Variant Paladins

[Ricochet]

Does anyone know of a good variant paladin, because I think the one in the core book (3.5) is too frontloaded. I am looking for something with more abilities throughout, maybe less Remove Disease and no spells?

So, any good links or tips of what to replace spells and remove disease with?

 

[Stormborn]

Does anyone know of a good variant paladin, because I think the one in the core book (3.5) is too frontloaded. I am looking for something with more abilities throughout, maybe less Remove Disease and no spells?

So, any good links or tips of what to replace spells and remove disease with?

NOt exactly as you describe but check out Monte Cook's Book oof Hallowed Might I for his variant Paladin. Also Dragon #310 has some paladins of other classes that you might be interested in. Cavalier's Handbook IIRC does a nonspellcasting knight type PC.

 

[Nightfall]

Unearthed Arcana also has a variant paladin. Complete Warrior has one as well.

There's also Holy Warrior from Green Ronin that's like a paladin but can be of any alignment PLUS more options in terms of spell-like abilities.

 

[Voadam]

D&D Diablo has a great system for spell-less paladins, they get a paladin flavored power of their choice from a menu every level with higher levels giving access to more powerful menus of abilities.

However they really screwed up the mechanics of the specific abilities to the point where many are useless as described, so you would have to redo the specific powers.

 

[Al'Kelhar]

I've house-ruled the paladin class as follows:

Paladin (pp42-45 PH)
Divine Grace (Su): Divine grace works differently to that described in PH. At 2nd level, a paladin gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on saving throws of one type (Fortitude, Reflex or Will) of her choice. At 7th level, she gains a similar bonus to saving throws of another type (different to that chosen at 2nd level), and at 13th level she gains her Charisma bonus to saving throws of the third type.

Special Mount (Sp): Paladins do not gain the Special Mount class ability (although they can take the Leadership feat to acquire a cohort which can be used as a mount).

Domain Spells: A paladin must choose one domain from the list of domains available to the deity she worships. Like a cleric, she gains a bonus spell slot for every spell level she is able to cast (starting when she can cast “0” spells of that level), which can only be used to prepare her domain spell at that level. Unlike a cleric, she does not gain any domain special abilities from choosing a domain.

Bonus Feat: At 5th level and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, 20th) a paladin gains a bonus feat. This bonus feat must be a divine feat (see Chapter 3 Complete Divine and Chapter 3 Complete Warrior – feat still subject to DM’s approval), Extra Turning, Improved Smiting (p82 Complete Divine) or Improved Turning.

Weapon Specialisation: From 12th level, a paladin can take the Weapon Specialisation feat if she otherwise qualifies for it.


The changes motivate players to take paladins for levels after 5th and permits greater flexibility in paladin concepts (they don't have to be mounted knights, and the clerical domain spells allow some customisation for campaign reasons or personal taste).

Cheers, Al'Kelhar

 

[arscott]

Unearthed Arcana also has a variant paladin. Complete Warrior has one as well.

The UA paladin variants are just differently-aligned versions of the core rules one, so that's not going to help any with front-loadedness.

And the one in CW is a fifteen level PrC IIRC.

If you like the Idea of prestige paladins, there's also a 10 level one in the Warcraft RPG that's geared specifically towards battling undead and demons (the warcraft variety, not CE outsiders specifically). It can be taken by a fifth level fighter, and you don't have to be lawful.

 

[Brennin Magalus]

The UA paladin variants are just differently-aligned versions of the core rules one, so that's not going to help any with front-loadedness.

And the one in CW is a fifteen level PrC IIRC.

No. The one in CW is a "spell-less" paladin. The 15th level PrC is in UA.

 

[arscott]

Oops your right. prestige paladin is in UA. But looking over him, this guy's nearly as topheavy.

Reqs:
Alignment: L-G
BAB: +4
Skills: Knowledge(religion) 2, Knowledge(nobility and royalty) 2, Ride 4
Feat: Mounted Combat
Spellcasting: Ability to cast protection from evil as a divine caster.
Special: Ability to turn undead

By 3rd level, this guy's got all palidin abilities except remove disease, and he increases his divine spells every other level. As set up, this increases the scope and power of the paladins's spells somewhat, but that's balanced by the fact that he doesn't get as many uses of smite and Remove disease as the base class.

As written, the only reason for a fighter to take leves beyond three is to get the (slightly better) spells instead of bonus feats. Worse, a cleric can take three levels in this class, get pretty much all of the paladin abilities, and only take a one-level hit in spells per day.


I prefer the warcraft version, the Paladin Warrior. He's also takable at 5th, but doesn't require any levels of divine caster. The prereqs are pretty tailored to the warcraft setting, but can easily be modified. Here's there ability progression:

1st: Lay on hands, detect outsiders/undead, turn outsiders/undead
2nd: Aura of Courage
3d: Smite oustiders/undead
4th: Divine heath, remove disease 1/day
5th: Divine Grace
6th: Greater turning, smite 2/day
7th: Extra turning
8th: Banishing Strike 1/day
9th: Smite 3/day
10th: Power turning

If you want a PrC paladin geared towards fighting undead and fiends, this one's definately the way to go.