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Message: <blockquote data-quote="LurkAway" data-source="post: 5799408" data-attributes="member: 6685059">Saying that all paladins must be lawful doesn't necessarily define what is the Lawful outlook. The alignment restriction can define a paladin as a warrior dedicated to a specific code and cause. The Paladin is restricted to Lawful exactly because he/she rigidly follows this code. The Lawful restriction doesn't necessarily have to define what the code of conduct is. The default fluff for the code might be chivalry, honor, etc. and the default cause might be good, but you might change the code to something else like your Raven Queen code.If you take away that core idea, I don't know what's left to define a paladin as a unique class (or theme).It seems to me that the "soul" of the paladin class is that certain codes of conduct and dedication to a cause, when followed rigidly, confer certain parallel powers. Conversely, being laissez-faire or egalitarian will not reward you with paladin status. It also matters to follow a code and cause that is supported by a divine patron that fuels the powers that define you as a paladin; otherwise, you're just an ordinary knight or crusader with nothing tangible or magical to show for your idealogy.So if there are any alignment restrictions, I don't see it as a limitation on the player, but as helping to define the essence of why and how the class operates.If you're referring to an onus for creating general cohesion, then I'd say no, it's not just a table-by-table thing (unless you're playing in a very narrativist game, I guess). If cohesion was primarily intended to be a table-by-table thing, then  the core rules might as well be dry text-book mechanics with little or no  flavor but D&D has always provided default flavor, whether it's a full-fledged campaign settings or the default character class description or whatnot, and for years and years, many DMs and players have used this fluff as simulationist reference points which helps to create cohesion at the table.I guess, but I didn't factor in organized play -- that's not the most frequent way of playing D&D I don't think.</blockquote>

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