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My current Paladin is level 2, his name is Kars Al-Baaz. He arose from a tribal, nomadic desert people and worships Bahamut. He is a rather average guy (stats-wise) and is known for being able to make quick, good management and leadership decisions.
He fights only when there is no viable alternative, he will not kill anything that he fights, unless there is no viable alternative. He would rather make someone repend his evil ways than actively punish him for it. The only creatures he has killed without second thought are the Formians they have been facing. But he believes they are slaves to their superiors and this is their only viable means of liberation.
He tries to lead by example, hoping that even those of evil spirit will feel inspired by him. He is authoritharian, but open to critisism whenever people have it. He trusts people implicitly until they give him reason not to trust them.
He strives to make the society he lives in a beacon of good, but understands that paladinian absolutes cannot make improvements. Though he hates having anyone suffer any evil, he understands that any actions may prove a greater evil than not doing anything.
He adheres to tradition, but doesn't have any dogmatic ideas about them. To him the only right tradition is the tradition that brings forth good, lawful habits. The same goes with governments. The only legitimate authority is based on laws that further good goals.
Overall he is very reactively good. He would rather leave an evil thing alone when it poses no evil threat to anyone. Perhaps time will teach such a creature wisdom and goodness, so killing it proactively might be an opportunity wasted to further the good in this world.
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Elan will not fight HUMANOIDS unless there is no alternative. he tends to devalue other life in some respect. Although he started as kinda lawful stupid, elands grown less naive in his time with the party
He lives by a strong code of helping the righteous.
Human Knight 6/Paladin 7
Simon is the youngest in a VERY large family of very minor nobility who were originally from the once mighty "Shield Lands" which bordered the Kingdom of Furyondy with the foul kingdom of Iuz to the North. They specialize in the raising of horses (something like the Lipizzaners). Since he would inherit little or nothing and grew weary of the constant political maneuverings both inside and outside of his family, he left for the life of a Knight Errant, taking a horse he'd raised from a colt with him, as well as some companion dogs.
[Wild Cohort feat: Heavy Warhorse named Cincinatus]
On the tournament circuit, he generally wore red or some other color with a red device, usually a bull's head. After a while on the tournament circuit and adventuring he saw that even fellow Knights following the code of chivalry could be quite evil and unnecessarily cruel. Wanting to be better than that, he took the next step and became a Paladin of Heironeous. His time as a Knight before becoming a Paladin makes him a bit more worldly than some other Paladins.
Of only average intelligence, Sir Simon knows he is not a great philosopher or a clever debater or preacher of Heironeous, but does his best to be a good example. For this reason he is always polite and tries to keep up appearances. He believes his appearance and actions reflect on all the worshipers of Heironious and strives to make them appropriate. The ability stat increases have been going to his Wisdom, representing his experiences adventuring. Sadder but wiser applies to Sir Simon. He is sometimes mistaken for being older than he actually is. Generally guileless, he knows he has trouble telling when people are trying to pull the wool over his eyes. More recently he has been trying to make up this deficiency by adding ranks to the Sense Motive skill.
[Traits: Honest and Polite]
Simon is fond of animals and takes good care of his horses and dogs. He cannot abide animal cruelty. He would practice falconry if he is given the opportunity, but generally cannot as he moves around too much. He enjoys chess, but often loses to the arcane spellcasters.
Simon rarely uses his 'Smite Evil' ability. He only gets 2/day and generally tries to conserve them for the BBEG. The DM in his campaign houserules 'Detect Evil' to detect only supernatural evil, spell effects with the evil descriptor, and/or sufficiently high HD clerics of evil deities. The party has two other lawful good worshippers of Heironious in it (a DMPC fighter and a PC cleric) so interparty conflict is rare, but faith-healing spells aren't.
Down to earth with a growing love for adventure, Valentine is a Paladin of Heironeous still fresh from her training at the temple, having only experienced one major fight against an ettin alongside a ranger and rogue. Being young, her outlook regarding good and evil is firmly based on the common sense instilled upon her by her family while growing up on the farm, and heightened by the teachers and focused by the teachers at the temple. She proved to be a bright, young woman at an early age, picking up Elven and Dwarven from the local caravans that would travel through her village marketplace and learning Celestial and Draconic from her elder paladins.
