Paladin Redone

[Setra]

Forgive me.. This is my first time trying to do something like this, it just seemed like something fun to do, to pass the time.

Tell me what you think.

Paladin
Alignment: Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral, Lawful Evil
Hit Die: d10
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: 4 + Int Modifier
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|1st|2nd|3rd|4th

1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+2|Smite 1/day, Aura|-|-

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+3|Divine Grace, Lay on Hands|-|-|-

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+3|Aura of Courage, Divine Health|-|-|-|-

4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+4|Turn /Rebuke Undead|0|-|-|-|-

5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+4|Zealous Charge 1/day, Special Mount, Smite 2/day|0|-|-|-|-|-

6th|
+6/+1|
+5|
+2|
+5|Inflict/Remove Impurity 1/day|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

7th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+2|
+5||1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

8th|
+8/+3|
+6|
+2|
+6|Improved Turning/Rebuke, Greater Smiting|1|0|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

9th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+3|
+6|Inflict/Remove Impurity 2/day, Greater Divine Grace|1|0|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

10th|
+10/+5|
+7|
+3|
+7|Zealous Charge 2/day, Improved Lay on Hands, Smite 3/day|1|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

11th|
+11/+6/+1|
+7|
+3|
+7||1|1|0|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

12th|
+12/+7/+2|
+8|
+4|
+8|Inflict/Remove Impurity 3/day|1|1|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

13th|
+13/+8/+3|
+8|
+4|
+8||1|1|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

14th|
+14/+9/+4|
+9|
+4|
+9|Bonus Feat|2|1|1|0|-|-|-|-|-|-

15th|
+15/+10/+5|
+9|
+5|
+9|Inflict/Remove Impurity 4/day, Zealous Charge 3/day, Smite 3/day|2|1|1|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

16th|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+10|
+5|
+10||2|2|1|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

17th|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+10|Superb Divine Grace|2|2|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

18th|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+6|
+11|Inflict/Remove Impurity 5/day|3|2|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

19th|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+11|Superb Lay on Hands|3|3|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-

20th|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+6|
+12|Zealous Charge 4/day, Smite 5/day, As One With The Gods|3|3|3|3|-|-|-|-|-|-[/table]
Abilities
Smite (Su): First, depending on your alignment (and principle you uphold), you may Smite either Evil, Chaos, or Good as a melee attack. You add your Charisma bonus (if any) to your attack roll and deal 1 extra point of damage per paladin level. If you accidentally smite a creature that is not opposite to your principle, the smite has no effect, however the ability is not used up for that day.

At 5th level, and at every five levels thereafter, you may smite one additional time per day, as indicated on Table: The Paladin, to a maximum of five times per day at 20th level.

Aura (Ex): A paladin has an aura of either Good, Law, or Evil. The power of a paladin’s aura (see the detect good/evil/law spells) is equal to your paladin level.

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 (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, a paladin 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 paladin level x her Charisma bonus. A paladin 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 paladin 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 paladin decides how many of her daily allotment of points to use as damage after successfully touching an undead creature.

However, a Paladin upholding evil, instead of healing her own wounds, can inflict damage instead. A Paladin upholding Law, may choose to heal or hurt. This damage heals undead.

Aura of Courage (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a paladin 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 paladin is conscious, but not if she is unconscious or dead.

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

Turn Undead (Su):When a paladin upholding good 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.

Or

Rebuke Undead (Su): When a Paladin upholding good reaches 4th level, she gains the supernatural ability to rebuke undead. She may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her charisma modifier. She rebukes undead as a cleric of three levels lower would.

A Paladin upholding law may choose.

Special Mount (Sp): Upon reaching 5th level, a paladin gains the service of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed to serve her in her crusade against evil, chaos, or good (see below). 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 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.

Zealous Charge (Su): Starting at 5th level, a Paladin may attempt a Zealous Charge. A Zealous Charge acts, initially, as a standard charge. However first, the Paladin may attempt to make a grapple check, to shove people out of her way. Second, the charge allows not only for a Full Attack Action, the user may also Bull Rush, or attempt to disarm the opponent (As if they had the Improved Feats).

