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View Full Version : Paladin Revised (Affiliation Based) - ideas needed



Umarth
2007-12-19, 05:09 PM
Could use help on coming up with abilities for levels 17 & 18 and also ideas on what Pledge (level 7) and Vow (level 16) should do.

I'd be okay with scraping Pledge and Vow but they sound like they would be cool abilities if we can come up with something for them.

Concept Ideas:

Low magic world
No alignment restrictions
Paladins are tied to an affiliation (DMG 2.0) or a group.
No spell casting
No healing
Paladins are big tough bruisers for affiliations. They are the most effective melee characters when dealing with foes of the affiliation but much less effective in other combats.



Alignment
Any

Hit Die
d12.

Class Skills
The paladin’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are 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
(4 + Int modifier) ×4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level
4 + Int modifier.


Paladin
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+2| Smite Rival 1/day, Affiliation Favored

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+3| Combat Style

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+3| Class Ability

4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+4| Foe of Outsider +2

5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+4| Smite Rival 2/day

6th|
+6|
+5|
+2|
+5| Improved combat style

7th|
+7|
+5|
+2|
+5|Pledge

8th|
+8|
+6|
+2|
+6| Faithful

9th|
+9|
+6|
+3|
+6| Foe of Outsider +4

10th|
+10|
+7|
+3|
+7| Smite Rival 3/day

11th|
+11|
+7|
+3|
+7| Combat style mastery

12th|
+12|
+8|
+4|
+8| Desperation

13th|
+13|
+8|
+4|
+8| Indomitable Will

14th|
+14|
+9|
+4|
+9| Foe of Outsider +6


15th|
+15|
+9|
+5|
+9| Smite Rival 4/day

16th|
+16|
+10|
+5|
+10|Vow

17th|
+17|
+10|
+5|
+10|Toughness

18th|
+18|
+11|
+6|
+11| Righteous Surety

19th|
+19|
+11|
+6|
+11| Foe of Outsider +8

20th|
+20|
+12|
+6|
+12| Smite Rival 5/day
[/table]

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the paladin class.
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).

Smite Rival (Su)
Once per day, a paladin may attempt to smite a rival faction 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 a member of a rival faction, 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 rival one additional time per day, as indicated on Table: The Paladin, to a maximum of five times per day at 20th level.

Affiliation Favored
A paladin gains a bonus to their affiliation score equal to ½ her paladin level.

Combat Style (Ex)
At 2nd level, a paladin must select one of two combat styles to pursue: phalanx or cavalry combat. This choice affects the character’s class features but does not restrict his selection of feats or special abilities in any way.

If the paladin selects phalanx, he is treated as having the Shield Wall feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.

If the paladin selects cavalry combat, he is treated as having the Mounted Combat feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.

The benefits of the paladin’s chosen style apply only when he wears heavy armor. He loses all benefits of his combat style when wearing medium, light or no armor.

Battle Endurance (Ex)
At 3rd level the paladins internal drive grants them the Battle Endurance Feat.


Battle Endurance [General, Fighter]
Fights are less taxing to you than to others.
Prerequisites: Endurance
Benefit: Every round you convert the first two times your wisdom modifier damage you take into non lethal damage. If your wisdom modifier where +3 then the first 6 points of damage you take every round is converted into non lethal damage.

Foe of Outsider (Su)
At 4th level the paladin deals +2 damage on any creatures of the spirit type.

The damage bonus increases by 2 at levels 9, 14, and 19.

Improved Combat Style (Ex)
At 6th level, a paladin’s aptitude in his chosen combat style (phalanx or cavalry combat) improves. If he selected phalanx at 2nd level, he is treated as having the Shield Specialization feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.

If the paladin selected cavalry combat at 2nd level, he is treated as having the Spirited Charge feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.

As before, the benefits of the paladin’s chosen style apply only when he wears heavy armor. He loses all benefits of his combat style when wearing light, medium or no armor.

Pledge (Su)
At 7th level a paladin may swear to accomplish a certain goal or task. In any round the paladin is magically coerced to take an action that would result in the failure of the pledge she may make a new save with a +4 bonus to shake off the coercion.

The paladin may not make a second Pledge until the first has been accomplished, abandoned, or failed. In the case of a failed pledge the paladin must wait 1 week before they are able to make a new pledge. In the case of an abandoned pledge the paladin must wait 1 month before a new Pledge can be made.


Faithful (Su)
At 8th level a paladins dedication to their religion grants them the faithful feat.