Her life on the farm and her friendship with the Elves led to a greater appreciation of all life and things that grow, giving her a deeper understanding of nature and a life-long connection with the fey spirits of the woodland realm, treating her as one of their own. Tending to crops and the livestock, along with ample home cooking, have given Valentine her heighth, strength, and hearty figure, as a number of men can attest to after losing arm wrestling competitions with her. She took to the sword in short order, though she'd be the first to admit she could us some more work at the bow; at any rate, she'd prefer not to raise them in any situation unless the need was dire. Her command of many languages has benifited her social skills greatly, and she'd love nothing more than to see a future where countless societies and cultures could understand one another and grow stronger together.
The darkness of evil days lay passed away in the wake of the bright, beautiful morning, ushering in the warmth and light of the world's inate goodness. Valentine understands that her duty to is to make sure the darkness never retakes the day again, and that her job is far from being easy, but the challenge of her new position, and the adventerous lifestyle it entails, has her filled with unending hope and love.
He was a rough, battle scarred individual, though not very good looking, he had a commanding tone and commanded the sort of respect gained on a battlefield.
He was best suited for the sort of evil that could be vanquished with a sword, always honorable, though he has the typical temper of a half orc, he doesn't resort to violence except against evil.
His backstory was that after the band of Orcs were killed by a Paladin sent to defend the villages that they were raiding and slaughtering (they were very evil, wild orcs) the Paladin who exterminated this evil from the land couldn't bring himself to kill an innocent baby, regardless of it being born of an orc and likely evil. He therefore didicated himself to raising the orc in hopes that with his influence the half orc wouldn't grow up evil.
As a result the half orc grew up under the lawful good influence of the Paladin, and would later choose to follow his foster parent's ways and become a Paladin himself.
He was a very fun character to play, rough, gruff, rude, tempermental Lawful Good monster in shiney armor. It's just too bad he had to die like that, very messy.
He is a crusader of St. Cuthbert. He smites evil creatures that are guilty of crimes unless they repent (and they better repend fast).
Ark's family was killed by the Horde, a group of orcs, goblins, ogres, hobgoblins and a few drow. As such Ark views members of those races with distrust.
Ark's code of honor is central to his life and it would take quite a bit to make him break it. He's LG, but I take the Lawful aspect as more CoC, honor chivalry, and retribution not so much law and order.
He does not kill children as they do not know any better, and it's probably the parent's fault.
As for my Paladin, Tourgil is not a Sir, has poor manners (from a haute couture POV), likes strong drink, good food and women who want to have a good time. He is a Paladin who fights and not a fop who discusses the metaphysical aspects of evil. He knows what evil is and when he detects it, he almost always kills it, with exceptions of course.
He is a strategist and tactician and fights to kill when he is on the field of battle.
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Sir Evan Kestral, Rogue 3/Paladin 11
"I'm not that kind of a paladin."
Evan was an orphan street kid who did what he had to to survive. Although a good person at heart, he stole from those richer than he (everyone) and assumed that the law of the jungle was the normal way of the world. He was eventually caught red-handed and sentanced to five years in the mines.
However, Sir Justin Kestral, paladin and nobleman, interceded and offered Evan a choice: five years in the mines...or five years as Sir Justin's servant. Being no fool, Evan chose the latter. To his amazement, although he had to work hard, he was not mistreated and was given his own (small) room, plenty of food, clothing, and even some money.
Evan took to this new life, where people actually helped each other out, and took to the teachings of Sol (LG god of the sun). When his five-year term was up, he remained...as the adopted son of Sir Justin Kestral, and a paladin-in-training.
Now a member of the King's Gentlemen, an elite squad who serve the King directly, Evan is devoted to his duty. His early years taught him pragmatism, and he is willing to use tactics other paladins might shun, such as stealth and trickery. For example, when chasing a burglar who happened to be a childhood companion. Evan caught her by hiding in a haystack, then punching her in the back of the head.
He is an honorable person and tries to lead his companions by example, but doesn't pressue them as long as they remain good-intentioned. Although he has no tolerance for true evil, his own background has shown him that redemption is possible, leaving him reluctant to kill intelligent beings unless he has no other choice. He has been known to take prisoner such creatures as trolls, believing that any sentient being deserves a fair trial (when possible) and, at worst, a quick, merciful death.
Against true evil, however - such as assassins, slavers, demons or undead - he is a holy terror, and would gladly give his life to end such abominations.
Evan tend to be a bit reckless in battle, foregoing defenses in favor of breinging Sol's wrath down upon the enemy leader and ending the fight as quickly as possible.
Do you mean the Rebalanced Paladin?
