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View Full Version : Another paladin variant, again. The Consecrated Knight.



Duke Malagigi
2007-05-21, 01:59 AM
After noting the Poke-mount jokes, early ability to cast spells, front loaded nature, mocking of this noble warriors with the title "Lawful Stupid" and restrictions against non-Lawfuls and multiclassing. To correct this and restore paladins to their proper glory (except Miko, she never was a paladin by my standards). As such, I give you the consecrated knight. Please note that some of the flavor text comes from the paladin flavor text of 1st and 2nd edition. I've been debating with myself about whether to post this idea or not for a few hours. Just tell me what you think, please. If you are wondering about the part on races it comes from a campaign setting I'm coming up with.

Consectated Knight

Lawfulness and good deeds are the meat and drink of a paladin. By the same token a knight benefactor would be sustained by benevolence and mercy bereft of social or political notions or viewpoints, while a marshal of liberty would see goodness and freedom as the staple of all. These are the beliefs of the consecrated knights.

Throughout legend and history there are many heroes who could be called paladins: Roland and the 12 Peers of Charlemagne, Saladin, General Charles Gordon, Sir Gawain and Sir Galahad are all examples of the paladin branch of this class. There are also historical and fictional inspirations for marshals of liberty as well. These range from the Marquis de Lafayette, General von Steuben and even such pop culture characters as Shrek and Mike Mingola's Hellboy. Those of the knight benefactor persuasion are much more difficult to find however.

Adventures: The main reasons for a consecrated knight to venture abroad are to defend the innocent, combat those who threaten one's religion, to spread righteousness and mercy through out the land and alleviate the suffering of others.
Characteristics: Compassion, moral restraint, love of life, courage and a willingness to give your life to protect another are traits that all consecrated knights must share.
Alignment: Any Good. Lawful Goods are paladins, Neutral Goods are knight benefactors and Chaotic Goods are marshals of liberty.
Religion: Whether a paladin, knight benefactor or marshal of liberty a consecrated knight is deeply religious. This does not mean, however that a consecrated knight is some sort of religious fanatic. In fact the self-righteousness and the willingness to do absolutely any thing in the name of ones god prohibits you from being a consecrated knight.
Background: Consecrated knights tend to come from either very religious families or proud military ones. It's also not uncommon for individuals who once considered the life of clergy member before leaving the seminary for a secular military life.
Races: The paladin branch of this class is found mostly among the humans of Royaume Vert and the dwarves of Felsen Haupt. At the same time the more religious officers of the gnomish militias of the Weiße Gebirgsrepublik tend to become knight benefactors. Because of their devotion to such ideals as freedom and liberty both the elves and ogres of Tir Saoirse produce the greatest number of marshals of liberty. Among other races consecrated knights are so rare that they are virtually non-existent.
Other Classes: Consecrated knights tend to get along well with most other classes except those that prevent Good-aligned characters from joining their ranks as well as with non-celestial binders and sorcerers. The reason why consecrated knights mistrust sorcerers and binders is that their power requires binding and controlling others to gain arcane power. This is because of the fact the binding and sorcery often times requires either infernal pacts or force. On the other hand they tend to get along rather well with wizards whom consecrated knights view as capable arcane scientists and researchers.
Abilities: Consecrated knight are leaders and commanders with holy powers to discharge such duties. Because of this consecrated knights must intelligent, wise, charismatic and able to withstand rigors of combat, military life and the wild. This means that a consecrated knight's chief abilities are Charisma, Wisdom, Intelligence and Constitution. In addition the standard armored knight reflected in this version of class would find Strength of much greater importance than Dexterity. A more nimble and swashbuckling consecrated knight would favor Dexterity instead.

Hit Dice: d10.
Skill Points per level: 4+int modifier.
Skills: Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Heal, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty, Religion, History, Geography, Tactics (optional)), Perform, Profession, Ride, Sense Motive, Swim.
Weapon Proficiencies: All simple and martial weapons.
Armor Proficiencies: All armor and shields.
Alignment: Lawful Good for paladins, Neutral Good for knight benefactors and Chaotic Good for marshals of liberty.

