Drow paladin-blackguard [Archive] - Wizards Community

Drow paladin-blackguard [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Infernostrider
07-24-07, 09:01 AM i'm opting to create a drow paladin (as my siggy says), which is supposed to grow out to a blackguard someday. my group is almost done preparing itself so basicly character generation is the last thing that needs to be done.

In an unofficial, homebrew campaign world (of which only the DM knows anything), what would be your advice for a Drow Paladin? (i've already decided how to work the blackguard part, might even continue to legendary dreadnaught someday)

my ability scores are still to be generated, so dont worry about those yet. As quirks i have an innate fear of spiders. I have no idea what god to worship, i dont think any of the goodly drow gods are lawful good although i can't be sure, and Pelor is not quite my style..sungod+drow=omg noes my eyes :'( /noob

so...any advice on how to play this? you name it and chances are i can play it, i'm not choosing such a tough roleplaying character for nought >< although i'm NOT learning signlanguage in real life ><
konrad_the_tall
07-24-07, 09:05 AM Well, hats off to you. your goign to get a lot of sticj for this, but respect for choosing a harder path.
Infernostrider
07-24-07, 09:07 AM might be that i'll regret the decision thoroughly, but my DM won't let me play it from level 1 onward because of the level adjustment, so i might start it from level 5 onward?
Saragon42
07-24-07, 09:38 AM I can't remember if it's in Unearthed Arcana or PHB2, but the Paladin of Freedom variant (a chaotic good paladin) would be a good choice for you since you haven't got a lawful good drow god.

Alternatively, if you want to start out evil (to jump straight to blackguard, if you will :P ) there's the Paladin of Tyranny (lawful evil) and Paladin of Slaughter (chaotic evil).

My group has never used drow as either NPC enemies nor playable characters -- we find them cliched and annoying, I suppose -- but a fear of spiders is something so unusual for a drow that it's worth investigating a bit further. Could be that your inborn fear of spiders caused you to be abandoned as a small child on the surface by the priestesses of Llolth.

The big background question is "How did you get on the surface?" -- did your god command you to leave the Underdark? Did you flee there? Were you young or grown when you left the Underdark? These are great starting points for building a history; ask yourself a question about your character, answer it, and then see what question that answer raises. ;)
Infernostrider
07-24-07, 09:48 AM good one, getting on the surface and the reason for becoming a paladin isn't too hard..but i AM a standardized, lawful good paladin. i'm used to obeing laws as i was in the matriarchal society of the drow. I'm scared of spiders because i was given to (sacrificed) Lloth. Lloth, after several decades of torture, gave me to a lesser demon. This demon, of which the name must still be made up, was defeated by a high clerical order, who almost slew me as they saw the coloration of my skin. Somehow, they took pity upon me and raised me to be a paladin for their order. the big question is, WHAT order ^^ i should have posted that the deity isn't necessarily of the drow pantheon, although if it were i would be a paladin of ellistraea who i believe to be chaotic good

the being scared of spiders is obvious after being given to Lloth at the tender age of 20. My resentment of evil is because A: i hadn't had much of a chance to grow onto the regular drow customs, B: i'm brought up mostly by a clerical order to become a fully fledged paladin 40 years after my release (god knows why its taken that long, still working on that) and C: i was probably given to Lloth because i didn't adhere to the drows evil standards, but i was too young to remember (and supressing memories of a past life was my only defense against the tortures of the spider queen and the demon)

i'm supposedly 140 years old, or something like that, when i leave the order to start in the campaign. drow live up to 7 or 8 centuries so thats still fairly young :)
Prator_the_Legendary
07-24-07, 11:14 AM ....I have an instinctive dislike for people who plan this far in advance to make their paladins into blackguards, BEFORE they even know for sure that there will be the kind of circumstances that cause such a dramatic shift.

That said, you should probably choose a lawful-good deity that pertains to the world you're in. For the Core world, Heironeous would be a good example. For the Forgotten Realms, maybe Torm or Tyr or even Helm would serve. You pick.

Also, if you really want to go Blackguard, you should focus on getting the necessary skills fairly soon. Do you want to go for ten levels of paladin (which would make the skill-acquisition hard, but which would also make the changeover very easy), or would you prefer to fall first, switch to a class that has a blackguard's prerequisite skills as class skills, and work your way down from there?

