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View Full Version : Thinking about making a Paladin who really loves justice.



CrackedChair
2017-07-23, 07:35 PM
I gotten word about a fun character someone made that I wanted to try out...

They said they based their character around this one... http://fireemblem.wikia.com/wiki/Arthur_(Fates)

(Yeah, I know, another Fire Emblem Character.)

Judging from the description, his personality seems to fit Lawful Good, but I am not too keen on Lawful Good if people are going to assume I am there to police people at all times. Paladin players are notorious for that I think, even though my aim is to be more Good than Lawful.

How can I use such a character?

Honest Tiefling
2017-07-23, 08:29 PM
I haven't ever played a single game in the series (my knowledge is limited to osmosis via a certain webcomic...) but what if you played him as a joke character? I assume that's what he is. See if you can't take a luck-based feat or trait to reflect his awful luck.

And then play him in an evil group. His bad luck (and possible lack of common sense) prevents him from seeing what the party is actually doing as they just trick him into doing what they want. See how long it takes for such a character to catch on...Would also work with a more...Chaotic group.

Or if we take the line about listening to his heart or whatever it is, make him Neutral Good. He's going to goodify the group BY EXAMPLE. He'll smother you with goodness and kindness until you start being good (or at least less evil).

Lvl 2 Expert
2017-07-24, 03:00 PM
Justice is lawful good, almost per definition. It is to see done what's just, in a way that's right. If you base your character around the idea of really liking justice, It'll turn out an acceptable core paladin.

If you mean more something like vigilante justice, just speak to your GM if they'll allow a paladin that's not (really) LG. (If that's even a requirement in the system you're using.

Either way, I wouldn't worry too much about what it says on the characters sheet, just know what kind of character you want to play. The label will come to you when you put him in to action.

What you might worry about is putting mister justice in an evil group. You really have to be willing to make him a huge joke, because it will get very tiring for the rest to have to play around your character. It's really easy for a paladin player in such a group to play obstructively, to hinder stuff from happening rather than helping things along. And when that happens, well, let's just say evil parties have a way of dealing with such characters. Don't get mad if you get team killed.

CharonsHelper
2017-07-24, 03:24 PM
Sounds like a pretty standard Paladin to me.

Just don't play a Paladin as Lawful Stupid. Paladins won't work with truly evil people (outside of dire necessity) but they shouldn't try to hold others to their oath. It's their oath as a paladin, not a mandate to be a jerk.

A paladin can never lie. That doesn't mean that he can't keep his mouth shut when he knows the rogue is telling a fib. Just because he doesn't lie doesn't mean that he thinks that lying is evil, it's just what he does. But just because he doesn't lie doesn't mean he has to blab about where the rogue is hiding or about the group's secret plan to steal X powerful item from the evil king.

Do you know why paladins never lying is great? Because people believe them. If you're a noble and a group of super-powered adventurers shows up and tells you that the evil X is coming and you should come help, you're going to be suspicious. They're crazy powerful and an inherently destabilizing force.

If one of the adventurers is a paladin and tells you an evil is coming and he has zero interest in removing you from your position, you believe him. You mobilize and help him fight the evil. Win-win and no suspicion needed.

Just don't be a jerk paladin and try to hold others to your oath and don't be lawful stupid. Done.

Also - remember that paladins aren't both "lawful" and "good", they're "lawful good". A paladin doesn't have to uphold evil laws. He doesn't have to really care much about legal systems at all. A paladin is lawful good because he has an oath which he will not break. A CG ranger might bend his principles to get the job done for goodness. A paladin won't. He'll do it the hard way, because he knows that in the long run that'll get the best outcome because everyone will be able to trust him to always hold to his principles, even when the going gets rough.

Thrudd
2017-07-24, 03:40 PM
I assumed this meant a paladin that literally loves Justice- as in a personification/goddess called "Justice". Like "if you love justice so much, why don't you marry it?"
"Well joke's on you, that's exactly what I'm going to do."

Otherwise that is literally all paladins - fighting for justice is the definition of a paladin.