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Message: <blockquote data-quote="fuindordm" data-source="post: 5890430" data-attributes="member: 5435">The paladin is a tough nut to crack, both  literally and from a design perspective.  It does step on the cleric's toes, and there's no getting around it. So what is a paladin? To answer that, look back to what has worked in the past.Arcana Unearthed's Champion was, in many ways, a better paladin than the paladin.Some sort of challenge or marking feature is better for the game than an X/day "Smite" attack. Let the paladin lock on to an opponent and get bonuses over the course of the duel.Paladins are defenders, even more so than the fighter. They should be capable of standing between the enemy and their allies, if that is what the party needs. They need training and minor abilities to boost their AC in this situation and make it difficult for enemies to pass (e.g. the 3E Knight class). And since they are a supernatural class, I'm thinking Gandalf on the bridge--they should literally be able to hold evil at bay, at high levels.Paladins don't need spells, but I don't mind if they get a few at high levels. However, some useful supernatural abilities would be better. I don't want to force paladins to have a specific god.However, a paladin has a code of conduct. They may not know where their gifts come from, but they know the path they have to follow.  One aspect of their service is to advertise their patron's ethos, becoming a living paragon of justice/freedom/slaughter/whatever.  But the classical paladin exists, in part, to inspire folk to goodness.Paladins are called, not trained. Jeanne d'Arc is one of the inspirations, after all. I think Charisma should power their key abilities, and I don't think they should be required to choose a god. Maybe they're just driven by instinct and circumstance to the turning point of a conflict.  Another good example: the protagonist of Lawrence Watt-Evans' "Touched by the Gods".Evil outsiders should feel a chill when a paladin enters the arena. Against ordinary foes, the paladin is just a competent, defensive fighter with a few useful abilities for the party, and I'm OK with that.</blockquote>

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