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Yes, thank you.
Antiok the Lightning Prophet
Antiok (An-tee-ahk) was bred with the fury of Heironeous in him. Raised by a more militant sect (if you can imagine such) of the Heironeous, he was taught some key principles that guide his life:
“There is no such thing as innocence, merely degrees of guilt.”
“Faith is purest when it is unquestioning”.
“An open mind is like a fortress with its gates unbarred and unguarded.”
After securing for himself a generous post within his church through his fevered speeches, expert blade skills, and obvious ability to lead he was given a new assignment. He was to cross the treacherous ocean to the newly established colonies and begin a mission program to bring the evils of the new world into the Thunder Lord’s grace. During the journey, however, his ship was beset upon by great hulking creatures from a strange looking snail-shaped vehicle. After valiantly attempting to lead the crew of his ship to victory, Antiok fell victim to the gaze of what he would term an octopus-beard (Illithid).
While a thrall to this Illithid he committed several evil and disturbing acts, which he can only barely remember through fever dreams and nightmares. When he next finds consciousness he sees a strange figure hovering over him, making him an offer he can’t refuse. Be set free and serve him for a year and a day, or be left to rot in the chains that currently hold him. Fearing to trade one evil for another, Antiok attempt to sense evil from this figure, and on finding none, quickly accepted his offer. Unwittingly, he had joined the crew of a Spelljammer. The figure over him was the ship’s captain, Peynor. The ship: the Flayerbane.
That is when Antiok discovered something horrible – Heironeous had separated from him. He was an Ex-paladin because of the atrocities committed while with the Mindflayers, though it was through no will of his own. After arriving at a strange dock worlds away from his own, he spoke with Heironeous leaders there discovering that he needed to once more prove his devotion and valor to the Thunder God. Accepting his new quest, he returned to the Flayerbane and Captain Peynor. They had a new mission to hunt down an infamous Ogre pirate that hunted this area of Wild Space. They hunted this Ogre down and after both crews stalemated in battle, the Ogre claimed his Captain’s right and challenged two of our own crew to single’s combat against himself and his first mate. Peynor assigned a Pelorian monk and Antiok to do battle against these pirates. The monk chose the ogre and thusly Antiok was assigned his first mate, who happened to be a servant of Hextor. Antiok made short work of this Hextor champion (though suffering a humiliating failed will save to a Tasha’s Hideous Laughter), but the Monk was not so lucky against the ogre. Peynor finally stepped in and the battle was won (Peynor made the observation shortly before killing the ogre that Captain’s right only applies to pirates, which we weren’t). Retrieving the Hextor’s blade, Antiok discovered it was a Heironeous weapon and was rewarded with his paladin abilities back for liberating this weapon.
After several more adventures, the monk and Antiok became fast friends. They soon found themselves posited a challenge by a clan of dwarves in exchange for their aid in shutting down a portal to the Nine Hells. The pair quickly accepted the challenge and found themselves facing manifested principles of their own faiths. Antoik’s first challenge was a ghostly image of yet another Hextorian Knight. This “Knight” proceeded to sunder Antoik’s precious blade, stripping him once more of his ability to bring righteous fury to his foes. The Knight then stuck his weapon in the ground, waiting for my retaliation—which never came. It is dishonorable and unchivalrous to strike an enemy who is undefended, so Antiok refused to do it. The first part of his challenge was passed. He picked up his shattered blade and proceeded. The second part brought him to a room with a shining knight with two figures on either side. To his right was a small boy, no more than seven, to his left an elderly gentleman. The knight then spoke:
“You have come to the room of choosing. To my right is a boy who has done nothing but thieved his entire life, though he only stole bread to feed himself and his sister. To my left is a gentleman who lived a pious life till the end, when he attempted evil magic to extend his own life. One must now be redeemed by the blade, choose now.”
Antiok thought for a long moment on who should perish by his blade here when the decision struck him like the sun. He drew the shattered blade, and plunged it into his own chest. “I must redeem myself before others!” he shouted to the knight who had posed the challenge. The Knight nodded to his choice, reforming his broken blade and saving Antiok’s life. “You are reborn, Paladin of Heironeous, you have chosen well.”
Antiok entered the next room to a surprising revelation. Peynor waited for both he and the monk there, revealing that both of them had been chosen to serve as Proxy for their respective gods, charged with furthering their deity’s goals on the prime planes. Antiok readily accepted the duty, swearing to Heironeous that he would serve well and in exchange for this great honor, Antiok would someday rescue the Chalice from the clutches of Hextor.
