Class: Paladin

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The Paladin
  Prayers Maneuvers
Level Special Petition Max Prayer Grade Domains Prayers Known Max Maneuver Grade Schools Maneuvers Known
1 Aura, Combat Style +0 Minor 2 2 Basic 1 2
2 Mercy +1 Minor 2 3 Basic 1 3
3   +2 Minor 2 4 Basic 1 4
4 Mercy +3 Minor 2 5 Basic 1 5
5   +3 Lesser 4 6 Lesser 1 6
6 Mercy +4 Lesser 4 6 Lesser 1 6
7   +5 Lesser 4 7 Lesser 1 7
8 Mercy +6 Lesser 4 8 Lesser 1 8
9   +6 Lesser 4 9 Lesser 2 9
10 Paladin Talent +7 Moderate 4 10 Lesser 2 10
11   +8 Moderate 6 11 Lesser 2 11
12 Paladin Talent +9 Moderate 6 11 Expert 2 11
13   +9 Moderate 6 12 Expert 2 12
14 Paladin Talent +10 Moderate 6 13 Expert 2 13
15   +11 Greater 6 14 Expert 2 14
16 Paladin Talent +12 Greater 6 15 Expert 2 15
17   +13 Greater 8 16 Expert 2 16
18 Paladin Talent +14 Greater 8 16 Expert 2 16
19   +15 Greater 8 17 Greater 2 17
20 Paladin Talent +15 Major 8 18 Greater 2 18

 

Paladin

Ionatan, iconic paladin
"I may not be a Saint, but I live by their example."

To be deemed a Saint, an individual must find themselves worthy of what is effectively "hero worship," gaining respect and adoration from sufficient mortals to allow them to ascend as a Saint. For some, Saints are more than individuals worthy of such accolades - they deserve imitation. Their belief in a particular Saint leads them to take up arms and train in combat, to better fight for the ideals of their patron.

A paladin devotes himself to the ideologies of a particular Saint, who - in turn - empowers the paladin with Divine strength, granting them aspects of their own abilities as well. As a paladin becomes more familiar with the religious aspects of a Saint, he gains the ability to channel his patron's power in prayer.

Unlike priests, who merely worship a Saint, the paladin seeks to become more and more like the Saint. As such, paladins have much stricter codes of conduct. However, in return, paladins gain greater access to their patron's domain powers, as well as additional domain powers that are reserved explicitly for paladins.

It is important to note that paladins in Trinity are almost a complete departure from standard d20 paladins.

Despite what their name would suggest, antipaladins are not a direct mirror to paladins.

Game Rule Information

Paladins have the following game statistics.

Force Alignment: Divine.

Force Resistances: NI 5 + level, VI 5 + level.

Abilities: Physical ability scores are important to a paladin, as he focuses on combat and the ability to protect the ideals of his patron. Charisma is also important, however, as it fuels his prayers as well as a number of his special abilities.

Hit Die: d10.

Class Skills: The paladin’s class skills are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) (Int), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Martial Lore (Int), Prayercraft (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), and Sense Motive (Wis).

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int.

Alignment: Must match patron's alignment exactly.

Ethos: Must be within two steps of patron's listed ethoi.

Starting Age: Moderate.

Starting Gold: 6d4 x 10gp.

Favored By: None.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the paladin.

Weapons 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). A paladin is also proficient with his patron's favored weapon.

Domain (Di): When you take your first level in paladin, you must select a Saint as your patron. You gain access to your patron's domain, which grants you an additional paladin class skill, an additional weapon or armor proficiency, and a number of additional powers (dependent upon the domain). In addition, your patron's domain automatically adds new prayers to your prayers known upon gaining access to the appropriate prayer level.

As a paladin, your domain also grants you additional abilities as you gain levels, as indicated in the domain's description.

Channel Divine (Di): As a paladin, you are able to tap into the power of the Divine, though diluted by the separation between the Divine itself and the world. You gain a number of channel divine uses per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.

For purposes of Divine feats from other sources, channel divine uses count as turn undead attempts (and so you can use them to fuel Divine feats that require their expenditure).

Most patron's domains grant a power that allows you to expend a channel divine use for a purpose relevant to the patron.

In addition, all paladins can use channel divine uses to smite foes of their patron. When you make an attack or full-attack action, you can expend a channel divine use to add your Charisma modifier to your attack rolls and your paladin level to your damage rolls for that action. You can only use this ability on creatures whose alignments are opposed to your patron's on at least one axis; if your patron is neutral, you can only use this ability on creatures with "extremist" alignments (LG, LE, CG, or CE).

