I am sure others have their own version of this in their campaigns. This one is my version. I built it using the Pathfinder Beta rules. I realize I have to update to the official rules. How does it look so far?
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The Anti-Paladin
By
William J. Wilson A.K.A. Geirunni
The anti-paladin represents a mockery of the paladin: champion of good. These fell-warriors represent the epitome of tyranny - only surpassed by the Fiends of the Hells.
Anti-Paladins are cruel, malicious, and pitiless creatures who seek to dominate all they meet. What they cannot control, they usually slay. They express their desire to rule by cursing their victims, wasting them with diseases, and just spreading their domination on everything. Many anti-paladins have Lawful Fiends as patrons and/or allies, though this is unnecessary; many do not share power at all.
Anti-paladins worship deities that represent absolute authority, though they do not have to follow a particular god for their abilities (see above).
ROLE: Anti-Paladins can be dark mercenary commanders, debauched lords of a fiefdom, or even the merciless rulers of a degenerate empire. There is no limit to the ambition of the Tyrant Kings....
NOTE: This class is intended to be an NPC class ONLY - at least in my campaigns. This class is particularly nasty and, unless the GM is running an evil campaign where the other players agree to kowtow to the anti-paladin, will disrupt and irritate the living daylights out of the other players.
Class Data:
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Hit Die: d10
Class Skills: The anti-paladin's class skills are Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Class Features:
All of the following are class features of the anti-paladin.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: anti-paladins are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).
Aura of Evil (Ex): The power of an anti-paladin’s aura of evil (see the detect evil spell) is equal to her anti-paladin level.
Detect Good (Sp): At will, an anti-paladin can use detect good, as the spell.
Smite Good (Su): Once per day, an anti-paladin may attempt to smite good with one normal melee attack. She adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per anti-paladin level. If the anti-paladin accidentally smites a creature that is not good nor a positive neutral, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day.
If the target of smite good is an outsider with the good subtype, a good-aligned dragon, or a good-aligned assimar, the bonus to damage increases to 2 points of damage per level the anti-paladin possesses. Regardless of the target, smite good attacks automatically bypass any DR the creature might possess.
At 4th level, and at every three levels thereafter, the anti-paladin may smite good one additional time per day to a maximum of seven times per day at 19th level.
Unholy Aid (Su): At 2nd level, an anti-paladin gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws.
Touch of Pestilence (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, an anti-paladin can cause sickening wounds on others by touch. Each day she can use this ability a number of times equal to 1/2 her anti-paladin level plus her Charisma bonus. Using Touch of Pestilence in this way requires a successful melee touch attack and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. With one use of this ability, an anti-paladin can make a target fester for a number of hit points equal to her level. As an anti-paladin gains levels, she can use this ability to create other effects. The DC for any of these abilities is based off the anti-paladin’s Charisma.
Alternatively, an anti-paladin can use this disease power to heal damage to undead creatures.. This attack cures an amount of damage equal to the anti-paladin’s level.
Aura of Power (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, an anti-paladin is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). The anti-paladin also receives a +4 morale bonus against any Mind-Affecting spells and abilities.
Profane Salubrity (Ex): At 3rd level, an anti-paladin gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases.
Channel Negative Energy (Su): When an anti-paladin reaches 4th level, she gains the supernatural ability to channel negative energy. She may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1 + her Charisma modifier. She channels negative energy as a cleric of three levels lower would.
Spells: Beginning at 4th level, an anti-anti-paladin gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells which are drawn from the anti-paladin spell list. An anti-paladin must choose and prepare her spells in advance. To prepare or cast a spell, an anti-paladin must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level.
The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an anti-paladin’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the anti-paladin’s Charisma modifier. Like other spellcasters, an anti-paladin can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on the table below. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Charisma score. When the table indicates that the anti-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 anti-paladin does not have access to any domain spells or granted powers, as a cleric does.
An anti-paladin prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does, though she cannot lose a prepared spell to spontaneously cast an inflict spell in its place. An anti-paladin may prepare and cast any spell on the anti-paladin spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.
Through 3rd level, a anti-paladin has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, her caster level is half her anti-paladin level.
Profane Bond (Sp): Upon reaching 5th level, an anti-paladin forms a profane bond with her god or fiendish sponsor. This bond can take one of two forms. Once the form is chosen, it cannot be changed.
The first bond allows her to enhance her weapon as a standard action. The weapon must be martial and cause a minimum of 1d8 of damage. When called, a fiendish spirit enhances the weapon, causing it to dim the area 20 feet around the anti-paladin for 1 minute per anti-paladin level. The dimming is not enough to pose a real problem against creatures (as in the darkness spell) but it can be an intimidating effect. At 5th level, this spirit grants the weapon a +1 bonus.
