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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Calico_Jack73" data-source="post: 1337994" data-attributes="member: 14403"><p>I think the Paladin problem is one of a misconception of the Paladin class.  Paladins are NOT knights though they are ofter construed as such.  They don't necessarily have to abide by all the tenets of an established religion.  They are the hand picked champions of a god.  The only authority they need recognize is the god they serve.  Another problem is that people also don't understand the Lawful side of a Paladin's alignment.  Most people believe that Lawful means "Law Abiding" when it couldn't be further from the truth.  Alignment INHO more descibes a PC's personality.  Lawful means that a PC prefers an orderly way to do things.  A Lawful PC isn't one to go into a situation and just let what happens happen.  A Lawful PC may break laws frequently but he'll be the jewel thief who scouts out the jewelry store to find out what defenses it has.  He'll also track the owner's schedule to pick the opportune time to break in.  He'll go in with a plan rather than deal with things as they come.  So, a Lawful Good Paladin is simply a good character who goes in with a plan.  He may or may not recognise the rules of the land as binding since he answers to the will of his god above all.  In the Forgotten Realms a Paladin of Tyr may decide that he has the authority to judge an evildoer and dispence justice on the spot regardless of the local authority.  In some realms that may make the Paladin a criminal.  I believe the relationship a Paladin shares with his god is very personal.  You can't look at a warrior and say "Hey, he looks like a Paladin!".  There is no reason a Paladin of Tyr would look anything different than some Fighter who simply venerates Tyr as a patron diety.  Unless the god has given the priesthood some sign an established religion most likely won't recognize a warrior as a Paladin.  Certainly you can have that some Paladins join up with their religious orders as Knights Templar but that is certainly only an option, not a rule.  In my campaign I also make Paladins VERY rare.  When one is officially recognized by a priesthood it is cause for great celebration and ceremony.</p></blockquote><p></p>

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