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Fortuna
2010-01-31, 03:51 PM
Variant Smiting, Aura and Detection Rules

Something that gets to me is that a standard paladin seems to be more devoted to good than law. And in my opinion, it should be about 50-50. That being the case, a paladin's Smite X, Aura of X, and Detect X class features are changed as follows. Smite X becomes Smite Opposition, and allows the paladin to smite any being that differs by more than one step on either axis from them (so a Paladin of Freedom may smite any creature that is not Chaotic good, Neutral Good or Chaotic Neutral). Detect X likewise becomes Detect Opposition, and detects auras showing any alignment that differs from the paladin's by more than one step on either axis, as well as how many steps the alignment is removed from the paladin's. Aura of X becomes Aura of (whatever the paladin's extra title is, like Freedom), and displays both components of the paladin's alignment equally.

Lay on Hands/Deadly Touch, Remove/Cause Disease and Turn/Rebuke Undead Abilities

I have the same problem with these abilities as with Smite etc., but these are a bit tougher to fix. Fortunately, the paladin won't suffer from a power boost, so I just decided to come up with new abilities to complement the first two. Turn/Rebuke has been changed instead of replaced, but I'm happy with it.

Binding Touch (Su)

Beginning at second level, a paladin of Justice or Tyranny with a Charisma score of 12 or higher can perform a Binding Touch. This ability causes a willing pair of targets (one of which may be the paladin) to be bound together by an oath. This ability takes a standard action to use, and the paladin must touch both targets to use it. Once per day per participant, when either participant keeps the oath even though the ideal course of action (discounting this ability) involves breaking it, they are healed a number of hit points equal to the paladin's level in damage (this is not a positive energy effect). However, if both courses of action (discounting this ability) were roughly similar, they gain no benefit. When either participant breaks the oath, the other participant learns of it immediately, and the breaking participant takes an amount of damage equal to the binding paladin's level. A paladin may only have a number of active bound oath at one time equal to their Charisma bonus, and this touch may bind a given oath multiple times between the same pair of creatures.

Anarchic Touch (Su)

Starting at second level, a paladin of Freedom or Slaughter with a Charisma score of 12 or higher may perform an Anarchic Touch. The paladin chooses how random to make the touch, and also whether or not to bias it. The paladin has a pool of d4s equal to their paladin level x their Charisma bonus each day, and may choose to bestow any number of them at a given time with a touch or touch attack. The paladin chooses before the touch whether to bias positively, negatively, or not at all: a positive balance means that after rolling the d4s the result has 2 points per die rolled subtracted from it, a negative bias means that the result has 3 points per die rolled subtracted from it, and no bias causes 2.5 per die rolled to be subtracted from the final result. This number (positive or negative) is then added to the target's hit points. This is not a positive or negative energy effect.

The Turn/Rebuke Undead abilities are changed as follows. All paladins make the check as normal, but the effects of success vary between each of the four paladins. Paladins of Justice cause undead to cower as well as becoming shaken (regardless of immunity), and may approach within 10 feet without ending the effect. Paladins of Tyranny command undead only. Paladins of Freedom turn undead normally. Paladins of Slaughter cause affected undead to gain a +2 to attack rolls, skill checks, saves and armor class for 10 rounds, and they will not attack the paladin. In addition to the above effects, any paladin may attempt to turn Outsiders of opposing alignment (as described under Smite Opposition), and success causes the same effects as a good cleric turning undead.

Dispel Magic (Su)

A paladin of Justice or Tyranny of sixth level or higher may dispel magic a number of times per week equal to the number times that they may cause or remove disease.

Nondetection (Su)

A paladin of Freedom or Slaughter may invoke nondetection a number of times per week equal to the number of times that they may cause or remove disease.

Temotei
2010-01-31, 03:55 PM
Paladin of freedom can smite lawful good paladins? And vice-versa. I suppose it sort of makes sense. I would have personally said if they're not lawful or good, they get smote.

So that leaves (for classic paladin): True neutral, chaotic neutral, neutral evil, chaotic evil.

Paladin of freedom: Lawful neutral, true neutral, lawful evil, neutral evil.

Et cetera. Of course, this makes neutral alignments kind of get screwed. :smallsigh:

I just think it's weird you can smite a good paladin for being lawful.

Fortuna
2010-01-31, 04:01 PM
And I think that it's wierd that you can't. :smallbiggrin:

T.G. Oskar
2010-01-31, 05:00 PM
Variant Smiting, Aura and Detection Rules

Something that gets to me is that a standard paladin seems to be more devoted to good than law. And in my opinion, it should be about 50-50. That being the case, a paladin's Smite X, Aura of X, and Detect X class features are changed as follows. Smite X becomes Smite Opposition, and allows the paladin to smite any being that differs by more than one step on either axis from them (so a Paladin of Freedom may smite any creature that is not Chaotic good, Neutral Good or Chaotic Neutral). Detect X likewise becomes Detect Opposition, and detects auras showing any alignment that differs from the paladin's by more than one step on either axis, as well as how many steps the alignment is removed from the paladin's. Aura of X becomes Aura of (whatever the paladin's extra title is, like Freedom), and displays both components of the paladin's alignment equally.