Antiok: Celestial Human Paladin 10
Tourgil is not a Sir, has poor manners (from a haute couture POV)
He has really, really, really bad fashion sense? Only wears off the rack clothing?
I have no idea what you were trying to say there. But have a
for the most hillarious typo of the day."Be like the wall, one brick alone is annoying, a thousand bricks are impenatrable." "The best offense is a good defense." "Dont worry, I'll take the thirty orcs, you guys handle the ogre."
He was the one in the back of the alehouse, brooding over a book in full plate with a buckler on either forarm. He was the one on the front line, hurling insults at the enemy in their own language to get them to target him instead of his friends. He was the one who took the gems from the treasure pile and burried them with the fallen companions, aiding the all-father in taking them into his embrace.
He carries no direct weapon but enchanted his shield spike and armor spikes to fight for him.
He has been swallowed whole 4 times and gotten out on his own 3.
May he give the tarasque indigestion for the next thousand years.
He has really, really, really bad fashion sense? Only wears off the rack clothing?
I have no idea what you were trying to say there. But have a
Hmmm, yeah I should of used "From those with a 'haute couture' style of living". But yes he does wear off the rack clothes he buys from outlet malls. He also eats Buffalo Wings and washes them down with a good hearty mead and/or ale.
Sir Roy of Ziegfried was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, the eldest of three sons born to Lord Robin of Ziegfried. It had always been known that Sir Roy would inherit is father's estates, and so the young man spent his days jousting, drinking with his friends, and siring bastards upon peasant girls, living a life of debauchery and idleness.
All that changed when he was ordered by his king to go to war. Sir Roy treated this as an adventure at first, strapping on his shining armor and lance and joking with his friends about how they would be back by dinnertime, looking forward to plundering foreign lands and swiving foreign girls. His misapprehensions did not survive battle. Neither did his friends. Lying there in the mud with his armor broken and the orcs overrunning the fields, Sir Roy prayed to Helm, the Watcher to save him. Perhaps Helm was indeed Watching, for Roy alone survived the battle.
Afterwards, he returned home to recover and return to a life of debauchery and idleness. . . until the day that a priest of Helm came by his father's estates, led by a dream sent by the gods. The truth of Roy's vow was made known, and Roy's father, angered that his good-for-nothing son would make such a vow with no intention to keep it (besmirching the family's honor), disowned him, leaving him with no choice but to turn to the Church for help. In fulfillment of his vows, Roy joined the Paladins of Helm, and was made to swear certain vows after an incident involving a novice nun in the sacristy.
Five years later, Roy and his faithful mule* Petunia now travel the lands of Faerun with his half-Dragon companion, Kurk, searching for evil and righting wrongs and generally griping about his vows of chastity, celibacy, and purity. Forbidden the pleasures of the flesh, he vents his frustration by smiting evil most heartily, although some wonder about his warcry of, "GET OUT OF MY WAY, I'M CRAZY HORNY AND SOBER!"
*An object lesson from Helm on the subject of humility
...although some wonder about his warcry of, "GET OUT OF MY WAY, I'M CRAZY HORNY AND SOBER!"
That's right up there with Sir Evans' warcry of "I'm gonna smite the s**t out of you!"Ark the 5th Level Retrbution Paladin
Lol retnoob. /WoW
My paladin is... nonexistent. I don't allow them in my games for a variety of reasons, and I just don't like playing the "holy crusader of goodness" type of character.
My paladin is... nonexistent. I don't allow them in my games for a variety of reasons, and I just don't like playing the "holy crusader of goodness" type of character.
"I will pray to Sol to open your heart, my friend. I will also pray that you turn from this path before I am forced to open your rib cage."
[/Sir Evan Kestral]
Second, why do you disallow paladins? Not everyone is a Miko.
First off, the Retribution Paladin this is a variant homebrew pally (not WoW, I play occasionally but not religiously).
Second, why do you disallow paladins? Not everyone is a Miko.
Let's focus on describing Paladins, not discussing DM reasoning or variants please. I hoped to avoid this in this thread.
Thanks
I only named him Gilbert after a character from Anne of Green Gables. I saw the PBS miniseries and really liked the actor/character on it. Another player wanted to play my character's sister. I was fine with it. He made the last name Sullivan because I purchased the Voice trait to be a diplomat and good singer.
