GitP Paladin fix

[Fayrule]

I present the paladin. (now a much better table. Thanks)

[SPOILER]
Paladin
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |1st|2nd|3rd|4th

1st|+1|+2|+0|+0|Smite Evil 1/day, Aura of Good, Detect Evil|—|—|—|—

2nd|+2|+3|+0|+0|Divine Grace, Lay on Hands|—|—|—|—

3rd|+3|+3|+1|+1|Aura of Courage, Divine Health|—|—|—|—

4th|+4|+4|+1|+1|Turn Undead|0|—|—|—

5th|+5|+4|+1|+1|Smite Evil 2/day, Special Mount|0|—|—|—

6th|+6/+1|+5|+2|+2|Remove Disease 1/week|1|—|—|—

7th|+7/+2|+5|+2|+2||1|—|—|—

8th|+8/+3|+6|+2|+2||1|0|—|—

9th|+9/+4|+6|+3|+3|Remove Disease 2/week|1|0|—|—

10th|+10/+5|+7|+3|+3|Smite Evil 3/day|1|1|—|—

11th|+11/+6/+1|+7|+3|+3||1|1|0|—

12th|+12/+7/+2|+8|+4|+4|Remove Disease 3/week|1|1|1|—

13th|+13/+8/+3|+8|+4|+4||1|1|1|—

14th|+14/+9/+4|+9|+4|+4||2|1|1|0

15th|+15/+10/+5|+9|+5|+5|Remove Disease 4/week, Smite Evil 4/day|2|1|1|1

16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+10|+5|+5||2|2|1|1

17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+10|+5|+5||2|2|2|1

18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+11|+6|+6|Remove Disease 5/week|3|2|2|1

19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+11|+6|+6||3|3|3|2

20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+12|+6|+6|Smite Evil 5/day|3|3|3|3

[/table]
Alignment: Lawful Good
Hit Die: 1d10

Class Skills:
Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge(nobility and royalty) (Int), Knowledge(religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex),and Sense Motive (Wis).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) × 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Paladins are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).

Aura of Good (Ex): The power of a paladin’s aura of good (see the detect good spell) is equal to her paladin level.

Detect Evil (Sp): At will, a paladin can use detect evil, as the spell.

Smite Evil (Su): Once per day, a paladin may attempt to smite evil with one normal melee attack. She adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per paladin level. If the paladin accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day.

At 5th level, and at every five levels thereafter, the paladin may smite evil one additional time per day, as indicated on Table: The Paladin, to a maximum of five times per day at 20th level.

Divine Grace (Su): At 2nd level, a paladin gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws.

Lay on Hands (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, a paladin with a Charisma score of 12 or higher can heal wounds (her own or those of others) by touch. Each day she can heal a total number of hit points of damage equal to her paladin level x her Charisma bonus. A paladin may choose to divide her healing among multiple recipients, and she doesn’t have to use it all at once. Using lay on hands is a standard action.

Alternatively, a paladin can use any or all of this healing power to deal damage to undead creatures. Using lay on hands in this way requires a successful melee touch attack and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. The paladin decides how many of her daily allotment of points to use as damage after successfully touching an undead creature.

Aura of Courage (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a paladin is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects. This ability functions while the paladin is conscious, but not if she is unconscious or dead.

Divine Health (Ex): At 3rd level, a paladin gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases.

Turn Undead (Su): When a paladin reaches 4th level, she gains the supernatural ability to turn undead. She may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier. She turns undead as a cleric of three levels lower would.

Spells: Beginning at 4th level, a paladin gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells, which are drawn from the paladin spell list. A paladin must choose and prepare her spells in advance.

To prepare or cast a spell, a paladin must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a paladin’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the paladin’s Wisdom modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a paladin can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Paladin. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score. When Table: The Paladin indicates that the paladin gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, she gains only the bonus spells she would be entitled to based on her Wisdom score for that spell level The paladin does not have access to any domain spells or granted powers, as a cleric does.

A paladin prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does, though she cannot lose a prepared spell to spontaneously cast a cure spell in its place. A paladin may prepare and cast any spell on the paladin spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.

Through 3rd level, a paladin has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, her caster level is one-half her paladin level.

Special Mount (Sp): 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 (see below). This mount is usually a heavy warhorse (for a Medium paladin) or a warpony (for a Small paladin).

Once per day, as a full-round action, a paladin may magically call her mount from the celestial realms in which it resides. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the paladin’s class level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the paladin and remains for 2 hours per paladin level; it may be dismissed at any time as a free action. The mount is the same creature each time it is summoned, though the paladin may release a particular mount from service.

Each time the mount is called, it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it may have taken previously. The mount also appears wearing or carrying any gear it had when it was last dismissed. Calling a mount is a conjuration (calling) effect.

Should the paladin’s mount die, it immediately disappears, leaving behind any equipment it was carrying. The paladin may not summon another mount for thirty days or until she gains a paladin level, whichever comes first, even if the mount is somehow returned from the dead. During this thirty-day period, the paladin takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.

Remove Disease (Sp): At 6th level, a paladin can produce a remove disease effect, as the spell, once per week. She can use this ability one additional time per week for every three levels after 6th (twice per week at 9th, three times at 12th, and so forth).

Code of Conduct: A paladin must be of lawful good alignment and loses all class abilities if she ever willingly commits an evil act. Additionally, a paladin’s code requires that she respect legitimate authority, act with honor (not lying, not cheating, not using poison, and so forth), help those in need (provided they do not use the help for evil or chaotic ends), and punish those who harm or threaten innocents.

Associates: While she may adventure with characters of any good or neutral alignment, a paladin will never knowingly associate with evil characters, nor will she continue an association with someone who consistently offends

[Fayrule]

Rules

Don't be a pain

Only three claims at once

Keep comments productive. Lets not devolve into "the paladin should be this" "no it should be this"

Don't post too large of changes eith one post.

[tallonRook]

Here's a more readable table for you.

Paladin
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |1st|2nd|3rd|4th

1st|+1|+2|+0|+0|Smite Evil 1/day, Aura of Good, Detect Evil|—|—|—|—

2nd|+2|+3|+0|+0|Divine Grace, Lay on Hands|—|—|—|—

3rd|+3|+3|+1|+1|Aura of Courage, Divine Health|—|—|—|—

4th|+4|+4|+1|+1|Turn Undead|0|—|—|—

5th|+5|+4|+1|+1|Smite Evil 2/day, Special Mount|0|—|—|—

6th|+6/+1|+5|+2|+2|Remove Disease 1/week|1|—|—|—

7th|+7/+2|+5|+2|+2||1|—|—|—

8th|+8/+3|+6|+2|+2||1|0|—|—

9th|+9/+4|+6|+3|+3|Remove Disease 2/week|1|0|—|—

10th|+10/+5|+7|+3|+3|Smite Evil 3/day|1|1|—|—

11th|+11/+6/+1|+7|+3|+3||1|1|0|—

12th|+12/+7/+2|+8|+4|+4|Remove Disease 3/week|1|1|1|—

13th|+13/+8/+3|+8|+4|+4||1|1|1|—

14th|+14/+9/+4|+9|+4|+4||2|1|1|0

15th|+15/+10/+5|+9|+5|+5|Remove Disease 4/week, Smite Evil 4/day|2|1|1|1

16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+10|+5|+5||2|2|1|1

17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+10|+5|+5||2|2|2|1

18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+11|+6|+6|Remove Disease 5/week|3|2|2|1

19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+11|+6|+6||3|3|3|2

20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+12|+6|+6|Smite Evil 5/day|3|3|3|3

[/table]
Alignment: Lawful Good
Hit Die: 1d10

Class Skills:
Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge(nobility and royalty) (Int), Knowledge(religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex),and Sense Motive (Wis).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) × 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Paladins are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).

Aura of Good (Ex): The power of a paladin’s aura of good (see the detect good spell) is equal to her paladin level.

Detect Evil (Sp): At will, a paladin can use detect evil, as the spell.

Smite Evil (Su): Once per day, a paladin may attempt to smite evil with one normal melee attack. She adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per paladin level. If the paladin accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day.

At 5th level, and at every five levels thereafter, the paladin may smite evil one additional time per day, as indicated on Table: The Paladin, to a maximum of five times per day at 20th level.

Divine Grace (Su): At 2nd level, a paladin gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws.

Lay on Hands (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, a paladin with a Charisma score of 12 or higher can heal wounds (her own or those of others) by touch. Each day she can heal a total number of hit points of damage equal to her paladin level x her Charisma bonus. A paladin may choose to divide her healing among multiple recipients, and she doesn’t have to use it all at once. Using lay on hands is a standard action.

Alternatively, a paladin can use any or all of this healing power to deal damage to undead creatures. Using lay on hands in this way requires a successful melee touch attack and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. The paladin decides how many of her daily allotment of points to use as damage after successfully touching an undead creature.

Aura of Courage (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a paladin is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects. This ability functions while the paladin is conscious, but not if she is unconscious or dead.

Divine Health (Ex): At 3rd level, a paladin gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases.

Turn Undead (Su): When a paladin reaches 4th level, she gains the supernatural ability to turn undead. She may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier. She turns undead as a cleric of three levels lower would.

Spells: Beginning at 4th level, a paladin gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells, which are drawn from the paladin spell list. A paladin must choose and prepare her spells in advance.

To prepare or cast a spell, a paladin must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a paladin’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the paladin’s Wisdom modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a paladin can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Paladin. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score. When Table: The Paladin indicates that the paladin gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, she gains only the bonus spells she would be entitled to based on her Wisdom score for that spell level The paladin does not have access to any domain spells or granted powers, as a cleric does.

A paladin prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does, though she cannot lose a prepared spell to spontaneously cast a cure spell in its place. A paladin may prepare and cast any spell on the paladin spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.

Through 3rd level, a paladin has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, her caster level is one-half her paladin level.

Special Mount (Sp): 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 (see below). This mount is usually a heavy warhorse (for a Medium paladin) or a warpony (for a Small paladin).

Once per day, as a full-round action, a paladin may magically call her mount from the celestial realms in which it resides. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the paladin’s class level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the paladin and remains for 2 hours per paladin level; it may be dismissed at any time as a free action. The mount is the same creature each time it is summoned, though the paladin may release a particular mount from service.

Each time the mount is called, it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it may have taken previously. The mount also appears wearing or carrying any gear it had when it was last dismissed. Calling a mount is a conjuration (calling) effect.

Should the paladin’s mount die, it immediately disappears, leaving behind any equipment it was carrying. The paladin may not summon another mount for thirty days or until she gains a paladin level, whichever comes first, even if the mount is somehow returned from the dead. During this thirty-day period, the paladin takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.

Remove Disease (Sp): At 6th level, a paladin can produce a remove disease effect, as the spell, once per week. She can use this ability one additional time per week for every three levels after 6th (twice per week at 9th, three times at 12th, and so forth).

Code of Conduct: A paladin must be of lawful good alignment and loses all class abilities if she ever willingly commits an evil act. Additionally, a paladin’s code requires that she respect legitimate authority, act with honor (not lying, not cheating, not using poison, and so forth), help those in need (provided they do not use the help for evil or chaotic ends), and punish those who harm or threaten innocents.

Associates: While she may adventure with characters of any good or neutral alignment, a paladin will never knowingly associate with evil characters, nor will she continue an association with someone who consistently offends her moral code. A paladin may accept only henchmen, followers, or cohorts who are lawful good.

Ex-Paladins
A paladin who ceases to be lawful good, who willfully commits an evil act, or who grossly violates the code of conduct loses all paladin spells and abilities (including the service of the paladin’s mount, but not weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies). She may not progress any farther in levels as a paladin. She regains her abilities and advancement potential if she atones for her violations (see the atonement spell description), as appropriate.

Like a member of any other class, a paladin may be a multiclass character, but multiclass paladins face a special restriction. A paladin who gains a level in any class other than paladin may never again raise her paladin level, though she retains all her paladin abilities.

THE PALADIN’S MOUNT

The paladin’s mount is superior to a normal mount of its kind and has special powers, as described below. The standard mount for a Medium paladin is a heavy warhorse, and the standard mount for a Small paladin is a warpony. Another kind of mount, such as a riding dog (for a halfling paladin) or a Large shark (for a paladin in an aquatic campaign) may be allowed as well. A paladin’s mount is treated as a magical beast, not an animal, for the purpose of all effects that depend on its type (though it retains an animal’s HD, base attack bonus, saves, skill points, and feats).