Technically, a paladin (of Lawful Good alignment, that is) is more Good than Lawful. Thus, the abilities are built with that idea in mind. You may imply that Paladins of any kind may replace their focus on moral alignment to a focus on ethical alignment, as well.

Still, it's not exactly a bad idea. You might want to focus on the Soulborn for the write-up, since it works under similar albeit more restrictive mechanics (absolute opposition in comparison to relative opposition)

Also, a Paladin that strikes someone that's Good but Chaotic would still technically be in trouble with the Code. That should come with a change or a flexibilization of the code.


Lay on Hands/Deadly Touch, Remove/Cause Disease and Turn/Rebuke Undead Abilities

I have the same problem with these abilities as with Smite etc., but these are a bit tougher to fix. Fortunately, the paladin won't suffer from a power boost, so I just decided to come up with new abilities to complement the first two. Turn/Rebuke has been changed instead of replaced, but I'm happy with it.

Binding Touch (Su)

Beginning at second level, a paladin of Justice or Tyranny with a Charisma score of 12 or higher can perform a Binding Touch. This ability causes a willing pair of targets (one of which may be the paladin) to be bound together by an oath. This ability takes a standard action to use, and the paladin must touch both targets to use it. Once per day per participant, when either participant keeps the oath even though the ideal course of action (discounting this ability) involves breaking it, they are healed a number of hit points equal to the paladin's level in damage (this is not a positive energy effect). However, if both courses of action (discounting this ability) were roughly similar, they gain no benefit. When either participant breaks the oath, the other participant learns of it immediately, and the breaking participant takes an amount of damage equal to the binding paladin's level. A paladin may only have a number of active bound oath at one time equal to their Charisma bonus, and this touch may bind a given oath multiple times between the same pair of creatures.

Anarchic Touch (Su)

Starting at second level, a paladin of Freedom or Slaughter with a Charisma score of 12 or higher may perform an Anarchic Touch. The paladin chooses how random to make the touch, and also whether or not to bias it. The paladin has a pool of d4s equal to their paladin level x their Charisma bonus each day, and may choose to bestow any number of them at a given time with a touch or touch attack. The paladin chooses before the touch whether to bias positively, negatively, or not at all: a positive balance means that after rolling the d4s the result has 2 points per die rolled subtracted from it, a negative bias means that the result has 3 points per die rolled subtracted from it, and no bias causes 2.5 per die rolled to be subtracted from the final result. This number (positive or negative) is then added to the target's hit points. This is not a positive or negative energy effect.

One is a random healing effect, which is quirky at best, and another is bizarre. I'll go with each separately.

Anarchic Touch is technically stronger than Lay on Hands, but it has some troubles. Most specifically, it does not give an explanation on what you get if you shift bias. For example, unless you're a blatant jerk, you'll always want to go with a positive bias, which kinda ruins the idea. So...positive bias should imply "going safely", and perhaps impose a luck penalty on the Paladin for not gambling it out (say, a penalty to attacks or saves), while a negative bias would grant a luck bonus for the risk taken (such as grant the healed character a bonus on attacks, AC or saves). That way, you'll think whether you wish to risk it, or play it safe, or play it too safe and get burnt.

Binding Touch is quirky, and that's because it's way too situational. A quick glance (which may be what most people will give it) makes the ability quite confusing. So you pretty much swear an oath up to your Charisma, but once per day per participant the effect fires off. Then, the result is mostly DM fiat (you can get really, really screwed, but at least you got healed), or go the only way and get damaged to boot. That seems counterproductive, unless the course of action is "fight no one but me", and then you...let the DM determine when it fires off. It's thematic, but confusing, and in the end that determines whether an ability is good or not.


The Turn/Rebuke Undead abilities are changed as follows. All paladins make the check as normal, but the effects of success vary between each of the four paladins. Paladins of Justice cause undead to cower as well as becoming shaken (regardless of immunity), and may approach within 10 feet without ending the effect. Paladins of Tyranny command undead only. Paladins of Freedom turn undead normally. Paladins of Slaughter cause affected undead to gain a +2 to attack rolls, skill checks, saves and armor class for 10 rounds, and they will not attack the paladin. In addition to the above effects, any paladin may attempt to turn Outsiders of opposing alignment (as described under Smite Opposition), and success causes the same effects as a good cleric turning undead.

