How could I make a spiked chain wielding human ex-paladin/blackguard?

[danielxcutter]

Well, the title says most of it. I'm trying to make a human Paladin who uses a spiked chain before Falling, and later becomes a Blackguard through the temptation usage of the atonement spell. No usage of paladin variants such as the tyranny one - LG paladin falling to evil is what I'm speaking about. Since you can only trade a maximum of 10 paladin levels(the paladin in question is near-epic), maybe leveling the rest of the way as the Bone Knight PrC could work since they also get ex-paladin benefits, but if straight up Blackguard or levels in other PrCs is better that's fine with me. Dips in one other base class(probably Fighter) is okay, but not more than that. All non-homebrew D&D 3.5 edition sources are fine, so knock yourselves out!

Edit: Changed the title just to make sure. I'm looking at you, Dire_Sturge. :smallannoyed:

[Inevitability]

Well, first you want to cast Minor Servitor on the spiked chain, followed by Awaken Construct. It should then be able to take levels in paladin and subsequently fall and become a blackguard.

[danielxcutter]

Well, first you want to cast Minor Servitor on the spiked chain, followed by Awaken Construct. It should then be able to take levels in paladin and subsequently fall and become a blackguard.

:smallannoyed: Are you even halfway serious or are you just trolling?

[Name1]

:smallannoyed: Are you even halfway serious or are you just trolling?

I'd say "halfway serious", since he knows that Awaken Construct "awakens a humanoid-shaped construct to humanlike sentience", which a spiked chain just isn't. Minor Servitor can be a worthwhile spell to have cast on it.

[Eldariel]

I'd say "halfway serious", since he knows that Awaken Construct "awakens a humanoid-shaped construct to humanlike sentience", which a spiked chain just isn't. Minor Servitor can be a worthwhile spell to have cast on it.

You can easily bypass that little detail by using Polymorph Any Object a couple of times. You should Maximize the Awaken Construct for those sweet 18 Int/Wis/Cha, btw. And Empower it for a bit more. Sweet, sweet synth mental stats.

[Inevitability]

:smallannoyed: Are you even halfway serious or are you just trolling?

It was a joke. I'm sorry. :smallredface:

[Extra Anchovies]

@OP: Three levels of Knight (for Bulwark of Defense) and/or two levels of Crusader anytime after 6th level (for Thicket of Blades) would work nicely with the reach weapon. A positive Dexterity modifier along with Combat Reflexes and Stand Still (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#standStill) lets you lock enemies in place pretty nicely.

Size increases are also nice for reach builds. Maximum cheese is to play a venerable (great wyrm) dragonwrought kobold and become Colossal at 4 HD as per the advanced dragon rules in Draconomicon; they apply to any dragon with the draconic age categories - which happens to include Dragonwrought Kobolds!


Well, first you want to cast Minor Servitor on the spiked chain, followed by Awaken Construct. It should then be able to take levels in paladin and subsequently fall and become a blackguard.

Oh man, now I want to play as a Chain Golem (http://www.fantasylands.net/varie-cose/ChainGolem.jpg).

[danielxcutter]

@OP: Three levels of Knight (for Bulwark of Defense) and/or two levels of Crusader anytime after 6th level (for Thicket of Blades) would work nicely with the reach weapon. A positive Dexterity modifier along with Combat Reflexes and Stand Still (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#standStill) lets you lock enemies in place pretty nicely.

Size increases are also nice for reach builds. Maximum cheese is to play a venerable (great wyrm) dragonwrought kobold and become Colossal at 4 HD as per the advanced dragon rules in Draconomicon; they apply to any dragon with the draconic age categories - which happens to include Dragonwrought Kobolds!



Oh man, now I want to play as a Chain Golem (http://www.fantasylands.net/varie-cose/ChainGolem.jpg).

Finally, someone who's actually answering my questions properly. :smallcool:

[danielxcutter]

Just in case: would a spiked-chain-wielding near-epic-level paladin be good at fighting large amounts of mooks solo? One of the factors leading to the paladin Falling is wiping out a small rakshasa village/warcamp(with help from the PCs, who think that they're just going to fight bandits and are horrified when they see the paladin has also slaughtered non-combatants), and rakshasa's are treated as having seven levels in sorcerer by default. I think the answer would be yes since most of the rakshasas won't have any meaningful levels besides their LA, and a tripping build would be useful in making sure they can't run, but I'm nowhere near an expert and I'm homeruling that spiked chains don't get the two-handed Power Attack bonus so... would it?

[dantiesilva]

I made a vampire a long time ago named Angelis who fit this almost on point. I started him off as a paladin who took a few levels in rogue (with the appropriate feats of course) followed by taking the Shadowbane inquisitor class. At the time the book was rather new so it worked really well. I ended up taking all 10 levels of Shadowbane inquisitor (which advances as if you were a paladin to some extent and you don't lose any abilities from falling. In comes a vampire biting him and turning him making him evil. He falls into a blackguard. Because the DM read the shadowbane inquisitor working with the paladin levels for a blackguard I traded in all paladin levels into blackguard and ended up a rogue/Shadowbane inquisitor/Blackguard with all the abilities of a level 10 fallen paladin, on top of everything else. It was a fun build if you are interested in looking at it. Not externally powerful but fun for modest play,