We were playing a 2E Players' Options game. We used 4d6 drop lowest for ability scores. I could not roll above a 12. I was getting mostly 10s. The DM was willing to let me reroll the character, but I had to finish the 6 rolls. On the last roll I got an 18. It was the only time I never wanted to roll an 18. The DM couldn't justify rerolling so I kept the lousy array. I had to put the 18 in Charisma since 2E required a 17 Charisma for paladins. The character pretty much sucked in mechanics.
Anyway, since he had terrible physical scores (got the 12 ST, exactly, as required for a 2E paladin) but an 18 Charisma, I decided to roleplay that 18 to the hilt. This is where the Voice trait came in. He was wholesome. In fact, he didn't even know he was a "paladin". His paladin abilities were easily explained as just something natural. For example, he did not Detect Evil; he got goosebumps when in the company of certain people. He did not Lay On Hands; he kissed booboos to make it all better because that's what his mother did when he was a child and sprained his knee. He did not Cure Disease; he gave comforting hugs as his father gave him. He never understood why when a flu outbreak hit the town he was the only one to show up for school without even knowing there was an outbreak.
With the Players' Options I was able to get spells at 4th level instead of the normal 9th level for 2E paladins. It was when I got access to spells that I had Gilbert grow up and realize what he was. The idea was fine and funny and the DM liked it, but I knew it couldn't last forever. He was still wholesome from 4th level onward, just aware.
The best part of the campaign was when we played the U1, U2, U3 Salt Marsh series. The pseudodragon took a liking to me, and I became his pet!
;)
First off, the Retribution Paladin this is a variant homebrew pally (not WoW, I play occasionally but not religiously).
Second, why do you disallow paladins? Not everyone is a Miko.
First off, JOKE. Say it with me now. JOKE. if you play WoW at all then you know the stigma attached to ret pallies. Again, JOKE.
I disallow paladins because my games tend to be very survival horror/lovecraftian, and having a character that is immune to fear and disease kinda ruins that. Secondly, my games tend to be very "dark grey"; that is, most of the PCs are or end up very nongood, if not straight up evil. Lastly, I like to put in a lot of moral quandaries in my stories that are classic examples of the "screw the paladin catch 22".
For example: one of my players' characters has a deep-seated loathing for the church of the silver flame, but doesn't know a whole lot about the leadership. If they take that path, they might end up trying to destroy the keeper of the flame, who is an 11 year old girl. Since a paladin would at least not want to obliterate an entire LG religion and at worst be a paladin of the silver flame, that character would be screwed six ways from Sunday.
He grew up in Cyre, which got destroyed by the war. Luckily he worked at his father's forge at the very edge and survived. His house, which was miles away, got blasted together with his family.
Samuel has trouble understanding this and retreated to a monestary, studying magic and religion for nearly a year. It was then when the flame started whispering to him, talking to him in his dreams and geving him horrible visions.
Samuel, now an older man at about 52, left his monestary and set out on a pilgrimage to Thrane, to find the flame. Here he learned that only few heared the whispers of the flame and he had to be chosen. His rough blacksmith's hands had never been comfortable wielding a pen and so Samuel took up the sword and became a paladin of the Flame.
Backen is a reserved and silent man. He now has the patience of an older man, but lacks the strenght of a younger man. Still, he has great faith in his God and in his ability to act on behalf of the church. He believes in doing good, and only good, sometimes forgetting his vow to uphold law. His force of personality is widely respected, even by much younger paladins. His stats are close to Navar's paladin: :P
STR 14, DEX 7, CON 12, INT 8, WIS 14, CHA 18
His eyes are blue and he has long grey hair, with long sideburns and a strong chin. His shoulders are broad from working in the forge and he has a small pouch. His face is dominated by a big boil on his lower chin.
3rd level human paladin.
The call came long time after most for this farmer of Yondallia, Having been raised by halflings his whole life he always felt his place was at the farm, using his 'large' size to scare off problems and be able to trade respectfully with the other races. It wasent untill disaster struck the farmlands with a horriable raid, the like none had ever seen before, a single mage summoned hordes of earth and fire elementals to burn and shake the farmland to flat ashes. The goddess took him into her protecton that night, she kept him safe and had him see the world that needed saving.
He managed to travel the world with a few young things and joined in their cause to remove the mage that took his homeland and his people. He was not in the front lines, he was most often keeping the horses safe from attack whenever he could and waiting for the right moment to speak or strike. Wherever they camped for the night, as part of his resting actions, he would plant a few seeds of some crop or another, this way if they ever came back the way they went, there might be a tasty treat waiting for them.
