What are the strictest interpretations of a paladin's code?

[RangerWickett]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm amused in thinking about how I'll interact with the lecherous fire mage in the party. The point about 'politeness' is a good one. In everyday interactions I don't try to find out about people's sexual activities or their sinful deeds. It's not my business, and it's rude, and more likely than not I don't want to know the answer. As a paladin, I think it would be beneath me to turn my deity's power upon those who simply fritter away their honor. While in Georgia it's a crime to fornicate, I highly doubt that's the case in any setting created by Ed Greenwood.

*grin*

 

[Geron Raveneye]

It might be a bit too late for this, but I'd suggest watching through a few seasons of Due South. Benton Fraser may not be a picture-perfect paladin, or knight in shining armour, but a LOT of his beaviour could be used to model one. At least in my opinion, he's polite to the point of courteous to everybody he meets, even the "villains" during and after confrontation, he's honourable, fair, law-abiding to the point of eye-rolling, yet knows when to bend them...but if he does so, he always informs someone in authority, to wait for any penance he might suffer for it. He thinks of himself last in dangerous situations, does not press others to follow his lead but tries to convince them by example and argument, even if it gets him shot or beat up, and since he abides by the gun laws of the US, he usually faces every villain empty-handed, unless he is about on official canadian business. And he's unfailingly kind to women, all the time, every time, no matter what. And a bit of naive on top of that, but that's your personal choice, of course.

 

[Ed_Laprade]

It might be a bit too late for this, but I'd suggest watching through a few seasons of Due South. Benton Fraser may not be a picture-perfect paladin, or knight in shining armour, but a LOT of his beaviour could be used to model one. At least in my opinion, he's polite to the point of courteous to everybody he meets, even the "villains" during and after confrontation, he's honourable, fair, law-abiding to the point of eye-rolling, yet knows when to bend them...but if he does so, he always informs someone in authority, to wait for any penance he might suffer for it. He thinks of himself last in dangerous situations, does not press others to follow his lead but tries to convince them by example and argument, even if it gets him shot or beat up, and since he abides by the gun laws of the US, he usually faces every villain empty-handed, unless he is about on official canadian business. And he's unfailingly kind to women, all the time, every time, no matter what. And a bit of naive on top of that, but that's your personal choice, of course.

I heartily recomend watching this show as well! (If you can find it.) Benton Fraser, Paladin/Ranger!

 

[Ferghis]

To be equal opportunity then, revise the code to mean: thou shall not strike a defenseless person.

I think the code of chivalry requires an appropriately-elevated amount of courtesy and respect to be given to ladies. Like the other rules of chivalry, I imagine this can be violated with the due contrition if greater necessity calls for it. But I imagine the paladin would have to be very sure that striking a woman was the only way to avoid a great evil.

 

[AFGNCAAP]

Don't know if anyone else has mentioned this or not, but...

Well, how about something from Arthurian tales for the paladin's behavior, esp. the idea/ideal of chivalric behavior. One key application of this combat-wise would be that the paladin will fight fair, as long as his/her opponent does so as well. Once the foe starts to fight unfairly (throwing dust in the face, poison use, etc.), then the paladin is allowed to switch to a no-holds-barred style of combat.

In essence, the paladin will fight fair normally, but if his foe will use underhanded tactics to win, then the paladin may do as needed in order to ensure that evil does not succeed through such dishonorable means.

You could generally apply the same basic principle to other areas of his behavior: being merciful unless the foe has shown themselves to be merciless; granting others the benefit of the doubt unless/until they've abused that trust.

In the sense of a paladin of Torm, the paladin is fulfilling his "duty" to his code as best as possible, addressing potentially conflicting aspects of the code (maybe such as showing mercy, yet also having to be merciless in the fight against evil) by following different "tiers" of the code for different situations, and thus still being dutiful to the code/edicts.

 

[Darklone]

I think the code of chivalry requires an appropriately-elevated amount of courtesy and respect to be given to ladies. Like the other rules of chivalry, I imagine this can be violated with the due contrition if greater necessity calls for it. But I imagine the paladin would have to be very sure that striking a woman was the only way to avoid a great evil.

Don't forget that in medieval times not too many women went adventuring wearing weapons and other bad stuff.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I agree with the characterization of Benton Fraser of Due South as a modern Paladin- good call!

I also agree that the 2 main types played in RPGs are the merciful & merciless paladin. However, there are many shades in between, and sometimes, even the archetypal ones from legend & history vacillate between extreme mercy and bloodthirsty slaughter. You should talk to your DM and get a feel for how he envisions them. Just because he sounds like he wants goody-2-shoes, you might really want to get a solid read on his take by asking him the very questions you're asking us. You may find he wants something more complex...or even internally contradictory.

Anyway, look at some of these major Paladin Archetypes for inspiration- Lancelot du Lac (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancelot); Jean D'Arc (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_D'arc); Roland/Orlando (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland); and Sir Galahad (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galahad).

 

[Kwitchit]

I think the code of chivalry requires an appropriately-elevated amount of courtesy and respect to be given to ladies. Like the other rules of chivalry, I imagine this can be violated with the due contrition if greater necessity calls for it. But I imagine the paladin would have to be very sure that striking a woman was the only way to avoid a great evil.

In the egalitarian fantasy world of DnD, I think that doesn't fly. He's not going to spare the High Priestess of Lolth just because she's female...

 

[awayfarer]

How about

1: Serve the Public Trust
2: Protect the Innocent
3: Uphold the Law

Spoiler

4:Never oppose an ocp officer

Name the character Murphy and have him never take his armor off.

 

[jollyninja]

It gets really fun when the other characters start doing things like looting tombs. Is it o.k. to steal from the honored dead?