Pretending to be a Paladin

[Castellan]

I'm thinking about bringing in a new character into one of the games I'm playing in. I've grown tired of the standard heroic character, and want to play something a little more devious. So, I'm thinking about playing a rogue who is pretending to be a paladin.

I'm looking for suggestions -- in both game-mechanics and role-play -- that would help me pull this off.

What kind of alignment do you imagine would best support this kind of behavior? What about classes, skills, and feats? I'm thinking of playing a rogue ("Why, yes... I do believe that incredibly rich merchant is evil! Let's kill him and take his stuff- err, for the church, of course!"), but I'm willing to entertain another base class. Should I beef him up with a level or two of cleric to lend "legitimacy" to my "divine powers?"

The current party level average is 6th, and I'll most likely bring in a 5th or 6th level character, so even though a prestige class might be out of the picture immediately, if there's one that would work, lay it on me!

I'm hoping to keep the character's true colors from my fellow players for at least a few sessions, just to see how believable he is. I don't want a character who will endanger his fellow party members, but instead one who has his own goals and doesn't mind pretending if it'll help him achieve those ends.

So, what kind of ideas can you think up?

 

[niastri]

Only one thought comes to mind. Social skills and charisma.

You can actually convice your fellows that you are a Paladin with enough bluff. Absolutely hilarious as every player knows you are a rogue and every character thinks you are a Paladin.

With a decent group you are all good.

 

[Harmon]

Multi Class for sure. Keep in mind that Pallys have lots of proficiences and Rogues do not. Also you'll need some Knw Religion to help the con.

Ftr1/Rog4 might work well with a few cross class points spent in the proper skills.

Good luck.

 

[Conaill]

Somewhat along the same lines... I've been wanting to play a charcater who *calls* himself a Paladin in-game, without actually using the Paladin class. Could be a Cleric, or maybe a Clr/Ftr. Heck, in-game his religious order could even give him the official title of Paladin.

Just to see the puzzled looks on the metagaming munchkins faces...

 

[rounser]

I like the premise. You could even turn this PC into a full-blown confidence artist. ("Oh yes, I can lay hands on your husband and cure him, but first I require a donation to my church!")

Another potentially interesting character is a fighter who wants to be a paladin, and lives by the paladin's code, but can't join the class for some reason (which doesn't have to be rules-based).

For either of these characters, it might make for an interesting story seed to see if the character ever finds campaign-based causes to reach true paladinhood. Perhaps it's his or her final act.

 

[jmucchiello]

Mix in levels of Bard so you can occasionally cast cure light wounds and undetectable alignment. You may go Ftr3/Brd3 to get skills in Ride, Handle Animal as well K (religion), and Bluff.

And you must spend any magic item allotment you have on a Periapt of Health. Claim it is your holy symbol.

 

[Rashak Mani]

The biggest problem will be armor... that will destroy your rogue skills

Take a level of a roguish diety Cleric... helps a lot to have disguise self and other spells... or go all bard.

Remember your roleplaying will trick the players more than anything else... make a stereotyped paladin as a means of mockery these black and white paladins deserve.

 

[Bayushi Seikuro]

I played something similiar in a Forgotten Realms game.

I just simply played a rogue, with a decent amount of Bluff and the social skills. Actually, he alternated between a paladin of Lathander, a priest of Mask, and a priest of Bane. He was more of a religious infiltrator type.

I had all the basic equipment each role needed, as well as disguise. Holy/unholy symbols, weapons, armor... etc. He would just slip out of the armor when he had to use his thiefly arts. I agree with the suggestion that you need a decent group of roleplayers, because there is no way their characters would know you aren't said priest/paladin in-game. Who notices in character that statistically you miss a little more often, or who's PC understands a paladin's abilities? I mean, people make these assumptions that their characters know every paladin can lay on hands, or summon a mount, etc etc.

 

[Romnipotent]

Cleric 1-3 and Rogue, you can wear armour, "smite evil" that are flat footed, detect evil, etc

and depending on the domains, smite, and all the like... but there is the whole spellcraft checks and such, just make sure you cast spells that only the paladin can. theres enough builds for this, Trickery domain!

 

[Ron]

Great concept! I can only wish I have it first, as it will be hilarious to play with such character in the party. I would advise to pretend be a paladin from a weird poorly kwon religion. As such, it will be less likely to meet his "peers" (although such encounters would be a gem) and more easy to justify some of his limitations. You can justify your light armour as a requirement of the poverty vow you toke as a member of your order, and from that on.