You can always use this ability on a Lucavi, Daemon, or Fiend, regardless of its alignment.

Ethos: You can only use this ability on creatures whose ethoi differ from your patron's by at least three steps.

If you use this ability on a creature that does meet the requirements, this ability does nothing (but you still expend the channel divine use).

Auras (Di): The defining trait of paladins are auras, powerful divine effects that she exudes by her mere presence through her powerful connection to her Saint. A paladin can activate an aura as a swift action and dismiss it as a non-action on her turn, and can only have one aura active at a time. An aura has a radius of 20 feet.

Auras are divine effects, and as such any creature or object Nature- or Void-aligned within the aura radius sparks as appropriate. Creatures whose DI cannot be overcome by a paladin's take 10 on a petitioner level check are immune to her aura.

A paladin's auras function only while the paladin is conscious, not while she is unconscious, dead, or otherwise similarly impaired (such as turned to stone). As an exception, a paladin turned to glass by vitrification or similar effect intensifies her auras, doubling their radius, but she cannot control the effect.

As she gains experience, the paladin's auras gain in power, and she learns to wield new powers of the Divine. Each time you gain the Aura ability, you gain access to one of the auras below.

  • Aura of Courage: You are immune to fear. All allies within your aura gain a +4 divine bonus on saving throws against fear. Empowered: Improve the bonus granted to your allies by +2.
  • Aura of Resolve: You are immune to charm effects. All allies within your aura gain a +4 divine bonus on saving throws against charm effects. Empowered: Improve the bonus granted to your allies by +2.
  • Aura of Faith: Your weapons are considered Good-aligned for purposes of bypassing Damage Reduction. Any attacks made by allies who are within her aura are considered Good-aligned for purposes of bypassing Damage Reduction. (If you are using Ethos, replace "Good" with "White") Empowered: Your weapons deal bonus holy damage to creatures whose DR is overcome by Good-aligned weapons equal to your Wisdom modifier, and your allies' attacks gain a bonus to damage equal to half that amount.
  • Aura of Righteousness: You gain DR 5/evil and are immune to compulsion effects. All allies within your aura gain a +4 divine bonus on saving throws against compulsion effects. (If you are using Ethos, replace "Evil" with "Black") Empowered: Increase your DR by +2, and the bonus granted to your allies by +2.
  • Aura of Devotion: You gain a +4 sacred bonus to your AC. All allies within your aura gain a +2 sacred bonus to AC. Empowered: Increase your bonus to AC by +2, and the bonus granted to your allies by +1.
  • Aura of Retribution: Any creature that strikes you suffers from ongoing holy damage equal to your paladin level for a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier. Multiple applications reset the duration, and do not stack. Attacks against allies within your aura cause the attacker to suffer holy damage equal to your paladin level. Empowered: Increase the damage dealt by your ongoing holy damage by your Wisdom modifier, and the duration of the effect by 1 round.
  • Aura of Concentration: You automatically make all Concentration checks when invoking prayers. All allies within your aura gain a +8 divine bonus on Concentration checks. Empowered: Increase the bonus granted to your allies by +4.
  • Aura of Warding: When you activate this aura, choose an energy type. You gain resistance to that energy type equal to your paladin level. All allies within your aura gain resistance to that energy type equal to one-half your paladin level, rounded down. Empowered: Increase your energy resist by your Wisdom modifier, and the energy resist granted to your allies by one-half that amount.
  • Aura of the Crusader: You and all allies within your aura gain a +5 feet sacred bonus to movement speed. Empowered: Increase the movement speed bonus by +5 feet.
Paladin Combat Style
Level Maneuvers Readied Max Armor Tokens
2 1 1
3 1 1
4 1 2
5 1 2
6 2 3
7 2 3
8 2 4
9 2 4
10 3 5
11 3 5
12 3 6
13 3 6
14 4 7
15 4 7
16 4 8
17 4 8
18 5 9
19 5 9
20 5 10

Combat Style (Ex): At second level, the paladin has begun the martial aspect of her training. Choose one of the following classes: einhander or defender. You gain access to that class's maneuver list, and can choose maneuvers from them. Once you make this choice, it cannot be changed.