{table]Paladin Level|Bonus HD|Natural Armor Adj.|Str Adj.|Int|Special

5th–7th|+2|+4|+1|6|Empathic link, improved evasion, share spells, share saving throws

8th–10th|+4|+6|+2|7|Improved speed

11th–14th|+6|+8|+3|8|Command creatures of its kind

15th–20th|+8|+10|+4|9|Spell resistance

[/table]

Paladin’s Mount Basics: Use the base statistics for a creature of the mount’s kind, but make changes to take into account the attributes and characteristics summarized on the table and described below.

Bonus HD: Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal. Extra Hit Dice improve the mount’s base attack and base save bonuses. A special mount’s base attack bonus is equal to that of a cleric of a level equal to the mount’s HD. A mount has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the animal’s HD). The mount gains additional skill points or feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice.

Natural Armor Adj.: The number on the table is an improvement to the mount’s existing natural armor bonus.

Str Adj.: Add this figure to the mount’s Strength score.

Int: The mount’s Intelligence score.

Empathic Link (Su): The paladin has an empathic link with her mount out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The paladin cannot see through the mount’s eyes, but they can communicate empathically. Note that even intelligent mounts see the world differently from humans, so misunderstandings are always possible.

Because of this empathic link, the paladin has the same connection to an item or place that her mount does, just as with a master and his familiar (see Familiars).

Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a mount takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage if the saving throw fails.

Share Spells: At the paladin’s option, she may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) she casts on herself also affect her mount. The mount must be within 5 feet at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the mount if it moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the mount again even if it returns to the paladin before the duration expires. Additionally, the paladin may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her mount (as a touch range spell) instead of on herself. A paladin and her mount can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the mount’s type (magical beast).

Share Saving Throws: For each of its saving throws, the mount uses its own base save bonus or the paladin’s, whichever is higher. The mount applies its own ability modifiers to saves, and it doesn’t share any other bonuses on saves that the master might have.

Improved Speed (Ex): The mount’s speed increases by 10 feet.

Command (Sp): Once per day per two paladin levels of its master, a mount can use this ability to command other any normal animal of approximately the same kind as itself (for warhorses and warponies, this category includes donkeys, mules, and ponies), as long as the target creature has fewer Hit Dice than the mount. This ability functions like the command spell, but the mount must make a DC 21 Concentration check to succeed if it’s being ridden at the time. If the check fails, the ability does not work that time, but it still counts against the mount’s daily uses. Each target may attempt a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 paladin’s level + paladin’s Cha modifier) to negate the effect.

Spell Resistance (Ex): A mount’s spell resistance equals its master’s paladin level + 5. To affect the mount with a spell, a spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the mount’s spell resistance.

[Fayrule]

Thanks for the table

[Deepbluediver]

I'm not really familiar with how these group-fixes work, so I'll start small.

Unless the mechanics of the "Smite Evil" ability are changed to increase either the damage or the effect, I think the number of uses you have should scale up much more quickly.

Something like:
Once per day per level, and "at will" at 20th.

[Loki_42]

Claim

Deepbluediver, I've got you covered.

Edit: Now Smite Evils are a lot more common. It's one of the Paladin's defining class features, but he can barely use it. It's still not all that good of an ability, but it's a start.

Paladin
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |1st|2nd|3rd|4th

1st|+1|+2|+0|+0|Smite Evil 1/encounter, Aura of Good, Detect Evil|—|—|—|—

2nd|+2|+3|+0|+0|Divine Grace, Lay on Hands|—|—|—|—

3rd|+3|+3|+1|+1|Aura of Courage, Divine Health|—|—|—|—

4th|+4|+4|+1|+1|Turn Undead|0|—|—|—

5th|+5|+4|+1|+1|Smite Evil 2/encounter, Special Mount|0|—|—|—

6th|+6/+1|+5|+2|+2|Remove Disease 1/week|1|—|—|—

7th|+7/+2|+5|+2|+2||1|—|—|—

8th|+8/+3|+6|+2|+2||1|0|—|—

9th|+9/+4|+6|+3|+3|Remove Disease 2/week|1|0|—|—

10th|+10/+5|+7|+3|+3|Smite Evil 3/encounter|1|1|—|—

11th|+11/+6/+1|+7|+3|+3||1|1|0|—

12th|+12/+7/+2|+8|+4|+4|Remove Disease 3/week|1|1|1|—

13th|+13/+8/+3|+8|+4|+4||1|1|1|—

14th|+14/+9/+4|+9|+4|+4||2|1|1|0

15th|+15/+10/+5|+9|+5|+5|Remove Disease 4/week, Smite Evil 4/encounter|2|1|1|1

16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+10|+5|+5||2|2|1|1

17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+10|+5|+5||2|2|2|1

18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+11|+6|+6|Remove Disease 5/week|3|2|2|1

19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+11|+6|+6||3|3|3|2

20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+12|+6|+6|Smite Evil 5/encounter|3|3|3|3

[/table]
Alignment: Lawful Good
Hit Die: 1d10

Class Skills:
Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge(nobility and royalty) (Int), Knowledge(religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex),and Sense Motive (Wis).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) × 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Paladins are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).

Aura of Good (Ex): The power of a paladin’s aura of good (see the detect good spell) is equal to her paladin level.

Detect Evil (Sp): At will, a paladin can use detect evil, as the spell.

Smite Evil (Su): Once per encounter, a paladin may attempt to smite evil with one normal melee attack. She adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per paladin level. If the paladin accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that encounter.

At 5th level, and at every five levels thereafter, the paladin may smite evil one additional time per encounter, as indicated on Table: The Paladin, to a maximum of five times per encounter at 20th level.

Divine Grace (Su): At 2nd level, a paladin gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws.

Lay on Hands (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, a paladin with a Charisma score of 12 or higher can heal wounds (her own or those of others) by touch. Each day she can heal a total number of hit points of damage equal to her paladin level x her Charisma bonus. A paladin may choose to divide her healing among multiple recipients, and she doesn’t have to use it all at once. Using lay on hands is a standard action.

Alternatively, a paladin can use any or all of this healing power to deal damage to undead creatures. Using lay on hands in this way requires a successful melee touch attack and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. The paladin decides how many of her daily allotment of points to use as damage after successfully touching an undead creature.

Aura of Courage (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a paladin is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects. This ability functions while the paladin is conscious, but not if she is unconscious or dead.

Divine Health (Ex): At 3rd level, a paladin gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases.

Turn Undead (Su): When a paladin reaches 4th level, she gains the supernatural ability to turn undead. She may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier. She turns undead as a cleric of three levels lower would.

Spells: Beginning at 4th level, a paladin gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells, which are drawn from the paladin spell list. A paladin must choose and prepare her spells in advance.

To prepare or cast a spell, a paladin must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a paladin’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the paladin’s Wisdom modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a paladin can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Paladin. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score. When Table: The Paladin indicates that the paladin gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, she gains only the bonus spells she would be entitled to based on her Wisdom score for that spell level The paladin does not have access to any domain spells or granted powers, as a cleric does.

A paladin prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does, though she cannot lose a prepared spell to spontaneously cast a cure spell in its place. A paladin may prepare and cast any spell on the paladin spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.

Through 3rd level, a paladin has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, her caster level is one-half her paladin level.

Special Mount (Sp): 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 (see below). This mount is usually a heavy warhorse (for a Medium paladin) or a warpony (for a Small paladin).

Once per day, as a full-round action, a paladin may magically call her mount from the celestial realms in which it resides. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the paladin’s class level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the paladin and remains for 2 hours per paladin level; it may be dismissed at any time as a free action. The mount is the same creature each time it is summoned, though the paladin may release a particular mount from service.

Each time the mount is called, it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it may have taken previously. The mount also appears wearing or carrying any gear it had when it was last dismissed. Calling a mount is a conjuration (calling) effect.

Should the paladin’s mount die, it immediately disappears, leaving behind any equipment it was carrying. The paladin may not summon another mount for thirty days or until she gains a paladin level, whichever comes first, even if the mount is somehow returned from the dead. During this thirty-day period, the paladin takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.

Remove Disease (Sp): At 6th level, a paladin can produce a remove disease effect, as the spell, once per week. She can use this ability one additional time per week for every three levels after 6th (twice per week at 9th, three times at 12th, and so forth).

Code of Conduct: A paladin must be of lawful good alignment and loses all class abilities if she ever willingly commits an evil act. Additionally, a paladin’s code requires that she respect legitimate authority, act with honor (not lying, not cheating, not using poison, and so forth), help those in need (provided they do not use the help for evil or chaotic ends), and punish those who harm or threaten innocents.

Associates: While she may adventure with characters of any good or neutral alignment, a paladin will never knowingly associate with evil characters, nor will she continue an association with someone who consistently offends her moral code. A paladin may accept only henchmen, followers, or cohorts who are lawful good.

Ex-Paladins
A paladin who ceases to be lawful good, who willfully commits an evil act, or who grossly violates the code of conduct loses all paladin spells and abilities (including the service of the paladin’s mount, but not weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies). She may not progress any farther in levels as a paladin. She regains her abilities and advancement potential if she atones for her violations (see the atonement spell description), as appropriate.

Like a member of any other class, a paladin may be a multiclass character, but multiclass paladins face a special restriction. A paladin who gains a level in any class other than paladin may never again raise her paladin level, though she retains all her paladin abilities.

THE PALADIN’S MOUNT

The paladin’s mount is superior to a normal mount of its kind and has special powers, as described below. The standard mount for a Medium paladin is a heavy warhorse, and the standard mount for a Small paladin is a warpony. Another kind of mount, such as a riding dog (for a halfling paladin) or a Large shark (for a paladin in an aquatic campaign) may be allowed as well. A paladin’s mount is treated as a magical beast, not an animal, for the purpose of all effects that depend on its type (though it retains an animal’s HD, base attack bonus, saves, skill points, and feats).

{table]Paladin Level|Bonus HD|Natural Armor Adj.|Str Adj.|Int|Special

5th–7th|+2|+4|+1|6|Empathic link, improved evasion, share spells, share saving throws

8th–10th|+4|+6|+2|7|Improved speed

11th–14th|+6|+8|+3|8|Command creatures of its kind

15th–20th|+8|+10|+4|9|Spell resistance

[/table]

Paladin’s Mount Basics: Use the base statistics for a creature of the mount’s kind, but make changes to take into account the attributes and characteristics summarized on the table and described below.

Bonus HD: Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal. Extra Hit Dice improve the mount’s base attack and base save bonuses. A special mount’s base attack bonus is equal to that of a cleric of a level equal to the mount’s HD. A mount has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the animal’s HD). The mount gains additional skill points or feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice.

Natural Armor Adj.: The number on the table is an improvement to the mount’s existing natural armor bonus.

Str Adj.: Add this figure to the mount’s Strength score.

Int: The mount’s Intelligence score.

Empathic Link (Su): The paladin has an empathic link with her mount out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The paladin cannot see through the mount’s eyes, but they can communicate empathically. Note that even intelligent mounts see the world differently from humans, so misunderstandings are always possible.

Because of this empathic link, the paladin has the same connection to an item or place that her mount does, just as with a master and his familiar (see Familiars).

Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a mount takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage if the saving throw fails.

Share Spells: At the paladin’s option, she may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) she casts on herself also affect her mount. The mount must be within 5 feet at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the mount if it moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the mount again even if it returns to the paladin before the duration expires. Additionally, the paladin may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her mount (as a touch range spell) instead of on herself. A paladin and her mount can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the mount’s type (magical beast).

Share Saving Throws: For each of its saving throws, the mount uses its own base save bonus or the paladin’s, whichever is higher. The mount applies its own ability modifiers to saves, and it doesn’t share any other bonuses on saves that the master might have.

Improved Speed (Ex): The mount’s speed increases by 10 feet.

Command (Sp): Once per day per two paladin levels of its master, a mount can use this ability to command other any normal animal of approximately the same kind as itself (for warhorses and warponies, this category includes donkeys, mules, and ponies), as long as the target creature has fewer Hit Dice than the mount. This ability functions like the command spell, but the mount must make a DC 21 Concentration check to succeed if it’s being ridden at the time. If the check fails, the ability does not work that time, but it still counts against the mount’s daily uses. Each target may attempt a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 paladin’s level + paladin’s Cha modifier) to negate the effect.

Spell Resistance (Ex): A mount’s spell resistance equals its master’s paladin level + 5. To affect the mount with a spell, a spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the mount’s spell resistance.

[nonsi]

This is not a claim, but a comment.

I see nothing inherently wrong with the PF Paladin (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/paladin) as a decent 3.5e fix.

I'm not saying that it's perfect, but IMO it would be a wonderful starting point that would require little tweaking (if any).

[Loki_42]

The PF paladin is certainly good, but it can be far better. Incorporating ideas from the PF paladin is a good idea, but I don't think we can just stop there.

[nonsi]

The PF paladin is certainly good, but it can be far better. Incorporating ideas from the PF paladin is a good idea, but I don't think we can just stop there.

