Can a paladin be an assassin?

[Dragonblade]

Absolutely a paladin could be an assassin. There would be certain things he couldn't do. He couldn't indiscriminately kill innocent people who got in his way or anything, but there is nothing in the paladin code that prohibits a paladin from using stealth to sneak into some evil lord's manor, slit his throat in his sleep and sneak out again.

The paladin's targets are determined by his church and his god. If the church has decreed their death for their crimes then the paladin will seek them out and kill them.

There is no requirement for the paladin to face them or allow them any opportunity to defend themself. Perhaps in your campaign world that may be the case or perhaps specific paladin orders may have codes that prohibit such paladin behavior.

But there is nothing specific in the PHB that prevents a paladin from operating as a ruthless harbinger of justice. He shall avoid lies and shall not use poison. But otherwise he is free to ambush, sneak, and assassinate evil doers to the best of his ability.

 

[Olive]

i'd look at the consectrated harrier PrC write up as suggested above. Very lawful, and put your own 'good' in there (ie no killing innocents etc) and you'll be set!

 

[Saeviomagy]

A paladin most likely couldn't be a member of the assassin PrC, at least without a radical alignment change. After such an alignment change however, any assassin powers would be useable without a problem (ie - use of death attack on it's own isn't a threat to the paladin's status).

I'd agree with the proclamation of guilt needing to be posted (whether lawful or unlawful within the domain of the target).

I'd also agree that the paladin couldn't strike without his target being aware of him (ie - actually in the surprise round).

I think, however, that the example (where the paladin announces his presence, AND THEN sneak/death attacks his target) is perfectly acceptable. If the target is quick enough, he'll be able to defend himself. If he's not, it's over with a minimum of pain and bloodshed.

Poison is out of the question, not because it's unfair or deceptive, but because it's more likely to maim and cause suffering than it is to actually kill the target.

Personally, I think the use of stealth and a limited amount of deception should be perfectly acceptable to a paladin, especially when it's doing something like preventing him from having to wade through a pile of corpses (of men who are simply doing their jobs) to get to a wrongdoer.

 

[Sejs]

Did a little looking - a Paladin / Bloodhound (from MotW), maybe with a level or two of rogue tossed in, would make for a pretty badass Covert Fist of Justice type.

 

[EvilPheemy]

If you're talking about the Assassin Prestige Class from the DMG, I'm sorry, but it just doesn't work. Prereq for Assassin is Evil Alignment, and a second prereq is to kill a sentient being for no other purpose than to join the Assassins. Paladins lose their abilities on both counts.

Alignment incompatability aside for a moment, the two classes do not compliment each other well. Paladins are designed to be heavy front-line fighters, examples and inspirations for thier comrades. Their abilities work best in an environment where there are companions to support or when a definite, overt evil is being combatted. Assassins on the other hand, are designed to stalk and kill, usually alone. Their methods are dishonorable (from a Paladin Code perspective), and several of their special abilities, when put to use violate the Paladin's Code restriction (after all, Death Attack and Poison Use are extremely hard to employ in an honorable and "fair" manner).

However, the character you describe, that being a follower of the God Hoar who dispenses that God's judgements upon the wicked can still be a viable character. Just not a Paladin/Assassin.

I'd start with a Rogue/Cleric multiclass. A Lawful alignment would still justify strict adherance to a Code. Such a character, if Evil could even prestige into Assassin, and employ "whatever means necessary" when passing judgement.

A second really nasty potetntial combination for such a character would be Monk prestiging into Assassin. Very ninja-like.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

act with honor (not lying, not cheating, not using poison, etc.),

I would consider a knife in the back to be "cheating".

That said, I never liked the idea that paladins have to be "good".

I'd like to see a paladin of Mask.

 

[Saphryme]

Note: Paladin's are the last bastion of good against the forces of evil they should never need to resort to assasinations. Covert operations maybe but never assisination. Therefore that said they cannot be assisins. Especially the class which has an EVIL descriptor!

 

[cimerians]

3rd ed has really wet the appetite of those who want a character who does it all without restrictions.

Play an assassin if you want a killer.

The Paladin isn't one.

Think of your D&D world as our own. How can you be considered a Paladin?

A murderer would be a good description by a local drunk in the pub house, but not a Paladin.

 

[ForceUser]

If the original poster meant to ask "Can the Paladin take the Assassin PrC from the DMG?" the answer is no. Paladins must be LG, Assassins must be evil. If the question is more of a general "Can Paladins assassinate people?" the answer is also no. Assassinations are morally ambiguous acts at best, and downright vile acts of evil at worst. Moral ambiguity is not the province of the Paladin; also, many people misunderstand the class, often confusing Paladinhood with zealotry. These are different things. While it is true that a Paladin's Code of Conduct is not well-defined in 3E (one can assume to allow roleplaying flexibility,) it is also true that Paladins must act lawfully and in the cause of good at all times. Where law and goodness conflict, such as within the borders of a LE nation, the Paladin must rely upon his Code of Conduct, his certainty in his faith, and his utter conviction in just law and good deeds to make the right choices.

No doubt there are situations wherein a Paladin might, through campaign-specific circumstances, come to commit an assassination in the cause of good and lawfulness. The problem with an assassination, however, is that such an act is inherently despicable, regardless of one's personal reasons for committing it. No matter how a Paladin manages to convince himself, or be convinced by others that an assassination is a good and lawful act, the indisputable fact remains that it is not, no matter the cause or justification. In my campaign, such a Paladin would be compelled to atone for the misdeed or face a permanent loss of Paladinhood. Paladins are not stone-cold killers in any accurate envisioning of the class.

 

[Joseph Elric Smith]

Depends upon your definition some one who kills could be an assassin. the fact that receives his reward from the church or his god could make him a paladin too.
Stealth cunning and surprise are great tactic any military commander would use.
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