NEW Anti-Paladin & Paladin! Please review!

REVISED VERSION (31 March, 2002).
Frightful Presence radius cut from 30 ft. to 10 ft.

Other Recent Changes:
Heroic Surge feat (see blessings) altered so it does
not stack with a haste effect.
***NEW SPELL PROGRESSION CHART ADDED!!!
Newly added: 0-level spells and spell list.
Divine Warrior blessing.
Anti-Paladin's Contagion power scales.
______________________________________

ANTI-PALADIN (core class)
Ambition, Greed, Lust. These are the three main
qualities of the anti-paladin. Few are corrupt or
mad enough to walk the anti-paladin’s path, but
those few are rewarded with the power to fulfil
their twisted desires with unholy power from
dark gods. The anti-paladin is nothing short of a
mortal fiend.

Adventures: Anti-paladins take their
adventures as excellent opportunities to advance
the agenda of their evil god and/or personal
goals to gain power and wealth. They will fight
to the death if backed into a corner with no hope
of escape, but prefer to sacrifice their
companions or take hostages to use as human
shields if that will allow them to flee. An
anti-paladin has a long memory and will plot
terrible vengeance upon those who force him to
abandon an adventure or mission.

Characteristics: Divine power protects the
anti-paladin and gives him special powers. It
wards off harm and engenders an unnatural aura
of despair and menace around the anti-paladin.
Finally, the anti-paladin can also use this power
to destroy others. Eventually, this power draws a
mighty steed to the anti-paladin and imbues that
mount with strength, intelligence and magical
protection.

Alignment: Anti-paladins must be of an evil
alignment, and they lose their divine powers if
they deviate from it. Additionally, an
anti-paladin swears to follow a code of conduct
that is in accordance with their alignment.

Religion: Anti-Paladins need not devote
themselves to a single deity. Devotion to evil is
enough for most. Those who align themselves
with particular religions form a strong defensive
arm of the church. Anti-paladins devoted to a
god are scrupulous in observing religious duties
and are welcome in every associated temple.

Background: Anti-paladins come in two molds:
the first are evil warriors who make a pact with
an evil deity, demon or devil in exchange for
their power; the second are those who are
chosen by an evil deity, demon or devil at birth
to become their champion.

Races: Humans, with their ambitious, power
hungry souls make the best and most frequently
encountered anti-paladins.

Other Classes: Anti-paladins see themselves as
superior to all other classes and act accordingly.
They generally see other anti-paladins as rivals,
but may develop some degree of comraderie if
they share the same religion and/or goals;
otherwise, they avoid each other. They get along
best with clerics and fighters of their own
religion. They hate paladins and clerics of good
alignment; an anti-paladin will try to kill them
at the earliest and most convenient opportunity
if possible. This does not mean they will attack
them on sight or even directly, but they will plot
their ruin and/or murder, possibly sending
anonymous underlings out to accomplish the
task, kidnapping their family, or by poisoning
them at an otherwise innocuous dinner party.

Multiclassing Restrictions: An anti-paladin can only
multiclass as a cleric, fighter or appropriate prestige
class.

Abilities: Charisma increases the anti-paladin’s
self-protective abilities and undead
commanding. Strength is important for an
anti-paladin because of its role in combat. A
Wisdom score of 14 or higher is required to get
access to the most powerful anti-paladin spells,
and a score of 11 or higher is required to cast
any anti-paladin spells at all.

Alignment: Any evil.

Hit Die: d10.

Class Skills: Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con),
Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal
(Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge
(Nobility), Knowledge (Religion) (Int),
Knowledge (Undead) (Int), Profession (Wis),
Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int
modifier.

Weapons and Armor: Anti-Paladins are
proficient with all Simple and Martial Weapons,
and with Light, Medium and Heavy armor and
Shields.

Base Attack Bonus: As Fighter.
Saving Throws: As Fighter.

Anti-paladins receive a number of special
abilities.

Level 1 Special Abilities:
detect evil/good/undead (at will), Divine Grace
(as paladin), Divine Health (as paladin), Lay on
Hands (as paladin).