Consult the following table for information on how many maneuvers you may have readied or the maximum size of your armor token pool.

In addition, you gain access to another aura, dependent upon your choice. If you chose einhander, you gain access to aura of combat. If you chose defender, you gain access to aura of protection.

  • Aura of Combat (Di): You gain a +2 sacred bonus to attack rolls. All allies within the aura gain a +1 sacred bonus to attack rolls. On your turn, as either part of an attack action or as a standard action, you refresh your maneuvers. As a move action, you can change what maneuvers you have readied. Empowered: Increase your attack bonus by +1, and the bonus granted to your allies by half that amount.
  • Aura of Protection (Di): You gain DR 2/-. All allies within the aura gain DR 1/-. Whenever you take damage, you gain an armor token. Empowered: Increase your DR by +1, and the amount granted to your allies by half that amount.

Note that you do not need to be in your aura to use the maneuvers granted to you by your combat style. However, you do need to be in the relevant aura in order to refresh your abilities or gain resources relevant to your combat style.

Your initiator level is considered one-half your paladin level, rounded down.

Divine Grace (Di): At second level, you gain a bonus to all saving throws equal to your Charisma modifier.

Lay on Hands (Pr): At second level, a paladin can heal wounds (her own or those of others) by touch. Each day she can use this ability a number of times equal to 1/2 her paladin level plus her Charisma modifier. With one use of this ability, she can use one of the target's healing surges to heal the target for 25% of their maximum health. Using this ability is a standard action, unless the paladin targets herself, in which case it is a swift action. Despite the name of this ability, a paladin only needs one free hand to use this ability.

Alternatively, a paladin can use this ability to deal damage to undead creatures, or creatures otherwise susceptible to holy damage. Against such creatures, the paladin's touch deals 1d6 points of holy damage for every two paladin levels she possesses. Using lay on hands in this way requires a successful melee touch attack and doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity. Creatures do not receive a saving throw against this damage, but the paladin must penetrate a creature's DI to use it.

Divine Health (Di): At third level, a paladin is immune to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases, such as mummy rot.

Mercy (Di): At third level, and every three levels thereafter, a paladin can select one mercy. Each mercy adds an effect to the paladin's lay on hands ability. Whenever the paladin uses lay on hands to heal damage to one target, the target also receives the additional effects from all of the mercies possessed by the paladin. A mercy can remove a condition caused by a curse, disease, or poison without curing the affliction. Such conditions return after 1 hour unless the mercy actually removes the affliction that causes the condition.

At 3rd level, the paladin can select from the following initial mercies.

  • Fatigued: The target is no longer fatigued.
  • Shaken: The target is no longer shaken.
  • Sickened: The target is no longer sickened.

At 6th level, a paladin adds the following mercies to the list of those that can be selected.

  • Dazed: The target is no longer dazed.
  • Diseased: The paladin's lay on hands ability also acts as remove disease, using the paladin's level as the caster level.
  • Staggered: The target is no longer staggered, unless the target is at exactly 0 hit points.

At 9th level, a paladin adds the following mercies to the list of those that can be selected.

  • Cursed: The paladin's lay on hands ability also acts as remove curse, using the paladin's level as the caster level.
  • Exhausted: The target is no longer exhausted. The paladin must have the fatigue mercy before selecting this mercy.
  • Frightened: The target is no longer frightened. The paladin must have the shaken mercy before selecting this mercy.
  • Nauseated: The target is no longer nauseated. The paladin must have the sickened mercy before selecting this mercy.
  • Poisoned: The paladin's lay on hands ability also acts as neutralize poison, using the paladin's level as the caster level.

At 12th level, a paladin adds the following mercies to the list of those that can be selected.

  • Blinded: The target is no longer blinded.
  • Deafened: The target is no longer deafened.
  • Paralyzed: The target is no longer paralyzed.
  • Stunned: The target is no longer stunned.
  • Muted: The target is no longer muted or affected by babel.

These abilities are cumulative. For example, a 12th-level paladin's lay on hands ability heals 6d6 points of damage and might also cure Fatigued and Exhausted conditions as well as removing diseases and neutralizing poisons. Once a condition or spell effect is chosen, it can't be changed.