Firs thing I'd change would be to allow different alignments (A-La UA) and alleviate CoC (and/or apply penalties rather than total nuttering when violating it - depending on severity).

[toapat]

Claim: Assume Everything is Red



Paladin
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |1st|2nd|3rd|4th

1st|+1|+2|+0|+2|Aura of Good, Detect Evil, Smite Evil 1/encounter|—|—|—|—

2nd|+2|+3|+0|+3|Divine Grace, Lay on hands|—|—|—|—

3rd|+3|+3|+1|+3|Aura of Resolve, Enduring Personality|—|—|—|—

4th|+4|+4|+1|+4|Mercy, Battle Blessing, Mettle, Prayerbook|3|—|—|—

5th|+5|+4|+1|+4|Warden's Charge, Smite Evil 2/encounter|3|—|—|—

6th|+6/+1|+5|+2|+5|Spellshatter 1/day|4|—|—|—

7th|+7/+2|+5|+2|+5|Bonus feat|4|—|—|—

8th|+8/+3|+6|+2|+6|Measure of Conviction, Mercy|4|3|—|—

9th|+9/+4|+6|+3|+6|Spellshatter 2/day|4|3|—|—

10th|+10/+5|+7|+3|+7|Bonus feat, Smite Evil 3/encounter|4|4|—|—

11th|+11/+6/+1|+7|+3|+7|Hymnbook|4|4|3|—

12th|+12/+7/+2|+8|+4|+8|Spellshatter 3/day, Mercy|4|4|4|—

13th|+13/+8/+3|+8|+4|+8|Bonus feat|4|4|4|—

14th|+14/+9/+4|+9|+4|+9|Improved mettle|5|4|4|3

15th|+15/+10/+5|+9|+5|+9|Spellshatter 4/day, Smite Evil 4/encounter|5|4|4|4

16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+10|+5|+10|Bonus feat, Mercy|5|5|4|4

17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+10|+5|+10|Wrathful Smiting|5|5|5|4

18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+11|+6|+11|Spellshatter 5/day|6|5|5|4

19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+11|+6|+11|Bonus feat|6|6|6|5

20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+12|+6|+12|Mercy, Smite Evil 5/encounter|6|6|6|6[/table]

Hit Die: D10
Alignment: Any Good

Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) × 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier

Class Abilities:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Paladins are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, as well as a single exotic weapon. Paladins are also proficient with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).

Aura of Good (Ex): The power of a paladin’s aura of good (see the detect good spell) is equal to her paladin level.

Detect Evil (Sp): At will, a paladin can use detect evil, as the spell.

Smite Evil (Su): Once per encounter, a paladin may attempt to smite evil with one normal attack. She adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per paladin level. If the paladin accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect, and is not used up for the encounter.
At 5th level, and at every five levels thereafter, the paladin may smite evil one additional time per encounter, as indicated on Table: The Paladin, to a maximum of five times per encounter* at 20th level.
In addition to the normal effect, beginning at 5th level, whenever a creature is struck by the paladin's smite evil, that creature finds it difficult to cast spells or use magical items. For one round, any attempt to complete one of these actions requires a sucessful concentration check against a DC of (10+paladin level+charisma modifier); Failure means that the action fails. If a spell was being cast, the spell or spell slot is lost. If a magic item was being activated, the attempt mearly fails. Multiple Smite Evil attempts on the same creature do not have cumulative effect.

*An Encounter is a single unbroken period of combat. A period of 5 minutes must elapse for an encounter to be considered a separate instance.

Divine Grace (Su): At 2nd level, a paladin gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws.

Lay on Hands (Su): Starting at level 2, a paladin can channel 1d6+her charisma modifier positive energy damage* one time per day. For every 2 paladin levels afterwards, Lay on hands deals an additional 1d6 damage and can be used an additional time per day.
Lay on Hands is a swift action when the paladin uses it on herself, and a standard action when used on a friendly ally. When used offensively, The paladin must succeed a melee touch attack in order for the lay on hands to take effect. If she fails, the Lay on Hands has no effect and usage is lost for the day. A Paladin must have one hand free in order to use Lay on Hands.

* Positive energy heals Living and undying, but damages evil Outsiders and Undead

Aura of Resolve (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a paladin is immune to compulsion and fear effects. Each ally within 30 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects. This ability functions while the paladin is conscious, but not if she is unconscious or dead.

Enduring Personality (Ex): At 3rd level, a paladin becomes immune charisma damage and drain.

Battle Blessing (Ex): A Paladin can cast most of her paladin spell slots faster than normal. If the prepared spell normally requires a standard action, she can cast it as a swift action. If it normally requires a full round to cast, she can cast it as a standard action. Spells with longer or shorter casting times are not affected.

Mercies (Su): Slowly, over time, Paladins learn how to counteract more then just bleeding when the Lay on Hands. At 4th level, and every 4th level afterwards, a paladin may select a mercy from the following list, and each mercy applies whenever she uses her Lay on Hands ability to heal. Each mercy may be selected more then one time, so long as the paladin meets the minimum level prerequisite.

{table=head]
Name|
Mercy|
Minimum Level

Divine Influence|All variable numeric values of Lay on Hands are Maximized|20

Divine Verdict|You may affect upto 5 targets withing 30 feet of you with your lay on hands|20

Luck|Touched creature gets a +1 luck bonus to all rolls for 1 hour|4

Age|Cures 1d4 negative levels|12

Despair|As remove Curse|8

Poison|Completely removes one poison that the touched creature suffers from|12

Pestilence|Cures one disease the target suffers from|4

Disorientation|Cures Confusion|4

Sight|Cures Blindness|8

Hearing|Cures Deafness|4

Stone|As Stone to Flesh|16

Wellness| Cures 1d6 Ability damage/drain|4

Courage|Removes Shaken, or reduces Frightened and Panicked one step.|4[/table]

Mettle (Su): The Paladin's conviction is so strong, that she is able to shrug off magical effects that would harm her. If a Paladin makes a successful Will or Fortitude saving throw that would normally reduce the spell's effect, she suffers no effect from the spell at all. Only those spells with a Saving Throw entry of "Will partial," "Fortitude half," or similar entries can be negated through this ability.

Improved Mettle (Su):As with Mettle, but the paladin also receives half damage on a failed Fortitude save, or partial effect on a failed Will save.

Spells: Beginning at 4th level, a paladin gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells, which are drawn from the paladin spell list*. A paladin must choose and prepare her spells in advance.
To prepare or cast a spell, a paladin must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a paladin’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the paladin’s Charisma modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a paladin can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Charisma score.

A paladin can cast any spell in her prayerbook without preparing it ahead of time. Paladins also have a Hymn book,

Through 3rd level, a paladin has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, her caster level is three less then her paladin level.

Prayerbook: A paladin's prayerbook contains all spells on the paladin spell list*. Casting spells from her prayerbook takes no more time or effort then the spell would normally take.

*Add the following spells to the paladin's spell list: 1st—protection from law: 2nd—haste; 3rd—magic circle against law; 4th—dispel law, freedom of movement, Anarchic Sword.

Hymnbook: A paladin's Hymnbook contains mystic lore that each paladin believes would be of great benefit to her cause. A paladin may inscribe any spell from the Sorcerer and Favored Soul spell lists.

At 11th level, a paladin gains her Hymnbook, which begins with four spells each of each spell level that the paladin can wield. Two spells each from the Favored Soul and Sorcerer spell lists. Each time she levels, a spell each from the Sorcerer and Favored Spell list is automatically inscribed into the paladin's hymnbook.

In order to cast a spell from her hymnbook, a Paladin must spend 20 minutes studying the spell, or 1 hour total for many spells. any spells prepared from her hymnbook take two spell slots of their spell level to prepare though, and so she must decide whether preparation, or adaptability, is more important to her. These spells are treated as paladin spells for battle blessing.

Warden's Charge: A paladin at 5th level has to make her most important decision of her carreer. She decides whether to call to her service divine spirits or a majestic steed.

Mount:
Special Mount (Sp): 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 (see below). This mount is usually a Griffon (for a Medium paladin) or a Medium Griffon (for a Small paladin).

Once per day, as a full-round action, a paladin may magically call her mount from the celestial realms in which it resides. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the paladin’s level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the paladin and remains for 2 hours per paladin level; it may be dismissed at any time as a free action. The mount is the same creature each time it is summoned, though the paladin may release a particular mount from service.

Each time the mount is called, it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it may have taken previously. The mount also appears wearing or carrying any gear it had when it was last dismissed. Calling a mount is a conjuration (calling) effect.

Should the paladin’s mount die, it immediately disappears, leaving behind any equipment it was carrying. The paladin may not summon another mount for thirty days or until she gains a paladin level, whichever comes first, even if the mount is somehow returned from the dead. During this thirty-day period, the paladin takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.

Divine Spirit
Divine Spirit (Su): A Paladin beginning at 5th level can call forth the spirits of past Divine Crusaders. As a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, a Paladin can call forth a spirit from beyond the mortal realm.

{table]Level|Spirit
5-9|Spirit of Healing
10-14|Spirit of Combat
15-19|Spirit of Heroism
20+|Spirit of the Fallen[/table]

Each Spirit has the following characteristics:

A Spirit takes up a 5' space on the battlefield
When summoned, the spirit appears within 30 feet of the paladin.
Spirits are insubstantial and transparent, and as such do not block line of sight or line of effect. They also can be moved through as though not occupying a square.
A spirit cannot attack or be attacked. It is not undead and cannot be turned. It is subject to dispel magic, dismissal, or banishment as if it were a summoned creature, using your paladin level as the caster level.
If you lose line of sight to a spirit, it disappears immediately.
You may summon a spirit by expending a use of Lay on Hands for the day.
A spirit remains for a number of rounds equal to your paladin level, until it is dismissed, or until special conditions in the spirit's description are met.

Spirit of Healing: The First spirit a paladin can summon is the Spirit of Healing. This spirit has a number of uses of Lay on Hands as the paladin, and each lay on hands heals for 1d3 hp per paladin level. The spirit must occupy the same square as the creature it is healing though.

Spirit of Combat: This spirit enhances combat ability. Whenever an ally (including yourself) is adjacent to the spirit of combat or occupying its space, that character gains holy fervor. Holy fervor grants a +1 sacred bonus on attacks and damage rolls for every four paladin levels you possess (up to a maximum of +5 at 20th level). In addition, affected characters' weapons are treated as good-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Spirit of Heroism: This spirit automatically occupies your space and does not leave until dismissed or dispelled, or the duration of the summoning ends. You gain DR 10/--. In addition, you gain the benefit of the Diehard feat (even if you do not meet the prerequisite) and can use your lay on hands ability as a free action once per round instead of as a swift action.

Spirit of the Fallen: At 20th level, a paladin can call fourth the mightiest of her spirits. While you or any of your allies are adjacent to this spirit, it grants fast healing 10 to those characters. If an affected character's hit points drop to 0 or fewer while within 30 feet of this spirit, it revives that character at the start of his next turn, allowing him to take his action as normal. The character heals an amount of damage equal to twice your paladin level, though if his hit points are still at -10 or below, he still dies. The spirit can use its revive ability once per round.

Spellshatter (Su): Once per day, beginning at 4th level, a Paladin can choose to deliver a targeted Greater Dispel Magic with a physical attack she makes with a weapon attack. The decision to use this ability must be made before the attack is rolled. If the attack misses, the ability is wasted.
if the attack hits, treat this as if the paladin had cast Greater Dispel Magic on the creature struck, using twice her paladin level as the caster level (no maximum).
A paladin may use this ability an additional time each day every fourth level afterwards.

Bonus Feats: At 7th level, and every third level afterwards, a paladin recieves a bonus feat. This feat may be any feat of the Paladin's choosing, and she is considered a Fighter for any feat with which they are prerequisite.

Measure of Conviction (Ex): The Paladin's conviction strengthens, and she is now able to perform multiple attacks with a single use of her divine blow. Once activated, all bonuses of Smite Evil apply until the beginning of the Paladin's next turn.

Wrathful Smiting (Su): Beginning at 17th level, a paladin may sacrifice one of her uses of Smite Evil for each encounter in a day in order to deliver a massive shockwave of divine energy. As a Standard action, the paladin may perform a melee attack, and if she succeeds, she deals 1d6 holy damage per paladin level to each creature in a 20' burst from the struct creature.

Code of Conduct: A paladin must be of a good alignment. A paladin should act with honor and respect, help those in need, and to punish those who threaten or harm the innocent. A paladin who is not of good alignment looses all Supernatural abilities until she atones.