For every three levels beyond 5th, the weapon gains another +1 bonus, to a maximum of +6 at 20th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon or they can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: axiomatic, disruption, frost, icy burst, keen, speed, spell storing, and unholy. These bonuses do not stack with any properties the weapon already has. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other abilities can be added. If the weapon is held, or even touched(flesh to weapon), by anyone other than the anti-paladin during this effect, the fiendish spirit bestows negative levels equal to the anti-paladin's level upon the victim. These negative levels are TRUE negative levels and, if the victim’s level is low enough, it will kill them. If this happens, the corpse will rise as a wight under the anti-paladin's command in 1d8 rounds, with hit dice equal to the anti-paladin's level -2. This effect will not occur when the weapon strikes a victim; only if the weapon is grabbed as in a grapple or hand-disarm maneuver. The negative levels will be removed at a rate of 1 per hour, 2 hours after the victim releases the weapon (assuming the target survives). The weapon resumes giving bonuses if returned to the anti-paladin. These bonuses apply to only one end of a double weapon. An anti-paladin can use this ability once per day at 5th level, and one additional time per day for every four levels beyond 5th, to a total of four times per day at 17th level. If a weapon bearing a fiendish spirit is destroyed, the anti-paladin loses the use of this ability for 30 days, or until she gains a level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period, the anti-paladin takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.
The second bond allows a anti-paladin to gain the service of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed to serve her in her crusade against all that is good. This mount is usually a standard nightmare for a Medium-Sized anti-paladin or a diminished-sized nightmare for a member of a Small-Sized race.
Once per day, as a full-round action, the anti-paladin may magically call her mount from the fiendish realms in which it resides. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the anti-paladin’s level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the anti-paladin and remains for 2 hours per anti-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 anti-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 anti-paladin’s mount die, it immediately disappears, taking any equipment it was carrying and dumping it on its home plane. The anti-paladin may not summon another mount for 30 days or until she gains a anti-paladin level, whichever comes first, even if the mount is somehow returned from the dead. During this 30-day period, the anti-paladin takes –2 levels that can not be recovered magically.
Bestow Disease (Sp): At 6th level, an anti-paladin can spend two uses of her lay on hands ability to apply contagion, as the spell. Her caster level for this effect is equal to her paladin level. This is a melee touch attack that provokes no attack of opportunity.
Triumph of the Will (Su): At 8th level, an anti-paladin is immune to charm spells and spell-like abilities. The anti-paladin also gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against charm effects. This ability functions while the paladin is conscious, but not if she is unconscious or dead.
Curse (Sp): At 9th level, a paladin can spend two uses of her lay on hands ability to curse one who has caused her grief, as the spell. Her caster level for this effect is equal to her anti-paladin level. This is a melee touch attack that provokes no attack of opportunity.
Aura of Absolute Authority (Su): At 11th level, the anti-paladin can expend two uses of her smite good ability to grant the ability to smite good to all minions within 10 feet, using her bonuses. Allies must use this smite good ability by the start of the paladin’s next turn. Using this ability is a free action. Evil creatures gain no benefit from this ability.
Poison (Sp): At 12th level, an anti-paladin can spend two uses of her lay on hands ability to poison a victim, as the spell. Her caster level for this effect is equal to her anti-paladin level. This is a melee touch attack that provokes no attack of opportunity.
Hand of Dark Justice (Su): At 14th level, the anti-paladin’s weapons are treated as evil aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. This ability functions as long as she is conscious.
Break Enchantment (Sp): At 15th level, an anti-paladin can spend three uses of her lay on hands ability to break enchantment, as the spell. Her caster level for this effect is equal to her anti-paladin level.
State of Tyranny (Su): At 17th level, an anti-paladin gains DR 5/good and immunity to compulsion spells and spell-like abilities.
Harm (Sp): At 18th level, an anti-paladin can spend four uses of her lay on hands ability to harm, as the spell. Her caster level for this effect is equal to her paladin level. This is a melee touch attack that provokes no attack of opportunity.
I AM The Law!!! (Su): At 20th level, the anti-paladin becomes a conduit absolute tyranny that would make any Denizen of the Hells proud . Her DR increases to 10/good. Whenever she uses smite good against a good outsider, the outsider is also subject to a banishment, using her anti-paladin level as the caster level (her weapon and unholy symbol automatically count as objects that the subject hates). In addition, whenever she channels negative energy, she channels the maximum possible amount.
