How would you RP a Gnome Conquest Paladin?

[CTurbo]

I know the ides of a Gnome(or Kobold) Conquest Paladin is silly, but if you were to attempt it, how would you pull it off?

[Unoriginal]

I know the ides of a Gnome(or Kobold) Conquest Paladin is silly, but if you were to attempt it, how would you pull it off?

I don't see how it's silly.

Rock gnomes often focus on their sciences and inventions without caring for the world outside, and forest gnomes know that safety often comes at the price of deception and taking the enemy's control away from them.


Even if we just take those two socio-cultural tendencies, it wouldn't be that outlandish to have an unethical sociopathic gnome who think "result at all cost, despotism = results, and if I am in charge I can do any project I want" rock gnome, or a "safety at all cost, one must preemptively prevent enemies from threatening oneself by threatening them first" forest gnome

[Corran]

I know the ides of a Gnome(or Kobold) Conquest Paladin is silly, but if you were to attempt it, how would you pull it off?
By talking to other players and making sure I have buy in from them with this idea. An unconventional character concept is only as good as the game world allows it to be, and that means the DM and the rest of the players.

[Nifft]

Fear, intimidation, terrorism, and turnip puns.

[Aett_Thorn]

Attacking an enemy with a hammer:

“You”
(Whomp)
“Will”
(Whomp)
“Be”
(Whomp)
“Creative!”
(Whomp)

[Unoriginal]

Also, a kobold would be even easier than a gnome.

Kobolds are already tyranny-is-great, everyone-must-do-what-they-have-to-do lawful evil.

If a kobold got enough capacity and drive to climb to the top without bending the knee, they will.

[Tetrasodium]

I know the ides of a Gnome(or Kobold) Conquest Paladin is silly, but if you were to attempt it, how would you pull it off?

much like the scary gangsta gnomes in the MHI series of books (https://www.goodreads.com/series/45313-monster-hunter-international). I think that in book 2 you meet a gnome one who goes by "G Gnome" specifically & maybe go to meet them the first time, but I think he visits the gnomes in a later book too.

[JakOfAllTirades]

I know the ides of a Gnome(or Kobold) Conquest Paladin is silly, but if you were to attempt it, how would you pull it off?

This is the ideal opportunity to roleplay an extreme "Napoleon Complex" and take it completely over the top. I mean... under the top.

[Nidgit]

I could imagine a Gnome Conquest Paladin as an Industrial Age baron, seeking to establish automatized production lines to streamline productivity.

[Slapstick]

Every good army needs good engineers. The Roman armies probably owe most of their success to their excellent engineering abilities. Being able to build a bridge anywhere, make traps, fortify your resting positions etc. is a marvellous addition to a group of any size.

There's a great variety of things a conquest gnome could bring to a party! Take the Keen Mind feat, and any schematic or contraption you've ever seen can be (re)made from memory! Who wouldn't like a collapsable ballista with an attached coverwall? Or a block & tackle suspended ready-to-assemble battering ram to knock down that wall! Be sure to read Xanathar's guide to tool proficiensies and pick up as many of them as you can and get creative.

I'd RP him as a "no obstacle can stand between me, my schematics, and my objective" kinda guy. Also, did you know that rivers can be diverted into dungeons!? All it takes is some creative gardening!

[CTurbo]

How do you get the enemies to take him seriously?

Obviously, race doesn't matter mechanically...

[Unoriginal]

How do you get the enemies to take him seriously?


Charisma, a sharp mind, and a sharper blade.

[Nifft]

How do you get the enemies to take him seriously?

Kill one of them as an example until the remaining enemies learn to take you seriously.

[Magzimum]

I know the ides of a Gnome(or Kobold) Conquest Paladin is silly, but if you were to attempt it, how would you pull it off?

Try to put Pinky and The Brain into one character, and you're done.

[JellyPooga]

Subtley.

While a Human or Half-Orc might take the "big beefy" approach towards intimidation, the small folk can't bring height or an impressive physique to the table. So instead, they can take the sly, subtle, insidious approach. The cruel demonstration, the insipid implication, the right word at the right time that worms its way into the mind and inspires true fear. Who would suspect the little guy? The very fact that he's not visually intimidating makes his being so all the more potent. It's not all about big displays of physical prowess, or towering over someone in a demonstration of power; Gnomes are smart, they can be sly, cunning. Use that. A Paladin has Power, but it's not physical; it's born from within, a supernatural force of will. The revelation of that power, when prefaced with a display of weakness carries that much more impact.

Consider Gandalf they Grey. To all intents and purposes he's a harmless old traveler, but when his true self comes through it's terrifying to behold. Use that same or similar dichotomy.

[Nidgit]

Alternatively, walk up to someone big and stab them to make a point. When everyone is bigger than you, everyone is a potent target for this.

[Aett_Thorn]

Alternatively, walk up to someone big and stab them to make a point. When everyone is bigger than you, everyone is a potent target for this.

A mace to the crotchal region gets people to pay attention to you pretty quickly I've found.