{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|Minor Auras Known

1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+0|Aura of good, detect evil, smite evil 1/day|-|-|-|-|1

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+0|Divine grace, lay on hands|-|-|-|-|1

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+1|Aura of courage, divine health|-|-|-|-|2

4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+1|Turn undead|-|-|-|-|2

5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+1|Smite evil 2/day, special mount|-|-|-|-|3

6th|
+6|
+5|
+2|
+2|Remove disease 1/week, leadership|-|-|-|-|3

7th|
+7|
+5|
+2|
+2|-|-|-|-|-|4

8th|
+8|
+6|
+2|
+2|-|-|-|-|-|4

9th|
+9|
+6|
+3|
+3|Remove disease 2/week|1|-|-|-|5

10th|
+10|
+7|
+3|
+3|Smite evil 3/day|2|-|-|-|5

11th|
+11|
+7|
+3|
+3|-|2|1|-|-|5

12th|
+12|
+8|
+4|
+4|Remove disease 3/week|2|2|-|-|6

13th|
+13|
+8|
+4|
+4|-|3|2|1|-|6

14th|
+14|
+9|
+4|
+4|-|3|2|2|-|6

15th|
+15|
+9|
+5|
+5|Remove disease 4/week, smite evil 4/day|3|3|2|1|7

16th|
+16|
+10|
+5|
+5|-|3|3|2|2|7

17th|
+17|
+10|
+5|
+5|-|4|3|3|3|7

18th|
+18|
+11|
+6|
+6|Remove disease 5/week|4|4|3|3|7

19th|
+19|
+11|
+6|
+6|-|4|4|4|3|8

20th|
+20|
+12|
+6|
+6|Smite evil 5/day|4|4|4|4|8[/table]

Any consecrated knight of Lawful Good alignment is called a paladin, a Neutral Good would be called knight benefactor while a Chaotic Good would be called a marshal of liberty.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the consecrated knight.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Consecrated knights are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields.

Aura of Good (Ex): The power of a consecrated knight’s aura of good (see the detect good spell) is equal to her consecrated knight level.

Detect Evil (Sp): At will, a consecrated knight can use detect evil, as the spell. However, this is a full round action and involves some sort of ritual decided upon by the consecrated knight. Unlike the spell the consecrated knight can discern the extent of their suspect's evil, and whether or not they have recently committed an evil act and its nature.

Smite Evil (Su): Once per day, a consecrated knight 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 consecrated knight level. If the blessed horseman accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day.
At 5th level, and at every five levels thereafter, the consecrated knight may smite evil one additional time per day, as indicated on Table: The Consecrated Knight, to a maximum of five times per day at 20th level.

Auras (Ex): The consecrated knight exerts an effect on allies in her vicinity. She can learn to produce different effects, or auras, over the course of his career. The consecrated knight may project one minor aura at a time. She gains auras as a marshal equal to her consecrated knight levels.

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

Lay on Hands (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, a consecrated knight with a Charisma score of 12 or higher can heal wounds (her own or those of others) by touch. Each day she can heal a total number of hit points of damage equal to her consecrated knight level x her Charisma bonus. A consecrated knight may choose to divide her healing among multiple recipients, and she doesn’t have to use it all at once. Using lay on hands is a standard action.
Alternatively, a consecrated knight can use any or all of this healing 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 consecrated knight decides how many of her daily allotment of points to use as damage after successfully touching an undead creature.

Aura of Courage (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a consecrated knight is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects.
This ability functions while the consecrated knight is conscious, but not if she is unconscious or dead.

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

Turn Undead (Su): When a consecrated knight reaches 4th level, she gains the supernatural ability to turn 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 three levels lower would.

Holy Mount (Sp): Upon reaching 5th level, a consecrated knight may quest for a highly intelligent animal to serve as a mount. Typically this is a horse but other animals are allowed. While the word “quest” is used, a consecrated knight may simply meet his bonded mount on the way to greater quest or any other memorable event. Any such mount must have hit dice or Challenge Rating (DM's choice) equal to or less than that of the consecrated knight.
Appropriate mounts would include awakened animals such as horses, wolves, bears or rhinoceros. This is in addition to such creatures as pegasi, unicorns (with the proper feats), griffons, some dragons (see unicorns) and flumphs.
Should the consecrated knight’s mount die, the consecrated knight must wait for one whole year to obtain a new mount. If the consecrated knight’s mount was killed due to incompetence, neglect or cowardice on the part of the consecrated knight, he must wait for ten years instead. If said mount dies because of abuse or deliberate neglect on the consecrated knight’s part, she can not receive a new mount, ever. In fact this may even cause irrevocable loss of consecrated knight status.

Leadership: Consecrated knights are more than warriors with minor divine gifts are, they are leaders and commanders. For this reason, consecrated knight automatically gain Leadership as a bonus feat at 6th level unless they already possess it. If they do they may take a social skill related feat or a fighter bonus feat.

Remove Disease (Sp): At 6th level, a consecrated knight can produce a remove disease effect, as the spell, once per week. She can use this ability one additional time per week for every three levels after 6th (twice per week at 9th, three times at 12th, and so forth).