Level BAB For Ref Wil Special
1 +1 +2 +0 +0 Aura of Good, Detect Good,
Smite Good 1/day
2 +2 +3 +0 +0 Unholy Aid,Touch of Pestilence
3 +3 +3 +1 +1 Aura of Power, Profane Salubrity
4 +4 +4 +1 +1 Channel Negative Energy,Smite Good 2/day Spells: 0 - - -
5 +5 +4 +1 +1 Profane Bond Spells: 1 - - -
6 +6/+1 +5 +2 +2 Bestow Disease Spells: 1 - - -
7 +7/+2 +5 +2 +2 Smite Good 3/day Spells: 1 0 - -
8 +8/+3 +6 +2 +2 Triumph of the Will Spells: 1 1 - -
9 +9/+4 +6 +3 +3 Curse Spells: 2 1 - -
10 +10/+5 +7 +3 +3 Smite Good 4/day Spells: 2 1 0 -
11 +11/+6/+1 +7 +3 +3 Aura of Absolute Authority Spells: 2 1 1 -
12 +12/+7/+2 +8 +4 +4 Poison Spells: 2 2 1 -
13 +13/+8/+3 +8 +4 +4 Smite Good 5/day Spells: 3 2 1 0
14 +14/+9/+4 +9 +4 +4 Hand of Dark Justice Spells: 3 2 1 1
15 +15/+10/+5 +9 +5 +5 Break Enchantment Spells: 3 2 2 1
16 +16/+11/+6/+1 +10 +5 +5 Smite Good 6/day Spells: 3 3 2 1
17 +17/+12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +5 State of Tyranny Spells: 4 3 2 1
18 +18/+13/+8/+3 +11 +6 +6 Harm Spells: 4 3 2 2
19 +19/+14/+9/+4 +11 +6 +6 Smite Good 7/day Spells: 4 3 3 2
20 +20/+15/+10/+5 +12 +6 +6 I AM The Law!!! Spells: 4 4 3 3
Anti-Paladin Spell List (* indicates new spell described in this text):
Level 1:
Bane: Enemies take –1 on attack rolls and saves against fear
Cause Fear: One creature of 5 HD or less f lees for 1d4 rounds.
Curse Water: Makes unholy water.
*Cursed Weapon:[/b[ Weapon strikes true against good foes.
[b]Doom: One subject takes –2 on attack rolls, damage rolls, saves, and checks.
Detect Undead: Reveals undead within 60 ft.
Endure Elements: Exist comfortably in hot or cold environments.
Entropic Shield: Ranged attacks against you have 20% miss chance.
Hide from Undead: Undead can’t perceive one subject/level.
Inflict Light Wounds: Touch deals 1d8 damage +1/level (max +5).
Magic Weapon: Weapon gains +1 bonus.
Obscuring Mist: Fog surrounds you.
Protection from Chaos/Good: +2 to AC and saves, counter mind control, hedge out elementals and outsiders.
Read Magic: Read scrolls and spellbooks.
Restoration, Lesser: Dispels magical ability penalty or repairs 1d4 ability damage.
Level 2:
Bull’s Strength: Subject gains +4 to Str for 1 min./level.
Death Knell: Kills dying creature; you gain 1d8 temporary hp, +2 to Str, and +1 level.
Eagle’s Splendor: Subject gains +4 to Cha for 1 min./level.Bestow Curse: –6 to an ability score; –4 on attack rolls, saves,and checks; or 50% chance of losing each action.
Enthrall: Captivates all within 100 ft. + 10 ft./level.
Hold Person: Paralyzes one humanoid for 1 round/level.
Resist Energy: Ignores 10 (or more) points of damage/attack from specified energy type.
Sound Burst: Deals 1d8 sonic damage to subjects; may stun them.
Undetectable Alignment: Conceals alignment for 24 hours.
Zone of Truth: Subjects within range cannot lie.
Level 3:
Blindness/Deafness: Makes subject blinded or deafened.
Bestow Curse: –6 to an ability score; –4 on attack rolls, saves, and checks; or 50% chance of losing each action.
Contagion: Infects subject with chosen disease.
Deeper Darkness: Object sheds supernatural shadow in 60-ft. radius.
Discern Lies: Reveals deliberate falsehoods.
Dispel Magic: Cancels spells and magical effects.
Inflict Moderate Wounds: Touch attack, 2d8 damage +1/level (max +10).
Heal Mount: As heal on warhorse or other special mount.
Magic Circle against Chaos: As protection from chaos, but 10-ft. radius and 10 min./level.
Magic Circle against Good: As protection from good, but 10-ft. radius and 10 min./level.
Magic Weapon, Greater: +1 bonus/four levels (max +5).
Level 4:
Death Ward: Grants immunity to death spells and negative energy effects.
Dispel Chaos: +4 bonus against attacks by chaotic creatures.
Dispel Good: +4 bonus against attacks by good creatures.
Inflict Serious Wounds: Touch attack, 3d8 damage +1/level (max +15).
Mark of Justice: Designates action that will trigger curse on subject.
Poison: Touch deals 1d10 Con damage, repeats in 1 min.
Restoration M: Restores level and ability score drains.
Symbol of Pain M S: Triggered rune wracks nearby creatures with pain.
*Unholy Sword: Weapon becomes +5, deals +2d6 damage against good.