Paladin's Mount:

Paladin Level|Bonus HD|Natural Armor Adj.|Str Adj|Int|Special

5th-7th|+2|+4|+1|8|Empathic Link, Improved Evasion, Share Spells, Share Saving Throws

8th-10th|+4|+6|+2|9|Improved Speed

11th-14th|+6|+8|+3|10|Command Creatures of Its Kind

15th-20th|+8|+10|+4|11|Spell Resistance

Paladin’s Mount Basics: Use the base statistics for a creature of the mount’s kind, but make changes to take into account the attributes and characteristics summarized on the table and described below.

Bonus HD: Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Consitution modifier, as normal. Extra Hit Dice improve the mount’s base attack and base save bonuses. A special mount’s base attack bonus is equal to that of a cleric of a level equal to the mount’s HD. A mount has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the animal’s HD). The mount gains additional skill points or feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice.

Natural Armor Adj.: The number on the table is an improvement to the mount’s existing natural armor bonus.
Str Adj.: Add this figure to the mount’s Strength score.
Int: The mount’s Intelligence score.

Empathic Link (Su): The paladin has an empathic link with her mount out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The paladin cannot see through the mount’s eyes, but they can communicate empathically.
Note that even intelligent mounts see the world differently from humans, so misunderstandings are always possible.
Because of this empathic link, the paladin has the same connection to an item or place that her mount does, just as with a master and his familiar (see Familiars).

Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a mount takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage if the saving throw fails.

Share Spells: At the paladin’s option, she may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) she casts on herself also affect her mount.
The mount must be within 5 feet at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the mount if it moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the mount again even if it returns to the paladin before the duration expires. Additionally, the paladin may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her mount (as a touch range spell) instead of on herself. A paladin and her mount can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the mount’s type (magical beast).

Share Saving Throws: For each of its saving throws, the mount uses its own base save bonus or the paladin’s, whichever is higher. The mount applies its own ability modifiers to saves, and it doesn’t share any other bonuses on saves that the master might have.
Improved Speed (Ex): The mount’s speed increases by 10 feet.

Command (Sp): Once per day per two paladin levels of its master, a mount can use this ability to command other any normal animal of approximately the same kind as itself (for warhorses and warponies, this category includes donkeys, mules, and ponies), as long as the target creature has fewer Hit Dice than the mount. This ability functions like the command spell, but the mount must make a DC 21 Concentration check to succeed if it’s being ridden at the time. If the check fails, the ability does not work that time, but it still counts against the mount’s daily uses. Each target may attempt a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 paladin’s level + paladin’s Cha modifier) to negate the effect.

Spell Resistance (Ex): A mount’s spell resistance equals its master’s paladin level + 5. To affect the mount with a spell, a spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the mount’s spell resistance.

Edit: Readded alignment and Hit die, woops. Alignment is now any good

[Deepbluediver]

Firs thing I'd change would be to allow different alignments (A-La UA) and alleviate CoC (and/or apply penalties rather than total nuttering when violating it - depending on severity).

The paladin is probably the most roleplay-heavy class in Core, and I don't want to lose sight of the RP part of an RPG.

This is one of the rare cases where I think we should consider NOT attempting to parse out an iron-clad contract, but should just inlclude a clause that says anyone wanting to play a paladin should discuss it first with the DM (who is filling in as de-facto god for the campaign) and establish how the paladin will be played and what strictures bind him (or her).


As for non-LG paladins, I would rather rename them something else entirely, if only for the fluff.
LE- Darkhand
CG- Holy Liberator (which is the name a a PrC that is basically a CG paladin already)
CE- ???

[toapat]

The paladin is probably the most roleplay-heavy class in Core, and I don't want to lose sight of the RP part of an RPG.

This is one of the rare cases where I think we should consider NOT attempting to parse out an iron-clad contract, but should just inlclude a clause that says anyone wanting to play a paladin should discuss it first with the DM (who is filling in as de-facto god for the campaign) and establish how the paladin will be played and what strictures bind him (or her).


As for non-LG paladins, I would rather rename them something else entirely, if only for the fluff.
LE- Darkhand
CG- Holy Liberator (which is the name a a PrC that is basically a CG paladin already)
CE- ???

I feel T.G. Oskar, despite missing half the problems that he was adding to paladin (having mechanics that specifically require one specific combat style is typically to be avoided), was right in the naming of the classes, Paladins are Good, Blackguards are Evil, Anarch are chaotic, and Justiciars are lawful

[BladeTempest]

I second the notion of starting with the pathfinder paladin as our starting point.

[Loki_42]

It looks like Toapat already brought this Paladin past the point of the PF Paladin, and it does get some of what they do, such as the Mercies. I still think it can be better, but I'd say it's already past the point of any "official" Paladin.

[toapat]

It looks like Toapat already brought this Paladin past the point of the PF Paladin, and it does get some of what they do, such as the Mercies. I still think it can be better, but I'd say it's already past the point of any "official" Paladin.

im sure people will want to rework some class features, and the spell list needs to be corrected to actually fit to the design philosophy of the later spells for paladin, such as Divine Sacrifice, Glory of the Martyr, and Rhino Rush.

as far as actually doing work, actually i was just able to copy and paste from my most recent paladin homebrew, were i already went about shoring up the paladin via countering problems and expanding versaility. None of the changes i do now really fall outside of what people agree the paladin should do.

[Loki_42]

im sure people will want to rework some class features, and the spell list needs to be corrected to actually fit to the design philosophy of the later spells for paladin, such as Divine Sacrifice, Glory of the Martyr, and Rhino Rush.

as far as actually doing work, actually i was just able to copy and paste from my most recent paladin homebrew, were i already went about shoring up the paladin via countering problems and expanding versaility


Yes, I was more saying that dropping what we have now and going to the PF Paladin as a base would be a step downward.

[toapat]

Yes, I was more saying that dropping what we have now and going to the PF Paladin as a base would be a step downward.

i personally feel like, half the class features of PF paladin are against the flavor of paladin. Their aura stack is not what i envision a paladin being like, and their capstone is very much not for a holy warrior type.

[Amechra]

... and not everyone agrees on the same Paladin fluff as you, Toapat.

I personally see the Paladin as something pretty much the opposite of the common "envisioning"; this is why I don't post in Paladin threads.

What I'm trying to say is that, if you disagree with something, change it. That's what this game is about.

Don't pre-emptively naysay, though. It isn't productive.

[toapat]

... and not everyone agrees on the same Paladin fluff as you, Toapat.

I didnt write fluff, i just did what people can agree is not outside the paladin's sphere of influence. in 3.5 that basically means doing something similar to what MKF 4-6 does. I normally pull out turn undead because the fluff of turn undead does not really make sense to me in the context of paladin, it itself kinda sucks, and shoring up the paladin's weaknesses without removing turn undead makes them extremely unbalanced.

[Dienekes]

i personally feel like, half the class features of PF paladin are against the flavor of paladin. Their aura stack is not what i envision a paladin being like, and their capstone is very much not for a holy warrior type.

How is the ability to Smite Demons so hard they are sent back to Hell not an ability that makes sense for a holy warrior type?

As for the auras, well it seems to me they're cribbing off of Diablo a little. But I have nothing against it, Paladins have always had an aura and with the heavier focus on Charisma it makes sense that they have a bit more of an influence on those around then, being inspirational and whatnot.

[Amechra]

Well, Toapat, in pretty much every post I've read of yours where you give reasons for removing an ability, or adding an ability, to the Fighter, you refer to the flavor of the Paladin.

Sounds like fluff to me.

I agree on Turn Undead, though; it's a legacy mechanic that should have gone bye-bye a while ago (it's great for getting into PrCs, and getting access to some of the feats that are good for Paladins, though.)

[Sgt. Cookie]

Claim



Paladin
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |1st|2nd|3rd|4th

1st|+1|+2|+0|+2|Aura of Good, Detect Evil, Smite Evil 1/encounter|—|—|—|—

2nd|+2|+3|+0|+3|Divine Grace, Lay on hands|—|—|—|—

3rd|+3|+3|+1|+3|Aura of Resolve, Enduring Personality|—|—|—|—

4th|+4|+4|+1|+4|Mercy, Battle Blessing, Mettle, Prayerbook|3|—|—|—

5th|+5|+4|+1|+4|Warden's Charge, Smite Evil 2/encounter|3|—|—|—

6th|+6/+1|+5|+2|+5|Spellshatter 1/day, Lend Smite (active)|4|—|—|—

7th|+7/+2|+5|+2|+5|Bonus feat|4|—|—|—

8th|+8/+3|+6|+2|+6|Mercy|4|3|—|—

9th|+9/+4|+6|+3|+6|Spellshatter 2/day|4|3|—|—

10th|+10/+5|+7|+3|+7|Bonus feat, Smite Evil 3/encounter|4|4|—|—

11th|+11/+6/+1|+7|+3|+7|Hymnbook|4|4|3|—

12th|+12/+7/+2|+8|+4|+8|Spellshatter 3/day, Mercy|4|4|4|—

13th|+13/+8/+3|+8|+4|+8|Bonus feat, Lend Smite (Passive)|4|4|4|—

14th|+14/+9/+4|+9|+4|+9|Improved mettle|5|4|4|3

15th|+15/+10/+5|+9|+5|+9|Spellshatter 4/day, Smite Evil 4/encounter|5|4|4|4

16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+10|+5|+10|Bonus feat, Mercy|5|5|4|4

17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+10|+5|+10|Wrathful Smiting|5|5|5|4

18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+11|+6|+11|Spellshatter 5/day|6|5|5|4

19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+11|+6|+11|Bonus feat|6|6|6|5

20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+12|+6|+12|Mercy, Smite Evil 5/encounter|6|6|6|6[/table]

Hit Die: D10
Alignment: Any Good

Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) × 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier

Class Abilities:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Paladins are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, as well as a single exotic weapon. Paladins are also proficient with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).

Aura of Good (Ex): The power of a paladin’s aura of good (see the detect good spell) is equal to her paladin level.:smallbiggrin:

Detect Evil (Sp): At will, a paladin can use detect evil, as the spell.

Smite Evil (Su): Once per encounter, a paladin may attempt to smite evil with all her attacks for a number of rounds equal to her Charisma modifier. She adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per paladin level. If the paladin accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect, and may end her smiting without using up her Smite attempt.
At 5th level, and at every five levels thereafter, the paladin may smite evil one additional time per encounter, as indicated on Table: The Paladin, to a maximum of five times per encounter* at 20th level.
In addition to the normal effect, beginning at 5th level, whenever a creature is struck by the paladin's smite evil, that creature finds it difficult to cast spells or use magical items. For one round, any attempt to complete one of these actions requires a sucessful concentration check against a DC of (10+paladin level+charisma modifier); Failure means that the action fails. If a spell was being cast, the spell or spell slot is lost. If a magic item was being activated, the attempt mearly fails. Multiple Smite Evil attempts on the same creature do not have cumulative effect.

*An Encounter is a single unbroken period of combat. A period of 5 minutes must elapse for an encounter to be considered a separate instance.

Divine Grace (Su): At 2nd level, a paladin gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws.

Lay on Hands (Su): Starting at level 2, a paladin can channel 1d6+her charisma modifier positive energy damage* one time per day. For every 2 paladin levels afterwards, Lay on hands deals an additional 1d6 damage and can be used an additional time per day.
Lay on Hands is a swift action when the paladin uses it on herself, and a standard action when used on a friendly ally. When used offensively, The paladin must succeed a melee touch attack in order for the lay on hands to take effect. If she fails, the Lay on Hands has no effect and usage is lost for the day. A Paladin must have one hand free in order to use Lay on Hands.

* Positive energy heals Living and undying, but damages evil Outsiders and Undead

Aura of Resolve (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a paladin is immune to compulsion and fear effects. Each ally within 30 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects. This ability functions while the paladin is conscious, but not if she is unconscious or dead.

Enduring Personality (Ex): At 3rd level, a paladin becomes immune charisma damage and drain.

Battle Blessing (Ex): A Paladin can cast most of her paladin spell slots faster than normal. If the prepared spell normally requires a standard action, she can cast it as a swift action. If it normally requires a full round to cast, she can cast it as a standard action. Spells with longer or shorter casting times are not affected.

Mercies (Su): Slowly, over time, Paladins learn how to counteract more then just bleeding when the Lay on Hands. At 4th level, and every 4th level afterwards, a paladin may select a mercy from the following list, and each mercy applies whenever she uses her Lay on Hands ability to heal. Each mercy may be selected more then one time, so long as the paladin meets the minimum level prerequisite.

