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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Yair" data-source="post: 3199086" data-attributes="member: 10913">I think paladins have grave shortcomings in warfare. I don't see their code as extensively as the OP alludes to, but their code still disallows them from using several much needed tactics and strategies. The point of a paladin isn't that he's the most effective warrior. It is that he is the most exalted.IMC, NPC paladins largely behave according to what I think the code encourages (see below). Paladins don't actually lose their abilities unless they willingly commit an evil act, however - all other stipulations in the code are things paladins abide with, but are not divinely censored for violating. Particularly for PCs, I'm willing to go a long way towards accepting violations of the code - it will take a truly EVIL act to elicit divine censure.That said, I'll give my opinion on how paladins behave in war. It's all IMC, IMO, and so on.* Feinting in Melee: This is a lie, a deliberate attempt to mislead someone as to some fact (in this case, your manuevere). It isn't evil, perhaps not even unlawful, but it isn't honorable. A paladin should not feint in combat.* Feinting in War: It is equally dishonorable to lure an enemy to some action by deceiving him. So you cannot send a small force to fool the opponents into thinking this is the main force. * Honorable Distractions: It is perfectly honorable to send a small force to lure an enemy into pursuing it, to assail your enemy from multiple sides until you decide which direction is most promising to commit to, to withhold information regarding your movements and intentions (but not to provide false information!), and so on. For example, you could send a small force to overtake a small guardpost (perhaps withdrawing later), luring your opponents to invest more in that sector while your main force makes its way towards the area now depeleted of enemy forces. As long as the small force doesn't make claims of being a larger force, any imaginings and worries of the enemy are due to his own lack of information and any pursuit he might give is due to its lack of discipline - there is nothing wrong with expoliting those, you are not under obligation to inform the opponent of your troop movements or not rely on his lack of honor.* Long Range Weapons: It is unvalorous to use long-range weapons if the other side lacks them, as you do not put yourself at risk while combating them. Although the code doesn't stipulate it, I think paladins should espouse Valor as well as Honor. When shooting at opponents beyond their effective firing range, you are no longer engaged in war but in massacre. If the opponent has the capability to engage you at long range, you can engage him too. If he lacks it, you need to move to melee range - within his Reach. (For this reason too you must not kill a helpless victim, who lacks any ability to attempt to harm you, such as an enemy tied up.)* Ambush: There isn't dishonor in hiding from your opponent until you choose to reveal yourself, but you must not remain hidden once you engage nor be out of range for the opponent to engage you. It is dishonorable to strike while concealed, however, so you'd want to announce yourself before attacking proper - no surprise round, and no staying in hiding while attacking. * Spies: A spy lies, so is dishonorable, and using one is dishonorable. Scouts deep in enemy territory and magical divinations are the means to obtain information.* Higher Ground and Other Tactical Advantages: It is not dishonorable to use your tactical and equipment advantages. You don't need to strip your armor to engage a naked wrestler, and you don't need to get to relinquish higher ground. Your enemy must be able to engage you with what resources he has, however, for it to be honorable to engage him - as noted above. So pouring acid onto men from death-holes is not honorable, using flying mounts against infantry is not honorable, and even firing arrows at men storming the castle walls isn't honorable. (The honorable thing to do is to face them with valor, on the walls or beneath them.)* Legitimate Authority: When an authority-figure gives a dishonorable command, the command does not stem from legitimate authority - the figure has no legitimate claim to make that command. In principle, the various strictures in the paladin's code cannot be inconsistent. In practice, a paladin is expected to obey the commands or not according to the implications to other parts of the code - if your command orders you to help those in need but you come across villains that threaten innocents en route, you should delay carrying out the  command if the threat is greater than the need - and to try to carry out the commands' purpose somehow regardless of any such obstacles (informing his superiors of the delay, hiring mercenaries to take care of the other issue, trying to conclude it quickly enough to accomplish both goals, whatever).This is all for my picture of a "typical" paladin order. I'm quite willing to consider atypical ones, especially for a PC.</blockquote>

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