Again, enormous roleplaying choices made in advance are usually bad.
Infernostrider
07-24-07, 12:45 PM True, true, things may go completely awry, i might even decide to not cross over to evil at all, and either way if i for some reason am unable to make peaceful contact with an evil extra planar being, i'm more then content to stick to staying a paladin. IF i do continue forward with this plan, which ofcourse at this point in time i plan to do, i wont cross to blackguard before hitting level 21 so i can convert 10 levels to blackguard. Might even decide to go legendary dreadnaught after that, but we'll see about that (VERY big doubts)
The possibilities are positively endless, and i've already considered quite a fair amount of them as i've been thinking and planning, even considering what kinds of actions i might want to take. the cross over to blackguard, however, will likely be one i'll make while still a paladin, before the actual falling or minutes afterwards...if circumstances allow me to do so, ofcourse. Next to my plans, as i said i'm more then content to stay a paladin if i have no way to cross over to blackguarddom. If, for some reason, i'm level 30 by the time i get a first glimpse of an opportunity, i'll do it then. it doesn't matter :) The biggest factor is the dungeon master, ofcourse, who is aware of my idea of a drow paladin, but not of the convergence to blackguard. i'll talk to him about it when we get there

up till then i mostly wish to get some advice on how to play such a character in the first place, as for being a good aligned drow paladin who's afraid of spiders is quite a challenge to roleplay and that's the biggest dilemma i'm having, the most important thing on my mind. idea's is what i need ^^
Voran
07-25-07, 03:54 AM This kinda stuff just makes me cry. /cry

Edit: To clarify, the reason this makes me cry is that its kinda a slap in the face to the DM. The message is "It doesn't matter what type of adventures you put us through, at some point I'm going to say 'screw it' and start eating babies so I can become a blackguard."

Whats going to be worse is if the DM has no idea that this is the intention, as suddenly at some point, for no logical reason based on actual adventuring, the 'hero party' will have one of its frickin paragons of good, switch sides.

Yeah, no potential for disruption there :P
Jungingen
07-25-07, 04:29 AM Whats going to be worse is if the DM has no idea that this is the intention, as suddenly at some point, for no logical reason based on actual adventuring, the 'hero party' will have one of its frickin paragons of good, switch sides.

This is what really irks me. Who the devil are you traveling with if you can tolerate them as a Paladin and they can tolerate you as a Blackguard? No amount of rationalization or explanation can resolve that, unless the other PCs simply aren't rational.
Infernostrider
07-25-07, 07:13 AM he doesn't know yet because it's not useful for him to know yet. i WILL discuss it with him later, when i'm nearing the time i want to become a blackguard. thats still NOT the point of the topic. it's a topic about roleplaying in the start of the game, so i can get a good idea of how to act as a lawful good drow paladin who's afraid of spiders. The fact that i wish to become a BG, which may actually never happen depending on a lot of circumstances, has nothing to do with the actual question, the need for advice which should be clear by now. I just posted it for you all to get a basic idea of what i'm planning to do, and how my character should act during the start of the game (which will be much the same until i DO become a BG) and possibly during the transition. an evil drow blackguard who's afraid of spiders is much easier to play so that shouldn't be *much* of consequence unless my fiendish servant is a demonic spider
yrogerg
07-25-07, 07:28 AM This is what really irks me. Who the devil are you traveling with if you can tolerate them as a Paladin and they can tolerate you as a Blackguard? No amount of rationalization or explanation can resolve that, unless the other PCs simply aren't rational.

Honestly, one of the best campaigns I played in was one where our "heroic" party gradually compromised their morals and became corrupted, and the party itself eventually slipping towards the Evil Party (with one CG character remaining) that was mainly bent on avenging themselves or consolidating power, albeit with the unintentional side-effect of defeating the BBEG at the end of the game. It *did* make sense the whole way through, though.

The two characters who survived till the end even went on to become major setting villains in a follow-up campaign.