New Spells:
Cursed Weapon
School transmutation; Level anti-paladin 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range touch
Target weapon touched
Duration 1 min./level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
Description
This transmutation makes a weapon strike true against good foes. The weapon is treated as having a +1 enhancement bonus for the purpose of bypassing the damage reduction of good creatures or striking good incorporeal creatures (though the spell doesn’t grant an actual enhancement bonus). The weapon also becomes evil, which means it can bypass the damage reduction of certain creatures. (This effect overrides and suppresses any other alignment the weapon might have.) Individual arrows or bolts can be transmuted, but affected projectile weapons (such as bows) don’t confer the benefit to the projectiles they shoot.
In addition, all critical hit rolls against good foes are automatically successful, so every threat is a critical hit. This last effect does not apply to any weapon that already has a magical effect related to critical hits, such as a keen weapon or a vorpal sword.
Unholy Sword
School evocation [evil]; Level anti-paladin 4
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Rangetouch
Target melee weapon touched
Duration 1 round/level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
Description
This spell allows you to channel unholy power into your sword, or any other melee weapon you choose. The weapon acts as a +5 unholy weapon (+5 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls, extra 2d6 damage against good opponents). It also emits a magic circle against good effect (as the spell). If the magic circle ends, the sword creates a new one on your turn as a free action. The spell is automatically canceled 1 round after the weapon leaves your hand. You cannot have more than one unholy sword at a time. If this spell is cast on a magic weapon, the powers of the spell supersede any that the weapon normally has, rendering the normal
enhancement bonus and powers of the weapon inoperative for the duration of the spell. This spell is not cumulative with bless weapon or any other spell that might modify the weapon in any way. This spell does not work on artifacts. A masterwork weapon’s bonus to attack does not stack with an enhancement bonus to attack.
Special Rules:
Kiss of the Dark Ones: The Dark Powers love when paladins fall from grace and turn to the "Other Side." If a paladin decides to become an anti-paladin, the character can replace her existing paladin levels with the equivalent ones for the anti-paladin. All other characters must use the regular multi-classing rules if they want to take levels in this class.
The conversion of paladin to anti-paladin is left up to the players and the GM (assuming the GM actually ALLOWS PC's to play this class). It should be role-played to the fullest extent.
I like the general feeling and handling of this, the reading is neat, One of the special abilities above should be in bold and have its own paragraph. The only thing is that this anti-paladin is very lawful, just like the paladin, so it does not feel anti-paladin exactly.
Mechanics-wise the differences I see, besides the spell list, is that this anti-paladin has 3 'evil mercy', poison, curse and harm only, right?
Thanks for the input. The reason I chose Lawful versus Chaotic is that it is supposed to be a sick twisted version of the paladin: what paladins could become if they turned a little south...
If Anti=paladin is too cliched, anyone have a better name??
Mechanics-wise the differences I see, besides the spell list, is that this anti-paladin has 3 'evil mercy', poison, curse and harm only, right?
This class was one I was making for the Pathfinder BETA rules. The paladin didn't have the the special ability structure it has in that version. I am thinking of re-structuring the A-P with a mercy-like list of their own: the word "Cruelties" comes to mind for them. What do you think?
Sounds like a good idea. I would have suggested another name for the class of c, but right now none comes to mind. There are only so many names for knight related concepts (to the point where the 3 levels generic good but not lawful knight Prc made by paizo has as name the French word for 'knight').
For cruelties some other names could be http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?le xtype=2&search=cruelty
I think that perhaps one of those 'evil mercies' should be the ability to store the poison, or at higher levels the harm, on his weapon like the storing ability. The moment where in a honorable fight, the hero gets ****ed up because his opponent used poison is a classic.
Also, I would recommend to check the hellknight prc, which you could find, if you do not have the books, in the 'archives of nethys' (google it), so you can see some points in which you could perhaps differentiate more your class (fluff-wise) from that Prc, which has a bend towards tyranny and hell as well, and most importantly 'law' (which could lead to some fluff rewording of the lv20th ability).
I wonder where I can find the advanced player's guide anti-paladin as well to compare.
Looking over the Hellknight now. I see what you mean. I guess I have t make the AP nastier....
As for a different name for the "evil mercies", maybe "malignities" could be a candidate.
I will try to post an update soon. Let's see what I come up with...
Looking forward to something new on monday :p.
Here is another draft of the Anti-paladin I am constructing. I am trying to make it comply with the official Pathfinder RPG rules. I have replaced some of the old anti-paladin's abilities with Malignities: a mockery of the paladin's Mercies. I also added a little test in the Special Rules at the end called "Relations With Other Classes." This will be amended when I think of more.....
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The Anti-Paladin
By
William J. Wilson. A.K.A. Geirunni
The anti-paladin represents a mockery of the paladin: champion of good. These fell-warriors represent the epitome of tyranny - only surpassed by the Fiends of the Hells.
Anti-Paladins are cruel, malicious, and pitiless creatures who seek to dominate all they meet. What they cannot control, they usually slay. They express their desire to rule by cursing their victims, wasting them with diseases, and just spreading their domination on everything. Many anti-paladins have Lawful Fiends as patrons and/or allies, though this is unnecessary; many do not share power at all.
