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Essentially I thought about a paladin:
Who's flavour revolved around not positive energy, but divine good-aligned fire.
Who lost his channeling and spellcasting abilities in favour of more combat intensity.
Who couldn't heal very well, or who's healing changed in mechanical feel from *POOF* to a healing-over-time kind of thing, thus making it weaker overall.
Who could really pile up the hurt, but with a limit. Kind of like the barbarian. I ended up with Sanctified Strike, which is an expendable resource for certain archetype abilities and an effective damage-dealing ability, depending on how you build your paladin.
Who could have both the Mercies of the paladin and the Cruelties of the Antipaladin. The balancing factor here was that I switched the healing ability (which can also be used offensively) to smite times per day, making it pretty darn limited at early levels. Less so at later ones. (The fact that you either use it to blast or heal makes those 7 times per day fly by very fast.)
Who could create sort of "zones" which grant different effects to his allies and damage enemies standing in them every round. Something I've yet to realise and can't quite find a place to squeeze in. (Suggestions appreciated!) I was planning to scrap auras entirely and replace them with said zones, but I'm hesitant at this point.
Who had a "fiery" feeling to him. That is, much more angry, gritty and dark. I shifted the alignment to be more accepting due to the lack of spellcasting and energy channel. Hell, let's face it, anything with more than 2 levels of spellcasting is automatically better than anything without them. So I guess it's fine.
Thinking of replacing spellcasting with a kind of "stance" mechanic which makes use of Lithanies. But unsure about it for now.
Most of this is subject to change, but exactly what will change depends on the feedback I get. Thanks in advance.
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Alignment: May be Lawful Neutral in addition to Lawful Good.
Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special
1st +1 +2 +0 +2 Aura of Sanctity , detect evil, Sanctified Strike
2nd +2 +3 +0 +3 Divine grace, Heavenly Fire 1/day
3rd +3 +3 +1 +3 Aura of courage, divine health, Blessing/Judgement
4th +4 +4 +1 +4 Heavenly Fire 2/day
5th +5 +4 +1 +4 Sanctified Bond
6th +6/+1 +5 +2 +5 Blessing/Judgement
7th +7/+2 +5 +2 +5 Heavenly Fire 3/day
8th +8/+3 +6 +2 +6 Aura of resolve
9th +9/+4 +6 +3 +6 Blessing/Judgement
10th +10/+5 +7 +3 +7 Heavenly Fire 4/day
11th +11/+6/+1 +7 +3 +7 Aura of Sanctified Wrath
12th +12/+7/+2 +8 +4 +8 Blessing/Judgement
13th +13/+8/+3 +8 +4 +8 Heavenly Fire 5/day
14th +14/+9/+4 +9 +4 +9 Aura of Heavenly Fire
15th +15/+10/+5 +9 +5 +9 Blessing/Judgement
16th +16/+11/+6/+1 +10 +5 +10 Heavenly Fire 6/day
17th +17/+12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +10 Aura of righteousness
18th +18/+13/+8/+3 +11 +6 +11 Blessing/Judgement
19th +19/+14/+9/+4 +11 +6 +11 Heavenly Fire 7/day
20th +20/+15/+10/+5 +12 +6 +12 Holy champion
Sanctified Strike (Su)
At 1st level the Knight of the Holy Fire may proclaim her next attack action to be a Sanctified Strike as a swift action a number of times per day equal to 1/2 her paladin level plus her Charisma modifier. Her next attack adds her CHA mod as a bonus to attack and damage rolls. If attacking an evil outsider or undead, this bonus doubles.
This ability replaces Lay on Hands.
Lack of Spellcasting
The Knight of the Holy Fire can not cast any spells or channel energy.
Aura of Sanctity (Su)
Regardless of alignment, the Knight of the Holy Fire’s aura always counts as being Good. The power of this aura is equal to half paladin level, however. By expending use of his Sanctified Strike, the Knight of the Holy Fire may instead make this aura equal to double his paladin level for 1d4 rounds.
This ability replaces Aura of Good.
Heavenly Fire (Su)
At 2nd level, the Knight of the Holy Fire may unleash a ray of heavenly fire as a standard action ranged touch attack, dealing 1d6 + 1 damage for every two paladin levels she possesses if successful. This damage is considered divine and is not subject to resistances or immunities.
If the enemy is evil aligned, he also takes additional damage equal to the amount of die from Heavenly Fire for 1d4 rounds. A will save with a DC of 10 + Charisma + ½ paladin level ends this effect. Every new round the target is affected by the continuing damage triggers this roll. This damage doubles if the target is undead or an evil outsider.
Alternatively, the Knight of the Holy fire may choose to give herself fast healing equal to the die of damage she would otherwise do with Heavenly Fire to herself for a duration of rounds equal to a fourth of the paladin levels she possesses + 3 as a swift action. Using this ability on allies is a standard action, but may be used at range. (8 rounds of fast healing 10 at level 20.)
At 2nd level, this ability may be used once per day. At 4h, 7th and every 3 levels thereafter, the Knight may use this ability an additional time per. (7 times per day at level 19.)
This ability replaces Smite.
Blessing/Judgement (Su)
At 3rd, 6th and every three levels thereafter, the Knight of the Holy Fire may select one blessing and one judgement to afflict her enemies or boon her allies with when burning with Heavenly Fire.
Judgements:
• Fatigued: The target is fatigued.
• Shaken: The target is shaken.
• Sickened: The target is sickened.