Level 2 Special Ability:
Frightful Presence: Once per round you can, as
a free action, use your Frightful Presence. All
opponents within 10 ft. who have fewer levels
than you must make a Will save (DC 10 + class
level + Cha modifier. An opponent who fails the
save is shaken, suffering a -2 penalty to attack
rolls, saves and skill checks) for a number of
rounds equal to 1d6 + your Cha modifier. An
opponent who makes her save is immune to the
anti-paladin’s frightful presence for one day.

Smite Good: Once per day, an anti-paladin of
2nd level or higher may attempt to smite good
with one normal melee attack. He adds his
Charisma modifier (if positive) to his attack roll
and deals 1 extra point of damage per level. For
example, a 13th level anti-paladin armed with a
longsword would deal 1d8+13 points of damage,
plus any additional bonuses for high Strength or
magical effects that normally apply. If the
anti-paladin accidentally smites a creature that
is not good, the smite has no effect but is still
used up for the day. Smite good is a supernatural
ability. At levels 6, 12 and 18, the anti-paladin
gets an additional use of smite good per day.

Level 3 Special Abilities:
Command Undead (3/day). Contagion (1/day,
increasing to 2/day at level 7 and 3/day at
level 11).

Level 4 Special Ability:
Spell Use (as paladin but uses the blackguard
list) + access to one clerical domain of the
anti-paladin’s choice (must be offered by his
deity).

Level 5 Special Ability:
Special Mount.

Level 7 Special Ability:
Blessing.

Level 10 Special Ability:
Blessing.


Level 13 Special Ability:
Blessing.

Level 16 Special Ability:
Blessing.

Level 19 Special Ability:
Blessing.

Level 20 Special Ability:
Transcendence: Through long association with
his deity’s fiendish servants, and direct
intervention by his deity, the anti-paladin
transcends his mortal form and becomes a
divine creature. His type changes to outsider,
which means that he acquires certain
immunities and vulnerabilities based on his type
(see Native Outsider, under the planetouched
race description).
Upon achieving transcendence, the
anti-paladin’s appearance always undergoes a
minor physical change appropriate to his
alignment and deity. For example, small horns
may sprout from his forehead or his eyes may
glow red or become like those of a serpent.
Anyone who shares the anti-paladin’s patron
deity, including outsider servants of his patron,
immediately recognize his transcendent nature,
and he gains a +2 bonus on all Charisma-based
skill and ability checks in regard to these
creatures.
______________________________________

PALADIN (variant core class)
Abilities: Charisma increases the paladin’s
self-protective abilities and undead turning.
Strength is important for an paladin because of
its role in combat. A Wisdom score of 14 or
higher is required to get access to the most
powerful paladin spells, and a score of 11 or
higher is required to cast paladin spells at all.

Alignment: Lawful Good.

Hit Die: d10.

Class Skills: Concentration (Con), Craft (Int),
Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal
(Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Nobility),
Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Knowledge
(Undead) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex),
Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int
modifier.

Base Attack Bonus: As Fighter.
Saving Throws: As Fighter.

Paladins receive a number of special abilities.

Level 1 Special Abilities:
detect evil/good/undead (at will), Divine Grace,
Divine Health, Lay on Hands.

Level 2 Special Ability:
Aura of Courage: The paladin is immune to fear
and all allies within 10 ft. of the paladin gain a
+4 morale bonus to saving throws vs. fear.

Smite Evil: Once per day, an paladin of 2nd
level or higher may attempt to smite good with
one normal melee attack. He adds his Charisma
modifier (if positive) to his attack roll and deals
1 extra point of damage per level. For example,
a 13th level paladin armed with a longsword
would deal 1d8+13 points of damage, plus any
additional bonuses for high Strength or magical
effects that normally apply. If the paladin
accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the
smite has no effect but is still used up for the
day. Smite evil is a supernatural ability. At
levels 6, 12 and 18, the anti-paladin gets an
additional use of smite evil per day.

Level 3 Special Abilities:
Turn Undead (3/day). Remove Disease (use this
ability a number of times per day equal to
Charisma modifier).

Level 4 Special Ability:
Spell Use (as paladin) + access to one clerical
domain (including granted power) of the
paladin’s choice (domain must be one offered by
his deity).

Level 5 Special Ability:
Special Mount.

Level 7 Special Ability:
Blessing.

Level 10 Special Ability:
Blessing.

Level 13 Special Ability:
Blessing.

Level 16 Special Ability:
Blessing.

Level 19 Special Ability:
Blessing.

