Truncheon, or something like that. It's another option in case you want to use a two handed weapon at low levels.

[Inevitability]

Have you looked at the class abilities for the PrC Apostle of Peace.

Also, consider maxing out your CHA stat and Diplomacy skill.

As for your weapon any weapon that deals regular damage can deal subdual damage as well, albeit at a -4 penalty. This modifier appears to apply to a weapon which deals only subdual damage also.

Here's the SRD reference:

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/injuryandDeath.htm#nonlethalDamage

Fixed that for you.