[Class Surgery]: Paladin

[Ian O'Rourke]

Okay, for various reasons (character concept and world issues) I'm wanting to do the following....

Option One
Have a characters who takes the Paladin Class, and is for all intents and purposes a Paladin but she does not take the following abilities:

Remove Disease
Special Mount

She still gets everything else as the Paladin Class. What would abilities, feats, etc would be adequate compensation for dropping these abilities?

Option Two
Have a character who takes the Fighter Class, and is for all intents and purposes a Fighter but she gets the following Palading abilities:

1st Lvl: Detect Evil, Divine Grace, Lay on Hands, Divine Health,
2nd Lvl: Aura of Courage

What would you take away from the Fighter class to compensate for getting these abilities at these levels (also there may be a chance she might not get Detect Evil either). Lay on Hands would escalate as if she was a Paladin.

We are wanting to create a character that has complete belief she has had a moment or revelation and a God has chosen her for a great purpose - a bit like a fantasy Joan of Arc - the Paladin and Fighter classes do not fit and neither does a multiclass. I'd like to avoid arguing why it doesn't fit

 

[mikebr99]

Have you looked at the divine champion prc?


Mike

 

[mikebr99]

There is also a CG version of a Paladin PrC in DOTF... not sure if either has wht you are looking for though.

Or go with your option #1... and give free feats as compensation, at the levels which the unwanted abilities show up.


Mike

 

[Ian O'Rourke]

I am aware of some PRC's and main classes (one in Arcane Unearthed I believe) that would serve the purpose - but we try and avoid serious 'widget creep' in terms of amalgamating rules from this sourcebook here, that world there, etc.

We have the main rulebooks, and some stuff from the FR book. It's a custom world and the rest tends to be creations from us (though I'm sure it's been done before somewhere) or tweaks to existing classes.

Mainly we exist off the core books...we tend not to like PrC arms race and rules from left, right and centre

So we almost certainly don't have the book with it in.

 

[Ian O'Rourke]

Or go with your option #1... and give free feats as compensation, at the levels which the unwanted abilities show up.

I certainly think tweaking the Paladin is easier, as the core class is closer to the concept then.

The problem I have is Special Mount and Remove Disease or sort of isoteric class abilities - they're not as clear advantages as Smite Evil, or Bonus Feats.

And I've never got a handle on 'what a feat is worth'? Is a single feat equal to getting a 'super horse' or having the ability to remove disease that escalates with level?

Don't know...not a class surgery genius

 

[mikebr99]

Or drop Paladin out completely... if the guy wants a divine warrior, get him to multiclass as a fighter/cleric.

YMMV


Mike

 

[mikebr99]

I certainly think tweaking the Paladin is easier, as the core class is closer to the concept then.

The problem I have is Special Mount and Remove Disease or sort of isoteric class abilities - they're not as clear advantages as Smite Evil, or Bonus Feats.

And I've never got a handle on 'what a feat is worth'? Is a single feat equal to getting a 'super horse' or having the ability to remove disease that escalates with level?

Don't know...not a class surgery genius

I'd think he be within his rights to ask for Leadership as an appropriate substitute for the Mount.

 

[Ian O'Rourke]

We've been through the common multiclass options and have dropped them for a number of reasons (low magic world, wanting a more down and dirty campaign, concept issues, etc.).

I'd explain but I don't want to turn the thread into the reasons why so much...you know what it's like

 

[LightPhoenix]

Okay, for various reasons (character concept and world issues) I'm wanting to do the following....

Option One
Have a characters who takes the Paladin Class, and is for all intents and purposes a Paladin but she does not take the following abilities:

Remove Disease
Special Mount

I would say one or two feats. The Mount is contingent on the Paladin being outside, so it's not nearly as good as Leadership, which presumably can be used anywhere. I think I would say just Leadership at 6th level, or maybe two feats of the Paladin's choosing (which she needs to have the prereqs for), at whatever levels the Paladin gets those two abilities.

Option Two
Have a character who takes the Fighter Class, and is for all intents and purposes a Fighter but she gets the following Palading abilities:

1st Lvl: Detect Evil, Divine Grace, Lay on Hands, Divine Health,
2nd Lvl: Aura of Courage

One feat every three levels, starting at 2nd, instead of every two. No bonus feat at first level. That's quite a package the Fighter is getting.

 

[FireLance]

Are you playing 3.5e? In the revised edition, the paladin gets her abilities at the following levels:

1 - Detect Evil, Smite Evil 1/day
2 - Divine Grace, Lay on Hands
3 - Aura of Courage, Divine Health
4 - Turn Undead
5 - Smite Evil 2/day, Special Mount
6 - Remove Disease 1/week

If you're just looking for Detect Evil, Lay on Hands, Divine Grace, Divine Health and Aura of Courage, you can just advance as a paladin for 3 levels, and then switch to a fighter.