Ideas for an Anti-Paladin of Gorum archetype?


Homebrew and House Rules


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I'm working on an archetype for an Anti-Paladin of Gorum. I'd like the tenets of the anti-paladin code of Gorum to play a part in it.

The class should work to instill battle frenzy in all people, so an aura that incites violence in some way should replace at least one of the existing auras. I was taking a look at the rovagug, the Rough Rampager. The archetype basically causes enemies to die or get closer to death when wounded and begins to screw with divine healing. That does match up with Rovagug, who destroys and hates divine beings.

What sort of palpable auras of rage and frenzy could the Anti-Paladin of Gorum give off that would match up with Our Lord in Iron? I'd love some suggestions, maybe morale bonuses for allies, penalties to enemies, bonuses to initiative for allies, some sort of rage-inducing aura that forces people to become more aggressive in game terms, more likely to fight and less likely to sue for peace.

For information, here are the anti-paladin codes of Gorum:
-Peace is death. Conflict is life. I will not let anyone take
the easy way out.
-Battle defines me. Without battle I am empty. I make my
purpose with blade and brand.
-I will bathe in blood and breathe in iron. Where there is
no conflict, I will create it. Where there are skirmishes,
I will make war.
-The sword is the answer to any question.
-If there is peace ahead of me, I leave struggle in my wake.
-Poison is for the weak. Ambush is for the cowardly.
Plague is a consequence of slaughter.
-Aggression is not foolishness. If I cannot stand against a
foe, I will find another, and mark the first for later.

An Anti-Paladin of Gorum should be a tactical genius, or at least militarily intelligent, and be capable of manipulating leaders of nations to incite war. In addition, they should be masters of martial combat.

So skills should change, as should the auras. Maybe even changes to his fiendish boon might be in order.

I'd love suggestions on what should be done with this. Thanks a bunch in advance.

Edit: Crap, meant to post this in House Rules. Sorry!


Can a mod move this to House Rules please?


I was thinking the Hessian from sleepy hollow would make an excellent inspiration.


How so?


I think it would be interesting if the aura's effects included everyone within range, friend and foe alike. Gorum cares about the fight itself, not who wins or loses.

So, keep Aura of Courage, it fits, but give the moral bonus to everyone, maybe even buff the bonus up a bit since it isn't selective anymore.

I'm not sure how it would work, but an aura that gave everyone rage, as per the spell, seems very thematically appropriate. Other spells might also be viable for this.

A third type to consider is bonuses to attack, damage, critical effects. Perhaps increasing the critical threat range of all weapons/attacks by 1? Maybe increasing the multiplier? A universal boost to critical multiplier seems very in keeping with Gorum. He wants arteries cut, limbs severed, not some nambly-pambly scratch on the cheek!


Oh that's interesting. I always figured on having the auras effect everybody.
For the Aura of Rage, each turn they have to pass a will save or be affected by rage for the duration they are within that 30 ft aura.
The highest aura would increase the critical multiplier of weapons maybe.


Maybe instead of Smite Good(you can either keep Detect Good or change it to Law or Deathwatch or something) they get Rage like a Barbarian and maybe something that allows them to cast their Anti-Paladin spells while Raging like the Bloodrager can or instead of Spell casting they get access to Rage Powers(or maybe allow the player to make the choice when they hit 4th level).

With Fiendish Boon they'd only be able to form a bond with their weapon or armor(working like the Divine Defender's bond)


Ok, here it goes.
War Champion of Iron, or Iron Aggressor or (placeholder name here)

I'm keeping the Fiendish Boon idea as only forming with their weapon and expanding on the types of magic enhancements he can apply to it.

Rage Domain type raging ability however isn't something that's a part of the Anti-Paladin code of Gorum. Rather I'll make it so that he can smite good more often or do something more interesting.

He'd change Touch of Corruption to not heal undead in any way and change the damage type from negative energy to another type. That way he'd decisively be more Gorumite and move away from the undead feel. Instead it would be pure divine or force energy, like that one half damage from Flame Strike.

