6.8 Paladin

PIC

Table 6.8:Paladin Progression
Rank (Level)

Devoted Paragon

Divine Magic ✨

Divine Spell Expertise

Stalwart Guardian

Zealous Warrior

1 (1)

Aligned aura

Divine spells

Divine spell versatility

Lay on hands

Smite

2 (4)

Aligned immunity

Divine spells+

Divine conduit

Stalwart resilience

Detect anathema

3 (7)

Paragon power

Spell-trained mind

Stalwart defense

Fearless zeal

4 (10)

Aligned aura+

Divine spells+

Divine spell versatility+

Lay on hands+

Zealous fixation

5 (13)

Aligned immunity+

Attunement point

Stalwart resilience+

Pass judgment

6 (16)

Paragon power+

Experienced spellcaster

Stalwart core

Zealous offense

7 (19)

Aligned aura++

Divine spells+

Divine conduit+

Lay on hands+

Zealous pursuit

Paladins are divinely empowered warriors who exemplify a particular alignment. They can shift easily between physical combat and spellcasting depending on the situation. Many paladins can heal themselves and their allies, and can share their divine connection with those nearby, making them a beacon on a battlefield.

The scope of each alignment is quite broad, so even paladins of the same alignment can be as diverse in personality and morality as any other class. Paladins of law tend to be the most homogeneous in their beliefs, but even they may have stark disagreements about the rightful code to follow, and in what circumstances a personal or universal code of ethics can supercede the law in a specific territory.

Paladins are both famous and infamous for their dedication, and for their tendency to exhort those around them to act according to the paladin’s ideals. There is some truth to the stereotype of the stony-faced paladin who regards any form of compromise as unacceptable. However, few of those overly zealous paladins make their way into adventuring parties. Only paladins who understand the necessity of working as an effective team with others who do not share their ideals are likely to have any success adventuring. For some paladins, this is a compromise they grudgingly make in the pursuit of the greater good - or the greater evil. Others perceive no conflict at all, and eagerly work with those of opposed alignments with the goal of demonstrating the superiority of their moral compass by example.

Of all spellcasting classes, paladins are in some ways the most limited. They have access to a relatively small number of mystic spheres. However, they are also the only spellcasting class that can naturally use heavy armor, and they have some unique abilities that can make them powerful frontline casters.

Paladins and fighters share a similar ability to influence a battlefield at a large scale while being difficult to kill. Their methods and ideology may be different, but they can often work together easily and effectively. It is more difficult to characterize the relationship between paladins and other classes, since so much depends on the paladin’s alignment and personal interpretation of that alignment. Paladins of law typically despise barbarians and rogues, while paladins of chaos distrust the rigid mentality common to monks and fighters. Warlocks are deeply suspicious to paladins of good, though paladins of good tend to be more forgiving than other paladins. Paladins of evil despise druids who have too much respect for the sanctity of life. All paladins may have strong feelings about clerics depending on the alignment of that cleric’s deity.

Alignment: Any.

Archetypes: Paladins have the Devoted Paragon, Divine Magic, Divine Spell Expertise, Stalwart Guardian, and Zealous Warrior archetypes.

6.8.1 Base Class Effects

If you choose paladin as your base class, you gain the following benefits.

Attributes

You gain a +1 bonus to your Willpower. In addition, you gain a +1 bonus to either your Constitution or your Strength.

Hit Points

You have 8 hit points + twice your Constitution, plus 2 hit points per level beyond 1. This increases as your level increases, as indicated below.

Resources

You learn three trained skills from among your class skills (see Skills). You also gain an additional attunement point.

Weapon Proficiencies

You are proficient with simple weapons and all non-exotic weapons.

Armor Proficiencies

You are proficient with light, medium, and heavy armor.

Class Skills

You have the following class skills:

6.8.2 Special Class Abilities

Devoted Alignment

You are devoted to a specific alignment. You must choose one of your alignment components: good, evil, lawful, or chaotic. The alignment you choose is your devoted alignment. Your paladin abilities are affected by this choice. Your alignment cannot be changed without extraordinary repurcussions.

6.8.3 Devoted Paragon

This archetype deepens your connection to your alignment, granting you an aura and improving your combat abilities.

Rank 1 – Aligned Aura ✨

Your devotion to your alignment affects the world around you, bringing it closer to your ideals. You constantly radiate an aura in a Medium (30 ft.) radius emanation from you. You can create the aura as a free action, and it lasts until it is dismissed. Creating the aura has the Swift ability tag.

Whenever you create the aura, you can choose which creatures within the area are affected by the aura. You can choose whether it affects any combination of yourself, your allies, your enemies, and other creatures. The effect of the aura depends on your devoted alignment, as described below.