Spells: Beginning at 9th level, a consecrated knight gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells, which are drawn from the paladin spell list. A consecrated knight need not choose and prepare her spells in advance.
To prepare or cast a spell, a consecrated knight must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a consecrated knight’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the consecrated knight’s Wisdom modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a consecrated knight can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Consecrated Knight. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score. The consecrated knight does not have access to any domain spells or granted powers, as a cleric does.
Through 8th level, a consecrated knight has no caster level. At 9th level and higher, her caster level is equal to her consecrated knight level minus eight.

Code of Conduct: A consecrated knight must be of good alignment and loses all class abilities if she ever willingly commits an evil act.
Additionally, a consecrated knight’s code requires that she act with honor (not lying or not cheating for personal gain, not using poison, and so forth), help those in need, and punish those who harm or threaten innocents. Also a consecrated knight may flee from battle only if her charges are safely retreating themselves. She may drink alcoholic beverages and gamble if such activities are permitted by her religion, provided that she doesn’t drink or gamble to excess.

Associates: While she may adventure with characters of any good or neutral alignment, a consecrated knight will never knowingly associate with evil characters, nor will she continue an association with someone who consistently offends her moral code. A consecrated knight may accept only henchmen, followers, or cohorts who are the same alignment. Note: straitjacketing an evilly aligned character or otherwise preventing him from causing harm out side of battle is not an association. You're not his friend, pal, buddy or partner. You're his warden. Act like it.

Ex-Consecrated knights
A consecrated knight who ceases to be good, who willfully commits an evil act, or who grossly violates the code of conduct loses all consecrated knight spells and abilities (including the service of the paladin’s mount, but not weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies or marshal abilities and leadership). She may not progress any farther in levels as a consecrated knight. She regains her abilities and advancement potential if she atones for her violations (see the atonement spell description), as appropriate.
Like a member of any other class, a consecrated knight may be a multiclass character.

Duke Malagigi
2007-05-21, 08:19 PM
Please comment on this class.

Duke Malagigi
2007-05-21, 08:30 PM
And just to let you know what these place names mean and what language they come from.

Royaume Vert - Emerald Kingdom - French
Felsen Haupt - Rock Home - German
Weiße Gebirgsrepublik - White Mountain Republic - German (Swiss)
Tir Saoirse - Free Land - Irish

Quellian-dyrae
2007-05-22, 12:23 AM
Well, as I said before, I'm not a big fan of partial spellcasting, but I must say, I do like using the warmage-esque style for paladins. Actually, implementing that rule across the board for paladins, rangers, hexblades, and similar characters would make their casting an actually worthwhile class feature, especially if combined with the Unearthed Arcana spell point system. I'd say, use that mechanic, but leave the usual spell progression.

I'm not sure that they'd get much effect from major auras as it stands, due to the halved level. Maybe use full level but have half the auras known? Or alternately, just use minor auras, since the paladin will probably have quite the respectable Cha modifier.

And I would strongly advise taking out the 10% tithe. The paladin's code may be a hassle at times, but at least it isn't actually weakening the character statistically. A loss of 10% of your magic items does. If you do want to leave it in, add some more abilities. Paladins are an underpowered class as is, and they're an underpowered fighting class, which is double the hindrance compared to casters. I like the adjustments you made, I'd just suggest adding to them.

Duke Malagigi
2007-05-22, 01:27 AM
Well, as I said before, I'm not a big fan of partial spellcasting, but I must say, I do like using the warmage-esque style for paladins. Actually, implementing that rule across the board for paladins, rangers, hexblades, and similar characters would make their casting an actually worthwhile class feature, especially if combined with the Unearthed Arcana spell point system. I'd say, use that mechanic, but leave the usual spell progression.

Thank you.


I'm not sure that they'd get much effect from major auras as it stands, due to the halved level. Maybe use full level but have half the auras known? Or alternately, just use minor auras, since the paladin will probably have quite the respectable Cha modifier.

I might just a full progression for minor auras any way.


And I would strongly advise taking out the 10% tithe. The paladin's code may be a hassle at times, but at least it isn't actually weakening the character statistically. A loss of 10% of your magic items does. If you do want to leave it in, add some more abilities. Paladins are an underpowered class as is, and they're an underpowered fighting class, which is double the hindrance compared to casters. I like the adjustments you made, I'd just suggest adding to them.

Changed that one. Thank you for the help.

Duke Malagigi
2007-05-23, 03:28 PM
Does any one else have any comments or suggestions? If so please say so.

Matthew
2007-05-24, 08:53 PM
I would be inclined to grant Full Saving Throws to the Paladin [Consecrated Knight]. Otherwise, this seems okay, though not exactly ground breaking.

[Edit]
Right, found what you were asking about. Yeah, in this context, I mean granting the Consecrated Knight the same Saving Throws as the Monk.