Paladin

= Paladin = The title of Paladin is fit only for the most devout, most powerful, and most influential of worshipers in Armeya. One does not choose to become a Paladin; they are called to service by a god, personally. A Paladin is a holy warrior sent on a divine mission to take steps in actively changing the world and its people, and sometimes even the gods themselves. They are the mortal hands of the gods who act on their master's behalf, wielding a fraction of their deity's power as proof of their conviction.

Paladins in Armeya are found in nearly every civilization, but are rare indeed.


 * Special Notes on Clerics:** Paladins must adhere to devout worship of a deity to gain access to spells. It is the decision of the gods to bless their disciples with magic, and so it should come at no surprise that sometimes the gods simply say "No." For example, petitioning a god to resurrect someone is almost always denied. Typically, the higher level of the spell, the more likely it will be declined. This is because granting spells is not a simple task for a god; it requires a significant expenditure of effort. The gods, of course, have a large pool of effort available to them, but split between thousands of worshipers thins the magic available to all. Furthermore, paladins do not have Turn/Rebuke Undead, as Undead as a whole are exceedingly rare. Paladins must be the same alignment as their chosen deity.

Worshiping the Gods
Below is a table giving appropriate mechanical information for playing a Paladin devoted to a particular deity.
 * **God** || **Alignment** || **Favored Weapon** || **Mechanical Notes for Playing as a Paladin of the God** || **Aura** || **Smite Type** || **Other Changes** ||
 * Asch Ment || Lawful Good || Scimitar || These are the most common of Paladins. Most generals and legendary war heroes of the Empire were at some point Paladins in service to Asch. Paladins of Asch prepare their spells in late morning through solemn rituals involving extolling the praises of their god, remarking on his honor and glory and promising service to add to the might of the Empire. || Lawful Good || Evil || Charging Smite replaces Special Mount; see below. ||
 * Vo Q'fimby || Chaotic Good || None (Vo is the god of peace) || Paladins of Vo prepare their spells in the early morning by singing joyful songs as tribute to their god. Only Paladins who are in a positive mood will be heard by Vo. || Chaotic Good || Evil; all nonlethal damage, see below. || Improved Special Mount; see below. ||
 * Ta Rak Ra || Lawful Evil || Sickle, Scythe, War-sledge || Paladins of the Revenant are known throughout history for their unmatched prowess in tactical warfare. On the backs of mighty beasts, a Paladin of Ta Rak Ra strikes fear into the hearts of his enemies. These Paladins prepare their spells in quiet solitude in the darkness before the morning, in places where they are surrounded by nature. || Lawful Evil || Good or Chaos; once this choice is made, it cannot be revised. || Fierce Special Mount; see below. ||
 * Shul || Neutral Evil || Flaming Arrows || There are no Paladins of Shul. Her champions are either Grey Guards or Black Guards and are the rarest of all divine champions. There have been less than one hand's worth of them in the history of Armeya, and each have been world-shaking in their influence. || Evil || Weak; this ability affects any creature of less HD than the user. ||  ||
 * Naneid || Neutral Good || Hookspear || Paladins of Naneid prepare spells at Shul-set as symbolic of their deity's supremacy over the vanishing evil goddess. When Paladins of Naneid prepare their spells, they must be within reach of at least a small pool of water as part of their worship rites. || Good || Evil || Special Mount is Aquatic; see below. ||
 * L'Orielan || Lawful Neutral || Ray Spells || A Paladin of L'Orielan prepares spells at night by reading from a text of their choice by candlelight. || Lawful || Chaos || Altered Spell List; see below. ||
 * Council || True Neutral || Quarterstaff || Paladins of the Council prepare spells at exactly noon or midnight. Once this choice is made, it cannot be revised. Paladins of the Council prepare spells through a ritual of holding two different objects of equal weight, one in each hand, as they make a plea to the god. || All Alignments Simultaneously || Special; see below. ||  ||

