ShiningStarling
2019-03-03, 10:27 PM
So... the Paladin has been a pet peeve of mine for a long time. For one thing, an avatar of all things holy should be NG, should it not? and not having it be for other alignments is just silly. The Code of Conduct is a mess, always has been, PF only took 1 step towards improving that bit, though Mercies were a fine idea I suppose. All in all, I just find them to be a thematic mess with poorly realized fantasy far too narrow to be of any real use. I tried to fix the paladin before, but well... there's a reason its hidden in my sig rather than on display. Here's my new take, for keepsies this time, something I can be proud of.
The Paladin
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRP96hgjleG2OEu7M098vZBBjKcAyVPM LX3GA_xqBeAvQtrBDHj
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/22/e4/e5/22e4e5ddb51497fe29f06da27af7c6be.jpg
“Even if a tamed wolf makes a good sheepdog, he will never understand how the sheep feel....You are most fortunate. For having been, as you thought, a coward, and helpless to fight - you know what that is like. You know what bitterness that feeling breeds - you know in your own heart what kind of evil it brings. And so you are most fit to fight it where it occurs.”
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
:BAB +4
:Heal 5 ranks
:Must receive a Calling from a god
The Calling
Paladins must be chosen by a god. Typical paladins are chosen by a militant deity, one with War as a domain, but paladins of other deities are still common enough to note. When an individual proves worthy of being a Paladin, the god choosing so instills a feeling in the heart of the candidate, known as the Calling. This feeling is strongly associated with the Domain that deity thinks the person would best exemplify, protect, inspire, or otherwise be a positive influence upon. Occasionally gods will instill a particular destination in the heart of a paladin, telling them indirectly where they could do their deeds most effectively, but this is not a constant state of being for the Paladin, most times they are simply left to their own devices. The Calling can be ignored, and doing so for long enough may result in the god revoking it, resulting in a loss of all Paladin levels immediately, regainable only by returning to the god's favour.
Class Skills
The Paladin's class skills are any class skills they had for other classes before becoming a Paladin. Perception and Sense Motive are always class skills for the Paladin.
Skills Points at Each Level: 4 + int
Hit Dice: d10
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
1st
+1
+1
+1
+1
Divine Senses
2nd
+2
+2
+2
+2
Smite, Domain Power
3rd
+3
+3
+3
+3
Divine Grace, Divine Touch
4th
+4
+4
+4
+4
Divine Expulsion, Domain Devotion
5th
+5
+5
+5
+5
Divine Judgement
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Paladins are proficient in all simple weapons, all armor, and shields, but not tower shields. They are also proficient in their Deity's favored weapon.
Divine Senses: A Paladin's primary gift is an intuitive understanding of when something is off. Whenever the paladin is within 30 ft. of a creature (intelligent, possessed, etc.), object (intelligent, possessed, etc.), or area (Hallowed, Planar, etc.) of an alignment diametrically opposed to them (or one of the extremes if True Neutral), they are notified that something feels wrong. If they concentrate on finding the source, they can locate it in 1 minute, during which they can still perform other activities. A Paladin is also immediately notified of any direct servant (cleric, paladin, priest, or outsider) of an opposing Deity, or cleric or paladin of an opposed domain (e.g. a Protection Paladin would be notified of a Death Paladin, a Demon, or a Cleric with the Destruction Domain). In this case, no concentration is needed, this information is known instinctively and immediately.
Smite: At 2nd level, a Paladin gains the ability to Smite those who oppose them. The target of a smite must be a creature or object which is a threat to the paladin or a compatriot thereof. A Paladin may perform a Smite once per day per Paladin Level.
A smite takes a standard action to perform, and does not provoke attacks of opportunity. As part of the smite, the paladin makes an attack roll, adding their paladin level to hit. If the attack hits, it deals typeless, impossible to resist damage, and deals additional damage equal to their highest attribute modifier multiplied by their paladin level.
Domain Power: At 2nd level, the Paladin gains the granted power of the Domain that acts as their Calling. Use character level in place of Cleric level for any relevant calculations.