Anti-paladins worship deities that represent absolute authority, though they do not have to follow a particular god for their abilities (see above).
ROLE: Anti-Paladins can be dark mercenary commanders, debauched lords of a fiefdom, or even the merciless rulers of a degenerate empire. There is no limit to the ambition of the Tyrant Kings....
NOTE: This class is intended to be an NPC class ONLY - at least in my campaigns. This class is particularly nasty and, unless the GM is running an evil campaign where the other players agree to kowtow to the anti-paladin, will disrupt and irritate the living daylights out of the other players.
Class Data:
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Hit Die: d10
Class Skills: The anti-paladin's class skills are Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Class Features:
All of the following are class features of the anti-paladin.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: anti-paladins are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).
Aura of Evil (Ex): The power of an anti-paladin’s aura of evil (see the detect evil spell) is equal to her anti-paladin level.
Detect Good (Sp): At will, an anti-paladin can use detect good, as the spell.
Smite Good (Su): Once per day, an anti-paladin may attempt to smite good with one normal melee attack. She adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per anti-paladin level. If the anti-paladin accidentally smites a creature that is not good nor a positive neutral, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day.
If the target of smite good is an outsider with the good subtype, a good-aligned dragon, or a good-aligned assimar, the bonus to damage increases to 2 points of damage per level the anti-paladin possesses. Regardless of the target, smite good attacks automatically bypass any DR the creature might possess.
At 4th level, and at every three levels thereafter, the anti-paladin may smite good one additional time per day to a maximum of seven times per day at 19th level.
Unholy Aid (Su): At 2nd level, an anti-paladin gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws.
Touch of Pestilence (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, an anti-paladin can cause sickening wounds on others by touch. Each day she can use this ability a number of times equal to 1/2 her anti-paladin level plus her Charisma bonus. Using Touch of Pestilence in this way requires a successful melee touch attack and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. With one use of this ability, an anti-paladin can make a target fester for a number of hit points equal to her level. As an anti-paladin gains levels, she can use this ability to create other effects. The DC for any of these abilities is based off the anti-paladin’s Charisma.
Alternatively, an anti-paladin can use this disease power to heal damage to undead creatures.. This attack cures an amount of damage equal to the anti-paladin’s level.
Aura of Power (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, an anti-paladin is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). The anti-paladin also receives a +4 morale bonus against any Mind-Affecting spells and abilities.
Profane Salubrity (Ex): At 3rd level, an anti-paladin gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases.
Malignity (Su): At 3rd level, and every three levels thereafter, an anti-paladin can select one malignity. Each malignity adds an effect to the anti-paladin’s touch of pestilence ability. Whenever the anti-paladin uses touch of pestilence to deliver damage to one target, the target also receives the additional effects from all of the malignities possessed by the anti-paladin. A malignity can bestow a condition that can curse, disease, or poison on a temporary basis. Such conditions will wear off in 1 hour or less unless the malignity has the ability to make the condition more permanent.
At 3rd level, the anti-paladin can select from the following initial malignities. Each effect will last for 1 hour unless removed by the appropriate technique.
• Fatigue: The target is fatigued.
• Shaken: The target is shaken.
• Sickened: The target is sickened.
At 6th level, an anti-paladin adds the following malignities to the list of those that can be selected.
• Dazed: The target is dazed.
• Diseased: The anti-paladin’s touch of pestilence ability also acts as the contagion spell, using the anti-paladin’s level as the caster level.
• Staggered: The target is staggered.
At 9th level, an anti-paladin adds the following malignities to the list of those that can be selected.
• Cursed: The paladin’s touch of pestilence ability also acts as curse, using the anti-paladin’s level as the caster level.
• Exhausted: The target is exhausted. The anti-paladin must have the fatigue malignity before selecting this malignity.
• Frightened: The target is frightened. The anti-paladin must have the shaken malignity before selecting this malignity.
• Nauseated: The target is nauseated. The anti-paladin must have the sickened malignity before selecting this malignity .
• Poisoned: The anti-paladin’s touch of pestilence ability also acts as poison, using the anti-paladin’s level as the caster level.
At 12th level, an anti-paladin adds the following malignities to the list of those that can be selected.
• Blinded: The target is blinded.
• Deafened: The target is deafened.
• Paralyzed: The target is paralyzed.
• Stunned: The target is stunned.
These abilities are cumulative. For example, a 12th-level anti-paladin’s touch of pestilence ability bestows 6d6 points of damage and might also fatigue and exhaust the target as well as bestowing disease and poison. Once a condition or spell effect is chosen, it can’t be changed.
Channel Negative Energy (Su): When an anti-paladin reaches 4th level, she gains the supernatural ability to channel negative energy. She may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1 + her Charisma modifier. She channels negative energy as a cleric of three levels lower would.
Spells: Beginning at 4th level, an anti-anti-paladin gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells which are drawn from the anti-paladin spell list. An anti-paladin must choose and prepare her spells in advance. To prepare or cast a spell, an anti-paladin must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level.