The thing is, though, I *did* tell my DM in advance of the campaign that I planned on turning EEEEvil at some point, and he rolled with it and added the opportunities to to the story, rather than complaining about it. This last bit's directed both at the OP and Voran: A good DM will look for a way to provide opportunities for this to work within the story he has planned, rather than gripe about it, as this is a collaborative story, not a player messing with the DM's solo work. However, it is important to let the DM know that this is the plan, as he's not a mind-reader, either.
Infernostrider
07-25-07, 09:56 AM yea i agree about your mindset about the DM, a good DM is usually able to weave it into the story and that isn't that very hard unless your working with story books only. Either way when the time grows near i'll make sure he knows, somewhere in between seperate adventures. it's not that big a deal if i have to wait an adventure or 2 extra, not at all. when i hit level 11 i'll share the news and when i hope to accomplish it and then we can discuss the possibilities

now can some1 please help me with what i rly need ><?
Prator_the_Legendary
07-25-07, 11:02 AM If you're looking for roleplaying advice...

Why not take your fear of spiders a little bit further? You have an extreme phobia of ANYTHING that reminds you of the evil drow society. Oppression, hatred, torture, racism, the works; you hate and fear those things, those symptoms of sickness and evil dark stuff. However, you're a paladin. And a paladin knows no fear. So, instead of panicking at the sight of Evil, you instinctively lash out at it and try to destroy it at all costs.

That would be cool. A hysteria-driven paladin...

What's really great about it is that if you keep going with fear as your motive to destroy evil, sooner or later you're going to panic and destroy something that isn't really evil, even if it does resemble Drowism in your eyes. That's how you can fall. As a wise jedi once said, "Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering."

As a blackguard, you can still destroy evil, but not because it's the right thing to do. Now you're wreaking havoc because you hate everything.
Infernostrider
07-25-07, 11:04 AM that is actually quite a GREAT idea, although i was planning to play an honorbound paladin, a fearbound paladin might be a good idea too. i'll talk to my DM as soon as possible, because if he allows it it will inevitably lead to falling and becoming a blackguard. dang..THANKS :D:D:D
Stumm_Dolch
07-25-07, 05:30 PM Does your group/DM know you intend to become evil?
I'd be cool with it... but your character becoming an NPC that instant might upset you.

Check with them first.
Infernostrider
07-25-07, 05:34 PM as posted, no they don't know, i'll discuss it when the time is ripe i.e. when its possible for me to cross over from pala to BG but its not the least bit vital yet in which case i'm ready to wait for quite a while

either way i'm not building a character JUST so he can become an npc, and again as posted if circumstances dictate i can't become a BG any time soon or at all, i'll stay a paladin which will always be a cool challenge for a drow
Jungingen
07-25-07, 05:54 PM It's all well and good to have your party turn evil with you, if they're inclined to do that and your DM is inclined to roll with it, but not all are. I've had characters go over to the Dark Side in the past too, and once it became clear, they were immediately killed by their good companions. That's exactly what I expected and exactly what I deserved.

You can moralize all you want about my right to play an evil character and all that jazz, but once you boil a puppy, it's over in the eyes of most reasonable characters. If you're in a group of PCs who will kill entire communities of humanoids for the flimsy reasons usually given out on low-level quests, they should have zero qualms about shanking you the instant that you do something irredeemably vile, and that's what being a Blackguard is all about.

Remember that being a Blackguard isn't about being mean or being evil on the scale of a normal Drow. It's about becoming an avatar of utter and ineffable darkness and malice. You might hide it in the light, you might "look fair and feel foul," but your entire Prestige Class is based around the notion that all your motives and values are sick and depraved to a supernatural extent. In the old parlance you are an "Anti-Paladin," the exact opposite of goodness and virtue in a world where moral black and white classifications are spelled out right there on your character sheet.