Divine Grace: At 3rd level, the Paladin gains a measure of divine assurance in their mission. A number of times per day equal to their Paladin level, they may reroll any d20 roll that affects them, and choose the most favorable result. (e.g. the Paladin may reroll their saving throw, an enemy's attack roll against them, their own attack roll, etc. so long as it is a roll related directly to the Paladin.) This ability requires no action, and may be used when it is not the Paladin's turn.
Divine Touch: At 3rd level, the Paladin's touch can cure those they come in contact with. So long as the Paladin feels it is the right course of action, any willing creature can be a valid target for this ability. A number of times per day equal to their paladin level, they may touch their target, and either remove any one condition not named below, or cure their character level's worth of Hit Points. If the Paladin expends their full daily allotment at once, they can cure a condition that is more extreme, like a curse, petrification, or other effect with limited conditions for curing. Using this ability is a Full Round Action that provokes attacks of opportunity.
Divine Expulsion: At 4th level, the Paladin's touch becomes anathemous to those opposed to them. A number opf times per day equal to their Paladin level, the Paladin may touch a creature meeting the criteria for immediate detection by their Divine Senses to make a special Bull Rush, using their Character level in place of their BAB, and all of their ability modifiers at once in place of their Strength modifier. On a failure, nothing happens, but on success, push the opponent 5ft. per point they succeed by, dealing 1d6 damage per 10 ft. traveled. This is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Alternatively, the Paladin may use their full daily allotment at once to touch a possessed creature and attempt an opposed Charisma check to cast out the opposing force.
Domain Devotion: At 4th level, the Paladin gains the Devotion feat for the domain associated with their Calling. They have a number of daily uses equal to their Paladin level.
Divine Judgement: At 5th level, the Paladin has proved their worth many times over, and are granted a lasting boon by their god. Any Smite that would ordinarily hit is instead a critical hit, and any Smite that would ordinarily miss instead hits normally. The Paladin gains or adds 60ft. of darkvision. Their Divine Senses extend to also encompass their entire line of sight. Lastly, they may use their Divine Grace to affect their allies as well, and any roll affected by the Paladin's Divine Grace also gains a +5 or a -5, at the Paladin's discretion.
So, what do you all think? I tried to make it useful to any non-caster class of any alignment, and I think I succeeded without losing too much of what the paladin was. Obviously it's boiled down, but I wanted to make it less of a "Chosen One" and more of a "Well-Deserving One" if that makes sense.
The Paladin
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRP96hgjleG2OEu7M098vZBBjKcAyVPM LX3GA_xqBeAvQtrBDHj
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/22/e4/e5/22e4e5ddb51497fe29f06da27af7c6be.jpg
“Even if a tamed wolf makes a good sheepdog, he will never understand how the sheep feel....You are most fortunate. For having been, as you thought, a coward, and helpless to fight - you know what that is like. You know what bitterness that feeling breeds - you know in your own heart what kind of evil it brings. And so you are most fit to fight it where it occurs.”
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
:BAB +4
:Heal 5 ranks
:Must receive a Calling from a god
The Calling
Paladins must be chosen by a god. Typical paladins are chosen by a militant deity, one with War as a domain, but paladins of other deities are still common enough to note. When an individual proves worthy of being a Paladin, the god choosing so instills a feeling in the heart of the candidate, known as the Calling. This feeling is strongly associated with the Domain that deity thinks the person would best exemplify, protect, inspire, or otherwise be a positive influence upon. Occasionally gods will instill a particular destination in the heart of a paladin, telling them indirectly where they could do their deeds most effectively, but this is not a constant state of being for the Paladin, most times they are simply left to their own devices. The Calling can be ignored, and doing so for long enough may result in the god revoking it, resulting in a loss of all Paladin levels immediately, regainable only by returning to the god's favour.
Class Skills
The Paladin's class skills are any class skills they had for other classes before becoming a Paladin. Perception and Sense Motive are always class skills for the Paladin.
Skills Points at Each Level: 4 + int
Hit Dice: d10
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
1st
+1
+1
+1
+1
Divine Senses
2nd
+2
+2
+2
+2
Smite, Domain Power
3rd
+3
+3
+3
+3
Divine Grace, Divine Touch
4th
+4
+4
+4
+4
Divine Expulsion, Domain Devotion
5th
+5
+5
+5
+5
Divine Judgement
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Paladins are proficient in all simple weapons, all armor, and shields, but not tower shields. They are also proficient in their Deity's favored weapon.