If this attack is used on a non-evil/chaotic/good person (Depending on your alignment), or one not commiting an evil act, the Paladin must make a DC 10+Wis Modifier+Level of Zealous Charge (As in Uses Per Day) Fortitude check, or become Fatigued.

Every Five Levels, a Paladin gains the ability to use this attack once more per day.

Remove Impurity (Sp): At 6th level, a paladin upholding good can produce a remove disease, or curse, effect, as the spells, once per day. She can use this ability one additional time per day for every three levels after 6th (twice per day at 9th, three times at 12th, and so forth).

Or

Inflict Impurity (Sp): At 6th level, a Paladin upholding evil can produce a Contagion, or Bestow Curse, effect, as the spells, once per day. She can use this ability one additional time per day for every three levels after 6th (twice per day at 9th, three times at 12th, and so forth).

Improved Turning (Su): The Paladin may Turn Undead as if they were one level higher.

Or

Improved Rebuke (Su): The Paladin may rebuke undead as if they were one level higher.

Greater Smiting (Su): The Paladin can now treat their weapon as a Good, Lawful, or Evil weapon, for the purposes of Damage Reduction.

Greater Divine Grace (Su): The Paladin may choose one save (Ref, Fort, or Will), and double the already applied Cha bonus to that save.

Improved Lay on Hands (Su): The Paladin may now double her charisma bonus when using Lay on Hands.

Superb Divine Grace (Su): The Paladin now Doubles her Charisma bonus to saves.

Superb Lay on Hands (Su): The Paladin may now Triple her Charisma bonus when using Lay on Hands.

As One with the Gods (Su): The Paladin is such a heavenly knight, she is granted the form of a Half-Celestial.

Or

As One with the Gods (Su): The Paladin is such a demonic knight, she is granted the form of a Half-Fiend

Still working on a Lawful Paladin...


So, how badly did I screw up :smalltongue:

[Call Me Siggy]

Looks good...very strong, but I like it. Three problems:

-Smite Evil...Half your level rounded up or down? It also seems a little weak compared to other abilities, especially at early levels where you won't have much with DR.

-You forgot to put flight speed for Angelic Wings. I would also recommend removing this, as half-celestial already gives wings. Maybe replace it with Nimbus of Light (From Book of Exalted Deeds) as a bonus feat, and Holy Radiance if the Paladin already has Nimbus of Light. If it has both, then maybe just give it a bonus feat...possibly restrict that to only things involving Smite Evil and Turn Undead.

-That capstone ability seems a little overpowered...at level 20, it becomes ECL 24. However, I think that it does actually fit well..but perhaps not such a strong template. I would recommend on of two things here:

1)Book of Exalted Deeds again. There's a nice template called Saint there that might work.

2)Look at the Prestige Class Divine Crusader, in Complete Divine. Consider making the capstone ability something like that.

And...other than what's already been said, I like it. Might use it when people help you fix it up a bit.

[Logic]

1)Book of Exalted Deeds again. There's a nice template called Saint there that might work.
Unfortunately, the Saint Template is overpowered.
And it takes away from the role-playing aspect if every Paladin is saintly.

[Call Me Siggy]

Unfortunately, the Saint Template is overpowered.
And it takes away from the role-playing aspect if every Paladin is saintly.

Hmm. You have a point. So...maybe go with the second idea? :p

[Setra]

Looks good...very strong, but I like it. Three problems:

-Smite Evil...Half your level rounded up or down? It also seems a little weak compared to other abilities, especially at early levels where you won't have much with DR.Rounded down, but it's still +1 at first level.

But it will still be useful at later levels.. Maybe.. sorta.


-You forgot to put flight speed for Angelic Wings. I would also recommend removing this, as half-celestial already gives wings. Maybe replace it with Nimbus of Light (From Book of Exalted Deeds) as a bonus feat, and Holy Radiance if the Paladin already has Nimbus of Light. If it has both, then maybe just give it a bonus feat...possibly restrict that to only things involving Smite Evil and Turn Undead. Whoops.. Eh, my original thought was kind of like "Why not let him fly before level 20".