{table=head]
Name|
Mercy|
Minimum Level

Divine Influence|All variable numeric values of Lay on Hands are Maximized|20

Divine Verdict|You may affect upto 5 targets withing 30 feet of you with your lay on hands|20

Luck|Touched creature gets a +1 luck bonus to all rolls for 1 hour|4

Age|Cures 1d4 negative levels|12

Despair|As remove Curse|8

Poison|Completely removes one poison that the touched creature suffers from|12

Pestilence|Cures one disease the target suffers from|4

Disorientation|Cures Confusion|4

Sight|Cures Blindness|8

Hearing|Cures Deafness|4

Stone|As Stone to Flesh|16

Wellness| Cures 1d6 Ability damage/drain|4

Courage|Removes Shaken, or reduces Frightened and Panicked one step.|4[/table]

Mettle (Su): The Paladin's conviction is so strong, that she is able to shrug off magical effects that would harm her. If a Paladin makes a successful Will or Fortitude saving throw that would normally reduce the spell's effect, she suffers no effect from the spell at all. Only those spells with a Saving Throw entry of "Will partial," "Fortitude half," or similar entries can be negated through this ability.

Improved Mettle (Su):As with Mettle, but the paladin also receives half damage on a failed Fortitude save, or partial effect on a failed Will save.

Spells: Beginning at 4th level, a paladin gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells, which are drawn from the paladin spell list*. A paladin must choose and prepare her spells in advance.
To prepare or cast a spell, a paladin must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a paladin’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the paladin’s Charisma modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a paladin can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Charisma score.

A paladin can cast any spell in her prayerbook without preparing it ahead of time. Paladins also have a Hymn book,

Through 3rd level, a paladin has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, her caster level is three less then her paladin level.

Prayerbook: A paladin's prayerbook contains all spells on the paladin spell list*. Casting spells from her prayerbook takes no more time or effort then the spell would normally take.

*Add the following spells to the paladin's spell list: 1st—protection from law: 2nd—haste; 3rd—magic circle against law; 4th—dispel law, freedom of movement, Anarchic Sword.

Hymnbook: A paladin's Hymnbook contains mystic lore that each paladin believes would be of great benefit to her cause. A paladin may inscribe any spell from the Sorcerer and Favored Soul spell lists.

At 11th level, a paladin gains her Hymnbook, which begins with four spells each of each spell level that the paladin can wield. Two spells each from the Favored Soul and Sorcerer spell lists. Each time she levels, a spell each from the Sorcerer and Favored Spell list is automatically inscribed into the paladin's hymnbook.

In order to cast a spell from her hymnbook, a Paladin must spend 20 minutes studying the spell, or 1 hour total for many spells. any spells prepared from her hymnbook take two spell slots of their spell level to prepare though, and so she must decide whether preparation, or adaptability, is more important to her. These spells are treated as paladin spells for battle blessing.

Warden's Charge: A paladin at 5th level has to make her most important decision of her carreer. She decides whether to call to her service divine spirits or a majestic steed.

Mount:
Special Mount (Sp): 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 (see below). This mount is usually a Griffon (for a Medium paladin) or a Medium Griffon (for a Small paladin).

Once per day, as a full-round action, a paladin may magically call her mount from the celestial realms in which it resides. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the paladin’s level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the paladin and remains for 2 hours per paladin level; it may be dismissed at any time as a free action. The mount is the same creature each time it is summoned, though the paladin may release a particular mount from service.

Each time the mount is called, it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it may have taken previously. The mount also appears wearing or carrying any gear it had when it was last dismissed. Calling a mount is a conjuration (calling) effect.

Should the paladin’s mount die, it immediately disappears, leaving behind any equipment it was carrying. The paladin may not summon another mount for thirty days or until she gains a paladin level, whichever comes first, even if the mount is somehow returned from the dead. During this thirty-day period, the paladin takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.

Divine Spirit
Divine Spirit (Su): A Paladin beginning at 5th level can call forth the spirits of past Divine Crusaders. As a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, a Paladin can call forth a spirit from beyond the mortal realm.

{table]Level|Spirit
5-9|Spirit of Healing
10-14|Spirit of Combat
15-19|Spirit of Heroism
20+|Spirit of the Fallen[/table]

Each Spirit has the following characteristics:

A Spirit takes up a 5' space on the battlefield
When summoned, the spirit appears within 30 feet of the paladin.
Spirits are insubstantial and transparent, and as such do not block line of sight or line of effect. They also can be moved through as though not occupying a square.
A spirit cannot attack or be attacked. It is not undead and cannot be turned. It is subject to dispel magic, dismissal, or banishment as if it were a summoned creature, using your paladin level as the caster level.
If you lose line of sight to a spirit, it disappears immediately.
You may summon a spirit by expending a use of Lay on Hands for the day.
A spirit remains for a number of rounds equal to your paladin level, until it is dismissed, or until special conditions in the spirit's description are met.

Spirit of Healing: The First spirit a paladin can summon is the Spirit of Healing. This spirit has a number of uses of Lay on Hands as the paladin, and each lay on hands heals for 1d3 hp per paladin level. The spirit must occupy the same square as the creature it is healing though.

Spirit of Combat: This spirit enhances combat ability. Whenever an ally (including yourself) is adjacent to the spirit of combat or occupying its space, that character gains holy fervor. Holy fervor grants a +1 sacred bonus on attacks and damage rolls for every four paladin levels you possess (up to a maximum of +5 at 20th level). In addition, affected characters' weapons are treated as good-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Spirit of Heroism: This spirit automatically occupies your space and does not leave until dismissed or dispelled, or the duration of the summoning ends. You gain DR 10/--. In addition, you gain the benefit of the Diehard feat (even if you do not meet the prerequisite) and can use your lay on hands ability as a free action once per round instead of as a swift action.

Spirit of the Fallen: At 20th level, a paladin can call fourth the mightiest of her spirits. While you or any of your allies are adjacent to this spirit, it grants fast healing 10 to those characters. If an affected character's hit points drop to 0 or fewer while within 30 feet of this spirit, it revives that character at the start of his next turn, allowing him to take his action as normal. The character heals an amount of damage equal to twice your paladin level, though if his hit points are still at -10 or below, he still dies. The spirit can use its revive ability once per round.

Spellshatter (Su): Once per day, beginning at 4th level, a Paladin can choose to deliver a targeted Greater Dispel Magic with a physical attack she makes with a weapon attack. The decision to use this ability must be made before the attack is rolled. If the attack misses, the ability is wasted.
if the attack hits, treat this as if the paladin had cast Greater Dispel Magic on the creature struck, using twice her paladin level as the caster level (no maximum).
A paladin may use this ability an additional time each day every fourth level afterwards.

Share smite (Su): At 6th level, a Paladin may, on an ally's turn, expend a use of Smite Evil and give it to that ally. The ally is treated as though he were the Paladin for all effects related to the Smite, to-hit bonus, duration and bonus damage, regardless of the ally's actual stats.

At 13th level, the Paladin automaticaly grants all allies within 30 the same benefits of Smite Evil when she uses it. This does NOT replace the above ability.

Bonus Feats: At 7th level, and every third level afterwards, a paladin recieves a bonus feat. This feat may be any feat of the Paladin's choosing, and she is considered a Fighter for any feat with which they are prerequisite.

Wrathful Smiting (Su): Beginning at 17th level, a paladin may sacrifice one of her uses of Smite Evil for each encounter in a day in order to deliver a massive shockwave of divine energy. As a Standard action, the paladin may perform a melee attack, and if she succeeds, she deals 1d6 holy damage per paladin level to each creature in a 20' burst from the struct creature.

Code of Conduct: A paladin must be of a good alignment. A paladin should act with honor and respect, help those in need, and to punish those who threaten or harm the innocent. A paladin who is not of good alignment looses all Supernatural abilities until she atones.


Paladin's Mount:

Paladin Level|Bonus HD|Natural Armor Adj.|Str Adj|Int|Special

5th-7th|+2|+4|+1|8|Empathic Link, Improved Evasion, Share Spells, Share Saving Throws

8th-10th|+4|+6|+2|9|Improved Speed

11th-14th|+6|+8|+3|10|Command Creatures of Its Kind

15th-20th|+8|+10|+4|11|Spell Resistance

Paladin’s Mount Basics: Use the base statistics for a creature of the mount’s kind, but make changes to take into account the attributes and characteristics summarized on the table and described below.

Bonus HD: Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Consitution modifier, as normal. Extra Hit Dice improve the mount’s base attack and base save bonuses. A special mount’s base attack bonus is equal to that of a cleric of a level equal to the mount’s HD. A mount has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the animal’s HD). The mount gains additional skill points or feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice.

Natural Armor Adj.: The number on the table is an improvement to the mount’s existing natural armor bonus.
Str Adj.: Add this figure to the mount’s Strength score.
Int: The mount’s Intelligence score.

Empathic Link (Su): The paladin has an empathic link with her mount out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The paladin cannot see through the mount’s eyes, but they can communicate empathically.
Note that even intelligent mounts see the world differently from humans, so misunderstandings are always possible.
Because of this empathic link, the paladin has the same connection to an item or place that her mount does, just as with a master and his familiar (see Familiars).

Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a mount takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage if the saving throw fails.

Share Spells: At the paladin’s option, she may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) she casts on herself also affect her mount.
The mount must be within 5 feet at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the mount if it moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the mount again even if it returns to the paladin before the duration expires. Additionally, the paladin may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her mount (as a touch range spell) instead of on herself. A paladin and her mount can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the mount’s type (magical beast).

Share Saving Throws: For each of its saving throws, the mount uses its own base save bonus or the paladin’s, whichever is higher. The mount applies its own ability modifiers to saves, and it doesn’t share any other bonuses on saves that the master might have.
Improved Speed (Ex): The mount’s speed increases by 10 feet.

Command (Sp): Once per day per two paladin levels of its master, a mount can use this ability to command other any normal animal of approximately the same kind as itself (for warhorses and warponies, this category includes donkeys, mules, and ponies), as long as the target creature has fewer Hit Dice than the mount. This ability functions like the command spell, but the mount must make a DC 21 Concentration check to succeed if it’s being ridden at the time. If the check fails, the ability does not work that time, but it still counts against the mount’s daily uses. Each target may attempt a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 paladin’s level + paladin’s Cha modifier) to negate the effect.

Spell Resistance (Ex): A mount’s spell resistance equals its master’s paladin level + 5. To affect the mount with a spell, a spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the mount’s spell resistance.


Added a little party buffer into the Paladin. Too much?

[toapat]

Well, Toapat, in pretty much every post I've read of yours where you give reasons for removing an ability, or adding an ability, to the Fighter, you refer to the flavor of the Paladin.

Sounds like fluff to me.

what are you referring to? the general Mundane replacement brew got a LoH like ability based on ducktaping the internal organs back into a guy (that does real+permanent damage if they dont get real medical attention within a short period of time. Like real field medicine techniques cause.), and otherwise i really havent done anything with a fighter other then point out that a large number of the straight mundanes take away from them, and should probably just be reabsorbed. oh, and Sneak attack (take advantage of an opponent regardless form) has a very different flavor to fighter (master of combat who uses exquisite form to overwhelm enemies.)

@ Dienekes: The PF paladin capstone is 3 things. Becoming an Angel (not paladiny), getting the entire benefits of KotC in a single stroke (Something that a PrC is supposed to do), and LoH maximize (which should be a choice.).

[Amechra]

... I typed Fighter when I meant Paladin.

My apologies.

[Lord_Gareth]

Well, Toapat, in pretty much every post I've read of yours where you give reasons for removing an ability, or adding an ability, to the Fighter, you refer to the flavor of the Paladin.

Sounds like fluff to me.

I agree on Turn Undead, though; it's a legacy mechanic that should have gone bye-bye a while ago (it's great for getting into PrCs, and getting access to some of the feats that are good for Paladins, though.)

Turn Undead, I feel, should stay - a lot of [Divine] feats are GREAT both mechanically and flavorfully for pallies, and more can be designed as well. Yeah, the resource won't ever get used to turn undead, but how is that different from now?

[toapat]

... I typed Fighter when I meant Paladin.

My apologies.

the Aura stack is not very paladiny, multiple auras you can choose between ALA WoW paladin? fine. 6 auras you have on constantly? that is a battlefield commander, not a 1 man jesus brigade. Besides that, the ones that protect against the enchantment school are extremely hard to actually justify.


Turn Undead, I feel, should stay - a lot of [Divine] feats are GREAT both mechanically and flavorfully for pallies, and more can be designed as well. Yeah, the resource won't ever get used to turn undead, but how is that different from now?

As i said, balance was a significant reason for going. (it was actually the main one) Sure i cant justify it as a mechanic, but ive played enough DDO to know divine feats kick ass.

[tallonRook]

I'd like to claim a revision spot, though what I have planned is just a few smaller fixes rather than an actual large ability. Yes, I will be bringing Turn Undead back. I am fond of my Paladins being undead killers, and it is helpful for powering all those other things up.

