5 Tips For Playing Better Paladins

[Neal Litherland]

Paladins are the base class which causes the most arguments. If it's not arguments about what constitutes lawful good, or the complaints that the class shouldn't have to deal with alignment restrictions, then it's one of the legion of stories about a player who took it upon themselves to police the party's actions, even when those actions aren't criminal, or even, strictly-speaking, immoral.

While I doubt we'll ever settle all the issues surrounding the class, I have identified what I think are some key areas where problems can be avoided, with a bit of planning. Because sometimes all it takes is a little forethought, and cooperation with your DM, to completely avoid drawn-up, frustrating debates. Hopefully folks find some value in these 5 points.

5 Tips For Playing Better Paladins

[Cult of Vorg]

Alternatively, read the Deed of Paksennarion.
Or, the Dresden Files books that feature the Knights of the Cross.

Some good tips here, though. I think I'll link that to a GM I know that has problems with paladins.

[Neal Litherland]

Pleasure to be of service, Cult of Vorg.

Any time I can help eliminate some friction, and help players and DMs enjoy the game more, I consider that a victory.

[Blake's Tiger]

Cult of Vorg wrote:

Alternatively, read the Deed of Paksennarion.

Or, the Dresden Files books that feature the Knights of the Cross.

Some good tips here, though. I think I'll link that to a GM I know that has problems with paladins.

I'll give the Deeds of Paksennarion another shout out. That's a good series and great example of the Chosen One paladin trope.

[Sheahan]

The War God series by David Weber has a good example of a barbarian-turned-paladin for another take on things.

[Speaker for the Dead]

The character Sparhawk from David Edding's "The Elenium" is my favorite prototype for a paladin.

[Gulthor]

One of my players once played a more organic paladin who was a farm boy that worked on his family's farm. His grandfather was a kindly old man - oldest man in the village by far, no one was really sure how long he'd been there - stern but fair, who used to tell outrageous tales of his youth when he was out battling dragons and evil forces, fighting side-by-side with the elves.

Everyone took his tall tales as merely amusing stories, but when the village was threatened, the character's grandfather sent his grandson a mysterious message to meet him in a cave in a nearby forest.

There, he handed down to his grandson his old sword and armor that he had kept hidden, and shared the secret that the elves had named him elf-friend and granted him a token which had extended his life.

He then guided his grandson in swearing the oath that raised him to paladinhood, which my player took from Dragonheart (but still serves as a wonderful example of a basic paladin code.)

Dragonheart wrote:

A knight is sworn to valour,

His heart knows only virtue,
His blade defends the helpless,
His might upholds the weak,
His word speaks only truth,
His wrath undoes the wicked.

Follow that as a paladin, regardless of the specifics, and you'll be golden.

[KenderKin]

Or go back one more time and get on the same page as the DM.

The thesis of you don't have any actual authority, is not I repeat not supported by the rules as written RAW, it is an interpretation...

In fact a whole thread was about just that.