Paladin and Warpriest

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Okay, Warpriest is typically seen as a sub-par class for a Cleric, because of the 1/2 casting. But what about a Paladin? He might not care so much about loosing spellcasting, considering what he gains.

However, I've run across one problem: How to qualify without dipping. My character is NOT human or half-elf, and I don't want multiclassing penalties.

The problem is in knowing a domain spell from one of the four domains. I'm assuming this means actually having that domain, as the spell Shield Other is the second level spell in the Protection Domain and both Clerics and Paladins get access to that spell, so you are able to cast at least one spell from that domain.

With that in mind, how would I go about getting one of the required domains as a Paladin to qualify for Warpriest? Is it even possible?

[Renegade Paladin]

If the prerequisites say that you only have to be able to cast a spell from one of the domains and one of the domains is Protection, the paladin's golden as far as that particular prerequisite is concerned; unless it says you have to actually have the domain, being able to cast the spell is enough.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

If the prerequisites say that you only have to be able to cast a spell from one of the domains and one of the domains is Protection, the paladin's golden as far as that particular prerequisite is concerned; unless it says you have to actually have the domain, being able to cast the spell is enough.

Then why bother listing it, as EVERY cleric is able to meet that prerequsite, reguardless of domains?

[SadisticFishing]

Then why bother listing it, as EVERY cleric is able to meet that prerequsite, reguardless of domains?

Because non-clerics can't? Favored Souls, Druids, etc?

[The_Snark]

Good question. It might have been intended to keep druids from taking the class, except that druids and even rangers meet the spell prerequisite; it's just that they can't turn undead.

I think it's something that happened when they just didn't think it out too clearly. Paladins probably were meant to be able to enter, or they'd have just said you have to have access to the domain.

[Beren One-Hand]

It seems to me that you have to have the domain in question, but only need to be able to cast one spell from it to qualify. It is poorly written, but that was a legacy from 3.0

To have your paladin get the domain I'd suggest taking either the Contemplative PrC or the Divine Crusader Prc from the same book. Both grant a domain with a one level dip (which doesn't affect XP because they are prestige classes). You can take Divine Crusader by level 8, allowing for a full progession of War Priest (although you'll have to wait for level 11 for Contemplative).

Edit: Hmmm.... The more I think about it, the more fun this sounds. You could go something like:
Paladin 5 / Pious Templar 1 / Consecrated Harrier 3 / Divine Crusader 1 / War Priest 10

Benefits:
Spell-like abilities:
At will - Detect Chaos, Detec Evil.
3+/day (Equal to your Wisdom modifier which must be at least +3) - Dispel Magic
3/day - Haste
1/day - Heroes' Feast, Mass Cure Light Wounds, Mass Heal

Spells
0+Bonus 1st-level Ranger spells + a few others (Consecrated Harrier)
0+Bonus 1st-level Paladin spells (Paladin)
0+Bonus 1st-level Paladin spells (Pious Templar)
3+Bonus 1st-level Domain Spells (Cha based, Spontaneous between your two domains - Divine Crusader)
3+Bonus 2nd-level Domain Spells
2+Bonus 3rd-level Domain Spells
2+Bonus 4th-level Domain Spells
1+Bonus 5th-level Domain Spells
0+Bonus 6th-level Domain Spells

Divine Grace & Mettle: Cha to saves and Fort/Will partial = no effect.
Lay on Hands: Heal 5*Cha hp / day
Aura of Courage: Immune to Fear, +4 vs fear out to 20'
Divine Health: Immune to disease
Turn Undead (as a 12th level cleric with a +2 bonus on turning check & +1d6 on turning damage roll)
Smite Evil 2/day: +Cha to attack, +5 damage
2 Domain Powers (Destruction, Protection, Strength, or War & Glory)
Rally: Allow nearby allies another save vs fear (with a +10 bonus)
Inflame: Make a speach that grants a +8 bonus to saves vs Charm/Fear for 15 minutes
Fear Aura: 1/day can activate for 10 rounds (DC 20+Cha)
Implacable Foe: Use Turn attempt to allow allies w/in 100' to keep acting from 0 to -20 hp as if normal.
Sanctified Sight: +4 bonus on all saves vs Illusions
Blessing of Scripture: +2 saced bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Survival, and Unarmed/Weapon Damage against church assigned targets
Special Mount

Total BAB: +19
Total Base Fort Save: +16
Total Base Ref Save: +5
Total Base Will Save: +11

[Roderick_BR]

To me it was always a paladin PrC. Full BAB, loses spellcasting to gain spell like abilities, that you could cast many more times by taking full levels in cleric? Actually, I think it's one of the few PrCs good for paladins.

Ironically, the Hospitalier PrC sucks for paladins, as you lose Turn Undead and Smite Evil levels, in exchange of bonus feats, since your caster level and lay-on hands stacks (I think you don't even gain more Remove Diseases levels...). It's good for clerics, since you just lose the turn undead levels, and domain levels IF they stack with level.

[serow]

It feels very much a Paladin PRC...