Paladin wanting to go evil

[Charles8387]

It's my first time doing this table top and instinctively chose paladin, however it does not suit my attitude and am looking to fall and go more the direction of a bone knight...my dm is super lax on this campaign for my sake but was looking for some insight or direction. Im a dwarf and already have exotic weapon at 3 because i really want to use a big scythe :)

[Âmesang]

I thought scythes were martial? Or is there an even bigger scythe out there?! :smalleek:

It's cliché, but you could always pick up Power Attack, Cleave, Improved Sunder, 5 ranks in Hide, and 2 ranks in Knowledge (religion) to help you along your way to become a blackguard (since ex-paladin blackguards tend to receive extra benefits).

If in doing so you become powerful enough to have a skeletal minion see if your referee will let you have an astral deva skeleton—if I remember correctly the only limitation was that the minion had to be Medium in size; it won't fly, but damned if it won't look cool. :smallcool:

[Charles8387]

So blackguard over bone knight you think? I just liked the idea of bone weapons And armor

[Coidzor]

Bone Knight is better if you don't fall.

If you actively intend to fall, then Blackguard is tailor made for you to take at least some levels.

[Âmesang]

Ah, I forgot to add that blackguards and other classes with the fiendish servant class feature can take the Nightmare Steed feat to get… a nightmare steed. :smalltongue: It'll act as your fiendish servant with all of the bells and whistles.

[Andezzar]

Bone Knight is better if you don't fall.Bone Knight is better still, if you start with cleric ;)


If you actively intend to fall, then Blackguard is tailor made for you to take at least some levels.Hmm getting all blackguard levels at level 10 is also tempting.

@Âmesang: Where is that feat from?

[Tiri]

I think it's from Polyhedron and also included in Dungeon Magazine. Issue 159 of Polyhedron and 100 of Dungeon.

[Flickerdart]

You have a couple of options as a paladin taking a dive in the deep end of the alignment pool. You can ask your DM if you can retrain to this paladin variant (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#paladinVariantsFreedom SlaughterAndTyranny). It is the least disruptive change to your build - your HP, weapon proficiencies, and whatnot will all stay the same. The same stats are important - paladins of tyranny cast from (nearly) the same spell list with Wisdom, use Charisma for their divine grace, and so on.

Blackguard is not very good. But the level conversion ability is. If your campaign lasts until level 11 (when you can become a paladin 1/blackguard 10), you will be in the fairly enviable position of having 4th level spells and full BAB. Thereafter, a dive into nar demonbinder allows you to extend your spell progression to 8th level, and get a bunch of sweet minions.

[The Viscount]

If you plan on entering blackguard through paladin, I would suggest some levels in Shadowbane Inquisitor. Entry can be done via straight paladin (and a 1 level dip in some sneak attack class) and gives you some nice benefits like free sunder, a nicer skill list, and the ability to stack with paladin levels for determining blackguard bonuses.