Paladins of the Gods; Champions, Chosen Ones, and Legendary Warriors
Below you will find tables corresponding to how a Paladin of a particular deity should behave, and what further mechanical influences this carries, including the Paladin's Code, Class Features, and examples of worship and holy tasks through monologue.
 * **Asch Ment** ||  ||
 * * Code || * "Never lay unjust hand upon the undeserving."
 * "Never cause harm to befall an ally."
 * "Strength of body is strength of faith."
 * "Once sworn, a promise is truth."
 * "Suffer not a heretic."
 * "Valor in combat, amity at rest."
 * "At the pinnacle of purpose, honor and glory, and nothing else." ||
 * * Class Features || * Aura of Lawful Good
 * Detect Evil
 * Smite Evil
 * Automatically replaces Special Mount with Charging Smite (see Alternative Class Features); the Paladins of Asch Ment are renowned for their intense desire for glory and honor, and tend to a preferred tactic of charging headlong into battle with a bestial roar and scimitar held high. ||
 * * Example || //"From where I stand on this conquered hill, I see in you the blood of lions. Our task is clear; we shall oust the taint of heresy from these lands, and we shall not rest again until we have avenged the fallen. Let nothing deter you. Let bravery guide your hearts. And let the banner of Asch soar above the battlement!"// ~General Isaac Matthews of the Sand Gems Battalion. ||
 * **Vo Q'fimby** ||  ||
 * * Code || * "Silence is weakness."
 * "Breathe always in the fimby."
 * "Only those ones who refuse peace shall know the pain of war."
 * "All ones are brothers."
 * "To judge one is to denounce one's freedoms."
 * "Fear no thing, for in death all the peaceful ones go to the fimby."
 * "I am Vo, and I am Q'fimby." ||
 * * Class Features || * Aura of Chaotic Good
 * Detect Evil
 * Smite Evil; all damage dealt by the smite attack is nonlethal.
 * Always has Special Mount once earned; cannot choose to replace Special Mount with an alternative class feature.
 * Improved Special Mount: a Paladin of Vo Q'fimby is treated as one level higher for the purposes of calculating the statistics and abilities of his or her special mount. ||
 * * Example || //"Ah hey. I am Vo, and you are Q'fimby, and so is your brother who is also my brother. This one has suffered a grievous wound and will pass soon into the fimby, but rejoice! Let us give a great shout that all will hear, that this one, our brother, surrenders to his peace at last! Ya hey!"// ~O'ishnuwa Q'fimby, prophet of Vo, Nora to the Ucharim. ||
 * **Ta Rak Ra** ||  ||
 * * Code || * "Age and might are the measure of a man."
 * "The Ram commands; the warrior serves."
 * "In darkness there is solace; in despair there is always hope."
 * "The earth will take you."
 * "Sustain, and persevere."
 * "A warrior is an oak."
 * "Mercy matters only to those who survive." ||
 * * Class Features || * Aura of Lawful Evil
 * Detect Good or Detect Chaos; once this choice is made, it cannot be revised.
 * Smite Good or Smite Chaos; once this choice is made, it cannot be revised.
 * Fierce Special Mount: a Paladin of Ta Rak Ra who chooses to take the Special Mount class feature is allowed access to a beast more suited to his or her god's liking--a dire ram. This creature is otherwise treated as a typical Special Mount for purposes of calculating statistics and abilities. ||
 * * Example || //"Break. Yield. See that I am the better. My resolve outlasts even the stones, whelp. Were you a fool of the Cub, you would already be bleeding out upon this sacred soil. Now begone from my presence, father. I am tasked to see this message carried for a great distance. War is coming. I suggest you find some way to serve without failure."// ~Lord Oforsun Bragni of the Bunburan Patak, in his youth, shortly before the public execution of the venerable and useless Hazezhe Bragni. ||
 * **Shul** ||  ||
 * * Code || * "Speak not the name without proper cause."
 * "Not a day shall pass that has not seen blood."
 * "The arrogant shall burn."
 * "The weak shall perish."
 * "Only the powerful will live to fruition."
 * "No challenge lost."
 * "Seek always the blade." ||
 * * Class Features || * Aura of Evil
 * Detect Weak: this ability functions like Detect Evil, with the exception that it instead automatically detects all creatures within 60ft with fewer Hit Dice (HD) than the user. This ability replaces the Detect ability of both Grey Guards and Blackguards when that character is a worshiper of Shul.
 * Smite Weak: this ability functions like Smite Evil, with the exception that the targets that can be affected by this ability include all creatures that possess less Hit Dice (HD) than the user. This ability replaces the Smite ability of both Grey Guards and Blackguards when that character is a worshiper of Shul. ||
 * * Example || //"If you challenge me, know that you will die by my hand. It is my duty to cleanse this world, to cull the pathetic and defenseless who corrupt the rest of us. Look around you and see all that I have already wrought upon our world, and all as a result of her might channeled through me! You are misguided. You are wrong. There is no love for the weak. There is only fire. Now accept your fate."// ~Nereus, eldest son of Naneid, moments before being swallowed by the sea. ||
 * **Naneid** ||  ||
 * * Code || * "Life is first."
 * "Love is next."
 * "Kin after that, and then all others."
 * "Every death be mourned."
 * "Work to achieve a more welcoming world."
 * "Water is key to every heart."
 * "Desire brings happiness." ||
 * * Class Features || * Aura of Good
 * Detect Evil
 * Smite Evil
 * If the Paladin of Naneid chooses to take a Special Mount, this mount gains the Aquatic template.