In this one, you're strengthening a tad too far Turn Undead on the wrong class. If anything, as it works, Turn Undead is fine on a Paladin. A Cleric would gain a much better benefit from this one, as it's the class that provides Turn Undead on first instance. A Paladin would perhaps have an equivalent use of Turn Undead that's more specific towards defense, but in many terms, it should not outshadow the Cleric's turn undead, which by higher levels it's already downgraded into uselessness (barring Divine Feats)


Dispel Magic (Su)

A paladin of Justice or Tyranny of sixth level or higher may dispel magic a number of times per week equal to the number times that they may cause or remove disease.

Nondetection (Su)

A paladin of Freedom or Slaughter may invoke nondetection a number of times per week equal to the number of times that they may cause or remove disease.

Nice idea, very poor execution. Dispel Magic is pretty weak, since by level 10 you get the most you can get from it, and you can't use it for an entire week. Meanwhile you're taking one of the few worthwhile Paladin spells from their list, unless you don't remove it at all which begs the question of why keep it on first instance. That's why you should go with Greater Dispel Magic, and per day.

Same with Nondetection. It's practical if you want to be stealthy and silent, but a Paladin may not be always stealthy and silent (armor, for example; it doesn't have to be code-specific). And once per week per X class levels nulls what little power it has. In fact, Remove Disease per week is very, very weak. If it were, say, a lesser version of Miracle per week (such as Limited Wish), it would be more than worthwhile to allow it to recover for a week. However, a 3rd level spell isn't so worthwhile, even if the Paladin can invoke an ability that's more powerful than what its own spell list can provide (or, they can leave at Pal 5, get Cleric levels, and get more uses of the same spell)

I'd say something along the lines of Limited Wish or Resurrection would be worthwhile per week; you are literally conjuring a potent miracle, not a lesser one. Anything with that degree of power but thematically fitting would be a worthwhile addition.

Fortuna
2010-01-31, 05:10 PM
Yeah, I should probably fiddle with the code. This is the first step in another of my weird projects: I also plan to come up with 5 new paladin classes (Virtue, Vice, Axioms, Anarchy and Balance) to round out the nine alignments.

What is a Soulborn?

The Anarchic Touch is not intended to be used solely as a healing touch. It is also a potential damage-dealer in combat. That may be poorly thought out, but it's what I intended. How can I fix it up? And I would like to point out that it is actually strictly worse than lay on hands on average, but (IMHO) makes up for it with versatility.

Binding Touch: I couldn't work out how to make it less confusing, and it was all that I could think of with a Lawful association.

You're probably right about turn undead. What if I gave the exact same boost to clerics, but let them pick any two of those effects to choose between when turning?

You have a point with the last bit as well. I'll see what I can think of.

Glimbur
2010-01-31, 05:32 PM
What is a Soulborn?

A soulborn is like a paladin of Incarnum. They're devoted to one of the four extreme alignment stances and use meldshaping. It's all in Magic of Incarnum.The class as written is generally considered to be pretty garbage. There are several rewrites for it floating around this board, including one I did.

T.G. Oskar
2010-01-31, 07:01 PM
What is a Soulborn?

That oft-maligned Incarnum class. I tend to give it an odd name. I've never learned it perfectly. But you get the idea, right?


The Anarchic Touch is not intended to be used solely as a healing touch. It is also a potential damage-dealer in combat. That may be poorly thought out, but it's what I intended. How can I fix it up? And I would like to point out that it is actually strictly worse than lay on hands on average, but (IMHO) makes up for it with versatility.

That can be determined quite easily. What I suppose is that you're effectively trusting the point of "average of d4 = 2.5" for that statement, and that since the biases would end up in a total sum of -.5, 0, and .5, you'll end up with a weak version of Lay on Hands no matter what the bias. Since you'd need a perfect roll of 4s on a negative, a balanced amount of 3's and 4's on a non-biased, and around 3-4 on a positive bias. Now, assuming there is no reason to choose either a negative or positive bias, there's a 1/2 chance per die that you get 3 or higher, with a 1/4 chance that the "pay up" is double per die (aka, 2 HP instead of one). Now, the chances of a good amount of HP healed will decrease with the higher amount of dice, but if you choose to roll all of those up, there's a significant chance that you get more than you bargained for.

Now, you don't get a reason why to go negative or non-biased. It's all fluff. So, if you want maximum possible healing (or damage), you want always positive bias. That chance to get higher healed damage (where only a 1 gets you trouble) makes it strictly better than Lay on Hands, if only marginally.

