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Message: <blockquote data-quote="howandwhy99" data-source="post: 2413613" data-attributes="member: 3192">Okay, admittedly I didn't read all the posts. But I did skim most. Actually I wanted to see what all the hubbub was about. Skipping the initial poster's question I think what is being asked is "What is a paladin to you?" (not just "does this one fit?") It seems pretty obvious there is plenty to talk about in that regard. There are so many opinions here as well as knowledge about the class and its history. In my view, paladin's are the embodiment of Lawfulness and Goodness (in D&D). Plenty of Gods can have champions, but paladins must always be lawful and good. Leaving that alignment means losing one's powers. Now these can also be lost by ticking off one's patron God, but that is going to vary widely depending on the particular God. For all paladins however, I think LG works as a simple litmus test. This isn't the case for other LG characters. Nothing is lost to any other class if they stop being LG. Sure some have alignment requirements, but paladins are far more restrictive and are unique to LG. (IMO, LG-only prestige classes are tantamount to being a paladin anyways) So back to my original statement. Paladins are the embodiment of Lawfulness and Goodness. This means they are some pretty conflicted characters. I don't know everyone's personal experiences, but the law and the good do not always intersect in my opinion. I doubt they would in any sort of realistic fantasy world either. So a paladin, at times, has to determine when to do the lawful act and when to do the good act.  Notice: if they can't do both they are caught in a moral quandry. Does this mean they are "on trial" every time they face a moral division like this? I would think not. There is some amount of wiggle room depending on the patron God. The religion likely has some codes on what to do in certain situations like these to make life easier. But I think being on the leading edge of that moral understanding, a near constant battleground of ethical testing, is what attacts some to play the paladin class. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />I think it's also why threads about paladins tend to be so long. The morality. The politics. The religion. All are tied to the class concept.    Oh yeah. Would I allow it? Depends on a lot of factors. But I prefer to say yes when I can. So yes. (but be prepared for the consequences) </blockquote>

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