Truespeech DCs
1st Level
Type DC
Utterance 17
Incantation 15
Recitation 13
2nd Level
Type DC
Utterance 22
Incantation 20
Recitation 18
3rd Level
Type DC
Utterance 27
Incantation 25
Recitation 23

Prayers (Pr): At fourth level, the paladin can call upon his Saint and have her prayers heard. She gains access to prayers. When she speaks words in the tongue of creation, she may reshape the world to her liking. There are three types of such manifestations - utterances, incantations, and recitations - which are collectively referred to simply as prayers. All prayers share the following qualities.

Your effective petitioner level is equal to one-half your paladin level, rounded down.

  • You may vocalize a prayer as a move action. You are not limited to vocalizing one prayer each round.
  • Vocalizing a prayer provokes attacks of opportunity.
  • Prayers are subject to Divine Inhibition (DI).
  • Prayers do not allow saving throws.
  • Prayers can be prevented by namelessness, a condition that some Forces can cause.
  • Prayers are prevented by innocence, a condition that causes a creature's effective hit points to always be treated as higher than a priest's absolute limit.
  • A creature affected by faith can always be affected by a priest's prayers, even if their current hit points are above their absolute limit.
  • Utterances and incantations can be reversed, producing a thematically opposite effect.
  • You must make a Truespeak check to vocalize a prayer; you can intensify a prayer by voluntarily increasing the Truespeak DC.
  • You must be able to speak to use prayers, but silence and other similar effects do not stop prayers.
  • The mute and babel status effects prevent the usage of prayers.
  • With any prayer, you can target a creature within line of sight, regardless of distance.
  • Prayers do not stack with themselves or other prayers.

Prayers also interact with the Faith ability score, as follows.

  • Creatures with a negative Faith modifier are harder to affect with prayers, treating their effective hit points as higher for purposes of the absolute limit (see below).
  • Creatures with a positive Faith modifier are easier to affect with prayers, treating their effective hit points as lower for purposes of the absolute limit (see below).
  • A creature with a 0 Faith is immune to utterances.

If you choose to improve a prayer's Truespeak DC by intensifying it, you may only increase the DC by a maximum of your petitioner level.

To use a prayer, you must have a Wisdom score of 9 + [(prayer's level) x 2].

You gain additional prayers known, if your Wisdom score is sufficiently high. Consult the table on the right to determine additional prayers known.

At 4th level, and every four levels after, you may choose to swap out prayers you know for new ones. For each type of prayer - utterance, incantation, and recitation - you may swap out a prayer you know for one you do not, of the appropriate type. You cannot swap out bonus prayers from a high Wisdom in this fashion.

Truespeech (Di): As a petitioner, paladins are trained in the language of the Divine itself, which it used to give names to everything that existed, exists, and will exist. Though mortal tongues are not made to form such speech, the divine languages - Saigue and Lucavic - are similar enough facsimiles that priests can use them to alter reality.

Using these languages in this manner is difficult, however: in order to successfully use prayers, a priest must make a Truespeak check. A priest's bonus on a truespeak check is 3 + his petitioner level + his Wisdom modifier. You can never take 20 on a Truespeak check, and as a paladin you cannot expend channel divine uses to take 10 on such checks. Truespeak checks are further modified by how you refer to a creature; if you know a creature's truename - that is, the name the Divine itself gave to it - you gain a +4 bonus to your truename check. If you must refer to a creature by a nickname (such as referring to a monster by a physical description, rather than the name of it), you suffer a -2 penalty to your truename check.

Learning Truenames: Learning a truename of a creature requires meditation, study, and research. A paladin must make a Knowledge check relevant to the creature's creature type with a DC of at least 25, and spend at least one week in research with access to a library or similar institution. You must have a creature's given name in order to find its truename. The base DC of this check is 25, further modified by the creature's notoriety, age, and measures taken to prevent its truename from being learned.

Utterances (Pr): Utterances are the most powerful form of prayer a paladin can vocalize. These are words and phrases that cause some kind of hindering or harmful effect to foes, or a helpful effect to allies. All utterances are subject to a paladin's absolute limit: an utterance vocalized by a paladin cannot affect an unwilling creature whose current hit points is greater than the paladin's absolute limit. A willing creature can be affected by an utterance regardless of its current hit points.

At each paladin level, your base absolute limit is as shown on the table above. You gain a bonus to your absolute limit equal to your petitioner level x your Wisdom modifier. Improving your petitioner level (through feats such as Versed in the Force) improves your absolute limit through improving your effective petitioner level.