This gets big trouble when you, say, apply those feats or abilities that enhance Lay on Hands. Unless you decide not to apply those (and that would be a waste since that means poor backward compatibility), you get chances of a potentially higher amount of healing. Even worse: combine with the stance that allows you to reroll all 1s, and you'll probably deal much more damage than you would (perhaps not healing, unless it applies to all rolls). When you see it on the bigger picture, you see that granting dynamic properties to Anarchic Touch suddenly increases its value, so it becomes better than Lay on Hands. Recall it's a supernatural ability, so anything that enhances those enhances Anarchic Touch too.


Binding Touch: I couldn't work out how to make it less confusing, and it was all that I could think of with a Lawful association.

Lay on Hands (or the damaging equivalent) is perfect for order-based Paladins. It's a static amount of damage (healed or not) compared to the dynamic amount of damage (healed or not). Anything that would have a lawful tendency would be to grant something like Empower if you consume all your points at once, or that you can only heal up to the full amount of HP and no more. Something like that.


You're probably right about turn undead. What if I gave the exact same boost to clerics, but let them pick any two of those effects to choose between when turning?

That would be a solid idea. That would reinforce Turn Undead as a whole, while giving relevance to base-class uses of Turn Undead.


You have a point with the last bit as well. I'll see what I can think of.

It's a guideline, actually. If you're going to have something that recharges so slowly, it must be actually worthwhile. At 6th level, a Wizard can already win battles, and a Cleric already starts to replace a Fighter in combat with solid melee spells; a Druid is two levels below Natural Spell, and a Psion can blast with a wide array of energy powers, all of those abilities in a per-day or even at-will basis. A per-week ability would require something that truly shatters some rules; in fact, a mere Raise Dead as a weekly ability would work wonders, since it effectively makes the Paladin's healing abilities a last resort choice that cannot be ignored. Even a 1/week Raise Dead is strong enough. The only other choice would be something along the lines of Limited Wish, but that works on 4th or 5th level spell guidelines instead of 6th level spell guidelines.

Fortuna
2010-01-31, 07:24 PM
I think I see where we disagree on Anarchic Touch. If you get a negative result, you damage, end of story. If you get a positive result, you heal, end of story. A negative bias will tend to damage, and a positive bias will tend to heal. Non-biased is, I'll admit, fluff: that said, it can let you play magical Russian Roulette, so it must be good, right?

That said, its dynamic properties do make it very good. Perhaps paladins of Freedom are stuck with positive bias or none and paladins of Slaughter with negative bias or none?

T.G. Oskar
2010-01-31, 10:30 PM
I think I see where we disagree on Anarchic Touch. If you get a negative result, you damage, end of story. If you get a positive result, you heal, end of story. A negative bias will tend to damage, and a positive bias will tend to heal. Non-biased is, I'll admit, fluff: that said, it can let you play magical Russian Roulette, so it must be good, right?

That said, its dynamic properties do make it very good. Perhaps paladins of Freedom are stuck with positive bias or none and paladins of Slaughter with negative bias or none?

If negative bias implies damage, that means you'll deal very little damage to make it worthwhile. Positive bias for healing makes healing quite as much more viable.

I'd say Paladins of Freedom heal, while Paladins of Slaughter deal damage. Then, the "positive" or "negative" bias becomes a penalty on the creature (if PoF) or to self (if PoS) or a bonus depending on how much you wanna risk it. That makes for a reasonable shift between both: you can choose just how random you wanna make it, but it also fits the concept of "fortune favors the bold".

The dynamic nature of the ability affects the ability to pass a good judgment on the power; however, you can base yourself upon some observations. Negative bias implies that, in the end, the result will be at an average lower than usual, even when you add abilities that enhance supernatural abilities or Lay on Hands; positive bias implies the opposite. That would imply that the Paladin of Slaughter, or the Paladin of Chaotic alignment that uses said ability as a damaging tool will get the short end of the stick (you can go with much more damage potential simply by attacking). Healing, on the other hand, gets a rarely noticeable but solid boost: it's 1d4, but an indiscriminate amount of 1d4 up to a fixed maximum limit, so you can heal somewhere between 1d4 (Paladin 1 with Charisma 12) to 100d4 (Paladin 20 with Charisma 20), to set an arbitrary example. With a lucky maximum bonus, that's one and one-third the potency of a maximum CL Heal spell on one shot, but a damage equivalent to two-thirds the potency of a maximum Harm spell, or one casting of Heal/Harm without the side benefits of Heal. It's disproportionate, and it gives no real choice as to why make such a move even with all odds stacked at your favor, when a Cleric can do exactly the same more times per day.

Thus, the appropriate thing would be to add a rider benefit to that skill. Make it so that no matter which choice, you get a good result. In the case of using Anarchic Touch to heal (assuming 100d4):

*A positive biased touch would heal up to a maximum of one and one-third the amount of a Heal spell, but since the Paladin played it too safe and didn't risked it, the character gains a mild penalty.
*A non-biased touch would be the equivalent of a Heal spell without the other healing benefits, but it would have no penalties.
*A negative biased touch would heal up to a maximum of two-thirds the amount of a Heal spell, but it would grant a bonus to the character because it risked it. You perhaps don't heal the character completely, but the benefit eventually pays off and gives the character the means to survive.

