My Perspective on the Paladin's Code of Conduct

[tomBitonti]

In the case of a dishonorable lord, I imagine that a state which has paladins would only work if the leadership was held to a fairly strict set of laws. If a lord was found to act in a manner not fitting standards, then, with proof, a paladin would be compelled to confront the lord and seed regress. Absent sufficient redress, the lord would be declared unfit, and a new ruler sought out using the available legal process.

That would probably often lead to periods of turmoil, where the body of paladins became at war with the declared unlawful authorities.

Due process, and a matter of proof, would be required.

TomB

 

[Shoe]

The Paladins Code of Chivalry

Recently, there have been a number of threads on the Paizo boards on the Code of a Paladin. It has been rather suprising to me how many people appear to want to treat this Code as merely a mechanic of the class to justify the raw power of the Paladin. That isn't the point of the Paladin's Code of Conduct. It shound not be merely a means to off-set those parts of the class that grant power. Abiding for a set of rules only to gain power is not what a Paladin is about.

The Paladin's Code is--it should be, rather--a guide for how they live their life. It is with good reason that Paladin's are restricted to a Lawful Good alignment. This is because the Paladin--above and beyond all other classes--is a character of staunch moral and ethical beliefs, who sacrifices his own freedom of actions (of choices) to uphold a higher sacred trust.

Paladin's are not just fighters by another name; they are more than a knight in shining armor. They are--or rather, should be--pious and virtous, honorable and merciful, charitable and chivalrous. In all things. And this isn't something that a Paladin has to do to retain his powers; it is something that the Paladin does because that is who and what he is.

His Code does not restrict him; a Paladin's ethics and morals and his very life makes him live up to his beliefs.

The origin of the Paladin was based on the knights of Charlemagne, and on Sir Galahad from the Arthurian legends. Such beliefs are not suited for everyone--neither Arthur himself, nor Lancelot, nor any other of his Knights of the Round Table were Paladins. Because that is a hard path to follow. It is an act of faith and belief that the Paladin must live, everyday, so that he is true to himself.

Let's look at the Code of Conduct as presented in the Pathfinder Core Rulebook.


........

In closing, I hope that my words might make some sense and give you some idea of how I see the Paladin's Code of Conduct. Not as a straitjacket, but as a personification of what a character of Lawful Good alignment simply does.

Master Arminas

I tend to loosely base my paladin code of ethics on a similar but more vague code of honor that I am familliar with from my childhood - The Boy Scout Oath.

A Paladin is Trustworthy - A paladin will not practice in deciet or directly misrepresent himself or others.

A paladin is loyal - He serves any who are his friends, colleagues and returns all favors a undred times.

A paladin Helpful - He performs any tasks he can to assist those in need.

A paladin is Friendly - A paladin treats all people with kindness and respect regardless of socio-economic status, religeon, gender or race.

A Paladin cheerful - a paladin always tries to look on the bright side of things and find a solution to the tough problems

A paladin modest in his means - He does not hoard treasure or riches and takes only what he needs to do his duities. All other wealth provided him should be used to help the needy.

A paladin is Brave - a paladin never backs down from doing the right thing, even if his life is in danger. He protects those weaker than him (or her), and his(or her) beliefs.

A paladin is Revrent - a paladin honors his patron diety in all of his actions. He proudly wears the sigil of his deity and promotes the portfolio of said diety at any oppertune time.

Obviously it is modified from the original source, but it works quite well.

-Shoe