What DO you DO for... Paladins?

[Nyaricus]

Well, I'm currently on vacation (due back in my hometown of the 'Peg in just 2 days though ) but I'd figure it's tiem for the newest instalement of the WDYD series... this time Paladins! So, for these pure and powerful knights... what DO you DO?

Do you use an alternative Paladin, some of the varients from UA, have your own version or alter the RAW one a bit? Gimme all you got guys and gals 'cause you know how much I love to tinker.

What DO you DO for Paladins??


[sblock=Other What DO you DO Threads]
What DO you DO for Bards and Barbarians were lost in the Crash and will be restarted after we get through to the Wizard class. Thanks for your patience.

What DO you DO for... Clerics?
Part 3 of my House Ruled Classes Series

What DO you DO for... Druids?
Part 4 of my House Ruled Classes Series

What DO you DO for... Fighters?
Part 5 of my House Ruled Classes Series

What Do you Do for... Monks?
Part 6 of my House Ruled Classes Series
[/sblock]

 

[DarkKestral]

Kill off forced LG alignment, require clerics and paladins to choose only one of the 4 alignments from which to draw their general spells, though clerics can get 2 if they match up alignment-wise and pick the alignment domains, force paladins to choose a cause, and make all of their smites into Smite Opponent, which is essentially their standard Smite Evil ability except to activate it, the opponent must either have made one successful attack on the paladin or an ally, or be in direct opposition of their cause. However, they must still remain within one alignment level of their deity, like clerics. Put remove disease on the paladin spell list, and remove it as a spell-like ability. (Not sure of the level, but I do love this idea)

I don't know how to deal with the mount though. (Personally, I like the idea of a paladin which slogs it out on his own, forsaking faster modes of travel except in dire emergencies.. but I'm ok with keeping the mount as an option in general.)

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

Depending on the game I really like Jaerom Darkwind's alternate paladin from the WOTC boards a couple years back when it fits the game, since most of my games are rather high power level(as opposed to character level which can go either way) it usually does. Currently I'm working on using his class as a basis to create a series of "Extremists" for the classic alignment extremes LG,LE,CE,CG. If they seem to work I'll add LN,NE,CN,NG.

 

[green slime]

skills: Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Heal, Jump, Knowledge (Nobility), Knowledge (Religion), Listen, Ride, Sense Motive, Spot, Swim

Turn Undead as Cleric -2.

Remove Disease changed to Remove Affliction:

Remove Affliction (Sp): At 6th level, a paladin can produce a remove affliction effect, which functions as one of the following spells, once per week: Cure Serious Wounds, Daylight, Lesser Restoration, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Curse, Remove Disease, Remove Fear, and Remove Paralysis. She can use this ability one additional time per week for every three levels after 6th (twice per week at 9th, three times at 12th, and so forth).

Casts spells at Class level -3 (not class level / 2).

 

[Jens]

Thanks greeen slime, consider that remove affliction yoinked <sounds of copy+paste>
... why is it significant to turn at -2 rather than +3?

To me, the main trouble with the paladin is the "special mount" feature since it is so often useless (campaign dependant). Do any of you have ideas for a replacement?

 

[Meatboy]

To me, the main trouble with the paladin is the "special mount" feature since it is so often useless (campaign dependant). Do any of you have ideas for a replacement?

This has been a sore point for me too. So I had given alternate things like divine armor, sword or shield that advanced with the paladin.

 

[green slime]

Thanks greeen slime, consider that remove affliction yoinked <sounds of copy+paste>
... why is it significant to turn at -2 rather than +3?

To me, the main trouble with the paladin is the "special mount" feature since it is so often useless (campaign dependant). Do any of you have ideas for a replacement?

Because of three reasons:

Historically over various versions of the game, Paladins turned as a cleric 2 levels lower.

I didn't want to suddenly nerf those players in the campaigns I was running with less oomph for their turning.

I wanted Turning undead for Paladins to still be a valid option, rather than just a means of obtaining Divine Might. IOW, I wanted paladins to be faced with a choice: "Do I lay the smackdown on this BEG, or do I chill out and save some juice in case I run into some Shadows?" (Shadows are always nasty, because of their incorporeal touch attack)

As for special mount replacement? I'd suggest something along the lines of what meatboy suggested; arms and armour that increase in potential as the Paladin levels. I think the Kensai in OA had some similar mechanic, as well as the weapons of Legacy book. I'd really have to spend a bit more time mulling that over.

 

[Land Outcast]

Druid Animal Companion benefits for the mount... and more in progress

 

[Arkhandus]

It was the Samurai in Oriental Adventures that had that mechanic (not the CW samurai). They could sacrifice some expensive offerings in a ritual prayer to their ancestors, to have those ancestors empower their katana and/or wakizashi with permanent magical enhancements (permanent while used by that samurai anyhow). The total enhancement equivalent allowed, and associated cost of material sacrifices in GP, was based on level in the class. The mechanic was mimicked and improved/expanded in an issue of Dragon magazine, no longer restricted to samurai but instead restricted to 'scaling/leveling' magic weapons, then further expanded and altered a few years later for the Weapons of Legacy book.

 

[green slime]

Druid Animal Companion benefits for the mount... and more in progress

Well obviously, no real paladin is happy with a mere Heavy Warhorse...