That was the idea I proposed, and it works perfectly since it applies the concept of randomness into the fray. The idea is to find out how it can be applied so that all three options become viable, since you don't want too high of a penalty or else the positive bias healing becomes too dangerous or the negative bias too beneficial. It also links perfectly to your original idea and grants the Paladin of Chaotic tendencies a powerful and unique tool to use.

I wasn't having trouble with your concept, but the fact that a smart player wouldn't have any troubles to risk it, and the idea of nerfing its damage potential while buffing its healing potential makes it inclined best towards healing than dealing damage; in the end, the Paladin perhaps has it best to go ubercharger and disregard this ability.

Just suggesting, though. I do like the concept of Anarchic Touch, but I felt it had no actual reason why to make a really appropriate choice even if it was forced damage and forced healing.

Fortuna
2010-01-31, 11:56 PM
Let me see, what can I think of. How about Anarchic Touch can be applied through a weapon attack, and so can Lay on Hands and Deadly Touch (just so Justice and Tyranny don't feel left out). Paladin of Slaughter deals damage, and Paladin of Freedom heals damage. Negative bias is roll xd3-2.5x and grants a bonus to damage rolls equal to the number of dice used for a number of attacks equal to the number of dice used. No bias is xd4-2.5x, and has no further effects. And positive bias is xd6-2.5x, and forces a penalty to damage rolls equal to the number of dice used for a number of attacks equal to the number of dice used.

As to spell-likes/week, I agree that they need boosting. However, I do feel very strongly that the moral and ethical elements of a paladin's alignment should be even, and for that reason I am having difficulty with it. However, for the time being, how about a Holy Word etc. per week in place of the Cause/Remove Disease, with each usage being both of the elements of your alignment combined, and with the paladin being stunned for a minute afterwards. Healing etc. will be addressed as soon as I think of some thematic Lawful/Chaotic abilities to suit it.

T.G. Oskar
2010-02-01, 12:54 AM
Let me see, what can I think of. How about Anarchic Touch can be applied through a weapon attack, and so can Lay on Hands and Deadly Touch (just so Justice and Tyranny don't feel left out). Paladin of Slaughter deals damage, and Paladin of Freedom heals damage. Negative bias is roll xd3-2.5x and grants a bonus to damage rolls equal to the number of dice used for a number of attacks equal to the number of dice used. No bias is xd4-2.5x, and has no further effects. And positive bias is xd6-2.5x, and forces a penalty to damage rolls equal to the number of dice used for a number of attacks equal to the number of dice used.

Now...that sounds very well like something you could do to replace Smite Evil.

I'd say keep Anarchic Touch as-is (1d4 or 1d6, no bias is average [2.5 or 3.5], negative is lowest roll, positive is highest roll) and make it so that it grants either AC or saves (fixed, though you can say +1/-1 luck bonus/penalty for each 3 levels on AC, or +1/-1 luck bonus/penalty per each 5 levels on all saves) for a number of rounds equal to the amount of "points" you used. Positive would add the penalty, negative would add the bonus; viceversa if you deal damage. So...

*Anarchic Touch - heal (negative bias): Xd4/Xd6 (your choice) -3/4 (based on first choice) healed damage; character gets a +1 luck bonus on AC per each three Paladin levels (or +1 luck bonus on saves per each five paladin levels) for X rounds
*Anarchic Touch - heal (positive bias): Xd4/Xd6 (your choice) -2/3 (based on first choice) healed damage; character gets a -1 luck penalty on AC per each five Paladin levels (or -1 luck penalty on saves per each six paladin levels) for X rounds
*Anarchic Touch - damage (negative bias): Xd4/Xd6 (your choice) -3/4 (based on first choice) damage; target gets a -1 luck penalty on attack/damage/AC (your choice) per each three Paladin levels for X rounds
*Anarchic Touch - damage (positive bias): Xd4/Xd6 (your choice) -2/3 (based on first choice) healed damage; target gets a +1 luck bonus on attack/damage/AC per each five Paladin levels for X rounds

When I mean choices, I mean you (as homebrewer) telling which are the choices of the Paladin that uses Anarchic Touch. The concept wasn't bad (you could heal nothing, or heal more than Lay on Hands), but it lacked a rider effect. In this method, and implementing your newer ideas (though still being a bit conservative on those), you don't get quite penalized for going positive, but you get boosted with negative. The positive-bias penalties are lesser than the negative-bias bonuses since a penalty hurts almost twice as much as a bonus does.