[Lord_Gareth]

Toapat, I'm going to say this as politely as possible in the spirit of friendly criticism: the way you post in these community threads, and in general, comes across as confrontational, high-handed, and holier-than-thou. The context and word choices of your posts makes you sound like someone trying to dictate high truths instead of a participant in a discussion. Try scaling it back, hey?

[Lord_Gareth]

I'd like to claim a revision spot, though what I have planned is just a few smaller fixes rather than an actual large ability. Yes, I will be bringing Turn Undead back. I am fond of my Paladins being undead killers, and it is helpful for powering all those other things up.

Turn Undead doesn't actually kill any undead. I'm aware that it's billed as doing that, and that its mechanics all relate to killing undead, but the sad fact of the matter is that not even high-level clerics can kill undead with a Turn attempt. It IS, however, a phenomenal resource.

[toapat]

Try scaling it back, hey?

not entirely sure how to. Im about this terse in conversation IRL.

I also forget to check back, as i edited above, the actual primary reason for removing turn undead from that specific brew was balance first, not actually fluff. Ive had alot of practice, and while i admit that divine feats kick ass, i also try to keep power creep down. What im surprised about is that my upgraded version of SotAO is still there.

@ Turn Undead being phenominally weak: Agreed, although you can dust undead i think 10 hitdice below you (14 if paladin)? but if the dm is throwing enemies that weak at you, i have to question their DMhood if it isnt a plothook

[tallonRook]

I'm quite aware that it doesn't kill any undead, and the reasons you've listed are the main reason I'm putting it back in, but I suppose I'm also putting it back in for fluffy reasons too. I guess what I meant was more of an "undead enemy" thing then an actual killer of the undead. I've seen it be mildly useful at times against the undead though.

[Lord_Gareth]

As i said, balance was a significant reason for going. (it was actually the main one) Sure i cant justify it as a mechanic, but ive played enough DDO to know divine feats kick ass.

I think we have found the source of your balance and optimization problems. I realize the name is "D&D Online" but that game is NOT D&D. It's not even /close/, really. It's got a D&D glosscoat, is all.

[toapat]

I think we have found the source of your balance and optimization problems. I realize the name is "D&D Online" but that game is NOT D&D. It's not even /close/, really. It's got a D&D glosscoat, is all.

i powered up pretty much every other class feature to be able to actually be useful. DDOs significant differences before epic is a buffed version of prestiege classes, and the christmas tree effect is the mall of america effect.

oh, and divine health is bugged in it, so it just outright blocks every degen that undead use. Turn undead is still the best thing i have as a paladin in it, its just that if i pull all the suck out of everything else, then Turn undead is just gravy on the turbaconepic.

[tallonRook]

My bit is done.


Paladin
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |1st|2nd|3rd|4th

1st|+1|+2|+0|+2|Aura of Good, Detect Evil, Smite Evil 1/encounter|—|—|—|—

2nd|+2|+3|+0|+3|Divine Grace, Lay on hands|—|—|—|—

3rd|+3|+3|+1|+3|Aura of Resolve, Enduring Personality, Turn Undead|—|—|—|—

4th|+4|+4|+1|+4|Mercy, Battle Blessing, Mettle, Prayerbook|3|—|—|—

5th|+5|+4|+1|+4|Warden's Charge, Smite Evil 2/encounter|3|—|—|—

6th|+6/+1|+5|+2|+5|Spellshatter 1/day, Lend Smite (active)|4|—|—|—

7th|+7/+2|+5|+2|+5|Bonus feat|4|—|—|—

8th|+8/+3|+6|+2|+6|Mercy|4|3|—|—

9th|+9/+4|+6|+3|+6|Spellshatter 2/day|4|3|—|—

10th|+10/+5|+7|+3|+7|Bonus feat, Smite Evil 3/encounter|4|4|—|—

11th|+11/+6/+1|+7|+3|+7|Hymnbook|4|4|3|—

12th|+12/+7/+2|+8|+4|+8|Spellshatter 3/day, Mercy|4|4|4|—

13th|+13/+8/+3|+8|+4|+8|Bonus feat, Lend Smite (Passive)|4|4|4|—

14th|+14/+9/+4|+9|+4|+9|Improved mettle|5|4|4|3

15th|+15/+10/+5|+9|+5|+9|Spellshatter 4/day, Smite Evil 4/encounter|5|4|4|4

16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+10|+5|+10|Bonus feat, Mercy|5|5|4|4

17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+10|+5|+10|Wrathful Smiting|5|5|5|4

18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+11|+6|+11|Spellshatter 5/day|6|5|5|4

19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+11|+6|+11|Bonus feat|6|6|6|5

20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+12|+6|+12|Mercy, Smite Evil 5/encounter|6|6|6|6[/table]
Hit Die: d10
Alignment: Any Good

Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) × 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier

Class Abilities:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Paladins are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, as well as a single exotic weapon. Paladins are also proficient with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with all shields, including tower shields.

Aura of Good (Ex): The power of a paladin’s aura of good (see the detect good spell) is equal to her paladin level.

Detect Evil (Sp): At will, a paladin can use detect evil, as the spell.

Smite Evil (Su): Once per encounter, a paladin may attempt to smite evil with all her attacks for a number of rounds equal to her Charisma modifier.She adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per paladin level. If the paladin accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect, and she may end her smiting without using up her Smite attempt.
At 5th level, and at every five levels thereafter, the paladin may smite evil one additional time per encounter, as indicated on Table: The Paladin, to a maximum of five times per encounter* at 20th level.
In addition to the normal effect, beginning at 5th level, whenever a creature is struck by the paladin's smite evil, that creature finds it difficult to cast spells or use magical items. For one round, any attempt to complete one of these actions requires a successful concentration check against a DC of (10+paladin level+charisma modifier); Failure means that the action fails. If a spell was being cast, the spell or spell slot is lost. If a magic item was being activated, the attempt merely fails. Multiple Smite Evil attempts on the same creature do not have cumulative effect.

*An Encounter is a single unbroken period of combat. A period of 5 minutes must elapse for an encounter to be considered a separate instance.

Divine Grace (Su): At 2nd level, a paladin gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws.

Lay on Hands (Su): Starting at level 2, a paladin can channel 1d6+her charisma modifier positive energy damage* one time per day. For every 2 paladin levels afterwards, Lay on hands deals an additional 1d6 damage and can be used an additional time per day.
Lay on Hands is a swift action when the paladin uses it on herself, and a standard action when used on a friendly ally. When used offensively, The paladin must succeed a melee touch attack in order for the lay on hands to take effect. If she fails, the Lay on Hands has no effect and usage is lost for the day. A Paladin must have one hand free in order to use Lay on Hands.

* Positive energy heals living creatures and deathless, but damages evil outsiders and the Undead.

Aura of Resolve (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a paladin is immune to compulsion and fear effects. Each ally within 30 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects. This ability functions while the paladin is conscious, but not if she is unconscious or dead.

Enduring Personality (Ex): At 3rd level, a paladin becomes immune to charisma damage and drain.

Turn Undead(Su)
When a paladin reaches 3rd level, she gains the supernatural ability to turn undead. She may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier. She turns undead as a cleric of her level. A paladin with 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (religion) gets a +2 bonus on turning checks against undead. As usual, a paladin may use this ability to rebuke, command, and bolster deathless.

Battle Blessing (Ex): A Paladin can cast most of her paladin spell slots faster than normal. If the prepared spell normally requires a standard action to cast, she can cast it as a swift action. If it normally requires a full round to cast, she can cast it as a standard action. Spells with longer or shorter casting times are not affected.

Mercies (Su): Slowly, over time, Paladins learn how to counteract more then just wounds when they Lay on Hands. At 4th level, and every 4th level afterwards, a paladin may select a mercy from the following list, and each mercy applies whenever she uses her Lay on Hands ability to heal. Each mercy may be selected more then one time, so long as the paladin meets the minimum level prerequisite.

{table=head]
Name|
Mercy|
Minimum Level
Pestilence|Cures one disease the target suffers from|4
Disorientation|Cures Confusion|4
Wellness| Cures 1d6 Ability damage/drain|4
Luck|Touched creature gets a +1 luck bonus to all rolls for 1 hour|4
Hearing|Cures Deafness|4
Courage|Removes Shaken, or reduces Frightened and Panicked one step.|4
Sight|Cures Blindness|8
Despair|As remove Curse|8
Age|Cures 1d4 negative levels|12
Poison|Completely removes one poison that the touched creature suffers from|12
Stone|As Stone to Flesh|16
Divine Influence|All variable numeric values of Lay on Hands are Maximized|20
Divine Verdict|You may affect up to 5 targets withing 30 feet of you with your Lay on Hands|20

[/table]

Mettle (Su): The Paladin's conviction is so strong that she is able to shrug off magical effects that would harm her. If a Paladin makes a successful Will or Fortitude saving throw that would normally reduce the spell's effect, she suffers no effect from the spell at all. Only those spells with a Saving Throw entry of "Will partial," "Fortitude half," or similar entries can be negated through this ability.

Spells: Beginning at 4th level, a paladin gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells, which are drawn from the paladin spell list*. A paladin must choose and prepare her spells in advance.
To prepare or cast a spell, a paladin must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a paladin’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the paladin’s Charisma modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a paladin can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Charisma score.

A paladin can cast any spell in her prayerbook without preparing it ahead of time. Paladins also later gain a Hymnbook.

Through 3rd level, a paladin has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, her caster level is three less then her paladin level.

Prayerbook: A paladin's prayerbook contains all spells on the paladin spell list*. Casting spells from her prayerbook takes no more time or effort then the spell would normally take.

*Add the following spells to the paladin's spell list: 1st—protection from law: 2nd—haste; 3rd—magic circle against law; 4th—dispel law, freedom of movement, Anarchic Sword.

Warden's Charge: A paladin at 5th level must make a decision about whether to call to her service divine spirits or a majestic steed.

Mount:
Special Mount (Sp): 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 (see below). This mount is usually a Griffon (for a Medium paladin) or a Medium Griffon (for a Small paladin). Alternate starting mounts include a celestial unicorn, celestial Pegasus, or similar CR 4 animals.

Once per day, as a full-round action, a paladin may magically call her mount from the celestial realms in which it resides. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the paladin’s level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the paladin and remains for 2 hours per paladin level; it may be dismissed at any time as a free action. The mount is the same creature each time it is summoned, though the paladin may release a particular mount from service.

Each time the mount is called, it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it may have taken previously. The mount also appears wearing or carrying any gear it had when it was last dismissed. Calling a mount is a conjuration (calling) effect.

Should the paladin’s mount die, it immediately disappears, leaving behind any equipment it was carrying. The paladin may not summon another mount for thirty days or until she gains a paladin level, whichever comes first, even if the mount is somehow returned from the dead. During this thirty-day period, the paladin takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.

Divine Spirit
Divine Spirit (Su): A Paladin beginning at 5th level can call forth the spirits of past Divine Crusaders. As a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, a Paladin can call forth a spirit from beyond the mortal realm.

{table]Level|Spirit
5-9|Spirit of Healing
10-14|Spirit of Combat
15-19|Spirit of Heroism
20+|Spirit of the Fallen[/table]

Each Spirit has the following characteristics:

A Spirit takes up a 5' space on the battlefield
When summoned, the spirit appears within 30 feet of the paladin.
Spirits are insubstantial and transparent, and as such do not block line of sight or line of effect. They also can be moved through as though not occupying a square.
A spirit cannot attack or be attacked. It is not undead and cannot be turned. It is subject to dispel magic, dismissal, or banishment as if it were a summoned creature, using your paladin level as the caster level.
If you lose line of sight to a spirit, it disappears immediately.
You may summon a spirit by expending a use of Lay on Hands for the day.
A spirit remains for a number of rounds equal to your paladin level, until it is dismissed, or until special conditions in the spirit's description are met.

Spirit of Healing: The First spirit a paladin can summon is the Spirit of Healing. This spirit has a number of uses of Lay on Hands as the paladin, and each lay on hands heals 1d3 hp per paladin level. The spirit must occupy the same square as the creature it is healing though.

Spirit of Combat: This spirit enhances combat ability. Whenever an ally (including yourself) is adjacent to the spirit of combat or occupying its space, that character gains holy fervor. Holy fervor grants a +1 sacred bonus on attacks and damage rolls for every four paladin levels you possess (up to a maximum of +5 at 20th level). In addition, affected characters' weapons are treated as good-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Spirit of Heroism: This spirit automatically occupies your space and does not leave until dismissed or dispelled, or the duration of the summoning ends. You gain DR 10/--. In addition, you gain the benefit of the Diehard feat (even if you do not meet the prerequisite) and can use your lay on hands ability as a free action once per round instead of as a swift action.

