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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DDNFan" data-source="post: 6317593" data-attributes="member: 6776483">Why help a cowardly paladin? Let him suffer the wrath of excommunication. He knows what he was doing, even if he wouldn't admit it. He'd have slunk off out the back door of the dungeon while the lich was chewing on his chewy squishy team mates in a couple rounds. Such a player deserves not only excommunication from his church, but a permanent banishment and blacklist from receiving aid from that church, communicated instantly to all high priests of the order.This is the right and proper way to deal with such a player. You must judge a man by his actions, and his actions proved he was not worthy of the name "paladin", and probably never was. Or could be. Fighting to protect the weak is nothing when you are safe behind your armor and confident of your own survival and success. It only matters when you must risk your own life to protect others. That is the essence of the class, and what makes it a special sight to behold. As a DM I would have resurrected him via his god on the spot after the battle was won if he had died valiantly. Instead, he chose wisely and this example (and many others) proved exactly what our point was, that not all paladins are created equal, some barely deserve the title, some deserve it fully, but when the moment of truth comes, if you chicken out (from the safety of your doritos strewn table no less), then it's on you. It's just a character. A noble death is worth more than a coward's life, that's the code I'm talking about.Live every day as if it's the perfect day to die, if it's in the service of others and of your god. That's truth. And why many players can't properly understand the essence of it. Some can't even accept their characters dying valiantly while fighting a terrifying undead beast. True bravery and true grit are only present in the face of near certain doom. That's why Han Solo was totally awesome. He did what needed to be done to win, despite insane odds against him. He didn't even want to know them, he boldly did what he thought was best. And he didn't even believe in an all powerful force looking out for his soul after life, unlike paladins who are pretty sure there's a place for them. Only, the irony is, it's contingent on them earning their right place in the heavens. If I were a D&D god and my champion fled like a fearful rabbit while his robe wearing comrades did the dirty work, and he died, I would refuse his entry into my kingdom of the afterlife and let his soul roam in purgatory for a long, long time while he contemplated why he was there. Then I would give him a choice, go back into his mortal coil and redeem himself, or remain lost forever.</blockquote>

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