Example: An 8th-level paladin has a Wisdom of 19 (so a +4 modifier). At 8th level, a paladin has a base absolute limit of 22. The priest adds 16 to this ([8 / 2] x 4), for a total of 38. The paladin's absolute limit is 38 hit points.

If the Faith ability score is being used, creatures with a Faith modifier - either positive or negative - modify their effective hit points for purposes of the absolute limit.

A creature with a positive Faith modifier subtracts their Faith modifier × their Hit Die from their current hit points to determine their effective hit points for purposes of the absolute limit.

A creature with a negative Faith modifier adds their Faith modifier × their Hit Die to their current hit points to determine their effective hit points for purposes of the absolute limit.

A creature with a Faith score of 0 is immune to utterances; in effect, their effective hit points are considered above the priest's absolute limit, regardless of how many hit points the creature actually has.

Incantations (Pr): Incantations are a weaker form of prayer that paladins can use. Unlike utterances, incantations have no limit on the sort of creature they can affect.

Recitations (Pr): Recitations are prayers a paladin can use to modify his own existence, by reciting his own truename continually with slight variations. A recitation can be maintained on your turn by expending a swift action. While using a recitation, you cannot use other prayers. Maintaining a recitation does not require a Truespeech check - once you have made the initial check, you can continue maintaining the recitation indefinitely.

Know Thyself: Upon gaining your fourth level as a paladin, you gain knowledge of your own truename.

Divine Bond (Di): Upon reaching fifth level, a paladin forms a divine bond with her Saint. This bond can take one of three forms. Once the form is chosen, it cannot be changed.

Weapon: The first type of bond allows the paladin to enhance her weapon as a standard action by calling upon the aid of a celestial spirit for 1 minute per paladin level. When called, the spirit causes the weapon to shed light as a torch. At 5th level, this spirit grants the weapon a +1 enhancement bonus. For every three levels beyond 5th, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +6 at 20th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon bonuses to a maximum of +5, or they can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: axiomatic, brilliant energy, defending, disruption, flaming, flaming burst, holy, keen, merciful, and speed. Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property's cost (see Table: Melee Weapon Special Abilities). These bonuses are added to any properties the weapon already has, but duplicate abilities do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. The bonus and properties granted by the spirit are determined when the spirit is called and cannot be changed until the spirit is called again. The celestial spirit imparts no bonuses if the weapon is held by anyone other than the paladin but resumes giving bonuses if returned to the paladin. These bonuses apply to only one end of a double weapon. A paladin can use this ability once per day at 5th level, and one additional time per day for every four levels beyond 5th, to a total of four times per day at 17th level.

A paladin's domain can alter the available weapon qualities.

If a weapon bonded with a celestial spirit is destroyed, the paladin loses the use of this ability for 30 days, or until she gains a level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period, the paladin takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.

Mount: The second type of bond allows a paladin to gain the service of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed to serve her in her crusade against evil. This mount is usually a heavy horse (for a Medium paladin) or a pony (for a Small paladin), although more exotic mounts, such as a boar, camel, or dog are also suitable. This mount functions as a druid's animal companion, using the paladin's level as her effective druid level. Bonded mounts have an Intelligence of at least 6.

Once per day, as a full-round action, a paladin may magically call her mount to her side. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the paladin's level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the paladin. A paladin can use this ability once per day at 5th level, and one additional time per day for every 4 levels thereafter, for a total of four times per day at 17th level.

At 11th level, the mount gains the celestial creature advanced simple template and becomes a magical beast for the purposes of determining which spells affect it.

At 15th level, a paladin's mount gains NI and VI equal to the paladin's level + 11.

Should the paladin's mount die, the paladin may not summon another mount for 30 days or until she gains a paladin level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period, the paladin takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.

Armor: The third type of bond allows the paladin to form a bond with her armor. As a standard action, a paladin can enhance her armor by calling upon the aid of a celestial spirit. This bond lasts for 1 minute per paladin level. When called, the spirit causes the armor to shed light like a torch. At 5th level, the spirit grants the armor a +1 enhancement bonus. For every three levels beyond 5th, the armor gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +6 at 20th level. These bonuses can be added to the armor, stacking with existing armor bonuses to a maximum of +3, or they can be used to add any of the following armor properties:

champion, ghost touch, heavy fortification, invulnerability, light fortification, moderate fortification, spell resistance (13, 15, 17, or 19)

Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s cost. In addition, the bonuses can be consumed at the listed amount to add any of the following armor properties: energy resistance for +3 bonus, improved energy resistance for +5 bonus, or righteous for +4 bonus. These bonuses are added to any properties the armor already has, but duplicate abilities do not stack. If the armor is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. The bonus and properties granted by the spirit are determined when the spirit is called and cannot be changed until the spirit is called again. The celestial spirit imparts no bonuses if the armor is worn by anyone other than the paladin, but it resumes giving bonuses if the paladin dons the armor again. A paladin can use this ability once per day at 5th level, and one additional time per day for every four levels beyond 5th, to a total of four times per day at 17th level.

