Can a paladin be an assassin?

[Vaxalon]

By my definition of Assassin, no.

Assassin: One who will commit murder for no more than monetary recompense.

 

[Felix]

The question lies in the words Assassinate and Execute.

An assissination is the killing of a victim designated by a superior.
So is an execution.

In an execution, the victim has had the full benefit of the law, and whose actions have condemned him to death, according to the law.
The target of assassination has had no lawful defense, and might not have even comitted a crime in the eyes of the law.

With that distinction made, I would say that Paladins may be Executioners, but not Assassins. After the victim's rights to the law have been respected and acted upon, the victim may only then be executed. Targets of assissination's rights to the law are ignored.

"Ah!" You might say, "What about a country whose laws give paladins the right to pass sentence on the spot? Like in Judge Dredd?" To this I would say that yes, the Judges are lawful executioners, but not necessarly Good. Many Judges are LN, so a Paladin would still have to confine himself to Good acts while acting as a Judge; the paladin couldn't do all the neat mean things Dredd does.

Could a paladin go on a mission of assassination directed by the state? Nope; the state in this case is denying the victim their rights to lawful defense. The victim has not been convicted of any law-breaking crime. The paladin can't do it.

Paladins can not be assassins.