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Templar (Fighter Archetype)
Mages who refuse the Circle's control become apostates and live in fear of a templar's powers--the ability to dispel and resist magic. As servants of the Chantry, the templars have been the most effective means of controlling the spread and use of arcane power for centuries.
Skills: A templar does not gain Knowledge (Dungeoneering) or Knowledge (Engineering) as class skills; instead, he gains Knowledge (Religion) and Spellcraft as class skills.
Detect Mages (Su): At will, a templar can, as a move action, concentrate on a single individual within 60 feet and determine if it is capable of casting spells. After he observes a creature with this ability for at least 3 rounds, it must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the templar's caster level + the templar's Charisma modifier). If it fails the saving throw, the templar learn what bloodlines, hexes, or school specializations the creature possesses. If the creature makes its save, it is immune to the effects of this ability for 24 hours.
Mental Fortress (Ex): A templar is able to stand strong against magical effects that seek to control, compel, or persuade him. The templar rolls twice and takes the best result when making a Will saving throw against a mind-affecting effect.
This ability replaces the fighter’s 1st-level bonus feat.
Knowledgeable Defense (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a templar who identifies a spell with Spellcraft gains a +1 bonus on saving throws against its effects or a +1 dodge bonus to AC against the spellcaster's attack. These bonuses increase by +1 for every four levels beyond 2nd.
This ability replaces Bravery.
Mage Slayer (Ex): Starting at 5th level, whenever a templar attacks a creature capable of casting spells, he gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels beyond 5th.
This ability replaces weapon training 1.
Righteous Strike (Su): Starting at 9th level, whenever a templar deals damage to a creature capable of casting spells, that creature is the subject of a targeted greater dispel magic using the templar's level as the caster level.
This ability replaces weapon training 2.
Cleanse Area (Sp): Starting at 13th level, a templar can cast greater dispel magic spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to his 3 + his Charisma modifier (minimum 1), but only to target an area. The templar's caster level when using this ability is equal to his fighter level. Despite having access to this spell-like ability, a templar is not considered a spellcaster. Thus, he is not susceptible to another templar's attacks, nor does he detect as a mage.
This ability replaces weapon training 3.
Greater Righteous Strike (Su): Starting at 17th level, whenever a templar deals damage to a creature capable of casting spells, that creature loses one spell slot of each spell level it has access to. These spell slots are consumed as if they had been cast, meaning that the spellcaster must rest a full 8 hours to regain access to them. In addition, the spellcaster loses one use per day for each spell-like ability it is capable of casting; constant and at-will spell-like abilities are unaffected.
This ability replaces weapon training 4.
Holy Vengeance (Su): Starting at 20th level, whenever a templar succeeds on a saving throw against a spell or spell-like ability, he may reflect the effect onto its caster as per spell turning. The spell's caster must roll twice and take the lesser of the two rolls when saving against the spell. In addition, if the spell deals damage it is automatically empowered, increasing the amount of damage dealt to its caster by half (+50%).
This ability replaces weapon mastery.
My first thought was DA Templar? Paladin alternate class. Must read more.
Doesn't really fit the flavor of the setting for a Templar to be a variant Paladin. They fulfill a similar role, but they're very different. Both are religious, and both serve a higher power (in this case, the Templars serve the Chantry), but their codes are completely at odds with one another. Further, Templars are incapable of casting "spells" in a traditional sense. In Dragon Age, there is no such thing as divine magic, so a Paladin wouldn't make sense (they have access to 1st-4th level spells, after all). Hell, the Chantry priests can't even cast spells--that's the sole domain of the setting's wizard equivalents.
Doesn't really fit the flavor of the setting for a Templar to be a variant Paladin. They fulfill a similar role, but they're very different. Both are religious, and both serve a higher power (in this case, the Templars serve the Chantry), but their codes are completely at odds with one another.
Well, that's why I would see them as alternate class rather than mere archetype. After all anti-paladin with its completely opposite code is still paladin alternate class.
Further, Templars are incapable of casting "spells" in a traditional sense. In Dragon Age, there is no such thing as divine magic, so a Paladin wouldn't make sense (they have access to 1st-4th level spells, after all). Hell, the Chantry priests can't even cast spells--that's the sole domain of the setting's wizard equivalents.
Yup. Lack of spells would require more work with redesigning paladin into templar. Still, there is lot of parallels that could be called upon while doing such version: increased Will saving throws, replacing divine grace with bonus to saving throws against magic, turning smite into ability to mark an arcane caster and deal extra damage to him, replacing lay on hands with ability to remove magic effects with mercies being replaced with various kinds of dispels and removals.
I am not saying your version is in any way wrong - I just considered different approach to that conversion in the past.
Also, there is the factor that I never felt Alister to be master of many feats despite his sword-and-shield fighting style ;)
I see where you're coming from. Mechanically, Paladin is a very good base. The class abilities could easily be re-tooled to fit the Templar, I just wouldn't have thought to do so because I was more focused on the thematic differences.
Might also be a bit better in balance. Your Templar seems to get much more than he pays for. Most of these abilities are quite a bit more powerful than the abilities they replace.
[Edit]: Righteous Strike seems very broken to me. With two-weapon fighting that would amount to potentially 7 Greater Dispel Magics per turn at level 20.
They are more powerful if you're facing spellcasters, but then again, this is a specialized archetype. I freely admit that "Righteous Strike" is superior to similar options already appearing in the game, though (the Barbarian's "Spell Sunder" or Magus' "Dispelling Strike", for example).
Ah, I'll limit it to once per round. Good catch.