Alzrius
The EN World kitten
Personally, I think the paladin did the right thing. The person he killed was seriously a monster, and about to inflict grevious harm on an innocent, after already committing what could already be described as sadistic torture.
Looking at the Code of Conduct laid out on page 44 of the PHB, I don't see anything that'd make you immediately lose your powers. You only lose them if you perform an "evil" act. Killing someone to prevent imminent harm to another isn't evil...duress maybe, but not evil. Your paladin, in-character, didn't know that he was just a commoner, and I can't see anything anywhere that says paladins must always use nonlethal or minimal force.
Let's go through the rest of the points laid out there:
Respect legitimate authority - No contest here. The NPC wasn't an authority, and what he was doing was definately illegal.
Act with honor (not lying, not cheating, not using poison, and so forth) - the "and so forth" aside, this seems in the clear also. Honor does not necessarily bind one to always alert the person they're striking beforehand...there is a difference between assassination and being foolish. Would your paladin not attack an evil spellcaster who was about to slay an innocent with a spell unless he (the paladin) was facing that spellcaster, or would he just stab him in the back to save them?
Help those in need - 'nuff said.
Punish those who threaten innocents - This certainly seems to be in line with your character's actions.
The last one is the reason most paladins can slay monsters willy-nilly without getting into ethical trouble. Ask your DM, honestly, that if that NPC had been a gnoll, and this had been happening out in the woods, if you'd still be facing these penalties.
Paladins are holy warriors, defeating evil with a sword. When facing a monster in the wild, they aren't bound to subdue it and bring it to a magistrate, so why here? Additionally, if the law says that raping a minor is a capital offense, then the paladin was meting out justice, which they seem qualified to do.
I say, your character should keep his powers.
Looking at the Code of Conduct laid out on page 44 of the PHB, I don't see anything that'd make you immediately lose your powers. You only lose them if you perform an "evil" act. Killing someone to prevent imminent harm to another isn't evil...duress maybe, but not evil. Your paladin, in-character, didn't know that he was just a commoner, and I can't see anything anywhere that says paladins must always use nonlethal or minimal force.
Let's go through the rest of the points laid out there:
Respect legitimate authority - No contest here. The NPC wasn't an authority, and what he was doing was definately illegal.
Act with honor (not lying, not cheating, not using poison, and so forth) - the "and so forth" aside, this seems in the clear also. Honor does not necessarily bind one to always alert the person they're striking beforehand...there is a difference between assassination and being foolish. Would your paladin not attack an evil spellcaster who was about to slay an innocent with a spell unless he (the paladin) was facing that spellcaster, or would he just stab him in the back to save them?
Help those in need - 'nuff said.
Punish those who threaten innocents - This certainly seems to be in line with your character's actions.
The last one is the reason most paladins can slay monsters willy-nilly without getting into ethical trouble. Ask your DM, honestly, that if that NPC had been a gnoll, and this had been happening out in the woods, if you'd still be facing these penalties.
Paladins are holy warriors, defeating evil with a sword. When facing a monster in the wild, they aren't bound to subdue it and bring it to a magistrate, so why here? Additionally, if the law says that raping a minor is a capital offense, then the paladin was meting out justice, which they seem qualified to do.
I say, your character should keep his powers.
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