(you dont need to be 23 to be a hero)
I admit i made this one as a joke but i actually hade a lote of fun with him i gave him the personality of sir Lancelot from Monty pythons flying circus and the quest for the holy grail . but thanks to a nice dm i got my hands very quickly on the holy avenger and his deity was Heironeous well you could pitcher the humour happened in the campaign with him in a campaign and yes my DM pulled a stunt it this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBnL4Rj6V8M
This was at level 4, with a base fort of 6, +4 from CHA, +4 from CON...+14 total...she failed. By one point.
Other than that, she was always trying to find honorable fights to get herself into. Lawful Neutral pallys are quite fun, especially when they hate children. Sometimes she bordered 'heart of gold' while other times she bordered 'heartless...' well you get the idea on that one ^^; I really miss that character...but then I moved and went to college and never saw any of those people again. I haven't had any other pallys...too much MAD, not enough personality options (for me anyway).
my current paladin usually just sits around readjusting that gigantic stickup his *** most of the day then if he feels called by his god to do so he aimlessly wanders grey hawk sucking the fun out of other peoples gaming experiences. I mean rely guys you mut realize that inherently good people are also inherantly annoying and boring
With respect, I think it's very narrow-minded to suggest that one must be immoral to be fun.
The game I play in currently is freeform rather than strict D&D, but I designed a paladin character who is loved on the board he is played.
My current paladin is the Shining One, an aasimar paladin from a German-based culture (think Holy Roman Empire). The name 'Shining One' was how he was addressed when he was publically visited by an angel who knighted him. He is a 250 lb man wearing Gothic armour with extensive ridges and fluting and cusped edges.
His personality mixes the storybook knight with a fierce hardened warrior. Before battle, he loves preparing the field using caltrops and fire gulleys to make the area an absolute deathtrap for the enemy. During combat, he fights to create heaps of corpses from the enemy with a minimum of fuss. What I really love about him is his compassion and humility - he forgives people who attack him out of desperation and is always willing to lend a hand. He's the sort of guy who would happily spend a few hours helping to thatch a farmer's roof and see no conflict with his station.
In the big city he runs a refugee camp, which provides shelter for the people in danger from crime gangs - most of the refugees are ex-prostitutes he rescued. This is also serves as a base for his followers. He has one battle ahead, against a mercenary army who have stopped by a town and are basically taking liberties at the people's expense. That fight is expected to earn him a castle, which means he can move the refugee camp to a productive estate.
Among his followers is Blargensblarg, a half-troll/half-goblin who began as a 'changeling' from old folklore (switched with a human baby by faeries). Rather than harm him, his family were the decent sort who still had a baby in their care and decided to raise him. So around age 5 or 6, he went to the 'faerie mound' which the locals feared and tried to rescue the original child that he was switched with. The faerie were so thrown by this they didn't try to stop him. So he managed to return that boy back to his father.
The following years were the most lonely of his life. With their son back, the family just didn't care as much about the changeling they were left with. Yes he still lived in the house with them, but he stopped being part of the family.
Aside from being an effective pikeman, the main ability of Blargensblarg is to share his regeneration. His main weakness is he is easily duped because of his sheer loneliness.
Paladin 6/Fighter 2/Grey Guard 10
I don't think this needs explaining. ;)
Frank Castle
Paladin 6/Fighter 2/Grey Guard 10
I don't think this needs explaining. ;)
Actually it does:
1 - Not everyone knows 'Grey Guards', whatever they are.
2 - You named the classes, and his name. I'm pretty sure there's more to him than that? Perhaps he came from someone, went somewhere else?
3 - Perhaps it is interesting to consider how he got from A to level 18?
This is about describing your Paladin, not about arguing about Paladin classes, codes or simply naming a class. If I would randomly say: Half-Elf Rogue/Mage/Arcane Trickster, would it give you a complete overview of the character's personality? Not all are like Raz, you know.
Actually it does:
1 - Not everyone knows 'Grey Guards', whatever they are.
2 - You named the classes, and his name. I'm pretty sure there's more to him than that? Perhaps he came from someone, went somewhere else?
3 - Perhaps it is interesting to consider how he got from A to level 18?