Hey, maybe while you're doing your Paladin thing you'll **** your party off so much that they'll welcome a vicious, murderous change. But frankly that's not likely unless they're mercurial teenagers. Even if they don't join in your dark revelries, they will have to at the least tolerate it. If you're doing justice to the concept of the Blackguard, that will be a very, very difficult thing. If you still want to play the character, then mazel tov, but don't be surprised or disappointed if the party does the right thing and executes you after you become a Blackguard.
Infernostrider
07-25-07, 06:04 PM *note to self; when discussing with DM about converting to evil, discuss with the party aswell* good point >< and i love the choice of words in your description
although in my experience, if one can tolerate some1 who plays a paladin to the extreme of the word, as the epitome of good, the harbinger of peace and flowery existence to all who want it, and smite all evil with candy and other sweet things (scary thought imo), then one must not bish about some1 playing a blackguard the way it was intended, and although i can't possibly describe it as well as you do, i'm not one to boil puppies..i'm one to skin m and spray salt over m, i'm willing to pay 10000's of goldpieces in a drow city to better learn the ways of torture from a matron mother (or just play along on every innocent kid i can find until i master some good techniques)

anyway, you ARE right and i do think i will have a good, long conversation with the party members, about how they think about me going to turn evil. if they disagree with it (2 or 3 of m at least) i'll not do it, and yes i'm willing to kill a second paladin in the group *just* to stay alive >< i doubt a BG can stomach one more then a pala can stomach a BG..not that any party should *ever* have more then 1 pala

EDIT: don't forget however, we won't be whiping out communities for stupid reasons, we won't be whiping anything less then evil at all, we've a paladin who's annoyingly lawful good and will ne'er lower himself (or allow his party to do so) to such a low standard

that and we're in an urban evironment most of the time >< don't really get out much
Zarron
07-25-07, 06:10 PM Playing a Blackguard as intended is much different than playing a Paladin.

What with being the epitome of evil and all.

---

Also, as a Blackguard is evil, this other Paladin? He can't travel with you.
Infernostrider
07-25-07, 06:11 PM i think it will be much harder to roleplay a paladin then it will be to roleplay a blackguard
Voran
07-26-07, 05:13 PM i think it will be much harder to roleplay a paladin then it will be to roleplay a blackguard

QFT

Heh and I've found its best not to even post how you're RPing a Paladin, as you'll get a couple hundred posts on how you're doing it wrong.
Infernostrider
07-26-07, 05:16 PM i'm not posting how, i'm posting a question on how i should. i'm looking for suggestions mainly, and i'm not limiting myself to one source. i don't care what others think about my own playing style

