Dragon 381 - Class Acts: Paladin

[Shroomy]

This article deals with paladins of the Raven Queen and offers up a nice spread of powers (mainly focused on cold and necrotic damage), a couple of feats, and a new magic item. Its a nice article, though at this point, I'm starting to suffer from some Raven Queen fatigue. I can have this idea that given the RQ's darker edge, she's being used as surrogate for the introduction of powers that could be better used to support the evil and chaotic evil deities.

Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page - Article (The Paladin)

 

[FireLance]

I'm starting to suffer from some Raven Queen fatigue.

I'm starting to think that articles on the Raven Queen have been done to death myself. Perhaps it's time to put them on ice for now?

 

[Rechan]

Ha! A paladin of the RQ just joined another game my DM is running. I should send this to the DM, to show the player, and see if anything suits that character.

Although I'm definitely disappointed on the subject matter. Given that I'm playuing a paladin in agame, I don't really have a lot of uses with this article.

One thing I think that is seriously lacking: the Mounted Paladin. It should at least get a freaking Dungeon article.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

One thing I think that is seriously lacking: the Mounted Paladin. It should at least get a freaking Dungeon article.

There's a class gets Paladins as a mount?

Ohhhhhh...nevermind.

While I've always appreciated various game designers for including mounted warrior classes/archetypes in their FRPGs, I think that most of them are doomed to fail since most of them depend on devoting significant & scarce PC-building resources to being a mounted warrior.

And that's a problem since 90% of encounters in FRPGS lack the open space for mounted characters to operate properly...unless the PCs are smaller than usual.

IMHO, basic warfare should be handled as a subset of standard warrior training and shouldn't involve expending resources like Feats on it.

Heck, they could handle it by using the PC's Ride skill as a substitute or modifier for standard combat modifiers. Devote no skill points to Ride, and you're at a combat disadvantage while mounted. Devote a lot of skill points to Ride and you're "born to the saddle."

 

[ppaladin123]

I'm dying for more paladin love in articles. This article was too specific though it provided nice thematic abilities. I'd like to see some more general class support.

 

[andarilhor]

I am developing a series of "new builds" which will be posted in the house rules forum. One of then is the "Cruel Paladin" to paladin which are devoted to evil deities or "overzealous" paladins who believe in a "greater good" its more important than little things like personal liberty. Don't know if this is of your interest.

I will post this ASAP. But as I am a little tied up with work, don't expect any of this builds online until mid-december

 

[Stalker0]

THere's a few nice powers in that article.

My biggest beef with some of the divine articles is the constant flip flip between necrotic and radiant damage.

When 4e started, it seemed that all divine agents did radiant damage, no matter whether they were good or evil. But now it seems more and more dark forces are slipping back into necrotic territory.

 

[Inyssius]

My biggest beef with some of the divine articles is the constant flip flip between necrotic and radiant damage.

When 4e started, it seemed that all divine agents did radiant damage, no matter whether they were good or evil. But now it seems more and more dark forces are slipping back into necrotic territory.

The Raven Queen is not an evil god, just a god of death. So it makes sense that the power of death is among the weapons her servants can wield. Vecna (and to a lesser extent Zehir) are evil gods, but they're actively trying to usurp the Raven Queen's power over death and shadow.

 

[Deverash]

THere's a few nice powers in that article.

My biggest beef with some of the divine articles is the constant flip flip between necrotic and radiant damage.

When 4e started, it seemed that all divine agents did radiant damage, no matter whether they were good or evil. But now it seems more and more dark forces are slipping back into necrotic territory.

I seem to recall a side bar talking about the evil dieties, plus The Raven Queen even though she's not evil, switing the radiant damage to necrotic damage. So, while it wasn't followed up on till now, it was always there.

 

[Rechan]

nd that's a problem since 90% of encounters in FRPGS lack the open space for mounted characters to operate properly...unless the PCs are smaller than usual.

I honestly think:

1) It= could operate simply like the Beastmaster ranger, instead of just making special feats/etc. Make the mount integral to the build.

2) That a certain level of agreement should be on the DM's part. The DM, seeing that he has a mounted character in the game, shouldn't constantly throw the characters into encounters where they are in tight spaces or places where the mount goes. The same reason why you shouldn't constantly throw Fire resistant creatures at a character that does just fire - it's the same sort of circumstance.