 * Aquatic: An aquatic creature gains the [|aquatic subtype]. An aquatic creature can breathe underwater. It cannot also breathe air unless it also has the amphibious special quality. An aquatic creature can hold its breath outside the water for 2 rounds per point of Constitution. After that, it begins to [|suffocate].
 * Swim speed: An aquatic creature always has a [|swim speed]. It can move through water at its swim speed without making [|Swim] checks. It has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to [|take 10] on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line. The swim speed of the creature is equivalent to the base creature's land speed. The base creature loses its land speed entirely. ||
 * * Example || //"You ask me how I love you? The heart of a lonely miser is a puddle, a murderer merely a teardrop, and mine is all the ocean in a single space. There is nothing that I cannot find love for somewhere in its infinite depths. I love you as much as my own children, who love you even more than I ever can. Now, rest. Know that someone remembers you, and have hope that a day will dawn without hatred and loss."// ~Meredith Arvolia, speaking to an unmarked grave she discovered mere hours ago. ||
 * **L'Orielan** ||  ||
 * * Code || * "Learn."
 * "Magic is a gift."
 * "Obedience is necessary."
 * "All are welcome beneath the Raven's wings."
 * "The mind makes it so."
 * "Mystery is sin."
 * "Teach." ||
 * * Class Features || * Aura of Law
 * Detect Chaos and Detect Magic
 * Smite Chaos
 * Altered Spell List; a Paladin of L'Orielan is trained at the University by the highest of teachers, the Sages themselves, and as a result learn to access more spells than usual. The Paladin of L'Orielan may select one of the traditional schools available to Wizards (example, Evocation), and add the spells from that school to the spells available to the Paladin at each spell level available to the Paladin as if the Paladin were a Wizard for the purposes of calculating the spell's level (for example, Scorching Ray is a 2nd level spell for a Wizard, and a Paladin of L'Orielan who chose Evocation would add Scorching Ray to his own list of 2nd level spells). The Paladin of L'Orielan begins play with a spellbook containing all of the spells he or she studied while training at the University, and must use this spellbook when preparing spells for the day to access these spells. Furthermore, the spellbook is treated as the Paladin of L'Orielan's holy symbol. ||
 * * Example || //"...hm..."// ~Nicholas Hieroke, fifteenth year student at the University of All-Knowing L'Orielan, multitasking in studying a treatise on architectural innovation through the ages while trying to learn his seventh language, unaware of his god being mere seconds away from Calling him to service. ||
 * **Council** ||  ||
 * * Code || * "Balance is the only absolute."
 * "Time is a careful servant."
 * "Assume the gods are wrong."
 * "Contract and creed."
 * "The spirit is captain to its vessel."
 * "Speak nothing of the faith."
 * "You are who you say you are." ||
 * * Class Features || * Aura of Chaos, Evil, Good, and Law; a Paladin of the Council radiates a magical aura of all types of alignments simultaneously, regardless of the Paladin's actual alignment. As a result, an opposing Paladin that used Detect Evil on the Paladin of the Council would see it as evil, but that same Paladin's Smite Evil may prove ineffective.
 * Detect Chaos/Evil/Good/Law; a Paladin of the Council is able to detect the presence of all alignments when using this ability.
 * Smite; a Paladin of the Council begins play by selecting either Smite Good, Smite Evil, Smite Chaos, or Smite Law. After accepting a divine mission from his or her god, the Paladin of the Council may undergo a ritual ceremony that takes 24 hours and consumes a number of experience points equal to the Paladin's level times 100. At the conclusion of this ritual, the Paladin of the Council is allowed to reselect which version of Smite he or she wishes to utilize for the purpose of the mission (for example, selecting Smite Evil would be useful in putting a stop to a bandit lord razing villages). Upon the successful completion of the mission, the Paladin of the Council gains back the lost experience and may perform the ritual again for the next mission if need be. If the Paladin of the Council fails to complete the mission, the experience remains permanently lost. A Paladin that cannot afford the experience cost of this ritual is unable to complete the ritual. ||
 * * Example || //"You shall find in that building a single locked room on the third floor in which slumbers a man by name of Yavon. Having served as his maid for two years, I have come into possession of this key which shall grant you access. Yavon is an advisor to King Methos, the man who was responsible for the deaths of over a thousand Patak and Balna combined in the Homok Uprising twenty-two years ago. It has taken some effort, but I've managed to manipulate events such that Yavon is now Methos' most trusted assistant. What they both do not realize is that my sleeping former master had an illegitimate child some years back who perished as a result of a merchant caravan being unable to deliver its cargo of medicine thanks to Methos placing a temporary ban on all imports during the event. That should give you enough fuel to start Yavon down a path more suited to our needs. I wish I could do more, but my part of the mission ends here. See that the balance is kept, friend."// ~Anonymous woman speaking to a roguish contact before heading off to smite some power-hungry mages in the south. ||