If a suit of armor with a celestial spirit is destroyed, the paladin loses the use of this ability for 30 days, or until she gains a level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period, the paladin takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.

Paladin Talent: At 10th level, every two levels thereafter, the paladin's understanding of her divine path improves even more. Choose one of the abilities below.

  • Additional Aura: You gain knowledge of another aura. You can take this talent multiple times.
  • Aura Radius: The radius of your auras increase by 10 feet. You can take this talent multiple times.
    • Empowered Auras: Your auras are empowered. Consult an aura's effect to determine its empowered state. You can take this talent multiple times; each time you do, apply the empowered benefit to the aura again. (Prerequisites: Aura Radius)
    • Entwined Auras: You can have two auras active at once. Their effects stack. You can activate two auras at once with a single swift action. (Prerequisites: Aura Radius)
      • Beacon of Faith: The aura granted to you by your patron does not count as an active aura for purposes of how many you can have active at a time, and you can activate it alongside other auras. You cannot take this talent and champion of hope. (Prerequisites: Entwined Auras, Aura Radius)
      • Champion of Hope: The aura granted to you by your combat style ability does not count as an active aura for purposes of how many you can have active at a time, and you can activate it alongside other auras. You cannot take this ability and beacon of faith. (Prerequisites: Entwined Auras, Aura Radius)
  • Divine Lore: You gain knowledge of another prayer. You can take this talent multiple times.
    • Divine Inspiration: Gain another channel divine use. You can take this talent multiple times. (Prerequisites: Divine Lore)
    • Light of the Saints: Increase your base absolute limit by 10. You can take this talent multiple times. (Prerequisites: Divine Lore)
  • Expanded Mercy: You gain another mercy ability. You can take this talent multiple times.
  • Martial Lore: You gain access to another maneuver. You can take this talent multiple times.
    • Divine Defender: The max size of your armor token pool increases by 1. You can take this talent multiple times. (Prerequisites: Combat Style (Defender), Martial Lore)
      • Inspired Defender: When you would gain an armor token, you gain 2 instead. (Prerequisites: Combat Style (Defender), Martial Lore, Divine Defender)
    • Holy Warrior: You can ready an additional maneuver. You can take this talent multiple times. (Prerequisites: Combat Style (Einhander), Martial Lore)
      • Heroic Warrior: You can expend a channel divine use to refresh all your maneuvers. (Prerequisites: Combat Style (Einhander), Martial Lore, Holy Warrior)
  • Powerful Hands: When you use your Lay on Hands ability, you can expend two uses at once.
  • Feat: A paladin may take a bonus feat in place of a paladin talent.

Prayers

The following prayers are available to all paladins. Note that your domain will give you access to other prayers, dependent on the domain.

1st-level Prayers

Utterances
Hand of Purity: Remove ongoing damage effects from a creature. / Amplify ongoing damage on a creature.
Hand of Salvation: Creatures suffer a penalty to attack your target. / A creature must attack you on its next turn.
Phrase of Speed: Improve a creature's movement speed by 10 ft. / Reduce a creature's movement speed by 10 ft, to a minimum of 5 ft.
Phrase of Regeneration: Target gains fast healing. / Target gains decay.
Phrase of Vigor: The target automatically succeeds on stabilization checks, and does not take damage from bleeding or wounds. / Effects that make the target bleed deal an additional 1 point each round for their duration.
Syllable of Astra: Target gains bonus to resisting next status ailment. / Target suffers penalty to resisting next status ailment.
Word of Battle: The target gains a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls with melee weapons. / The target suffers a -1 penalty to attack and damage rolls with melee weapons.
Word of Defense: The target receives a +1 bonus to AC. / The target suffers a -1 penalty to AC.

