I know that they are "sub-optimal" but still ...
What is the most "culturally appropriate" deity for an Elven Paladin? (For some reason I don't think "Calistral" would work. LOL)
If you mean something from the Elven Pantheon then the only fit would be Yuelral, The Wise.
The other deities don't fit LN, LG, or NG which are the set limitations for Paladin Gods, in Golarion.
Otherwise i can't really recommend any others without knowing where your character is from in Golarion (assuming this is the wolrd setting).
If you mean something from the Elven Pantheon then the only fit would be Yuelral, The Wise.
The other deities don't fit LN, LG, or NG which are the set limitations for Paladin Gods, in Golarion.
Otherwise i can't really recommend any others without knowing where your character is from in Golarion (assuming this is the world setting).
I wasn't thinking the of the Elven Pantheon, that that might work. Yes, the world is Golarion.
This character will be for Legacy of Fire, but he does not need to be a Katapeshi.
Erastil and Shelyn also seem like good diety choices from the core pantheon.
Anyway, you can make this work mechanically. Especially if you are an archer paladin. But even as a melee paladin, it just ends up with 12 less con than 'normal' on a 20 pt buy.
On a 15 pt buy....a bit more painful, but I can end up with something workable. And all paladins are painful on a 15 pt buy, admittedly.
Erastil and Shelyn also seem like good diety choices from the core pantheon.
Anyway, you can make this work mechanically. Especially if you are an archer paladin. But even as a melee paladin, it just ends up with 12 less con than 'normal' on a 20 pt buy.
On a 15 pt buy....a bit more painful, but I can end up with something workable. And all paladins are painful on a 15 pt buy, admittedly.
Actually, we will be using a 25 point buy ... and there is a Half-Orc barbarian in the party.
Well considering Legacy of Fire a great pick up for encounters combat/role-playing wise could be Sarenrae or even Abadar both are prevelent religions in Katapesh.
I've also found Ragathiel to be quite neat to play for a Paladin dedicated to chivalry, duty, and vengeance.
Actually, we will be using a 25 point buy ... and there is a Half-Orc barbarian in the party.Erastil and Shelyn also seem like good diety choices from the core pantheon.
Anyway, you can make this work mechanically. Especially if you are an archer paladin. But even as a melee paladin, it just ends up with 12 less con than 'normal' on a 20 pt buy.
On a 15 pt buy....a bit more painful, but I can end up with something workable. And all paladins are painful on a 15 pt buy, admittedly.
OH, well, then, who cares about race. Unless you are going Kobold, it is hard to mess things up (outside of other weird abilities- the dhampir's positive/negative energy reversal for example would suck for a paladin).
Actually, we will be using a 25 point buy ... and there is a Half-Orc barbarian in the party.Erastil and Shelyn also seem like good diety choices from the core pantheon.
Anyway, you can make this work mechanically. Especially if you are an archer paladin. But even as a melee paladin, it just ends up with 12 less con than 'normal' on a 20 pt buy.
On a 15 pt buy....a bit more painful, but I can end up with something workable. And all paladins are painful on a 15 pt buy, admittedly.
Yeah, no issue with stats on a 25 point buy. This is part of why I like 25 points, it makes choosing races that aren't 100% suited to a chosen role more viable.
16 STR/12 DEX/12 CON/14 INT/8 WIS/16 CHA (post-racials) is a suitable spread for this character.
Well considering Legacy of Fire a great pick up for encounters combat/role-playing wise could be Sarenrae or even Abadar both are prevelent religions in Katapesh.
I've also found Ragathiel to be quite neat to play for a Paladin dedicated to chivalry, duty, and vengeance.
True. But I've often felt that Abadar is kind of "anti-elven."
Shelyn seems like a good fit though. And, I can easily see that the AP really pushes Sarenrae.
Actually, we will be using a 25 point buy ... and there is a Half-Orc barbarian in the party.Erastil and Shelyn also seem like good diety choices from the core pantheon.
Anyway, you can make this work mechanically. Especially if you are an archer paladin. But even as a melee paladin, it just ends up with 12 less con than 'normal' on a 20 pt buy.
On a 15 pt buy....a bit more painful, but I can end up with something workable. And all paladins are painful on a 15 pt buy, admittedly.
Yeah, no issue with stats on a 25 point buy. This is part of why I like 25 points, it makes choosing races that aren't 100% suited to a chosen role more viable.
16 STR/12 DEX/12 CON/14 INT/8 WIS/16 CHA (post-racials) is a suitable spread for this character.
Really, I was looking more towards:
- 13 Str (3 points)
- 18 Dex (10 points) - for good riding and archery
- 12 Con (5 points)
- 14 Int (2 points)
- 10 Wis (0 points)
- 14 Chr (5 points)
That seems more balanced.
Why not Calistria?
You're immune to diseases. Good trait to have for a Calistrian.
Paladins don't have anything in their Code against sex, you know.
She is. Not exactly conducive to a paladin's code of honour.
The anti-paladin code for Calistria is rather terrifying though. Pretty much fall (rise?) if you refuse to be a sociopath. Shelyn does seem like an interesting choice though. Not sure how she fits culturally with elves but it the paladin code seems to cut straight against the popular interpretation of the smite at first detection of evil type of paladin.
Isn't Calistra CN?
