D&D 4E Stalker0's Alternate 4e Paladin: The Crusader

[RangerWickett]

With the benefit of some extra time thinking, I've decided to try my own take on this revision.

I think Divine Infusion is more of a leader/striker power, and is too good for an at-will (compare to the temp hp Sacred Flame grants conditionally) and forces players to keep track of the source of temporary hit points.

Here's how I'd do it (key changes from the paladin are highlighted):

Exalted[imager]http://www.enworld.org/forum/attachments/4e-fan-creations-house-rules/40041d1241186127-stalker0s-alternate-d-d-4th-edition-paladin-crusader-untitled2.jpg[/imager]

Primary Ability Scores:
Charisma: Allows access to the Exalted’s raw divine power, granting him powerful attacks.
Wisdom: Allows an Exalted to channel his divine energies into healing and defensive powers to guard his allies.
Strength: An Exalted’s own natural strength can be used to augment the power of some divine attacks.

Armor/Weapon/Implement Proficiencies: Same as Paladin
HP/Defenses/Surges: Same as Paladin

Lay Hands – The Exalted can use the paladin’s Lay Hands ability twice per encounter.
Channel Divinity: Exalted Mettle – Same as Divine Mettle, but uses Wisdom instead of Charisma.

Channel Divinity: Exalted Smite
Encounter ♦ Divine
Free Action Personal
Effect: Apply your Strength modifier as extra damage on all attacks you make against creatures marked by you until the end of your next turn.

Exalted Challenge (used to be Divine Challenge) – The power of your god compels a creature to face you.
At-will (once per turn) – Minor Action, Close Burst 10
Target: One creature within burst.
Effect: The target is marked by you (save ends). As long as it remains marked, that creature’s first attack on each of its turns must include you as a target. Whenever the marked creature uses an action to attack and does not include you as a target, your Channel Divinity ability recharges.

If you use this ability on a different target, the previous mark ends. At the end of your turn, if you are not adjacent to the target, and you did not attack the target this turn, the mark ends and you cannot use this ability your next turn.

Exalted’s Weapon – Same as what Stalker0 wrote.

Powers: Same as what Stalker0 wrote.

Basically, I kept your change to the stats and the ability to use weapons as implements, but made a less drastic change to the marking ability. Now, the paladin just forces creatures to attack it, instead of zapping them with light. However, that bonus damage from exalted smite fills a similar role. Or you can be a bad-ass defender/leader and give you allies tons of saves whenever the monster you're fighting picks on somebody else.

What do you think?

 

[ppaladin123]

So the marked enemy literally cannot attack another player with their first attack each round? Do you mean to say that your channel divinity power only recharges if the enemy is able to make a second attack that round (spend an action point or has minor action attacks) and chooses not to attack you with it?

That it pretty powerful since it does not even given the DM an option of choosing to take the penalty. I think it is even better than the shielding swordmage's mark. If you provide a feat to allow double or multiple marking I am sold on this.

 

[Garthanos]

ppalidan123, did you miss the (save ends) if the marked one makes a saving throw against the mark they can attack somebody else... its not that absolute.

 

[RangerWickett]

Also, opportunity attacks, action points, and minor/immediate action attacks get around it.

The paladin can mark a dragon, and the dragon can still freely use its immediate reaction tail attacks to hit other people. On its turn it can breath weapon him (and his nearby allies), then action point to claw, claw, bite another person.

 

[ppaladin123]

Also, opportunity attacks, action points, and minor/immediate action attacks get around it.

The paladin can mark a dragon, and the dragon can still freely use its immediate reaction tail attacks to hit other people. On its turn it can breath weapon him (and his nearby allies), then action point to claw, claw, bite another person.

Hmm. I think I like this. I'll have to think about it some more though. Nice work.

 

[Stalker0]

RangerWickett, I'll admit I'm not a fan of your marking mechanic. I think WOTC intention with defenders was to always provide choices on who the monster attacks, it should never be forced.

I just had a new mechanical idea for the paladin's defender mechanic, thought I would see what people think:

Divine Augment
Encounter, Divine
Minor, Personal
Effect: At the beginning of your turn, if you were not hit in the previous round, you gain your strength modifier to damage rolls and +1 to your attack rolls. For each additional round you are not hit, you get an additional +1 to attack rolls. The bonuses reset when you are hit, but can be regained in further rounds. This effect lasts until the end of the encounter.
Special: You cannot use this power until you have rolled initiative.


This would basically replacement for the divine infusion power I listed earlier. The idea here is that if enemies ignore the Crusader and hit his friends, he grows stronger and stronger. Further, it allows the Crusader to gain benefit from his very high AC. The harder he is to hit, the more use he gains out of Divine Augment.

The only worry I have is that it might lead to the "cowardly paladin" syndrome. Basically the Crusader goes into a corner and hides to gain his strength. On the other hand, flavored right that could be very cool. Basically the Crusader pulls back, kneels and prays to his god gaining strength and then throws himself into the fight.

The other reason I like this is I've been torn between my flavor conception of the Paladin/Crusader. To me there's the paladin that leads his team against evil. But there's also the paladin that stands mano a mano against evil, which the current defender mechanics do not show well. The fighter's defender abilities do help him somewhat in a one on one fight by limiting his opponent's mobility, but the paladin's mark is completely useless. Considering that evil paladins are also part of the mix now, I wanted a more personal power for the paladin, which is one of the main reasons I like this Divine Augment idea so much. What do you all think?