 

Incantations
Block the Evil: Creature gains protection from evil. / Creature gains protection from good.
Harden the Metal: Improve the hardness of an item by 5. / Decrease the hardness of an item by 5.
Ignore the Law: Creature gains protection from law. / Creature gains protection from chaos.
Move the Arrow: You may use an immediate action to add a +2 bonus to a ranged or firearm attack roll. / You gain a +2 deflection bonus to AC against ranged and firearm weapons.
Purify the Food: Remove poison from food, also making it tasteless. / Enhance food's flavor, which can hide poison.

 

Recitations
Recitation of the Harried Step: You gain a +10 bonus to land movement and a +1 deflection bonus to AC.
Recitation of the Unclouded Eye: You can determine if creatures within your sight are below your absolute limit.

 

2nd-level Prayers

Utterances
Hand of Freedom: Remove movement-restricting effects from target. / Ensnare the target.
Hand of Light: Target's attacks deal additional holy damage. / Target gains holy vulnerability.
Syllable of Lightning: Target takes electricity damage and loses immunity to electricity. / Target gains electricity resistance.
Syllable of Radiance: Target takes holy damage and is turned if undead. / Target takes shadow damage and gains turn resistance.
Syllable of Shouting: Target takes sonic damage and is deafened. / Target becomes especially susceptible to sound.
Word of Causticity: Target takes acid damage and their AC is reduced. / Target gains acid resistance and DR.
Word of Combustion: Target takes fire damage and is on fire. / Extinguish a target on fire and grant it fire resistance.
Word of Drowning: Target loses the ability to breathe water and any racial swim speed. / Target gains a swim speed and the ability to breathe water.

 

Incantations
Exchange the Bodies: Swap location with an ally. / Make yourself immovable.
Know the Heart: Sense when you are being lied to. / Charm a creature.
Sharpen the Blade: Improve the crit range of a slashing weapon. / Decrease the crit range of a slashing weapon.
Swallow the Light: Create darkness around you. / Cancel darkness effects.

 

Recitations
Recitation of the Sanguine State: You gain immunity to poison.
Recitation of the Puma's Grace: Gain a bonus on Reflex saves, and possibly Evasion.
Recitation of the Unimpeachable Soul: Gain a bonus on Fortitude saves, and possibly Mettle (Fortitude).

 

3rd-level Prayers

Utterances
Hand of Protection: Target becomes immune to physical attacks. / Next attack against target is guaranteed critical.
Hand of Sacrifice: When target takes damage, you take some of it. / When creatures attack the target, they take damage.
Phrase of Wrestling: Target gains a +2 bonus to grapple checks and Improved Grapple. / Target suffers a -2 penalty to grapple checks and cannot initiate grapples.
Syllable of Aero: Target takes wind damage and pushed away. / Target gains wind resistance and becomes more stable.
Syllable of Confusion: Target becomes confused. / Remove confusion, frenzy, or rage from target.
Word of Forbid Divine: Target's ability to access the Divine is inhibited. / Target's ability to access the Divine is improved.
Word of Quake: Target takes earth damage and is pinned. / Target gains earth resistance and a burrow speed.

 

Incantations
Break the Sword: Sunder a weapon. / Repair a weapon.
Question the Keeper: Request guidance from a divine entity. / Gain resistance to mental control.

 

Recitations
Recitation of the Barricaded Mind: Gain a bonus on Will saves, and possibly Mettle (Will).
Recitation of the Fortified Body: Gain an armor bonus and DR.
Recitation of the True Sight: See things as they really are.
Recitation of the Vital Heart: You gain immunity to disease.

 

Design Notes

The paladin is a hybrid of priest and martial classes, hence why they get access to both prayers and maneuvers. This makes it an admittedly more complex class, but better fits the proper feel of a paladin.

To avoid the possibility of replicating a paladin with an adventurer einhander/priest, and to avoid said combination just being plain better, the paladin gets an array of class features that are unique to it that give it a different feel and justify its existence as a separate class.

The paladin as presented here is essentially a combination of the priest and martial classes, with pathfinder paladin abilities sprinkled in, with a dash of unique mechanics.

This revision of the paladin is a combination of the Trinity modification of the Truename homebrew rewrite, the Pathfinder paladin, and our modifications of the Bo9S system and Iron Heroes armiger armor token mechanic... that is a surprisingly large number of sources for one class.

It is helpful to maintain consistent naming for abilities when referencing them... just sayin'.


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