Homebrew DesignRoll up your sleeves and get working: there's lots of homebrewin' to be done! Post your custom creation for critiques or review those of your peers.
So here's my version of paladin as initially had been discussed in the Ban Lists thread when Complete Champion was brought up. My goal is to cut out the things that didn't up being as useful as the original creators would have thought they would be and provide a lot more dakka.
Something I might have picked up from somewhere else but didn't end up implementing is that you can spend lay on hands points to get a remove disease effect or other healing spell effects (that wasn't the How It Should Be Paladin, was it?).
Ultimately, this should provide the sort of hardcore spiritual warrior to combat my necromantic homebrew.
Strong Aura, Detect Opposition, Smite Opposition (1/enc)
-
2nd
+2
+3
+0
+3
Divine Grace, Lay on Hands
-
3rd
+3
+3
+1
+3
Radiant Aura, Divine Health
-
4th
+4
+4
+1
+4
Channel the Divine, Devotion (1st), Smite Opposition (2/enc)
0
5th
+5
+4
+1
+4
Special Mount, Aura Control
1
6th
+6/+1
+5
+2
+5
Strike Down
2
7th
+7/+2
+5
+2
+5
Swift Hands, Smite Opposition (3/enc)
3
0
8th
+8/+3
+6
+2
+6
Devotion (2nd)
4
1
9th
+9/+4
+6
+3
+6
Unerring Justice
4
2
10th
+10/+5
+7
+3
+7
Extra Turning, Smite Opposition (4/enc)
4
3
0
11th
+11/+6/+1
+7
+3
+7
Overpowering Will
4
4
1
12th
+12/+7/+2
+8
+4
+8
Devotion (3rd)
4
4
2
13th
+13/+8/+3
+8
+4
+8
Unshakable Justice, Smite Opposition (5/enc)
4
4
3
0
14th
+14/+9/+4
+9
+4
+9
Greater Mount
4
4
4
1
15th
+15/+10/+5
+9
+5
+9
Extra Turning
4
4
4
2
16th
+16/+11/+6/+1
+10
+5
+10
Devotion (4th), Smite Opposition (6/enc)
4
4
4
3
0
17th
+17/+12/+7/+2
+10
+5
+10
Unyielding Justice
4
4
4
4
1
18th
+18/+13/+8/+3
+11
+6
+11
Echoing Wrath
4
4
4
4
2
19th
+19/+14/+9/+4
+11
+6
+11
Legendary Mount, Smite Opposition (7/enc)
4
4
4
4
3
20th
+20/+15/+10/+5
+12
+6
+12
Unobscured Justice, Devotion (5th)
4
4
4
4
4
Class Features:
Paladin Creed: There are three types of paladins. The first serve a specific god and their faith grants them the power. The second serve a (un)holy order whose collective power grants the paladin their strength. The third serve an ideal or concept which empowers them. Minor transgressions are met with social repercussions and the punishment is dealt out through mortal hands. Major transgressions, actively working against the paladin's source of power, strikes the paladin with 1d4 ability damage to a random ability score per transgression (lasting until they receive atonement). If the paladin's source of power is destroyed, they lose their class's special features and spellcasting.
Fallen Paladins: Paladins who've lost their source of power can be adopted by other gods, orders, or may find a new ideal after they fulfill a quest to prove themselves worthy. This comes at the loss of a class level.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Paladins are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with all shields.
Strong Aura: The power of a paladin’s aura of alignment (see the detect good) is equal to his paladin level.
Detect Opposition: The paladin may use detect <opposite alignment> at will.
Smite Opposition: Once per encounter, a paladin may attempt to smite a creature of the opposing alignment with one normal melee attack. He adds his Charisma bonus (if any) to his attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per paladin level. If the paladin accidentally smites a creature that is not of the opposing alignment, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that encounter.
The use of this ability increases by one use per encounter every three levels after the first.
Divine Grace (Ex): A paladin adds his Charisma modifier to his saving throws (minimum +0) starting at 2nd level.
Lay on Hands (Su): At 2nd level, a paladin with a Charisma score of 12 or higher can heal wounds (his own or those of others) by touch. Each day he can heal a total number of hit points of damage equal to his paladin level × his Charisma bonus. A paladin may choose to divide his healing among multiple recipients, and he doesn’t have to use it all at once. Using lay on hands is a standard action. This paladin will turn undead at level 5.
Alternatively, a paladin can cause wounds with a successful touch attack. Each day he can deal a total number of hit points of damage equal to his paladin level x his Charisma bonus. An opponent subjected to this attack can make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 paladin level + paladin's Cha modifier) to halve the damage dealt. This paladin will rebuke undead at level 5.
Once a paladin has chosen one of these abilities, he may use the other against (or to assist) undead.
Radiant Aura(Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a paladin generates one of the following effects:
Commanding: The paladin is immune to compulsion effects. Each ally within 10 feet of him gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against compulsion effects.
Courageous: The paladin is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Each ally within 10 feet of him gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects.
Astounding: Enemies within 10 feet of the paladin take a -1 penalty to Armor Class.
Imposing: Enemies within 10 feet of the paladin take a -2 penalty on all saving throws.
This ability functions while the paladin is conscious, but not if he is unconscious or dead. This aura may be activated or deactivated by the paladin as a free action. Once per day, he may change the effect of his aura to another type.
Divine Health (Ex): At 3rd level, a paladin gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases.
Spellcasting: A paladin may begin to cast spells at 4th level if he gains bonus spells due to Charisma. At 5th 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 his 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.
A paladin may also choose to change their spell selection depending on their alignment, or whether they will later turn or rebuke undead:
At 16th level, a paladin gains access to advanced paladin spellcasting. He may pick up to four cleric spells from 1st to 4th level to create his list of 5th level paladin spells. He may choose up to two 5th level cleric spells, costing him two spell choices each.
Channel the Divine(Su): The paladin gains 5 + Cha modifier daily uses of turn/rebuke undead for the purpose of activating feats and class features. If the paladin gains turn/rebuke undead from another source, the base number of turn attempts per day is whichever is greater between these two abilities.
Devotion: At 4th level and every four levels thereafter, the paladin gains a bonus Devotion feat (see Complete Champion) that he meets the prerequisites for. Good paladins cannot take the Evil Devotion, and vice versa.
After 8th level, as long as the paladin's Devotion feats are all domains his god provides, he gains a free use of any one Devotion feat per day.
Strike Down (Ex): At sixth level, a paladin may spend a move action to perform a second smite opposition in the same turn. The paladin must have already spent a standard action to smite (it does not need to have been successful).
Swift Hands (Su): At 7th level, the paladin may use lay on hands as a swift action to heal a dying ally (bringing their current hitpoint total up to a maximum of the paladin's class level).
Special Mount (Sp): At 5th level, a paladin gains the service of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed to serve him in his crusade. 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 his mount from the extraplanar 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. A paladin gains a +1 bonus to all Ride checks related to his mount for every two paladin levels.
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 he 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.
Aura Control (Ex): As an immediate action, once per day or by spending a turn attempt, the paladin may increase or decrease the power of his aura of alignment (see detect good) by up to his Charisma modifier (minimum 1). This effect lasts one minute per class level.
Unerring Justice (Su): At 9th level, a smite attempt ignores any miss chance due to incorporeality and magical effects like blink with a CL less than the paladins class level plus his Charisma modifier.
Extra Turning: At 10th and 15th level, the paladin gains Extra Turning as a bonus feat.E
Overpowering Will (Ex): At 11th level, as an immediate action, the paladin may spend a turn attempt to use his Charisma modifier in place of any other ability modifier for an ability or skill check. This may also be used for special attack actions like trip, disarm, overrun, bull rush, etc.
Unshakable Justice (Su): At 13th level, a successful smite attempt's critical threat range and multiplier are increased by 1.
Greater Mount (Sp): At 14th level, the paladin's mount may become either a nightmare (without astral projection or etherealness) or a unicorn. If the paladin chooses this option it does not gain the special mount bonuses from the table. He may change his choice of mount once per week between any form available (from Special, Greater, and eventually Legendary Mount).
Unyielding Justice (Su): At 17th level, a successful smite attempt ignores damage reduction. Epic DR cannot be overcome until the paladin's class level exceeds 20.
Echoing Wrath: At 18th level, the paladin regains a daily use of smite opposition whenever an enemy is slain by a successful smite opposition attempt.
Legendary Mount (Sp): At 19th level, the paladin's mount may become either a cauchemar or a celestial charger. All other effects of Greater Mount apply.
Unobscured Justice (Su): At 20th level, whenever the paladin attempts to smite an enemy of the opposing alignment, the target must succeed on a DC 10 + 1/2 class level + Cha modifier Will save. If they fail, all ongoing spells without the paladin's alignment descriptor ([good], [evil], etc.) targeting them are suppressed for Cha modifier rounds (minimum 1). The paladin may also spend a turn attempt to suppress all spells that the target has afflicted them for the same duration.
First, I think the table should go on top. It's weird to have to scroll all the way down to see it.
Disagree with the spellcasting remaining delayed until 4th. I like the addition of 5th level spells; I'd consider 6th's, as well. Very happy to see it entirely Charisma based.
Radiant Aura needs clarification if this is a choice the Paladin makes when he gets the feature, or it depends on the type of Paladin he is, or if he has some way of switching between the Aura types at will (and what actions and/or limitations are involved; though honestly, just making it a Free Action on his turn to switch sounds fine)
The organization of the lists for the Paladin of Slaughter and Tyranny could use some work; add some line breaks, at least, between the different levels, please.
I'd consider just removing Turn/Rebuke Undead, and instead let them power Devotions with uses of Smite, or perhaps just a separate pool of uses of the Devotions. Make them better at it than Clerics, by giving them more uses, or something. Even if all his class features are Cha-based, the Paladin still suffers from more MAD than the Cleric does, so I'd say they get 5+Cha uses per day or something. Or maybe gain Extra Turning as a bonus feat every several levels, or something.
Oh, and technically the Devotions are [Domain] feats, not [Devotion] feats. I know, it's odd.
Is Unshakable Justice's augmentation to crit threat range applied before or after Improved Critical/Keen?
Why does Swift Hands take until 15th level?
The duration on Unobscured Justice is really short. Looks like a 4e power rather than something appropriate for 3.5. 4e's better balanced but this is a 3.5 class.
First, I think the table should go on top. It's weird to have to scroll all the way down to see it.
It's something I've been doing with PrCs but it's probably more natural to have it up top.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DragoonWraith
Disagree with the spellcasting remaining delayed until 4th. I like the addition of 5th level spells; I'd consider 6th's, as well. Very happy to see it entirely Charisma based.
Trying to make it a bit more gishy without making it 'reliant' on spellcasting. I can play around with this though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DragoonWraith
Radiant Aura needs clarification if this is a choice the Paladin makes when he gets the feature, or it depends on the type of Paladin he is, or if he has some way of switching between the Aura types at will (and what actions and/or limitations are involved; though honestly, just making it a Free Action on his turn to switch sounds fine)
K.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DragoonWraith
I'd consider just removing Turn/Rebuke Undead, and instead let them power Devotions with uses of Smite, or perhaps just a separate pool of uses of the Devotions. Make them better at it than Clerics, by giving them more uses, or something. Even if all his class features are Cha-based, the Paladin still suffers from more MAD than the Cleric does, so I'd say they get 5+Cha uses per day or something. Or maybe gain Extra Turning as a bonus feat every several levels, or something.
I was thinking about that but there's also [Divine] feats, which few people probably take anyway. Maybe something like the Monk with 1 turn attempt per level per day?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DragoonWraith
Oh, and technically the Devotions are [Domain] feats, not [Devotion] feats. I know, it's odd.
Maybe I could extend it to any [Domain] feat. Gotta check if there have been others.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DragoonWraith
Is Unshakable Justice's augmentation to crit threat range applied before or after Improved Critical/Keen?
Well, that depends on how big a threat range would be appropriate. Probably before. I'll think on it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DragoonWraith
Why does Swift Hands take until 15th level?
I was trying to fill out dead levels. Would probably be better off a lot lower.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DragoonWraith
The duration on Unobscured Justice is really short. Looks like a 4e power rather than something appropriate for 3.5. 4e's better balanced but this is a 3.5 class.
I was flopping between one and three rounds. Doing it for Cha rounds might be better.
I'm sort of divided on the spellcasting thing; I see your point though. Also, Battle Blessing is kind of a feat tax for this character if he does any serious spellcasting.
Anyway, forgot about [Divine] feats; that's a pretty good call. Yeah, 1/day/level sounds good, just kind of roll that into the Devotions section, something like "In addition, a Paladin may use feats or class features that require expending uses of Turning or Rebuking Undead a number of times per day equal to his level plus his Charisma modifier. He may also qualify for feats and prestige classes as if he had the Turn or Rebuke Undead features, though he cannot actually Turn or Rebuke the Undead."
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Devotee Paladin [Base]
