Ginglebrix |
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Many DMs are way too harsh on Paladin behavior. They look for any reason to strip away the special abilities they have.
That being said, many players are unable to maintain a non-chaotic way of playing and want to act like all of our characters did when we were teenagers.
Here are some examples that may help all of us:
Think of Lancelot. He did not fall because of his lustful thoughts. He did not fall by making mostly-false reasons not to attend court. He did not fall by championing the queen in order to hide their secret feelings. He fell from grace after laying with the queen, abandoning his duties, and absconding from the kingdom.
Think of Anakin Skywalker. He did not fall when he constantly questioned authority. He did not fall when he became emotional. He did not fall when he took vengeance for his mother. He did not fall when he questioned his own morals. He fell when he killed members of his fellow order to join a more powerful and anger driven anti-order.
Now both of these examples detail minor misbehaviors that can be described as a "slippery slope" that eventually led to their fall, however, those examples in and of themselves did NOT cause the fall. The cause was the ultimate choice to indulge in powerful/lustful emotions and abandoning everything they stood for.
My point being, unless the paladin in your party has done something that all reasonable players would agree to be evil or unworthy of a paladin, then let it slide. Quit looking for an opportunity to say "Hahahah, I got you!" That kind of DM-ing is bad for everyone. Use those behaviors as ways to develop plot hooks and/or court/church politics.
As players, if you are not willing or are personally unable to conduct any of your PCs in a paladin-like fashion, then it would be best to create one of the many other character classes.
The solution to the OPs question is two-fold between the GM and player and is so easy that I am stumped by the constant problems with this topic.