Also, I'd use a different term for "bias". How about "ante" or something? Something daring, that suggests you're literally playing your hand to fate in chances of great victory.

Now, the Anarchic Smite would work on a similar term as you explained: You add a roughly fixed amount of d6s to the damage, but they get randomized. Half of the removed result becomes a pool of bonus damage (essentially, you deal your full amount of damage, but not in the same round).

Say you deal smite damage equal to 1d6 on first level. Then, of that, you have 3 points subtracted from the damage. Now let's say you roll a 3 on the damage: that means you don't deal extra damage this round, but for the next three rounds, you deal an extra 1 point of damage with all attacks you can make.

Later on, you get to level 5, an extra smite per day, and the damage increases to 2d6. However, you're removed 7 points from the roll. Let's say you roll a 6 and a 4, so for this round, you deal an extra 3 points of damage. However, for the next 3 rounds, you deal an extra +2 points of damage; on the last round, you deal an extra point of damage (since 7 [subtracted damage]/2 [amount of dice]= 3.3 [rounds]; now, you can just make it +2,+2, +3 and then you're set). That's not so impressive, except that by that moment you probably get an extra attack from Haste, which allows the benefit.

That would be a quirky, yet innovative way of making a Smite effect. You get some of that damage subtracted, but you get a benefit later on.

Now...there should be an equal opportunity effect for Orderly creatures...


As to spell-likes/week, I agree that they need boosting. However, I do feel very strongly that the moral and ethical elements of a paladin's alignment should be even, and for that reason I am having difficulty with it. However, for the time being, how about a Holy Word etc. per week in place of the Cause/Remove Disease, with each usage being both of the elements of your alignment combined, and with the paladin being stunned for a minute afterwards. Healing etc. will be addressed as soon as I think of some thematic Lawful/Chaotic abilities to suit it.

Hmm...how about that Divine Word of Power (what usually represents) has an effective CL equal to your Paladin level + your Cha modifier? It would be far more potent than the usual Holy Word/Blasphemy/Dictum/Word of Chaos, but it would justify a weekly delay (since it's far stronger than a normally cast DWoP).

However, that sounds more like a power an Evangelist would love to have, or a preacher-type Cleric. A Paladin would benefit from some kind of defensive power, that could be used per week but that would make him almost invulnerable, or perhaps it would make his allies invulnerable. Say...I'd go with one of those Aura/Cloak spells (Holy Aura, Shield of Law, Unholy Aura, Cloak of Chaos) but with mutable SR. Those Aura/Cloak spells are of a pretty high level (8th level, to be precise) but their benefits aren't as strong as, say, Beastland Ferocity + Delay Death (which is a combination of two relatively low level spells and makes the caster nigh-unkillable), however, you'd get them before a Cleric does and they would still be useful. Barring that, you could make it a Magic Circle against [Alignment] effect that at higher levels evolves into [Alignment] Aura. You can further say that a character of extreme alignment can only choose one of his accessible alignments, but not both.

I'm actually quite surprised the [Alignment] Aura spells are effectively AoE super-buffs. A Paladin could very well take massive advantage of this effect, making it eventually better than the Cleric's even if it's only limited to 1/week per X class levels. Even 1/day exclusively would be truly awesome.

Fortuna
2010-02-01, 12:28 PM
At this point, I'm thinking that it might be best to list what the new paladins can do, instead of what has changed. To that end I have written most of them up again. Anything left out is the same as the base paladin.

Paladins
{table=head]Level|Justice|Freedom|Tyranny|Slaughter|All

1|Aura of Justice|Aura of Freedom|Aura of Tyranny|Aura of Slaughter|Smite Opposition 1/encounter, Duel

2|Lay on Hands|Lady Fortune's Healing|Deadly Touch|Destructive Touch|Divine Grace

3|Aura of Courage|Aura of Resolve|Aura of Despair|Debilitating Aura|Divine Health

4|Demoralize Undead|Turn Undead|Command Undead|Enhance Undead|-

5|-|-|-|-|Smite Opposition 2/encounter, Special Mount

6|Cloak of Justice 1/day|Cloak of Freedom 1/day|Cloak of Tyranny 1/day|Cloak of Slaughter 1/day|-

7|-|-|-|-|Detect Opposition

8|-|-|-|-|Turn Opposing Outsider

9|Cloak of Justice 2/day|Cloak of Freedom 2/day|Cloak of Tyranny 2/day|Cloak of Slaughter 2/day|-

10|-|-|-|-|Smite Opposition 2/encounter, Channel Energy

11|-|-|-|-|Spontaneous Casting

12|Cloak of Justice 3/day|Cloak of Freedom 3/day|Cloak of Tyranny 3/day|Cloak of Slaughter 3/day|-