Spirit of the Fallen: At 20th level, a paladin can call fourth the mightiest of her spirits. While you or any of your allies are adjacent to this spirit, it grants fast healing 10 to those characters. If an affected character's hit points drop to 0 or fewer while within 30 feet of this spirit, it revives that character at the start of his next turn, allowing him to take his action as normal. The character heals an amount of damage equal to twice your paladin level, though if his hit points are still at -10 or below, he still dies. The spirit can use its revive ability once per round.

Spellshatter(Su): Once per day, beginning at 6th level, a Paladin can choose to deliver a targeted Greater Dispel Magic with a physical attack she makes with a weapon attack. The decision to use this ability must be made before the attack is rolled. If the attack misses, the ability is wasted.
if the attack hits, treat this as if the paladin had cast Greater Dispel Magic on the creature struck, using twice her paladin level as the caster level (no maximum).
A paladin may use this ability an additional time each day every fourth level afterwards.

Share Smite (Su): At 6th level, a Paladin may, on an ally's turn, expend a use of Smite Evil and give it to that ally. The ally is treated as though he were the Paladin for all effects related to the Smite, to-hit bonus, duration and bonus damage, regardless of the ally's actual stats.

At 13th level, the Paladin automaticaly grants all allies within 30 the same benefits of Smite Evil when she uses it. This does NOT replace the above ability.

Bonus Feats: At 7th level, and every third level afterwards, a paladin receives a bonus feat. This feat may be any feat of the Paladin's choosing, and she is considered a Fighter of a level equal to her paladin level for feats with the prerequisite of fighter levels.

Hymnbook: At 11th level, a paladin gains her Hymnbook. Her Hymnbook contains mystic lore that each paladin believes would be of great benefit to her cause. A paladin may inscribe any spell from the Sorcerer and Favored Soul spell lists into her Hymnbook.
The Hymnbook begins with four spells each of each spell level that the paladin can wield- two spells from the Favored Soul list, and two spells from the Sorcerer spell list. Each time she gains another level, one spell from the Sorcerer and one spell from the Favored Soul Spell list is automatically inscribed into the paladin's hymnbook. A paladin can never have Evil spells inscribed in their Hymnbook.

In order to cast a spell from her hymnbook, a Paladin must spend one hour in prayer and preparation. Due to the esoteric nature of these spells, any spells prepared from her hymnbook take two spell slots of their spell level to prepare, and so she must decide whether preparation, or adaptability, is more important to her. These spells are treated as paladin spells for battle blessing.

Improved Mettle (Su):At 14th ability, their mettle improves. The paladin also receives half damage or partial effect on a failed Will or Fortitude save.

Wrathful Smiting (Su): Beginning at 17th level, a paladin may sacrifice one of her uses of Smite Evil for each encounter in a day in order to deliver a massive shockwave of divine energy. As a Standard action, the paladin may perform a melee attack, and if she succeeds, she deals 1d6 holy damage per paladin level to each creature in a 20' burst from the struck creature.

Code of Conduct: A paladin must be of a good alignment. A paladin should act with honor and respect, help those in need, and to punish those who threaten or harm the innocent. A paladin who is not of good alignment loses all Supernatural abilities until she atones.


Paladin's Mount:

Paladin Level|Bonus HD|Natural Armor Adj.|Str Adj|Int|Special

5th-7th|+2|+4|+1|8|Empathic Link, Improved Evasion, Share Spells, Share Saving Throws

8th-10th|+4|+6|+2|9|Improved Speed

11th-14th|+6|+8|+3|10|Command Creatures of Its Kind

15th-20th|+8|+10|+4|11|Spell Resistance

Paladin’s Mount Basics: Use the base statistics for a creature of the mount’s kind, but make changes to take into account the attributes and characteristics summarized on the table and described below.

Bonus HD: Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Consitution modifier, as normal. Extra Hit Dice improve the mount’s base attack and base save bonuses. A special mount’s base attack bonus is equal to that of a cleric of a level equal to the mount’s HD. A mount has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the animal’s HD). The mount gains additional skill points or feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice.

Natural Armor Adj.: The number on the table is an improvement to the mount’s existing natural armor bonus.
Str Adj.: Add this figure to the mount’s Strength score.
Int: The mount’s Intelligence score.

Empathic Link (Su): The paladin has an empathic link with her mount out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The paladin cannot see through the mount’s eyes, but they can communicate empathically.
Note that even intelligent mounts see the world differently from humans, so misunderstandings are always possible.
Because of this empathic link, the paladin has the same connection to an item or place that her mount does, just as with a master and his familiar (see Familiars).

Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a mount takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage if the saving throw fails.

Share Spells: At the paladin’s option, she may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) she casts on herself also affect her mount.
The mount must be within 5 feet at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the mount if it moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the mount again even if it returns to the paladin before the duration expires. Additionally, the paladin may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her mount (as a touch range spell) instead of on herself. A paladin and her mount can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the mount’s type (magical beast).

Share Saving Throws: For each of its saving throws, the mount uses its own base save bonus or the paladin’s, whichever is higher. The mount applies its own ability modifiers to saves, and it doesn’t share any other bonuses on saves that the master might have.
Improved Speed (Ex): The mount’s speed increases by 10 feet.

Command (Sp): Once per day per two paladin levels of its master, a mount can use this ability to command other any normal animal of approximately the same kind as itself (for warhorses and warponies, this category includes donkeys, mules, and ponies), as long as the target creature has fewer Hit Dice than the mount. This ability functions like the command spell, but the mount must make a DC 21 Concentration check to succeed if it’s being ridden at the time. If the check fails, the ability does not work that time, but it still counts against the mount’s daily uses. Each target may attempt a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 paladin’s level + paladin’s Cha modifier) to negate the effect.

Spell Resistance (Ex): A mount’s spell resistance equals its master’s paladin level + 5. To affect the mount with a spell, a spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the mount’s spell resistance. A paladin may always bypass their mount's spell resistance when casting spells on it.

Comments:
Mostly all I did was put Turn Undead back in. It's at third level, which is admittedly a weird place for it but the only place I could put it in early without clogging up another level. I edited spelling a little (though I'm sure I made a few of my own mistakes), and moved things around in the order to be in the order they get the abilities. I also gave them tower shields, in case you really must use one.

[toapat]

wow, i see a massive derp in divine spirit that needs to be corrected

edit, i apparent to have copy pasta'd an error in dungeonscape involving the spirit of heroism and spirit of healing, ill wait for gareth though to fix it

Edit Edit: Redacted post

[tallonRook]

Is it something with my editing? If so, I can go back and fix it.

[toapat]

Is it something with my editing? If so, I can go back and fix it.

/facedesk (at self)

no, im lacking in lexicon comprehension atm

although you did miss the standard (including tower shields)

[Rogue Shadows]

I normally pull out turn undead because the fluff of turn undead does not really make sense to me in the context of paladin,

Didn't you...?

[checks]

Yeah, you called Turn Undead "the only saving grace of the PHB Paladin" and complained that I removed it for my Rebuild.

Still, that was back in May, so it's more than possible for you to have changed opinions since then.

[toapat]

Didn't you...?

[checks]

Yeah, you called Turn Undead "the only saving grace of the PHB Paladin" and complained that I removed it for my Rebuild.

Still, that was back in May, so it's more than possible for you to have changed opinions since then.

different circumstances, and yes, if you are disallowed any substitutions, ACFs, and battle blessing, the only solid class feature paladins have in core is turn undead.

This is not a situation of core paladin.

it is a paladin 5+ times removed from core, with 2.5 capstones, solidified casting, the problems of Smite evil largely removed, a replacement for remove disease that actually has value outside of mummy dogpiles (but largely no value against anything but godwizards), a base mount that is not unprocessed Sovereign glue, Cha-casting, Inherent removal of feat taxes, and maybe too many bonus feats for a paladin.

Im really not sure about having +5 feats on a paladin, even if you still get the mount.

Edit: Oh, and context, that entire post is a massive derp, i pulled Turn undead because 1: +1 Diptastic 2: Everything else was already infused with hydraulic cement

[Grod_The_Giant]

Claim. I got some nice toys and thoughts right here.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Changes:

Switched to spontaneous casting-- it's faster and simpler for a primary warrior.
Modified Hymnbook to better fit with spontaneous casting.
Removed anti-magic stuff-- though we might want to consider putting it back in some form or another, possibly as part of a set of optional paths. (Horse, magehunter, divine spirit, ???)
Expanded Turn Undead to include evil outsiders.
Tweaked the Lay on Hands progression
Added Banish Evil and Annihilate Evil to fill in newly-dead levels.



Paladin
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |1st|2nd|3rd|4th

1st|+1|+2|+0|+2|Aura of Good, Detect Evil, Smite Evil 1/encounter|—|—|—|—

2nd|+2|+3|+0|+3|Divine Grace, Lay on hands|—|—|—|—

3rd|+3|+3|+1|+3|Aura of Resolve, Enduring Personality, Repel Evil|—|—|—|—

4th|+4|+4|+1|+4|Mercy, Mettle|3|—|—|—

5th|+5|+4|+1|+4|Warden's Charge, Smite Evil 2/encounter|3|—|—|—

6th|+6/+1|+5|+2|+5|Lend Smite (active)|4|—|—|—

7th|+7/+2|+5|+2|+5|Bonus feat|4|—|—|—

8th|+8/+3|+6|+2|+6|Mercy|4|3|—|—

9th|+9/+4|+6|+3|+6|Banish Evil|4|3|—|—

10th|+10/+5|+7|+3|+7|Bonus feat, Smite Evil 3/encounter|4|4|—|—

11th|+11/+6/+1|+7|+3|+7|Divine Gift|4|4|3|—

12th|+12/+7/+2|+8|+4|+8|Mercy|4|4|4|—

13th|+13/+8/+3|+8|+4|+8|Bonus feat, Lend Smite (Passive)|4|4|4|—

14th|+14/+9/+4|+9|+4|+9|Improved mettle|5|4|4|3

15th|+15/+10/+5|+9|+5|+9|Smite Evil 4/encounter|5|4|4|4

16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+10|+5|+10|Bonus feat, Mercy|5|5|4|4

17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+10|+5|+10|Wrathful Smiting|5|5|5|4

18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+11|+6|+11|Annihilate Evil|6|5|5|4

19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+11|+6|+11|Bonus feat|6|6|6|5

20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+12|+6|+12|Mercy, Smite Evil 5/encounter|6|6|6|6[/table]
Hit Die: d10
Alignment: Any Good

Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) × 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier

Class Abilities:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Paladins are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, as well as a single exotic weapon. Paladins are also proficient with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with all shields, including tower shields.

Aura of Good (Ex): The power of a paladin’s aura of good (see the detect good spell) is equal to her paladin level.

Detect Evil (Sp): At will, a paladin can use detect evil, as the spell.

Smite Evil (Su): Once per encounter, a paladin may attempt to smite evil with all her attacks for a number of rounds equal to her Charisma modifier.She adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per paladin level. If the paladin accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect, and she may end her smiting without using up her Smite attempt.

At 5th level, and at every five levels thereafter, the paladin may smite evil one additional time per encounter, as indicated on Table: The Paladin, to a maximum of five times per encounter* at 20th level.

*An Encounter is a single unbroken period of combat. A period of 5 minutes without combat must elapse for an encounter to be considered a separate instance.

Divine Grace (Su): At 2nd level, a paladin gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws.

Lay on Hands (Su): Starting at level 2, a paladin can channel 1d6+her charisma modifier positive energy damage* one time per day. At every subsequent even-numbered paladin level, Lay on Hands heals an additional 1d6 points. At every subsequent odd-numbered paladin level, you may use Lay on Hands one additional time per day.

Lay on Hands is a swift action when the paladin uses it on herself or her mount, and a standard action when used on another target. When used offensively, The paladin must succeed a melee touch attack in order for the lay on hands to take effect. If she fails, the Lay on Hands has no effect and usage is lost for the day. A Paladin must have one hand free in order to use Lay on Hands.

* Positive energy heals living creatures and deathless, but damages evil outsiders and the Undead.

Aura of Resolve (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a paladin is immune to compulsion and fear effects. Each ally within 30 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects. This ability functions while the paladin is conscious, but not if she is unconscious or dead.

Enduring Personality (Ex): At 3rd level, a paladin becomes immune to charisma damage and drain.

Repel Evil(Su)
When a paladin reaches 3rd level, she gains the supernatural ability to repel evil. This ability functions as the cleric ability Turn Undead, but paladins may also turn [Evil] Outsiders. The paladin may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier, and uses her paladin level in place of a cleric level when calculating turning damage.

A paladin with 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (religion) gets a +2 bonus on turning checks against undead, and a paladin with 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (the planes) gets a +2 bonus on turning checks against outsiders. As usual, a paladin may use this ability to rebuke, command, and bolster deathless.