The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against an anti-paladin’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the anti-paladin’s Charisma modifier. Like other spellcasters, an anti-paladin can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on the table below. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Charisma score. When the table indicates that the anti-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 anti-paladin does not have access to any domain spells or granted powers, as a cleric does.
An anti-paladin prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does, though she cannot lose a prepared spell to spontaneously cast an inflict spell in its place. An anti-paladin may prepare and cast any spell on the anti-paladin spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.
Through 3rd level, a anti-paladin has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, her caster level is half her anti-paladin level.
Profane Bond (Sp): Upon reaching 5th level, an anti-paladin forms a profane bond with her god or fiendish sponsor. This bond can take one of two forms. Once the form is chosen, it cannot be changed.
The first bond allows her to enhance her weapon as a standard action. The weapon must be martial and cause a minimum of 1d8 of damage. When called, a fiendish spirit enhances the weapon, causing it to dim the area 20 feet around the anti-paladin for 1 minute per anti-paladin level. The dimming is not enough to pose a real problem against creatures (as in the darkness spell) but it can be an intimidating effect. At 5th level, this spirit grants the weapon a +1 bonus.
For every three levels beyond 5th, the weapon gains another +1 bonus, to a maximum of +6 at 20th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon or they can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: [u]axiomatic[/u], [u]disruption[/u], [u]frost[/u], [u]icy burst[/u], [u]keen[/u], [u]speed[/u], [u]spell storing[/u], and [u]unholy[/u]. These bonuses do not stack with any properties the weapon already has. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other abilities can be added. If the weapon is held, or even touched(flesh to weapon), by anyone other than the anti-paladin during this effect, the fiendish spirit bestows negative levels equal to the anti-paladin's level upon the victim. These negative levels are TRUE negative levels and, if the victim’s level is low enough, it will kill them. If this happens, the corpse will rise as a wight under the anti-paladin's command in 1d8 rounds, with hit dice equal to the anti-paladin's level -2. This effect will not occur when the weapon strikes a victim; only if the weapon is grabbed as in a grapple or hand-disarm maneuver. The negative levels will be removed at a rate of 1 per hour, 2 hours after the victim releases the weapon (assuming the target survives). The weapon resumes giving bonuses if returned to the anti-paladin. These bonuses apply to only one end of a double weapon. An anti-paladin can use this ability once per day at 5th level, and one additional time per day for every four levels beyond 5th, to a total of four times per day at 17th level. If a weapon bearing a fiendish spirit is destroyed, the anti-paladin loses the use of this ability for 30 days, or until she gains a level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period, the anti-paladin takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.
The second bond allows a anti-paladin to gain the service of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed to serve her in her crusade against all that is good. This mount is usually a standard nightmare for a Medium-Sized anti-paladin or a diminished-sized nightmare for a member of a Small-Sized race.
Once per day, as a full-round action, the anti-paladin may magically call her mount from the fiendish realms in which it resides. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the anti-paladin’s level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the anti-paladin and remains for 2 hours per anti-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 anti-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 anti-paladin’s mount die, it immediately disappears, taking any equipment it was carrying and dumping it on its home plane. The anti-paladin may not summon another mount for 30 days or until she gains a anti-paladin level, whichever comes first, even if the mount is somehow returned from the dead. During this 30-day period, the anti-paladin takes –2 levels that can not be recovered magically.
Triumph of the Will (Su): At 8th level, an anti-paladin is immune to charm spells and spell-like abilities. The anti-paladin also gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against charm effects. This ability functions while the paladin is conscious, but not if she is unconscious or dead.
Aura of Absolute Authority (Su): At 11th level, the anti-paladin can expend two uses of her smite good ability to grant the ability to smite good to all minions within 10 feet, using her bonuses. Allies must use this smite good ability by the start of the paladin’s next turn. Using this ability is a free action. Evil creatures gain no benefit from this ability.
Hand of Dark Justice (Su): At 14th level, the anti-paladin’s weapons are treated as evil aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. This ability functions as long as she is conscious.
Break Enchantment (Sp): At 15th level, an anti-paladin can spend three uses of her lay on hands ability to break enchantment, as the spell. Her caster level for this effect is equal to her anti-paladin level.
State of Tyranny (Su): At 17th level, an anti-paladin gains DR 5/good and immunity to compulsion spells and spell-like abilities.
Harm (Sp): At 18th level, an anti-paladin can spend four uses of her lay on hands ability to harm, as the spell. Her caster level for this effect is equal to her paladin level. This is a melee touch attack that provokes no attack of opportunity.
I AM The Law!!! (Su): At 20th level, the anti-paladin becomes a conduit absolute tyranny that would make any Denizen of the Hells proud . Her DR increases to 10/good. Whenever she uses smite good against a good outsider, the outsider is also subject to a banishment, using her anti-paladin level as the caster level (her weapon and unholy symbol automatically count as objects that the subject hates). In addition, whenever she channels negative energy, she channels the maximum possible amount.
