Bending the class for evil? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Bending the class for evil? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Protoss-Paladin
10-14-05, 10:58 AM Could someone pick the Blackguard when they are starting out as a class? It's abilities aren't that much different then a paladin if you line them up by level.
pwatson1974
10-14-05, 11:36 AM No. Blackguard is a Prestige Class.
However, you could play the Paladin of Slaughter or Paladin of Tyranny from Unearthed Arcana.
gbnogkfs
10-14-05, 11:02 PM Could someone pick the Blackguard when they are starting out as a class? It's abilities aren't that much different then a paladin if you line them up by level.

if you can meet the prerequisites... yes, you can
caeruleus
10-15-05, 02:07 AM However, you could play the Paladin of Slaughter or Paladin of Tyranny from Unearthed Arcana.

Or, pick up a copy of Dragon#312 for a Lawful Evil, Neutral Evil, and Chaotic Evil version of the paladin. Much better than the ones in UA.
Wildonion
10-15-05, 11:47 AM I liked the ones in UA, they also had a CG paladin. Though brought a bit more flexibility to the class for my players and they loved it. It was nice not having a paladin who had a stick in his butt.
John Q. Mayhem
10-15-05, 04:15 PM It's staggeringly easy to convert the paladin to evil, anyhow.
caeruleus
10-15-05, 04:35 PM I liked the ones in UA, they also had a CG paladin.

There's also a better CG paladin in Dragon#310 (along with a NG, LN, TN, and CN version).

But still (and this criticism applies to the ones in Dragon, not just UA) the knightly-themed class works for lawful characters. I'd expect much more variety in approaches from those devoted to chaos.
Protoss-Paladin
10-18-05, 12:42 PM I'm saying what are the advantages to playing a blackguard at first level that the paladin doesn't get(Let's throw out poison)? I mean they bend the rules to make a CG Paladin, what is the difference? I'm not taking the Blackguard for what it says either, his class abilites are going to be adjusted so I don't get all the benefits without penalties.
Vasyek
10-18-05, 03:23 PM Advantages are a more offensively oriented aura, sneak attack, poison use, and a more versatile familiar/companion. Possibly the paladin to blackguard conversion perks if you include those in a core class build.

Disadvantages are no immunity to fear or disease, and no remove disease/week ability. The first two are nice, the second's fairly useless; all in all the blackguard as a core class would require some sort of reduction or added disadvantage to be balanced against the paladin. They also get less smite goods than the paladin gets smite evils. Oh, and no lay on hands equivalent barring the aforementioned fallen paladin goodies.
Thubby
10-18-05, 07:21 PM like everyone is saying unearthed arcana has a twisted paladin type. but if you dont want to spend 50+ dollars, just change all "good" to evil, "cure" to inflict and a fear aura instead of a courageous one, also just change divine grace to something more evil sounding, like "profane gift" or "protection of the wicked"
Ibbins
10-18-05, 07:30 PM what he said. When it comes down to it, the only real difference between good and evil in D&D(and all too often, in RL) is the label.
Worguron
10-18-05, 07:48 PM Paladin Variants in Unearthed Arcana are OGL content. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#paladinVaria ntsFreedomSlaughterAndTyranny)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Protoss-Paladin 10-14-05, 10:58 AM	Could someone pick the Blackguard when they are starting out as a class? It's abilities aren't that much different then a paladin if you line them up by level.
pwatson1974 10-14-05, 11:36 AM	No. Blackguard is a Prestige Class. However, you could play the Paladin of Slaughter or Paladin of Tyranny from Unearthed Arcana.
gbnogkfs 10-14-05, 11:02 PM	Could someone pick the Blackguard when they are starting out as a class? It's abilities aren't that much different then a paladin if you line them up by level. if you can meet the prerequisites... yes, you can
caeruleus 10-15-05, 02:07 AM	However, you could play the Paladin of Slaughter or Paladin of Tyranny from Unearthed Arcana. Or, pick up a copy of Dragon#312 for a Lawful Evil, Neutral Evil, and Chaotic Evil version of the paladin. Much better than the ones in UA.
Wildonion 10-15-05, 11:47 AM	I liked the ones in UA, they also had a CG paladin. Though brought a bit more flexibility to the class for my players and they loved it. It was nice not having a paladin who had a stick in his butt.
John Q. Mayhem 10-15-05, 04:15 PM	It's staggeringly easy to convert the paladin to evil, anyhow.
caeruleus 10-15-05, 04:35 PM	I liked the ones in UA, they also had a CG paladin. There's also a better CG paladin in Dragon#310 (along with a NG, LN, TN, and CN version). But still (and this criticism applies to the ones in Dragon, not just UA) the knightly-themed class works for lawful characters. I'd expect much more variety in approaches from those devoted to chaos.
Protoss-Paladin 10-18-05, 12:42 PM	I'm saying what are the advantages to playing a blackguard at first level that the paladin doesn't get(Let's throw out poison)? I mean they bend the rules to make a CG Paladin, what is the difference? I'm not taking the Blackguard for what it says either, his class abilites are going to be adjusted so I don't get all the benefits without penalties.
Vasyek 10-18-05, 03:23 PM	Advantages are a more offensively oriented aura, sneak attack, poison use, and a more versatile familiar/companion. Possibly the paladin to blackguard conversion perks if you include those in a core class build. Disadvantages are no immunity to fear or disease, and no remove disease/week ability. The first two are nice, the second's fairly useless; all in all the blackguard as a core class would require some sort of reduction or added disadvantage to be balanced against the paladin. They also get less smite goods than the paladin gets smite evils. Oh, and no lay on hands equivalent barring the aforementioned fallen paladin goodies.
Thubby 10-18-05, 07:21 PM	like everyone is saying unearthed arcana has a twisted paladin type. but if you dont want to spend 50+ dollars, just change all "good" to evil, "cure" to inflict and a fear aura instead of a courageous one, also just change divine grace to something more evil sounding, like "profane gift" or "protection of the wicked"
Ibbins 10-18-05, 07:30 PM	what he said. When it comes down to it, the only real difference between good and evil in D&D(and all too often, in RL) is the label.
Worguron 10-18-05, 07:48 PM	Paladin Variants in Unearthed Arcana are OGL content. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#paladinVaria ntsFreedomSlaughterAndTyranny)