This ability counts as Turn Undead for the purposes of all feats, prestige classes, magic items, and so on. Abilities which advance Turn Undead advance Repel Evil, and the paladin may expend Repeal Evil attempts for abilities that require the expenditure of Turn Undead attempts, such as [Divine] feats.

Mercies (Su): Slowly, over time, Paladins learn how to counteract more then just wounds when they Lay on Hands. At 4th level, and every 4th level afterwards, a paladin may select a mercy from the following list, and each mercy applies whenever she uses her Lay on Hands ability to heal. Each mercy may be selected more then one time, so long as the paladin meets the minimum level prerequisite.

{table=head]
Name|
Mercy|
Minimum Level
Pestilence|Cures one disease the target suffers from|4
Disorientation|Cures Confusion|4
Wellness| Cures 1d6 Ability damage/drain|4
Luck|Touched creature gets a +1 luck bonus to all rolls for 1 hour|4
Hearing|Cures Deafness|4
Courage|Removes Shaken, or reduces Frightened and Panicked one step.|4
Sight|Cures Blindness|8
Despair|As remove Curse|8
Age|Cures 1d4 negative levels|12
Poison|Completely removes one poison that the touched creature suffers from|12
Stone|As Stone to Flesh|16
Divine Influence|All variable numeric values of Lay on Hands are Maximized|20
Divine Verdict|You may affect up to 5 targets withing 30 feet of you with your Lay on Hands|20
[/table]

Mettle (Su): The Paladin's conviction is so strong that she is able to shrug off magical effects that would harm her. If a Paladin makes a successful Will or Fortitude saving throw that would normally reduce the spell's effect, she suffers no effect from the spell at all. Only those spells with a Saving Throw entry of "Will partial," "Fortitude half," or similar entries can be negated through this ability.

Spells:
Beginning at 4th level, a paladin gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells, which are drawn from the paladin spell list*. A paladin may cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time, the way a wizard or a cleric must. A paladin knows all spells on the paladin list.

To cast a spell, a paladin must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a paladin’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the paladin’s Charisma modifier.

Paladins are trained to cast their spells in the heat of battle. If a paladin spell normally requires a standard action to cast, she may cast it as a swift action. If it normally requires a full round to cast, she may cast it as a standard action. Spells with longer or shorter casting times are unaffected.

Like other spellcasters, a paladin can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day, as shown on the above table. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Charisma score.

Through 3rd level, a paladin has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, her caster level is three less then her paladin level.

Add the following spells to the paladin's spell list: 1st—protection from law: 2nd—haste; 3rd—magic circle against law; 4th—dispel law, freedom of movement, Anarchic Sword.

Warden's Charge: A paladin at 5th level must make a decision about whether to call to her service divine spirits or a majestic steed.

Mount:
Special Mount (Sp): 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 (see below). This mount is usually a Griffon (for a Medium paladin) or a Medium Griffon (for a Small paladin). Alternate starting mounts include a celestial unicorn, celestial Pegasus, or similar CR 4 animals.

Once per day, as a full-round action, a paladin may magically call her mount from the celestial realms in which it resides. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the paladin’s level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the paladin and remains for 2 hours per paladin level; it may be dismissed at any time as a free action. The mount is the same creature each time it is summoned, though the paladin may release a particular mount from service.

Each time the mount is called, it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it may have taken previously. The mount also appears wearing or carrying any gear it had when it was last dismissed. Calling a mount is a conjuration (calling) effect.

Should the paladin’s mount die, it immediately disappears, leaving behind any equipment it was carrying. The paladin may not summon another mount for thirty days or until she gains a paladin level, whichever comes first, even if the mount is somehow returned from the dead. During this thirty-day period, the paladin takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.

Divine Spirit
Divine Spirit (Su): A Paladin beginning at 5th level can call forth the spirits of past Divine Crusaders. As a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, a Paladin can call forth a spirit from beyond the mortal realm.

{table]Level|Spirit
5-9|Spirit of Healing
10-14|Spirit of Combat
15-19|Spirit of Heroism
20+|Spirit of the Fallen[/table]

Each Spirit has the following characteristics:

A Spirit takes up a 5' space on the battlefield
When summoned, the spirit appears within 30 feet of the paladin.
Spirits are insubstantial and transparent, and as such do not block line of sight or line of effect. They also can be moved through as though not occupying a square.

A spirit cannot attack or be attacked. It is not undead and cannot be turned. It is subject to dispel magic, dismissal, or banishment as if it were a summoned creature, using your paladin level as the caster level.
If you lose line of sight to a spirit, it disappears immediately.

You may summon a spirit by expending a use of Lay on Hands for the day.
A spirit remains for a number of rounds equal to your paladin level, until it is dismissed, or until special conditions in the spirit's description are met.

Spirit of Healing: The First spirit a paladin can summon is the Spirit of Healing. This spirit has a number of uses of Lay on Hands as the paladin, and each lay on hands heals 1d3 hp per paladin level. The spirit must occupy the same square as the creature it is healing though.

Spirit of Combat: This spirit enhances combat ability. Whenever an ally (including yourself) is adjacent to the spirit of combat or occupying its space, that character gains holy fervor. Holy fervor grants a +1 sacred bonus on attacks and damage rolls for every four paladin levels you possess (up to a maximum of +5 at 20th level). In addition, affected characters' weapons are treated as good-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Spirit of Heroism: This spirit automatically occupies your space and does not leave until dismissed or dispelled, or the duration of the summoning ends. You gain DR 10/--. In addition, you gain the benefit of the Diehard feat (even if you do not meet the prerequisite) and can use your lay on hands ability as a free action once per round instead of as a swift action.

Spirit of the Fallen: At 20th level, a paladin can call fourth the mightiest of her spirits. While you or any of your allies are adjacent to this spirit, it grants fast healing 10 to those characters. If an affected character's hit points drop to 0 or fewer while within 30 feet of this spirit, it revives that character at the start of his next turn, allowing him to take his action as normal. The character heals an amount of damage equal to twice your paladin level, though if his hit points are still at -10 or below, he still dies. The spirit can use its revive ability once per round.

Share Smite (Su): At 6th level, a Paladin may, on an ally's turn, expend a use of Smite Evil and give it to that ally. The ally is treated as though he were the Paladin for all effects related to the Smite, to-hit bonus, duration and bonus damage, regardless of the ally's actual stats.

At 13th level, the Paladin automaticaly grants all allies within 30 the same benefits of Smite Evil when she uses it. This does NOT replace the above ability.

Bonus Feats: At 7th level, and every third level afterwards, a paladin receives a bonus feat. This feat may be any feat of the Paladin's choosing, and she is considered a Fighter of a level equal to her paladin level for feats with the prerequisite of fighter levels.

Banish Evil (Su): Beginning at 9th level, any [Evil] Outsider struck by one of the paladin's smites must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 paladin level + Charisma modifier) or be forced back to their proper plane. A target who successfully saves against this ability cannot be affected by it again for 24 hours.

Divine Gift: At 11th level, a paladin may add one spell from the Wizard/Sorcerer or Cleric list to her list of spells known. This new spell may be of any level up to one lower than the highest level spell she can currently cast. At each subsequent odd-numbered paladin level, she may add an additional spell to her list of spells known. These new spells cannot be [Evil].

Improved Mettle (Su):At 14th ability, their mettle improves. The paladin also receives half damage or partial effect on a failed Will or Fortitude save.

Wrathful Smiting (Su): Beginning at 17th level, a paladin may sacrifice one of her uses of Smite Evil for each encounter in a day in order to deliver a massive shockwave of divine energy. As a Standard action, the paladin may perform a melee attack, and if she succeeds, she deals 1d6 holy damage per paladin level to each creature in a 20' burst from the struck creature.

Annihilate Evil (Su): Beginning at 18th level, any undead or [Evil] outsider struck by one of the paladin's smites must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 paladin level + Charisma modifier) or be utterly annihilated. A target who successfully saves against this ability cannot be affected by it again for 24 hours.

Code of Conduct: A paladin must be of a good alignment. A paladin should act with honor and respect, help those in need, and to punish those who threaten or harm the innocent. A paladin who is not of good alignment loses all Supernatural abilities until she atones.


Paladin's Mount:

Paladin Level|Bonus HD|Natural Armor Adj.|Str Adj|Int|Special

5th-7th|+2|+4|+1|8|Empathic Link, Improved Evasion, Share Spells, Share Saving Throws

8th-10th|+4|+6|+2|9|Improved Speed

11th-14th|+6|+8|+3|10|Command Creatures of Its Kind

15th-20th|+8|+10|+4|11|Spell Resistance

Paladin’s Mount Basics: Use the base statistics for a creature of the mount’s kind, but make changes to take into account the attributes and characteristics summarized on the table and described below.

Bonus HD: Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Consitution modifier, as normal. Extra Hit Dice improve the mount’s base attack and base save bonuses. A special mount’s base attack bonus is equal to that of a cleric of a level equal to the mount’s HD. A mount has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the animal’s HD). The mount gains additional skill points or feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice.

Natural Armor Adj.: The number on the table is an improvement to the mount’s existing natural armor bonus.
Str Adj.: Add this figure to the mount’s Strength score.
Int: The mount’s Intelligence score.

Empathic Link (Su): The paladin has an empathic link with her mount out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The paladin cannot see through the mount’s eyes, but they can communicate empathically.
Note that even intelligent mounts see the world differently from humans, so misunderstandings are always possible.
Because of this empathic link, the paladin has the same connection to an item or place that her mount does, just as with a master and his familiar (see Familiars).

Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a mount takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage if the saving throw fails.

Share Spells: At the paladin’s option, she may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) she casts on herself also affect her mount.
The mount must be within 5 feet at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the mount if it moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the mount again even if it returns to the paladin before the duration expires. Additionally, the paladin may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her mount (as a touch range spell) instead of on herself. A paladin and her mount can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the mount’s type (magical beast).

Share Saving Throws: For each of its saving throws, the mount uses its own base save bonus or the paladin’s, whichever is higher. The mount applies its own ability modifiers to saves, and it doesn’t share any other bonuses on saves that the master might have.
Improved Speed (Ex): The mount’s speed increases by 10 feet.

Command (Sp): Once per day per two paladin levels of its master, a mount can use this ability to command other any normal animal of approximately the same kind as itself (for warhorses and warponies, this category includes donkeys, mules, and ponies), as long as the target creature has fewer Hit Dice than the mount. This ability functions like the command spell, but the mount must make a DC 21 Concentration check to succeed if it’s being ridden at the time. If the check fails, the ability does not work that time, but it still counts against the mount’s daily uses. Each target may attempt a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 paladin’s level + paladin’s Cha modifier) to negate the effect.

Spell Resistance (Ex): A mount’s spell resistance equals its master’s paladin level + 5. To affect the mount with a spell, a spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the mount’s spell resistance. A paladin may always bypass their mount's spell resistance when casting spells on it.

Oh, and also: I didn't try to work on it, but I'm a bit concerned that we're adding too much power. It's time to start cutting back somewhere, methinks-- Smite is currently really good, as is the casting (though I did weaken that a touch), as is the healing.

[toapat]

Modified Hymnbook to better fit with spontaneous casting.

unfortunately, you removed the ability to prepare celerity.

*the rest of this post has been redacted, i need to remember it is a community fix, even if i just dumped my last paladin brew on it.*

I kinda expected the power to come rushing in afterwards, wasnt sure how, but i expected someone to forget that Power=/=Versatility

[Grod_The_Giant]

unfortunately, you removed the ability to prepare celerity.

Well, that can be changed back, but I was worried about balance. Taking an already powerful chassis with built-in swift-action spellcasting, then adding stuff like celerity and polymorph?

On versatility: Charisma-focus and decent skill points lets you be a face. Spells do nice things, and paladins have a pretty solid list if you add splatbooks (and it's not total crap even in core-only, though adding more spells to the list wouldn't hurt). You can heal with the best of them. And, of course, top-notch melee capabilities, especially if you get smite damage.

[toapat]

Well, that can be changed back, but I was worried about balance. Taking an already powerful chassis with built-in swift-action spellcasting, then adding stuff like celerity and polymorph?

Charisma-focus and decent skill points lets you be a face. Spells do nice things, and paladins gets some pretty solid choices here and there, especially once you start adding splatbooks.

Well, again, im going hands off and enjoying the fallout, but it still doesnt change the fact that the Hymnbook class feature is honestly me being extremely lazy and not wanting to rebuild their spell list properly.

As far as im concerned, this paladin should be considered Unusable with all ACFs and Substitution levels

I swore polymorph was 5th level.

Edit: Oh, This paladin is probably sturdy enough to run as a pure class in E6