Level BAB For Ref Wil Special
1 +1 +2 +0 +0 Aura of Good, Detect Good,
Smite Good 1/day
2 +2 +3 +0 +0 Unholy Aid,Touch of Pestilence
3 +3 +3 +1 +1 Aura of Power, Profane Salubrity, Malignity
4 +4 +4 +1 +1 Channel Negative Energy,Smite Good 2/day Spells: 0 - - -
5 +5 +4 +1 +1 Profane Bond Spells: 1 - - -
6 +6/+1 +5 +2 +2 Malignity Spells: 1 - - -
7 +7/+2 +5 +2 +2 Smite Good 3/day Spells: 1 0 - -
8 +8/+3 +6 +2 +2 Triumph of the Will Spells: 1 1 - -
9 +9/+4 +6 +3 +3 Malignity Spells: 2 1 - -
10 +10/+5 +7 +3 +3 Smite Good 4/day Spells: 2 1 0 -
11 +11/+6/+1 +7 +3 +3 Aura of Absolute Authority Spells: 2 1 1 -
12 +12/+7/+2 +8 +4 +4 Malignity Spells: 2 2 1 -
13 +13/+8/+3 +8 +4 +4 Smite Good 5/day Spells: 3 2 1 0
14 +14/+9/+4 +9 +4 +4 Hand of Dark Justice Spells: 3 2 1 1
15 +15/+10/+5 +9 +5 +5 Break Enchantment Spells: 3 2 2 1
16 +16/+11/+6/+1 +10 +5 +5 Smite Good 6/day Spells: 3 3 2 1
17 +17/+12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +5 State of Tyranny Spells: 4 3 2 1
18 +18/+13/+8/+3 +11 +6 +6 Malignity Spells: 4 3 2 2
19 +19/+14/+9/+4 +11 +6 +6 Smite Good 7/day Spells: 4 3 3 2
20 +20/+15/+10/+5 +12 +6 +6 I AM The Law!!! Spells: 4 4 3 3
Anti-Paladin Spell List (* indicates new spell described in this text):
Level 1:
Bane: Enemies take –1 on attack rolls and saves against fear
Cause Fear: One creature of 5 HD or less f lees for 1d4 rounds.
Curse Water: Makes unholy water.
*Cursed Weapon: Weapon strikes true against good foes.
Doom: One subject takes –2 on attack rolls, damage rolls, saves, and checks.
Detect Undead: Reveals undead within 60 ft.
Endure Elements: Exist comfortably in hot or cold environments.
Entropic Shield: Ranged attacks against you have 20% miss chance.
Hide from Undead: Undead can’t perceive one subject/level.
Inflict Light Wounds: Touch deals 1d8 damage +1/level (max +5).
Magic Weapon: Weapon gains +1 bonus.
Obscuring Mist: Fog surrounds you.
Protection from Chaos/Good: +2 to AC and saves, counter mind control, hedge out elementals and outsiders.
Read Magic: Read scrolls and spellbooks.
Restoration, Lesser: Dispels magical ability penalty or repairs 1d4 ability damage.
Level 2:
Bull’s Strength: Subject gains +4 to Str for 1 min./level.
Death Knell: Kills dying creature; you gain 1d8 temporary hp, +2 to Str, and +1 level.
Eagle’s Splendor: Subject gains +4 to Cha for 1 min./level.Bestow Curse: –6 to an ability score; –4 on attack rolls, saves,and checks; or 50% chance of losing each action.
Enthrall: Captivates all within 100 ft. + 10 ft./level.
Hold Person: Paralyzes one humanoid for 1 round/level.
Resist Energy: Ignores 10 (or more) points of damage/attack from specified energy type.
Sound Burst: Deals 1d8 sonic damage to subjects; may stun them.
Undetectable Alignment: Conceals alignment for 24 hours.
Zone of Truth: Subjects within range cannot lie.
Level 3:
Blindness/Deafness: Makes subject blinded or deafened.
Bestow Curse: –6 to an ability score; –4 on attack rolls, saves, and checks; or 50% chance of losing each action.
Contagion: Infects subject with chosen disease.
Deeper Darkness: Object sheds supernatural shadow in 60-ft. radius.
Discern Lies: Reveals deliberate falsehoods.
Dispel Magic: Cancels spells and magical effects.
Inflict Moderate Wounds: Touch attack, 2d8 damage +1/level (max +10).
Heal Mount: As heal on warhorse or other special mount.
Magic Circle against Chaos: As protection from chaos, but 10-ft. radius and 10 min./level.
Magic Circle against Good: As protection from good, but 10-ft. radius and 10 min./level.
Magic Weapon, Greater: +1 bonus/four levels (max +5).
Level 4:
Death Ward: Grants immunity to death spells and negative energy effects.
Dispel Chaos: +4 bonus against attacks by chaotic creatures.
