DM's and their Paladins

[Elder-Basilisk]

Now, now, how do you know he doesn't hold them to a strict standard?

You had those orcs at your mercy and you let them get away? What would Dirty Harry do? You'd better atone, ex-paladin boy.

What are you doing trying to reform the villain? What would Judge Dredd do? You'd better atone, ex-paladin boy.

Now, granted, a lot of people don't think that's a high standard (high in this sense referring to good) but it's certainly a potentially exacting one.

Playing a Paladin as Dirty Harry or Judge Dredd?!?

What about the Good part of Lawful Good?

Granted, Judge Dredd is Lawful, but good?

And Harry C would certainly do things a Paladin shouldn't, like shooting a robber in the back as he runs away.

I think you should set higher standards for a Paladin, but of course YMMV.

 

[The_Gunslinger658]

Hi;

here are web sights about Roy Geiger

http://roy-geiger.wikiverse.org/

And Lewis "chesty" Puller:

http://www.gnt.net/~jrube/text/puller.htm

Dale Hanson another great example of a Paladin:

http://www.directcon.net/bcarr/marinemedals.com/hansend.htm


Scott

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Personally, my expectations of paladin behavior are modeled after Sir Galahad, the Knight of the Round Table who found the Holy Grail. I don't spell out the paladin's code because I don't want the player of a paladin to be constantly checking a list of rules while he's RPing. So long as the PC gives off a general Galahad-like vibe, I'm okay with it. This means that I don't expect him to offer quarter to every creature he comes across, or always fight using the flat of his blade, or wake the dragon for an "honorable" battle. But I do expect him to be chivalrous, and honest, and compassionate.

I'm currently playing a paladin in a friend's game, and he likens the paladin to the Jedi from Star Wars. Honorable and Just, and respected by the commons because they're known to be honorable and just. But not unwilling to kick evil's booty in combat, should the situation call for it. I like the comparison so much that I'll probably adopt it myself in my next game. The Jedi comparison is, IMO, a good one, and everyone's seen Star Wars, so its easy to get on the same page about what kind of behavior is appropriate.

 

[S'mon]

I can kinda see Dirty Harry as a LG Paladin in a CN society, but Judge Dredd is clearly and explicitly LN not LG, the Justice Department indoctrinates the Judges to enforce The Law without regard to whether it is good or evil, and Dredd generally follows that line (depending on the writer).

 

[S'mon]

The Paladin class was originally modelled on the likes of Galahad, Percival/Parsifal, and Roland - models of Christian knightly virtue. The only modern-fiction example I can really think of is Ned Flanders from The Simpsons...

 

[Alnag]

In my home-brew campaign world is only one paladin order with very strict code of conduct. It is based on real crushader-knight's orders, like templars or hospitalers. The faith is much more important here and the problem of good and evil is also different. But it is hard to describe...

 

[Grayhawk]

Now, now, how do you know he doesn't hold them to a strict standard?

It doesn't matter. Being always Chaotic Evil might be a strict standard. To be a Paladin you must be Good.

You had those orcs at your mercy and you let them get away? What would Dirty Harry do? You'd better atone, ex-paladin boy.

I said nothing about letting evil orcs get away. My example was a robber being gunned down from the back. He might be neutral or even good, and rarely is the appropriate punisment for robbing an immediately carried out death sentence.

What are you doing trying to reform the villain? What would Judge Dredd do? You'd better atone, ex-paladin boy.

I don't know where this came from. I have no problem with a Paladin playing up his lawful side, meting out justice in whatever form is described by his organization. This might mean that he has to follow the laws of a Lawful Good society, bringing offenders to the authorities for trial and punishment, or it might mean that he may resolve matters himself, with a punishment befitting the crime. As such, he'll propably even be allowed to make judgement calls if there are mitigating circumstances and the subject seem likely to atone. For instance, I think it would be inappropriate for a Paladin to go all-out Judge Dredd on a poor girl stealing an apple from the market. Instead he should inform her of the wrongness of her deed. Having her dragged of for a public flogging should be the last resort, IMO.

Now, granted, a lot of people don't think that's a high standard (high in this sense referring to good) but it's certainly a potentially exacting one.

Like I said above, if it isn't Good, it doesn't matter.

But, as always, this is just my personal opinion.

 

[Henry]

In our campaigns, Paladins are rarely played except by one or two individuals (and both of them post to ENWorld). In the times we do play Paladins, the codes we go for are usually the "Superman" kind of code, with more emphasis on Good than Law. If the law is fair, then it's obeyed; if it's unfair, then it can be "bent" - if it's part of a plan to replace the law with a fairer one later.

One paladin in our group found a town where shapechangers had taken over and imposed all sorts of draconian laws to eliminate suspicious investigators of their secret; the paladin not only helped drive them out, he stuck around (while most of the party left) to help ensure free elections for the next government. (Didn't turn out quite that way - a priest still successfully rigged the elections, and a soldier who worshipped Bane came out winning.)

 

[J-Buzz]

Paladins are tough to play.

I play a paladin in one of the games I play in, and it is fun and interesting cause you have to form an opinion on everything your party members do. I play him a little arrogant also. For example when we took over a keep, I took the biggest room and when someone comes up with a good idea, I talk as if I came up with the idea. However, not the point I was going for got a little off topic...

What I wanted to mention is; it is hard to think LG, mainly cause you don't know what Lawful might be where you are at. Also we all have an idea of the code of conduct, but there are still places where I am not sure what to do. So the DM for that game allows me a knowledge religion check to see if my god would be angered by an action, or a knowledge nobility to see if it falls in my code of conduct.

For example, we came across illithads (not sure of spelling sorry), that were chained up. As evil creatures what do I do playing a paladin? I figured I need to fight evil and kill them, but was not sure if it would violate my code of conduct to kill them in cold blood being unable to defend them. So my DM allowed a knowledge roll to help me.....

It is something I liked because you should be allowed to make mistakes, but as a 15th level Paladin I would know my code of conduct even if as a player I do not.

 

[DragonLancer]

Personally, my expectations of paladin behavior are modeled after Sir Galahad, the Knight of the Round Table who found the Holy Grail. I don't spell out the paladin's code because I don't want the player of a paladin to be constantly checking a list of rules while he's RPing. So long as the PC gives off a general Galahad-like vibe, I'm okay with it. This means that I don't expect him to offer quarter to every creature he comes across, or always fight using the flat of his blade, or wake the dragon for an "honorable" battle. But I do expect him to be chivalrous, and honest, and compassionate.

I'm currently playing a paladin in a friend's game, and he likens the paladin to the Jedi from Star Wars. Honorable and Just, and respected by the commons because they're known to be honorable and just. But not unwilling to kick evil's booty in combat, should the situation call for it. I like the comparison so much that I'll probably adopt it myself in my next game. The Jedi comparison is, IMO, a good one, and everyone's seen Star Wars, so its easy to get on the same page about what kind of behavior is appropriate.

Both of those are perfect examples of how to play a paladin.