Can a paladin be an assassin?

[DarkJester]

Seems like a simple question, but really. Can someone who is lawful good assassinate (Evil, cruel, unjust) people, or is that a strict no no? I liked the idea of a paladin / rogue of Hoar (Forgotten realms diety of vengence, Lawful Neutral) but I'm not sure if that is pushing it. I talked with my DM and he said he wasn't sure either so I thought I'd come here for input.

Code of Conduct: A paladin must be of lawful good alignment and loses all special class abilities if she ever willingly commits an act of evil. Additionally, a paladin's code requires that she respect legitimate authority, act with honor (not lying, not cheating, not using poison, etc.), help those who need help (provided they do not use the help for evil or chaotic ends), and punish those that harm or threaten innocents.

The character's targets would only be highly evil, tyrants, warlords, etc whom he belives have wronged the people enough to incur the wrath of Hoar. I really like the idea of him sneaking up behind the BBEG and whispering in his ear "Your sentence is served" before killing him....but again, not sure if I could get away with that as a Paladinl.

I could just as easily make him a cleric / rogue of Hoar but I really like the idea of the vigilante paladin seeking revenge for those who are wronged.

 

[mmu1]

Unless he'll sneak up on people and the offer them a chance to fight a fair duel, I don't think it's really going to work.

Then there's the whole "breaking and entering" and "guards getting in the way" thing an assassin would usually have to deal with...

Some kind of a Divine Champion is what you need.

 

[Reika]

I would say that what you're thinking of applies more to a Holy Liberator than a paladin. They way I've always seen paladins is that they're the knights and champions of their respective deities. They're sworn to codes more people can never hold to, and are respected for that. While a paladin may not always be a lawmaker, they're expected to uphold the laws. And where the laws are unjust, to help have the laws changed. But only at the end if the laws cannot be changed, and all other lawful means have been explored, can the paladin physically go after a bad leader. And that would only be in an honorable face to face combat.

Now the Holy Liberator is the paladin's CG sibling. The liberator is no less idealistic than the paladin, but they can have the attitude of "This is sh*t, I can't change these stupid laws, the only way I can rectify the situation is by the kicking the ass of the evil tyrant." And they don't have to go after said tyrant in honorable combat, unless of course anything else is against their deities dogma.

Hope my rambling helped.

 

[Kerrick]

In Crimson Contracts, there are not one, but two paladin assassins - one is call the Hunter of the Dead, a paladin who hunts down and destroys possessing entities - ghosts, spirits, mages, etc. The other is the Fist of Righteousness - someone who is judge, jury, and executioner. He can gather the evidence, question witnesses, and pronounce sentence on someone and, if the verdict is deserved, he can execute someone for their crime(s).

 

[DarkJester]

What got me started on this was reading Hoar's description in F&P:

Dogma: Uphold true and fitting justice and maintain the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law. Fitting recompense will always accrue for one's actions. Violence will meet violence and evil pay back evil, but good will also come to those who do good. Walk the line of the Doombringer's teachings, seek retribution, but do not fall into the trap of pursuing evil acts for evil 's sake, for that way is seductive and leads only to one's downfall. Vengeance must be sought for all injustices, and all punishments must fit the crime. Revenge is sweetest when it is sharpened with irony. All attacks must be avenged. Those who do not respond to attacks against their person or that which they hold dear only invite future attacks.

Kerrik, that second paladin is pretty much what I had in mind.

 

[Reika]

My bad, I forgot that Hoar wasn't stuffy like Tyr.

So I would say that the type of paladin you're looking at would be appropriate to Hoar. Of course in the end it comes down to whether or not your GM is okay with the various suggestions.

 

[Tonguez]

Itto Ogami (The Lone Wolf (and Cub)) could be considered a Paladin Assasin (except that he was a Samurai). The thing with Ogami and probably your Paladin of Hoar too is that they do NOT sneak up behind their victims and slay them in their sleep. iirc Itto Ogami looked into the eyes of everyone he killed so they at least had the chance of defending themselves from his Executioners Blade.
I suspect that a Paladin of Hoar would also look his victim in the eyes- "walking into the Tyrant Kings Chamber, striding purposefully towards himm and announcing the Death Sentence even as your vorpal 'Blade of Justice' slices through the air and severes his head...

 

[Black Omega]

Sounds like there is also some question on what assassinating means. Paladins seem to typically go out and kill evil creatures and people. On the other hand, sneaking up on a evil guy and stabbing him in the back or poisoning him in his sleep doesn't really fit the idea of a Paladin, IMHO. On the other hand, a Fighter/Rogue who calls himself a 'Paladin' would seemingly be just fine.

 

[Hand of Evil]

It is all based on the code and the god.

A DM can devolop the code to suit his world allowing the paladin the ability to perform as an assassin.

 

[Sir Whiskers]

While I agree it depends on the tenets of a specific religion, if the question is about the stereotypical paladin, the answer is decisively "NO".

The general rule of thumb I would recommend when evaluating behavior is this: Would Superman do this? Or would Batman (the Dark Knight)?

Superman upholds Truth, Justice, and the American Way. He never does in private anything that he would hesitate to do in public. He will use his intelligence to fool his opponents, but never murder them in their sleep. For Superman, means matter as much as ends.

Batman, on the other hand, focuses on Justice, not means. He will cross the line, if he deems it necessary. For him the end often justifies the end. This is the definition of a vigilante (and most DnD parties, by the way).

Sure a player can have a batman-like character as a paladin - it just wouldn't fit the traditional DnD role.