Durbein "Trap Bait" Stoneknock, an 'Unusual' Paladin.
"Contrary to popular paladin belief, sometimes, just sometimes, it's not the best idea to throw caution to the wind and charge in to save a hostage or recover a dangerous artifact. While it may be the simplest way, and the honorable way it's also, how do we say, Lawful stupid.
we're not putting up with them shenanigans here, lad.
Don't give me that 'Oh, it's the right thing to do!' shin-dig either, cause when the big baddie decides he can't win the fight without putting the hostages in harms way, You're the one holding the bill with why things went from bad to worse.
------
Every paladin answers to a calling. Durbein Stoneknock was no different, albiet a little more unsual. Durbein had always looked for the new way to do things, even though he often lacked the experience to do so. His small community was under a tyrnannical leadership of the local baron. The baron had a bit of an underhand deal with a nearby slave ring and often times unattended children would go missing.
Durbien, in his youth, decided one day to step up and directly oppose these kidnapping personal, and proudly defied the Baron's men admist the Market place.
It didn't work out so well. in fact, it went pretty poorly. After a week of the stockades and a few tender beatings later and he learned a valuable lesson. sometimes doing the right thing hurts. well, that, and You can't just go charging in head first. sometimes you gotta outsource to some unmentionable people and Fight injustice with... well, Justice?
He found that the thieves guild wasn't to found of the New Baron, and let the Slavers get a little too much leeway for thier comforts. albiet his skills were raw, and his nature was outlandish, they didn't mind getting a helpful tip off about the Baron's movements and where and how the slaver's operated. within due time, his strangely helpful skills were noticed by a group of Temple Raiders.
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Initially invited as "Trap Bait" for the Group, the Hollow Hand started testing what Durbien could potentially do. He wasn't anything graceful, that was for sure, but he did his best to keep up and had little intrest in keeping himself safe along the run. Selfless and Enduring, a quick study and a good heart, he was a natural pawn to play with, although he was a little bit too goody two shoes for their tastes.
When asked about why he let the Hollow Hand use him like so, he would be quick to say that he was using them. Indeed, he may not have always recieved his fair share of the loot or been treated nicely, and might have, once or twice, been locked in a chest when he was ramblin' a bit too much, but Olidimmara certainly did have a special place in mind for him. And the skills he learned he would return to good use, keeping an ear to the ground for reports of missing persons cases and bounties or anything else that may test his skills and allow him to do more good for the communities they fenced their items for. Such experience is Priceless to a man harty enough to take a beating and come back kickin'.
After many years, a few hard earned scars and countless adventures later, Durbien grew to be an accepted member of the team. He started to become more graceful in and intuned to the chaos of an unexplored ruin or dungeon and once he had felt he had seen it all and been everywhere, he moved onward to his original goal. He has since been nothing shy of rumors and hopeful prayers of a dark shadow that keeps those who would impede freedom and simple liberties. though iron clad in a heavy pair of boots, you'd never see him, but the sudden absence of slaves, Vital phylactries gone missing, and the kidnapped princess vanishing back home, are all signs that Durbien Stoneknock is still around.