Special Mount
A Paladin with the Special Mount class feature should follow the revision listed below: Upon reaching 5th level, a paladin gains the service of an unusually intelligent, strong, and [|loyal steed] to serve her in her crusade against evil. This mount is usually a [|heavy warhorse] (for a Medium paladin) or a [|warpony] (for a Small paladin). The paladin's special mount is an otherwise normal animal that has been enchanted by the paladin's god and given an improved form. It is a real, physical, living creature that must eat, drink, and rest as normal, and prefers to stay in close proximity to the paladin when possible. If the special mount dies, the paladin may not petition his or her god for another mount for thirty days or until he or she gains a paladin level, whichever comes first, even if the mount is somehow, miraculously, returned from the dead. During this thirty-day period, the paladin takes a -1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls. Some paladins of particular gods may have access to other special mounts.

Alternative Class Features

 * Note**: Some alternative class features may be altered from as they appear in the source material. When there is a discrepancy, use what is listed here in place of what is listed in the source material. Changes in the list below will be noted in bold. Remember that you may only choose one alternative class feature.
 * Avenging (UA, p 58): Gain favored enemy as ranger. Lose lay on hands, remove disease, and turn undead. **Cannot worship Vo Q'fimby.**
 * Charging Smite (PHB 2, p 53): No special mount, if you smite on a charge attack, gain 2 extra damage per paladin level.
 * Curse Breaker (CM, p 33): Lose remove disease, gain remove curse and break enchantment. **Requires devotion to L'Orielan.**
 * Divine Spirit (DS, p 11): No special mount. Gain a spirit that grants special abilities to you and/or your allies.
 * Holy Warrior (CC, p 49): Lose spellcasting. Gain bonus feats. **Cannot worship L'Orielan.**
 * Spell-less Paladin (CW, p 13): Lose spellcasting, gain mount-related enhancement to lay on hands and offensive abilities. **Cannot worship L'Orielan.**
 * Stand Fast ([|CS], web): Do not gain special mount. Add your divine grace bonus to allies' saving throws. Also gain the ability to add the bonus to rolls to resist bullrush, grapple, trips, sunders, and disarms.
 * Underdark Knight (CC, p 49): Lose special mount. Gain low-light vision, and a bonus to climb, jump, and balance. At 7th level, gain spike stones. At 12th level gain earth glide. At 15th level gain dimension door. **Rename as "Earthen Knight." Requires devotion to Ta Rak Ra.**
 * Warded Special Mount (ECR, p 208): Lose one weekly use of remove disease. Mount becomes immune to negative energy and death effects. **Requires devotion to the Council.**