What is the dumbest way you've seen a paladin lose his paladinhood?

[ledded]

In a game a looooong time ago with 3 other guys, I had a barbarian character (the Unearthed Arcana barbarian) and one other had a paladin.

Cant remember the module we were doing, but it involved this involved dungeon-crawl "test" of paladins to win this holy avenger sword. After hours of this guy's wheedling, whining, and possibly being the most ineffective character every created, we managed to get through the deathtrap and out the other side, but this other paladin had won the sword.

Mr Paladin starts whining, b*tching, generally having a tantrum, then boldly offers my CN Barbarian *gold* to go kill the guy, take the sword, and give it to him (and in front of the whole party, too, not in secret). As a player, I literally sat there with my mouth open for a minute or two just trying to figure out what to say to him. I refused (because I didnt want to tick off a big ole group of paladins) and he went *nuts*, screaming it was "in character" for my chaotic barbarian to want to do this. The DM stripped him of his paladinhood on the spot, I started laughing uncontrollably, the player pitched a fit and stormed out of the house and drove home.

Quite possibly the worst example of munchkin meets stupid I've ever experienced in my gaming life.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

A question posed by Lord Pendragon:The whole "farmer test" was set up to see whether the ex-paladin would be concerned only for his own welfare (that is, his chance at restoring his paladinhood), or if he was willing to help others as his code demanded. Had he stayed on the farm and aided the farmer and his wife with the crops, at the end of the third day he would have "known" the sealed scroll was for him, and sure enough, it would have been the "Congratulations, it looks like you've learned your lesson" scroll. Ironically, it was by ignoring his paladin status/chance at redemption and just doing the right thing - without worrying about a reward - that was the key to regaining his paladinhood.

Thanks for the clarification, Johnathan. I suppose I would have failed the test as well, then. I'd have considered a mandate from the church as my greatest duty and given the farmer some gold to buy food until I could return (after the three days) to help him. It would never have occurred to me to abandon my holy quest at the first hungry farmer I came across. Guess I'm lucky I've never had a paladin fall...yet!

 

[Ukyo the undead]

Paladins lose their powers whenever they do an evil act or grossly violate the paladins code (act with honor, etc.). Monks, bards, and barbarians only have consequences if they actually change alignments. clerics is purely a campaign specific issue.

I think the main problem here is tha lack of a detailed paladins code.

Honestly, is very hard to follow a code when it is writed only inside the DM´s head...

...specially when the Dm have very weird idea about what makes a paladins code.

 

[Richards]

Yeah, reading over my explanation it does look kind of like it was a setup...which, I guess it was, but I thought I had made the situation pretty clear in-game. When the ex-paladin was given his sealed scroll and his "mission," his superior gave him the "this is your last chance" speech, kind of going over the list of his paladin code failings (which was rather lengthy). He pretty much drummed it into the ex-paladin's head that his greatest failing as a paladin was a lack of caring for other people, and a "me first" attitude in pretty much everything he did. (Once, after having defeated a gnome illusionist that had been bilking peasants of their hard-earned money using a "troll bridge toll collector" illusion, the paladin refused to return the money to the peasant community. It actually came to inter-party blows that time, resulting in returning most of the money to the peasants after the paladin took what he considered his fair reward for helping drive off the evil gnome. This resulted in the NPC cleric leaving the party in disgust...which, come to think of it, was why the paladin was the only means of healing when the scout fell into the pit trap.)

So yes, you may have failed at that tailor-made "quest," Lord Pendragon - but you probably wouldn't have been in that specific situation, either. I'd have probably come up with a different test had there been a different reason for the PC having lost his paladinhood.

Johnathan

P.S. - How ironic, my 666th post is about paladins.

 

[Orius]

Yeah, reading over my explanation it does look kind of like it was a setup...which, I guess it was, but I thought I had made the situation pretty clear in-game. When the ex-paladin was given his sealed scroll and his "mission," his superior gave him the "this is your last chance" speech, kind of going over the list of his paladin code failings (which was rather lengthy). He pretty much drummed it into the ex-paladin's head that his greatest failing as a paladin was a lack of caring for other people, and a "me first" attitude in pretty much everything he did.

That's how it came off to me. You previously mentioned that the paladin lost his abilities after not savign the party scout. It would seen the paladn had a strong selfish streak to him which is most un-paladin like (I supposed cowardice can be thrown in as well, since he seemed to b a bit risk-adverse when it came to the pit). The fact that he went off to continue the quest instead of helping the farmers only proved that he was putting his ambitions before the the needs of others once again; that is he was more concerned about regaining his paladinhood than performing an act of charity.

P.S. - How ironic, my 666th post is about paladins.

Amusing.

 

[Kvantum]

Well, the dumbest example I've ever seen was in my relatively long-going(getting up near two years now) online game. I play a paladin/divine champion of Mystra, and no, this is not about me losing my paladinhood. This story concerns another player in the game, who shall remain (relatively) nameless.

W., as I shall refer to her, is not exactly the best role-player, or the best power gamer, or... well, anyway, W. had just killed off yet another of her characters (she gets bored frequently too) and so she decided to play a character that suited her personality a bit more. A paladin of Sune. (And yes, they're legal. They're mentioned in the FRCS, IIRC.) Flighty and a bit vain she could play with no problem, or so the DM and I thought. Well, W. has a bit of a reputation amongst our circle of friends, so I figured I'd make the best of it and start up a little betting pool (only IC money, dammit). I had my money on 2-3 hours before she'd lose her paladinhood.

