D&D 3E/3.5 Adding 3.5 Flavor to the 4e Paladin

[ComputerSherpa]

Ah, I see what you mean. Since a paladin can only use one Channel Divinity per encounter, through, I'm inclined to just let him have all 3 to choose from as he wishes. I'd rather not make him drop powers he already has so he can test my homebrew stuff.

 

[FireLance]

This makes sense, but I'm worried about obsolescing Channel Divinity: Divine Strength. If I give Smite Evil a straight damage bonus, then there's no situation in which Divine Strength is useful.

Sure there is. Your players do fight Unaligned opponents, right?

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Here's one thing that bothers me about the way Detect Magic works (and it'd probably be safe to base Detect Evil on the same mechanic): Sense the Presence of Magic is DC 20 + 1/2 the power's level (PHB p. 181). This means that as effects get more powerful they get harder to detect. Wouldn't you expect it to be the other way 'round?

I haven't had issues with this, and think the concept would work well with Detect Evil as well.

The way I look at it, the low level powers are tangled, messy masses of magical energy. They leak energy like crazy and are really easy to notice, but are easy to cast. The higher level spells don't really use that much more energy, they are simply much more efficient.. tightly woven balls of mystical energy that are much harder to detect.

Detect Evil could work in much the same way, with the higher level bad guys being much better at hiding thier presence from the good guys.

I do prefer Firelance's solution and may be offering that to the player in my group with a Paladin. I can see it being useful in a couple upcoming adventures.

 

[Warrior147]

I know this doesn't fulfil the 3rd edition detect evil flavour that well, but it would suit 4e better if detect evil was a perception/insight bonus rather than a power. Also, there should be options for non-lawful good paladins.

Grant paladins the following class feature.

Detect Enemy of the Cause
Choose up to 3 keywords, origins, or alignments. You may not choose the divine origin. You gain a +2 bonus to perception checks to detect creatures with these keywords, origins, or alignments, and to insight checks to see through the bluffs and disguises of these creatures.

I'm not sure about the name, so please tell me if you can think of a better one.

 

[Garthanos]

I know this doesn't fulfil the 3rd edition detect evil flavour that well, but it would suit 4e better if detect evil was a perception/insight bonus rather than a power. Also, there should be options for non-lawful good paladins.

Grant paladins the following class feature.

Detect Enemy of the Cause
Choose up to 3 keywords, origins, or alignments. You may not choose the divine origin. You gain a +2 bonus to perception checks to detect creatures with these keywords, origins, or alignments, and to insight checks to see through the bluffs and disguises of these creatures.

I'm not sure about the name, so please tell me if you can think of a better one.

I like it a lot... the flavor I was/am missing is the palidans charger. Not his detect bad guy abilities.. (those I always seen used as an excuse to not have to make your own decisions.)