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Message: <blockquote data-quote="jsaving" data-source="post: 5914554" data-attributes="member: 16726">I again find myself agreeing with everything you're saying except for why this necessarily implies a LG alignment for the paladin.  Clerics of deities antithetical to LG, like Lolth's, are required to adhere to an incredibly strict code or else be exterminated -- a far harsher penalty than anything a traditional paladin would face.  It's the content of the traditional paladin's code, and not just the fact that they have a code, that makes them special.What is that content, in non-D&D terms?  It's resolute courage in the face of overwhelming evil, protection of the weak even when sacrifices are required, a noble manner toward all under any circumstance, and the necessary martial skill to see these things accomplished.  Compare these chivalric tenets to the traditional elements of lawful goodness.  Should the 5e paladin respect/follow/obey earthly authorities and traditions when they conflict with his code?  Should he judge people who fall short in their duties?  Should he lack creativity?  Should he favor social order over individual freedom?  Those are all embedded in the definition of lawful goodness in editions past, which means they'd be required of any class whose members embody lawful goodness.  But I find myself answering 'no' to every one of these questions, and don't see that it is necessary or even desirable to lay out specific 'issue positions' in those areas that paladins would be expected to follow -- which is essentially what would happen if 5e paladins were to exemplify Lawful Goodness rather than exemplifying chivalry.  And I would argue the latter, not the former, is the truer reflection of the traditional D&D paladin. To sum up, I agree completely that paladins should not become simply a generic champion of whatever ethos they happen to follow.  I just think we should allow for the possibility that characters of other alignments, and not just LG, can also be chivalrous enough to make the cut for paladinhood.</blockquote>

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