What's the Paladin bring to the table?

[Giltonio_Santos]

Paladins stay for the same reason of druids, bards, barbarians and others I can't remember now. Classes emulating classic fantasy archetypes are just good to have around. The day I have to use a fighter/cleric combo to create my paladin and a cleric/ranger one to create my druid is the day I'm quiting D&D for GURPS; a few classes to use just as tools is not much better than no class at all.

Technically, the game only needs three classes to work: Fighting Man, Magic User and Fighting Magic User. Everything else can be done using those. Mechanically, everybody is fighting, casting spells or using a combination of both. More classes mean more choices, and a more interesting game, in my opinion.

Cheers,

 

[Mercule]

Great responses, all around.

This one really hit me, though:

Agree totally. In 4th however the paladin is attempting to fill another role then the cleric. The cleric is a short term buffer and ally booster. The paladin is trying to protect everyone else. I think it has more merit in 4th ed (as would barbarian, shadowknight, etc.) i.e. any form of tank as a second form of tank (a guy who is empowered by his god or gods) who can hold peoples attention with his holy power while the cleric is fullifilling a different role and a multi-classed (via feat) fighter/cleirc is gaining DIFFERENT abilities/power than the paladin.

Bottom line: Paladin and clerics have DIFFERENT POWERS, it is no longer that the paladin is just a watered down cleric with a few extra hit points and a pop into existance horse.

I think this is the key. The 3x paladin really felt like a feat-light fighter crossed with a spell-light cleric, with some party tricks. I never really got that feeling in prior editions, which could be just due to the multi-classing rules, but I think there's more to it.

Paladins having different powers, though, would make a huge difference. Really, I think the powers will define each class, and if the paladin has powers that are unlike those of any other class, they'll have their niche. I really hope that it goes well beyond FX. It would be disappointing if most of the paladin powers differed from fighters by substituting "because my god said so" for "because I've practiced a lot".

Just one more reason to be impatient for the next month.

 

[ProfessorCirno]

Maybe it's just me, but I loved the 3.x paladin, especially compared to the fighter. Cha to saves is awesome. Full BAB and 2 good saves? Also awesome. Not being worthless like the Ranger while also being better than Fighter? Sweet. Being able to heal yourself? Sign me up! Free trained mount with natural armor and a lot of Int to train it tricks with? Where's the down side? The first 5 levels are totally worth it. Always. And then there's the PrCs. I would have sex with Raziel in thanks for creating his PrC.

The only flaws Paladin had, in my opinion, was that it wasn't a wizard, cleric, or druid, and the dreaded Large Red Button of Make Your Paladin Fall that every DM would stare at.

 

[Giltonio_Santos]

Maybe it's just me, but I loved the 3.x paladin, especially compared to the fighter.

I've had a lot of fun playing 3.5 paladins as well. I don't feel at anytime playing a substandard fighter/cleric, and I'd hate to wait 5-7 levels to really play the character I want with a prestige class. Use a scimitar or falchion with bless weapon to wipe evil foes without needing a confirmation roll on crits, smite evil, Divine Might to spend those turning attempts, and two-handed power attack with a falchion or great sword. On my own experience, the 3.5 paladin dominates the field against evil foes, which just happen to be plentiful in our campaigns.

Cheers,

 

[Torchlyte]

The Cleric says: Don't attack me.

The Fighter says: You can't get around me.

The Paladin says: You have to go through me.