Yes.
So?
Paladins don't have any restriction on who they can worship. They must remain LG, and must follow the Code...but none of that deity's tenets would necessarily cause him to cease being one or break the other.
Technically yes but if a player brought this idea to a game that I was running I'd put the character concept under a huge amount scrutiny. I can completely see an acolyte of Calsitria that's good aligned and dedicated to the idea of righting wrongs done against others. It would take some convincing to get me to believe that such a follower would be content to limit themselves to lawful means in this pursuit.
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What's your paladin's personality like? Personal history?
If you're looking for something elf-like/Calistria-like that's paladin friendly, Arshea and Lymnieris cover the free-love aspect* minus all the negative baggage while Ragathiel has a vengeance aspect rooted in justice more than personal vendettas.
But there are a ton of other possibilities to choose from when you consider the Empyreal Lords. There are some other gods that could also appeal to elven paladins. Tsukiyo is wonderful for this**, with the only stumbling block being that he's primarily known in Tien Xia. Then again, Katapesh has a little bit of everything, Tien (and potentially Jinen elves) immigrants and travelers included.
And then there's the Egyptian/Osirion gods, that can easily be worshipped by the elves of that area. Wadjet stands out as a strong possibility.
*Lymnieris may be more fitting for a refined courtly type while Arshea might appeal to the wilder side of things, but that's a bit of a simplification.
**A LG romantic figure deity of moonlight, darkness, spirits, and madness, whose backstory would not be out of place at all in the Silmarillion.
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Should have asked this, but:
What kind of feel and aesthetic do you want from your paladin? What elven traits and cultural aspects do you want to emphasize? is he from one of the desrt tribes, an Ekujae elf, or from further abroad? Do you want him to be of the local cultures or do you want him to be more of an outsider?
There are enough Empyreal Lords and lesser known gods that there's probably a perfect fit out there. We can likely find a good match for you with that info. :)
If you really want to work the 'Elven' part of an Elven Paladin, dex-based combat can work out rather nicely with a scimitar or rapier, or an elven curved blade using two-handed Power Attack. An Elven Dervish Dance Sarenrae Paladin seems pretty keyed up for Legacy of Fire.
I actually had a dex-based Sarenrae Paladin a while ago who eventually picked up a level of Sohei and Crusader's Flurry to flurry a scimitar in armor. The feats are a little tight, but it's certainly fun to smite with a rain of whirling scimitar strokes.
Also, with an Elf the Unsanctioned Knowledge feat seems like a perfect match. Being able to toss on a Mirror Image or buff the whole party with Good Hope is pretty nice when things look like they're going to get ugly, even if you have to ration the uses and/or pick up some Pearls of Power.
I like it, a paladin polytheist.
There's a new spear, the Elven branched spear, in the Melee Tactics Toolbox. An exotic weapon (martial for elves with weapon familiarity) that has the same damage and threat range/multiplier as a longspear; but it's finesseable and has an attack bonus for attacks of opportunities provoked by movement, making it pretty useful for high Dex + Combat Reflexes builds.
Get to create the elven prince from Hellboy 2, the best example of a melee Dex-based elven fighter I've ever seen in any media.
There's a new spear, the Elven branched spear, in the Melee Tactics Toolbox. An exotic weapon (martial for elves with weapon familiarity) that has the same damage and threat range/multiplier as a longspear; but it's finesseable and has an attack bonus for attacks of opportunities provoked by movement, making it pretty useful for high Dex + Combat Reflexes builds.
Get to create the elven prince from Hellboy 2, the best example of a melee Dex-based elven fighter I've ever seen in any media.
Ooh, that spear sounds fun. I'll have to keep that in mind...
What's your paladin's personality like? Personal history?
I hadn't decided that yet. This was part of the reason I started this thread.
If you're looking for something elf-like/Calistria-like that's paladin friendly, Arshea and Lymnieris cover the free-love aspect* minus all the negative baggage while Ragathiel has a vengeance aspect rooted in justice more than personal vendettas.
I think you have different understanding of "elveness" then I do.
(Of course, I also feel that Shelyn is a much better Elven Goddess then Calistria.)
But there are a ton of other possibilities to choose from when you consider the Empyreal Lords. There are some other gods that could also appeal to elven paladins. Tsukiyo is wonderful for this**, with the only stumbling block being that he's primarily known in Tien Xia. Then again, Katapesh has a little bit of everything, Tien (and potentially Jinen elves) immigrants and travelers included.
And then there's the Egyptian/Osirion gods, that can easily be worshipped by the elves of that area. Wadjet stands out as a strong possibility.
I should definitely look into Wadjet.
*Lymnieris may be more fitting for a refined courtly type while Arshea might appeal to the wilder side of things, but that's a bit of a simplification.**A LG romantic figure deity of moonlight, darkness, spirits, and madness, whose backstory would not be out of place at all in the Silmarillion.
Yes, Tsukiyo would be awesome. I should see if my Game Master would allow him.
What kind of feel and aesthetic do you want from your paladin? What elven traits and cultural aspects do you want to emphasize? is he from one of the desrt tribes, an Ekujae elf, or from further abroad? Do you want him to be of the local cultures or do you want him to be more of an outsider?
I was originally thinking of a "foriegner" but the stats really scream "horse nomad."