Chaos: Whenever a target rolls a 1 on an attack roll, the attack roll explodes (see Exploding Attacks). This does not affect bonus dice rolled for exploding attacks.

Evil: Each target suffers a -1 penalty to its Armor defense as long as it is affected by at least one condition.

Good: Whenever a targeted ally would gain a vital wound, you may gain a vital wound instead. You gain a +2 bonus to the vital roll of each vital wound you gain this way. The target suffers any other effects of the attack normally.

Law: Whenever a target rolls a 1 on an attack roll, the attack roll is treated as a 5. This does not affect bonus dice rolled for exploding attacks (see Exploding Attacks).

Rank 2 – Aligned Immunity ✨

Your devotion to your alignment grants you immunities.

Chaos: You are immune to being slowed (half speed, -2 Armor and Ref) and immobilized (-4 Armor and Ref, cannot use movement speeds).

Evil: You are immune to being charmed (friendly with charmer) and goaded (-2 accuracy vs. non-goading creatures).

Good: You are immune to Curse attacks and being dominated (must obey commands).

Law: You are immune to being stunned (-2 defenses) and confused (-2 defenses, randomly attack or defend).

Rank 3 – Paragon Power

You gain a +1 bonus to your power with all abilities.

Rank 4 – Aligned Aura+ ✨

The effect of your aligned aura becomes stronger, as described below. In addition, the area increases to a Large (60 ft.) radius emanation from you.

Chaos: The effect triggers on rolling either a 1 or a 2.

Evil: The penalty applies to all defenses.

Good: When a targeted ally would lose hit points, you may lose those hit points instead. This causes you to suffer any special effects of the attack that trigger on taking damage or losing hit points, while the target does not. The target suffers any other effects of the attack normally.

Law: The effect triggers on rolling either a 1 or a 2.

Rank 5 – Aligned Immunity+ ✨

This immunity is shared with your allies within the area of your aligned aura.

Rank 6 – Paragon Power+

The power bonus increases to +2.

Rank 7 – Aligned Aura++ ✨

The effect of your aligned aura reaches its full power, as described below. In addition, the area increases to a Huge (90 ft.) radius emanation from you.

Chaos: This also affects bonus dice rolled for exploding attacks.

Evil: The penalty increases to -2.

Good: The vital roll bonus increases to +10.

Law: The effect triggers on rolling anything less than a 5. In addition, it affects bonus dice rolled for exploding attacks.

6.8.4 Divine Magic ✨

This archetype grants you the ability to cast divine spells. All abilities from this archetype are magical ✨.

Rank 1 – Divine Spells ✨

Your devotion to your alignment grants you the ability to use divine magic. You gain access to one divine mystic sphere, plus the universal mystic sphere (see Divine Mystic Spheres). You may spend insight points to gain access to one additional divine mystic sphere per two insight points. You can only learn divine spells from divine mystic spheres that you have access to.

You automatically learn all cantrips from each of your mystic spheres. In addition, you learn two rank 1 divine spells. You can also spend insight points to learn one additional rank 1 spell per insight point.

Divine spells require verbal components to cast (see ??). For details about mystic spheres and casting spells, see ??.

When you gain access to a new mystic sphere or spell rank, you can forget any number of spells you know to learn that many new spells in exchange, including spells of the higher rank.

Advancement: The maximum rank of divine spells that you can learn is equal to your rank in this archetype. Divine spells also increase in power in unique ways based on your rank in this archetype, as indicated in their descriptions.

Rank 2 – Divine Spells+ ✨

You learn an additional divine spell.

Rank 4 – Divine Spells+ ✨

You learn an additional divine spell.

Rank 7 – Divine Spells+ ✨

You learn an additional divine spell.

6.8.5 Divine Spell Expertise

This archetype improves the divine spells you cast. You must have the Divine Magic archetype from the paladin class to gain the abilities from this archetype.

Rank 1 – Divine Spell Versatility

You learn a spell from one of the mystic spheres that are unique to divine spellcasters: channel divinity or prayer. You do not have to have access to that mystic sphere. As normal, you can change which spell you learn with this ability as you gain access to new spell ranks.

Rank 2 – Divine Conduit ✨

Whenever you cast a targeted spell that does not have the Attune or Sustain tags, you may target an additional creature adjacent to you with the spell.

Rank 3 – Spell-Trained Mind ✨

You gain a +1 bonus to your Willpower.

Rank 4 – Divine Spell Versatility+

You learn an additional spell with this ability.

Rank 5 – Attunement Point ✨

You gain an additional attunement point.

Rank 6 – Experienced Spellcaster ✨

You gain a +1 accuracy bonus with spells.

Rank 7 – Divine Conduit+ ✨

You can target any number of creatures within 10 feet of you with this ability instead of only one adjacent creature.

