Paladin

Description

The paladin is a holy knight, crusading in the name of good and order, and is a divine spellcaster. In addition, compared to other classes the paladin class has one of the most restrictive codes of conduct in their single-mindedness and utter devotion to good. Paladin characters are expected to demonstrate and embody goodness.

Alignment

Lawful good.

HP per Level

10

Class Skills

The paladin’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Ride (Dex), and Sense Motive (Wis).

The paladin is automatically competent with the Protect skill.

Skill Points at 1st Level

(2 + Int modifier) ×4.

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Paladins are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).

Aura of Good

The power of a paladin’s aura of good (see the detect good spell) is equal to her paladin level.

Detect Evil

At will, a paladin can use detect evil, as the spell.

Divine Grace

A paladin gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws.

Aura of Courage

A paladin is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects.

This ability functions while the paladin is conscious, but not if she is unconscious or dead.

Divine Health

A paladin gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases.

Magic Points

The following abilities cost a magic point, which the paladin can restore from resting in a tavern.

Smite Evil

A paladin may attempt to smite evil with one normal melee attack. She adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her attack roll and deals an extra points of damage per paladin level. If the paladin accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect, but the ability still uses a magic point.

Lay on Hands

A paladin with a Charisma score of 12 or higher can heal wounds (her own or those of others) by touch. With one use of this ability, she can heal a total number of hit points of damage equal to her Charisma bonus x her paladin level / 2.

Alternatively, a paladin can use any or all of this healing power to deal damage to undead creatures. Using lay on hands in this way requires a successful melee touch attack and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity.

Turn Undead

A paladin has the power to frighten undead creatures by channeling the power of his faith through her holy symbol

Turning Check

The first thing you do is roll a turning check to see how powerful an undead creature you can turn. This is a Charisma check (1d20 + your Charisma modifier). Table: Turning Undead gives you the Hit Dice of the most powerful undead you can affect, relative to your level. On a given turning attempt, you can turn no undead creature whose Hit Dice exceed the result on this table.

Special Mount

A paladin gains the service of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed to serve her in her crusade against evil. This mount is a heavy warhorse (for a Medium paladin) or a warpony (for a Small paladin). At 7th level, the paladin gains the loyalty of a griffon.

For one magic point, a paladin may magically call her mount from the celestial realms in which it resides. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the paladin and remains for 2 hours per paladin level. The mount is the same creature each time it is summoned, though the paladin may release a particular mount from service.

Each time the mount is called, it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it may have taken previously. The mount also appears wearing or carrying any gear it had when it was last dismissed. Calling a mount is a conjuration (calling) effect.

Should the paladin’s mount die, it immediately disappears, leaving behind any equipment it was carrying.

Spells

Beginning at 4th level, a paladin gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells, which are drawn from the paladin spell list. A paladin must choose and prepare her spells in advance.

To prepare or cast a spell, a paladin must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a paladin’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the paladin’s Charisma modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a paladin can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score.

A paladin prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does. A paladin may prepare and cast any spell on the paladin spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.

Code of Conduct

A paladin must be of lawful good alignment and loses all class abilities if she ever willingly commits an evil act.

Additionally, a paladin’s code requires that she respect legitimate authority, act with honor (not lying, not cheating, not using poison, and so forth), help those in need (provided they do not use the help for evil or chaotic ends), and punish those who harm or threaten innocents.

Associates

While she may adventure with characters of any good or neutral alignment, a paladin will never knowingly associate with evil characters, nor will she continue an association with someone who consistently offends her moral code. A paladin may accept only henchmen, followers, or cohorts who are lawful good.

Fallen Paladins

A paladin who ceases to be lawful good, who willfully commits an evil act, or who grossly violates the code of conduct loses all paladin spells and abilities (including the service of the paladin’s mount, but not weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies). She may not progress any farther in levels as a paladin. She regains her abilities and advancement potential if she atones for her violations (see the atonement spell description), as appropriate.

Inquisitor

Gain

Favored enemy (as ranger; may only select aberrations, dragons, giants, monstrous humanoids, evil outsiders, or undead).

Lose

Lay on hands, turn undead, remove disease.