Level 20 Special Ability:
Transcendence: Through long association with
his deity’s outsider servants, and direct
intervention by his deity, the paladin transcends
his mortal form and becomes a divine creature.
His type changes to outsider, which means that
he acquires certain immunities and
vulnerabilities based on his type (see Native
Outsider, under the planetouched race
description).
Upon achieving transcendence, the paladin’s
appearance always undergoes a minor physical
change appropriate to his alignment and deity.
For example, his eyes may glow with golden
light. Anyone who shares the paladin’s patron
deity, including outsider servants of his patron,
immediately recognize his transcendent nature,
and he gains a +2 bonus on all Charisma-based
skill and ability checks in regard to these
creatures.
________________________________________

Anti-Paladin/Paladin Spells Per Day:
NOTE: Where 0+1 spells are given, that means
the character only gets bonus spells (from high
WIS) plus his domain spell. A character without
a bonus spell receives only his domain spell.
Key ability for spells: Wisdom. Spells must be taken from the Blackguard (LE) or Paladin (LG) spell list.

Spells per Day:
Level 0 1 2 3 4
4 2 0+1 - - -
5 2 1+1 - - -
6 3 1+1 - - -
7 3 1+1 0+1 - -
8 4 2+1 0+1 - -
9 4 2+1 1+1 0+1 -
10 5 3+1 1+1 0+1 -
11 5 3+1 2+1 1+1 -
12 5 4+1 2+1 1+1 0+1
13 5 4+1 3+1 2+1 0+1
14 5 4+1 3+1 2+1 1+1
15 5 4+1 4+1 3+1 1+1
16 5 4+1 4+1 3+1 2+1
17 5 4+1 4+1 4+1 2+1
18 5 4+1 4+1 4+1 3+1
19 5 4+1 4+1 4+1 3+1
20 5 4+1 4+1 4+1 4+1

0-level Anti-Paladin/Paladin Spells:
Create Water, Cure Minor Wounds, Detect
Magic, Detect Poison, Guidance, Inflict Minor
Wounds, Light, Mending, Purify Food and
Drink, Read Magic, Resistance, Virtue.
_______________________________________

Blessing: Beginning at level 6 and every three
levels thereafter, the character may choose any
one bonus feat or spell-like ability from the
following list of twenty blessings. Blessings
marked with an asterisk (*) may be taken more
than once to gain additional feats or multiple
uses per day of spell-like abilities.

Divine Champion. May function as normal at
until -9 hit points. The character drops dead at
-10 hp and does not take any actions that round.
Prerequisite: any other blessing.

Divine Diligence. Alertness feat.

Divine Discipline. +2 sacred or profane bonus
on saves against all compulsion and
mind-affecting effects.

* Divine Endurance. Gain a +4 sacred or
profane bonus to Constitution for 3 rounds +
Charisma modifier. Activating this ability is a
free action.

Divine Fury. Heroic Surge feat. May take an
extra partial action in a round, either before or
after regular actions. Use this ability a number
of times per day, depending on class level, but
never more than once per round. 1st-4th level:
1/day, 5th-8th level: 2/day, 9th-12th level:
3/day, 13th-16th level: 4/day, 17th-20th level:
5/day. The extra partial action granted by this feat
does not stack with a haste effect.

* Divine Immunity. Ignores first 5 points of
damage from all acid, cold, electricity, fire and
sonic attacks. Prerequisite: any other blessing.

* Divine Insight. Skill Focus (any) feat.

* Divine Knight. Any mounted combat feat.
Divine Mount. Special mount gains the celestial
or fiendish template. Prerequisite: any other
blessing.

Divine Power. +2 insight bonus on saving
throws against all magical effects.

Divine Protection. +2 sacred or profane bonus
on all saving throws against ability score loss or
energy drain.

Divine Providence. Once per day, may add a +2
luck bonus to any single skill check or saving
throw (can be added after the check or save
result is known).

* Divine Sanctuary. Once per day, may cast
word of recall as a spell-like ability.
Prerequisite: any three blessings.

* Divine Servant. Once per day, may use lesser
planar ally as a spell-like ability. Prerequisite:
any two blessings.

Divine Speed. Add +10 ft. to speed regardless
of armor worn or equipment carried.

* Divine Strength. Gain a +4 sacred or profane
bonus to Strength for 3 rounds + Charisma
modifier. Activating this ability is a free action.