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Infernostrider 07-24-07, 09:01 AM	i'm opting to create a drow paladin (as my siggy says), which is supposed to grow out to a blackguard someday. my group is almost done preparing itself so basicly character generation is the last thing that needs to be done. In an unofficial, homebrew campaign world (of which only the DM knows anything), what would be your advice for a Drow Paladin? (i've already decided how to work the blackguard part, might even continue to legendary dreadnaught someday) my ability scores are still to be generated, so dont worry about those yet. As quirks i have an innate fear of spiders. I have no idea what god to worship, i dont think any of the goodly drow gods are lawful good although i can't be sure, and Pelor is not quite my style..sungod+drow=omg noes my eyes :'( /noob so...any advice on how to play this? you name it and chances are i can play it, i'm not choosing such a tough roleplaying character for nought >< although i'm NOT learning signlanguage in real life ><
konrad_the_tall 07-24-07, 09:05 AM	Well, hats off to you. your goign to get a lot of sticj for this, but respect for choosing a harder path.
Infernostrider 07-24-07, 09:07 AM	might be that i'll regret the decision thoroughly, but my DM won't let me play it from level 1 onward because of the level adjustment, so i might start it from level 5 onward?
Saragon42 07-24-07, 09:38 AM	I can't remember if it's in Unearthed Arcana or PHB2, but the Paladin of Freedom variant (a chaotic good paladin) would be a good choice for you since you haven't got a lawful good drow god. Alternatively, if you want to start out evil (to jump straight to blackguard, if you will :P ) there's the Paladin of Tyranny (lawful evil) and Paladin of Slaughter (chaotic evil). My group has never used drow as either NPC enemies nor playable characters -- we find them cliched and annoying, I suppose -- but a fear of spiders is something so unusual for a drow that it's worth investigating a bit further. Could be that your inborn fear of spiders caused you to be abandoned as a small child on the surface by the priestesses of Llolth. The big background question is "How did you get on the surface?" -- did your god command you to leave the Underdark? Did you flee there? Were you young or grown when you left the Underdark? These are great starting points for building a history; ask yourself a question about your character, answer it, and then see what question that answer raises. ;)
Infernostrider 07-24-07, 09:48 AM	good one, getting on the surface and the reason for becoming a paladin isn't too hard..but i AM a standardized, lawful good paladin. i'm used to obeing laws as i was in the matriarchal society of the drow. I'm scared of spiders because i was given to (sacrificed) Lloth. Lloth, after several decades of torture, gave me to a lesser demon. This demon, of which the name must still be made up, was defeated by a high clerical order, who almost slew me as they saw the coloration of my skin. Somehow, they took pity upon me and raised me to be a paladin for their order. the big question is, WHAT order ^^ i should have posted that the deity isn't necessarily of the drow pantheon, although if it were i would be a paladin of ellistraea who i believe to be chaotic good the being scared of spiders is obvious after being given to Lloth at the tender age of 20. My resentment of evil is because A: i hadn't had much of a chance to grow onto the regular drow customs, B: i'm brought up mostly by a clerical order to become a fully fledged paladin 40 years after my release (god knows why its taken that long, still working on that) and C: i was probably given to Lloth because i didn't adhere to the drows evil standards, but i was too young to remember (and supressing memories of a past life was my only defense against the tortures of the spider queen and the demon) i'm supposedly 140 years old, or something like that, when i leave the order to start in the campaign. drow live up to 7 or 8 centuries so thats still fairly young :)
Prator_the_Legendary 07-24-07, 11:14 AM	....I have an instinctive dislike for people who plan this far in advance to make their paladins into blackguards, BEFORE they even know for sure that there will be the kind of circumstances that cause such a dramatic shift. That said, you should probably choose a lawful-good deity that pertains to the world you're in. For the Core world, Heironeous would be a good example. For the Forgotten Realms, maybe Torm or Tyr or even Helm would serve. You pick. Also, if you really want to go Blackguard, you should focus on getting the necessary skills fairly soon. Do you want to go for ten levels of paladin (which would make the skill-acquisition hard, but which would also make the changeover very easy), or would you prefer to fall first, switch to a class that has a blackguard's prerequisite skills as class skills, and work your way down from there? Again, enormous roleplaying choices made in advance are usually bad.