Dispel Good: +4 bonus against attacks by good creatures.
Inflict Serious Wounds: Touch attack, 3d8 damage +1/level (max +15).
Mark of Justice: Designates action that will trigger curse on subject.
Poison: Touch deals 1d10 Con damage, repeats in 1 min.
Restoration M: Restores level and ability score drains.
Symbol of Pain M S: Triggered rune wracks nearby creatures with pain.
*Unholy Sword: Weapon becomes +5, deals +2d6 damage against good.
New Spells:
Cursed Weapon
School transmutation; Level anti-paladin 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range touch
Target weapon touched
Duration 1 min./level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
Description
This transmutation makes a weapon strike true against good foes. The weapon is treated as having a +1 enhancement bonus for the purpose of bypassing the damage reduction of good creatures or striking good incorporeal creatures (though the spell doesn’t grant an actual enhancement bonus). The weapon also becomes evil, which means it can bypass the damage reduction of certain creatures. (This effect overrides and suppresses any other alignment the weapon might have.) Individual arrows or bolts can be transmuted, but affected projectile weapons (such as bows) don’t confer the benefit to the projectiles they shoot.
In addition, all critical hit rolls against good foes are automatically successful, so every threat is a critical hit. This last effect does not apply to any weapon that already has a magical effect related to critical hits, such as a keen weapon or a vorpal sword.
Unholy Sword
School evocation [evil]; Level anti-paladin 4
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Rangetouch
Target melee weapon touched
Duration 1 round/level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
Description
This spell allows you to channel unholy power into your sword, or any other melee weapon you choose. The weapon acts as a +5 unholy weapon (+5 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls, extra 2d6 damage against good opponents). It also emits a magic circle against good effect (as the spell). If the magic circle ends, the sword creates a new one on your turn as a free action. The spell is automatically canceled 1 round after the weapon leaves your hand. You cannot have more than one unholy sword at a time. If this spell is cast on a magic weapon, the powers of the spell supersede any that the weapon normally has, rendering the normal
enhancement bonus and powers of the weapon inoperative for the duration of the spell. This spell is not cumulative with bless weapon or any other spell that might modify the weapon in any way. This spell does not work on artifacts. A masterwork weapon’s bonus to attack does not stack with an enhancement bonus to attack.
Special Rules:
Kiss of the Dark Ones: The Dark Powers love when paladins fall from grace and turn to the "Other Side." If a paladin decides to become an anti-paladin, the character can replace her existing paladin levels with the equivalent ones for the anti-paladin. All other characters must use the regular multi-classing rules if they want to take levels in this class.
The conversion of paladin to anti-paladin is left up to the players and the GM (assuming the GM actually ALLOWS PC's to play this class). It should be role-played to the fullest extent.
Relations With Other Classes: Anti-Paladins get along with anyone that they can subjugate. Anti-paladins work especially well with Hellknights – providing that the hellknights recognize that the anti-paladin IS the law. If not, well, they make good wight servants as well...
Hmmm neat, I like it generally speaking. Now I must point out some things:
-Being lawful, I think a code of conduct would be a very nice touch. -
-Being able to make others sickm stunned, etc is A LOT more powerful than being able to heal it. I would say, reduce the DC by an arbitrary amount of 2 or 4 to make up for that, and add some kind of restriction, or slashback penalty for using those powers.
The restriction shouldn't be 'usable against good opponents only' IMO because he's a tyrant and should be able to terrorize his evil minions just like everyone else.
Hmmm neat, I like it generally speaking. Now I must point out some things:
-Being lawful, I think a code of conduct would be a very nice touch. -
Good idea. Will work on it...
-Being able to make others sickm stunned, etc is A LOT more powerful than being able to heal it. I would say, reduce the DC by an arbitrary amount of 2 or 4 to make up for that, and add some kind of restriction, or slashback penalty for using those powers.
The restriction shouldn't be 'usable against good opponents only' IMO because he's a tyrant and should be able to terrorize his evil minions just like everyone else.
Naah, in fact, I think the special abilities are a little bit on the wimpy side for my tastes.
Some extra notes on handling this class:
1. NPC's ONLY!!!!! Only a total moron would allow this class to be used by a player. For the ditzes who think this is a good idea for their evil campaigns, well, you are going to reap what you sow. I am not going to assume responsibility for the campaigns/worlds that will be destroyed and the heartache and loss of friendships between players that will ensue if this disclaimer is ignored.
2. Solitary Rulers: You do NOT have a group of AP's running about; since they all want to be on top of everything, they will not suffer each other. This class is really a template for the reeeaaalllly baaaaad nasty at the end of an adventure/campaign.
In my campaign, this class is attached to the Imperator of Roma Nova (I use my own homebrewed game world for Pathfinder). Yes, he started out as a paladin who freed slaves during Roma Nova's republic days........
Thanks again for the input. Working on the AP's answer to the paladin's Holy Avenger. That will be added in the next incarnation......