* Divine Warrior. Choose from Divine Might,
Divine Shield, Extra Smite, Improved Shield
Bash, Reach Spell, Sacred Spell, or Shield
Charge feats from Defenders of the Faith.

* Divine Weapon. Weapon Focus (weapon
favored by deity only) feat.

* Divine Wisdom. Gain a +4 sacred or profane
bonus to Wisdom for 3 rounds + Charisma
modifier. Activating this ability is a free action.

Divine Vision. Low-light vision (or double
range of existing low-light vision).
Divine Voice. +1 sacred or profane bonus on all
Charisma-based skill checks.

Mechanics:

Well, these both look slightly more powerful than the standard paladin class. It has better saves, more spells, one domain power and (very limited) spell resistance.

The spell resistance is pretty small and at the levels it is achieved (except level 6), it will probably only save the paladin or anti-paladin from 5 to 10% of the applicable spells that are cast at him. That's probably a good thing though because with very good saves and more divine spells they'd be untouchable otherwise.

As to the domain, it should probably be noted that the wording you've used technically would allow paladins/blackguards who follow the appropriate deity to select prestige domains--some of which are significantly more powerful than the standard PH domains.

As to the mount, you should probably note whether or not it gains the standard mount abilities and stat/natural armor increases for level. Since you've obviously added a bit of a custom advancement table (the celestial/fiendish template), it's unclear as to whether you're using the standard one.

I would be a little concerned about the "heroic surge" ability. It seems to basically be superior boots of speed for free. The standard paladin is a powerful class; this version is even more powerful. Heroic surge probably unbalances it.

Concept:
I'm not sure that the concept of the anti-paladin is one that I like. It seems to be very much the opposite of a paladin in every way. However, I would like my bad guys to be a little more varied and less cartoon evil than that. In the WotC game and supplements Holy Liberators and Paladins are different for a reason. Ravagers and Fists of Hextor, Master of Chains, etc. fill the role very well for evil warriors. I think I prefer the more unique approach to villain classes to a generic "one class fits all" approach.

However, you've come up with a mechanically sound (if somewhat overpowered) way to do what you seem to be looking for.

Thank you for your comments!

The anti-paladin is given in broad terms to allow for player customization. I did not mean for them all to be cartoon villains. Apply whatever background concept you like to them. I used the PHB style for conformity.

Everyone on the boards seems to hate the Heroic Surge ability as being overpowered, but it is a standard feat open to anyone in Star Wars and other d20 games. I have removed it and replaced it with the standard Smite power.

IMC, the prestige domains are all used as regular domains (except celerity, which is simply banned). DM has final say, of course, on what is and isn't allowed.

The special mounts progress according to the normal PHB table. In addition, they gain the celestial or fiendish template at 9th level.

My group is of the mind that the PHB paladin is weak, not strong. We have seen them absolutely destroyed in combat many times (single or multi-opponent) combat against fighters of the same level. They had zero chance of survival, regardless of feats. No one will play one as is.

I've removed the SR and replaced it with extra smites per day.

Is this now more balanced?

Kaptain_Kantrip said:

Thank you for your comments!

My group is of the mind that the PHB paladin is weak, not strong. We have seen them absolutely destroyed in combat many times (single or multi-opponent) combat against fighters of the same level. They had zero chance of survival, regardless of feats. No one will play one as is.

Click to expand...

You seem to have a mental block on this - Paladins are not, must not be, equal to Fighters in combat! In a Fighter vs Paladin battle of equal (or even near) level, the Fighter should win. Paladins get OTHER special powers.

Also: paladins are not intended to be a common class, like Fighters. Fighters only need good STR & CON to be effective. Paladins need those, PLUS good CHA & WIS. A Paladin with 4-5 good stats is definitely superior all-round to a Fighter with 4-5 good stats (except in a straight melee). But Paladins with low stats are weaker than Fighters with low stats. If you have crappy stats, don't play a Paladin. This is how 3e works.

Added in the Remove Disease ability at 3rd level. Accidentally left this out of the last version...

The frightful presence ability; do all opponents have to save every round? That's a lot of dice rolling. Perhaps a creature who saves is immune to that anti-paladin's frightful aura for the next day?

A minor point; both your paladin's "smite evil" ability does extra damage to good creatures.