Divine Senses: A Paladin's primary gift is an intuitive understanding of when something is off. Whenever the paladin is within 30 ft. of a creature (intelligent, possessed, etc.), object (intelligent, possessed, etc.), or area (Hallowed, Planar, etc.) of an alignment diametrically opposed to them (or one of the extremes if True Neutral), they are notified that something feels wrong. If they concentrate on finding the source, they can locate it in 1 minute, during which they can still perform other activities. A Paladin is also immediately notified of any direct servant (cleric, paladin, priest, or outsider) of an opposing Deity, or cleric or paladin of an opposed domain (e.g. a Protection Paladin would be notified of a Death Paladin, a Demon, or a Cleric with the Destruction Domain). In this case, no concentration is needed, this information is known instinctively and immediately.
Smite: At 2nd level, a Paladin gains the ability to Smite those who oppose them. The target of a smite must be a creature or object which is a threat to the paladin or a compatriot thereof. A Paladin may perform a Smite once per day per Paladin Level.
A smite takes a standard action to perform, and does not provoke attacks of opportunity. As part of the smite, the paladin makes an attack roll, adding their paladin level to hit. If the attack hits, it deals typeless, impossible to resist damage, and deals additional damage equal to their highest attribute modifier multiplied by their paladin level.
Domain Power: At 2nd level, the Paladin gains the granted power of the Domain that acts as their Calling. Use character level in place of Cleric level for any relevant calculations.
Divine Grace: At 3rd level, the Paladin gains a measure of divine assurance in their mission. A number of times per day equal to their Paladin level, they may reroll any d20 roll that affects them, and choose the most favorable result. (e.g. the Paladin may reroll their saving throw, an enemy's attack roll against them, their own attack roll, etc. so long as it is a roll related directly to the Paladin.) This ability requires no action, and may be used when it is not the Paladin's turn.
Divine Touch: At 3rd level, the Paladin's touch can cure those they come in contact with. So long as the Paladin feels it is the right course of action, any willing creature can be a valid target for this ability. A number of times per day equal to their paladin level, they may touch their target, and either remove any one condition not named below, or cure their character level's worth of Hit Points. If the Paladin expends their full daily allotment at once, they can cure a condition that is more extreme, like a curse, petrification, or other effect with limited conditions for curing. Using this ability is a Full Round Action that provokes attacks of opportunity.
Divine Expulsion: At 4th level, the Paladin's touch becomes anathemous to those opposed to them. A number opf times per day equal to their Paladin level, the Paladin may touch a creature meeting the criteria for immediate detection by their Divine Senses to make a special Bull Rush, using their Character level in place of their BAB, and all of their ability modifiers at once in place of their Strength modifier. On a failure, nothing happens, but on success, push the opponent 5ft. per point they succeed by, dealing 1d6 damage per 10 ft. traveled. This is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Alternatively, the Paladin may use their full daily allotment at once to touch a possessed creature and attempt an opposed Charisma check to cast out the opposing force.
Domain Devotion: At 4th level, the Paladin gains the Devotion feat for the domain associated with their Calling. They have a number of daily uses equal to their Paladin level.
Divine Judgement: At 5th level, the Paladin has proved their worth many times over, and are granted a lasting boon by their god. Any Smite that would ordinarily hit is instead a critical hit, and any Smite that would ordinarily miss instead hits normally. The Paladin gains or adds 60ft. of darkvision. Their Divine Senses extend to also encompass their entire line of sight. Lastly, they may use their Divine Grace to affect their allies as well, and any roll affected by the Paladin's Divine Grace also gains a +5 or a -5, at the Paladin's discretion.
So, what do you all think? I tried to make it useful to any non-caster class of any alignment, and I think I succeeded without losing too much of what the paladin was. Obviously it's boiled down, but I wanted to make it less of a "Chosen One" and more of a "Well-Deserving One" if that makes sense.