Infernostrider 07-24-07, 12:45 PM	True, true, things may go completely awry, i might even decide to not cross over to evil at all, and either way if i for some reason am unable to make peaceful contact with an evil extra planar being, i'm more then content to stick to staying a paladin. IF i do continue forward with this plan, which ofcourse at this point in time i plan to do, i wont cross to blackguard before hitting level 21 so i can convert 10 levels to blackguard. Might even decide to go legendary dreadnaught after that, but we'll see about that (VERY big doubts) The possibilities are positively endless, and i've already considered quite a fair amount of them as i've been thinking and planning, even considering what kinds of actions i might want to take. the cross over to blackguard, however, will likely be one i'll make while still a paladin, before the actual falling or minutes afterwards...if circumstances allow me to do so, ofcourse. Next to my plans, as i said i'm more then content to stay a paladin if i have no way to cross over to blackguarddom. If, for some reason, i'm level 30 by the time i get a first glimpse of an opportunity, i'll do it then. it doesn't matter :) The biggest factor is the dungeon master, ofcourse, who is aware of my idea of a drow paladin, but not of the convergence to blackguard. i'll talk to him about it when we get there up till then i mostly wish to get some advice on how to play such a character in the first place, as for being a good aligned drow paladin who's afraid of spiders is quite a challenge to roleplay and that's the biggest dilemma i'm having, the most important thing on my mind. idea's is what i need ^^
Voran 07-25-07, 03:54 AM	This kinda stuff just makes me cry. /cry Edit: To clarify, the reason this makes me cry is that its kinda a slap in the face to the DM. The message is "It doesn't matter what type of adventures you put us through, at some point I'm going to say 'screw it' and start eating babies so I can become a blackguard." Whats going to be worse is if the DM has no idea that this is the intention, as suddenly at some point, for no logical reason based on actual adventuring, the 'hero party' will have one of its frickin paragons of good, switch sides. Yeah, no potential for disruption there :P
Jungingen 07-25-07, 04:29 AM	Whats going to be worse is if the DM has no idea that this is the intention, as suddenly at some point, for no logical reason based on actual adventuring, the 'hero party' will have one of its frickin paragons of good, switch sides. This is what really irks me. Who the devil are you traveling with if you can tolerate them as a Paladin and they can tolerate you as a Blackguard? No amount of rationalization or explanation can resolve that, unless the other PCs simply aren't rational.
Infernostrider 07-25-07, 07:13 AM	he doesn't know yet because it's not useful for him to know yet. i WILL discuss it with him later, when i'm nearing the time i want to become a blackguard. thats still NOT the point of the topic. it's a topic about roleplaying in the start of the game, so i can get a good idea of how to act as a lawful good drow paladin who's afraid of spiders. The fact that i wish to become a BG, which may actually never happen depending on a lot of circumstances, has nothing to do with the actual question, the need for advice which should be clear by now. I just posted it for you all to get a basic idea of what i'm planning to do, and how my character should act during the start of the game (which will be much the same until i DO become a BG) and possibly during the transition. an evil drow blackguard who's afraid of spiders is much easier to play so that shouldn't be much of consequence unless my fiendish servant is a demonic spider
yrogerg 07-25-07, 07:28 AM	This is what really irks me. Who the devil are you traveling with if you can tolerate them as a Paladin and they can tolerate you as a Blackguard? No amount of rationalization or explanation can resolve that, unless the other PCs simply aren't rational. Honestly, one of the best campaigns I played in was one where our "heroic" party gradually compromised their morals and became corrupted, and the party itself eventually slipping towards the Evil Party (with one CG character remaining) that was mainly bent on avenging themselves or consolidating power, albeit with the unintentional side-effect of defeating the BBEG at the end of the game. It did make sense the whole way through, though. The two characters who survived till the end even went on to become major setting villains in a follow-up campaign. The thing is, though, I did tell my DM in advance of the campaign that I planned on turning EEEEvil at some point, and he rolled with it and added the opportunities to to the story, rather than complaining about it. This last bit's directed both at the OP and Voran: A good DM will look for a way to provide opportunities for this to work within the story he has planned, rather than gripe about it, as this is a collaborative story, not a player messing with the DM's solo work. However, it is important to let the DM know that this is the plan, as he's not a mind-reader, either.
Infernostrider 07-25-07, 09:56 AM	yea i agree about your mindset about the DM, a good DM is usually able to weave it into the story and that isn't that very hard unless your working with story books only. Either way when the time grows near i'll make sure he knows, somewhere in between seperate adventures. it's not that big a deal if i have to wait an adventure or 2 extra, not at all. when i hit level 11 i'll share the news and when i hope to accomplish it and then we can discuss the possibilities now can some1 please help me with what i rly need ><?
Prator_the_Legendary 07-25-07, 11:02 AM	If you're looking for roleplaying advice... Why not take your fear of spiders a little bit further? You have an extreme phobia of ANYTHING that reminds you of the evil drow society. Oppression, hatred, torture, racism, the works; you hate and fear those things, those symptoms of sickness and evil dark stuff. However, you're a paladin. And a paladin knows no fear. So, instead of panicking at the sight of Evil, you instinctively lash out at it and try to destroy it at all costs. That would be cool. A hysteria-driven paladin... What's really great about it is that if you keep going with fear as your motive to destroy evil, sooner or later you're going to panic and destroy something that isn't really evil, even if it does resemble Drowism in your eyes. That's how you can fall. As a wise jedi once said, "Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering." As a blackguard, you can still destroy evil, but not because it's the right thing to do. Now you're wreaking havoc because you hate everything.
