Dwarf Paladin Racial Subsitution Levels

[Kurashu]

I'm writing a campaign right now. I am currently at a point where the party has a choice to either free or leave a dwarf paladin who came into the mines the party is exploring to free it of evil. He's between levels 9 and 12 (adjustments for what level the party is when they reach him, hopefully 11 or 12), but I don't want him to be just another dwarf paladin. I've come up with a racial subsitution idea for him. However, I think it may be a bit too powerful.

Hit Die: d12
Class Skills: Standard Paladin Skill list + Knowledge (Dungeoneering) (Int)
Skills Per Level: 2 + Int Modifier

Level     BAB   Fort   Ref   Will   Special
2nd        +2    +3    +0    +0    Hammer Expert
4th         +4    +4    +1    +1    Inspire Courage
5th         +5    +5    +2    +2    Invoke Fear

Class Features:
Hammer Expert (Ex): A dwarf paladin who takes the 2nd-level racial substitution level learns how to use a warhammer proficiently in battle. He gains a +2 to attack and damage rolls when using a hammer in melee combat.

The hammer expert ability also gives the paladin the ability to throw his warhammer with a +1 to attack and damage rolls at a range increment of 20ft.

This replaces the standard paladin's lay on hands ability.

Inspire Courage (Su): A dwarf paladin who takes the 4th-level racial substitution level gains the ability to inspire courage in his allies. He can inspire courage 3+Cha modifier. His allies must be within 30 ft. of the dwarf paladin and be able to hear the dwarf paladin when he uses this ability. Inspired allies gain a +2 to attack rolls, a +1 to damage rolls and a +2 to all saving throws. Inspired allies remain within 30 ft. of the dwarf paladin, the affect last 3+the dwarf paladin's Cha modifier; if they move outside this range the affect remains for 1+the paladin's Cha modifier rounds. A dwarf paladin can use this ability 3 + his Cha modifier/day (minimum 1). All bonuses are moral bonuses.

This replaces the stand paladin's Turn Undead ability. If he gains Turn undead from other levels (such as Cleric), his paladin levels do not stack to determine how many undead he can turn.

Invoke Fear (Su): A dwarf paladin who takes the 5th-level racial substitution level gains the ability to invoke fear in his enemies. Enemies must be within 60ft. of the dwarf paladin and be able to hear the dwarf paladin in order to be affected by this ability. All enemies receive a -1 to attack and damage rolls. Enemies with 6 or fewer HD must make a Will DC 10 + the dwarf paladin's level + his cha modifier or become panicked, a successful will save makes the creature cower for 2d4 rounds. Enemies with 7 or more HD must make a Will DC 10 + the dwarf paladin's level + his cha modifier or become shaken for 2d4 rounds, a successful will save negates this affect. The -1 to attack and damage can not be negated and last for 3 + the dwarf paladin's Cha modifier rounds. If the enemy moves more than 60ft from the paladin, the negative lasts for 1 round. Opponents not affected by fear are not affected by this ability. 2 + his Cha modifier/day (minimum 1). All penalties are fear penalties.

This ability replaces the standard paladin's ability to gain an extra smite evil attempt for the day.

I couldn't think of how to work in a 1st level racial sub other than replacing the Smite Evil attempt per day. But then I need to either bump the 5th level sub to 6th and have that replace the first level spell the paladin learns that level or have it replace the special mount, which for a dungeon based setting isn't something to cry about, but if I move him outside the dungeon setting, he'll be a dwarf without a special mount.

 

[Lorehead]

Your instincts were right, I'm afraid. This is very overpowered.

I'd take a look at Champions of Valor, which has many ideas for paladin substitution levels.

 

[librarius_arcana]

Lorehead dude you seem to be the captain of crunch here can I head hunt you (no pun intended) for my thread on BAB to skills?, I would really like your insight


Sorry Kurashu, not trying to threadjack, just wanna nick one of your posters

 

[Kurashu]

It's cool.

Sadly, I don't have access to Champions of Valor. I'll have to see how much it is next tme I go to the Dragon Sanctum. I pretty much have access to the core 3.5 books, the Races of Stone/Destiny/Wild, Unearth Arcana, Hammer and Helm, and a few other books. Until recently, I had access to Complete Warrior but my friend who had left for Cali.

I need a job so I can get some books.


Maybe, nick the hammer throwing part of Hammer Expert (making it Hammer Specialist from the dwarf cleric racial sub), toss the extra damage on Inspire Courage (making it just +2 Attack, +2 Saving Throws), and make Invoke Fear Shaken (1d4) on fail, negate plus unaffected by Invoke Fear from the same paladin for 24 hours on success.

Iunno. I'm terrible at coming up with stuff classes.

 

[Lorehead]

Lorehead dude you seem to be the captain of crunch here can I head hunt you (no pun intended) for my thread on BAB to skills?, I would really like your insight

Fine! Curse my miserable saving throw vs. flattery!

 

[drexes]

I really like the flavor of the sub levels you gave, but they seem overpowered. Maybe limit the hammer expert to +1's. Then make your inspire courage a biy less powerful than the bards version (don't have the books to compare them at the moment). I think the inspire fear is the least paladin-esque ability. For some reason, frightening people seems outside the norm for thier code, and too much like a hexblade ability (very un-paladiny made up a new word) Maybe a light ability that would harm the underground denizens this particular dwarf would ofetn face could be cool and would be more holy. Just my two cents which are worth less than two cents in Canada... erm...whatever...

Drexes

 

[Nyaricus]

Since the Paladin class is essentually a Cleric/Fighter mix, why not just mix and match and scale up/down appropriate abilites from those two RacSub levels in RoS.

I have to say that a Dwarven Paladin seems like a must; it's kinda odd they haven't done it yet.

 

[Land Outcast]

Actually, I like it (got to admit that for some reason I've considered paladin substitution levels from Champions of Valor to be underpowered).

 

[Kurashu]

Ok, here are my revisions so far:

• Smite Giant (Su): works exactly like Smite Evil, except only on creatures of the Giant Type if a paladin accidentally smites an non-giant the attack does nothing and the smite attempt for the day is wasted. this replaces all smite evil attempts a standard paladin would gain
  
• Hammer Expert (Ex): a dwarf paladin gains a +2 to attack and damage rolls when weilding his warhammer in melee, a dwarf paladin can also throw his warhammer with ranger increments of 10ft.
  
  Since this is replacing Lay on Hands, it should be more than "Here's weapon focus: warhammer and a chance at 2 more hit points that usual" Any other suggestions?
  
• Inspire Courage (Su): aliies must be able to hear the dwarf paladin and be within 30ft of him in order to be affected by this ability, affected allies gain a +2 morale to saving throws and +1 morale to attack and damage rolls withy weapons this bonus lasts for the dwarf paladin's cha mod. (minimum 1 round) he can use this ability 2+his Cha Mod/day (minimum 1/day) this replaces the standard paladin's aura of courage.
  
  Aura of Courage gives out a +4 morale bonus to just saving throws to every one within 30ft of him, this would still give out +4 morale bonus but spreads it out to attack and damage and only lasts for a number of rounds

However, this only front loads the paladin class even more since the sub levels are 1st, 2nd, 3rd now. Any suggestions on how to fix this?

 

[Land Outcast]

For Hammer Expert: make it +1/3 levels... just a thought