13|Greater Lay on Hands|Greater Lady Fortune's Healing|Greater Deadly Touch|Greater Destructive Touch|-

14|-|-|-|-|Extended Cloak

15|Cloak of Justice 4/day|Cloak of Freedom 4/day|Cloak of Tyranny 4/day|Cloak of Slaughter 4/day|Smite Opposition 4/encounter

16|-|-|-|-|Greater Channel Energy

17|-|-|-|-|Word of Divine Power 1/day

18|Cloak of Justice 5/day|Cloak of Freedom 5/day|Cloak of Tyranny 5/day|Cloak of Slaughter 5/day|-

19|-|-|-|-|Word of Divine Power 2/day

20|-|-|-|-|Smite Opposition Constantly, Righteous Fury[/table]

Aura of Justice/Freedom/Tyranny/Slaughter (Ex)

A paladin's devotion to the ideals of their alignment causes their aura of each component of their alignment to be equal to their paladin level.

Smite Opposition (Su)

A paladin may cause extra damage to beings whose alignments differ strongly from their own. This ability is used as part of an attack (declared before the attack roll), and allows the paladin to gain a +1 to hit and a bonus to damage equal to their paladin level if the target of the attack has an alignment which varies from the paladin's by more than one step.

Duel (Ex)

A paladin may choose to focus their attention on one opponent, gaining increased fighting ability against that opponent by shutting out all others. As a free action at the start of their turn, a paladin may designate one opponent as their chosen target for that round. The paladin gains a +2 on armor class and saves against that one opponent, but takes a -2 to armor class and saves against all other opponents. In addition, the paladin's chosen opponent provokes an attack of opportunity from the paladin every time they attack one of the paladin's allies or the paladin themselves.

Lady Fortune's Healing (Su)

At second level, a paladin of freedom with a Charisma of 12 or higher gains this ability. They gain a pool of d4s equal to their paladin level multiplied by their Charisma modifier each day. As a standard action, they may touch one creature (this requires a touch attack against an unwilling creature, but does not provoke attacks of opportunity) to convey any number of these d4s as healing. The paladin also chooses to use this ability riskily or safely when using it. If used riskily, 3 is subtracted from each d4 rolled, and the result is added to the creature's hit points. The paladin and the creature both gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls for a number of attacks equal to the number of dice used. If used safely, 2 is subtracted instead of three, and the paladin and target take a -2 penalty on attack rolls for a number of attacks equal to the number of dice used. This is a positive (or negative) energy effect.

Deadly Touch (Su)

Beginning at 2nd level, a paladin of tyranny can cause wounds with a successful touch attack. Each day she can deal a total number of hit points of damage equal to her paladin level x her Charisma bonus.

Alternatively, a paladin of tyranny can use any or all of this power to cure damage to undead creatures, just as an inflict wounds spell does. This power otherwise functions identically to the paladin's lay on hands ability.

Destructive Touch (Su)

At second level, a paladin of slaughter with a Charisma of 12 or higher gains this ability. They gain a pool of d4s equal to their paladin level multiplied by their Charisma modifier each day. As a standard action, they may touch one creature (this requires a touch attack against an unwilling creature, but does not provoke attacks of opportunity) to convey any number of these d4s as damage. The paladin also chooses to use this ability riskily or safely when using it. If used riskily, 3 is subtracted from each d4 rolled, and the result is subtracted from the creature's hit points. The paladin and the creature both gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls for a number of attacks equal to the number of dice used. If used safely, 2 is subtracted instead of three, and the paladin and target take a -2 penalty on attack rolls for a number of attacks equal to the number of dice used. This is a negative (or positive) energy effect.

Spells

A paladin's spellcasting remains unchanged from that described in the player's handbook, except that all references to Wisdom are replaced with Charisma.

Demoralize Undead (Su)

A paladin of Justice gains the ability to demoralize undead at fourth level. They may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3+their Charisma modifier. This functions as if a cleric of three levels lower was turning undead, except that affected undead cower and are shaken for the duration, and the paladin may approach within ten feet without breaking the effect.

Command Undead (Su)

A paladin of Tyranny gains the ability to command undead at fourth level. This functions as if an evil cleric of three levels lower was attempting to command undead.

Enhance Undead (Su)

A paladin of Slaughter gains the ability to enhance undead at fourth level. This functions as if a cleric of three levels lower was attempting to turn undead, except that affected undead gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls, skill checks, saving throws and armor class for the duration, and will not attack the paladin for the duration.

Cloak of Justice (Su)

A paladin of Justice of sixth level or higher may shed an aura of energy around them. This ability takes a swift action to activate, lasts for one round, and is otherwise treated as a combined Holy Aura and Shield of Law spell. The save DC equals 10+1/2 the paladin's level+the paladin's Charisma modifier.