At 6th level, a paladin adds the following mercies to the list of those that can be selected.
• Dazed: The target is dazed.
• Staggered: The target is staggered.
At 9th level, a paladin adds the following mercies to the list of those that can be selected.
• Cursed: The paladin chooses one ability score upon casting Heavenly Fire. The target of Heavenly Fire receives a penalty of -2 to the ability score.
• Exhausted: The target is exhausted. The paladin must have the fatigue judgement before selecting this judgment.
• Frightened: The target is frightened. The paladin must have the shaken judgement before selecting this judgment.
• Nauseated: The target is nauseated. The paladin must have the sickened judgment before selecting this judgment.
• Burning: The target takes 1d4 points of ability damage to a selected ability score every round for 1d4 rounds. The paladin must have the Cursed judgment before the selecting of this judgment.
• Stunned: The target is stunned. The paladin must have selected the staggered and dazed judgments before selecting this judgment.
Blessings:
As judgments, but backwards. Those affected by Heavenly Fire are immune and cured of the chosen effects for the duration of Heavenly Fire. Exceptions:
Blessed: The paladin chooses an ability score upon casting Heavenly Fire. The target of Heavenly Fire receives a +2 bonus to the ability score.
Inspired: The target receives a +4 bonus to the ability score in addition. The paladin must have selected the Blessed blessing before selecting this blessing.
This ability replaces Mercy.
Sanctified Bond (Su)
As Paladin ability, but the Knight’s weapons are always considered good aligned for the purpose of overcoming DR.
Aura of Sanctified Wrath (Su)
At 11th level by expending two uses of her Sanctified Strike ability, the Knight of the Holy Flame may give the effect of Sanctified Strike for the next two strikes, using his own CHA mod, to all allies within 10 feet.
This ability replaces Aura of Justice.
Aura of Heavenly Fire (Su)
At 14th level by expending two uses of Heavenly Fire, the Knight may envelope himself in an aura of Heavenly Fire for the normal duration of Heavenly Fire, healing himself for twice the amount of die rolled to determine its damage (if it’s 2d6, you heal 4) every turn and dealing half its damage to (If 6d6, it does 3d6.) all adjacent creatures every round. Reflex save equal to 10 + ½ paladin level + cha allows to further halve that damage. This is a swift action.
This ability replaces Aura of Faith.
Holy Champion* (Su)
The exact same, except Smite is replaced with Sanctified Strike.
I think you reversed Smite and Lay on Hands. Smite is a 1st level ability, LoH is 2nd. I like the idea, but the class features need some work.
More or less exactly what I did. I thought it would make for a more offensive-focused paladin, and it kind of did. I'll try and fix the class abilities when I've the time.
You have a neat idea going here, but the presentation and mechanics look really sloppy. I feel like it has too much and too little all at once. This definitely looks like a first draft.
Honestly, I'd keep it simple.
Smite Evil is altered to Burning Smite, which does this:
- Targets one enemy as a swift action and lasts until target is dead or daily use of ability is regained.
- Bestows CHA bonus to attack rolls against evil targets
- Weapons deal 1d6 fire damage plus an additional 1d6 at 7th, 13th, and 20th levels to evil targets.
- Outsiders with evil subtype, evil dragons, and undead catch fire, taking an additional 1d6 each round.
- Any fire damage the target takes from this ability, divine bond, or other paladin class features bypasses fire resistance and immunity.
Lay on Hands is altered to Hands of Heavenly Flame, which:
- Deals 1d6 fire damage per two paladin levels to a touched creature.
- Alternatively, touch a creature (or self as swift action) to bestow a healing flame that grants them fast healing for 1 minute equal to half the paladin's level.
Maybe add burning hands to spell list?
I like the Lay on Hands thing, although the fast healing amount sort of makes me wonder. Fast Healing 20 just seems like an awful lot, although you only have a pretty limited amount of times per day you can use it, so maybe it checks out. I'll tweak it around and see what I like.
I kind of don't want to do Burning Smite the way you made it look. The idea was to switch Lay On Hands and Smite so that you essentially have a pretty decent number of offensive "smite-like" things to use per day.
At the same time, Sanctified Strike, as it is right now, is pretty difficult to either nerf or buff. If I give it a bonus to damage, the paladin will simply be too much in comparison to any other martial class. (Like the classic paladin is. Hah.)
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So too little and too much. Alright.
How about... I grant the Knight a passive 15 ft fast healing aura that heals everyone around him for a small amount of health every round, while the same small amount of health is taken away from evil individuals. Activating it would be a move action, perhaps.
Then, instead of all the other healing abilities, I grant the Knight the ability to increase his defenses, or help bolster those of his allies.
Like that deflection bonus you see on classic Smite could be given to himself as long as the aura is active, and something like half of that to all non-evil things within 15 ft. The aura would have a limited number of rounds per day, similar to barbarian rage except using CHA instead of CON.
All the paladin auras will be switches to Marks. The paladin expends X amount of Sanctified Strikes to hit the ground beneath him, forming a burning mark that can:
Grant DR.
Grant a small bonus to attack and damage rolls.
Grant a small bonus to saves.
Deal damage to evil folk in the form of 1d6s.
Maybe have it last for 1d4 rounds and apply the effects of mercy to allies within the Mark.
Or something.
Alternatively, that could be instead of the Smite and grant you a choice of an additional effect on the Mark each time you would have gotten a Smite per day?
Just throwing around ideas here.