Paladins of Discovery

[Palanan]

Say that a paladin is specifically devoted to the principle of discovery—meaning exploration, distant voyages, finding hidden realms, new wonders and new knowledge.

What class features would be appropriate for this paladin variant?

[Cosi]

Being a Cleric.

"Paladin" isn't "anyone who is devoted to a thing". The base Paladin's mechanical identity is less about being Good than it is about fighting Evil. Generic devotion to an ideal is a Cleric trait.

[Silly Name]

This seems more in line with how 5e does Paladins.

Paladin variants tend to be more focused on a differently-aligned Paladin, or substitution levels for those devoted to a specific deity.

In any case, nothing of what you say gives me an idea for a mechanically different Paladin. They'd still be a Lawful Good knight in shining armour devoted to fighting Evil, and their class features wouldn't need to change to reflect an interest for discovering new things.

[hamishspence]

The base Paladin's mechanical identity is less about being Good than it is about fighting Evil. Generic devotion to an ideal is a Cleric trait.


Or, it's "fighter with a side order of divine power" which is what the other three paladin variants in Unearthed Arcana, and all the paladin variants in Dragon Magazine, have in common with the PHB paladin.

4e took paladins in that direction even more - but the basic idea might be worth back-porting to 3e.


I could easily see a "paladin devoted to the Deity of Discovery".

[Florian]

You mean the Ranger?

[hamishspence]

A ranger's schtick isn't Discovery, it's "Nature, and fighting Favoured Enemies".

[Goaty14]

A ranger's schtick isn't Discovery

Which happens in a natural setting :smallconfused:

[Cosi]

Or, it's "fighter with a side order of divine power" which is what the other three paladin variants in Unearthed Arcana, and all the paladin variants in Dragon Magazine, have in common with the PHB paladin.

The variant Paladins are most just "what if you were a different type of good while killing evil" or "what if you were evil while killing good".

The signature ability of the Paladin is Smite. What are you supposed to be smiting in the name of Discovery? People who underfund research institutions? Governments that don't send out exploratory missions in search of new lands? Whatever random crap you happen to fight while discovering things?

[hamishspence]

People devoted to secrecy and covering knowledge up - Vecna worshippers?

Enemies of the "God of Discovery"?

[Buddy76]

You could use some prcs as inspiration. Horizon Walker (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/prestigeClasses/horizonWalker.htm) is an obvious one. Planar Handbook has a prc called Ardent Dilettante and Manual of the Planes has the Gatecrasher and Planeshifter prcs. Mix and match features of those classes and you'd end up with a discovery/exploration paladin variant.

[Ruethgar]

You could use some prcs as inspiration.(Good stuff)

There is also the Jaunter class if you wanted a bit more of a Dex focus with your exploration.

[Zaq]

The variant Paladins are most just "what if you were a different type of good while killing evil" or "what if you were evil while killing good".

The signature ability of the Paladin is Smite. What are you supposed to be smiting in the name of Discovery? People who underfund research institutions? Governments that don't send out exploratory missions in search of new lands? Whatever random crap you happen to fight while discovering things?

Eh, that's debatable. I think that the mount is just as iconic a signature ability as SE is. Arguably Lay on Hands, as well. If you're actually playing a Pally with enough levels to have the relevant features, I honestly think that LoH and your magic smart horse are likely to have a greater effect on your party's success or failure than the occasional Smite is. And of course there's always the obnoxious Detect Evil spam.

Admittedly, the fact that Smite really is just that bad probably colors my judgment a bit. I also tend to forget that Rangers have Favored Enemy. Seriously, WotC, would it really have been overpowered to make Smites per encounter? Really? I know I'm shouting into the void and raging against archaic design principles whose upgraded replacements just hadn't been popularized yet, but still.

[ShurikVch]

Well, Yondalla (https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Yondalla#3e), Shaundakul (https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Shaundakul), Marthammor Duin (https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Marthammor_Duin#3e), Dumathoin (https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Dumathoin#3e), and Dugmaren Brightmantle (https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Dugmaren_Brightmantle#3e) are all get "Explorers" or "Exploration" as part of their portfolios
Yondalla is LG - classical Paladin alignment
Marthammor Duin is NG - thus, OK for Paladins too
Dugmaren Brightmantle is CG - see the Paladin of Freedom (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#paladinVariantsFreedom SlaughterAndTyranny)
Dragon #310 gives bunch of alternately-aligned Paladins:
Anarch (CN) - perfectly fits for Shaundakul, also OK for Dumathion
Avenger (CG) - once again, Dugmaren Brightmantle; Shaundakul and Marthammor Duin are OK too
Sentinel (NG) - perfectly fits for Marthammor Duin, Yondalla and Dugmaren Brightmantle are OK too
Incarnate (N) - perfectly fits for Dumathion; Shaundakul and Marthammor Duin are OK too
Enforcer (LN) - may work for Dumathion

Hilariously, Shaundakul and Dumathion are - technically - also OK for some "Evil Paladins":
Shaundakul - for Paladin of Slaughter (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#paladinVariantsFreedom SlaughterAndTyranny) and Anti-Paladin (CE, Dragon #312)
Dumathion - for Corrupter (NE, Dragon #312)


"Discovery" by itself is a part of portfolios for aforementioned Dugmaren Brightmantle, and the Becoming God (https://eberron-hok.obsidianportal.com/wikis/the-becoming-god) from Eberron - which is, being N, perfect for Incarnate, and also OK for Sentinel, Enforcer, Anarch, and Corrupter



The signature ability of the Paladin is Smite.Well, Half-Orc Paladin (Races of Destiny) don't Smite anything - as well as Holy Judge (Champions of Valor) and Hunter of Fiends (Dragon #349)