Paladin, 2nd Variant (3.5e Class)
The compassion to pursue good, the will to uphold law, and the
power to defeat evil—these are the three weapons of the paladin.
Few have the purity and devotion that it takes to walk the paladin’s
path, but those few are rewarded with the power to protect, to heal,
and to smite. In a land of scheming wizards, unholy priests,
bloodthirsty dragons, and infernal fiends, the paladin is the final
hope that cannot be extinguished.
Making a Paladin[edit]
Abilities:Charisma is used for spell casting and most paladin abilities. Strength and Constitution are useful for melee combat.
Alignment: Lawful Good.
Starting Gold: 4d6×10 gp.
Starting Age: Complex
| Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Special | Spells per Day | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Aura of good, detect evil, smite evil 1/day, Bonus Feat | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | Divine grace, lay on hands | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | Aura of courage, divine health, Bonus Feat | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | Turn undead | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5th | 5 | 4 | 1 | 4 | Smite evil 2/day, special mount, Bonus Feat | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6th | 6/1 | 5 | 2 | 5 | Remove disease 1/week | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7th | 7/2 | 5 | 2 | 5 | Bonus Feat | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8th | 8/3 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9th | 9/4 | 6 | 3 | 6 | Remove disease 2/week, Bonus Feat | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | 10/5 | 7 | 3 | 7 | Smite evil 3/day, Lesser Planar Ally | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11th | 11/6/1 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12th | 12/7/2 | 8 | 4 | 8 | Remove disease 3/week, Bonus Feat | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13th | 13/8/3 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14th | 14/9/4 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15th | 15/10/5 | 9 | 5 | 9 | Remove disease 4/week, smite evil 4/day, Planar Ally | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16th | 16/11/6/1 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17th | 17/12/7/2 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18th | 18/13/8/3 | 11 | 6 | 11 | Remove disease 5/week, Bonus Feat | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19th | 19/14/9/4 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20th | 20/15/10/5 | 12 | 6 | 12 | Smite evil 5/day, Holy Warrior, Greater Planar Ally | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Class Skills ( 4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class Features[edit]
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Paladins are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).
Spells: a paladin gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells, which are drawn from the cleric spell list. However, her alignment may restrict her from casting spells with the Chaotic or Evil descriptors. A paladin must choose and prepare her spells in advance.
To prepare or cast a spell, a paladin must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a paladin’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the paladin’s Charisma modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a paladin can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Paladin. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Charisma score. When Table: The Paladin indicates that the paladin gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, she gains only the bonus spells she would be entitled to based on her Charisma score for that spell level The paladin does not have access to any domain spells or granted powers, as a cleric does.
A paladin prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does, though she cannot lose a prepared spell to spontaneously cast a cure spell in its place. A paladin may prepare and cast any spell on the cleric spell list*, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.
- Paladins add the spell Holy Sword to their spell list as if it were a 4th level spell, also they may use a bonus spell slot (if any) to cast it even if their caster level is not enough to do it normally.
Aura of Good (Ex): The power of a paladin’s aura of good (see the detect good spell) is equal to her paladin level.
Detect Evil (Sp): At will, a paladin can use detect evil, as the spell.
Smite Evil (Su): Once per day, a paladin may attempt to smite evil with one normal melee attack. She adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per paladin level. This lasts for 3 rounds, or until the paladin successfully hits an opponent with a melee attack. If the paladin accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day.
At 5th level, and at every five levels thereafter, the paladin may smite evil one additional time per day, as indicated on Table: The Paladin, to a maximum of five times per day at 20th level.
Bonus Feat: At first level, and every 6th level after, a paladin gains a feat from the fighter bonus feats list.
Divine Grace (Su):At 2nd level, a paladin gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all attack rolls and saving throws.
Lay on Hands (Su):Beginning at 2nd level, a paladin with a Charisma score of 12 or higher can heal wounds (her own or those of others) by touch. Each day she can heal a total number of hit points of damage equal to her paladin level × her Charisma bonus. A paladin may choose to divide her healing among multiple recipients, and she doesn't have to use it all at once. Using lay on hands is a standard action.
Aura of Courage (Su):Beginning at 3rd level, a paladin is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects.
This ability functions while the paladin is conscious, but not if she is unconscious or dead.
Divine Health (Ex):At 3rd level, a paladin gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases.
Turn Undead (Su):When a paladin reaches 4th level, she gains the supernatural ability to turn undead. She may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier. She turns undead as a cleric of three levels lower would.
Special Mount (Sp):Upon reaching 5th level, a paladin gains the service of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed to serve her in her crusade against evil. This mount is usually a heavy warhorse (for a Medium paladin) or a warpony (for a Small paladin).
Once per day, as a full-round action, a paladin may magically call her mount from the celestial realms in which it resides. 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 and remains for 2 hours per paladin level; it may be dismissed at any time as a free action. The mount is the same creature each time it is summoned, though the paladin may release a particular mount from service.
Each time the mount is called, it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it may have taken previously. The mount also appears wearing or carrying any gear it had when it was last dismissed. Calling a mount is a conjuration (calling) effect.
Should the paladin’s mount die, it immediately disappears, leaving behind any equipment it was carrying. The paladin may not summon another mount for thirty days or until she gains a paladin level, whichever comes first, even if the mount is somehow returned from the dead. During this thirty-day period, the paladin takes a -1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.
Remove Disease (Sp):At 6th level, a paladin can produce a remove disease effect, as the spell, once per week. She can use this ability one additional time per week for every three levels after 6th (twice per week at 9th, three times at 12th, and so forth).
Planar Ally, Lesser/Greater (Sp):A paladin can cast Lesser Planar Ally as a Spell like ability at 10th level once per week, this ability improves to Planar Ally at 15th level, and Greater Planar Ally at 20th level.
A paladin does not have to pay the experience cost to summon a planar ally, but a planar ally's alignment is to be considered very extreme, and is not under complete control of the paladin. The planar ally may question the paladin's motives and devotion on occasion, as an agent of the same philosophy.
The planar ally will stay with the paladin until ordered to depart, is slain, or finds itself disagreeing with the paladin. It will never attempt to slay the paladin unless the paladin breaks their Code of Conduct while it is present. The paladin can only have one planar ally summoned at a time.
Holy Warrior:At 20th level, a paladin becomes a magical creature. She is forevermore treated as an outsider rather than as a humanoid (or whatever the paladin’s creature type was) for the purpose of spells and magical effects. Additionally, the paladin gains damage reduction 10/evil, which allows her to ignore the first 10 points of damage from any attack made by a non-evil aligned weapon or natural attack, and the paladin is also treated as if under the effects of the Protection from Evil spell permanently (caster level equals class level). Unlike other outsiders, the paladin can still be brought back from the dead as if she were a member of her previous creature type.
Code of Conduct:A paladin must be of lawful good alignment, and must submit themselves to follow a minimum of 3 commandments given by their lord, order, or god.
To break one on these commandments willingly or to willingly stray from the lawful good alignment will cause the paladin to lose all class abilities.
Ex-Paladin[edit]
A paladin who ceases to be lawful good, who willfully commits an evil act, or who grossly violates the code of conduct loses all paladin spells and abilities (including the service of the paladin’s mount, but not weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies). She may not progress any farther in levels as a paladin. She regains her abilities and advancement potential if she atones for her violations (see the atonement spell description), as appropriate.
Like a member of any other class, a paladin may be a multiclass character, but multiclass paladins face a special restriction. A paladin who gains a level in any class other than paladin may never again raise her paladin level, though she retains all her paladin abilities.
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