Do these characters get the domain ability along with the extra spell?

Is the turn/rebuke undead as a cleric two levels lower?

Are there restrictions on multiclassing?

The abilities from level 6 onward seem a little weak. If spells are attractive to the (anti)paladin, it seems they would be better served by multiclassing as a cleric. Or if combat is their forte, they would be tempted to add fighter levels.

Frightful Presence: if you save, you are immune to the effect for one day.

Fixed Smite Good/Evil. Kept extra uses at levels 6, 12 and 18.

Turn/Rebuke is as a cleric 2 levels lower (as PHB version)

Multiclass options are cleric or fighter, or appropriate prestige class.

Added new special ability, "blessing" starting at level 6 with an additional blessing gained every three levels thereafter.

I took a look at the Blessings. Some of them are very powerful. Maximized Bull's strength or Endurance, and lesser planar ally 1/day for instance. (Better hope the DM doesn't allow anything the player wants as a lesser planar ally--this can be more than equal to a Monster Summoning VII spell). Others are less powerful. Divine Discipline for instance grants a +2 bonus to certain saves. Divine Power grants a +2 bonus to nearly all saves.

For reference, I think the following abilities are reasonably balanced:
Divine Vision, Divine Speed, Divine Providence, Divine Protection, Divine Insight, Divine Immunity, Divine Discipline, Divine Diligence, Divine Mount.

The following blessings are not terribly unbalancing but could step on the fighter's toes a bit (after all, a bonus feat every three levels is only slightly worse than the fighter's progression and paladins get a bevy of special powers, spells, and saves that fighters don't get)
Divine weapon, Divine Knight.

The following would probably be more balanced with a change:
Divine Strength, Divine Endurance.
I would change these to free actions that grant a +4 sacred bonus but specify that they only last 3 rounds plus one per point of charisma modifier. That puts them more on a par with barbarian rage rather than making them superior to it.

Others I think are unbalanced:
Divine Allies (Leadership is the most powerful feat in the game--no class has it as a bonus feat right now. It is also very significant that the only classes to have bonus feats which might take away from the opportunity cost of taking leadership (fighters and wizards) tend to be classes with little use for charisma. To give it to paladins as a bonus feat effectively removes much of the opportunity cost for one of the three classes which get the most advantage out of the feat (paladin, bard, sorceror).
Divine Guardian (As written, this is a slightly inferior version of the leadership feat because it is only a cohort and no followers--see above).
Divine Servant (The planar ally spells are some of the most powerful spells in the game--the weakest is able to summon creatures otherwise only summonable with Monster Summoning VII (Avoral Guardinal) and higher (Succubus) spells. It is usually balanced by the cost of owing a favor in return. By removing that balancing factor, you increase the power of the already very powerful spell).

I think that adding a degree of customizability to the class but these should probably be in chains to prevent a 9th level paladin from casting a Lesser Planar Ally every day--that's competitive with the best spells a cleric of equal level can cast and the cleric would have to return a significant favor after dooing that. It might be worth adding Lesser to a chain that works Divine Allies, Divine Guardian, Divine Servant so as to make it more of a choice.

Also, it seems odd that Divine weapon would be weapon focus: Any weapon. Perhaps any weapon the deity favors. If you want paladins devoted to deities with weak favored weapons to choose this you might add the option for the alignment weapon as well. (Paladins of Pholtus, Delleb, or Wee Jas would thank you).

You should probably specify whether certain blessings can be taken multiple times (Divine Allies, Divine Servant, Divine Speed, Divine Knight).

The Maximized bull's strength, edurance, and owl's wisdom blessings could also use some more clarification: what is the caster level/duration for these?

Thanks for commenting Elder Basilisk! Lots of good ideas.

I removed all leadership type feats you had a problem with.

I changed lesser planar ally so a return favor is owed and it can't be gained until 12th level (two blessings required before it can be selected).

Changed divine weapon to one favored by the god.

Redid the ability enhancers as you said to +4 for 3 rounds+Cha mod and free actions.

It is specified that you can take divine servant and divine weapon more than once, as they are asterisked. See Blessings (main description).

IMO, if you're going to make the "heroic" paladin or the "evil" anti-paladin, they should have Lawful alignments, otherwise what's the point of being a fighter for more feats when you can get all those special abilities?