Cloak of Freedom (Su)

A paladin of Freedom of sixth level or higher may shed an aura of energy around them. This ability takes a swift action to activate, lasts for one round, and is otherwise treated as a combined Holy Aura and Cloak of Chaos spell. The save DC equals 10+1/2 the paladin's level+the paladin's Charisma modifier.

Cloak of Tyranny (Su)

A paladin of Tyranny of sixth level or higher may shed an aura of energy around them. This ability takes a swift action to activate, lasts for one round, and is otherwise treated as a combined Unholy Aura and Shield of Law spell. The save DC equals 10+1/2 the paladin's level+the paladin's Charisma modifier.

Cloak of Slaughter (Su)

A paladin of Slaughter of sixth level or higher may shed an aura of energy around them. This ability takes a swift action to activate, lasts for one round, and is otherwise treated as a combined Unholy Aura and Cloak of Chaos spell. The save DC equals 10+1/2 the paladin's level+the paladin's Charisma modifier.

Detect Opposition (Su)

A paladin of seventh level or above may detect auras of alignments that oppose their own. At-will, the paladin can detect auras of alignments that they could smite with Smite Opposition as a standard action, provided that said auras are within a 60 ft. cone-shaped emanation. A second round spent studying an area for these auras will determine the number present and the power of the most powerful such aura present (see detect evil, detect law, detect chaos and detect good for descriptions of aura power). A third round spent studying reveals the locations and power levels of all such auras within the area.

Turn Opposing Outsider (Su)

A paladin of eighth level or above may affect an Outsider that they could affect with Smite Opposition as if the Outsider were an Undead and the paladin were a cleric with a level equal to the paladin's class level-3.

Channel Energy (Su)

A paladin of tenth level or above may channel Lay on Hands, Lady Fortune's Healing, Deadly Touch or Destructive Touch through a melee weapon attack, which may be part of a full attack. The normal effects of the ability are conveyed if the weapon attack hits.

Spontaneous Casting

A paladin casts any paladin spells of two or three levels lower than the highest level of spells that they have obtained by means of paladin levels spontaneously, without the need for preparation. Their highest two spell levels must be prepared normally. A paladin knows all spells on the paladin list.

Greater Lay on Hands (Su)

Begining at 13th level, a paladin of justice with a Charisma score of 15 or higher may use their lay on hands ability to even greater effect. By expending 20 hit points of healing from the pool, the paladin casts a true ressurection or astral projection spell with only Verbal and Somatic components. However, this takes a toll on the paladin, and they are immediately Exhausted at the spell's conclusion until they have had a full day of bedrest. The paladin's effective caster level is their Charisma score.

Greater Lady Fortune's Healing (Su)

Begining at 13th level, a paladin of freedom with a Charisma score of 15 or higher may use their lady fortune's healing ability to even greater effect. By expending 20d4 from the pool, the paladin casts a true ressurection or storm of vengeancespell with only Verbal and Somatic components. However, this takes a toll on the paladin, and they are immediately Exhausted at the spell's conclusion until they have had a full day of bedrest. The paladin's effective caster level is their Charisma score.

Greater Deadly Touch (Su)

Begining at 13th level, a paladin of tyranny with a Charisma score of 15 or higher may use their lay on hands ability to even greater effect. By expending 20 hit points of healing from the pool, the paladin casts an implosion or astral projection spell with only Verbal and Somatic components. However, this takes a toll on the paladin, and they are immediately Exhausted at the spell's conclusion until they have had a full day of bedrest. The paladin's effective caster level is their Charisma score.

Greater Destructive Touch (Su)

Begining at 13th level, a paladin of slaughter with a Charisma score of 15 or higher may use their lay on hands ability to even greater effect. By expending 20 hit points of healing from the pool, the paladin casts an implosion or storm of vengeance spell with only Verbal and Somatic components. However, this takes a toll on the paladin, and they are immediately Exhausted at the spell's conclusion until they have had a full day of bedrest. The paladin's effective caster level is their Charisma score.

Extended Cloak (Su)

When a paladin of 14th level or higher uses a daily use of Cloak of Justice, Freedom, Tyranny or Slaughter the duration is 1d4 rounds instead of 1 round.

Greater Channel Energy (Su)

The Channel Energy ability of a paladin of 16th level or higher may be applied to the greater versions of the abilities that it may be used on.

Word of Divine Power (Su)

A paladin of 17th level or above may, as a standard action, utter a Word of Divine Power. This acts as a combination of two of Holy Word, Blasphemy, Dictum and Word of Chaos, limited to those two whose subtypes match the paladin's alignment.

Smite Opposition Continuously (Su)

A 20th level paladin gains an effectively unlimited supply of uses of Smite Opposition.