Jose 2603's page

Is this 'dishonorable' fighting?

Hello there,

last gaming session our group were moving trough a dungeon. Rogue in front, Paladin right behind him. Our Fighter was covering to the back. we were 'covered/hidden' by the spells:

invisibility sphere
pass without trace
mind link

Then we noticed someone/something standing behind a corner, waiting for us. We hadn't used a silence spell and hadn't moved silently enough. Apparently our opponent had heard us approaching the corner.

Well, my character, the paladin moved (as silently as possible and rolled high enough) to the border of the invisibility sphere and stepped out of it. For two reasons.

- to not attack my foe while being invisible and
- to lure our foe (a wendigo possesed frost giant) into a 'trap' to give the rogue (and other party members) the chance to flank the frost giant.

The plan worked well. Maybe too well...

We took some hits and heavy damage, our opponent being a tough foe and using power attacks and great cleaves. But eventually we managed to bring him down.

Afterwards my game master confronted me with:

Wasn't this a dishonorable act? (I looked dumbfounded...) You did this to lure the 'poor fella' into a trap and to give the rogue the chance to sneak attack him, right? Could a good deity, well, 'dislike' this kind of behavior and see this as dishonorable fighting?

Well, I confirmed this had been exactly my plan. That I had intended to lure the giant out and to give the party the chance to flank him. And to give the rogue the chance to use his sneak attack. And that I didn't see this as an act of 'dishonesty'. After all I had stepped out of the invisibility foe and offered myself as bait and had not attacked while being invisible.

Unfortunately we began a discussion. I usually try to avoid this during the game session, but I had such a different oppinion to my gamemaster's, that I couldn't hold back. S**t

My arguments:
What if the fighter hadn't been covering our back (and the wizard)? Had he flanked the frost giant and had attacked with greater vital strike. Would this have been okay?
What is the difference?
Or the ranger attacking the giant with deadly aim, many shot, point blank and precise shot and so on? Just because the thief was 'sneaky'? Come on. The Paladin is still a fighter and can use combat tactics. He's not lawful stupid and had gladly used all options at hand to outsmart the giant. He would have never tried to rend the rogue's ability to sneak useless. after all he's a Rogue and not an Assasin...

Well, the session 'recovered' somewhat later, but there was this sour taste throughout the session. And this matter has to be solved and is to be discussed before the next gaming session.

I wanted to hear your opinion(s) before talking to my gamemaster: Is it maybe me who's wrong and mistaken?

Thanks in advance for your opinion(s)
Appreciate that.

Cheers,
Jose

Ok first thing....welcome to the boards!

As far as I can tell....

A paladin would keep all abilities, except channel energy....

and of course spells that require the divine focus.....

So for the most part you should be fine......
Next time be sure to purchase at least 10 holy symbols, they are cheap and can be sundered by opponents....

Second you might consider a craft skill such as wood carving and buying the tools to do it.....

I have had to carve a holy symbol before....think of the old movies where they carve a gun out of soap....

Hope this helps.....

Hello KenderKin,

oh my. Thank You so much. I hadn't expected such a superfast reply to my query. Really appreciate that. And thanks for the welcome.

Yep. I guess I should have bought some more foci, LOL. But then... I didn't want to look like I was expecting losing them... Tsk... I can hear my Gamemaster... Have faith... :-)

And yes. Guess I will spend some skill points in craft wood carving with my next level advancement. Never gave that skill a thought for my paladin. Should have... sigh...

Thanks, yes, this helps!!!

Hello All,

please excuse any grammar or spelling mistakes. Having been born (and living) in Germany english is not my native language.

I checked the Rules Questions and found already something regarding replacing a Divine Focus with a newly crafted (wooden) symbol. But didn't found a thread that answered my question. If I did overlook, please send me the link to it?

Anyways... Well, I hope I got this right.

After having lost (in whatever manner) my holy symbol:

No spells with the component DF work
No Channeling of positive energy works as this requires to present the holy symbol
No Feats with the Channel component like: Alignement Channel, Channel Smite, and, of course Improved Channel work, since Channeling itself doesn't work

Class abilities like Lay on Hands, Mercies, Detect Evil and Smite Evil and so on still work without the holy symbol? (Well, maybe unless his god is soooo displeased with his Paladin for loosing his symbol that he rewokes the Paladin's powers for a while?)

Well, the final decission is of course my Gamemaster's ruling, but I would like to give him the right tools so he can make the right ruling ;-)

Okay, guess that's it right now.
Hope you can help me out!

Cheers,
Jose