Faithful [General]
Your faith guides your life and sustains you. By relying on your faith you find inner strength.
Prerequisite: Knowledge (Religion) 5 ranks.
Benefit: Select a Religion to be a follower of. For every 6 ranks you have in Knowledge (Religion) in that religion you gain a +1 divine bonus to attack roles, damage, or armor class. You may spend 5 minutes in prayer to change where the bonus applies. In addition you must observe all


Combat Style Mastery (Ex)
At 11th level, a paladin’s aptitude in his chosen combat style (phalanx or cavalry combat) improves again. If he selected phalanx at 2nd level, he is able to use a long spear to make attacks against adjacent creatures with out penalty.

If the paladin selected cavalry combat at 2nd level, he is treated as having the Greater Mount Specialization feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.

As before, the benefits of the paladin’s chosen style apply only when he wears heavy armor. He loses all benefits of his combat style when wearing light, medium or no armor.

Desperation (Su)
At 12th level a paladin who is reduced to ½ or fewer of their normal HPs adds ½ their paladin levels to all damage rolls from melee attacks. This stacks with the bonus damage from Smite Rival or Foe of Outsider.

Indomitable Will (Su)
At 13th level a paladin heals subdual damage more quickly than normal healing an amount equal to ½ the paladins wisdom modifier each round. Paladins do not heal normal damage more quickly than usual.

Vow (Su)
At 16th level a paladin is able to make a vow to complete a certain action or task. Any magical compulsion that would cause the paladin to violate or fail this Vow automatically fails and the paladin is freed of the effect.

A paladin is able to have only a single vow or pledge active at one time. The paladin must complete, abandon, or fail their current vow before they can take a new vow. If the paladin completes the current vow they may take a new vow immediately, failing a vow requires the paladin to wait 1 week before taking a new vow, and abandoning a vow requires the paladin to wait 1 month before taking a new vow.

Toughness:
At 17th level the paladin gains Toughness as a bonus feat.


Toughness [General]
You are harder than normal to kill.
Benefit: You may gain on of the following benefits:

+6hps
+1hp per HD.
Bonus HPs equal to your fort save.

Normal: This feat has been changed from the standard PHB version. Normally you gain 3hps.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times.


Righteous Surety:
At 18th level a paladin’s dedication to stopping those opposing their temple is so great that they treat all potential critical hits as confirmed critical hits when made against rivals of their temple or outsiders.



Code of Conduct
A paladin must belong to a temple affiliation. If the paladin at any point barred, banned, excommunicated, or has an affiliation score of 0 or less with their temple they immediately lose all paladin class abilities. A paladin who is welcomed back into the temple (affiliation score of 5 or higher and not barred) regains their paladin abilities.

The paladin must also spend at least 1 day every 15 weeks in prayer and vigil. If the paladin is unable to spend this time in worship they lose all paladin abilities until they make up the lost prayer time.

Additionally, a paladin’s code requires that she respect temple authority, act with honor (adhere to temple guidelines), help temple allies (provided they do not use the help for deeds harmful to the temple), and punish those who harm or threaten temple members.

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

Switching Temples
A paladin may switch to a new temple affiliation with out loss of powers if the two affiliations are allies and the head of the affiliations approve the transfer. A paladin may switch with out approval by renouncing their current affiliation (and thus losing all her paladin abilities) and then earning an affiliation score of at least 10 in the new temple. Once they have reached an affiliation score of 10 the paladin regains her lost powers.

If a paladin switches affiliation a second time the required affiliation score increases to 15 and each additional switch increases the required score by 5.

Copacetic
2007-12-19, 05:13 PM
Under combat style it says RANGER not paladin. Might wanna fix that.

Charlie Kemek
2007-12-19, 05:31 PM
HD? d10 or d12. add lawful as an alingment restriction, they are supposed to act with honur

TheLogman
2007-12-19, 05:57 PM
According to Faithful, it can only be taken at first level, whereas you are giving it to him at 8th.

Umarth
2007-12-19, 06:18 PM
Frigs: Fixed. Thanks for the catch.

Charlie Kemek: d12 HD.
I had the alignment set to any. Maybe lawful or non chaotic would be better. I don't think they are supposed to act with honor. Just within the tenents of their organizations.

TheLogman: Fixed. That was incorrect.

Umarth
2007-12-20, 12:20 PM
Came up with a couple ideas for Pledge, Vow, and the two levels missing abilities.


I'd appreciate any feedback/suggestions folks have.


Specific questions I have are:


Are all abilities clear?

(especially Pledge & Vow)


Does this class outshine the fighter?

(I'm hoping it will against outsiders and rival factions but not against others)


Does the class seem to have a consistant theme across all levels?

What would most want to make you play the class?

What would most want to make you NOT play the class?