Do paladin's need to be in an order?

[paladinofshojo]

I can't help but notice that they're hints of paladins outside of the Saphire Guard. I also noticed that Soon Kim was a paladin way before he started the Saphire Guard. I also noticed that there were other paladins in Xykon's "teevo" besides Miko who didn't dress in orthodox saphire guard attire. It also appeared that these paladins weren't from Azure city, so they don't tap their powers from the 12 gods. I think that it's becuase they can tap into the divine power of their "regional" gods like Thor. Anyway, just a quick question, do you need to be in a lawful good military order to be a paladin or can you just be a freestyle adventurer and not have any hinderences of class abilities.

[Green Bean]

Nope. Paladinhood is a calling; no special military order needed. Of course, depending on Rich's setting, Paladins can simply be chosen by the gods, or it is something that can be achieved through training and discipline. Neither way requires you to join an order.

[Thanatos 51-50]

Nope, they just have to take a level in Paladin, preferably after taking a level in a miuch easier starting class, like fighter or ranger...

[chibibar]

military order? no... do paladins eventually form an order? (group together) yes.. (but I remember in 2nd ed you can't have more than 3 paladin in a party heeh)

Paladin's life is hard and very discipline. You have to be in order to maintain LG and never commit evil act. (it only takes one) Military training is nice (for background purpose) your GM might give you some extra gear since you have access to better gear in military (depending on your rank) etc etc.....

Generally it is a role-playing thing considering that your party may or may not be a military squad to start out.

[Lavidor]

You don't. But it helps.

[Regneva]

Well paladins are lawful good. In order to be lawful, I think one needs belong to an organization or a governing body that has laws at least?

[Thanatos 51-50]

Well paladins are lawful good. In order to be lawful, I think one needs belong to an organization or a governing body that has laws at least?

Nope, Lawful implies Order, not adhering to an actual law.
Lawful is an unfortunate misnomer.

[Gundato]

Hell, didn't 3.5e add the idea of "You can be a Paladin of a Concept/Ideal" that even took out the deity requirement? My group rarely ever plays Paladins (the only guy who likes them prefers the LE variant), but I recall hearing some crap like that.

[Elderac]

Paladins do not need to belong to an order, but, as someone noted above, it helps.

Traditionally, paladins are LG. However, there was an article in Dragon magazine that provided alternate paladins for other alignments (Although, IIRC they were called by another name for each alignment. Nevertheless, they had paladinlike features.).

I have seen hints that the 4e paladin won't have to be LG, but whether that is rumor, wishful thinking, or will even make it into the PH, I could only guess.

[boomwolf]

a paladin doesn't NEED an order (at least with the basic ruleset) but is highly likely to join/form one.

[Elandegenerate]

a paladin is warrior of GOOD and LAW. The reason he looses his powers for commiting a small evil act, whether or not he has a deity, i belive is more to the point of the essence and entire being of the planes of good no longer wish to freely grant their powers through a "funnel" into the mortal realm, should that funnel be impure.

Think about goodness and evil being liquid. for one with a diety, he usually cannot make an opposed ailinment act because he has a god to give him the elixer,which is normally given freely and without thought. But if that elixer is sucked away greedily and spit out for the purpose the diety opposes, then the elixer is take away.

But for one who is given power by funneling the essence of goodness, that power directly flows into them, they are the vessel in which the elixer is stored. Should the vessel become tainted, then like any liquid, the taint will mix in with the elixer, lets see you pour your drink in a dirty cup and then drink freely and pass it to your friends. The forces of darkness would love nothing more than to taint the very source of the power of light, when the vessel is tainted, the elixer is poured no longer and drained before it can become tainted. so is why a paladin is oh so a target of the forces of evil, not just because they'd love nothing more than to corrupt a former champion of good, but because that champion has been drained of such power, and yerns to be full again, even if it is a disgusting mockery of his former power.


that is at least one way to look at it, so no a pally need not be in an order, as for law, he just needs to respect LEGITAMATE athourity

*spelling errors ftw*

[K2]

Its all about house rules.
I DMed a gamed a while back that took place in a religious tolerant country. Well the party are traveling through the country side and hind a small town built around an evil church. These people were not hurting anyone, just slowly and methodically converting anyone they could find. Even so our Pally decided that only one thing could be done. While the town was celebrating its evil faith he walked in and killed every one in the church, then took a dump on the alter. I had no idea how to handle that, because his reasoning was that they were evil and therefor had to die. And he kept arguing that even after he was arrested. But once he began that the government was evil for defending that church, well then I was able to kill him(using the town guard no less).

The point is, that after that for every game I DMed I built a few pally orders in case some one wanted to play. All of these orders forbade public deification.

[the_tick_rules]

they don't have to be, but they form order from time to time to keep each other pure and to do more goodness.

[Yoritomo Himeko]

Its all about house rules.
While the town was celebrating its evil faith he walked in and killed every one in the church, then took a dump on the altar.

What the? :smalleek: Isn't that against the Paladin code? Especially the altar part. :smallyuk:

[Guildorn Tanaleth]

The point is, that after that for every game I DMed I built a few pally orders in case some one wanted to play. All of these orders forbade public deification.

Surely you mean public defecation. Making someone into a god out in the open could only help that god to garner more attention & converts.