"Greenpeace" Paladin: help me flesh this out?

[Von Zinzer]

Fifteen years ago I gave some money to Greenpeace and they've been spamming me ever since. But it got me thinking: what about building a character to go to war for the natural world?

I’m thinking there’s got to be some Nature-oriented (Pathfinder) deity who goes beyond the druid’s preservation of nature through growth and the ranger’s defense against invaders. A crusader, one who prosecutes the cause of Nature in the broader world, fighting against urban sprawl, strip mining, pollution, and necromancy as things against the Natural Order. One who obeys the Law of the Jungle. One who is sworn to the Good of the Planet. One who goes into dens of iniquity (read: cities) and roughs things up in the name of the trees. That Greenpeace boat out storming oil rigs, if you will.

I feel like this attitude potentially sets up a bunch of synergies and conflicts—constructs are probably anathema, forged weapons distasteful—for some meaty RP.

Basically, “The expansion of civilization ends here!”

Thoughts? Build ideas? I didn’t really get past Paladin with a dip in Oracle (Nature)…

[Draconium]

Why not just a straight Druid?

No, hear me out. Druids are about nature. As such, I'd imagine that some of them despise civilization, seeing it as a plague upon the earth. For a humorous example, Leeky Windstaff (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0344.html) from OotS seems hellbent on destroying the city in the name of nature. Even if you were a Good one, that doesn't mean you find it tasteful.

You can dip into Paladin and Oracle as well, but all in all, I feel like a Druid fluffed as sort of a nature Paladin is simple and your best bet.

Or is there some other reason you want to use other classes? Because this whole point I've been making is moot if you just don't like Druids.

[Von Zinzer]

Or is there some other reason you want to use other classes? Because this whole point I've been making is moot if you just don't like Druids.

No, nothing against druids :smallsmile:. I'm just playing an Oracle (Flame) in one campaign and an Oradin in another at the moment so that's where my head's at. Browsing Mysteries I came across the Oracle (Nature) - Nature's Whispers (CHA to AC) and thought, hey, a Paladin uses CHA as well... that dip potentially makes AC and saves kind of outrageous and keeps things from being MAD.

To an extent the requirement that a Druid be Neutral is not my favourite thing, but I have no doubt the GM would waive that if I wanted.

I'm just looking for input, really. And ideas on how to balance "Civilization?! Burn it down!" with "Negotiating sustainable development with colonists." because I think both are kind of hilarious in the context of a PF fantasy world. So I wouldn't mind a character who isn't just the party face based on my RP but has the stats to back it up.

...plus the probability of the Oracle (Flame) biting the big one in the next few sessions is, shall we say, non-zero :smalleek: