Dm:ing a paladin?

[Asmo]

Well, after a long break we are finally getting together to game again, and I´m going to run the show. Much to my surprise one of the player choose to play a human paladin- no god,just following the path of right
The rest of the party (so far) is a human male cleric of Pelor and a female elf wizard.Waiting for a rogue to join and perhaps a fighter.
I´m going to start with Mad God´s key from Dungeon #114 wich seems like a good adventure to start things with (all are more or less veteran players, but we all love low lvl games).
My main concern is that I´ve never dm:ed a paladin before, neither have I played one.
What should I look out for? Any advice how I should prepare myself for this?
We are playing 3.5 with alignments as usual.One more thing: all players are long time friends.


Asmo

 

[billd91]

Don't be too much of a zealot about the paladin being and doing good and his class restrictions. I'd suggest even sitting down with the paladin's player and hash out a variety of moral/ethical situations so that you both understand what is good and what is not and so on.
The number of times I've heard of DMs and paladin players getting into friction because of misunderstandings is stunning.

 

[Xombie Master]

Good Idea:
Sitting down and discussing a code of moral ethics that the player will live by.

Bad Idea:
Being like my DM and forcing Paladins to roll a Will Save to resist outright attacking creatures the detect as evil. It took me screaming at him for being an idiot, for him to realize the error of his ways. In the beginning I tried to be nice, countless times, until his stupid mechanic nearly cost a good Paladin his life! *Rant mode end*

Remember Paladins are people too, and just because they strive to be one with goodness, doesn't mean they don't struggle to find the meaning of faith.

*edit*
don't struggle
don't struggle!! er...um

 

[domino]

Find out what kind of paladin he'll be playing. If he's a Detect-Scream-Kill paladin, he'll be radically different from one that realizes that maybe just because someone's evil isn't a good enough excuse to slaughter them.

Also, it would be a good idea to find out how he'll most likely react to a villan pleading for mercy and or surrendering when he looses a fight. And it's also nice to tell him how you're thinking his code would react to what he'd do.

Finally, if he's the kind of paladin who'll go charging headlong into a suicide attack because he detected evil, find him a suicide attack to charge headlong into.

 

[Wormwood]

When an ethical debate arises—and it will—calmly discuss it with the group and put the issue to a vote within ten minutes.

Never solicit ENWorld for answers on the issue. That way lies madness.

 

[frankthedm]

You as DM must already know the correct answers to moral questions that will likely come up in your game. Morality in a fantasy world is usually absolute, as the DM you have to decide, the others are not running the game.

How evil does a creature need to be before a paladin need not consider it's [likely hollow]pleas for mercy.

what do you do with the non combatents?

Are souls more important than lives, how much so?

etc....

Then i recommend having an in game way for the paladin to draw on to make those sticky moral choices.

I recommend using knowledge: Religion. So the paladin can compare "What Would Heronius Do", compared to "What Bahamut Would Do", compared to "What Would Orcus Do"

 

[Truth Seeker]

Well, just from all the decent and excellent posts here. No need to add more, expect this.

Have a great time.

 

[The Sigil]

You as DM must already know the correct answers to moral questions that will likely come up in your game. Morality in a fantasy world is usually absolute, as the DM you have decide, the others are not running the game.

How evil does a creature need to be before a paladin need not consider it's [likely hollow]pleas for mercy.

what do you do with the non combatents?

Are souls more important than lives, how much so?

etc....

Then i recommend having an in game way for the paladin to draw on to make those sticky moral choices.

I recommend using knowledge: Religion. So the paladin can compare "What would Heronius do, compared to what bahamut would do, compared to what orcus would do.

Best advice I've seen on "how to adjudicate a paladin's conduct" on ENWorld. Ever.

 

[Xombie Master]

Finally, if he's the kind of paladin who'll go charging headlong into a suicide attack because he detected evil, find him a suicide attack to charge headlong into.

Too bad we can't do that to DM's who overuse Will Saves!

 

[devilbat]

I suggest leaving the player playing the Paladin alone to make his own decisions. The player knows the role a paladin plays, and should follow the edicts of the path of good. if he doesn't, then all the better. There is little as fun as watching a palading turn black guard.