D&D 5E Are blackguards and oath breaker paladins the same?
- Thread starter Evenglare
- Start date
transtemporal
Explorer
Not necessarily. Its a long fall from being an oath-breaker to actively championing the gods of evil...
Evenglare
Adventurer
Right, but im talking mechanically in the 5e DMG. I know its been mentioned but I can't remember where or what exactly was said about it/them.
Nivenus
First Post
IIRC, the designers have said the oath-breaker paladin is intended to fulfill the same function as a blackguard. However, the fit isn't 100% perfect (at least based on the name; the DMG isn't out yet so I can't comment on the specifics). A blackguard isn't really just a "fallen" paladin. They're the evil version of a classic paladin.
Furthermore, 5e, like 4e, has eschewed the typical LG restriction on alignment for paladins (the PHB arguably encourages it with the fluff, but there's no mechanical requirements and the text outright says a paladin only needs to follow their code, rather than specific alignment). So arguably a blackguard could just be an evil paladin (presumably with the Oath of Vengeance).
Furthermore, 5e, like 4e, has eschewed the typical LG restriction on alignment for paladins (the PHB arguably encourages it with the fluff, but there's no mechanical requirements and the text outright says a paladin only needs to follow their code, rather than specific alignment). So arguably a blackguard could just be an evil paladin (presumably with the Oath of Vengeance).
transtemporal
Explorer
Oh mechanically? Yeah, probably functionally the same.
Henrix
Explorer
Ohhh, I just realised that an Oathbreaker gone Blackguard would make for an amazing Kurtz á la Heart of Darkness/Apocalypse Now!
A paladin gone evil trying to do the same work, that is protecting the home base against evil incursions.
But now by killing everything she perceives as a threat.
(Which, naturally, includes 'collaborators' and anyone trying to stop her. Possibly people living nearby who'd just fall to the enemy anyhow that are needed as troops.)
And raising them as undead to continue the 'good' work.
The PCs need to find her, or at least a holy relic she brought with her.
She will try to convince them to see her point.
Giving up the relic is out of the question - it could be used against her.
Best would be if she was too tough for the PCs to just kill.
Perhaps she is the only thing holding not just the ramparts, but now also the undead legion under her command from running amok.
A paladin gone evil trying to do the same work, that is protecting the home base against evil incursions.
But now by killing everything she perceives as a threat.
(Which, naturally, includes 'collaborators' and anyone trying to stop her. Possibly people living nearby who'd just fall to the enemy anyhow that are needed as troops.)
And raising them as undead to continue the 'good' work.
The PCs need to find her, or at least a holy relic she brought with her.
She will try to convince them to see her point.
Giving up the relic is out of the question - it could be used against her.
Best would be if she was too tough for the PCs to just kill.
Perhaps she is the only thing holding not just the ramparts, but now also the undead legion under her command from running amok.
Last edited:
Henrix
Explorer
Not surprised to hear that you've beaten me to it.
Heart of Darkness is a great story. I've actually played/GMed/cowritten three versions.
(One including succubi strippers, lightning strikes against trollking (Gloranthan kobold equivalents) and the lines 'I love the smell of ozone in the morning. It is the smell of.. victory!)
[/derailment] And now let us return to the blackguard discussion.
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