This is about describing your Paladin, not about arguing about Paladin classes, codes or simply naming a class. If I would randomly say: Half-Elf Rogue/Mage/Arcane Trickster, would it give you a complete overview of the character's personality? Not all are like Raz, you know.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Castle
Actually, yeah it would if you made the character in the image of a Comic book super hero.
Grey Guards are a PrC from Complete Scoundrel that lets the Paladin go to more extreme lengths to get the job done.
I'm not quite sure why you've decided to get so snippy over my post, but I'd like to remind you that deep breaths have been known to be invaluable to forum-goers worldwide.
EDIT: Curse you, Talisman! Ninja'd! :P
EDIT: Curse you, Talisman! Ninja'd! :P
I'm not quite sure why you've decided to get so snippy over my post, but I'd like to remind you that deep breaths have been known to be invaluable to forum-goers worldwide.
I'd like to remind you that while I personally got the reference and had a hearty chuckle, not everyone who plays D&D is a comic book geek.
Last three panels.
I'd like to remind you that while I personally got the reference and had a hearty chuckle, not everyone who plays D&D is a comic book geek.
Gosh darn it, yawg, if you bring logic into every thread I post in, I'll never get to win an argument.
Vik Stonehallow and his wife Iris had a family of 6 strapping boys, so when his wife finally bore a girl he laughed and called the girl his 7th son, "Vik's son", and the name stuck.
A wild girl who grew up terrorizing her brothers and subsequent younger siblings, Vikson was strong and cheeky and a smart-mouth who dreamed of glory and fame. When she was old enough she coaxed her father into letting her join the local militia. Her eldest brother, a militiaman himself, did his best to keep her out of trouble, but once she grew tired of the yoke of military discipline she joined an adventuring party to seek out her fortune. Hard-drinking, irreverent and without restrictions for the first time, Vikson could fight but at first her impulsive nature and brash tongue drove her newfound companions to distraction. Many a fight, and just as many a flight, began with a series of Viksisms:
"What could go wrong?"
"You and what army?"
"...okay, you and what other army?"
"It wasn't my fault."
Quick witted and charismatic as well as physically powerful, she found a way to talk herself into, and out of, trouble on a regular basis. As she grew into herself she also discovered hidden depths; she could sing like an angel, lie like the devil, and tell such tall tales that few who listened failed to be amused or impressed. Vikson in her element was the center of attention wherever she went, and her reputation began to grow across the land, because her greatest talent was self-promotion.
Basking in her rising fame, Vikson returned to her home town. Her glorious image of rich and illustrious warrior was not lost of her more impressionable siblings. By the time her stay was done a younger brother Ben had decided that he would join Vikson in her adventurers. Over their parents' protests, Vikson rode off with her brother into the wilds.
She killed him.
That is how Vikson saw the encounter with the black dragon. Vikson's reckless bravado and lust for fame lead her into an impulsive decision, and her party paid the price. . . all including her brother. She herself barely survived the encounter, but lost one eye and her desire for glory. The greatest loss she suffered was the esteem in the eyes of her family; her mother cursed her at the news of the death of her son, and blamed Vikson for luring him to a savage doom.
A more introspective Vikson realized just how shallow a life she had lead, and sought a way to make amends to for the lives lost to her selfish desire for glory. One of her companions lost to the dragon had been a cleric of the temple of Torm, and it was to the temple of Torm she turned to in order to begin making amends. Although her wisdom was too low to allow her to be fully opened to the majesty of the gods, she chose to walk the difficult life of a paladin.
Despite her sincere desire to be a better person, Vikson is hardly a model paladin. She is not wise enough to cast spells without assistance; she still has a tendency to blurt without editing her remarks, and is still a fast-talking, manipulative raconteur with a penchant for "stretching the truth till you can see through it", as an observer once marveled.
She also has been known to have arguments with her horse, who will occasionally act up to point out Vikson's tomfoolery (and has once refused to even answer the paladin's call because of a particularly egregious mischief, much to Vikson's embarrassment). But Vikson is determined to continue on the path she has set for herself.
Only in this way will her brother's death have meaning.
Amanda Lorian
Paladin 8
-Battle Cry: "For the glory of the Empire!"
-Weapon: Great Club
-Armor: Polished White Full Plate
-Stats: Purposefully low Intelligence
Very Detect Evil = Smite. Reckless. Didn't think things through. Charged in w/ little provocation. It was her righteous duty to protect her friends and the Empire from evil. Extremely lethal in melee combat.
Also, despite her otherwise fearless demeanor, she had a paralyzing fear of rats, and refused to fight when rats were present.
