D&D 5E roleplaying the Oath of the Ancients

[pukunui]

You shouldn't have to not play, of course, but the paladin shouldn't participate in anything that contradicts his or her oath.

But since the paladin oaths are so open to interpretation in this edition, it's up to me as the player to decide what contradicts it and what doesn't, right?

I'm trying to get a feel for what makes the Oath of the Ancients different to the Oath of Devotion.

Is participating in a Temple of Doom-style party something that an Ancients paladin wouldn't do? Would watching some evil king shoot some rare birds for sport and not try to stop him (because to do so could mean your death) be something that would contradict the paladin's oath?

Even the Oath of Devotion clarifies that, while one shouldn't hesitate to act, one should nevertheless exercise caution. I doubt even a traditional Oath of Devotion paladin would adhere to their oaths to the point of being suicidal about it.

 

[SirAntoine]

But since the paladin oaths are so open to interpretation in this edition, it's up to me as the player to decide what contradicts it and what doesn't, right?

I'm trying to get a feel for what makes the Oath of the Ancients different to the Oath of Devotion.

Is participating in a Temple of Doom-style party something that an Ancients paladin wouldn't do? Would watching some evil king shoot some rare birds for sport and not try to stop him (because to do so could mean your death) be something that would contradict the paladin's oath?

Even the Oath of Devotion clarifies that, while one shouldn't hesitate to act, one should nevertheless exercise caution. I doubt even a traditional Oath of Devotion paladin would adhere to their oaths to the point of being suicidal about it.

It depends on your DM. First you need to talk to him about what the oath means, both in terms of what it like 100% or in fact entails and what is subject to the player's interpretation. I don't think any of the paladins need to be suicidal in pursuit of their oath, but they must be willing to take risks. So while caution is okay, that needs to be measured against the need. In the case of witnessing an evil king kill some birds, the paladin could choose not to act if he thought he really couldn't make a difference. There has to be a fair chance of success to justify a fair risk.

 

[pukunui]

In the case of witnessing an evil king kill some birds, the paladin could choose not to act if he thought he really couldn't make a difference. There has to be a fair chance of success to justify a fair risk.

Right. If you happen to find yourself at a party being thrown by an evil king, and he challenges his guests to do something questionable, speaking up in opposition to it would be asking the king to do something nasty to you. Perhaps in such a situation, a paladin could seek to atone for their inaction in such a situation later on.

 

[Ahrimon]

First there's always the greater good to consider. It's tough, but not necessarily against your oath. If charging around in the evil lands trying to right every wrong would just get you killed or captured you would be unable to complete your quest, which is most likely more important than the little infractions you are seeing. You can mourn the loss, maybe even vow to avenge them later, but right now you have to stick to the big goal.

Second, there's always more than one way to skin a cat. If the others want to go undercover let them while you find another way to go in. Maybe they go in as nobles who participate in the stuff you hate to get close to the bad guy. You could go undercover as a servant that doesn't have to do those things while you get close from another angle. You could also work up a popular rebellion in the city that distracts the ruler while your buddies move into place and you join them for a two prong assault. Or perhaps you infiltrate somewhere else that doesn't compromise your vow.

 

[Joe Liker]

Is participating in a Temple of Doom-style party something that an Ancients paladin wouldn't do? Would watching some evil king shoot some rare birds for sport and not try to stop him (because to do so could mean your death) be something that would contradict the paladin's oath?

First off, you'd want to try to talk him out of it. There's no reason to resort to violence immediately, and to do so would be against the tenet of preservation of life.

If, however, you already know (or soon discover) that the king is evil and could not possibly be dissuaded from his bird-genocide, then I'd say yes, at the very least you'd have to add the king to your list of People Who Must Be Stopped, even if you decide (out of self-preservation, another Ancients tenet) not to take further action in the moment.

It's not about upholding every single subsection of the oath every second of every day. Life doesn't work like that. Contradictions and Catch-22s will arise. You just have to take a broad view and work to ensure that, in the end, you did your best to steer the world closer to the ideal that the Oath of the Ancients describes.

 

[pukunui]

It's not about upholding every single subsection of the oath every second of every day. Life doesn't work like that. Contradictions and Catch-22s will arise. You just have to take a broad view and work to ensure that, in the end, you did your best to steer the world closer to the ideal that the Oath of the Ancients describes.

Right. After all, the PHB does say "Your oath and alignment might be in harmony, or your oath might represent standards of behavior that you have not yet attained."

 

[SpaceOtter]

My take is that Ancients paladins are obviously kind, etc. but that's not good enough; they have to be the Light. They have to be a beacon. They should live life fully and delight and bring life, love, and happiness. They can live life large. They'll be the paladin to sing a great song in the inn, buy everyone a round of drinks (but not to excess), tell tales of beauty, dance, share jokes, and even indulge in a little romance and roll in the hay (life, love, happiness!) leaving their partner with a smile on their lips and a fond memory of a great night when they and all around them felt truly alive. A night when all were happy, when beauty, song, and love were all, and despair was vanquished. They breathe deep of the sweet air and smile, pause to watch the sunrise in all its glory (encouraging their allies to stop and savour it too) and clap their comrades on the backs with a broad grin and hopes for the day ahead. They are paladins you want to spend time with; they love life and beauty, they shine with it, they are often irrepressibly positive and good-natured, and whether brash and a little bombastic (ala Porthos of the Musketeers or Aquaman from Batman: The Brave and the Bold) or quieter and more relaxed, there's absolutely no mistaking their presence.