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Desert Dwarf Paladin of Freedom 3/The Master Inquisitive 2/temple raider of Olidimmara 10/Deepwarden 5
Str: 13
Dex: 13
Con: 18
Int: 12
Wis: 20 (+5 for level advancement)
Cha: 5
{table=head]
Level|
Class|
Base Attack Bonus|
Fort Save|
Ref Save|
Will Save|
Skill points|
Feats|
Class Features
1st|Paladin of Freedom|
+1
|
+2
|
+0
|
+0
|Sense Motive 4, Search 2, Gather Information 4|City Slicker|Aura of Good, Detect Evil, Smite Evil 1/day
2nd|Paladin of Freedom|
+2
|
+3
|
+0
|
+0
|Sense Motive 5, Search 2 1/2, Gather Information 5|N/A|Divine Grace, Lay on Hands
3rd|Paladin of Freedom|
+3
|
+3
|
+1
|
+1
|Sense Motive 6, Search 3, Gather Information 6|Investigate|Aura of Resolve, Divine Health
4th|Inquisitive|
+4
|
+3
|
+3
|
+1
|Open Lock 3 1/2, Disable Device 3 1/2, Search 3, Sense Motive 6, Gather info 6|N/A|Zone of Truth
5th|Inquisitive|
+5
|
+3
|
+4
|
+1
|Open Lock 4, Disable Device 4, Knowledge (religion) 1, Search 8, Sense Motive 6, Gather Infor 6|Improved Iniative|Bonus Feat
6th|Temple Raiders of Olidimmara|
+5
|
+3
|
+6
|
+3
|UMD 5, Search 8, Open Lock 4, Disable Device 4, Knowledge (Religion) 1, Search 8, Sense Motive 6, Gather Info 6|Serentity|Trap Finding, Trapsense +1
7th|Temple Raiders of Olidimmara|
+6
|
+3
|
+7
|
+4
|UMD 10, Search 8, Open Lock 4, Disable Device 4, Knowledge (religion) 1, Search 8, Sense Motive 6, Gather infor 6|N/a|Sneak Attack +1d6
8th|Temple Raiders of Olidimmara|
+7
|
+4
|
+7
|
+4
|Climb 4, Heal 1/2, UMD 10, Search 8, Open Lock 4, Disable Device 4, Knowledge (religion) 1, Search 8, Sense Motive 6, Gather infor 6|n/a|Uncanny Dodge
9th|Temple Raiders of Olidimmara|
+8
|
+4
|
+8
|
+5
|Climb 4 Heal 3, Search 8, Open Lock 4, Disable Device 4, Knowledge (religion) 1, Search 8, Sense Motive 6, Gather infor 6|Combat Reflexes|Trap Sense +2
10th|Temple Raiders of Olidimmara|
+9
|
+5
|
+8
|
+5
|Climb 4, Heal 5, UMD 11, Search 8, Open Lock 4, Disable Device 4, Knowledge (religion) 1, Search 8, Sense Motive 6, Gather infor 6||Sneak Attack +2d6
11th|Temple Raiders of Olidimmara|
+10
|
+6
|
+9
|
+6
|Jump 5 Climb 4, Heal 5, UMD 11, Search 8, Open Lock 4, Disable Device 4, Knowledge (religion) 1, Search 8, Sense Motive 6, Gather infor 6|n/a|Improved Uncanny Dodge
12th|Temple Raiders of Olidimmara|
+11
|
+6
|
+9
|
+6
|Survival 5, Jump 5 Climb 4, Heal 5, UMD 11, Search 8, Open Lock 4, Disable Device 4, Knowledge (religion) 1, Search 8, Sense Motive 6, Gather infor 6||Trapsense +3
13th|Temple Raiders Of Olidimmara|
+12
|
+6
|
+10
|
+7
|climb 5, UMD 14, Survival 5, Jump 5, Heal 5, UMD 11, Search 8, Open Lock 4, Disable Device 4, Knowledge (religion) 1, Search 8, Sense Motive 6, Gather infor 6|Sneak Attack +3d6
14th|Temple Raiders of Olidimmara|
+13
|
+7
|
+10
|
+7
|climb 10, UMD 15, Survival 5, Jump 5, Heal 5, UMD 11, Search 8, Open Lock 4, Disable Device 4, Knowledge (religion) 1, Search 8, Sense Motive 6, Gather infor 6|n/a|Skill Mastery
15th|Temple Raiders of Olidimmara|
+13
|
+7
|
+11
|
+8
|climb 10, UMD 15, Survival 5, Jump 10, Heal 5, Search 8, Open Lock 4, Disable Device 4, Knowledge (religion) 1, Search 8, Sense Motive 6, Gather infor 6, Swim 2|Devoted Inquisitor|Luck Domain, Trap sense +4
16th|Deepwarden|
+14
|
+9
|
+11
|
+10
|Swim 8, climb 10, UMD 15, Survival 5, Jump 10, Heal 5, Search 8, Open Lock 4, Disable Device 4, Knowledge (religion) 1, Search 8, Sense Motive 6, Gather infor 6|n/a|Track, Trap sense +5
17th|Deepwarden|
+15
|
+10
|
+11
|
+11
|Swim 8, climb 10, UMD 15, Survival 12, Jump 10, Heal 5, Search 8, Open Lock 4, Disable Device 4, Knowledge (religion) 1, Search 8, Sense Motive 6, Gather infor 6|N/a|Stone Warden
18th|Deepwarden|
+16
|
+10
|
+12
|
+11