Not serious at all, but very fun to play.
I would suggest making a variant even on the variant CE paladin from UA, with things like detect/smite lawful or rebuke orckind/turn elvenkind. Instead of lay on hands he could be able to inflict blindness (ala Eye of Gruumsh) or maybe even rage. I was thinking along the lines of an Eye of Gruumsh only more... Gruumsh-y (i thought it was silly that A) an Eye of Gruumsh needs Wep Focus(orc double ax) and Gruumsh's preferred weapon or whatever it's called is a spear and B) that a Knight Protector gets the ability to Supreme Cleave but this embodiment of Gruumsh doesn't?)
Plus, I think that this type of character (with leadership) would be able to beat on henchmen/followers and warrant a morale bonus.
It's just finding a campaign to play him in that's difficult.
Two word concept: Pentitent Inquisitor
Aeridyn didn't start her career as a hero, she was actually born to a local lord up in the Northern part of the continent. She had two sisters, the middle child herself. Both her mother and her youngest sister died when she was young, of malady she can only attribute to the cold creating some deadly fragility. Aeridyn herself has always been haunted by horrific nightmares (a campaign specific trait), a fact even more unusual due to her elven blood.
When she was 15, she had a dream; St. Cuthbert, a man she only innately knew, telling her to kill her father, who was a tyrannical lord. In the end, she did, took his coronet, and scared for what else to do, fled. She stopped at the first temple to the cudgel she could find, and left the coronet in the care of the High Priest there. Though he offered to take her in, she left in the night.
Aeridyn worked her way south scribing, eventually finding a job adventuring with a wizard who was hunting some artifact or another. She more or less stayed back at the inn and organised his notes. One day he didn't return, around this same time, Aeridyn met an elf, Adrian, at the tavern.
Adrian, to be blunt, swept Aeridyn off her feet, she moved quickly in with him, fascinated in both learning more about the elven part of herself, and the charismatic man. He got her into a life of crime, at first, using her as a cover to distract guardsmen and townfolk, then getting her involved in the more hands on aspects of the trade.
One day, Aeridyn was caught by a cleric of the local temple of St. Cuthbert while breaking into a house. Though she could have run, she didn't and was apprehended by him. Aeridyn fully cooperated with the temple, giving any and all information she knew on criminal acts in the town, including in regards to her lover and his group of friends.
While in jail, she had another dream like the one she had when she was 15. Though it took a lot of convincing, including several divinations on the higher priests' of the temples part, Aeridyn did manage to convince the clergy to give her a chance at joining the temple.
Aeridyn was branded, her lover, who was into more than she had even realised, was hung, most of his friends were exiled. For the next two years, Aeridyn lived as a semi-prisoner in the temple, making amends with both local law enforcement and those she personally wronged. Her penance included fairly frequent floggings, and the wearing of a hair shirt.
After some time, a cleric in the Temple recognized Aeridyn's dedication and took her on as an official acolyte, at this time, a large portion of her penance dropped to the side, though she still wears her hair shirt under her clothes. She trained extensively with her heavy mace (Flaw, weapon bound
) and in legal, martial, and religious theory. Shortly after the beginning of the campaign, she finished working on a thesis on repentence, vigilance, and a penitent lifestyle for the clergy. She's recently started adventuring, and is very community oriented and has formed familial relationships with several NPCs and party members. As a drawback, she can seem rather paternalistic towards party members and NPCs. Aeridyn's very willing to sacrifice herself, but not willing to risk her party members.
She's a bit of an ideologue (but what paladin isn't? ;) ), prone to preaching but very personable. She's protective and stubborn but not afraid to step up and get bloody for the course of justice.
She's half pursing a companion level relationship with another NPC adventurer, a neutral swashbuckler/fighter and will be taking on a cohort cleric/fighter with her next level as an acolyte of her own. I don't know if she thinks she stands a chance in gaining a place in the temple hierarchy given her past (though her own mentor is second in command at the temple), but her current personality progression is realising that her progression as a paladin and defender of the community is finally overcoming the sins of her past.
I plan for her to get rid of the hair shirt in a few levels, and perhaps letting her become a bit freer in the pleasures she allows herself. She actually detects and smites chaos rather than evil and is focused on diplomacy, knowledge (local), perform (oratory), and sense motive. Her favorite spell is divine sacrifice.
My plans for her are pal 5/pious templar 10/church inquisitor 5 // rogue 1/marshal 19.