Replace Aura of Cowardice with Aura of Savagery. You gain a -4 penalty on saving throws against emotional effects and when within 30 feet, you must make a saving throw each turn or be under the effects of the Rage Spell. All allies and enemies are effected by this. You can choose to gain the benefits of it. Anti-Paladin is immune.

Plague Bringer is gotten rid of. It was mentioned in Inner Sea Gods that Gorum has a bit of a problem with Uragotha, and in the Kingmaker campaign Pharasma as well, so this would be thematic for him to rage that his warriors can be laid low by disease. Instead he can Smite Good an additional three times per day as a result of the exchange.

Cruelties are changed significantly to be less status causing like they are and more militant in nature, similar to some other paladin archetypes that replace mercies. His cruelties will allow for a bonus to initiative at level-X, then at level-Y a bonus to confirm criticals, then at level-Z an increase in the critical threat range that stacks with keen and improved critical. This will affect allies. Will be renamed to War Boons. I was thinking a bonus to Damage Reduction, but that might be too stacky with Skald and other classes like Torag's own Channel DR feat.

Channel Negative Energy will be replaced with Battle Ineptitude or something similar, but the basics will be the same. It will be, like Channel Negative Energy, an extension of Cruelties that have been replaced with War Boons. Instead, this will negatively effect enemies with penalties to initiative, armor class, and to hit rolls, using up two uses of war boons to be used.

Bonus Spells: Gorum's Armor (level 1), Communal Protection From Arrows (level 2), Haste (level 3), Divine Power (level 4)

Replace Aura of Despair with Aura of Prowess, which further increases the effectiveness of all allies within range. All gain a +4 profane bonus to their CMB for Bull Rush, Overrun, and Sunder combat maneuvers while they gain a +4 profane bonus to their CMD for Disarm, Sunder, and Dirty Trick combat maneuvers.

Replace Aura of Vengeance with Aura of Brutality. Expend two uses of Smite Good and grant all allies, including the Anti-Paladin a +1 increase to their critical multiplier, so x3 becomes x4 for for 1 minute.

Aura of Depravity is modified accordingly, changing the compulsion modifier to make it easier for the Anti-Paladin of Gorum to incite violence in all parties.

Unholy Champion is replaced with Boundless Conqueror. His DR becomes DR 10/Adamantine and Good. Whenever he uses smite good he can cast Murderous Command, using his Anti-Paladin level as his caster level and lasts on a round/level basis, with the victim requiring a will save each round for the duration of the improved spell if it makes a successful will saving throw. In addition, he is now no longer unconscious when below negative hitpoints, automatically stabilizes, and is not considered staggered. That MIGHT be a bit too powerful, but for a Boundless Conqueror who can resist?

So, what do you guys think?


Bump


Doting for interest


Awe man, bump anyone? Anyone have anything for this?

Liberty's Edge

Perhaps some sort of "Even the Odds" thing in place of Divine Bond, wherein they could gain a template or two for a little while? And instead of Smite Good they get a buffed up version of Challenge?


What type of template did you have in mind?

Liberty's Edge

Just.. a template within a certain CR range, to help them even the odds against their opponent.


Something similar to the Evangelist PRC capstone?


I'd consider getting rid of Smite Good, but that's the Anti-Paladin's bread and butter. Even Rovagug's archetype, which technically should be Smite All, keeps it. There's unfortunately no precedent for the Anti-Paladin set yet for me to get rid of it.

I'm thinking maybe some sort of fiendish template tacked on that the character gains for X minutes a day, instead of Divine Bond maybe.


Major_Blackhart wrote:

I'd consider getting rid of Smite Good, but that's the Anti-Paladin's bread and butter. Even Rovagug's archetype, which technically should be Smite All, keeps it. There's unfortunately no precedent for the Anti-Paladin set yet for me to get rid of it.

I'm thinking maybe some sort of fiendish template tacked on that the character gains for X minutes a day, instead of Divine Bond maybe.

I still think that Smite Good should be removed and replaced with either Rage or Smite Law since it's an archetype for a CN good who has no problems with the forces of Good another option could be to replace it or Divine Bond with Weapon Training.

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