What viable paladin PrCs are out there?

Carpe DM

First Post
I'm still interested in Paladin PrCs. I got so frustrated with the 3.0 lack of anything worth a rip that I had to write a bunch for my own campaign.

Has anyone found a PrC that doesn't simply eviscerate a paladin's powers without giving anything useful in return?

I'll blush to admit it -- but I've played some Neverwinter to get a gaming fix. The Defender of Torm class there seems amazingly well-designed by WotC's usual standards. Has that class been put out for pen and paper anywhere?

cheers,

Carpe
 

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Paladins

get abilities past level 6? News to me :D

If you care about the two paladin abilities that scale with level, there are two excellent prc's for you:

If you care about your mount, Cavalier from complete warrior stacks with paladin levels for it, and gives tons of great stuff.

If you care about smiting and spellcasting, the Fist of Raziel stacks with that, enhances your smiting, and turns YOU into a holy avenger (nearly).

If you don't care about the paladin's spells or mount/smiting, there are of course dozens of decent warrior prc's available. These two highlight the two strongest stacking things a paladin gets, imo.


Hope that helps,
Sereg
 

The Divine Champion from the FRCS is a decent pally PrC -- it has Cha-based abilities, which a paladin should be able to make good use of, anyways.

Having a smite attack based on religion instead of alignment is handy.
 

Hunter of the dead is good, too; though you lose a lot of paladin stuff you get very complementary abilities.

I don't think the Champion of Torm is a good standard- it basically gets almost everything that a paladin gets, plus everything that a fighter gets.
 

the Jester said:
I'll blush to admit it -- but I've played some Neverwinter to get a gaming fix. The Defender of Torm class there seems amazingly well-designed by WotC's usual standards. Has that class been put out for pen and paper anywhere?

Thats the one with lay on hands and smite (that both stack with paladins if you have paladin levels), bonus feats like a fighter (1st, 2nd, 4th etc), +1 to all saves every 2nd level (which stacks with +cha bonus to saves if you were a paladin), and had 2 good saves or soemthing ludicrous like that right? Well designed?

Prestige classes should be alternatives, not just flat out better.
 



Thanks for the suggestions.

As for the design comments folks posted, I agree the feats from the Torm PrC are a touch overpowering.

However, as to the idea that a PrC should not be a distinct advantage over a base class -- I think the design ought to be consistent between spellcaster and non-spellcaster PrCs. It hasn't been, (and still isn't in 3.5 -- Mystic Theurge anyone?) and that's a design flaw.

Mage and Cleric PrCs have consistently been overpowered in 3.0+ because their powers are contained in spell lists -- conserved in every PrC for those classes. So every spellcaster PrC with specific extra abilities is just gravy.

One interesting option, for those interested, is the Prestige Paladin PrC (UA), layered on top of a Str / Destruction cleric. You don't lose out too much in the way of smiting, you exchange the paladin spell list for cleric, and end up able to cast quite useful combat buffing magic.

best,

Carpe
 

Carpe DM said:
One interesting option, for those interested, is the Prestige Paladin PrC (UA), layered on top of a Str / Destruction cleric. You don't lose out too much in the way of smiting, you exchange the paladin spell list for cleric, and end up able to cast quite useful combat buffing magic.
I may be wrong, but I believe the granted powers for both the Strength and Destruction domains are stll based off cleric level. So, if you have a Ftr1/Clr4/PPal15, you still only get +4 to Strength and +4 smite damage from your Strength and Destruction domain abilities respectively.

I also think you get the paladin spell list in addition to the cleric spell list, not exchanging one for the other (which would make spell slots of 5th and higher level less useful).

However, if you have both Unearthed Arcana and Book of Exalted Deeds, have you considered the possibilities of a Cleric 4/Human Paragon 3/Prestige Paladin 3/Fist of Raziel 10? BAB +18, casts spells as a 17th-level cleric, and much smite evil goodness.
 

Complete Divine of course comes out next month and I'm sure that'll have at least one, heh.

Dude, complaints on Mystic Theurge are sooo last year. 2 caster levels behind in casting progression (i.e. decreased power, quite a decrease I might add ugh, it helps to have actually played one) for versatility. A typical PrC that offers a focus in a particular area (versatility) and a weakness (spell power).

To add to what is already here and on topic: Hammer of Moradin, Justicar of Tyr, and Morninglord of Lathander are alright Paladin PrCs from PGtF but you're likely better off with some of the other PrCs already mentioned unless your a little multi-classed (Paladin/Cleric for example).
 

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