Infernostrider 07-25-07, 11:04 AM	that is actually quite a GREAT idea, although i was planning to play an honorbound paladin, a fearbound paladin might be a good idea too. i'll talk to my DM as soon as possible, because if he allows it it will inevitably lead to falling and becoming a blackguard. dang..THANKS :D:D:D
Stumm_Dolch 07-25-07, 05:30 PM	Does your group/DM know you intend to become evil? I'd be cool with it... but your character becoming an NPC that instant might upset you. Check with them first.
Infernostrider 07-25-07, 05:34 PM	as posted, no they don't know, i'll discuss it when the time is ripe i.e. when its possible for me to cross over from pala to BG but its not the least bit vital yet in which case i'm ready to wait for quite a while either way i'm not building a character JUST so he can become an npc, and again as posted if circumstances dictate i can't become a BG any time soon or at all, i'll stay a paladin which will always be a cool challenge for a drow
Jungingen 07-25-07, 05:54 PM	It's all well and good to have your party turn evil with you, if they're inclined to do that and your DM is inclined to roll with it, but not all are. I've had characters go over to the Dark Side in the past too, and once it became clear, they were immediately killed by their good companions. That's exactly what I expected and exactly what I deserved. You can moralize all you want about my right to play an evil character and all that jazz, but once you boil a puppy, it's over in the eyes of most reasonable characters. If you're in a group of PCs who will kill entire communities of humanoids for the flimsy reasons usually given out on low-level quests, they should have zero qualms about shanking you the instant that you do something irredeemably vile, and that's what being a Blackguard is all about. Remember that being a Blackguard isn't about being mean or being evil on the scale of a normal Drow. It's about becoming an avatar of utter and ineffable darkness and malice. You might hide it in the light, you might "look fair and feel foul," but your entire Prestige Class is based around the notion that all your motives and values are sick and depraved to a supernatural extent. In the old parlance you are an "Anti-Paladin," the exact opposite of goodness and virtue in a world where moral black and white classifications are spelled out right there on your character sheet. Hey, maybe while you're doing your Paladin thing you'll **** your party off so much that they'll welcome a vicious, murderous change. But frankly that's not likely unless they're mercurial teenagers. Even if they don't join in your dark revelries, they will have to at the least tolerate it. If you're doing justice to the concept of the Blackguard, that will be a very, very difficult thing. If you still want to play the character, then mazel tov, but don't be surprised or disappointed if the party does the right thing and executes you after you become a Blackguard.
Infernostrider 07-25-07, 06:04 PM	note to self; when discussing with DM about converting to evil, discuss with the party aswell good point >< and i love the choice of words in your description although in my experience, if one can tolerate some1 who plays a paladin to the extreme of the word, as the epitome of good, the harbinger of peace and flowery existence to all who want it, and smite all evil with candy and other sweet things (scary thought imo), then one must not bish about some1 playing a blackguard the way it was intended, and although i can't possibly describe it as well as you do, i'm not one to boil puppies..i'm one to skin m and spray salt over m, i'm willing to pay 10000's of goldpieces in a drow city to better learn the ways of torture from a matron mother (or just play along on every innocent kid i can find until i master some good techniques) anyway, you ARE right and i do think i will have a good, long conversation with the party members, about how they think about me going to turn evil. if they disagree with it (2 or 3 of m at least) i'll not do it, and yes i'm willing to kill a second paladin in the group just to stay alive >< i doubt a BG can stomach one more then a pala can stomach a BG..not that any party should ever have more then 1 pala EDIT: don't forget however, we won't be whiping out communities for stupid reasons, we won't be whiping anything less then evil at all, we've a paladin who's annoyingly lawful good and will ne'er lower himself (or allow his party to do so) to such a low standard that and we're in an urban evironment most of the time >< don't really get out much
Zarron 07-25-07, 06:10 PM	Playing a Blackguard as intended is much different than playing a Paladin. What with being the epitome of evil and all. --- Also, as a Blackguard is evil, this other Paladin? He can't travel with you.
Infernostrider 07-25-07, 06:11 PM	i think it will be much harder to roleplay a paladin then it will be to roleplay a blackguard
Voran 07-26-07, 05:13 PM	i think it will be much harder to roleplay a paladin then it will be to roleplay a blackguard QFT Heh and I've found its best not to even post how you're RPing a Paladin, as you'll get a couple hundred posts on how you're doing it wrong.
Infernostrider 07-26-07, 05:16 PM	i'm not posting how, i'm posting a question on how i should. i'm looking for suggestions mainly, and i'm not limiting myself to one source. i don't care what others think about my own playing style