Anyway, we started playing, and immediately our two paladins didn't get along. They argued the whole way through the session, right past the first hour, and then the second, and then about 30 minutes into the third hour, I picked another fight with her. Now W. claims I baited her into the exact statement that cost her her paladinhood, but it was just a blurted out kind of thing. "My goddess can kick your goddess's skanky butt" was my opening. Now, in retrospect, saying such a thing about a goddess who was clearly on the side of good might have been cause for me to need to say some prayers of atonement, perhaps make a donation to a Sunite church to avoid any long term reprecussions... but W.'s response was just classic W. "My goddess may be a skanky ho but yours..."

And then ZAPPO. I don't care how loosely your god takes vows for his or her paladins, but calling your own deity that is never a good idea. And W. certainly paid the price. Any follower of Sune who wakes up to find she now looks like a troll certainly has some words to reconsider.

Needless to say I was quite happy that it happened by accident, during my square of the pool. Made a nice chunk of gp off that.

W.'s troll-looking paladin? Well, she had a chance to rp her way back into Sune's good graces through an important quest. W. got bored with that whole storyline and let her paladin run away in shame before she made up a druid.

(And if anybody who knows W. reads this, I tell the story with all the love I have for her. Even good friends can royally tear into one another every so often )

 

[Lord Pendragon]

(Once, after having defeated a gnome illusionist that had been bilking peasants of their hard-earned money using a "troll bridge toll collector" illusion, the paladin refused to return the money to the peasant community. It actually came to inter-party blows that time, resulting in returning most of the money to the peasants after the paladin took what he considered his fair reward for helping drive off the evil gnome.

Oh, my...

I once had a paladin in a game who was like that. He was the first to loot bodies, and the last into combat. But he was also the roommate of a good friend of mine (who also played in the game) and we were more amused than truly angry with him. To try and steer him onto the straight and narrow, I had an NPC paladin join the party, to try and show the guy by example what kind of behavior was expected. The NPC would leap into battle readily, "stand behind me, my companions, for my faith shall be our shield!" And "That gold was taken from bandits. Better it be given to peasants, for that is surely from whence it came."

The guy never got the message, though. Even after the Hallowed Blade chose the rogue instead of him...

 

[omedon]

Mr Paladin starts whining, b*tching, generally having a tantrum, then boldly offers my CN Barbarian *gold* to go kill the guy, take the sword, and give it to him (and in front of the whole party, too, not in secret). As a player, I literally sat there with my mouth open for a minute or two just trying to figure out what to say to him. I refused (because I didnt want to tick off a big ole group of paladins) and he went *nuts*, screaming it was "in character" for my chaotic barbarian to want to do this. The DM stripped him of his paladinhood on the spot, I started laughing uncontrollably, the player pitched a fit and stormed out of the house and drove home.

Quite possibly the worst example of munchkin meets stupid I've ever experienced in my gaming life.

I like this one a lot. It is right up there with charging the old man with a lance.

 

[Altalazar]

I like this one a lot. It is right up there with charging the old man with a lance.

Gaga About Gnomes??? What is that from? Have you seen my story hour, perchance (see my .sig?)

And this thread has me wondering just why people who don't want to follow the code of a Paladin would ever decide to play one (not that this is the only way dumb paladin tricks happen - as this thread has shown).

 

[Westwind]

Well, the dumbest example I've ever seen was in my relatively long-going(getting up near two years now) online game. I play a paladin/divine champion of Mystra, and no, this is not about me losing my paladinhood. This story concerns another player in the game, who shall remain (relatively) nameless.

W., as I shall refer to her, is not exactly the best role-player, or the best power gamer, or... well, anyway, W. had just killed off yet another of her characters (she gets bored frequently too) and so she decided to play a character that suited her personality a bit more. A paladin of Sune. (And yes, they're legal. They're mentioned in the FRCS, IIRC.) Flighty and a bit vain she could play with no problem, or so the DM and I thought. Well, W. has a bit of a reputation amongst our circle of friends, so I figured I'd make the best of it and start up a little betting pool (only IC money, dammit). I had my money on 2-3 hours before she'd lose her paladinhood.

Anyway, we started playing, and immediately our two paladins didn't get along. They argued the whole way through the session, right past the first hour, and then the second, and then about 30 minutes into the third hour, I picked another fight with her. Now W. claims I baited her into the exact statement that cost her her paladinhood, but it was just a blurted out kind of thing. "My goddess can kick your goddess's skanky butt" was my opening. Now, in retrospect, saying such a thing about a goddess who was clearly on the side of good might have been cause for me to need to say some prayers of atonement, perhaps make a donation to a Sunite church to avoid any long term reprecussions... but W.'s response was just classic W. "My goddess may be a skanky ho but yours..."

And then ZAPPO. I don't care how loosely your god takes vows for his or her paladins, but calling your own deity that is never a good idea. And W. certainly paid the price. Any follower of Sune who wakes up to find she now looks like a troll certainly has some words to reconsider.

Needless to say I was quite happy that it happened by accident, during my square of the pool. Made a nice chunk of gp off that.

It doesn't sound like W. is much fun to play with, but I have to say, if my gaming group was making bets on my character's demise (one way or another) and then conspiring in-game to bring it about, I'd find a new group pretty quick. It may be that the way you've written it conveys the wrong impression, but I don't see any example of good Paladin playing there. And if your character profited from the bet, you best believe his own God would notice.