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Message: <blockquote data-quote="kigmatzomat" data-source="post: 1499207" data-attributes="member: 9254">I love Paladins and some of my players agree.  We have some basic "gentleman's agreements" where paladins are concerned that may violate the letter of the rules but not the spirit.1) Campaign start: Paladins won't knowingly consort with evil but if they agree to do something good and it requires working with evil they will but they watch evil like a hawk.  If after a time they realize that the evil is selfish but with the potential for good (or at least neutrality) they might stay around them to convert them.  If they're really dangerous but haven't done anything justifying a good smiting they'll stay around to make sure they *don't* do anything to justify a smiting.  2) Superman/Batman teamup:  Paladins won't break their code and they won't let someone do something evil.  They will, if need be, allow people to be neutral (I.e. threats, deception, intimidation, using painful force where incapacitation was otherwise possible, etc).  3) Paladins are people too.  Depending on the setting and paladin, they may frequent prostitutes, drink, and even enjoy a good brawl.  But they're always courteous, tip well, never force someone to do something they don't want, and avoid causing harm.  (A paladin and a barbarian can get into a brawl and be laughing at the end of it, hence no harm done.)4) Paladins fight the Good fight which also means they fight good.  They use tactics, ambushes, stealth, guile, explosives, and other combat-effective tactics.  They don't use women for body shields or children to find traps.  A paladin with rogue levels can, and does, sneak attack.  Combined with Smite and Divine sacrifice it can really lay a demon out.  Assassination is a darkly gray area but, IMO, as long as the opponent is blatantly & irredeemably evil it's a-ok.  A 6th level paladin who has one arrow of dragon slaying is perfectly justified in assassinating the red dragon.    I've plaid lots of paladins, mostly as NPCs both in my game and in others that I'd kibbitz.  Some were the epitomy of the bad stereotype paladin (called the thief "trap springer", was haughty, etc) but at the same time he grappled Lord Soth while blinded to protect the rest of the party because it was the right thing to do.  (I'll note that that paladin was an NPC in another person's game and I was just following instructions)Others, like my current paladin H'orst, are well liked by good and not-so-good characters alike.  H'orst drinks like a fish, socializes well, enjoys combat, is charitable to those in need, has no problem using his social status for a good reason but is otherwise "plain folks" and generally, IMO, the epitomy of a good paladin. But I'm sure he'd have already fallen in other games despite being an almost golden example of a pure & good soul in mine.</blockquote>

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