6.8.6 Stalwart Guardian

This archetype grants you healing abilities and improves your defensive prowess.

Rank 1 – Lay on Hands ✨

Lay on Hands

Swift

Usage time: Standard action.

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Choose yourself or a living ally you touch. The target regains 1d8 hit points +1 per power. In addition, it removes all poisons and diseases affecting it, and it briefly becomes immune to poisons and diseases. This immunity and removal can only affect poisons and diseases with a rank no more than two ranks higher than your rank in this archetype.

Normally, this healing cannot increase the target’s hit points above half its maximum hit points. If you increase your fatigue level by one, you can ignore this limitation.

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Rank 2: The bonus healing increases to 1d6 per 3 power.

Rank 3: The base healing increases to 2d8.

Rank 4: The bonus healing increases to 1d8 per 3 power.

Rank 5: The base healing increases to 4d8.

Rank 6: The bonus healing increases to 1d8 per 2 power.

Rank 7: The base healing increases to 6d8.

Rank 2 – Stalwart Resilience

You gain a bonus to your damage resistance equal to three times your rank in this archetype. In addition, you gain a +1 bonus to your vital rolls (see Vital Wounds).

Rank 3 – Stalwart Defense

You gain a +1 bonus to your Armor and Fortitude defenses.

Rank 4 – Lay on Hands+ ✨

In addition to regaining hit points, you can cause the target to either remove a condition or a vital wound. If a vital wound is removed in this way, you increase your fatigue level by three.

Rank 5 – Stalwart Resilience+

This bonus increases to four times your rank in this archetype.

Rank 6 – Stalwart Core

You gain a +1 bonus to your Constitution.

Rank 7 – Lay on Hands+ ✨

When you use this ability on a creature other than yourself, it also targets you.

6.8.7 Zealous Warrior

This archetype improves your combat prowess, especially against foes who do not share your devoted alignment.

Rank 1 – Smite ✨

Smite

Usage time: Standard action.

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Make a strike. You add half your Strength to your magical power to determine your total power with this ability (see Power). If the target has your devoted alignment, you take energy damage equal to half your power (minimum 1).

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Rank 2: You add your full Strength instead of half your Strength.

Rank 3: You deal extra damage equal to half your power.

Rank 4: If you miss, the target still takes the extra damage.

Rank 5: Your weapon damage is doubled.

Rank 6: The extra damage increases to be equal to your power.

Rank 7: The extra damage increases to twice your power.

Rank 2 – Detect Anathema ✨

Detect Anathema

Detection

Usage time: Minor action.

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You know the number of creatures within a Large (60 ft.) cone from you that have the alignment opposed to your devoted alignment. This does not give you any specific information about the location of those creatures. Since this is a Detection ability, it can penetrate some solid obstacles (see Detection).

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Rank 3: You also learn the location of all creatures with that alignment.

Rank 5: The area changes to a Large (60 ft.) radius instead of a cone.

Rank 7: The area increases to a Gargantuan (120 ft.) radius.

Rank 3 – Fearless Zeal

You are immune to being frightened (-2 Mental, -2 accuracy vs. source) and panicked (-4 Mental, cannot attack source).

Rank 4 – Zealous Fixation ✨

Whenever you deal damage to a creature, you ignore all miss chances against that creature with your attacks until you finish a short rest.

Rank 5 – Pass Judgment ✨

Pass Judgment

Subtle

Usage time: Minor action.

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Choose one creature within Distant (120 ft.) range. You always gain the benefit of your zealous fixation ability against that creature. In addition, the target is treated as if it had the alignment opposed to your devoted alignment for the purpose of all abilities, not just your own. This only affects its alignment along the alignment axis your devoted alignment is on. For example, if your devoted alignment was evil, a chaotic neutral target would be treated as chaotic good. This effect lasts until you treat that creature as an ally, or until you dismiss this ability.

You can use this ability to do battle against foes who share your alignment, but you should exercise caution in doing so. Persecution of those who share your ideals can lead you to fall and become an ex-paladin.

Rank 6 – Zealous Offense

You gain a +1 bonus to your accuracy.

Rank 7 – Zealous Pursuit ✨

Zealous Pursuit

Usage time: Minor action.

Cost: You briefly cannot use this ability again.

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You teleport up to Distant (120 ft.) range into an unoccupied space on solid ground adjacent to one creature of your choice affected by your zealous fixation ability. You do not need line of sight or line of effect to the creature. If multiple valid destination spaces exist, you teleport into the one closest to your original location. If no valid destination spaces exist, this ability fails with no effect.

6.8.8 Ex-Paladins

If you cease to follow your devoted alignment, you lose all magical ✨ paladin class abilities. If your atone for your misdeeds and resume the service of your devoted alignment, you can regain your abilities.