|Swim 8, climb 10, UMD 15, Survival 19, Jump 10, Heal 5, Search 8, Open Lock 4, Disable Device 4, Knowledge (religion) 1, Search 8, Sense Motive 6, Gather infor 6|Pact Tactics|Animal Messanger
19th|Deepwarden|
+16
|
+11
|
+12
|
+12
|Swim 8, climb 10, UMD 15, Survival 22, Jump 10, Heal 5, Search 8, Open Lock 4, Disable Device 4, Knowledge (religion) 1, Search 8, Sense Motive 6, Gather infor 6|n/a|Trap sense +6, Uncanny dodge levels
20th|DeepWarden|
+17
|
+11
|
+12
|
+12
|Swim 8, climb 10, UMD 15, Survival 21, Jump 10, Heal 5, Search 8, Open Lock 4, Disable Device 4, Knowledge (religion) 1, Search 8, Sense Motive 6, Gather infor 6|n/a|[/table] Stubborn Mind
City Slicker[1]
Investigative [3]
Improved Initiative [BF]
Serenity[6]
Combat Elusiveness[9]
Double Team[12]
Endurance[15]
Pact Tactics[18]
Suggested Magic items:
Rod of Negation
Rod of Security
Staff of passage
Handy harversack
Scroll of antimagic
Scroll of silence
Wand of Baleful Transposition
Rod of Ropes
Potions of Glibness
Eggshell Bombs
Tactics:
Significantly less then Your typical tank, Mr. Stoneknock performs an unusual Niche in the party. He is classed as a paladin, but is more like a Divine Bard. Fittingly, (who hasn't wanted to kill the party bard?) absurdly hard to kill, with (Pre-Magic Items) saves of +20Fort/+17Reflex/+22Will, he can charge first, and ask questions later (Like A paladin!.. wait..) A combination of Deepwarden and the Feat Serenity helps him ignore a bit of MAD while Skill Mastery lets him ignore the chance of poor rolling from keeping him from keeping up with the rest of the Raiders. Even a finger of death trap will have to think twice on Durbin, as he gets a staggering +25 to fortitude saves against traps. Again is stands to be stated this is
Before Anything that can add to his Wisdom and therefore to all of his saves.
He can be a wrecking ball in any typical dungeon, any spells or special attacks are bound to be laughed off especially Poisons, Traps, or... Poison traps? His AC is sufficient, depending on how the DM rules The max Dexterity bonus to AC in heavy armor, as Deepwarden adds Consitution to his AC instead. It's worded that whenever he would lose his dexterity bonus, he loses the Constitution bonus but unlike Monk AC bonus, there is no limit to what kind of armor he's allowed to wear. I would personally rule that he has a max Con Bonus to AC, but it still bears to be asked.
However, he truly Shines when paired with a couple Rogues. His feats were selected later on to allow him to wade past traps and jump into the midst of combatitive folk, and automatically counting them all as flanking. With the right selection of Magic items, he can do so more easily without provoking more AoOs and Combat Elusiveness was chosen over Combat reflexes, as it allowed him to better position himself with fellow Temple Raiders of Olidimmara.
His skill mastery is set to Climb, Jump, Swim and UMD. with a total of 15 ranks invested in Use Magic Device, he can 'blindly' use any magic device he finds and activate it. It should be higher, but Deepwarden has UMD as cross class and he had too many ranks to put more into it. I decided to fill out survival rather then put it into the more proactive Spot/Listen, just because it seemed more fitting to the idea of the character, tracking down kidnapped and lost mcGuffins after leaving the Temple Raiders.
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Source list:
+Unearthed Arcana+
Desert Dwarf, Paladin of Freedom,
+Complete Divine+
Temple Raiders of Olidimara
+Eberron Campaign book+
Master Inquisitive, Investigate
+Dragon Magazine Compendium+
Double Team, Serenity, Pact tactics
+Races of Stone+
Deepwarden
+Races of Destiny+
City slicker
+Tomb Of Battle+
Combat Elusiveness