Maybe I'll just replace it with a bonus feat.


-That capstone ability seems a little overpowered...at level 20, it becomes ECL 24. However, I think that it does actually fit well..but perhaps not such a strong template. I would recommend on of two things here:

1)Book of Exalted Deeds again. There's a nice template called Saint there that might work.

2)Look at the Prestige Class Divine Crusader, in Complete Divine. Consider making the capstone ability something like that.

And...other than what's already been said, I like it. Might use it when people help you fix it up a bit.
Can't be more overpowered than a Wizard, Druid, or Cleric. Mostly I was trying to make the Paladin as good as a Cleric, giving him LA+4 seemed like a good idea :smalltongue:

Maybe I should condense it into some sort of Prestige Class for the Paladin.

[Triaxx]

Nah, I like it. It's a nice alternative to the standard paladin, plus only levels 7, and 13 are dead.

[Thexare Blademoon]

Neutral Good woo!

Call me crazy, but I never saw why they couldn't be NG before... CG's a stretch, and there's even an official variant for that, wtf!

It looks good, but what spell list does it have? The old Paladin list, Cleric, a new list entirely..?

[ZeroNumerous]

Alignment: Any Lawful.

I feel that fits better than X Good. After all, a Paladin choses to have a devote connection to with the divine, and will not renounce this connection for any but the strongest of reasons. As such, they adhere to a personal code. Thats lawful, not good.

Give it an ability at second level based on it's alignment, where if they're Good they can use Lay On Hands as written. If they're Evil, they instead channel Negative Energy with their Lay On Hands ability. If they're Neutral, then they choose which to channel.

The smite-to-damage was kept so that Paladins' smite actually mattered at first level. The new change kinda makes Paladin 1 a crappy choice at level 1. Also, if you used the above idea of allowing Paladins of various alignments then you could change this to Smite Good/Evil, based on their alignment. Neutral would get to choose.

The Aura of Good would become interchangeable if you used the Lawful idea instead of making it good. As would all the good-requirement abilities. I'd assume Neutrals would be given a choice.

[Setra]

Perhaps, I could change it so that..

A Lawful Neutral, instead of smiting Evil, Smites Chaos instead, because as a Neutral Party, why would he specificly aim one way or the other when it comes to smiting?

But it would be better to change it back to normal (ie. Times per day, with bonus attack, and damage)? Should I keep the DR?

Maybe something like..

Smite (su): As a Paladin, you can smite all those who oppose you. If you choose to uphold Good, you can Smite Evil, if you uphold Law, you Smite Chaos, if you Uphold Evil, you Smite Good.

A Smite is an attack that can be used a few times a day, when used on the appropriate target, you gain an attack bonus equal to your Charisma bonus (if any), and damage equivilant to your level. Your weapon is also attuned to your spirit, acting as Good, Evil, or Law (Depending on your Alignment), for the purposes of damage reduction.

Does that sound good?

[Triaxx]

Do the attack and damage bonuses stack? So if I SMITE a CE foe, with my LG paladin, do I do twice the additional damage?

[ZeroNumerous]

Oh ya.. Forgot about Smite Chaos. And why can't you keep the DR bypass as well as give it the extra damage? Just give it the "all weapons you wield count as X for purposes of damage reduction" clause at.. Say. Level eight? Thats reasonably when you fight something with DR.

And to answer Triaxx's question: Reading through the wording, I believe it allows only one choice, saying that a LG Paladin upholds either Law or Good, not both. But that should be clarified.

[Setra]

Actually my initial idea was.. you choose your alignment, and that chooses what principle you uphold.

LG - Smite Evil
LN - Smite Chaos
LE - Smite Good

But, alright.. I'll change it a bit (And try to rework the wording)

Edit: What'd be a good template for a Lawful Neutral?

Maybe Half Dragon?